Help - what to do - a non-cook has been forced into doing a lunch for 6.

[Pinkfluffyslippers]

Can anyone help ? Tomorrow friends are coming to lunch with their kids. DH suggested that he cook fish soup. I thought this sounded unsuitable - particularly for kids. He's furious and says I have to cook. Trouble is I can't cook - and DH will be scornful of anything I attempt. I need to come up with three course lunch by 1230 tomorrow.

Any suggestions welcome.

how lovely that he'd be scornful of what you cook grr

do something simple if you are not used to cooking

pizzas? spaghetti bolognaise with a salad?

pudding, just get some ice cream in with some strawberries and meringues (easy peasy)

starters really depend on your main but if doing spag bol, you could always do a salady thing for a starter or just have nibbles for starters (nuts, olives, some cold meats)

Well, I made THIS not long ago and everyone loved it.

Follow it with Banoffee Pie and they will adore you! My DS loves making (and eating) this and it is so easy

Why does it have to be 3 courses?

I would do big bowl of salad, new pots and good quality cooked ham, coleslaw, beetroot etc

Ice cream for pud for kids only.

Do my pot roast chicken and serve with pasta or rice. I don't bother browning the chicken anymore I just take the lid off about 15 mins before the end to brown the top.

Buy everything ready chopped if you want, I always use cubed pancetta and Waitrose do frozen chopped shallots that are very handy.

You could also do my recipe with chicken pieces if you prefer.

Melon and parma (or proscuitto) ham is good for children and adults if you feel you have to do a starter.

If you tear the ham into ribbony strips and wrap it round the middle of a thin slice of melon one packet will stretch.

Fan out in a pretty circle on a big plate. You can buy lovely melons for £1 at the moment.

Thank you so much everyone. Sadly I can't do anything Italian since our friends coming for lunch are Italian.

Dr Northerner - your suggestion sounds just what I would do naturally. But the other week when I did soemthing similar for visiting family of 5 - DH told me a ham salad was very 1960's. (He was there in the 60's - I wasn't!)

Anyway - using your ideas I think I'll do the following:

1. Nibbles: olives / hummus (I made) etc.... plus some salmon I've found in the fridge...

1. Roast honey and cumin Chicken or roast honey and mustard chicken with new pots and salads. (WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO??)

1. Bannoffee pie or apple crumble - which I can do.

thank you again for being my MN saviours

Your DH sounds a charmer. I hope you threw the same sort of strop at the ham salad comment as he did at your suggestion that fish soup wouldn't be great for kids.

If you can make your own hummus then you can cook IMO. I like the sound of honey and mustard chicken too.

ohh bran I like the sound of your one pot recipe. COuld do that with chicken pieces since there will be 6 of us.

Thank you again.

I'll report back tomorrow and let you know if I caused an outbreak of food poisoning

can you get your DH on here? WOuld love to help educate him. Something like: "AIBU to expect my wife, who can't cook, to cook whatever I choose, even if am entirely unsuitable, fairly compex dish"...

He'd get a roasting. Go on get, him to do it.

I'm afraid Pink, in true mumsnet tradition, he is, for example, a twat

Do the mustard and honey but perhaps do some without if the kids are fussy (or young). Menu sounds delicious.

Crumble more widely liked than banoffee I think.

Yep - I agree my DH is being a total twat.
However, in the interests of marital harmony I've given in to his offer of cooking a paella. At least it's not fish soup but I"m not convinced a 3 and 5 year old will like paella. ( I don't)
And for pudding I'm doing my signature dish of an apple crumble.

Good news a friend is visiting this week so I"ll cook Bran's recipe for one pot chicken dish the. My friend is a non- cook so will be v impressed with anything!!

Thanks again for all advice - culinary and marital.

How was lunch?

If you're not a great cook why dont you do some simple salads, cold meat and good bread?

As long as you use good quality ingredients I dont see how you can go wrong. Some cheese, some fruit.. buy a cold cooked chicken from M&S maybe.

Good picnic food is better than badly cooked hot food (as I advise airlines every time they hand me my disappointing chicken a la king).

Seriously, if you cant cook it will just stress you out.

Damn, late post there but may be helpful to people in the same boat .