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Help! Gotta feed 7 next week!!!

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Hiya,

Have gone and done a very daft thing :o OH's mum is visiting next weekend (she lives in London, us up north don't see her very often!) and we thought it would be a great opportunity for her to meet my mum... We've left it long enough, been together two years in September :rotfl:

Anyhoo, this leaves me with a dilemma... what in the world do I feed them all??? OH's mum and partner will have been driving for a good few hours, my mum and partner will have to spend 1 1/2 on a train, they're all gonna be starving :eek:

There will be me, OH, his mum, my mum, their respective OH's and DS... 7 people in total (although all 4 men listed would eat double if given the chance :rotfl: ). Food has to be simple, filling, impressive (potential in-laws :rolleyes: ) as well as reasonably priced as money not at a premium.

Can't do lasagne/spaghetti bolognese/hot fish as my mum won't eat them.. Chilli out as well as everyone would want different levels of hotness :rotfl:

Would be very grateful for any suggestions... need both main meal and dessert if possible..

Thanks,

Sarah xx

Comments

  • lamplady
    lamplady Posts: 63 Forumite
    If you aren't used to cooking for so many people you could consider doing 2 smaller main courses to appeal to different people. Otherwise, simple main courses could be:

    2 roast chickens with new potatoes and salad or veg
    cold salmon, steamed
    A pie of some sort....just make a filling and sauce and roll some puff pastry on the top before baking
    Sausages and mash
    Toad in the hole

    For pudding, I'd make profiteroles or a crumble and custard, or even ice-cream with fruit.
  • Rikki
    Rikki Posts: 21,625 Forumite
    How about a risotto?
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  • Pink.
    Pink. Posts: 17,650 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi jovichick,

    Will your mum eat a shepherds/cottage pie? I find these are good for feeding large groups as they can be cooked in advance, just reheated in the oven and padded out with baby potatoes,salad, coleslaw, crusty/garlic bread etc.

    For dessert what about a large pavlova.....I made this last week when my sister and family were here (increased the quantities to one and a half times the recipe) and it fed nine of us easily.

    Pink
  • duchy
    duchy Posts: 19,511 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Xmas Saver!
    Must admit I'd just go for a pot roast for this kind of occassion. Very little to go wrong even if it's not a true MSE dish and everyone eats it. Cooked really really slowly so it's nice and tender.
    I Would Rather Climb A Mountain Than Crawl Into A Hole

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  • I think lamplady's idea of two chickens plus other bits is a great idea - you could do jacket potatoes and have bowls of cheap cheese, cheap or HM coleslaw and other salady bits too. I've been making homemade garlic flatbreads (no breadmaker needed, five minutes to mix, leave an hour, five minutes to cook - let me know if you want the recipe) and have been impressed with their show-off value - and they cost about 10p per person!
    They would go very nicely with the above and would help to fill up the hungry men.

    Good luck....

    Julia x
  • EmmaJ_3
    EmmaJ_3 Posts: 160 Forumite
    I was going to suggest a cottage pie/shepherds pie as well. Or a moussaka - I use delia's recipe and it's gorgeous, serve with brown rice and salad. Also has the bonus that you can make it up in advance earlier in the day or the day before, and just pop it in the oven at the right time.

    For dessert how about a cheesecake? There are some fairly easy recipes that again you can make in advance and keep in the fridge till you're ready for it.

    My last dinner party (6) I made moussaka and then we had chocolate 'babycakes' for dessert (a Nigella recipe), like sponge pudding with gooey chocolate middles. They were good as the mixture is made in advance, put in individual ramekins and kept in the fridge, and then popped in the oven for 10 mins and served straight away, so I put them in as people were finishing the main course. They went down very well :)
  • Rikki
    Rikki Posts: 21,625 Forumite
    New potatos with their skins on make great roast potatos.
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  • shimmigirl
    shimmigirl Posts: 333 Forumite
    Hi Julia

    I would love the flatbread recipe please
  • krispyg76
    krispyg76 Posts: 79 Forumite
    An all in one casserole, sausage or chicken

    Fatten it out with potato, carrot, leek, celery

    Serve with crusty bread to fill people up

    Deserts? I'd look what's on offer at your nearest supermarket.
  • dronid
    dronid Posts: 599 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    :D Lots of great suggestions here already.

    I'd probably try and load them with carbs so long as it's not too close to bedtime.

    Potato Skins. Baked potatoes scooped out and remixed with some cheese and rebaked or grilled.
    Pasta/Rice salad.
    As suggested - flatbreads!
    Maybe a spiced mince dish - not chili, just something flavourful. Also have some chili sauce alongside if some need a zip!
    Houmus.
    Some cold meats
    Lots of salad leaves.

    Don't try and cook too much right before they arrive. You'll end up feeling disorganised. Keep it simple and easy for people to dish up themselves. It makes you look organised. (which is more impressive than serving Lobster and caviar to prospective in-laws!)

    So long as it's carb laden (cheap and filling), well flavoured (tasty and interesting) and well ordered you should be set to impress on a minimal budget.:D

    Or your next conversation you could throw in "So what are you bringing for dinner?":D

    I could make it better myself at home. All I need is a small aubergine...

    I moved to Liverpool for a better life.
    And goodness, it's turned out to be better and busier!
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