Recipe book recommendations

[Speedos]

I am an average cook and have quite a few people coming over for Sunday lunch and evening dinner parties over the next couple of months.

Can anyone recommend a book that has nice modern ideas plus meal planners so starter, main and deserts that go together?

Many thanks.

Hmm, well, they are not modern, per se - but if you want to easily turn out food that garners you praise left right and centre, then In Elizabeth David's Kitchen (or, in fact, any of her books) is fairly fail proof.

For meal planning, the Reader's Digest The Cookery Year is good, and seasonally based too. There's also a great Australian one called The Cook's Companion.

I was going to suggest Mary Berry's Cook Now, Eat Later as its full of really lovely dishes that you can prepare completely or partly in advance - so its great for entertaining. Plus her recipes invariably work! Can't remember if it has a menu planner. She also has another one Cook Up a Feast which definitely has menu plans.

Jamie's 30min meals are all menu planned. And the ones I've tasted have been pretty good. I wouldn't bank on them being 30min for all three courses though unless you're well used to the recipes.

Delia is always great - her Winter Collection or Christmas collection or How to Cook books (not too simple, easy dishes - some lovely ideas for entertaining) - I used book 2 more than 1 or 3.

Madhur jaffrey's foolproof indian cookery book is great too. Very fresh tasting curries, all with menu plans.

Rachel Allen's Entertaining at home might be worth a look, and has menu planning I seem to recall. But I tend to cook her recipes less often for some reason.

El Bulli-The Family Meal has great menus and it's quite novel in its layout-loads and loads of instructional pictures. A lot of it is quite 'advanced' though and, although it's aimed at families, he offers ingredients for 4, 8, 30...etc, which I always find a bit unnerving!

Thanks everyone, I've just bought the Mary Berry Cook up a feast one. I think it's just what I'm after!