French onion soup would be comfort food and very compatible with the meal but still kind of interesting. As would a cream of soup, mushroom or asparagus maybe. If you're a seafood fan, how about a prawn bisque? All of those would be fairly straightforward to make and shouldn't test anyone's tolerance for culinary clashes!

Potato and Leek with Stilton is my go to soup with a Roast Beef dinner. Leave out the Stilton from the kids bowls if you think it may not be to their palate . This can be made well in advance. Just add the reduced cream and bring back to temperature just before serving.

Potato Leek And Stilton Soup

1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot chopped finely
1 cup leeks thinly sliced ( I only use the white and a wee bit of the green)
1 cup potato diced
2 cups chicken stock
1 to 1 1/2 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
few drops lemon juice
2 oz Stilton or other blue cheese

Melt butter, add shallot and leek cooking until soft but not browned.
Heat the chicken stock and add to the leeks, add the potatoes. Cook until potatoes are just tender. Cool and puree in the food processor. Separately heat and reduce the cream. Stir in the blended leek mixture.
Bring to a gentle boil. Add seasonings and lemon juice.
Pour into bowls and top each with 1/2 ounce crumbled Stilton. ( I add the cheese to the actual soup with the lemon juice and seasonings)

Do you ever add heat? I usually add wasabi or horseradish to my potato leek. Not enough to identify the taste, just enough for a tinge of an edge.

If you want to jazz up the main course, how about individual Yorkshire puddings? For us no roast beef dinner is complete without them, and they are pretty easy to do.

Those both sound like great options...just need to decide if I want brothy or creamy and I would love Stilton but might sub another cheese...hmm I like that that potato soup recipe has delicate flavors. Most potato soups are too heavy to me.

I thought if Yorkshire Pudding, always wanted to try! A little intimidated but let's see how the day goes!

Thank you!

Dumb question but my husband says 3 1/2 pound eye round is enough I think no way for 4 adults 4 kids...?

Proper Yorkshire pudding is really easy. Don't weight anything. The way it's done in Yorkshire is :
Get 3 glasses. In one, break two eggs. Look at the height of the egg in the glass. In another glass put PLAIN flour to the same height. in the 3rd, put milk.
Whisk the three together and add salt and pepper.
Heat either one baking tin in the oven - add oil and heat until it's searing hot. Or, use individual tins. Silicone works well with yorkshires.
Cook small ones about 20 mins, a big one 30 mins or so until golden brown and all puffy. Can't go wrong.

Proper Yorkshire pudding is really easy. Don't weight anything. The way it's done in Yorkshire is :
Get 3 glasses. In one, break two eggs. Look at the height of the egg in the glass. In another glass put PLAIN flour to the same height. in the 3rd, put milk.
Whisk the three together and add salt and pepper.
Heat either one baking tin in the oven - add oil and heat until it's searing hot. Or, use individual tins. Silicone works well with yorkshires.
Cook small ones about 20 mins, a big one 30 mins or so until golden brown and all puffy. Can't go wrong.

Wow ok may try thank you!

Beef Consomme'

2 cans condensed beef consommé
1 1/3 C. water
6 T. dry sherry

Heat in saucepan. Serve in warmed goblets or soup cups.
Quick, easy, elegant.

I'm probably too late to the party, but I'd serve something like a tomato based soup. You've already got potatoes on the menu along with peas - so plenty of starch.

I have this one saved on Pinterest but haven't tried it...seems easy and would add a nice acidy note to your meal.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fresh tomato soup

I'd also go with either a French Onion or the potato soup. Heck, my Irish side says there are never too many potatoes. (grin)

I agree, Yorkshire puddings are easy and not very common here, so they'd add a "wow" factor to the dinner.

I'm one of those people who are afraid to run out of anything, and although that 3 1/2 pound roast would technically feed 7 people half a pound of beef each, that doesn't account for shrinkage. I'd get a bigger one, 5 lbs. maybe.

I have to admit that I have absolutely no idea what those cakes are, but what time should I be there for dinner?

Annie

Thanks islay, i will soon make that. A rustic easy prep is my game indeed. I don't have muffin tins of any kind, never have for some reason but will improvise with ramekins?

Also late to the party having just spent the weekend harvesting yet again.
I just made a wonderful vegetable soup using a smoked chicken stock from the freezer, creating during the drive home 'think tank'.. A nice pureed veg soup of roasted fresh harvest. Tomato. leek, shallot, celery, corn, green beans...had some left-over caramelized onions and half a baby white pumpkin i had roasted. All in the small 2 qrt soup pot when the stock came to heat...Un-packed the truck and it was ready...immersion blender and done.
Nice that it did not have oil or any butter or fat at all but so rich with flavor.
-I drove and husband snored the entire way home. He was shocked at the speedy outcome but cooking in my head while driving made the trip zippy fast. All the roasted veggies were from last nights dinner and a fresh tomato corn salsa. I don't consider it leftovers as i like to roast and prep soups a day ahead anyway.

I love yogurt and over-do-it usually, but i tasted after blending and opted without. (i need a new immersion blender...mine is struggling but Mr B likes a bit of chunky veg, not a smooth blend.)
-I removed the fennel stem before puree.
-fennel is strong when fresh! Need to tone that down. One little stem was plenty.
This was our only meal, but for company i would use my MIL's vintage tea cups as a small pre-dinner soup course.

Yum, sleevendog, that looks good, I like vegetables a lot.

The reference to a small pumpkin brought me to the thought of cream of pumpkin or butternut soup, or a thick vegetable like the picture above, served in one of those little tiny pumpkins. A little fussy, but my Grandkids think it's the coolest thing EVER.

Annie

Annie, show the grand kids! It is from Mindcraft, which is a wonderful creative game for kids. That us the creeper and TNT bomb. Not a violent game though like so many others.

I did the soup - thank you Chase. A keeper. I didn't do the puddings, will try another time for sure. I did make homemade honey rolls! First time...not perfect but pretty good. They didn't rise enough after bring formed.

I do love all soups, so thank you for all the suggestions. Might do the tomato soup today.

Oh, and I made the mashed potatoes early and kept in crock pot, worked perfectly. Lost the gravy to over boilage lol

Our friends brought the most fabulous cake from a Chinese bakery in Queens. It was a real treat.

Thanks agIn :)