Entertaining neighbours

I find buffets are more difficult to organise and much more expensive than a cooked meal for four or six.
Casseroles and chilli are the easiest things to do.

And don't forget to have your DH's slippers and pipe ready when he comes home...

I’d go for the slow-cooked casserole made the day before. More relaxing than a buffet. In Oct or Nov sausage and red cabbage would go down very well with no need for extra vegetables. And those baby new potatoes that you can get all the year round.

Lucky neighbours anyway. Good luck.

MayBee70

We used to have a couple of friends we met on holiday over for a meal once a year. We always had an M&S curry followed by one of their trifles. With lots of good wine.

Whilst I'm sure you didn't pretend this was your own recipe, I can't help thinking about the old advert with June Whitfield where she used to serve a pie to her friends and pass it off as home made!

She was such a great actress and the look on her face as she threw the box in the bin was very funny but I can't remember the brand of pie she was advertising

We used to have a couple of friends we met on holiday over for a meal once a year. We always had an M&S curry followed by one of their trifles. With lots of good wine.

Eh, this thread reads like a article in Women's Own circa 1952!!
Are men not expected to cook in this day and age!

Clear your kitchen surfaces of all but essentials so you have plenty of space to assemble everything.
Choose a meal you can prepare the day before, absolutely everything. Cook or defrost the food you are serving so all you have to do is reheat. Decant food into serving dishes, defrost vegetables, pudding etc, lay the table, cutlery, serving spoons,napkins etc, have glasses and drink laid out in advance, crisps,olives in unopened packets in dishes etc.
Then on the day all you have to do is check everything is in the place it should be; have oven gloves and trays ready, and a List, most important, of times and temperatures and things to do. The more you prepare before the day the more relaxed you will be. You could even practise the meal a couple of weeks before.
And make sure your husband knows what he is expected to do as well !
Don't leave it too long. You might actually find you have a really pleasant time.

You mentioned Chilli, M&S do an excellent range of slow cooked meals in sizes for 2 or 4. The chilli is very good. It would be very easy for you to decant into a nice oven to table casserole dish. It takes minutes to heat through, you could lay out microwave rice and crusty rolls and butter on counter top or side table and let everyone help themselves before sitting at your table. Follow up with fresh berries and cream or ice cream then cheese and biscuits. Minimum effort and stress for you, everyone is happy!

Your DH only likes Brit food- that's very limiting so largely ignore it haha. A roast is way too "everything ready at once" and I would be in a right state. I tend to do one pot things in advance like chili, curry, beef with Guinness etc. However in this case I would forget all that and get some buffet food on the table with reserves for topping up. Posh crisps, olives, all cold so no heating, samosas, grapes, strawberries and watermelon slices - good quality selection of cheese with sourdough bread, nice crackers. Oh and something sweet and indulgent - cake, pudding (I don't like it but lots do and it looks nice on a table).
Go for it or it could be difficult to accept another invitation. Don't skimp on the drinks either and ask them to bring a bottle (if they did at theirs). I have similar fears so that's what I'd do.

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.

This is a great idea. Tell everyone in advance that is what you will be serving and there’ll be no expectation of a cordon bleu meal then. Personally, I have no hesitation in admitting to people that I’m not a great cook. Fish and chips would do them a favour!

Takeaway or Buffet . Just say you realky don't like cooking but would love to have them round so you thought Takeaway or Buffet which would theyorefet and if Takeaway what kind? I think that would be great

Some great ideas on here - thanks so much everyone. I too think that a buffet, although perhaps more manageable for me, is awkward when eating it, perched on chairs. I would “like” to get this invitation sent out before Christmas (?!) but I keep putting it off! I’m very relieved that some of you feel just as I do. I thought I was the only one! Hostessing is just not my thing! I’m grateful to you all - I’ll let you know what I decide to do, but as I explained, it won’t be quite yet! I’ve put it off for months as it is! 😩🥴The Cook idea is well worth considering, as is just inviting one couple at a time rather than two couples.

A buffet is the perfect answer. Relax and enjoy

I dislike being a guest at buffets - going back for more feels greedy but actually helping myself first time round could also seem greedy.
My vote would definitely go to to the slow-cooker/casserole/lasagne suggestions. And maybe get DH to supply the desserts. Enjoy.

Joy Bloggs, honeyrose, Estrellita, May I join your club please? I’d be an excellent member.

Buffets are nice but they can be fiddly and most people do far too much.

Are any of your guests veggies or vegans? You could do a large cottage pie with mince and a smaller one for veggies. Dead easy. Or large and small lasagnes. Simple too served with a nice salad.

There are some lovely shop bought cheesecakes in most supermarkets.

JoyBloggs

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!

I am exactly the same.
I hate cooking for people.

id be happier with a buffet more relaxed but if you want to do a meal then why not go to somewhere like Marks and Spencer or Waitrose get lots of cheat items like ready cooked veg? if you don't have room on your table can you put up a small side table to put things on so people can pass things then put them out of the way btw i mean push the tables together

If you are in the UK I’d recommend buying readily prepared meals from a company called Cook, yes as such it’s a ready meal (& not cheap, but not too expensive as a one off either and you can buy a pottery dish from them to cook it in so it looks homemade from the oven. I did this for the first time I had my French daughter in law to dinner in case her cooking was better than mine
www.cookfood.net

How about a one pan recipe followed by a bought pudding. A buffet meal needs room to arrange and sit down or you might be happy for people to stand. If cooking— have a dummy run first. But do invite them— it’s the invitation that counts.

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I use Cook food regularly when entertaining but I always decant into my own cooking dishes whilst they're syill frozen - and get rid of all the packaging!!

Both the meat and and veggie lasagne are favourites as are Chicken Alexander and Chicken Dijon.

All just need a big bowl of mixed salad and some garlic bread.

And they do great puds too.

Easy peasy and you don't have to say anything other than "thank you" when they say how delicious it all is!

Thankfully I've never had anyone ask for a recipe!!

Tip - leave either lasagne for 10-minutes after you take it out of the oven so it 'sets' - makes it easier to serve.
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I do understand how you feel about entertaining the cooking/hosting etc. I am not a cook and my DH was always the one to do the cooking if people were invited, he was also very good as the host and I'm not.
Lots of good ideas on here, personally love the idea of the fish and chip supper or a high tea but you know these people best and what would be acceptable to them. Not so keen on the buffet idea as sometimes difficult to perch on a chair with a plate on your knees. Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

Might you find it easier to invite one couple at a time?

That way you would only be cooking for four people.

If you choose this option invite both couples at the same time, but for different dates and do explain to both that you are doing this because cooking for six is too much for you.

I think if I disliked cooking or found it tiring, I would order a meal of some kind.

Shepherd’s Pie for 6 with 1 dish of greens. Eton Mess or Pavlova for pudding.

I’ve noticed you said you don’t mind throwing money at it in your second posting if so Cook sell the actual dishes that their meals like shepherds pie actually slot straight into and look lovely on the table. So you can always reuse them
They even do delivery so you don’t have the stress of shopping