Help...what to cook tonight?

Fay

Arghhhhhhhhh we have got friends coming round for dinner this evening and I had planned to cook boeuf bourguignon. I have never cooked it before and really fancied trying it, plus the recipe is for 6 and there are only 4 of us...so left overs for the freezer! But I got a text at 8am this morning saying that the one friend doesn't eat beef (dunno since when as I have cooked her beef lasagne and ragu in the past ) so now I need a recipe for tonight!

I ideally want something that is one pot or cooks in the oven on its own so that I am not in the kitchen all night and I think probably chicken. Does anyone have any ideas? I am frantically searching St Delia's site!

Thank you

Penny-Pincher!!

Hiya

I could eat Beef up till 18 months ago too but cant anymore. Beef is the hardest meat for our tummys to digest. I would suggest:

Chicken Curry/Rice/Nann Breads etc

Chicken Pie (shepards pie style) Chicken mixed with mushroom soup then mashed spud on top with a little grated cheese-serve with veg.

Chicken in mushroom sauce-served with rice and steamed veg

Roast Chicken, spuds and veg

Chicken Crumble-same as pie but with savoury crumble over it-delish!

Chicken lasagna and HM Chips

Good luck hun and dont panic!

PP
xx

Sarahsaver

That would really annoy me only to be told on the day of a meal that someone doesnt eat beef.
Delia is too expensive and I have a bit of a thing about her think its an allergy or summat LOL;)
What about a roast chicken, roasted veggies (peppers, onions, aubergines, tomatoes) and couscous? Pretty much foolproof.
Some people dont eat beef cos of bse, but then there are so many reasons for not eating other things too. You could have plain boiled rice and mineral water and tell them its your first day of a detox.
Other things I have successfully dished up to guests include:chicken wings, roast pork, chicken kebabs, lasagne (made with red lentils), black eye bean pie topped with potatoes, shepherd's pie, risotto, prawn anything, salad of feta, tomato and cucumber, chick pea and potato curry, big bowls of olives as a starter or a nibble. Don't do anything too fiddly.
Oh and do some homeade bread with some flavoured olive oil to dip in it.
Xmas pud for dessert out of season is always a conversation booster;) good for a laugh and I love it anyway!

squeaky

Chilli and Ginger Chicken (with optional pineapple)

Anne_Marie_2

Fay wrote:

Arghhhhhhhhh we have got friends coming round for dinner this evening and I had planned to cook boeuf bourguignon. I have never cooked it before and really fancied trying it, plus the recipe is for 6 and there are only 4 of us...so left overs for the freezer! But I got a text at 8am this morning saying that the one friend doesn't eat beef (dunno since when as I have cooked her beef lasagne and ragu in the past ) so now I need a recipe for tonight!

I ideally want something that is one pot or cooks in the oven on its own so that I am not in the kitchen all night and I think probably chicken. Does anyone have any ideas? I am frantically searching St Delia's site!

Thank you

Carry on with your planned menu. I think it is a total cheek for a guest to text you at the last minute, at the best they should have phoned and explained if there was a big deal about it.
If you have a wee spare chicken breast/pork chop - any other single bit of meat floating about, why not bung that in the oven and serve it plain with tatties/veg or whatever you are serving with your bouef b. You can always do a quick gravy if needed.

Fay

Thanks for the ideas guys, I think I am going to go with http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/chicken-paprika,1754,RC.html from Delia as my other half made it me for valentines day and it was lovely and we already have some of the ingredients.

It seems really strange that all of a sudden my friend doesn't eat beef as it was only about 2 weeks ago we all went out for steak together! Anyway, she said to cook the beef and she would just eat the sauce but I wouldn't do that. I have found some nice recipes to do for myself and the other half so at least it wasn't a wasted morning.

thriftlady_2

I agree with Anne Marie.

But if you are going to cook something else,you really can't go wrong with a roast chicken,everyone likes that

Penny-Pincher!!

Hiya

Just read my earlier post and I sound abit rude, which I didnt mean to do..LOL. Ive had to cut beef due to dietry reasons and some of the meds I take dont react well with the beef Just does'nt sit well in me tummy.

If we go to friends/family, I remind them or just take something with me as I hate having to ask for special dietry meals..LOL. My sister always cooks roast beef but cooks me a small chicken breast instead.

I do agree though, thats its a bit rude telling you last minute. Why do people do this?

PP
xx

r.mac_2

hello

ages since i last posted (i've been lurking a bit but been rushed off my feet since uni started - heelo to everyone. hope you are all well).

Anyway - could you substitute pork or chiken for the beef????? Otherwise i would go with a roast too. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

best of luck x

tigerlily

When I cook for friends I usually do a roast chicken, its so easy and once in the oven doesnt need alot of attention. To go with this I quite often do "tomato potatoes" I'm sure there is a proper name but nevermind.
Basically, its cooked in a roasting tray in the oven and takes about the same time as the chicken and again doesnt need alot of attention once done. It can be prepared in advance and stuck in the fridge till cooking time.
Pour one can of chopped tomatoes into the roasting tray. Peel and chop the potatoes into approx 1cm cubes and boil for a few mins. Drain and add to the roasting tray. Add whatever herbs go with the meat you are cooking, I usually put in mixed herbs, pepper, worcester sauce, veg puree and sometimes a bit of chicken stock. Mix everything up in the tray, you can put some grated cheese on top if you want. Stick the tray in the oven till your meat is cooked, the potatoes will do in about 45mins but are ok in the oven for up to 1.5hours just make sure they dont dry out.
This goes with pretty much anything and is so cheap and tasty, I also have it as a light lunch on its own sometimes. Plus any leftovers are ideal for going into the slow cooker for soups etc.

Bogof_Babe

I know this isn't really in the spirit of "cooking" for guests, and also too late for the OP today, but as a very disorganized hostess, I used to casserole chicken breasts in a couple of tins of Homepride White Wine and Cream Sauce, with a few mushrooms thrown in.

Served with mashed potatoes and a large bag of frozen mixed veg or florettes, dead easy and yummy too. Don't know if Homepride still do that particular sauce but I'm sure equivalents are available somewhere.