Sounds like a fun trip, Doris! Will you be staying a full week?

I would suggest you make a pasta sauce ahead to fix Baked Ziti one night. You can freeze the sauce ahead, then thaw, cook the pasta, add some cheese, make a salad, heat some bread and you have dinner.

Another idea: make a gumbo base ahead and chill; add fresh okra, kielbasa sausage sliced, and fresh shrimp, serve over rice.

You could cook some chicken ahead, take off the meat and make some enchilada filling, freeze; then stuff flour tortillas with the thawed filling, add sauce and cheese to make an enchilada casserole.

Appetizers: cheese balls freeze well, two different dips for veggies (don't freeze), and this Black Bean Salad is great with tortilla chips:

Black Bean Salad

1 16 oz. can black beans, drain, rinse, drain
1 8 oz. can whole kernel corn, drain
4 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, diced
3/4 cup chopped green onions, with tops
3/4 cup diced celery
1 small green or red sweet bell pepper, diced

Mix all the above together and add dressing of:

3/4 cup medium or mild salsa, the chunky style
1 TB olive oil
2 TB lemon juice
1 t. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced

Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired; serve as a side salad or dip with chips.

The Black Bean Salad is my mom's recipe and the first time I had it was year's ago - at the beach. So it is a "beach" or summertime recipe for me.

This easy salad keeps for several days in the fridge:

Mary Lynn's Garden Salad

2 cans white shoepeg corn
1 can tiny green peas
(1 can sliced carrots or cooked sliced carrots)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Drain all the vegetables and mix together in a big bowl. Add dressing:

1/2 cup sugar (or a little less)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt

Stir well, keeps chilled for several days. Easy enough to double or triple the amounts. I think cooked green beans would be good in this. I don't think I added the carrots when I made it.

Have a great vacation!

Teresa

How about some muffins?? I made some orange ones yesterday and they are excellent.

Doris, here are three of my favorite appetizer recipes. All 3 can be made ahead. The egg rolls are frozen untill time to cook or can be cooked then reheated,(300 oven for 30 min or so) as can be the Shrimp Puffs. The Shrimp spread could be made to the point of adding the shrimp, do that after you get there and go the the fish market. All are T+T recipes we made at the deli for several years. I have made so many you would think I'd never want to see a shrimp puff or SW egg roll again, but they are soooo good! I am even trying to make and can my own raspberry sauce this year.

South West Egg Rolls

2 C cooked chopped chicken breast meat
2 Tabsp oil
¼ C finely chopped red pepper
¼ C chopped green onion
½ C black beans, rinsed and drained
¾ C frozen corn
¼ C jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
¼ C frozen chopped spinach, thaw and squeeze out extra moisture
1 Tabsp parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 Tsp chili powder
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp salt
¼ Tsp cayenne pepper
2 C shredded Mexican blend cheese
10 flour tortillas, 6 inch, may need more.
oil for deep frying

Heat 2 Tabsp of oil in a 10" skillet over med heat. Add red pepper and green onion. Cook about 5 minutes, till tender.
Add chicken, black beans, corn, jalapenos, parsley (or cilantro), spinach, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne. Stir while cooking about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and remove from heat.

Warm tortillas in microwave for about 1 min, to make more pliable. Spoon approx. two big tablespoons of filling in a tortilla, fold in the sides and roll up. Secure with toothpicks. I just keep filling totillas untill filling is used up. Place in a 9X13 pan, cover and freeze about 6 hrs. Heat oil in a deep pan to 375°, fry frozen egg rolls about 10 min, untill golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

I have cooked without freezing but the freezing really does help to hold the rolls together and keeps the filling in place. Don't forget to remove the tooth picks before serving.

Serve with sour cream or a raspberry dipping sauce.

Chutney Shrimp Spread

12 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 C chutney
1 C cooked shrimp, peeled and chopped

Place cream cheese, sour cream,garlic powder and chutney in bowl of food processor. Process to combine but don't over process as you want small pieces of the chutney to show.
Place in small bowl and stir in shrimp.

Chill and serve with crackers. Makes about 2 cups.

Nancy

We couldn't have survived our family beach week without CHEX-MIX. Ham is a great idea. My brother, Mom, and I each took a dish to feed everyone [lasagne, rice pilaf, chalupa]; we'd all chip in for shrimp one night; and at least one night -- and all lunches -- were leftovers. Chicken-brocolli was another favorite dish. Suggest slaw and potato salad. Also pasta salad, and Teresa's bean salads sound great. Don't forget ketchup and horseradish for cocktail sauce! Have a great time! chery-va

Chex Mix reminded me of our favorite mix, it's really good and the amounts and ingredients are very forgiving, just add and subtract to your taste but make it spicey! Perfect with drinks.

DARLEEN'S SNACK MIX
2-12 ounce bottles Orville R. buttery popcorn oil
2-10 ounce packages Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
1-15 ounce box Crispix cereal
1 can Cashews
1 large bag pretzels
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Konriko Jalapeno All Purpose Seasoning

Stir all together in large baking pan and bake at 200-250° for 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.

Doris, here's a quick and easy recipe, not to be made ahead and carted in the car, but easy to put together at the last minute.

Instant Pesto Torta with Bread and Vegetables

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Vegetable spray

4 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
4 leaves fresh basil
3 tubs, 6 ounces each, soft garlic and herb cheese (recommended: Alouette brand)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato tapenade
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
1 baguette or whole grain baguette, pre-sliced at the bread counter
Handful baby carrots
Handful grape tomatoes

Line a small shallow dish or bowl with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Coat wrap with vegetable spray. Arrange a pattern in bottom of the dish using the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Add 1 1/2 tubs of garlic and herb cheese (about half a pound) to the dish and smooth over, then layer in the sun-dried tomato spread and the pesto. Spread the remaining cheese on top of the pesto. Place a serving plate over the bowl and invert the bowl. Hold on to the edges of the waxed paper or wrap to release the cheese. Remove the waxed paper or plastic wrap. Arrange the sliced baguette along 1 side of the torta.
Arrange carrots and tomatoes along the opposite side of the torta.

Here's a great make ahead recipe from Ruthanna, I just love this one!

SAVORY SPINACH BALLS
from Ruthanna

2 packages frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing mix

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl; chill 1/2 hour.
Roll spinach mixture into small balls (rounded teaspoons or tablespoons). At this point, you can freeze the unbaked balls on cookie sheets, then transfer to plastic freezer bags and bake when needed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Bake balls for 15 minutes.
Note: I like to serve these with a dip of mayonnaise or sour cream mixed with mustard and some dill.
Makes about 4 dozen

Very easy side dish:

ORZO AND SPINACH

hot, cooked orzo
fresh spinach chiffonade
lemon zest
fresh basil chiffonade
grape tomatoes, halved
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Place spinach, tomatoes, and lemon zest in bowl. Pour freshly cooked,
hot orzo on top. Place basil on top.
Let the heat wilt the spinach for a few minutes. Season with
salt and pepper and pour a little olive oil on top and toss all together.
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! We are getting excited about the trip and yes, we will be staying all week.

Teresa - the Black Bean salad sounds yummy.

Chex mix is another good idea. I have a killer recipe. And - it's great with drinks, :)

The Shrimp Puffs sounds really good. I may try and make those tomorrow.

Muffins will have to be of the blueberry variety. That's the only kind DD likes. Mmmmm - an orange and cranberry muffin would be good.

Thanks again for the suggestions. It will be nice to get away.

Hi Everyone, I'm new here, not sure if I am in the correct
forum, but need help. Is it safe to freeze corn casserole
before baking? Also another recipe I need your help on is can I freeze cooked spaggetti in another casserole before baking? Thanks so much. Any & all suggestions I appreciate.
jancannady

Hi, my name is Jan, & I really need help. I am on my 3rd week of company, each week has been new people. I need to know if I can make corn casserole & freeze before baking, & also have a Mexican chicken casserole with Spaggetti, & don't know if spaggetti can be frozen after cooking, but before baking the casserole. Thanks so much. I don't know if I'm in the correct forum, as I am new here, but so glad to be a member. Thanks to everyone.
Jan
jancann@cox.net

Hi, my name is Jan, & I really need help. I am on my 3rd week of company, each week has been new people. I need to know if I can make corn casserole & freeze before baking, & also have a Mexican chicken casserole with Spaggetti, & don't know if spaggetti can be frozen after cooking, but before baking the casserole. Thanks so much. I don't know if I'm in the correct forum, as I am new here, but so glad to be a member. Thanks to everyone.
Jan
jancann@cox.net