What to cook?

[ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner]

Need some help and ideas please!

We are having family over next weekend for the in-laws anniversary, will be 12 adults and 2 kids and I've no idea what to feed them!

Need something easy ish maybe buffet type food but what would go down nicely? In-laws are fussy as in they eat everything but like nice food if that makes sense.

I would cook "dinner" but our dining table only seats 6 people so need something that can be eaten on various chairs!

Could murder dh for volunteering us for this!!

You need something that can be eaten with a fork. How about something with rice , ie a big pot of chilli

I was going to suggest chilli too

Something one pot and easy to eat.

Beef bourgignon
Spanish chicken and chorizo stew
Paella
Curry
Chilli
Pulled pork

I've had big successes with 'posh' hot dogs - bake decent sausages in the oven, they help themselves to baguettes and any topping - fried onions. Pickles, chilli, jalapeños, diced onion and all the sauces.

Can't your DH cook or source catering or order a posh takeaway?

A Moroccan tagine with jewelled cous cous could work

I'd do "party food" if I were you. Lots of nice quiches, sausage rolls, Indian pastries etc. Go to a good deli or M and S for some key pieces and sandwiches then do crudités, crisps, cheeseboard etc.

Makes it easy and delicious (although costs more than cooking something obviously).

This was really popular at my parents wedding anniversary earlier this year realfood.tesco.com/recipes/moroccan-style-salmon-with-lemony-couscous.html
It was really easy to scale-up for the number of people we had, and could be eaten with just a fork.

If you can make a few big one pot meals like chicken curry, nasi goreng, stew and complement them with soup, salads, baguettes and spreads. That should keep the costs down. And if you could get your hands on some electric foodwarmers and present the whole lot nicely on your dining table with a tablecloth, plates, cutlery, napkins, and a few flowery decorations, it would make a nice buffet for everyone to enjoy. Good luck!

My go to for large gatherings is Nigella’s Coca Cola ham. Serve with bread and some salads. Pavlova for dessert.

If you could borrow another table, and use it as an extention, you could do it all up with table linens & candles.
The food could be set out on the kitchen buffett style

Roast a chicken and do a couple of gammon joints in cola. Serve these cold with baguette, cheese and salad. Any vegetarians ?

Am I the only one thinking your DH should cater this one?

I would go for the cold chicken and cold gammon ham option too.

Huge pot of new potatoes for hot element.

Chimichurri or salsa verde sauce or similar.

Big green salad containing some veg like small asparagus spears and Princess haricot beans. And a big colourful mixed salad containing roasted red peppers, vine tomatoes, some finely sliced red onion.

Then I would make one enormous pavlova with fresh berries or make up 14 portions of Eton mess.

What's the gammon joint in cold recipe please?

Sorry I've just read that guests will be balancing plates on knees etc and not sitting at table. In that case I would go for chipolatas, potato salad with vinaigrette, green salad, tomato salad. For veggies I would pre prepare some roast veg tartlets.

Here

www.nigella.com/recipes/ham-in-coca-cola

No you aren't @Milknosugarta

I asked yesterday why the OP's DH couldn't sort the food?

Sorry for disappearing! There are loads of great suggestions here thanks so much, think we will likely go for the buffet option with chicken/gammon etc. Oh and I'd completely forgotten about the Nigella cola ham so definitely going to do that.

Chilli was a great idea but apparently fil doesn't like Chilli and dh's uncle isn't eating red meat at the moment 🤷‍♀️ 🤯

Also no chance my dh will cook, he would happily pay for takeaway but we really can't afford to at the moment for that many people. Going to try and do a buffet type thing as cheaply as possible. Mil makes a great quiche so going to message her now and see if she fancies making a couple but feel a bit bad as it's for their anniversary!!