Well the cliche is antipasto and tiramisu....but I think she can do better than that....
How about scampi? or a simple bruchetta with a nice cheese.....
And for dessert how about a ricotta cake?
Ricotta cake

Moosewood cookbook

4 egg yolks Beat well Turn into 10 inch pan, greased and dusted with ground almonds, bake in moderate oven 50 minutes. Turn off oven, open door and leave further 15 minutes. Serve chilled.


2 lb ricotta


3/4 cup sugar


1/3 cup flour


1 teaspoon vanilla extract stir in


1/4 teaspoon almond extract


1/2 teaspoon orange rind


1/2 teaspoon lemon rind


4 egg whites beat until stiff fold in


pinch salt


ground almonds

STUFFED MUSHROOMS (serves 6-8)
16-20 small (2") mushrooms, wiped & trimmed
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 TBL butter
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained & squeezed dry
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
Grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 300. Butter a shallow baking pan large enough to hold the mushroom caps in 1 layer. Remove stems from mushrooms. Chop the stems fine & saute w/the onion in butter about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender but not brown. Add the spinach & stir to mix thoroughly. Add the Swiss cheese, stirring lightly. Remove from the heat.
Fill the mushroom caps w/the mixture. Sprinkle w/Parmesan & arrange in the prepared pan. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.~~Utah Dining Car

WRAPPED ASPARAGUS (serves 4 as a first course)
36 asparagus spears, medium thickness, about 1 lb
36 slices prosciutto (4" long)
4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried

Trim asparagus to 4-5" & peel the thick ends with a potato peeler. Arrange the stalks in 1 layer in container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap & microwave on high for 4 1/2 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam. Remove from oven & plunge the asparagus into ice water. Drain & dry.
Wrap each stalk in a slice of prosciutto. arrange the asparagus on a large, flat platter with a lip around the edge. Sprinkle the bleu cheese over the wrapped asparagus.
Mix the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a tight lid & shake to mix. When ready to serve, drizzle over the top of the asparagus, using just enough to coat lightly. Reserve the remaining dressing for another use.~~St. Louis Days, St. Louis Nights

ZABAGLIONE (serves 4)
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1 pint each blueberries & raspberries (or strawberries)

In a heatproof bowl, whisk eggs, sugar & wine until thickened & light. Place bowl over simmering water until sauce thickens. Cool completely. Stir in cream. Serve chilled over fresh berries.~~ Food for Thought

If she's really inexperienced as a cook, she could always just serve fresh berries with whipped cream on top. I don't know anyone who doesn't like that.

RICOTTA PUFFS

Delicious & easy!
Posted by Jillis (My Page) on Wed, Aug 7, 02 at 7:49
Ingredients:

1\2 cup ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp. snipped parsley
1\2 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 tsp. oregano
3 Tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1\2 tsp. pepper
1 (17 1\2 oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed (2 sheets)
Grated Romano cheese
Milk

Unfold pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut each puff pastry into nine
3" squares; set aside. For filling, in a medium bowl stir together ricotta
cheese, sweet pepper, 3 Tbsp. Romano cheese, parsley, oregano, and pepper.
Moisten the edges of each pastry square with milk. Spoon about 2 tsp.
filling onto 1 side of each pastry square. Fold the other side over the
filling. Seal, using the tines of a fork. Cut slits in the top of each
pastry bundle. Brush with milk; sprinkle with additional Romano cheese.
Arrange pastry on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400" F oven about 20 minutes
or until golden. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes before serving. Makes 18
pastries.
You could get as creative as you want with this---add crushed garlic,
pepperoni bits, mozzarella bits, ANYTHING GOES!

ITALIAN PEPPERONI CHEESE PUFFS

1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs
3/4 cup finely chopped pepperoni (3 oz.)
3/4 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (3 oz.)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450 °. Grease 2 large baking sheets; set aside. In a large saucepan combine water and shortening. Bring to boil. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Stir in pepperoni, cheese, parsley, garlic powder and pepper.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm. Makes 48

Source: Better Homes & Gardens Prize Tested Recipes $400 winner Nov. 1999

Pine Nut Cake (Budin de Pinones)

2 large eggs
1 can (14 oz/440 g) sweetened condensed milk (I have also used fat free with good results)
1-1/4 cups (5 oz/155 g) pine nuts
confectioners sugar (for dusting)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C/Gas 4).

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend, stopping to scrape the pine nuts off the sides of the blender as needed, until completely smooth.
Butter a round 9-inch (24-cm) cake pan, place a wax paper round on the bottom of the pan. Butter again and flour lightly.
Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold the cake, bottom side up.
Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Great with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Great with Italian meals, Spanish or Mexican meals, or anything at all.
Note: I always flip the thing over so the top side is up since it's more attractive...

TUNA AND BEAN SALAD

2 (16 oz.) cans good quality cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
2 (6 oz.) cans oil packed tuna, drained
1 small onion, sliced very thin
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup pitted and sliced black olives
Dressing:
juice of 2 medium lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Mix together the dressing ingredients. Place the beans, onion, celery and olives in a bowl. Drain the tuna, and lightly crumble it into the bowl with the beans. Pour the dressing over the beans mixture and toss, being careful not to break up the tuna too much. Place on lettuce leaves on individual plates and serve. Serves 6-8 as an antipasto or 4 for a light lunch.

Lagatella, here is a link to the Trattoria Cookbook put together by the members of the Cooking forum , a couple of years ago. Lots of wonderful recipes to choose from.

Ann