Any more ideas for cooking ahead and freezing.

Fromage frais is a staple at our house. Very versatile and tastier than yoghurt.

Floradora I had to look up pescatarian as we are all meat, fish and dairy eaters and everything else as well and it was described as a vegetarian who eats fish. I also read up on vegans which sounds more like your ddil. It an interesting subject but must be quite difficult getting all the vitamins etc. I have a friend whose teenage daughter was a vegan and didn't bother to take the prescription her doctor had given her and she collapsed and ended up in hospital. Good luck with catering all you who have vegetarians. It is useful information as one day one may turn up on my doorstep!

You can buy fromage frais ( sorry no e) it is a bit like creme fraiche , which is another alternative . You can just stir it through hot pasta and mushrooms or courgettes for a tasty creamy sauce, a bit like soft cheese. I never make a proper cheese sauce any more.

No, fromage frais does exist. I have about six pots of it in my freezer. I use it in lots of ways, particularly when recipes call for yoghourt, which I loathe, it makes me feel sick.

I also use it as suzied does, as a quick cheese sauce. In my case from frais with just grated cheddar on top.

"Fromage fraise"?
Do you mean fromage blanc or crème fraiche or are there really strawberries involved?

Veggie lasagne is good frozen, or you can make a ratatouille type sauce and freeze that and just assemble it as a lasagne on the day or just use it as a regular pasta sauce. I never make a separate cheese sauce, just use fromage fraise and Parmesan and mozerella on top. I think this was a Jamie Oliver tip..

A vegetable curry is a good idea as it can be served directly (after reheating, of course) to vegetarians and easily mixed with meat, fish or shellfish for non-vegetarians. A selection of home-made meat and vegetable pies is also easy.

The reason for letting roasts rest is that the texture sort of settles down and the heat evens out, so it is much easier to carve.

Oh no Liaise our vegetarians would go mad if served fish my DDIL call people who eat fish pescatarians .

As well as casseroles I make chilli and bolognese which go down well with various age groups. Add salad and garlic bread. A quick fish pie for the vegetarians is cook cod fillets in microwave and make sauce from Bisto White sauce (in a carton like ordinary Bisto but blue in colour) mix with the fish and top with mashed potato.

Thanks everyone I have ordered Mary Berry's book .

I will freeze anything once, and usually more often than that. There is very little that will not freeze (whole eggs, raw cucumber and lettuce is about all I can think of).

We eat a lot of casseroles and stews and I always make enough to eat one and freeze at least one. Bread, butter cheese, soft & hard, bacon, cold meats, cakes, biscuits, scones etc etc. All fully cooked then frozen and then either defrosted and thoroughly reheated or thoroughly reheated from frozen in oven or microwave.

Here's a link. www.amazon.co.uk/Cook-Now-Later-Mary-Berry/dp/1472214730/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470580792&sr=1-1&keywords=mary+berry+cook+now+eat+later+book

We have 5 visitors for a week at the moment, and the main thing I made in advance was bread. Should have done more really.
I made braised beef today which was simple and went down well.
Also in advance, lots of fruit compotes for dessert.

I recommend a book 'Dinner in the freezer' pub. by D K . How to cook in bulk, batch and freeze. Ready to reheat and eat. I use the recipes, divide up in appropriate portions, save cooking from scratch everyday. Bought book originally as we were having a big family party, not at home.
Good luck!

I've just acquired a Mary Berry book of cook ahead recipes. It's called Mary Berry's Cook Now Eat Later. It was £5 in WHSmith's. The recipes are very nice, tasty but not complex and cover everything inc for vegetarians.

Of course the veg one isn't as good as the meat one, it's better.
Depends what veg you put in.

I do meatballs (like IKEA sell) but better. I fry them and mae up a mustard sauce. They freeze lovely, the meatballs take up the taste of the oxo and mustard (Dijon)and the DGCs love them. You would have to give the vegetarians something else though.
I serve them with rice.

Lasagne freezes well but making one for 10 people you'd need three dishes/Pyrex and anyway the veg one is never as good as the meat one.

Rather than doing at least two different meals, prepare a load of vegetables, freeze them and then do a stir fry on whatever day. At least that does not take long as everything is prepared.

I freezr casseroles in different sized containers making sure there is plenty of gravy . I put the number of portions on the lid so take out the right number. I defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat in a saucepan usually as it is quickest.

Freeze casseroles, shepherd's pie etc in the dish in which you will defrost,reheat and serve them. Line it with cling film first, remove when frozen and store in a bag.
The children might enjoy making pizzas with home-made tomato sauce or a jar of tomato pesto and their own choice of toppings. Bases can be from scratch or bought, even flatbreads or part baked bread rolls, ciabatta or baguettes.
You are so right to plan and cook ahead. That way you will enjoy the visitors. I hope it goes well.

Been there. Done this. Wanted to start a thread about this a couple of weeks ago, but ran out of time!
Didnt freeze stuff as also ran out of time!

Didnt know casseroles could be frozen. Are they put in fully cooked? Also, how long to deforst and how do you reheat? Thanks.

And what about defrosting cottage pie?

What I did. If someone else offers to cook, or do part of a meal, I let them! Even if I didnt much like the sound of what they wanted to cook! It could be adapted for different people. Easier than having to cook another full meal.

Ditto, anyone offering to load the dishwasher. Or make cups of tea etc. I let them!

Cottage pie
Yes always rest meat
No don't fry mushrooms

What Teetime said. I usually have frozen chicken casseroles in the freezer and lots of pasta sauces. I usually make 4x tomato sauce recipes and freeze. I then thaw one, fry a chicken Breast fillet per person until brown (veggies could have aubergine sliced longways) put sprinkle with chopped basil, cover with sliced mozzarella, pour over tomato sauce, sprinkle with partisan and bake. Serve with baked potato. My lot like sausage pasta sauce.

Any kind of casseroles. Crumbles either cooked and frozen, or dry crumble mix frozen.

How about some quiches, vegetable curry and vegetable chilli.

Yes I always let meat have a lie down before I carve it. Cover it in foil and a tea towel on top.

No need to fry mushrooms before adding to a casserole.