Informal lunch for 20ish

[goingmadinthecountry]

How does bakes sound? As in lasagne, shepherd's pie etc so I can do all the cooking the day before and minimise washing up? Obviously with salads, breads etc. It will be my birthday so don't want to make too much mess. Not jacket potatoes as no-one here eats them.

So, any ideas for other things I can prepare in a big dish the day before ready to bake? I'm feeling as though I always give the same people the same food at the moment!

Thanks

Soup and crusty bread?
Chilli and potato wedges/garlic bread
Slow roasted pork, soft rolls, apple sauce
Chicken thighs marinated in balsamic vinegar, mustard olive oil, lemon and garlic
Beef casserole done in slow cooker.

Really fancied the idea of slow roasted pork having been inspired on here but my neighbour went and did it on NY day and quite a few of the same people will be there. Grrrr. Was lovely though. I do have 2 slow cookers so that's definitely a good possibility - did beef in red wine on NYE, also chicken and chorizo, so will have to dig out some cookbooks for something a bit different.

Soup and beef baguettes? I would be in food heaven

Slow roasted beef with caramelised onions in crusty bread?
A big meat and potato pie with mushy peas?
Big pizzas?

I would be in heaven if I came to a party for the above! Mmm

That sounds yum.

The last time I cooked for a crowd I did 2 large trays of bubble & squeak....sort of like Jamie Olivers, made from scratch & not left overs, and cooked it in the oven, browned it under the grill & then back in the oven. Sausages in onion gravy (meat & veggie) and a big pot of braised red cabbage.

I saw a couple of Hugh FW recipes for crowds yesterday - pasticcio and shepherds pie. Thought I could make shepherds pie with Jamie's lamb with a bottle of red wine as I have loads of lamb in the freezer. I also have a half price side of salmon I froze though I did salmon en croute for NYE. Maybe Delia's spinach and ricotta lasagne (again) too, though I have a good recipe for lentil and sweet potato shepherds pie. Problem is we do quite a lot of being sociable round here so I soon run out of tried and tested old favourites!!

Threre are always probably far more than 20 too - 3 of our 4 are teenagers and by the time some of their hungry friends are there too, food just seems to disappear!

I'd do either a couple of big lasagnes with garlic bread and salad (including a veggie one)
or a couple of tagines (chick pea one for veggies) with cous cous and salad and bread
or a couple of huge quiches with salad, bread and a big tray of garlic roasted new potatoes.
Trifle
Chocolate cake
Baklava

Gnocchi in a creamy tomato and crispy bacon bake with salad and garlic bread
Oriental spiced belly pork
Enchiladas with sourcream, guacamole, and salsa

I cooked for 25 on Monday and did it all on Sunday...2 shepherds pies, 2 fish pies and a veggie lasagne. I did a couple of bowls of salad and we were only left with a bit each of the two pies. Although it takes a bit of prep the day before it was so much easier than lots of other last minute things I have done before.

I cooked for a crowd in new years day

Was feeng broke so spent m y money buying big lovely gammon and prepared:

Spiced popcorn to have with drinks on arrival

Did enormous glazed ham (cooked it and glazed it day before)
Huge dish of macaroni cheese (prepared in advance, sprinkled with cheese and cooked in the day)
Big bowl of peas

Everyone LOVED it. Had a good big green salad afterwards

Then a big flour less chocolate cake with toasted flaked almonds and chantilly cream (cold double cream, bit of icing sugar, splash of cointreau)

Thanks for all the new ideas - cooking the day before is definitely the plan. Having added up it's probably nearer 40 than 20 so that's even more important! OK, so final plan, a big gammon plus things in dishes (lasagne/bakes) plus salads and lovely breads. Four or five puddings plus cheese and biscuits. Sorted.

Wow, I have 4 weeks to go! This is normally me the night before!