bragu, I think beets are one of those things that you like or you don't. I love beets but don't like pickles so much. Other family members like pickles and not beets, LOL. Some like both and every year I can pickled beets, either red or golden, depending on what's available when I have time to do them. I use Grandma's old recipe for some family members and the one with pickling spice for others. I did win a Grand Champion ribbon at the fair a couple of years before COVID with the pickled golden beets, but they are much milder than the red ones and the pickling process seems to take away most of the earthy flavor. Annie

Here's a couple that I keep on hand - I make my own yogurt cheese and we go through a lot of dip in the summer. Italian Dip Mix 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon salt (optional - I don't add any) 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 pinch ground oregano 1/2 teaspoon dehydrated carrots (if I have them) 1/2 teaspoon dehydrated sweet peppers (I usually put finely chopped fresh ones in) Mexican Dip Mix 1/2 cup dried parsley 1/3 cup dried minced onion 1/4 cup dried chives 1/3 cup chili powder (mild and/or hot) 1/4 cup ground cumin Salt to taste (anywhere from 2 tablespoons up to 1/4 cup) You can add smoked paprika, chipotle powder, cheddar cheese powder, etc. It's fun to experiment. For a quick dip, I take a cup of yogurt cheese (or you can use sour cream and mayonnaise) and mix in one cup of homemade salsa. DH can polish off the whole bowl even without the chips :-)

Then there is KatieC's roasted garlic and tomato soup, it's yummy. I add cream when I open a jar and have cream of tomato soup, plus I use it as a pasta sauce in a pinch! Please remember, though, if you're going to can it, don't add the cream when it gets canned, it gets added later when the jar is opened and used. Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup Recipe By :Katie 12 tomatoes -- *see Note 2 carrots -- cut in 1" pieces 1 large onion -- quartered 2 whole heads garlic -- peeled (or more, to taste) olive oil 2 cups chicken broth -- (or 3) 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil -- (or 1 Tbsp. dried) cream -- to taste Core tomatoes and cut in half. Place, cut side up, on foil covered cookie sheet with carrots, onion and garlic. Brush with olive oil. Bake at 400F for about an hour, or until vegies are roasted and a little blackened. Place in a large saucepan with the chicken broth and basil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Blend with a stick blender (or in small batches in a blender) until almost smooth. Add cream to taste. To can: Process in a pressure canner, pints for 60 min. and quarts for 70 min.For dial gauge canners use 11 pounds pressure at 0-2000 ft., 12 lbs. at 2001-4000 ft., 13 lbs. at 4001-6000 ft. and 14 lbs. above 6000 ft. For weighted gauge canners use 10 lbs. pressure at 0-1000 ft., and 15 lbs. over 1000 ft. *Note: These measurements are approximate...I use whatever it takes to cover the cookie sheet. This makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of soup. Annie

The mayo would be my hesitation to freeze. Some recipes would freeze better than others me thinks. I would probably prep some of the parts ahead in kit form. Maybe grate the cheese now and portion in 1 lb zip lock getting all the air out. You could even add the spice and pepper. Chives and/or another herb would add nice color and flavor. Assemble the night before the first event and fridge them. (i think you have three balls to make?) The no-freeze lists are fine, even the first one posted if you read the copy. It was mentioned to not expect fresh when thawed, but perfectly edible to cook with. I recently roasted a half dozen red peppers and a few dozen halapenos, chopped/sliced, then froze in small useful portions. A bag of limes i juiced and froze in ice cube trays. Meyer lemons i freeze whole and grate a bit as needed... Many things freeze fine if used in cooking or cubed fruit going straight into a smoothy. Saran is a nice tight way to seal something like a cheese ball to keep its shape and get all the air out but it should be further sealed in something heavier like a freezer thick zip-lock. Or foil. Or freezer wrap, parchment. I use to make something i called an AntHill. Lined a small half dome soup bowl with saran, then line it with paper thin provolone from my deli. Lay in some nice herb leaves, chives, basil, parsley, thin slivers of sundried tomatoes...then another layer of thin prov...a layer of nutty pesto, then my cheese ball filling...usually white cheddar, cream cheese and some spice. Fold over the excess saran and chill overnight. Flipped over and un-molded it had a nice see-through design of herbs. Sprinkled with a trail of toasted black sesame seeds for the ants. It was my holiday go-to dish for a few years. Easy to travel to parties. Something like that, kept cold in a ceramic bowl in a chilly part of the fridge, i would be fine making it 4-5 days in advance. I would not freeze it for NewYears if i made it today. But i would shop for the ingredients and have them ready to make a day or two in advance. Cheese grated, herbs washed, and ready for assembly the night before.