Help me plan my first [shock] dinner party!

[SheWillBeLoved]

I have stupidly nominated myself to host my first dinner party for 5 girlfriends it's not something we normally do, usually just go out for lunch/dinner, or have a quick lunch together at somebodies house when the kids are in school.

It's not going to be incredibly formal, they aren't huge 'foodies' in the sense of being terribly adventurous, but do enjoy to eat so I'd like to offer up something a bit different, but not too much hard work anything that can be prepared in advance would be a bonus! Oh, and one friend absolutely hates cheese, others love it - so I don't mind cooking something with cheese for me and the others, but using an alternative for her.

Please help, before I resort to handing them each a takeaway menu as they come in

Umm how about offering a cheese board as well as a pudding for the friends who love cheeseand then you don't have to do a separate dish. Or do cauliflower cheese as a vegetable side?

Soup or pate are always good easy starters as they can be prepared well in advance.

If you are nervous then cook something that you have done before rather than trying something fiddly when you are unsure.

Copious amounts of wine

Good luck

Easy but yummy main course, best prepared in advance:

Chicken breasts/turkey steaks in honey mustard sauce.

Mix together olive oil, honey, wholegrain mustard (enough to cover the meat in a shallow dish)

Slash meat so sauce can permeate it better.

Pour sauce over meat - be generous!

Put a slice of bacon or parma ham on top of each piece of meat (use cocktail stick if desired)

Bake in oven for about 30 - 40 minutes until brown and bubbling. Mmmm.

I usually serve with something to soak up the sauce, mashed potato or cous-cous with sundried tomatoes. Also spinach as vegetable. Or salad with croutons and sliced pears.

Dessert: Any kind of pie is easy to make in advance, or for something healthier, stewed fruit and Greek yoghurt. Or fresh berries over (shop-bought meringues).

Darn it, have just given away all my secrets...

Oh I'm not nervous, they'd eat beans on toast and a Snickers if it was offered up to them

I'd just like to do something nice and different for a change, but nothing too 'out there' - there's only one friend who'd appreciate that I think!

And the wine won't be a problem at all thanks!

What about little tart things with salad?
You could have cheese/no cheese ones. They are (apparently) simple to make - I haven't made them but they could be prepared in advance and just put in oven.

Soup for mains with homemade/deli bread.
Savoury tartlets with nice salad for mains.
Something chocolatey for dessert.
Lots of wine.

My friends would live that.

My friends would like it also.

Top dessert tip would be Tiramisu - tastes better if made the day before and is dead simple with no cooking.

2 pots of mascarpone, eggs and caster sugar, and those sponge fingers (think they're called ladyfingers?), coffee granules and some Tia Maria or Kahlua or even the new Baileys coffee (and the advantage of this is you can also offer Irish Coffee after using these). There are loads of recipes on the BBC Food site. Other suggestion for dessert is Eton Mess (just double cream, ready bought meringues and raspberries all mashed up together in a tall glass - some people have ice cream too). Can make it before they are due and put in fridge - but personally think Tiramisu is more delicious and you can make it more in advance.

Am just trying to think of non-cheesy stuff.

My quick win is usually spaghetti carbonara but that has parmesan in it so no good but very quick and easy to cook.

Have any of them got favourite foods? Or if you go out do you usually agree on a particular type of food e.g. indian/chinese etc?

If they just like good honest food, and are coming round for fun rather than a formal dinner party, then I would go with nibbles rather than a starter, maybe with a cocktail.

Main - what about lasagne or moussaka (you can make a smaller portion with no cheese on top), accompanied by a salad and garlic bread - all can be prepared ahead.

Tiramisu is lovely BUT I know lots of people who don't like it, and marscapone is a cheese so depends just how cheesy somethign must be before the non-cheese eater won't eat it.

You could get some good quality vanilla ice-cream and put out stuff to make own sundaes (rum soaked raisins; fruits; nuts; cream; choc sauce; little cakes/brownies etc)

I second the lasagna. Better if you make the day before, so easy. With salad and garlic bread. Desert, something light, since lasagna is filling. Selection of small pastries? Chocolate mousse with whipped cream?
Have fun!