November is an iffy month. What is the normal weather there?

What does your play-niece like? Modern? Trendy? Retro? Homey?

If you're doing the bagels and fixings as a major part of the meal, you could do some fun plays on it. Awhile back, savory lox cheesecake was very popular (i.e., there are sure to be good recipes out there--I have one, but I don't know if it's good since I can't really eat it). Or how about a fondue that would be good with bagel pieces? Maybe cream cheese artichoke? Spinach and sour cream?

Will it likely be cold/blustry/stormy? A hearty soup would be nice. Maybe a vegetarian minestrone?

It's the perfect time of year for pumpkins. Maybe a pumpkin soup? Or pumpkin lasagna? Or even pumpkin pasta (pumpkin in the actual pasta)? I have recipes for all if you want any.

Grilled vegetable slices are often very popular and would go well with bagels.

For a game, it might be fun to have all the guests bring a different eggplant salad. :) A big salad platter might be the way to go with hummus, eggplant (however many ways), tabbouleh, tomato/cucumber, Turkish, etc.

Did you have any kind of direction in mind?

Dairy meal?
One of the things I made for a grand son's bris ( with bagels lox etc) was a cheese strata...with sautéed mushrooms and onions between the layers....it was a huge hit.
Then on to the desserts.....tiny little tartlets made in mini muffin cups....filled with lemon curd....cheese cake topped with a variety of stuff....chocolate mousse and strawberry mousse. Looked lovely on a platter.
Also I did another bridal luncheon years back that began with stemmed glasses of chilled cucumber soup ( if you are interested, I will look up the recipe) and served followed with a salad nicoise>
Quiche is always good....spinach...roasted red peppers and mushrooms.
And I always think a pineapple kugle is great for brunch.
Shout if you need recipes...it's late now and I'm too lazy to look through my files.
Oh and I always have a small wedding cake made for a bridal shower dessert....and do the charms on the ribbons thing......with the 6 pence for the bride!

Roasted pumpkin and feta quiche as another quiche option...

From the home decor conversations, someone else recently asked for brunch menu ideas and there were a bunch of good suggestions including quiches and cheese stratas and the bake ahead type french toast.

Wondering if you will be setting tables or serving buffet....or eat on your lap sort of thing....

I think we will have a buffet. At the luncheon some friends gave for my daughter last year, the hostess did something really clever: she bought a couple of dozen big pans, I think maybe half sheet pans? But with a low rim like a jelly roll pan, if memory serves. She put silverware rolled in a napkin on each one and put them at the beginning of the buffet with the plates, and the guests could put their plates and a glass on them and put it on their laps to eat. It was comfortable and clever and even thematic, as it was a recipe shower. So I thought I'd ask her if I could borrow them for this.

Quiches sound great. Is there some sort of all-purpose method for converting recipes intended for a pie pan or quiche dish to a larger container, like a 13x9" baking dish or even a roasting pan?

If you want to go all out with the fat for something special, Julia Child's quiche aux champignons is super fantastic delicious.

You can measure the volume of water your pan will hold. Do the same with your pie plate. Compare. :) Quiche is just another custard, depending on how rich you want it to be. General rule of thumb is two large eggs to one cup milk/cream. When I make quiche, I put the filling in first, pour in the custard, and then add whatever toppings, like cheese. Again, generally, about a cup of liquid will fill in between 2 cups of lumps (filling) unless they're well cooked down or very coarsely cut and hard. Next time you chop vegetables, measure them, and measure them against the pan, to get an idea of how much it takes to fill it. Sometimes, it's more accurate to eyeball it that way than doing straight math because absolute volume doesn't tell the whole story.

Well....if you make a quiche in a 9 by 13 every one won't get that same lovely bit of crust.
I made a frittata for another bridal shower....it was pretty much a quiche without a crust and more vegetables....and I made them the day before and reheated!...Worked wonderfully! Can't remember what else I served on the plate...likely some fruit on a lettuce leaf....and do remember we had baskets of popovers. Made ahead and reheated in a slow oven. They were a BIG hit!

If I do make a quiche in a casserole 9 by 13, I don't measure much....I fill the pan with my partially cooked veggies and the cheese and then add my custard. My rile of thumb for the custard is as Pillogg says 2 eggs to a cup of milk of cream....but I season the custard a little depending on what kind of quiche. For a seafood (which you won't be making) or even a salmon or monk fish quiche I add a dash of sherry....for broccoli etc...often a good couple of dashes of worchestershire....sometimes a little garlic powder and sometimes some powdered ancho chilis and some crushed parsley.
I don't worry about how much custard I will need to fill the spaces....but I make up 8 eggs and a quart of milk and pour until the pan is full and repeat. As it gets close to full I only make 1 cup of liquid and 2 eggs....or even 1/2 cup milk and one egg.
But I am not a fan of a quiche in a rectangular dish...I have lots of pie plates and I roll and blind bake the crusts the night before, and just fill with goodies, pour on the custard and bake. You have a good 30 minutes after they come out of the oven to serve without getting soggy. I have 2 ovens so I can do 8 quiche at a time....9 in a pinch.

I love mini quiches. Everyone gets crust and there's no messy slicing or scooping. I've been making a wheat berry salad lately with loads of roasted vegetables using a fig balsamic vinaigrette. I put some goat cheese crumbles on the side for those that want it. How about some little potato pancakes with creme fraiche and caviar?

If you have a green salad, I'd suggest Cathy/Mustangs Fig and Proscuitto salad. She uses arugula, but I use spinach because it's more easily available here. I don't even like salad, usually, but I just love this stuff and it would go nicely with quiche.

Mustangs' Salad with Proscuitto, Parmesan and Figs

4 tbls olive oil
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips
1 tbls raspberry jam
3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tbls finely chopped shallots
5 cups baby spinach (she uses arugula, I think)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.

2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, ? tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt. Divide salad among individual plats; top with portion of prosciutto, walnuts, and Parmesan.

I don't usually plate it individually, I put it all in a large bowl and let guests serve themselves.

Annie