I'll be serving a dinner for about 12 people.  I want the house to smell like great food cooking when they arrive, you know, like spaghetti sauce or soup fills the house and generates anticipation.

It won't be an ultra-formal dinner but BBQ ribs and pulled pork aren't quite what we have in mind.

What do you recommend we serve?

I like your idea...Spaghetti with Garlic bread fresh baked too. 
Shrimp for appetizers maybe.

A recent post discussed lasagna which always works with a large group. At our house, our favorite one dish meals are red beans and rice, shrimp or chicken curry, moussaka and of course, meatballs and spaghetti. 

have you thought about sautéing garlic and/or onion to add a nice kitchen smell

have you thought about sautéing garlic and/or onion to add a nice kitchen smell

Along that line, a couple of days ago I toasted some cracked fennel seeds in a hot dry cast iron skillet to add to my Italian sausage and the aroma stuck around a while. 

I have made a dish called Arni Kokkinisto (Greek lamb stew) served with currant and pistachio pilaf.  The lamb is stewed in a base of onions, garlic, tomato paste, beef stock, cumin and allspice and smells very good when cooking.  Any version of stew would also have some nice smells.

If that isn't what you had in mind, I think chicken roasted with garlic, butter and rosemary is great.  I saw some sides on Ina Garten's show wich looked good and might have a nice smell -- carrots  and parsnips roasted in a pan with orange zest and fresh squeeze orange juice along with fresh sprigs of time, roasted potatoes with herbs, roasted butternut squash.

Also, shrimp scampi as a appetizer or main. You cook have the wine and garlic sauce reducing beforehand.

I love the smell of baking bread.

I love the smell of skillet potatoes with rosemary and thyme and other spices.

"Skillet potatoes".  Like raw-fries, cottage potatoes, hash browns, fondant potatoes or what?

"Skillet potatoes".  Like raw-fries, cottage potatoes, hash browns, fondant potatoes or what?

Raw potatoes cut in slices or cubes and pan fried in butter or olive oil.  Some call them hash browns.  Some call them home fries.  I'm sure there are probably other names for them.

Yep.  We call them raw fries.  I like them best fried in bacon fat but Marcia only allows it when I fry Walleye in bacon fat.

I just made this today for the first time in awhile. I always forget how wonderful the house smells.

Saute a rough chopped carrot, half an onion, and two smashed cloves garlic. Add a 1.5 pound hunk of flank steak, a little salt, 2 sprigs of thyme, and a bottle of dry red wine.

Cover and put in a 300 degree oven for a few hours. The flank will be fork tender. Remove steak. Strain liquid. Shred steak. Reduce liquid if needed, and mix a little back in with the shredded steak.

I usually make a sandwich out of it. Focaccia, some Swiss cheese, the beef, and whatever else you like.

The house smells amazing for hours.

For the life of me all I can think is turkey cooking in the oven...so many I guess I cant fixate on any.  Maybe cooking some cabbage and broccoli together?   

How about something like a London broil?  Decent cut of meat that goes a long way with serving many people.  Then saute sliced onions with a pinch of S&P, chopped garlic, a little brown sugar, a couple splashes of dry sherry and a few drops of vanilla extract.  I like to saute until the onions caramelize to a deep brown. Makes a great side with the meat, and smells awesome when cooking.