quick starter and desert ideas

[hatterselfamerrymerrychristmas]

We've got 8 people for dinner tonight. Turkey and ham pie for main (no prizes for originality). What else? Minimu effort required, especially at the serving stage - can't be doing with faffing when people are here. Was thinking about poached pears. Any other ideas? Can you buy haggis from Waitrose and if so how do you cook it?

[mullgedwine]

We've also got 8 for dinner, and i'm very originally doing smoked salmon and prawns for starters - just buy it, arrange on a plate with thin buttered bread, lemon, dill and cracked pepper. Pudding, i cheated and ordered waitrose entertaining raspberry creme brulee cheescakes as i can't cook puddings. Cheesecakes are easy, so is chocolate mousse. hth

[mullgedwine]

Oh, and yes, you can get haggis in waitrose. Ive seen it many times and toyed with it, then not bought it.

[LIZS]

Love poached pears - with a blob of really good ice cream and choc sauce !

[Twiglett]

Ice cream and Melted Mars Bars

Just melt the mars bars in a splash of milk and pour over vanilla ice-cream .. yummy

[Cadbury]

We are entertaining too. We are having ciabatta with olives and warm olive oil for dipping, followed by tomato, avacado and mozzerella salad with basil leaves, then a prvencal chicken thing with linguini. I've settled on profitteroles for dessert but I nearly bought a lemon tart instead. I also thought about baked apples with minemeat inside (that might fit in with the post Christmas theme).

Hope you have a lovely time.

[hatterselfamerrymerrychristmas]

thanks guys. a friend just offered to do a starter so I think it'll be poached pears. DH has already done the pie