party! party! party!

We eat our BIG meal of the day at noon and lighter in the evening so as to not be explosion-full when we go to bed. This also works to leave us full of energy midday and able to be lazy in the evening. It's easy to throw together a ham-&-cheese sandwich, prepared/leftover cole slaw, and Fritos (Joe's evening meal last night). For the "dinner" party next Wednesday, guests arriving at 1145, eating at ~12:30, i am making a "faux lasagne" which is (gasp!) a new recipe. I have made a faux lasagne before many times (faux b/c i dont' cook the noodles) but this time it's stuffed shells so even easier (i hope). I hope that it works. The guests were told that this would be "potluck", not so that i don't have to cook for everyone as the lasagne/shells and the cake (it's my childhood girlfriend's birthday so we are having a cake in her honor!) will be enough for everyone, but rather so that people can bring something that they will be sure to like, just in case. I always want to bring something when we go to th houses of others b/c i am never sure that there will be anything​ that i'll eat. Beef stew. Johnny Marzetti (or most any casserole). Chicharrones (largely popular dish here). Even BLTs and potato salad (both of which always have pork/bacon). So, it only seems fair to extent this to others so that they can be sure that they won't "die of hunger". Ally, one of our friends, is VUD (vegan until dessert) and doesn't eat any​ fat. So, no cheese. No sour cream or yogurt. no butter/margarine/oil of any sort, including salad dressings. No chips of any sort. I don't really like most cheese but feta and parmesan are ok. Ally will likely bring a pasta salad or beans, her usual offerings. I am encouraging her to bring red wine as she drinks it and we don't. She usually brings wine when she comes to play Wingspan with us, as she will be this Saturday. Oh-- this is the stuffed shells recipe that i'll be making. It was on my blog last time i posted but i will send it to you again here. FAUX CANNELLONI/LASAGNE>>>>>>> 1 box canneloni pasta (tubes)>>>>>>> 1 bag mozzarella cheese sticks>>>>>>> 1 jar Prego/Ragu/Rao pasta sauce>>>>>>> 10oz spinach, thawed and drained(if you wish)>>>>>>> Pam/oil a 13x9 pan>>>>>>> put one peeled cheese stick into each pasta tube and lie in the pan to 3/4 full(leave some room for expansion)>>>>>>> scatter spinach over top and between tubes>>>>>>> pour tomato sauce over top>>>>>>> add ~3/4C water (rinse out jar), and cover with foil>>>>>>> place in fridge overnight to absorb liquid>>>>>> when almost ready to eat, put pan in oven, set to 350, bake for 30 minutes, uncover and top with some torn apart left-over cheese sticks>>>>> bake open to melty and yummy>>>>>>> let cool a bit so that cheese "settles">>>>>>> tell _NOBODY_ how easy this was!!!>>>>>>> **** can "enhance" the sauce with oregano/basil/fennel seeds/sliced olives/chunks of pepperoni/etc I'll take a picture and let you know if it worked. What are your favorite things to make for a crowd/group?