Ah Cranks! Used to have lunch there often but my OH didn't like it very much because he thought the food all looked a bit beige. I have the Cranks book and the page falls open at Homity Pie which I make often, but with rather more cheese. The French have a similar recipe, but not veggie because they include bacon and they also use leeks and it has a pastry top.
Re veggie - Delia has a good spinach and 4 cheese lasagne which I make when people are coming for lunch (all meat eaters) and it goes down a treat. You can prepare it the day before and leave in the fridge. It takes about 1 hour to cook. I do change the quantities because I make it a particular dish
and it should feed 8.
I'm a fan of the Barefoot Contessa (Food Channel) who has some good ideas. eg if she's doing food for a drinks party she buys 3 things and makes 3 things. Trouble is it can be a bit expensive - for example she'll buy a large chunk of Parmesan for people to carve pieces.
If she is serving cheese for dinner she'll buy one or two large pieces of good cheese and decorates the serving platter with grapes, dried apricots and biscuits. It looks abundant and IMO much better than a cheese board with small pieces of several different cheeses.
Finally Jane Gregson's Vegetable Book, whilst not all vegetarian, has some good veggie recipes.
Children holidaying during term time.
How does a 'lived experience' differ from an 'experience'?