Dear Bill
I have arranged a dinner party for eight adults. Unfortunately, I am working all that day and won't be home until just before the guests arrive. Do you have any suggestions for fabulous food I can make the day before that will improve for having been made early? - Penny

Dear Penny,
Many a time I've been caught out in a fit of generosity - usually after a glass of wine - and invited people over for a mid-week dinner party. This inevitably leaves me short on time, stressed out and thinking, "How will I pull this off?"

To stop feeling totally out of control and to make the dinner a success, I've learnt it's essential to have the shopping done the day before and have at least part of the meal prepared ahead of time.

We're gradually coming out of the depths of winter, when slow-cooked food feels right and improves from being made ahead of time. Spring food can create more of a challenge. It really needs to have a fresher feel and taste.

This springtime roast chicken flavoured with lemon and green olives is a quickly thrown-together affair that will cook as your guests nibble on the crostini and sip a glass or two of prosecco.

The magnificent tiramisu ice-cream cake - reminiscent of the ice-cream desserts of my childhood - can be prepared a day in advance. It is very straightforward to make but has a great show-off factor and will leave your guests satisfied, impressed and wondering how you managed it on a weeknight.

What would your suggestions be?