help me decide?!! Lunch on Sunday....

[winniewoo]

Ok..having 9 adults and 11 kids for lunch on Sunday. Have been warned that they are coming to see me! and not for me to be racing around after everyone...so please mumsnetters..what would you do..thiking either..roast ham, potato bake thingy, red spiced cabbage and carrots/peas....or a couple of bakes ie. Lasagne/Fish Pie or Chicken Bake with salad and crusty bread.

Puddings prob, choc mousse, rasp, strawberries, melon and maybe a lemon tart from marks.

So the hot ham option or the bakes...what's the less hassle...anything to make in advance a huge plus..so open to other ideas!
Thanks in advance.

I'd go with the bakes, can make ahead and bung in oven when you need them.

agree, with that amount of people it gives them a choice too - you can't please them all!

I would do

Smoked salmon, crab and avocado terrine (make the night before, then dish up slices with rocket and balsamic dressing just before lunch) with melba toast (can be made a few days in advance and kept in an airtight container.

Then either fish pie (with cod, smoked haddock, salmon) again made the day before then warmed in the oven, with peas.

Pudding would be vanilla pannacotta, once again made the night before, then served slices with a raspberry coulis (guess what made the night/day before) a feww slices of strawberry and a sprig of mint.

All looks ery posh, my children love it, and virtually no cooking on the actual day!

Sorry the either was either fish pie or beef and guiness stew with mash pots and peas.

I'd do either cold spread of yummalicious, low maintenance stuff from M&S / Waitrose or go with the bakes idea with crusty bread & salad. Anything you can bung in the oven for an hour makes sense. Roasts are a faff.

which is fine COV if everyone likes fish but I doubt that all of winniewoo's guests do esp 11 children!

I would do Lasagne, salad and garlic bread and a chicken bake with salad and garlic bread.

Dessert would be a fruit platter and icecream for the children and pavlova and choc tart for the adults.

I'd check the weather and do a BBQ with lots of salads and garlic bread.

Home made Tarte Tatin, Pavlova, Chocolate Mousse and Fruit Salad (I am dessert queen!) for Pud!

I'd do a whole baked ham (serve cold or warm), couscous salad, mixed green salad, watercress and orange salad, a plate of smoked salmon,a big bowl of good quality chippolatas for the children,lots of crusty bread and those lovely puds. You can do 90% of it the day before and on the day relax and enjoy your lovely friends.

You lot are amazing...thanks so much!!
Think I will forget the roast and do the pies/bakes..

So...Is lasagne and fish pie a bit naff..don't want it posh but thought the fish pie might jazz things up a bit or stick with chicken and broccoli bake!

Sorted for puddings..my friend bringing banoffi pie so just making fruit salad and maybe choc mousse and ice cream on side.

any good recipes for bakes?? or direct me to web site??
Thank you thanks you

Would have loved a BBQ but in sunny scotland ( not!) and just not warm enough inbetween rain and hail!

winnie it was beautiful on sunday and today though - when are you having it, don't give up in the BBQ idea yet

I know a fab pasta bake receipe - loved by ALL and very easy to make too if you'd like, not posh though

Yes plaease dizzy dixies!
Thank you

oh sorry winnie just saw this

its all from memory so forgive me

btw do you shop in tescos?!?! thats how I do my measurements

we call it marzetti but not sure where that came from!

one tin of campbells family sized condensed tomato soup
one tin of campbells family sized condensed mushroon soup

(if you can't find the family ones use two small ones)

1 packet of minced beef (I think the one thats approx 500g - the smaller of the two in tesco - sorry!)

1 large onion

1 packet of pasta (not the largest one again) shells or bows are nicest for this

1 block of cheese (yes, entire block grated)

dried mixed herbs

mushrooms sliced up(how many depends really on you - we love them so we chuck tonnes in!}

right bare with me

chop onion and cook in a little olive oil till soft, add mince and brown

cook pasta seperately at same time as doing onion and mince

once mince is brown add both tins of soup and mushrooms and mixed herbs to your taste and mix it all up

drain pasta and add to mince and mix it all up too (use biggest bowl you have as this is now A LOT!!!

once all mixed in together mix in grated cheese (leave this to last as it makes it easier to mix it all up)

put into large oven dish and cook covered with tin foil for 45mins at 180

serve with buttered crusty bread

now its not for the faint hearted due to all that cheese but as an occassional dish its wonderful!!

am going to tescos later so I can check measurements of packets if you like - am sorry about this, we've been making this in bulk since uni and its just kind of done without thinking now!

winniewoo

500g bag of pasta and 500g of steak mince

arse - forgot to look at cheese

tis a normal sized block of orange cheddar - we use scottish gallways cheddar but anything would do