Try something that you can prepare in advance and then just bake in the oven, like eggplant Parmesan. This sort of thing allows you to hang out with your friends, and not spend a lot of time preparing food when they arrive.
I enjoy making lasagna, with homemade sauce and noodles, and lots of cheese. Served with a nice salad, some breadsticks, and wine, and you're good to go!
There isn't a best dish, but something easy to make and non fancy. Like pasta, chicken and salad. You can have a cesear salad with some kinda pasta and some chicken. It's not too hard to prepare.
I think wedges of pita bread with hummus or babaganouj works wonderfully. it works as an appetizer but can also slide into lots of different types of meals as a side dish.
