Quick...still at work...10 people coming for dinner tonight. need starter and pudding...

[hatwoman]

any inspiration? I was thinking of maramalade bread and butter pudding (with home made marmalade. natch) but is that a bit, oh, I don't know, rustic...

dh is doing lamb pot roast for main.

bit heavy after pot roast

icecream and berries/choc sauce

[lazy]

blimey if I had 10 people coming for dinner I'd have been panicking for about a fortnight about what to cook

not posting on MN at 3pm on the day of the dinner party

ahhhjust noticed its 3pm: am on Dubai time (tis 7pm here) I was wondering how you'd also find the time to cook a pud

Think pus sounds lovely and good after pot roast. Can you get vanilla ice cream and cream and custard to go alongside - having a choice make it feels less everyday I always think!

Starter...assume you can get to the shops? Do you want sit down starter, or substantial nibbles?

Pavlova

Buy meringue nests, cream, berries and pile it all up. Make meringue nests wit you have time, inspiration and ingredients.

hmm, B&B pud might be a bit heavy after potroast?

Maybe a jam sponge, but put lemon in the sponge and use the marmalade instead of jam? The cream or icecream rather than custard...

For a starter, could you do a smoked salmon mousse? Blend up smoked salmon, creme fraiche, lemon, black pepper, whack it in the fridge for a couple of hours, serve with brown bread or blinis or something...

Starter - antipasta (or whatever the right word is ) - olives, sun dried tomatoes, breadsticks, hummous etc (buy on way home).

Pudding - get a nice Lemon Tart or similar - or ice cream and berries is a good idea from Words - agree with Cat - you must be very relaxed, I'm worried about what DS and I are having for supper !

Pudding - icecream, blueberries, bashed up shortbread/digestive biscuits with a shot of espresso over the top. V.quick and very yummy.

Starter - sliced red onions and plum tomatoes, roasted with oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Needs about 30-40 mins in the oven. Serve with salad leaves.

Nigella's pea and pesto soup for starter. Just whizz it all up in blender. V easy. Or depending on the weather this time of year, antipasto as has been suggested.

Pudding - another vote for ice cream and berries / smashed up biscuits/chocolate bits.

M&S

I agree about b&b pudding being a bit heavy. think I might do oranges in spicy caramel. if I can find the recipe.

no M&s near here - I'm in the sticks. there's a co-op...

Think pus sounds lovely and good after pot roast

good lord. Surely not? Unless of course the pot roast is swarming with bacteria?

something v light for starter with a heavy main course I think - maybe blinis or just some soup?

Oranges in spicy caramel sounds like a good dessert - would be interested in recipe if/when you find it. Otherwise my suggestion would be the pavlova as mentioned up thread or cheese board and some grapes

Chipsticks for starters and an apple for pud. Lovely jubbly nice n easy.

Chocolate mousse - Very easy to do. Just need a tiny bit per guest.
Something lemon-y? I've been doing lemon syllabub in little cute glasses lately to follow heavy dinners. It's a bit 70s but yummy.

Nobody has mentioned Pom Bears yet...

apparently some people will want to watch the rugby. dorritos all round then. (perhaps I can establish a horrifically gendered evening and the women will retreat to the kitchen where there might, at least, be olives and sundried tomatoes.

how about a wee cocktail? any suggestions?

Ooh thank-you, I'd forgotten it was on! Perhaps we will have takeaway tonight then...

btw here is the spiced oranges recipe

One jug of Bloody Mary and another of White Russian - just so that both teams are represented?