Weekend guest inspiration

[TheRedHen2]

I have got guests coming over at the weekend.

I'm used to feeding big crowds but rarely do small groups.

There will be 5 of us. They are late 60's and I don't know them well enough to know their tastes so something with a couple of options I could cook would be good.

What would you do?

I've got guests coming too and feeling nervous! They are not veggies and have no particular aversions or allergies so that's one thing.
I've decided (I think) on a chicken casserole - chopped onions and sweet potatoes and red peppers in a casserole dish, chicken thighs with skin on the top, stock made with stock cubes and garlic paste and maybe something like harissa poured to almost over the veg then put in oven for about an hour and 20 minutes until chicken nicely crisp. Served with broccoli.
Pud I'll probably do a nice ice-cream (Haagen-Dazs mango and raspberry if I can get it!) with frozen mango cubes heated in elderflower cordial.
That's more-or-less the plan!

I’d do crowd pleasers
Lasagne
Pie, potatoes and veg
A nice roast

If Sunday I'd do a roast.

I must admit I had thought of lasagne. It's on Saturday so probably won't do a roast.

Thank you for your suggestions.

I’d do either a glazed gammon or a herby, lemony chicken, carved and served cold. A balsamic onion quiche, served warm. Along side baby potatoes roasted potatoes cooked with garlic and herbs (hot). Then just a few salads, maybe a green salad, tomato, basil, red onion with lots of balsamic, salt and black pepper. Homemade apple slaw and cous cous with roasted veg and pomegranate seeds. Mix of hot and cold and enough options that most people would find something they like and can be mostly prepped in advance.

@AtleastitsnotMonday's suggestion sounds absolutely perfect - I'd do something very similar - the chicken option, plus a spinach quiche. I'd just add in some good baguette and voilà!

Or maybe a side of poached salmon instead of the chicken?

Nigella is very good for inspiration for this kind of thing too, I think. She did a delicious-looking amaretto chocolate torte in her last series, which you could serve with a fresh fruit salad, dressed with a little chopped mint. Mmmmmm.

Something summery, chicken Caesar salad or Salade Niçoise or salmon mayonnaise.

Rhubarb or raspberry fool, or individual strawberry pavlovas with bought meringue nests for pudding.

Depending on their arrival time, an afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones and cake would be another option. Prosecco to jazz it up a bit?

Salmon, potatoes, big salad

I would roast a chicken and serve with a big bowl of salad, potato salad and crusty bread. Followed by a trifle.
Easy to prep ahead so more time to enjoy with my guests

I would keep it simple, antipasti platter, homemade bread/decent par baked shop ones, chicken pieces, homemade potato salad, mixed salad, coleslaw etc. It's summer and they can avoid any element they don't care for.

Fish can be very divisive. I think if you don't know their tastes offering only salmon as the 'main' could go down badly. What's the weather doing at the weekend your neck of the woods? It's tipping down and cool here so the hot filling options would go down better than summer options here I reckon.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I think I'm going to do a roast chicken, quiche and various salad selection. 😋

Probably a couple of shop bought desserts as I'm not really good at desserts.