Need Help, Friends for Dinner No Time to Cook!

bobsa1

Having Friends for Dinner, At a function this Pm, Very little time to cook, Help!

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I'm having some friends round for an early dinner, 6pm. Whilst this would not normally be a problem I'm actually out from about 12.30pm at my sisters 25th Wedding Anniversary celebration.

I'll probably be out until 4ish so I need soemthing quick, easy and tasty.

The friends are bringing two children aged 3 and 1 and I have a 12yr old, 9yr old and 2 yr old.

So what can I cook?

I though about doing new potato carrotts, green beans & slamon in pesto (quick in the microwave) but kids would hate it.

Any ideas? My friend is a fab cook and I also need a pudding idea. Please Help

Someone suggested I post here as you are all great at this kind of thing. Many thanks

Debt_Free_Chick

OMG! What have you got, apart from salmon?

To be honest, that would be your best bet, but a waste if you know the kids don't like it. Is the salmon they don't like or the pesto?

nearlyrich

I would do your planned menu for the adults and for the children plain salmon without the sauce or if they really don't like salmon offer fish fingers, more salmon for those that do like it.

bobsa1

Yes it's the pesto rather than the salmon that my kids hate but I don't know about there's I've got beef, sausages, chicken, freezer full of bits and bobs.

nearlyrich

Pudding could be fresh fruit salad and cream or a luxury cheescake from the freezer cabinet of a supermarket if you have tme to pop out and get one.

Lucie_2

Personally I'd prepare a casserole type thing this morning (beef in red wine? sausage casserole?) and set the oven timer for it to come on while you're out at your sister's do. Bung in a load of jacket potatoes when you get home at 4 & you're laughing.

As for pudding - I'm afraid at this short notice I would just go out & buy one!

trippy

I have a lovely recipe which you can cook in the microwave beforehand and it is really good reheated. You can serve with new potatoes and carrots. Takes about 20/25 mins.

Broccoli & Leek Croustade

Base
100g breadcrumbs
clove of garlic
30 ml olive oil
50g grated cheese
1 tsp chopped rosemary
?g ground almonds


Topping
25g butter
225g broccoli
225g leeks, diced
25g whole-wheat flour
300ml skimmed milk
salt & pepper

Base - Mix together the dry ingredients, and then add the oil. Place into an 8in flan dish and compress with the back of a spoon. Microwave on FULL for 3 minutes.

Topping - Melt the butter and add the broccoli & leeks. Cover and microwave on FULL for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle over the flour, cover and microwave on FULL for 30 seconds.
Stir in the milk, cover and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Repeat until the milk reaches boiling point (approximately 6 minutes).
Add seasoning to taste.

Pour topping mixture onto the base in the flan dish. Then top with the grated cheese.
Cover and microwave on FULL for 4 minutes.

Serve.
Excellent reheated.

Pudding? I would serve some strawberries & cream.

JoeyEmma

My emergency pudding is always lemon cream pie.

Make a biscuit base from crushed digestives/ ginger nuts/ whatever you have in mixed with melted butter/ marg. I put it in a loose bottomed cake tin.

The topping- whip one med tub double cream (I think half a pint). Stir in one can of condensed milk (the really gooey sweet stuff). Then add the rind of one lemon and the juice of about 2-3 lemons. Stir it in and it magically goes thick. Taste it to see if it is tangy enough, if not add a bit more lemon. Pour the mix on top of the biscuit base and the desert is ready to eat.

To be honest I have made this with whatever I have in. I have used a mix of lemons and limes, all limes (you need more limes than lemons as they are smaller) and even been known to just use jif lemon juice and totally miss out the lemon rind. I've never tried it with oranges though because the condensed milk is so sweet that it needs the sharp tang of lemons and limes.