what is your favorite low budget entertaining tip?

[magdala]

I skip the elegant and go with comfort food. Chili and macaroni and cheese are go to favorites. I pair them with crusty bread and platters of crudités with onion dip.

[badgergrl]

For more inexpensive meats think about ham or pork tenderloin.

[stever]

For cheap AND nice - sorry, I don't have an elegant bone in my body - I would make a simple salad,  a white root veg soup, roast a turkey or two good sized chickens, saute some green beans in butter and shallots, and make a fruit crumble. Since 40 is a lot of people, I'd probably do a brie en croute and some other puff pastry apps to fill people up.

[Deleted]

A nice lasagna, salad, garlic bread, some Chianti, maybe Tiramisu for dessert.

[fandorine]

Indian food- it's easy to avoid meat, and lentils are super cheap.