Here are three of my favourites. I'm thinking of making the Prawn and Avocado Salad as a first course. Still thinking about my main course. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Prawn and Avocado Salad ======================= 24 large Prawns/Shrimp 2 Avocados sliced 2 Tablespoons chopped chives 6 leaves of Boston or Butter Lettuce Dressing 1 cup of Mayonnaise (homemade or Hellmans is best) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 small fresh red chilli, finely chopped 1 clove of minced garlic (Note: Sometimes I use just hot red pepper flakes and sometimes I roast a fresh red pepper, finely chop and add to the dressing along with the hot red pepper flakes) . Peel and devein shrimp, leaving on tail shell. Cook. Cool and refrigerate Make Dressing by mixing all of the ingredients together. To serve, Place one leaf of lettuce on each plate. Place the shrimp on plate and place one slice of avocado between each shrimp. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with chopped chives. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Vittorio's Spinach Salad ======================== Vittorio's was a restaurant in Toronto that we use to go to years ago. Salad isn't something that I would usually order but I loved his. This is my recreation of his recipe. Washed and dried spinach (Baby) 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled 4 or 5 cleaned mushrooms, sliced 1 can of artichoke hearts halved or quartered 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered 2 chopped green onions Kalamata olives Dressing 1/4 teaspoon tarragon 1/2 clove of garlic 2 or 3 tablespoons wine vinegar 1/2 cup homemade mayo or Hellmans salt and pepper . Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Decorate with eggs, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes and green onions and olives. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Can be made on individual plates as well. Dressing Soak tarragon and garlic in vinegar. Add salt to dissolve. Mix vinegar mixture into mayonnaise and adjust seasoning to taste. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Roasted Red Pepper And Watercress Salad ======================================= Source: Judith Huxley's - Table for Eight 4 large red bell peppers 6 Tablespoons olive oil 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced shallot salt and pepper to taste 1 bunch watercress, washed and dried . Broil or roasted the peppers until the skins are blackened and blistered. Place them in a plastic bag and let them sit for about 10 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle. Rub off the skins, seed the peppers, and cut into thin strips. Mix the oil and lemon juice and add to the peppers. Add the minced shallot and salt and pepper. Set aside. Just before serving place the watercress in a bowl, add the peppers with the dressing and toss.

In my experience....which is not inconsiderable. It's better to have kids...as well as adults, serve themselves. Less waste....really! they don't take items they won't eat...and in the case of things which may be very "popular", put a sign on the table.."please take only 2"...or 5 or whatever works for the item. It works...really it does! Kids really don't make a big mess of everything, really they don't...particularly is a "hostess" or "host" is standing near the table and saying things like....there is BBQ sauce there if you want more, and the drinks are on the side table, please put your plates on the side table when you are through ( or in the trash can!) I also would do the chicken at home....but "He" wants to use the grill...however bringing trays of cooked chicken legs and thighs is a lot easier than trying to keep cooked chicken at a safe temperature and then finish on the grills. And don't forget....you can buy a bunch of supermarket loaves of French bread and a bunch of cold cuts and make subs. I recommend buying a whole boneless ham and having the deli slice it....and also buying cheese by the pound and having the deli slice it or grate it your self. Shred your own lettuce, add some salami, and sliced turkey (buy a turkey roll and bake it cool and slice with electric knife) and make a dressing...figure 4 inches of a loaf per serving. Guessing 10 loaves will do it... I object to the preformed hamburgers....they are soo greasy they cause flame ups and shrink a lot....and who knows what is in them..:-(. Our church has a young people program on Wednesdays. Kids from about 10 through highschool who are the helpers, out church and 2 others team up. 8 weeks in the fall and 8 weeks in the spring. we used to have 75 to 80...now it's more like 50 to 60. Popular meals are mac and cheese, baby carrots, ranch and Apple quarters....and cookies of course. French toast or pancakes and little smokey sausages, walking tacos ( cooked ground beef with taco seasoning, shredded lettuce, salsa and shredded cheese in an individual packet of Fritoes) Pizza burgers with raw veggies and Ranch, and spaghetti casserole (fusilli with an Italian seasoned tomato sauce, ground beef and cheese...baked) Sometimes chili is served....but there is lots of that that isn't eaten...perhaps by the younger kids. Good luck, darlin'!! You are earning a medal!!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (has to be a fruity one) and balsamic vinegar. Or nothing. I admit to being way to fond of arugula with way too much olive oil and Italian dense white bread on the side. Don't need vinegar for that (and my rosacea is the better for it). My husband has learned to like the oil and vinegar - years ago it was creamy salad dressing garnished with a tiny piece of lettuce. I used to call in chip dip on a plate.

Ooooh, all of these sound really good...and substantial! I remembered another one that I love. It was first posted by Annove, and it's terrific! Chicken Salad Ina Garten (posted 8/09 by Annova) 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1-1/2 lbs) Good olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup pecan halves 1/2 cup walnut halves 1/2 cup good mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2 Lettuce leaves, for serving Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool. When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4" dice. Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool. For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons* salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves. Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped taragon leaves on top and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. Annova's note: *Be careful with the salt. Some people think this is way too much. I added whatever I thought I needed as I went along. Here is another that I found today in a LHJ magazine while waiting in the doctor's office. Sounds really good, and I bet some shredded roast chicken would be good in it, too. Going in my "to try" file. Wild Rice Salad Ina Garten-from Ladies Home Journal Nov 2010 Ingredients 1 cup long-grain wild rice 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 navel oranges 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp fresh orange juice 2 tbsp raspberry vinegar 1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half 1/2 cup pecans, toasted 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1 scallion, white and green parts chopped 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Directions 1. In a medium saucepan over high heat combine rice, 4 cups water, and 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain and return rice to the pan. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 2. While rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6. Linda