easy after work dinner for 9 people

[givemeaclue]

have relatives coming next week - need to make quick and easy dinner for 9 people inc 5 kids after work - we're all going on hols the next day so don't want to spend all evening cooking

any suggestions?

something involving good sausages perhaps?

any good pudding ideas too?

My brother got me a freezer cookbook for Christmas that we use for this kind of thing-quick Coq au Vin with mash, pasta bakes etc, I make them early (sometimes a few weeks!!) and them take them out on the day to defrost and cook later on.

The other thing I once did was a ratatouie with chicken breasts (skin on) which you literally bung in the oven with the chicken resting on top. Only problem is it was a lot of chopping the night before but it lasted well in the tubs overnight so the meal only took about a minute on the day.

With pudding, how about an apple tart? Defrost frozen puff pastry then roll it out on the day, slice a few apples (put them in lemon juice to keep their colour) and put them on the puff pastry, push up the sides, put sugar and a little vanilla essence on top then just bung in the oven. Did that the other day whilst having guests and was probably gone for 5 minutes max.

Good luck!

you are going on hols the next day? well then, you need something called a "takeaway"....cooking the night before you go having worked all day? are you quite mad?

actually, reading your OP again, you mention sausages...you could do hot dogs, and make a big potato salad the night before

Beef in red wine - make a few days before. Keep in fridge and warm through for an hour in a medium oven. Good with rice, jacket pots, crusty bread and veg.

Pud = rasps/strawbs and cream or ice cream

Take good sausages, split them open with a knife, pull off little 'nuggets' of pork and fry gently. Add in a teaspoon of fennel seeds, 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Let it all go a bit golden. Add in a big glass of red wine and let it bubble away til reduced by half. Add in a tin of chopped tomatoes if you like it chunky and some pasata if you like it smooth. Salt & pepper. Simmer for 20 mins til you have a good sauce consistancy. Serve with some tagliatelle or paparadelle. Simple but tates super delish and more sophisticated than it really is. Easy to make ahead and keep in fridge or freezer. Good with a nice side salad and come crusty garlic bread.

Google nigella's chicken with sausages. All you need is red onion, mustanrd and some lemon I think but I totally agree with a takeaway!

how about a pasta fight?
big bowl of pasta and 2 or tree sauces and salad. done

Thanks everyone I really appreciate you taking the time to reply

Yes we were going to do takeaway but then I thought I should be more hospitable for our arriving guests so thought I may cook something.

I am going to take your combined advice and do:

-cook in advance - make it on saturday and make a dessert day before on wed
-sausage recipe similar to the one above
-with pasta and salad as you have all suggested above

THank you very much!