Feeding houseguests...

[victoryinthekitchen]

we live en-route to Scotland and often get family and friends stopping off for a couple of nights, any ideas of meals for suitable for this hot weather (that won't break the bank), will be cooking for 6 on Friday and Saturday this weekend. TIA!!

(Carbohydrate of your choice) salad with (vegetables of your choice) salad, (protein of your choice) and some kind of dressing? E.g. cous-cous with peas, herbs, halloumi cheese and olive oil and lemon juice dressing (incredibly little work if you use frozen peas just slowly left to defrost!) or pasta with grilled pepper, tomatoes etc and boiled eggs, with pesto?
We are living on these kinds of things at the moment.

I get (or used to get ) a fair number of visitors and always go with a ready roasted chicken/salad/cheese and crackers on night one then send the men to the pub via the takeaway on night two whilst chardonnay is consumed and the kids run riot. This formula has always worked for me

excellent ideas - thankyou!

Well this makes a nice change from all the piss taking visitor threads

Yes couscous salad is always so handy for feeding loads of people. I do one with whatever veg I have, and usually add loads of lemon juice, parsely and mint - because it tastes so fresh and summery - and also either some currants or chopped apple to add a sweet kick.

Egg and potato salad with lots of chives or dill or other herbs is also really quick and easy.

Today I may or may not have visitors, so I'm currently roasting a chicken which I'll carve later and if I get notice an hour in advance I'll do some rooster potatoes cut in two and brushed with olive oil and sea salt and just baked in the oven - kind of like a cross between baked potatoes and wedges. Might do some grilled courgettes or something low key on the side.

If all else fails, it helps to have the following in stock:

-Nice humous (Tesco does a nice one) in fancy bowls with carrot, cucumber, pepper sticks and some tortilla chips for dipping.
-Really good crusty bread
-Nice cheese
-Berries

Everyone will be talking and picking mostly so don't stress too much :)

thanks Greenstone that's really helpful as another 3 are going to be landing tomorrow!

I do a huge pan of vegetable rice and then put out platters with slices of cooked chorizo, marinated chicken thighs, prawns for those who want them, roasted pepper slices etc. A kind of mix and match that you can stretch.

Cold sausages go down well with kids of any age. Cook them early in the morning when it's cooler then bung them in the fridge and ready to go anytime.

A packet of crisps and some carrot sticks and that's a quick & v basic meal for the kids while the adults eat proper salad and cold meats.

Have given up trying to get any child to eat salad.

No worries victory - we also always get landed with loads of visitors in the summertime so I know what it's like! It's lovely but you kind of need to be one step ahead. I got a big Tesco delivery in at the weekend with everything we could possibly need, snack food, salad food, loads of fruit & bread & milk and that took a lot of the pressure off. Hope it goes OK!

thanks everyone, got a shopping list at the ready!

Hot dogs! I am not joking. Quick and easy.

The Alban Ferrera book 'The Family Meal' has some good cook-and-freeze ideas for larger numbers.

I usually cook a big load of mince, with onions, garlic, tomatoes, seasoning, etc. then freeze it in several zip lock bags, ready to make it into spag bol, chilli, pasta bake etc. btw, when you freeze it, flatten the bag in the freezer, it defrosts so much quicker than a rounded bag iyswim!
Pasta bake, pasta of choice ( I love spaghetti), cooked, rinsed in cold water, then half in lasagne type dish, then a layer of cooked mince, then other half of pasta mixed with 1/2 fat creme fraiche, s&p, and put on top of mince. Top with grated cheese, poss mixed with breadcrumbs. Delish and makes a bit of mince go a long way!