I need to plan a super meal for this weekend

[SunshineandShandy]

For 6 people and I am lacking in inspiration. It's my 40th and I have friends coming over for dinner, so want it to be a lovely evening. As far as I know, they all eat everything, so no restrictions on that front.

So far my shopping list says Champagne but I think we might be very hungover if that is all we consume all night!

Any suggestions please?

Seafood lasagne with ciabatta and a green salad (can be prepared ahead)
Fruit salad or fancy ice cream.

And birthday cake!

I once did a lovely pork tenderloin stuffed with sage and mascarpone and wrapped in parma ham (all baked). Served with steamed green veg and some sort of potato thing, though I can't recall what as it was so long ago.

Recipe from Waitrose, here

It was delicious and everyone had seconds.

Seafood lasagne sounds scrumptious though!

IIt's such a lovely day - I'd be tempted to go to m&s and get a load of their tapas bits, plus lots of ciabatta, and then cook a large paella and make a big green salad. All out on the table, help yourself, lots of wine and champagne and maybe even homemade sangria to go with the Spanish theme. Then so etching like Eton mess or pavlova to finish. I might be tempted to buy that ready made too, relax on your birthday!

Something, not so etching!

How about canapes (thinking smoked salmon & creme fraiche on blinis, mini oatcakes with pate & red onion marmalade etc) to go with the champagne...or I've also done these www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3028677/smoked-salmon-flatbreads, which are lovely but dead easy, and did some with parma ham, fig preserve and rocket too, which were a big succes! Or this is fabulous too www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2083642/crab-toast-with-coriander
Then either just your favourite meal for main or something like a chicken, chorizo & new potato tray bake thing with green salad, that doesn't really invoke you doing anything after you shove it in the oven. Or this is a bit different, really good & doesn't take any work after the initial prep and putting on to cook www.easy-french-food.com/beef-daube.html#.Udk--zcTTfo
And then I would probably just serve birthday cake for pud...maybe a nice moist lemony one with fresh berries & cream/ice cream...and I would need to have a gorgeous cheeseboard too!
Hope you have a great time!

Thank you for your great ideas. I am feeling more inspired now.

Lightrain I would love to buy everything from M&S, but sadly am not in the UK so not possible. Over here there isn't much in the form of ready 'nice bits', so I think I will do the canapes myself. I like the ones you suggested gingerpinz. I will have a mooch on the BbC Good Food website now.

I might well do that pork tenderloin recipe kernowgal. It's pretty fail safe isn't it tenderloin and it's something I can bung in the oven and leave for a while.

And yes, TotallyEggFlipped, birthday cake for desert!

If you've the oven on for the tenderloin, mixed roast root veg is great - carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, squash etc. Rosemary is good for flavour, I also add cubes of haloumi for teh last 20-30 mins of cooking.

Oh, and Happy Birthday!