Oh crumbs. I am now hosting Easter sunday lunch for 8 people and I don't know where to start.

[Aworryingtrend]

Due to a sudden change in plans I am now hosting Easter Sunday lunch for 8 people- all adults- including 2 80 year olds and others with very 'staid' tastes- think meat and two veg. My honey roasted parsnips last year were hailed as 'fancy'.

What shall I cook? I will do canapes rather than sit down starter, thats fine, but what for main and dessert? I would love to do lamb, but for 8 greedy adults I would need to remortgage the house, wouldn't I?

Oh and just to top it off I will be hungover as we are at a party the night before.

Help!
Thank you

2 roast chickens?
Fairly easy, very inoffensive

do a big ham in coke. baked onions. jacket potatoes and home made coleslaw (2 seconds if you have a food processor).

trifle for dessert (made day before).

job done.

You could try a slow-roast shoulder of lamb - it's not too expensive (as lamb goes) and, once it's in the oven, needs very little doing to it, leaving you free to concentrate on other things. I won't be back on MN until this evening, but if you want a recipe, just say and I'll post one then.

I've got 6 for Easter lunch and I'm doing jaimies tray baked chicken with squashed potatoes
Can do most of the prep in advance
I've bought a chocolate roulade for pud

I've done that tray baked chicken with squashed potatoes for a group of 8 before and it's fab!

Definitely agree with the ham in coke idea. Or any Jamie tray-bake.

Thanks everyone, I'm feeling a bit calmer now! Sophable if it was up to me I would definitely do ham in coke and JPs but my mum others believe that easter sunday lunch should be 'special' ie a joint of meat and all the trimmings. I love cooking but I'm so rubbish at roasts,t he timings always throw me and I never have enough pans.

Clayhead please could I have the recipe for the Jamie chicken traybake and yes please joyce could I have the shoulder of lamb one?

How big a piece do you think I'd need to serve 8 very big eaters?

A whole pork shoulder? Did that recently, cooked it for 10 hours on a low heat, you just leave it and the smell torments you all day.

It was about £18 from the butcher, but it fed 9 one day then was lovely for sandwiches the next day.

If you do want to do lamb, I think a lamb shoulder would be a lot cheaper than a leg, so you could slow roast that.

Also do you need to do canapes and a starter? I always just do canapes, then sit down to main meal. I think you can do this, especially as you are doing a pudding also.

Thanks Quick, I did pork shoulder recently and I wasn't that pleased with it (hence my bad luck with roasts), it wasn't nearly as tender as I had hoped.

Yes i am definitely only doing canapes, no sit down starter.

I am googling shoulder of lamb ATM. Do I want it with the bone in, or without? And how much for 8 people? I'm confused as Jamie's recipe for 6 said a 2.5kg shoulder, but another recipe on the beeb said a 2.5kg shoulder for 2 people!

Oh I'm rubbish with weights. I usually go to the butcher and ask their advise. I do think 2.5kgs sounds huge for 2 people though.

have just googled and site looks helpful.

oh sorry
recipes4us.co.uk

Here is a link for the recipe I used last time I cooked shoulder of lamb (bone-in) - it was very yummy!!

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/roast_shoulder_of_lamb_92545

It says that it serves 4-6. I would definitely say at least 6 and quite possibly 8. I am cooking it on Sunday and serving it alongside roast spuds, roast sweet potatoes, spring greens and lots of lovely gravy - not the ratatouille mentioned in the recipe.

I find more is more when slow-roasting - i.e. cook for the maximum amount of time for the softest meat!!

I'm doing a side of salmon, new pots and Veg then delias lemon curd sandwich cake for dessert.

Jamie chicken traybake with crushed potato recipe

If your guests are that staid traditional, they'll probably yum up a yorkshire pudding whatever the meat served with it...

Thanks all- I'm def leaning towards shoulder of lamb (thanks for the recipe Joyce) and just hoping it will be big enough if I do lots of side dishes. Lemon cheesecake for dessert and DH may do a rhubarb crumble too. Sorted!