A call to (culinary) arms

The Germans are coming! To the barricades! Dont mention the war!

Seriously, the Germans are coming - the first tranche of clan Beloved for 2008 invades arrives next Wednesday. Beloved's younger brother Frank, his wife Katja and their 3-year-old, Maya. I'm really excited because it will be great fun to have them visit, but I'm also a little apprehensive.

I am pleading for your help, dear friends. Have mercy on me and my kitchen!

I thought our family were big eaters, until I met the Beloveds. They are seriously big eaters. Actually, theyre quite normal for the Germans in general; if you've never eaten out in Germany (or a German-themed restaurant), then buckle up your appetite and hang on.

Here's a meal Beloved had (just him, its a single serve) in a pub one night. Just a regular pub. Its a sort of mixed grill, and those long things opn the left are crumbed, deep-fried asparagus with hollondaise sauce. Then there's pork, steak, turkey and fried potatoes. And a salad on the side that you cant see.


Thats a frypan folks, a 25cm (10") diameter frypan. Holy hardening arteries, Batman, charge those paddles.

Anyway. Our visitors are big eaters. Last time they visited, with two other friends, between the 4 of them they used an entire 400ml bottle of sweet chilli sauce on one bbq meal.

That in itself doesnt usually frighten me, I just make more, but they are also very conservative eaters.

Frank has a saying: "the farmer eats what the farmer knows". In Bontkirchen, the farmer doesnt know Italian or Thai or Moroccan or Mexican or Indian or Chinese. Or anything that doesnt eat grass.

Bang goes three-quarters of my repetoire.

I hesititate to say he's a "fussy eater", he'll usually give something a try, but he's certainly a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Katja is much more adventurous, and often bemoans that Frank's tastes are pretty pedestrian.

Its also very warm here right now, so my usual fall-backs of stews and casseroles are off the menu.

And there's only so many bbq's we can have a week without endangering the local cow and sheep population (and my sanity).

So, I'm after your suggestions for quick and easy fare that will fit the bill. My requirements are:

• filling
• quick (I work!)
• not too challening to the tastebuds
• not too heavy on the budget
• child-friendly (but non-fussy kids)

So far, my list includes things like spag bol, schnitzels (Ja whol!), meat with sauce (eg. steak with mushroom sauce), pasta bake, roast chicken.

Seriously, I'd love an email or some ideas in the comments. Please!

You dont want to see a grown pregnant woman cry, do you?