I love soup, salad, and sandwiches for lunch. I think your croissants with some sliced deli meats, sliced cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a slice of pickle sounds good. You could have chips, fruit salad, potato salad or a light soup or lettuce salad for a side. Ice tea, water or a soft drink for drinks.

Do you have a favorite soup recipe? Soup, salad and deli sandwich. I wouldn't do croissants, but assortment of rolls, rye bread, pumpernickel.

I order soup mixes from Cherchies. They have a wide variety. We like the corn chowder and the pasta and bean ones. For the most part, you need an onion, one calls for a can of diced tomatoes, so you can keep them handy and have a last minute dinner. (Although the bean soups do take a few hours)

I would have a dessert that I know they like. Apple pie, crumb cake, etc.

ETA: Adella, great minds think alike.

I love the idea of sliced deli meats with several choices of bread- croissants and maybe a sliced wheat bread. But I think, particularly in winter weather, that Adellabedella and Ellendi both had an excellent idea about adding soup to the menu.

As far as something imaginative, I can't find it now but there was an absolutely yummy looking picture and recipe of some kind of onion pie here recently.

And apple pie was a good suggestion for dessert. Winter or no, some nice vanilla ice cream to top it with for those who want it, and the offer of hot coffee with dessert.

How about sliders? I've had some excellent ones lately and they are so nice warm. Pasta salad and Cole slaw, maybe some fancy chips, brownies, etc. I'd keep it simple but I'm lazy. ;)

I'd buy some nice bakery rolls, sliced cold cuts, etc for make-you-own-sandwiches.

How about a nice home made chicken salad along with the deli meats. I'd try to do a home made soup too unless you can find a really great one already prepared.

Socks If guests not adventurous, your tentative plan seems ok. But something homely like pimento cheese sandwich enhanced with chopped bacon and a tad of red pepper might be fun. But you know your guests so go with instinct. But one of these days do try the kicked up a notch pimento cheese

Great, everyone! Thank you. I've picked up a lot of ideas beyond my first thinking, so thank you all. I don't know when they are coming or what time, but at least I'm armed with a plan which is half the battle, right? :-)

Frittata... who doesn't like eggs... besides me that is... :-))

You don't like eggs, rgreen? Me neither! Not even as a child. But I can eat them in quiche when there is a lot of other stuff mixed in.

Most of the grocery store deli make trays of great sandwiches for very reasonable price. We have picked up those on several occasions when we needed a quick lunch solution, their pre packaged potato salad and macaroni salads are not bad either.

You could make a good soup to go with it.

A quick casserole would be good too. There's tons of them on pinterest just search for quick and easy casserole.

See what I mean

Quick and easy casserole

socks... I often say I 'don't like eggs', but honestly, that's a shorthand. I don't eat meat, nor do I cook with eggs. But, because I live in a place that is just entering the 20th century lol... I have made reasonable concessions. I will eat something cooked with eggs... such as a small piece of cake that was either bought, or someone else had made. I also eat mayonnaise.

It's been almost 30 years since I've eaten eggs straight, and while some will give me guff about the hypocrisy, I just continue on with my life and choices lol. So, I probably do dislike eggs these days :-P. I wouldn't know, it's been such a long time. I know that whenever I'm at someone's house, and a piece of meat finds it's way into something I'm eating (it can be such a hassle and impolite to go into the tactful version of --- "I'm a vegetarian, and don't want to eat your death-laced foods" lol) I just eat what they've offered and pick out the meat. I know immediately when I've gotten a piece of meat. The texture is something repellent to me now.

There are a few examples I can remember of eggs, and it's a similar texture thing:

-My sister puts hard-boiled eggs in her macaroni and potato salads. I try to pick it out, but inevitably miss a piece.

-Chinese restaurants often put eggs in their vegetable fried rice. Always miss a piece.... blech! EGGS ARE NOT VEGETABLE'S PEOPLE! lol.

So, what I don't like is eating eggs... the flavor is probably ok lol.

I recently went to a luncheon and was served chicken enchiladas and a nice tossed salad...it was really delicious!

I don't like deli meats much, but years ago I had a broiled open sandwich at a luncheon and have made it several times since. Slice a hoagie roll and layer on a few slices of deli ham. Slice tomatoes and red onion very thin and layer them on. Sprinkle with garlic seasoning. Layer with sliced Muenster cheese and sprinkle with oregano. Place under broiler and broil until cheese starts to brown. Slice into thirds or fourths.

You'd want to prepare them in advance and pop them under the broiler right before serving. The trick is not to overload the ham so that everything warms through. It tastes a little like pizza. Try a practice run. Maybe serve it with homemade minestrone soup or a salad.

You've got to eat something rgreen. You think no animals are harmed to bring fresh produce to your table, both directly and indirectly? I too am a vegetarian but am reasonable about it, and eat eggs, dairy, and sometimes seafood. I definitely try to buy these products that are produced in ways that do as little harm to the animals involved, and would happily spend extra $$ to buy the most cruelty free that is possible, and would love to see in the future this become a more cut and dry selection everywhere food is available.

Peter... meh, never mind... it's not worth the discussion lol. I'll continue to not eat eggs. If you don't like it... look away. :-D Were I rich, I would buy Veganaise. Were I to wish to see the disappointment on my mother's face when I won't try a piece of a cake she's made with eggs, I would shun all eggs. If I had a desire to see her make a special version just for me of every dish she makes (because that's the way she is, and that's what she would do...) I would never eat a micron of egg again!

Sorry not trying to be preachy -- eat whatever you want. Just my thoughts.

Ty.

Good idea, a casserole. Add a salad, dessert, done! It would show a little more effort, wouldn't it? Even if they came early, it could be a brunchy thing. Thanks for the link, Raven.

I make a salsa Verde chicken casserole from pinterest that's very good and super easy. Has 4 ingredients. You can make a double batch for more it makes 8 enchiladas but one is really not enough for a person they are small. I sometimes use shredded Monterey jack cheese. Rotisserie chicken works well.

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/salsa-verde-chicken-enchiladas.html?m#ixzz3wsJAkMFT

I was going to suggest a casserole, too. One of my favorite for a luncheon:

Swiss Chicken Ham Bake

1/2 C. chopped onion, 2 T. butter, 3 T. flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1 - 3 oz. can sliced mushrooms (I use fresh), 1 C light cream, 2 T. dry sherry, 2 C cubed cooked chicken or turkey, 1 C. cubed cooked ham, 1 - 5 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained, 1/2 C. soft bread crumbs, 3 T. butter, melted

Cook onion in the 2 T. butter until tender, but not brown. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add mushrooms, cream and sherry. Cook and stir till thickened. Add chicken, ham and water chestnuts. Pour into 1 1/2 Qt casserole, tope with cheese. Mix bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle around edge of casserole. Bake 499 until lightly brown...about 25 minutes. Can do ahead, can freeze. Serves 6 I like to serve with a cranberry gelatin mold but a tossed salad would be nice, too.

These are easy and nice, I think. You can also do with roast beef and provolone.

Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders

1/2 cup butter

1/2 onion, minced

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste

1 (12 count) package Hawaiian sweet rolls, split

1 pound sliced deli ham

8 slices Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir onion until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add mustard, poppy seeds, and Worcestershire sauce; cook and stir for 5 minutes.

Arrange the bottoms from each roll in the baking dish. Spoon 2/3 the onion mixture over the roll bottoms. Add ham and Swiss cheese to each roll. Put tops of rolls over the Swiss cheese layer. Brush the remaining 1/3 onion mixture over tops of rolls. Cover dish with aluminum foil. (Can do this a day ahead.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until tops of rolls are lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

This is so easy and so good. It is versatile and served with main dish as the bread or as a dessert. Been asked by family to make it over and over again.

carrot bake

My only suggestion is to serve something light and green along with whatever else you may have. Some nice recipes from the good people here.

I'm sure that if I were in your place, I'd have a hot dish or soup along with a special salad. I think the last time I had company for lunch, we had homemade tomato bisque and an assortment of grilled cheese 'sticks'. I started with an iceberg wedge salad.

How's that for unadventurous, lol? That was my challenge that day, too!

I like shredded chicken, cranberries, celery, onions with mayo on croissant. Salads finger foods

Hey, I am getting hungry reading all these yummy suggestions!

As someone who abhors mayo I love the idea of sliced deli meats and build your own sandwiches with mini croissants and other breads. I like being able to add my own condiments. I'd also have fresh cut fruit available with a nice fruit dip and a salad or two.

Another idea would be make your own wraps instead of sandwiches.

Actually I am an adventurous eater when I have choices. I love chopped liver, spices, ethnic foods etc. I'm simply not into things like casseroles or "bakes". For example the I love all the ingredients in the Hawiaan Cheese sliders and then some. But made a day ahead and baked into a mushy casserole sandwich, no thank you. Ditto for breakfast casseroles etc.

Not being a fan of deli meats or croissants, I like the casserole/quiche/soup/ salad/fresh fruit menu track.

Well "ouch" watchmelol - I've never made them in advance (that is just how the recipe is printed) but I would suppose that if you pour the sauce over a day ahead, they might indeed get mushy and actually turn into one of those dreaded breakfast casserole! Can't argue - so I'll amend my version of this recipe and just leave out the reference to 'make ahead', I think.

Nothing wrong with making them in advance. Just my personal taste issues with these type of foods. I just personally don't care for things that have (to me) a soft and squishy mouth feel. It's genetic I think. My dad would make his own sandwiches to take to work in the morning. He would split and toast the French rolls he liked to use before building the sandwich so they wouldn't be "soggy." Soggy is in the eye of the beholder. I don't like to pack sandwiches at all. I will take the ingredients and build them a when it's time to eat. I don't like untoasted buns on burgers either. Or untoasted PB and J sandwiches either. I will eat a hotdog on a hot steamed bun but prefer them toasted. If hamburgers or hotdogs are being served on cold buns, I'll stick to the naked meat. LOL

Mayflowers sandwiches sound good. I'd eat those. More interesting flavors too.

If food is supposed to be hot, I like it piping hot. If it's supposed to be cold I want it cold, not at room temperature.

My bias against casseroles and baking dish foods is that when you have a group everyone chats and sometimes the food sits before everyone finally digs in. I just don't find tepid food that appetizing ,especially if it has ingredients that start to coagulate.

I think a lot of tastes are somewhat regional too. In California we are more apt to go for fresh fruits and fresh salads with vinaigrette type dressing over mayo based salads. When I think deli meat I think of things like thin slices of roast beef,turkey,pastrami and maybe some good hard salamis or sausages. I am not visualizing a platter of packaged cold cuts and processed cheese slices. When someone brings a casserole to a potluck it is more often a roasted veggie one with produce fresh form their own garden or the farmers market.
You just don't see funeral potatoes and the like around much these days. Our group has actually joked about doing a potluck with those "old fashioned" items form the fifties. I suggested a jello salad potluck. Thought it might be fun.

Haha, watchme! I'm someone who doesn't even want to look at anything 'congealed', gelatinous, or jiggly. Cute idea, though.