Donna Hay's quick and fast meal ideas for unexpected guests

Using a mixture of store-bought, pantry and fresh items, you can cheat your way to sure-fire catering success. Assembling quick party or shared food is easy when you keep some staples in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Frozen shortcrust and puff pastry can be a lifesaver.

One of my quick standbys is a savoury tart. I take a sheet of puff pastry, score a 1cm border around the edge, spread it with store-bought caramelised onion relish, olives and goat's cheese (add anchovies if you're brave) and bake in an 180C oven for 20 minutes.

Another quick idea is to make a lovely caprese-style salad of tomatoes, torn buffalo mozzarella and basil, drizzled with a little olive oil and served with crusty bread.

A store-bought barbecued chook or even leftover chicken (or a duck from Chinatown) can be a lifesaver; you can shred the meat and serve it in salads or pasta. I like to make a quick chicken and shaved fennel salad with a little dill and a lemon juice and mayonnaise dressing.

There's a vast array of items you can keep on standby for the busy festive season. Pate is great as are a range of cheeses like goat's, bocconcini and mozzarella. Dips such as hummus and tzatziki, as well as olives and some cold meats like prosciutto and salami, mean you can throw together an instant antipasti platter. Keep some crisp bread or flat bread in the pantry to serve with meats and cheeses.

Fore more festive tips, see the current Celebrate issue of donna hay magazine, $7.95 from newsagents. See donnahay.com for more entertaining and style tips.