Friends coming round .. what to cook?

How about lasange?

C'mon guys. I need some inspiration! ?

Potatoes..maybe gratin dauphinoise?

Yep - I would definitely put some carbs with that too.

And some good bread with real butter ?

Lasange could work. ? Cannelloni could be good, if you have fresh lasange sheets as it's a bit different. Or Mousaka maybe?

If you don't have pasta, I agree about something potato wise and Nigella's gratin daupinoise would be good.

Oh, oh .. another email ...

HI
I'm bringing some curried pumpkin soup, too!

Ha ha, definitely need good bread then! ?

My absolute favourite is moussaka but that might be a bit fiddly to make a short notice (and also I'm not coming for dinner so perhaps my favourite doesn't count!).

Thanks guys .. keep the suggestions coming. Potatoes of some description sounds great ?

(Mr P wants me to get ready made lasange from a restaurant we frequent occasionally as they do THE BEST lagange ever. He doesn't want me to make it [not because I can't, but because their's really IS the best])

That's cheating though, isn't it.

Not over here it isn't ?

I got asked to make a birthday cake once, so I did..from scratch. Took it to them and they laughed..apparently what that means is buying a slab cake from Walmart and decorating it..they were most amused that I had *actually* baked a cake..

Lasagna sounds lovely..

For a last minute dinner party, I'd say anything goes. ?

If you are having lasange, I would just get some nice breads rather than a potato dish, I think.

this cannelloni is absolutely fab, and dead easy to make

i do it a lot, to use up all the frozen cauliflour and broccoli i thought it was a good idea to buy...

OOH that food sounds lovely. I agree with the carb theme.

I would go for something potatoey. Dauphinoise or Boulangeres would be lovely with the chicken.

Or possibly a rice dish.

I am now hungry. ?

In fact, I think my mum's version of moussaka would be lovely. It is soooo easy (and isn't really moussaka at all, just delicious) ETA that this is no Cordon Bleu cuisine!!

Mince, tinned toms, garlic, onion, herbs, stock cube/liquid stock (and whatever leftovers would go well with it. S&P. Mix them together, amounts don't really matter, and put into a fairly shallow dish.

Cover with sliced spuds, use processor if you like them thin, I sometimes just slice them myself if I have time.

Cover the whole lot in white sauce, with cheese added. Sprinkle with cheese if you fancy.

Cook until the cheese sauce is black (the best bit) which is usually about 1hr30 at 180ish.

Its lovely. Very simple, but very tasty.