What to cook??

[Scullywoo]

Help! I'm having a casual dinner party for 4 friends, 6 of us in total and am not a great cook by any sense of the imagination! I only have to conjur up the main course, as my friends are bringing a starter and desert! Was thinking of cheating a little and popping down to M&S - still... any suggestions on what to cook that's reasonably quick, easy to coordinate and very tasty!! Thanks.

[heatherglen]

How about honey and mustard chicken?

[newtron]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/231358?epiSearchPage=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/find/results?threshold=5800&pageSize=10&resultOffset=21&sort=0&search=curry+chicken This is one of our favorite recipes.

[melv]

Depends on how "posh" you want to go. There are loads of cheating ways of making a nice dinner:

You could do Fajitas, where you prepare everything (meat and veg, salad, rice, cheese... whatever you want) you can user the fajita packs, and then everyone serves themselves round the table. That is always fun.

 

You could do chicken stroganoff, and cook the chicken with mushrooms and onions., and use a tin of campbells cream of mushroom soup for the sauce, and serve it with rice, that is also always good!!

[heatherglen]

Sorry! HAd to answer the 'phone.

Honey and Mustard Chicken

6 chicken breasts

2tbsp clear honey

1 1/2tbsp (or more) wholegrain mustard

2tbsp chopped fresh parsley

3tsp tomato puree

3tbsp olive oil

6tbsp white wine or chicken stock

seasoning. Serve with new potatoes French beans.

You can use the ingredients to your own tasting.

Preheat over to 190C/375/Gas5. Slash each chicken breast three or four times and place in a shallow ovenproof dish. Mix together the honey, mustard, parsley, tomato puree, oil, wine or stock and seasoning. Spoon over the chicken and turn and coat. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, basting once or twice with the marinade. The chicken is ready when the juices run clear after being pierced.

You can use a whole chicken and cook in the same way. Roast at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes. Leave to rest for 15 minutes then carve.

[Wurzel]

Try M & S gourmet lamb, this is excellent, comes with veg and a brilliant sauce, also layered potatoes with Guyere cheese, they are a must, some other veg and there you have one hunky dori meal.

[GucciGal]

Also One pot dinners are good, Delia makes a mean Shepherds Pie!

[buchanan]

Spaghetti or tagiatelli carbonara - its dead simple but also quite impressive as its so tasty.  Can't find the one my husband (ex kitchen dunce) uses but try googling for one.

[Artemis]

Coq au vin. All the hard work (prep) is done before guests arrive. Take out of oven and serve.  

[Ouisch]

Lasagna is always easy and a crowd pleaser.  You can make it yourself, or many stores have it frozen so all you have to do is bake it.

[natalie_1982]

What about something simple like grilled fish, roasted vegetables (in olive oil with balsamic vinegar) and mashed potato - you won't want something too heavy if you're having starter and dessert too!

[funkychicken]

how about a nice curry? loyd grossman does fab sauces in jars, or you could make your own, all you gotta do is fry the meat or veg, add the sauce and let it cook for a while, so if your guests come later than planned you can just keep it cooking. you could do rice to go with it and buy some onion bhajis, naans, samosas, or whatever else you fancy with it.

[sasserina]

A really simple yet tasty dish is this : Get some tin foil and grease it. Lay some nice rump steak on the foil..then season and put a small amount of butter on. Then sprinkle some chopped onion and mushroom...throw on a glass of red wine and a packet of onion sauce mix...and cook for about an hour...could make some mash potatoes to go with it and salad or a medley of vegetables...or you could cheat and buy steam fresh...very tasty dinner...good luck

[Kilala]

go to 'Cook!' a fab frozen food shop where they sell frozen homemade foods, truly yummy!

[atolhurst]

I did something similar recently;

Starter;
Prawns (pre-bought) bound in a seafood sauce type (pre-bought) with buttered brown bread (one slice cut into triangles with tomartoes.

Main
Morrisons do a minted lamb (shoulder/chops/steaks etc) range. We did those which need no attention, with roasted veg (red onion, cherry tomartoes, parsnips, carrots, corgettes, new potatoes) in a baking tray, coated in olive oil mixed with pressed garlic and dried mixed herbs, for 30 mins on 180 c.

Dessert was a pre-bought cheesecake.

Easy peasy.

[Scullywoo]

Thanks for all of your helpful answers - such brilliant cooks!! Thanks again...