There must be an alternative to pasta bake?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

I have 12 people coming for tea.

8 children, 4 adults. 3 of whom are veggie.

I don't want to be faffing in the kitchen and can prepare in advance, so obvious answer is pasta bake. A veggie one.

Is that not the most boring thing in Christendom?

what about a big chickpea curry thingy?

Lasagne?

Quorn cottage pie?

Pasta bake not boring in any case, especially if you make a lovely mixed salad and have crusty bread/garlic bread, olives, cheese etc as well.

Oooh, yes, curry is another good one.

Cos this is where we get into fussiness isn't it.

DS doesn't like anything vaguely spicey. Or mushrooms.

Don't know bout the other 7 kids. Ages 3 - 8.

Pasta bake is just safeisn't it.

Moussaka - substitute mince with aubergines and/or potatoes (that's what my MIL does when she feels like a meat-free dinner).

Or a cheesy quiche/pie of sorts.

Mmmm, moussaka a nicer idea...

I loathe the idea of "kids food" but, in this case, I'd be inclined to do a main dish and have a few pizzas in reserve (also have fussy eaters!)

Agree with Georgiemama - not boring if you do a good one - maybe even two - there's a yum looking broccoli and cauliflower canneloni in Jamie at Home, and then maybe do a sausage pasta bake for the non veggies - kids often love this - there are loads of sausage pasta bakes online. And back it up with some nice deli stuff.

yuk at pasta bake. Better to do a lasagne even if it is essentially the same thing...

How about roast potatoes and cauliflower cheese? served with baked beans.

Or a bit casserole served with rice or potatoes? you could add beans, make it spicy, or curry, or moroccan style with chickpeas...

Or could you do a few big quiches? They can just be bunged in the oven for 40 minutes on low and you could do a plain one with lots of cheese for fussy eaters and something more fancy for others, like stilton and broccoli, or leek, or roasted vegetable, or spinach and pine nut...

Or Delia does a delisious spinach pancake recipe with cheese sauce.

What's the matter with cucumber sarnies?

Quiches is a great idea.

This might be laughed at but I'd consider doing a load of baked tatties, then knocking up some different fillings people could help themselves to - chilli, creamy cheesy leeks, nice cheeses, beans for the kids, etc etc. Serve with a few bowls of salad bits, savoury rice, etc. Job done.

OhFuck I wouldn't laugh at that, baked potatoes are lovely, who would say no to that? Great idea in fact!

I'd love either baked potatoes or quiche. I'd probably make the baked potatoes as it's easier

I was going to suggest baked tatties as well and have lots of nice fillings. Easy and impressive if you stick them all in nice bowls with some salad.

Or you could slow cook a big veggie stew/curry and have rice/ tatties/naan/bread alongside it.

I made a gorgeous simple pasta bake the other day- I bought a pot of tomato and mascarpone sauce, added half a can of tomatoes and a huge dollop of creme fraiche, and half a big onion sweated in oil. Mixed with cooked pasta then topped with sliced good tomatoes (not shitty bland 'salad' ones) and a mix of cheeses. Served with plenty of garlic bread and salad leaves. I could eat it again, it was fab.

Something else I do is courgette pie- it sounds quite vile but my DH made it out of one of my recipe books and it was quite the nicest thing I had ever eaten. The filling:
risotto rice cooked in veggie stock cube
sweated onion or spring onion
pile of drained grated courgette
chopped mint
crumbled feta cheese
few eggs
seasoning
Put in pastry, bake, serve. It is stunning.

nannynobnobs - I think if my DH ever picked up a recipe book of mine let alone cooked from it it would be not only quite the nicest thing ever, but I would positively faint.

does sound delicious tho.

I do a gorgeous veggie lasagna; layer sliced courgette with a tomato sauce and a white/cheese sauce and lasagna in the same way you would a meat one. Probably how everyone else does it too, but I have never found a recipe....

The courgette pie sounds yummy; I might try it myself!! Thanks!

Anything must be better than Pasta Bake (known as 'Wood Shavings in Polyfilla' in my house). Lasagna doesn't count; a good lasagna is delicious. Baked Potatoes sounds good.

I'd be wary of doing aubergine, as many children/veggies don't like it (well me and mine, anyway).

The baked potato idea is good - baked potatoes, a few big quiches and some salads would be easy and lovely.

Or the lasagne idea is good too. You could do a meat one and a veggie one, some nice bread and some salad. Yum.

Overmydeadbody - sorry but the idea of cauliflower cheese served with baked beans made me shudder. Gah.

Another idea would be a big pan of veggie soup, nice bread, cheese board, maybe some cold meat, olives.