I like both Ishbel and Ambers' ideas. I love to cook, and do so for dinner parties quite often .... but, I'll confess, I take the easy way out mostly, so that I can enjoy my company. A taco buffet is something most love, and is easy to do.
My favorite, easy, company dinner is take birds (can be anything from cornish game hens to a small turkey), whole. Rinse them, then fill the cavity with a pierced lemon (half a lemon if game hens, two for a turkey) and an entire head of garlic (half if game hens). Don't need to peel the garlic. Bake (instructions available anywhere). The result is elegant and aromatic. You can serve with any starch (I actually like couscous with this, and you don't get any easier than that, but any potato, pasta, or rice dish would go as well). Any non-starchy salad (this time of year, simple sliced tomatoes and/or cucumbers). I always cheat and either buy desert, or have fruit and cheese (definitely NOT a baker!!), or even have a guest bring desert, or simply vanilla ice cream with a great liquer poured over.