If you had to cook lunch for 8 adults and 3 kids.m.

[mundaneflounder]

What would you cook? It's this weekend. Going shopping tomorrow but have no ideas at the mo!

Main and desert ideas please!

Main:

Lasagna, salad and garlic bread.

Make up two lasagnas the day before and stick in fridge. Just shove them in the oven on the day.

Salad takes 2 mins.

Buy ready made garlic bread that just needs 10 mins in the oven

Dessert: Eton Mess

Cut the strawberries earlier in the day, whip the cream earlier in the day - shove in fridge in bowls.

Buy ready made meringues.

Stick it together at the last minute.

^ This is assuming you want something easy and not have to run around too much on the day...

My MIL who is coming always makes lasagne, so am reluctant to tread on her toes/territory! Otherwise that would be the plan.

Either a big tray bake with lots of chicken thighs and drumsticks, served with homemade coleslaw, green salad, tomato salad and potato salad or
A large shoulder of pork with salad as above or
Chilli and tacos or rice (with salad, salsa and guacamole
Pudding -nice vanilla and chocolate ice cream, fresh strawberries and some fancy ice cream wafers.
Not too expensive, easy to prep, should suit all tastes if you keep some veg plain just in case.
If they are vegans or veggie then go for bean chilli and just fruit.

It's also supposed to be decent weather at the weekend so could a BBQ be an option?

I agree that a good chilli with options of rice and nachos/tacos would be good.

Fill bowls with guacamole, salsa, grated cheese, sour cream for people to help themselves to.

A big slow cooker curry with naan breads & rice. Or maybe fajitas with nachos as a starter. Both with Eton mess as a pudding.

Jacket potatoes with options of chilli/Bolognese, cheese, beans, coleslaw.
Then do salad on the side.

Or roast a big joint of pork and do pork and stuffing rolls with apple sauce.

Big leg of lamb slow roasted. Then new pots and salads. Cous cous salad etc

Can do it all in advance

Another easy crowd pleaser for dessert is a cheesecake

Its pretty nice here so I would probably do either pizzas and salad or bbq and salad. But then I'm not adventurous when we have guests - I want to feel relaxed and spend time in their company rather than faffing around preparing a gourment meal. The fancy stuff or new things to try I keep for when its just the 4 of us!
Desert - its rhubarb time so I would be doing a rhubarb and ginger crumble with either custard (the ready made stuff!) or ice cream.

for the kids i think i would do pizza bites and chips (obviously depending on their age, if they are older they might prefer the adult option)

for the adults i think i would do salmon teriyaki with egg noodles.

dessert wise, i think i would make eton mess

all the best x

Yes I don't want too fancy either. Traybake could be a good option!

His family are quite traditional/boring/unadventurous so would not be impressed by a curry or anything remotely spicy. Mexican would also get a few eyebrow raises! Ridiculous really but I do want them to feel comfortable.

I’ve got 6 adults and 2 children every day. I do things like the tray of roast chicken pieces and then a tray of small roast potatoes. Salad coleslaw, plate of sliced cheeses. New potatoes Some avocado and onion salad. Fresh bread rolls
Trifle and icecream also fresh fruit for after.

We've got 6 adults, 3 kids on Sunday and planning a BBQ so husband can cook it.

Ice cream cones for pudding; I've got strawberry sauce and various sprinkles for the kids to keep them happy!

A big pot of veggie butternut squash and chickpea stew/tagine thing

Big trays of chicken thighs with spices and a plain tray for the kids

Pita bread

main: goulash soup & bread
dessert: ice cream

I made a delicious fish pie last weekend that went down well. Was easy to prepare ahead. Enjoyed by adults and kids alike. It was a recipe recommended to me on here. Jamie's fantastic fish pie.
I then did a large pavlova with whipped cream and fruit for pud. The Pavlova recipe is easy. Heat oven to 150. 1 egg white to 2oz caster sugar depending on how big you want it. I did 4 egg whites for 6 people, so 8 ozs sugar. That was about the right size. Whip the egg whites until peaky, slowly add the sugar. Add 1/2 tsp of vinegar and 1 tsp Cornflour and whip until combined. Spread on a baking sheet in whatever shape you want. I tend to do a rectangular shape with a dip in the centre for the cream and fruit. Lower oven temp to 140. Cook for 1 hr. Leave in the oven to cool as the oven cools. If you can leave it in there overnight all the better.

Pulled pork
Potato wedges
Apple sauce
Coleslaw
Corn on the cob
Part baked rolls hot from the oven

Some sort of meatball pasta bake / mac and cheese for main, with salad. Dessert - either pavlova as above, or a serve yourself ice cream bar with toppings to choose from.

Actually fish pie as above not a bad idea either!

Chicken casserole with roast potatoes and veg. I use the Colmans Coq au Vin sachets. I made three casserole dishes worth (12 chicken breasts, three sachets) on Sunday for 9 adults and two little ones and it was plenty - there was enough left for dinner for two of us last night.

Another vote for cheesecake, with strawberries and cream. And maybe a vienetta/load of magnums/cornettos in the freezer to offer as an alternative (and eat yourself at your leisure if there are some left!)

Not especially sophisticated but easy and tasty!

Leg of lamb. If you have a real butcher, tell them your numbers. Cubed roast potatoes withgarlic, olive oil & rosemary. Heaps of salad.

That way you have nothing on the hob to stress you out.

Gazpacho or that other thicker cold spanish soup that I can't remember the name of & bread to start if you want. Ditto nothing on the hob.

Second rec of Eton Mess for dessert.