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[Frustrated76]

We're hosting my husband's boss and his colleagues for a dinner party. I'm a dreadful cook, I mean really dreadful. Any ideas what I make that is fail-safe???

Order a takeaway and pretend you cooked it.

Go to Cook.

Cannelloni , a nice salad and bread. Good wine served with. Can’t go wrong.

Your DH can cook.

A big charcuterie board! Cheeses, cold cuts of meats, fruit, vegetables chopped up nicely, some chutneys. You could buy some tapas bits from the supermarket like ricotta stuffed peppers, olives etc etc. hummus, tzatziki, dips etc etc

oh and some nice bread! Breadsticks. If you do loads of stuff it covers a full meal and looks impressive if you are creative. Or just shove everything onto a wooden board!

Starter - smoked mackerel paté - made in advance, can't go wrong - just whizz some skinned smoked mackerel, cream cheese, creme fraiche, a dollop of horseradish sauce, black pepper and some lemon juice in a food processor. Taste to make sure it's edible. Serve with toast fingers (freshly made) and garnish with a sprig of parsley or dill. Recipe here

Main - something cooked low and slow, like boeuf bourguignon, or coq au vin - loads of easy to follow recipes online. Serve with mashed potatoes and petits pois.

Dessert - might be easiest to buy something pre-made, but if you're up for a bit of effort, Mary Berry's Strawberry Roulade is a lot simpler than it sounds - just follow the instructions - I was dead chuffed the first time I made this (am not a dessert person) - the recipe is here. Be brave!

Hey a box from hello fresh or something?

Smoked salmon starter - can't go wrong.

Agree with slow cooked something , new potatoes and flgreen veg (check dietary requirements first)

Strawberries, top quality vanilla ice cream, cadburys flakes.

Roast chicken dinner

Tray bake https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/chicken-tagine-traybake.html

Go med. Grilled kebabs, big green salad with grated carrot, cucumber, oil, balsamic and feta mixed through, hummus, babaganoush, oven cooked pakora/bahjis, couscous, garlic flatbread, cherry tomatoes, olives. Tzatziki, sweet and sour sauce, Arrange it all nicely on a plate/boards and people can serve themselves.

Make a simple dessert. Chocolate dipped strawberries, really good quality ice-cream, you can buy a premade pastry base and just fill it with chocolate gnashe (50/50 chocolate to cream in weight) if you want to be fancy, do half dark and half milk swirled together, add raspberries on the top. Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

https://spicecravings.com/black-bean-mango-salad
fancy bright salad
Roast or BBQ some chicken breasts
baguette
ice cream for desert with fruit

Charcuterie board then something from Cook or posh supermarket range like coq ay vin. Or if you can be a bit less formal, get DH on the BBQ!

If you do decide to make something yourself from a recipe, get everything weighed and measured ready in advance. Check and double check you have all the ingredients before you start any of the cooking process. Don't leave out seasonings. If you are not sure what any process in the instructions is, look it up in advance.

The BBC Good Food website has a great selection of recipes which have been tried and tested. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Not helpful but why on earth are you having to do this when you don't seem to enjoy cooking ? Does your husband cook?
To be helpful, I'd say easy salad starter like feta and watermelon
Main- slow cooked beef with ready bought mash and ready bought veg
Dessert- buy a sticky toffee pudding and serve with good vanilla ice cream

Don't do a starter; instead have crisps, dips, olives, sliced veg, breadsticks

Buy a pudding

Roast some chicken thighs (marinate them first in garlic, olive oil and lemon juice). Serve with cous cous (buy a packet mix that just needs boiling water), green beans, a dressed green salad and a sliced baguette

How many people? Dietary requirements?
My go-to:
Smoked salmon pate with lemon wedges, black pepper, some leaves and oatcakes.
Beef Bourgingnon with baby roast potatoes and roast parsnips and carrots.
Eton mess or individual meringue nests with strawberries and whipped cream.

Dessert, Eton mess type pudding. Whisk double cream with sugar until the cream thickens.
Buy ready made meringues and break them into small pieces.
Buy berries - raspberries, strawberries, cherries (cut the cherries in half and take the stone out).
Mix all ingredients together in a big glass dish. Everyone helps themselves.

Super easy pudding is affogato - good quality vanilla ice-cream served with an espresso on the side. You pour the hot coffee over the ice-cream. Add a shot of liqueur or brandy/rum if you like.