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If you make a good pot roast, I say stick with that. Then, if you have the luxury of time on your hands all day, dazzle 'em with some great appetizers and/or side dishes. Work off the pot roast as your base - pick multiple color and flavor combos to accent. You could do a starch, like a mushroom risotto, polenta, or pasta. Then do some colorful vegetables, roasted, braised, etc. - tomatoes, carrots, broccoli rabe, fresh corn, kale - adding some sweet and some tart notes, and finish off with a fresh gremolata. The result is a gorgeous, flavor-packed plate that will have everyone around the table talking about what their favorite is.

Make life easy. Beef stew. Same as pot roast, but with the meat cut in smaller pieces, you don't need to do cutting.

Actually, I prefer beef stew or pot roast the next day, so you could make it the day before and just heat it for the party.

I would agree with the beef stew, best response I get in the winter time is a hearty beef stew with lots of good red wine and fresh bread on the side, the real luxry is you wont get stuck with a ton of dishes.

For everyone that suggested sauerbraten, how do you do yours? My one attempt failed miserably!

i use my mother's sauerbraten recipe which is packed in a box from my move somewhere in my brother's basement or garage, unless it's at my sister's house. I don't know where she got her recipe. This one from Penzey's looks to be similar:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/recipes/r-penzeyssauerbraten.html

Thanks, PerkyMac! I have only started posting on here in the last two weeks or so, but am a long time reader/follower. Since I now work from home, have more time...LOL...to be here instead of working! You seem to be one of the "go to" posters, so I feel I can trust your advice. Thanks, again, and glad to get to know you!

I made a Pork and Apple Pot Pie (double the recipe for 10) a few weeks ago that was really, really good. It's a simple dish - braise some pork shoulder with onions and stock, then add some apple slices and thyme. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with puff pastry and pop in the oven when your guests arrive. Smells and tastes delicious! I can't wait to make it again for guests.

coq au vin, beef bourguignon, beef carbonnade (beer instead of wine) or Madhur Jaffrey's wonderful lamb with spinach - that recipe is in the back of her amazing memoir, Climbing the Mango Trees. It's stew lamb (lamb shoulder), not chops, so very forgiving. It's really nice paired with her carrot, cilantro & fenugreek recipe which doesn't need to cook as long (but requires lots and lots of chopping).

I actually really like a big pot of spaghetti and meatballs, its great for a crowd and the longer the sauce cooks the tastier it gets.

Sake braised Short Ribs or goat tacos.

Lamb shanks and white beans with garlic and rosemary. Braised all afternoon, the house will smell great and what a hearty and warming meal!

Gumbo.

Nigella's lamb tagine recipe could probably be done as an all-day slow cooker recipe, or just make it the day before. Lamb, caramelized onions, olives, capers, garlic, ginger, cumin, wine. Done. She sprinkles coriander (cilantro) and pomegranate seeds over the top for some color, but you can also use Italian parsley and orange zest. Couscous is fast and if you need another side you could do ahead the butternut squash and chickpea salad from Orangette or Smitten Kitchen. Exotic but reeeally easy.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Make this Cajun/Creole dish as spicy as you like.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped (1 C.)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 C.)
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 C.)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz.) Progresso® diced tomatoes, undrained
2 C. chopped fully cooked smoked sausage
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper sauce
3/4 lb. uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
4 C. hot cooked rice

Directions

Mix all ingredients except shrimp and rice in 3 1/2- to 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until vegetables are tender. Stir in shrimp. Cover and cook on low heat setting about 1 hour or until shrimp are pink and firm. Serve jambalaya with rice.

Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature. (Total time will vary with appliance and setting.)

Hillary
Chew on That

@melissaaune, the show I was referring to, is "Anna And Kristina's Grocery Bag" - it is on the Woman's network on Canadian TV - they are out of Vancouver and they used to have a similar type show called, "The Shopping Bags" where they would try out different brands of a product, (i.e. hair shampoo/toothpaste/flooring/garden shears, etc.) and tell you what they thought was the best product for the price point. Hope this helps. We actually have a couple of good shows that could be used to advantage in the US - ie. Michael Smith's, "Chef at Home" series in which he makes meals from whatever is in his pantry without use of recipes - it sure would be better than their Sandra Lee, who is supposed to appeal to non skilled cooks. Michael prepares good, simple food from scratch.