Ideas please, meal for four.

[lemontwist]

I'm having a couple of friends over on Friday night for a meal and I'd like to make a biit of an effort. Trouble is I'm in a bit of a rut cooking wise and tend to rely on a few old favourites. Can't be anything too expensive though I don't mind it being a bit more than an average family dinner.
Any ideas anyone, bearing in mind I'll have two small boys hanging off my legs all afternoon til DH gets back from work so too much prep in the kitchen isn't easy?

[racingheart]

This one is easy and tastes good:

Mix a teaspoonful of garlic puree with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of chopped fresh or dried rosemary and a tablespoon of lemon zest, salt and fresh black pepper. Marinade chicken thighs in their skins with this, then lay them, skin up in a roasting tray, tip a glass of dry white wine in and cook them for 35 mins in a hot oven.

Serve with rice and buttered steamed green veg - mangetout, green beans and broccoli, or a big leafy salad and crusty garlic bread.
Dead easy. Almost no prep.

For pudding - use ready made sweet pastry case, fill with carnation caramel straight from the tin, chopped bananas and fresh cream whipped with a spoonful of vanilla essence and a spoonful of sugar, grate chocolate over it: home made banoffee pie. Again, dead easy.

or be classy and offer good cheese with seedy crackers and a bowlful of really nice clementines, grapes and fresh figs.

[sharond101]

Mango chicken/pork

1tbsp olive oil mixed with half a jar mango chutney and 1-2" grated ginger stir in sliced chicken breast or thinly sliced pork loin steaks and bake in casserole for 35minutes or until meat is cooked through. Serve with rice.

[lemontwist]

Mmm thanks for those, they both sound tasty. Better get shopping!