What can I make my friends for lunch?!

northern_at_heart

Hi, I hope you don't mind me asking for ideas on this board but I am stuck for inspiration!

A couple of our friends are coming to visit at the weekend - as they've got a new baby (can't wait to meet her!) they're coming over for lunch. As they're driving quite a long way I want to make something nice, but not too heavy. We usually only cook in the evening and my lunches normally consist of toast or something. So I can't do my usual dinner recipes of curry, pasta, etc.

Any ideas? Nothing too complicated please! (I'm not known for my culinary skills and don't want to leave them while I faff for hours in the kitchen).
xxx

shell_girl

What about a bit of a 'party food' lunch? You could make different sandwiches or wraps, have veg sticks and hummus, dishes of crisps etc? This can all be done in advance and kept in the fridge with cling film over. They can make it as light or as heavy as they fancy then.

If it's a cold day you could add a pan of soup.

You could also make them up a packet of leftovers when they leave for the journey home.

Jinx

I think Id go italian and do a platter, nice cold meats, breads, some salad & cheeses with the nice bits such as olives and the little peppers with cheese in etc. Easy to do, serve and eat

Lotus-eater

We often just get alot of nice stuff and put it on the table, together with bread, ryvita etc.
Ham, cheese, salad stuff, jam, anything like that, then people just make their own sandwiches, or whatever, at the table.

bluebird

Soup with a lovely crusty roll.or lasange and salad.

Idiophreak

There's rugby on this weekend - so naturally jumbo hotdogs should be the order of the day

Seriously, I quite like Jinx' antipasti idea, I do that quite a lot...or just a good Eenglish equivalent - some nice ham, cheeses, pickles, buy a pork pie, knock up some sausage rolls, salad...Maybe a nice bowl of soup to start...

DylanO

This - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pappa-al-pomidoro-recipe/index.html

It's delicious and very simple to make. You can do most of the preparation in the morning and then heat it up when you need to.

I'd serve it with a selection of olives, cheeses, salad leaves and peppers etc, but if you feel the need you can do a nice side of salmon cakes, and then a light cheesecake for dessert.

jaqui59

You say they are coming quite a long way to see you, obviously meaning they have a long way to go back, so if it were me I would make them something fairly substantial to keep their tummies full for their journey home.

I would probably cook them something like fresh spaghetti in tomato sauce with meatballs and parmesan cheese, and you could either have lots of hot garlic bread or some nice rustic bread to dip in some flavoured oils, and dont forget the individual side dishes of salad

mummybearx

Exactly what I was going to suggest, meatballs, spaghetti and bread, with salad

skintchick

northern_at_heart wrote: »

. So I can't do my usual dinner recipes of curry, pasta, etc.

xxx

Why not?

I would do something like pasta or chicken in sauce, served with salad and crusty bread.

If I drove a long way to visit someone and only got given sandwiches I'd be a bit cross tbh.

SunnyCyprus

mmmm.... feeling hungry now!

i would go for lightly toasted Bagels, with cream cheese and smoked salmon, sald leaves, lemon wedges.

or.... huge doorstep style Bacon Sarnies!! and lots of tea!!!