Entertaining neighbours

Nannytopsy

Cook’s chicken, ham and leek pies are very good and easy to pass off as your own particularly if you get one of their pie dishes too ! ( Shhh!)

Their pie dishes are inspired! OP, if you don't know, they come in serving sizes (2, 4 and 8, I think) and you just put the food in frozen, so properly arranged, heat it up and serve from the dish. They are white and rectangular, so very easy to reuse with your own dishes.

The company is far more important than the food. The neighbours are coming to see you. Just do something simple and try and relax and enjoy it.

Really good advice on here. I’d definitely go with the buffet option, ordering platters from M&S or Waitrose, or whoever. I wouldn’t bother cooking anything. As they’re neighbours they won’t be driving so you can provide some nice wine. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time.

Sneaky.
I like it...

One time when I had to feed people I bought a huge ready made boeuf bourgignon (my butcher very conveniently made and sold these in foil containers for reluctant cooks such as myself). I simply dusted off one of my own casserole dishes and shovelled it in... it was yummy. I managed to cook a few green beans and new potatoes to accompany. Nobody asked for the recipe or I would have owned up. Probably strawberries and cream for dessert.

Cook’s chicken, ham and leek pies are very good and easy to pass off as your own particularly if you get one of their pie dishes too ! ( Shhh!)

Supermarkets will make up platters of sandwiches, chicken drumsticks, and things like that.

They vary in price depending on what fillings you want, and come all laid out nicely on silver disposable serving platters.
If you really don't want to cook, it might be worth getting a few of those.

Why don’t you just tell them you hate cooking and suggest a pub lunch together? I loathe cooking, it’s such a waste of time so I totally understand.

Ooh, honeyrose, I'm so pleased to 'meet' you! It is great to know there's someone else out there who shares my lack of enthusiasm for cooking meals for people... I was beginning to think I was the only person in the world! I will follow this thread with interest and wish you the very best of luck!

Can't your husband cook?

Oops, sorry, just reread your husband only likes English food - tell him it’s mince and cheese sauce, he can leave the lasagne if he wants or just serve him a portion with no lasagne in it.

You could make a lasagne the day before - or earlier and freeze then defrost - and serve that from the worktop. Pass round some garlic bread - bought and reheated in the oven with the lasagne - and a bowl of mixed salad.
Pudding - some form of tart from Marks’ with a jug of cream to pass round.
Very simple and all prepped in advance.
Nibbles with drinks beforehand.
All prepared ahead of time, once the lasagne is cooked it will sit for quite a while in a very low oven and come to no harm.
You should have a lovely evening with a very acceptable meal and a non-stressed hostess.

MollyNew

One of our neighbours is in poor health so one evening for her birthday we were invited round for a fish and chip supper. We phoned in the order and a couple of us collected the food. It was a lovely informal evening.

We do that since one of our neighbours is a widow and finds solo entertaining hard . We call up to order and collect it. All the host has to do is provide drinks , and condiments.

I used to love cooking and entertaining but not now. Last week we had people staying overnight and for the evening meal I bought a ready-to-cook Tesco special, sea bass fillets with a Mediterranean sauce. I just served it with some new potatoes and french beans, strawberries and cream and a cheese platter. It was good and so easy.

Just come back from a ‘natter’ party (ladies only) at one of our neighbour’s houses.
We took our own drinks - L put a couple of pizzas in the oven and then had the usual crisps, couscous , nuts, tortilla chips and dips.
She did make a beautiful raspberry pie.
Last month I held one at my house. I ordered 2 Occasions Tray from Sainsbury’s - sandwiches and the rest. Went down well.
These days entertaining friends and neighbours is not the ‘slog’ it used to be .
Go for it !!

I would do an afternoon tea.
Dainty sandwiches, homemade fruit and savoury scones, and a fancy cake and biscuits. Tea, coffee and a bottle of bubbles.

Invite them round for drinks and a buffet. Buy the buffet in Marks and Spencer, DH is in charge of buying and serving the drinks.

Another vote for a buffet and a visit to M and S and Waitrose .
Please don't do what one of my friends does
She serves a simple but delicious buffet and then spends the evening apologising about her house being too small and how she finds cooking difficult.
Just enjoy it!

MollyNew

One of our neighbours is in poor health so one evening for her birthday we were invited round for a fish and chip supper. We phoned in the order and a couple of us collected the food. It was a lovely informal evening.

That sounds lovely Molly…….I would think it was the neighbours best birthday ever!

One of our neighbours is in poor health so one evening for her birthday we were invited round for a fish and chip supper. We phoned in the order and a couple of us collected the food. It was a lovely informal evening.

I think a casserole is easier than a buffet especially if you’ve got a slow cooker . I get stressed when entertaining and now have a short list of meals , which are easy to cook and serve . I don’t care if I’m repeating meals . So I do various casseroles in the slow cooker with roasted veg and potatoes. or one pot meals in the cooker. Such as a chicken traybake with potatoes and veg . Dauphinois potatoes go down well and can sit in the oven until needed . I do a cold starter like a mackerel pate and fresh fruit salad for dessert.
Otherwise check out Cook .

The thing is, if you don't reciprocate, you don't get invited again.
Lots of excellent suggestions from everyone on here.
I'd go with Cook. How about their cottage pie and some green beans?
You could dish up the cottage pie from the stove and have just the dish of beans on the stove. Husband must do drinks.
(Now that it's just me, I only do a roast for family. There's too much to do at the last minute - gravy, carving, veg into dishes etc - so I do one-pot things like pies for guests.)

A buffet is great or M&S "entertainibg" meals or Cook are good too

I get anxious too - it’s no use saying relax and enjoy it. Why don’t you invite them for drinks and nibbles as you suggested but make it a bit more ‘filling’ with some larger bits of the M&S type offerings. Do you like games? Drinks and nibbles would fit well with a murder mystery or a few games of Yahtzee. Do off your way, you won’t enjoy it otherwise.

Try Cook. They do ready frozen meals for 6. All you need to do is heat it. They also do some lovely starters and desserts.