Casual dinner party ideas

[Kaz2200]

I'm looking for inspiration having some friends round Saturday, six of us in total. I'm doing a sharing platter to start so ham figs and mozzarella, a lemon sorbet for dessert but I'm stuck for a main. I would like something a bit different but not to heavy. I've all day Saturday to prepare so happy give anything a go. I'm tempted to do a meze but think it's a bit samey as starter.

Ooh I did stuffed pasta shells for a similar meal with family. Giant pasta shells stuffed with Italian sausage meat and baked with a rich tomato sauce on top and a little cheese. Lovely side salad to go with.

That was meant to be lemon posset for dessert.

Pasta sound nice did you follow a recipe or just make it up.

Could you do something like a moussaka with a couple of different side salads (meditarreanen leafy one and a Middle Eastern type couscous one) and also some griddled halloumi?

Hmm I'm not keen on moussaka, but I could do something similar with the sides.

Some sort of tagine would also work. Or a coq au vin type thing with salad sides and a dauphinois side

Sausage and mushroom red wine casserole with mash and greens or crusty bread and salad.

Just looking though Sabrina ghayour Persian a book thinking of doing rose petal lamb chops and seared beef with pomegranate and balsamic dressing.

It was this one op www.forkknifeswoon.com/spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/

Salmon en croute

DS has just made savoury Chelsea buns with tomato purée, cheese, chorizo & mixed herbs. We had it with some anti pasti. Really easy and tasty.

Casual dinner here means anything done in the slowcooket with simple sides. Curry, Chilli,Tagine.

It can wait until people are ready to eat and I can be with friends instead of in the kitchen

Just looking though Sabrina ghayour Persian a book thinking of doing rose petal lamb chops and seared beef with pomegranate and balsamic dressing.

Fuck me, I wonder what a smart dinner party at yours looks like OP if this is casual!

I meant casual eating as opposed to a heavy plated dinner. I ended up doing a shoulder of lamb cooked with spices and rose petal served with flatbreads, spiced roast potatoes and salads, and seared steak with a dressing all plonked on the table to help yourself.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1521/summerinwinter-chicken&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjHpNqv54_lAhWnVN8KHUt7C1gQFjAAegQICxAB&usg=AOvVaw0n41rVeg8vIQm5hyXjlu0U" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?q=www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1521/summerinwinter-chicken&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjHpNqv54_lAhWnVN8KHUt7C1gQFjAAegQICxAB&usg=AOvVaw0n41rVeg8vIQm5hyXjlu0U

This is very nice, elegant too

Fill Your own tacos... But fancy, stay away from the old del Paso.

Buy a load of shells, grill them and put on table.

I'd do one bowl of roasted butternut squash, a bowl of black beans, some grilled corn trimmed off the cob, and some feta for a veggie one, then slow cooked beef or pork shredded up in a spicy barbeque sauce.

Bowls of coriander, sour cream, guacamole, jalapeños.

Oops, just saw you cooked it already

Oops didn't read your last update

I love nigella coq au riesling for an easy be very tasty one pot main... always goes down well

Ooooh see you've already done it...

(((Waits patiently for invitation for next casual dinner party)))

@walkintheparc oh Im making this sounds yum! Is the butternut and black beans together?

Brianna83 - the recipe you linked doesn’t have sausage in it. Did you adapt it?

I ended up doing a shoulder of lamb cooked with spices and rose petal served with flatbreads, spiced roast potatoes and salads, and seared steak with a dressing all plonked on the table to help yourself The Americans call that family style. From your OP I would never have suggested anything like the menu you arrived at.
Hope you had a lovely time.