If you want to serve gazpacho, why don't you make it without onions and then put a bowl of chopped onions on the side for people to garnish their own? Maybe mixed red, yellow & green to be pretty? A frittata is easy in that since it can be served room temp, you can make it ahead of time. Almost anyone will eat eggs. This recipe doesn't contain any meat, but certainly chopped chicken, ham or bacon could be added. Vegetable & Cheese Frittata 8 eggs 2 t lemon juice (preferably Meyer)& 1 t zest (optional) Chopped fresh herbs (For mild, leafy herbs, 1 T or more but if you use rosemary, use significantly less, as it's so strong) 4 oz of cheese(s)grated or crumbled 2 green onions, chopped (or 1/3 c carmelized red onions) Minced garlic (I like garlic, so I use 4 or 5 cloves, but if cooking for folks whose tolerance I'm unsure of, I use 2) Salt & pepper olive oil A mixture of vegetables-your choice, 1 to 1 1/2 c, after precooking. 1/2 c Balsamic vinegar, simmered until reduced by half. Preheat the oven to 325. Prepare your vegetables. Most veggies will need to be at least partially precooked, both to reduce water content and to ensure tenderness, so saute them in olive oil with the garlic and some salt & pepper. Roasted red bell peppers is one of my favorites for this dish, with sauteed mushrooms or greens of some kind. Asparagus is wonderful with some oil-packed sun dried tomatoes (saute the asparagus in some of the tomato oil...yum!). Eggplant works well also, I usually brush it with oil and cook it on the grill, as it absorbs too much when sauteed...I like the eggplant coupled with the tender tips & leaves of celery hearts. As for the cheese, I like to use a combination, but it isn't necessary. I like blue with mozzarella or jack, or feta with Parmesan, but sharp cheddar is good as well. Mix all the ingredients except for the eggs & Balsamic in a bowl and mix well. Whip the eggs with a whisk until good and foamy, then pour over the other ingredients. In a 9 inch frypan with an oven proof handle, heat one T of olive oil very hot but not smoking. Turn the pan to coat it with oil, and then pour in the egg mixture. The pan should be hot enough to sear the bottom of the eggs, but then immediately move it to a low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the sides begin to set up, and then finish in the oven for about 20 minutes. The frittata should be firm and turning gold on top, not brown. Use a heat proof rubber spatula to loosen the frittata in the pan, and when it is free, put a plate over it and turn over, so that the bottom of the eggs are facing up. Brush the frittata with the reduced balsamic just before serving.

My apple cake with the gravy, because it is very heavy with apples is not good as a layer cake, doesn't cut well and with 4 cups of apples, it's heavy!. But it is spectacular as a 9 by 12 cake....with gravy on each square....passed warm in a pitcher....with maybe a small scoop of vanilla ice cream....and the "gravy" over the top. You can probably cut 16 pieces out of one cake....but....it's also very good for breakfast!! I have used this one for a layered birthday cake....with a caramel frosting...or maybe a burnt sugar....I forget. I cut back a little on the nutmeg....I think 1 tsp is a bit much and for a layer cake, that recipe makes 2 8 inch layers. And I always use my own applesauce. When I am making applesauce, I reserve a cup and make this cake. Cake, Applesauce, mine 1 egg beaten 1/2 cup shortening�I use butter 1 cup of sugar 1 cup cold unsweetened applesauce 1 3/4 cups AP flour 1 tsp soda 3/4 tsps salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon 1/4 tsp powdered cloves 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup raisins and nuts cut up�optional Sift together, flour soda, salt and spices Cream shortening, beat in sugar, beat in the egg and the applesauce and vanilla�.add the flour etc and pour into a greased 8 � by 11 pan and bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes�.until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Here are two that may work for you. The cobbler can be baked ahead and warmed up or served at room temp. Apple Walnut Cobbler Source BH&G January 1997 5 c tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced 3/4 c chopped walnuts 3/4 c sugar, divided 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 c all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 egg, beaten 1/2 c evaporated milk I had no evap milk so subbed cream. Worked fine 1/3 c butter or margarine, melted Half & Half or light cream (Optional) Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish. Spread the apples in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 c walnuts, 1/4 c sugar and the cinnamon. In medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 c sugar and baking powder. In small bowl, combine the egg, milk and melted butter. Stir egg mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Pour evenly over the apples, sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm, cut into squares. If desired, serve with half & half or cream. 9 servings CREAMY DUTCH APPLE DESSERT 1/4 c. butter 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) 1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream 1 (3 oz.) cream cheese 1/4 c. lemon juice 1 can apple pie filling 1/4 c. chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish (10 x 6 inch) melt butter in oven. Sprinkle in crumbs; stir well. Press on bottom of dish. In medium bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and lemon juice and cream cheese. Spread evenly over crumbs. Spoon pie filling evenly over creamy layer. Sprinkle with walnuts that have been mixed with the cinnamon. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set. May be served warm or cold. Refrigerate leftovers. Variations: Omit cinnamon, substitute blueberry, cherry or peach pie filling for apple pie filling. Linda

We learned two things. 1) We're just not a turkey family. I did a spiral-sliced ham. I just love ham, and DH loves the split-pea soup that will be on the table tomorrow. One son also loves ham. I especially like that it's just more of a reheat deal - no worrying that it will be ready earlier or later than planned. 2) I made roasted potatoes with roasted garlic from a Pioneer Woman recipe. Quartered new red potatoes on a baking sheet interspersed with 6 (yes, 6) heads of garlic with tops lopped off, all drizzled with olive oil along with some salt and pepper. After everything is done, we squeezed the ooey gooey garlicyness around the pan, mixed it up with the potatoes, and wowza! That will be a repeat and not just for holidays. PW's recipe additionally calls for half a cup of white wine to be poured over, but we don't drink white wine and could not justify opening a bottle for half a cup. While I'm sure it's wonderful, I didn't feel that I was missing anything. While there are some traditional things that do reappear each year, I love that our holiday meals evolve, just as we do. Mandie