inspiration needed for a vegetarian dinner party please!

[friendly]

Dh and I never entertain but next friday is THE big night - our first dinner party for years! It's not at all formal but I want it to be special. I am embarassed to say that we are the veggies not our friends so I should have a few ideas but I still can't decide what to cook. I am pretty good at rustling up food for us and the kids but I am not very confident at cooking food for others. If you were hosting a vegetarian dinner party what would your menu be? Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Thank you

[SaintRiven]

advocado. Then lasagne and salad.
Is that dinner party stuff? I've never done one.
Potatos au duaphinois are posh potatos.

[ChopsTheDuck]

my bean lasagne is my thing for veggie dinners. It's made like normal lasagne, but with layers of black beans and salsa, alternated with ricotta and mozarella cheese with dried chillis, then usual white sauce on top and decorated with jalepenos and tomatoes.

[Weegle]

I made a really yummy artichoke, spinach, sundried tomato & ricotta filo pie last time I had veggie friends over for dinner... was seriously yummy. And I fried some chorizo in garlic and white wine on the side for the meat eaters.

Another nice looking veggie dish I do for friends is open ravioli. Cut lasagne sheets in half and layer up with whatever you like really - last time I used spinach, watercress, ricotta, lemon and parmesan. Served with garlic bread.

[Blu]

Marinaded (lime) and grilled halloumi kebabs

Vegetable Tarte Tatin - like Delia's Red Onion Tarte Tatin, but using a wider range of mediterranean / caramalisable veg - Red peppers, courgettes, aubergines as well as red onions. With some lovley onion marmalade and mixed root mash (potato, parsnip and carrot - quite sweet) and a fab green salad.

Something chocolatey.

[janeite]

Is it a dinner party proper, or a friends for supper thing? Because if the former, I haven't a clue. For the latter, I'd do something like:

starter - homemade hoummus, aubergine dip etc with pittas and olives

main - a veggie and chickpea tagine, with cous cous and toasted pine nuts

pud - lemon syrup cake served warm with icecream or double cream with lemon rind stirred in OR a trifle OR individual apple tarts

[JulesJules]

Either a big lasagne (Delia's spinach and 3 cheeses one is very rich and delicious) plus salad, or Greek: make a big spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie made with filo pastry), big Greek salad, bowl of small potatoes baked in the oven with garlic, possibly bowl of big beans, plus bowls of hummous, tsatziki, olives etc. and nice bread, olive oil.

Pudding something bought in or made in advance, eg pavlova, piles of chocolate brownies etc. or a good bought vanilla icecream with homemade warm butterscotch sauce.

[platypussy]

Blus vegetable tarte tatin sounds lovely.

[Tolalola]

Soup for starters is sooo stress-free cos can make in advance and chill/heat as required. Pumpkin or parsnip soup is nice at this time of year.

Then pasta is great - love the open ravioli idea - (might try tonight!) but I usually do things that need not much attention at the last minute so I can drink wine socialise with guests - filo pie, mushroom lasagne or veggie curry are all easy that way.

crumble for pud mmmmmmmm

[friendly]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Going to reread them all now. It's not formal at all. Just friends for supper but I want it to go well and not to be in the kitchen too much or worrying about the food. I'm not a bad cook just tend to wing it alot with the family. I suppose I just want a menu that's easy, seasonal and the dishes all go well together.

[retiredgoth]

I back the halloumi...

...and soup. Roast butternut squash with garlic then liquidise..... serve with crusty bread

Even the urchins will eat it.