For my wedding last year we had a heavy Hor-dourves meal. That seems to be really popular these days. It included pieces of chicken on skewers, meatballs in sauce that people ate with toothpics, foccacia, and fruit and veggie trays with a variety of dips. One fruit dip I make that goes over well is really simple: a tub of Cool-Whip and a tub of fruit-flavored yogurt. One thing that always seems to be a hit is a piece of melon with proscuitto wrapped around it. For some reason that taste combo sits well with people. I've made an easy cake for parties that is esp. popular for kids. All I do is make a one-layer cake, frost it with chocolate frosting, arrange chocolate chips on the top, and arrange twinkies concentrically around it to where it looks like a sunflower. Does that make sense? If you click on the link at the end of this post and scroll down you'll see a picture. I went through my recipes and here's what I found: this recipe is meant to be low-fat (which some people might like), but I'm sure you can use regular ingredients, too. I thought you might like it because it's more elegant than some hot bean dips: Hot Black Bean Dip 1 can (16 oz) fat-free refried black or pinto beans 1 c (8 oz) reduced fat sour cream 1 c. salsa ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper ½ c.(2 oz) shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese cumin, to taste Preheat oven to 325˚. Combine all ingredients except cheese in a 3-4 cup shallow baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with fresh cut vegetables. This pumpkin dip recipe is so good, and very easy. It's great if you don't want a dessert that is too heavy, and it lends itself well to a buffet-style meal. HARVEST PUMPKIN DIP INGREDIENTS 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Apple and pear slices, graham crackers (sticks work esp. well) SERVINGS 28 PREP 10 min. TOTAL 10 min. DIRECTIONS In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3-1/2 cups. This recipe is also great for a crowd because people can just grab them and go! Cheddar Chili Cups Chili Cups Ingredients: 2 (15-ounce) cans vegetarian chili 1/2 cup sliced green onions 6 (4-inch) hard round dinner rolls Toppings Ingredients: 6 slices (1/2 ounce each) LAND O LAKES® Cheddar Cheese 1/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Sour Cream 2 ounces (1/2 cup) LAND O LAKES® Cheddar Cheese, shredded Cherry tomatoes, if desired 1. Combine chili and green onions in 2-quart saucepan. Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through (3 to 5 minutes). 2. Meanwhile, hollow out rolls with serrated knife, leaving 1-inch shell. Place 1 slice cheese in bottom of each roll; fill with 1/2 cup hot chili. 3. Top each with 2 teaspoons sour cream; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Serve with cherry tomatoes, if desired. Makes 6 servings. Well, that's my 2 cents. Hope this helps, and good luck!

This corn salad is wonderful. I came up with it after making grilled corn the way they make it in India, and having some corn left over. So the first recipe isn't the salad, but if any of y'all are looking for something different this coming corn season, it's wonderful cooked this way... Spicy Fire-Roasted Corn with Citrus 1T cayenne pepper mixed with 1 1/2 T salt. 4 ears of fresh corn (or more, if you want leftovers for roasted corn salad) One lemon and one lime cut into wedges. Fill a salt shaker with the salt and cayenne pepper.* Shuck the corn and trim ends for corn skewers if you will use them at the table. If it's your first time roasting corn this way, it's a good idea to practice on one ear before committing all to the grill. Brush your hot grill (not the corn) with a bit of oil, and using tongs, place the corn on the grill. Keep an eye on the ears, and turn them occasionally to prevent too much charring in one spot. You do want some browning and a bit of char as the carmelized bits give the corn a wonderful flavor. The corn should be done in approximately 5 minutes, depending upon the freshness and size of the ears. Serve the corn with wedges of lemon and lime and the shaker of cayenne-salt. The diners rub the wedges all over the corn and then sprinkle with the cayenne-salt to taste. * If you have children eating who might be put off by the cayenne, make a second shaker with equal parts of salt and sugar for them to use instead. Leftover Roasted Corn Salad 2 ears leftover fire-roasted corn 4 T lemon/lime juice 2 T honey 1 t salt 1/4 t black pepper 2 cups assorted grated or chopped vegetables. (I like grated carrot, chopped red bell peppers, green onions, diced cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, crunchy celery, thinly sliced radishes and frozen peas, but just use up whatever odds and ends your refrigerator or garden produces! I've even added chopped apples or pears at times!) 1/4-1/3 c toasted, roughly chopped pecans, cashews or hazelnuts* 1-2 T minced fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, tarragon or parsley) -optional- Cut leftover roasted corn from cobs into a bowl and then gently scrape the little juicy bits from the cob with the blunt side of a knife into the same bowl. Mix the lemon/lime juice, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until the honey is completely dissolved. Toss the vegetables with the dressing, and let sit at least 10 minutes for the flavors to develop. If you are adding fresh herbs, toss them in just before serving. This salad is wonderful with any simply grilled meat or fish, and pairs quite well with rice or couscous as a starch. It can also be made hours ahead, although it might soften and the colors might fade a bit if you make it the day before. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the salad before serving. *Toasting the nuts really brings out their flavor. Before chopping, put the nuts into a pan over a medium-high heat. Shake the pan gently back and forth as though you were making popcorn until the nuts darken slightly and become fragrant.

Here are a couple of make ahead salad recipes. COPPER PENNY SALAD 4 cups sliced carrots-----------------cook 10 minutes in salted water 2 medium thinly sliced onions 1 medium diced green pepper 1-10 oz. can tomato soup ½ cup oil 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. dry mustard 1 tsp. worchestershire sauce ½ tsp. salt To cooked carrots add onions and peppers. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables. Let stand 1 day Will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. BEAN SALAD Drain in a colander, in order 1 can of Kidney beans, 1 can cut of yellow beans, 1 can of cut green beans OptionalÂyou can add a can of chick peas. 1 small to medium red or white onion cut in ringsÂvery necessary as they add flavor to the salad Dressing ½ cup white or red wine vinegar ½ cup sugar ½ cup salad oil 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp dried basil (2 if itÂs fresh) 1 tbsp. prepared mustard Mix together and pour over beans and onions. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before using. Keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. A couple of make ahead breakfast recipes. You make them up the night before and pop them in the oven in the morning.Both use bread cut into cubes CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER 6 cups bread cubes 1 1/2 cups of 1/2 inch ham cubes 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1-1/2 cups shredded chedar cheese 6 eggs beaten 1-1/2 cups milk or buttermilk 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Generously grease a 9x13 pan. Spread half of the bread in the bottom of the pan. Scatter the onions and hamon top. Sprinkle on the cheese. Cover with the remaining bread crumbs. Beat eggs until they are frothy. Add milk, salt and pepper. Blend well. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate over night. In the morning, remove from refrigerator while the oven is heating. Bake @350 for 1 hour. This recipe is very forgiving. The bread, cheese, egg and milk must stay the same but you can add anything you would use in an omelet to the inner layer. APPLE FRENCH TOAST 10 slices day old french bread--I have used raisin bread--very good 6 eggs lightly beaten 2/3/4 cups milk 2/3 cups sugar (divided) 1 tbsp. vanilla 4 medium apples-peeled and thinly sliced. 2 tbsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tbsp. butter or margarine Arrange the bread to cover completely the bottom of a well greased 9x13 pan. Combine eggs, milk, half the sugar and vanilla. Pour half over the bread. Combine the rest of the sugar with the spices. Layer on the apples sprinkling with half the sugar mixture. Pour over this the rest of the egg mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar mix. Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator while the oven is heating. Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean One of these is usually standard fare in our house Christmas morning. A few hints for you. If you are bringing hot dishes a crock pot is ideal. It can be plugged in as soon as you get there. If it's hot a square tinfoil roaster filled with ice makes an ideal holder for salads and things you want to keep cool Deligate certain chores to other family members--don't try to do everything yourself. Good luck--I hope everything goes well

Ruthanna hit the nail on the head. Heat-and-eat and ready-to-eat foods work best. I teach cooking/nutrition classes at our local Food Bank, and more often than not, it's the children in the family who do the "cooking". Depending on the economy, it's mainly substance abusers and the learning disabled folks who frequent the food bank, not necessarily people who are down on their luck. Food preparation is not a priority for most of the folks. Having something to eat, is. Many have only a few pans or a skillet, and most depend on a hot plate or a small microwave for food preparation. Many live in a cheap hotel room, not a house, and don't always have a refrigerator. Beans of all varieties are plentiful at the food bank, but many people don't like them, have no knowledge of how to prepare them, or an inclination to cook something that takes so long, and will give them back to the food bank if they find them in their bags. I've had some luck teaching a class on how to "cook" beans and rice in a Thermos bottle using boiling water, but had to provide the Thermos bottles. Tortillas and cans of refried beans seem to work better than beans they need to cook, plus it's a complete protein (grain/legume). We mill beans into bean flour so they can make "instant" refried beans (cooking bean flour and water for a few minutes), and this has worked well for many of the folks. I base many recipes on USDA commodity foods. Those are foods people may commonly get free and need recipes and help using. -Grainlady