to ask you to help me with my menu? I need to learn to keep my gob shut.

[Diddydollydo]

So I have opened my big gob and offered to host my PILS Golden Wedding do on Saturday. It was due to be at BILS in Devon but due to illness and various things it can't go ahead and they were do disappointed so I said 'oh have it here' and now I have no idea what I am going to give everyone to eat. To be fair it's NOT a massive event , there will be 10 adults and 6 children but I am a bit of a rubbish cook and to be honest, though I want everyone to have a good time, I don't want to spend ALL day in the kitchen.

So....what food do I prepare?
Drinks? (have a couple of bottles of champers though they are not big drinkers)
Any other ideas to make it a bit special for them? I have ordered some gold plates and sparkly balloons and stuff from Amazon but any other ideas?

Oh and we don't have loads of cash to spare either.

Right, one easy to prepare course at the time, one pre prepared more difficult course and one bought course. That is what I would do.

So, starter, home made soup, prawn cocktail, that sort of thing. Easy enough.

Main, a casserole type thing, prepare in the morning. Nice seasonal veg and roast potatoes to go with it.

Buy pudding. Profiteroles, ice cream for the kids.

Sounds lovely but would doing a buffet be really rubbish? Our house is quite small and there's no where for everyone to sit for a proper sit down meal if you know what I mean? (sorry, should have mentioned that in OP).

Can you sit that many people down at one time or will it have to be a buffet?

HFW's Donnie Brasco prok is always a crowd pleaser.

Stuff starters.

How about pavlova for puffing?

Party tea !!!

Sandwiches. Cakes. Crisps. Pickled onion hot dog cheese on sticks. Crisps. Sausage rolls. Pasta. Bread sticks. Chicken legs. Nuts.

be great! I love party food!

A great "pudding" that I do is ice cream, sandwiched between 2 cookies and then the edges rolled in hundreds and hundreds.

I have done this for children a few times, and the grown-ups gave wolfefd it down.

I second party tea, and jelly and ice cream for everyone the children
What did they eat at their wedding reception? could you replicate it somehow?

I would be inclined to go for a buffet actually.

That way you get the bulk of the prep done earlier in the day, just a few things to heat up prior to serving. Also it is easier than trying to think of one main course that everyone will eat.

I have cooked a Xmas sit down dinner for 14 in my house - two tables, one in the dining room, one in the lounge - and it was quite hard work. Since then have stuck to a more casual style of mass catering.

If you do want a trad meal - how about a soup for starter - make it the day before even, something like a lasagne/stew/pie for main course, and buy in a selection of cakes to serve for dessert? Keep it as easy as you can.

Would second (or even third) a pavlova - make before, fill with cream and top with strawbs.

Think a buffet type would be fine - have had large gatherings here which doesn't allow all to sit down but allow them to wonder a bit - however I'd make sure some of the food was hot, can't abide cold pastry type things - but reasonably hot quiche / sausage rolls are fine.

In past have done things like a big chilli - have in large bowls in kitchen so people help themselves.

Buffet definitely.

I am writing a list right now, I have written

Warm rolls
Naice crisps
Nuts
Naice cold meat
Quiche
Pasta salads
Green salads
Olives
Cheese board and crackers
Sausage rolls
Profiteroles
Jelly and ice cream for kiddies

But I need a kind of 'main' thing that everyone would like don't I?

I would do a buffet for that many. If they were married in 1962 they'll appreciate 'traditional'. Something big and decorative in the centre like a whole poached salmon or a glazed gammon joint or both is a good start. Lots of colourful salads and crusty bread on the side etc. A fancy dessert like trifle is very sixties, and a big cake for them to cut will always go down well. As for money, don't be shy about asking other siblings for a contribution. You're hosting the party & doing the work but don't get saddled with all the costs.

Slow cooked pork then rolls salad coldslaw that kind of thing. very yummy no effort x

I think buffet is your best and easiest option
maybe make a quiche or tart?
some sandwiches or bread/cold meats
nice salad bits
crisps & dips
chicken pieces oven cooked
olives/hummus/roasted peppers
sausage rolls
cakes/biscuits etc

or ^^ that!

If they're not big drinkers of alcohol, you could prepare some fun soft drinks in advance, then just add ice to chill at the last minute. Makes it look like you've done something special, for really little effort. Plus the children can drink them.

Something like this foodrevolutionday.com/recipe/20/Pomegranate-Drink.html or a homemade lemonade with mint leaves in it.

Ooooo lasagne! I'm not a great cook but I make a splendid lasagne!

Buffets are so much hard work.

Do the pork, sit back relax, drink the 2 bottles to yourself.

Done.

Buy some ready made quiches and reheat pass off as your own. Make new potato salads, crudités and dips like humus, tatziki, tara, etc. from supermarket. Cheese and pineapple on sticks. Crips and twiglets. Jelly and icecream. Drinks? make a big sangria or elderflower cordial and fizzy water (18p in Tesco), or maybe Pimms. Can you put the guests in the garden? It's forecast to be sunny all this week until the weekend. Borrow a gazebo? Decorate it with ivy or old stuff from the hedgerows. Get the Christmas lights out. Use bed sheets for tablecloths.

I've ordered a cake from M & S and it looks nice so fingers crossed. I'm working from tomorrow, thurs and fri (til 8) so I'm a bit short of time too. I love the ice cream and cookies idea!

x posted Lainey. pork in rolls is nice and easy.

Either a chilli/curry or if they don't like the spicy what about a couple of big pies.
You could even buy them if you're not super cook and just warm them in the oven

Decorate it with ivy or old stuff from the hedgerows. Get the Christmas lights out Can you come to my house at about 8 am on Saturday morning please Jam?

There you go then.

No starter as such but some olives and picky things - all bought.
Big lasagne with lots of green salad, I'd do a massive potato salad too and maybe something like a tray of roasted peppers and courgettes.
Get everyone else to organise / make a special cake - have parents cut that and serve it for pud with icecream (also bought!)

Champers for a toast with cake. Big jugs of soft drinks (buy a bag of ice).

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

(tip: cut the lasagne into portions in the dish before you take it to the table or people will mangle it)

Buffet probably good, particularly with children. But I do like a hot buffet rather than a cold one.

What about a vaguely mediterreanian theme? Mini meatballs in spicey tomato sauce, couscous salad, roasted chorizo pieces (I do them in red wine and honey and they are really really good), maybe a puff pastry tart with tomato and mozzerrella or olives, peppers and feta.

Definitely do a cold pudding - Pavlova, big chocolate cake, even brownies (easy as you can portion them out before hand).