I’m planning a February dinner gathering for a group of 8 friends and would like to make it a casual, fun evening. Maybe even play a game or 2 after dinner. I’m thinking about comfort food. Soups, chili, casserole? What would be on your menu?
Type of weather where you are?
Brisket. Mac and cheese. Chicken noodle soup.
Chicken pot pie
Beef stew
Chili
Macaroni and cheese for sure
Chili and mac n’cheese first came to mind but also a baked potato bar.
Chicken pot pie and macaroni & cheese.
Mac and cheese, and include something else healthy so I don’t feel so guilty about indulging. Go hygge!
@rockymtnhigh2 I’m on the East Coast–cold weather!
Antipasti, Lasagne - bolognese or maybe a wild mushroom variety or both, garlic bread, a crisp salad, tiramisu
2 kinds of soup/chili, good bread/cornbread, chocolate layer cake
enchiladas, rice, salad with avocado and citrus, flan
^^^ I coming RIGHT over for that soup/chili, cornbread and chocolate layer cake.
Alternative:
Chicken tortilla soup, guac/queso/chips, make your own ice cream sundaes.
Oh, good suggestion on the sundaes. I do that a lot for entertaining including from scratch brownies to make them brownie sundaes. Everybody always likes them. There’s a reason American Airlines serves sundaes in first class service. 
Pulled pork sandwiches, Meatball sandwiches, baked mac and cheese, baked ziti - Dessert of cheesecake sampler with different flavors.
My winter entertaining go-to is pot roast, if the crowd is into beef dinners. I like the ease of make-ahead in the crockpot. At a Christmas tradition is dinner/gifts at my house with 2 girl friends , and they delight in the fact that part of their gift is leftover pot roast (it’s something they don’t make themselves, nice change of pace),
Lasagna, Chili, or Shepherds Pie
I personally love hearty soups and stews. Pot roast is also nice, especially when it’s cold outside. That and a nice salad and sone bread and you’d be all set, especially with a sundae bar! Yum!
I AM planning one of these. Referred to it as “potluck, but my pots.” These are great ideas but yes, include some obviously healthy choices. My friends would cry if it was all what’s sometimes called “boy food.”
Love the idea of the baked potato bar. I was going to center mine on some Whole Foods roast chickens.
For me, I won’t be doing elaborate prep. My purpose is a very casual thank you to put together some friends, my daughters and FSIL, who’ve been incredibly helpful with a big issue. A sort of chance for the “team” to meet.
How about some soups, breads, and salad?
Men and women? I would do a chili, vegetarian soup, rolls, ocean spray cranberry bread, green salad, mixed fruit, dessert maybe mini-cupcakes.
Stromboli or homemade pizza , salad and a chocolate dessert