I have to make a dinner party for 5 the day ahead and reheat it! I will only have half an hour when I get home from work.

ok, definitely making a cold soup! Love some of the other ideas too, but does anyone know, if I splurge on Osso Bucco if that can be made in advance too? Still debating the main dish!

This is a fantastic vegetable dish you can make a day ahead. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/eggplant-and-lentil-stew-with-pomegranate-molasses. I agree with Bevi, you can make a selection of savory cookies and serve with cheese. These are my two favorites: http://food52.com/recipes/21713-oatmeal-and-lavender-shortbread and http://food52.com/recipes/18787-fig-and-rosemary-cocktail-cookies

Make runaway spoon's crackers and reheat them just briefly before your party arrives. http://food52.com/recipes/8010-fig-and-blue-cheese-savouries

Don't worry about what kind of jam you use - marmalades, hot pepper jellies, whatever, will go nicely with a cheese plate.

Chicken Marbella done in a slow cooker - a classic Silver Palate recipe and a real crowd pleaser. http://www.food.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-marbella-458089

Oops I didn't see Antonia had already mentioned beef bourgonion, so I'll add chicken curry or coq au vin. Also, I've made these dishes successfully in a slow cooker and started them in the morning and they are all done and perfect when I get home. A good slow cooker cookbook is by Andrew Schloss.

How about a beef bourgonion or a lamb tagine. These dishes are better heated up the next day.

Beef burguignon + egg noodles (cook when you get home) + salad (prep all veggies and make dressing the night before) + a veggie that can be cooked stove top while the noodles are cooking. (I'll need to work on that.) These blue cheese and fig savories are fantastic http://food52.com/recipes/8010-fig-and-blue-cheese-savouries and have become a favorite of all of my friends who've come to dinner. All of them. The dough can be rolled into a log, chilled, and then sliced/refrigerated overnight if very carefully wrapped, and popped into the oven the minute you get home. It will take a few minutes to heat the oven, but the savories don't take long to cook and should be coming out of the oven right as your guests arrive. You could also make some crudites, kept overnight in water in the fridge, served with whatever dip you like, along with a variety of olives. Also, when cooking the noodles, split the water between a tea kettle and the big pot in which you're going to cook them, to get it boiling in half the time! You can set that all up before you leave in the morning, so you're just turning on burners when you walk in. Also, get all your serving bowls and utensils out and on the counter before you leave in the morning, as well as your cooking utensils, and a game plan -- exact order of operations -- so you can just tick through the items one by one, without worrying about forgetting something. (Can you tell that I've done this? I have a busy law practice but often get pulled into last minute dinner parties after work, under circumstances just like these!! ) Have fun! ;o)

How about starting with a cold soup. Can be made in advance and doesn't require re-heating. Here's a Community Pick -- a cold curried Zucchini soup http://food52.com/recipes/270-cold-curried-zucchini-soup