I'm crap when it comes to food for entertaining - HELP ME!

[Glitterygookwithchocsonthetree]

We are having friends over on the 23rd - a couple with 2 boys the same age as of ours - so there will be 5 children aged 2-5.5.

Am thinking of doing the children something separate to us earlier on and we'll eat later but I have no idea what to do.

Any wise ideas?

This is evening btw

for the children how about homemade meatballs and pasta? Or pizzas, homemade fishfingers or chicken nuggets, potato wedges. How about little individual jellies with fruit in?

For the grown ups, how about making a lamb and red wine and rosemary casserole (make a day or two ahead and just reheat once all the kids have been fed). Serve with mashed potato and green veg

Oooh, thanks!

All sounds fabbo! Do you have a recipe for said casserole?! I can't do it without rigid instructions! Am crap!

Or you could do Delia's beef in guiness which needs to be in the oven 3 hours before you need it. Just needs mash and veg.
queen mummy's ideas for kids are fab.. also spag bol for children is always good.

What do you like?
what are your criteria? i.e. cook ahead, impressive, something you can all pick at?

I have done this lamb/rosemary/red wine casserole a couple of times - it is nice (and easy):

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/lambinredwinewithros_8272.shtml

Tastes much better if made a day or two ahead and left in the fridge for flavours to develop. Reheat gently (in pan, not microwave)

It would be good to be able to do 90% of it earlier in the day before they arrive so that there's not much to do when they are here.

I like quite simple food - like a big shepherds pie or a casserole and they are things you can usually make in advance.

Something with mash and veg or, even better, with rice (easier!) would be ideal.

I suppose what I feel conscious about is that my friend is a really good cook - she can just throw stuff together and make it work whereas I need a recipe and I follow it to the letter. In discussions about strengths and weakenesses (y'know, like you do ) I've said I'm crapola at cooking so I feel under pressure now as well!

weaknesses even!

This is divine and because of the spices it tastes like Christmas on a plate. [drool]

Cooking time: about 2 hoursOven temperature: Gas mark 4/180ºC/350ºF Ingredients(Serves 2) 5ml (1 teaspoon) oil 2 lean lamb shanks or ½ shoulder of lamb 2.5ml (½ teaspoon) ground ginger5ml (1 teaspoon) ground cumin2.5ml (½ teaspoon) paprika1 cinnamon stick, broken in half150ml (¼ pint) stock2 oranges, 1 large potato peeled and cut into chunks1 small aubergine, cut into chunksMethodHeat the oil in a large ovenproof pan; add the lamb shanks or ½ lamb shoulder joint and brown all over.Add to the pan the ground ginger, ground cumin, paprika, cinnamon stick, and coat the meat well with all of these.Stir in the lamb stock, juice from one orange, the other orange cut into quarters, and potato. Cover the pan and cook for approximately 2 hours, until the lamb falls from the bone.Serve with couscous, chunks of vegetables and a carrot slaw of grated carrot, coriander, parsley and chilli.This recipe is taken from Streetwise, a recipe booklet from British Meat. For more information visit www.meatmatters.com or to order a free booklet call 01908 232 522

Tell you what, I will post a link it looks nicer on the link.

Even you could do this........... GDG

I often do a similar lamb recipe (there's one on the waitrose site and a Delia one I think) - it is delicious - even if you don't want to do it way ahead of time, it needs about 4 hours in the oven so you can do it at lunch time and just leave it there till your guests arrive. It really tastes fantastic.

No no don't listen to them...........this is Christmas on a plate.

slow braised lamb

I leave out the anchovy, sage and shallots and it still tastes good!

No no don't listen to them...........this is Christmas on a plate.

Boeuf Bourguignon?

Serve with mash and veg.

Or chicken cacciatore with rice?

I'd do a shepherd pie for the kids.
Make it now and freeze it,then thaw and heat on day. I wouldn't bother with veggies.

For grown ups anything along the lines of what has been suggested.Also,make it a few days beforehand.Less hassle and tasted better.

I'd do roasties or baked potatoes.
To me,stew and mash would be too sloppy.

For veg I'd do something like pan fried courgettes with lemon or red cabbage slow cooked with raisins and apples (which you can also make ahead.)

You could do a salad to start.
Endive,blue cheese and walnut is a doddle.

For pudding I wouldn't make anything but would offer good fruit cake,mince pies and fruit.
Good wine,candlelight,friends,nice music and you are laughing.

tut tut moondog......surely you know 'tis not the season for courgettes at the moment........

Are you good with roasts? They're easy, it's all about timing and you could easily get the veg ready potatoes peeled etc well beforehand.

Otherwise I'd say shepherds pie for everyone
sounds great. And you could either do mince pies for pudding or if you wanted to do grown up and slightly impressive you could do Nigella's slut red raspberries in Chardonnay that could be made the day before.

Or what about sausages and mash? I think if you buy decent sausages and make decent mash and add some mange tout/green beans/whatever veg that could be very warming and easy and everyone could eat it.

Mange tout are foul unless in Asian food.
So grey and limp and...bleurgh..

Moondog, you must be overcooking them (): mine are green and firm and crunchy!

Moi?
Overcooking???

Non non non non!!!

Best way to have mange tout is raw with beansprouts,spring onions,carot shavings,baby sweetcorn and coriander.
Dress with lime,chilli,sesame oil and ginger and leave to marinate for 30 mins.

Delicious with basmati rice and chicken cooked in soy and sherry with star anise and ginger.

Mange tout are beautiful raw. Cooking them is pointless, they just go slimy.

Seeee, you are all really good at this!!

Actually, shepherds pie is a good one because I know I can make that and I can make the meat/pie bit in advance and freeze so it all I have to do is the topping.

My kids are a nightmare and won't eat it but I could do nice sausages for them, with mash.

Hmmm, will ponder some more. The lamb stews look really nice but I don't really make casserole type things so it might be shite if I make it

You can freeze it with the topping on GDG.
I have several such nestling in my freezer.

Give casseroles/stews a go.
It is virtually impossible to balls them up and they improve with age anyway.

I would also feed the kids first.With five of this age,there is no way you will get any peace to talk with them there too.

Whatever you do I'm sure it will be great anyway. They are bound to appreciate your company and hospitality.
If people invite me for dinner,I'm happy with a cheese sandwich if te company is good and booze plentiful.