Here's a yummy kind of a bread pudding/stuffing/veg dish combo - its very tasty.

Savory Spinach and Artichoke Stuffing
(5 Star Rating)
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004
Show: Emeril Live

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds spinach, washed (3 cups cooked and roughly chopped)
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Emeril's Italian Essence, or other Italian seasoning blend
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 (8 1/2-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, any tough outer leaves removed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 to 14 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old French bread (1 loaf)
1 pound Brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, squeeze as much water from spinach as possible, then roughly chop, and reserve.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 teaspoons of Italian Essence, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
Combine the eggs, cream, chicken stock, lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon Italian Essence, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the bread, spinach, artichoke mixture, brie, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and parsley and stir to combine. If bread does not absorb all of liquid immediately then let rest until this happens, about 20 minutes.
Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve warm.
(5 stars)

Oooh, thanks woodie! I think I'll make this for one of the many holiday potlucks we seem to be having/invited to this year.

From Epicurious:

1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1 large shallot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup lentils
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
fresh lime juice to taste (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Halve, peel, and seed squash and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Finely chop shallot and in a shallow baking pan toss with squash, oil, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste until combined well. Bake squash mixture in middle of oven until almost tender, about 15 minutes.

I find it takes longer than 15 minutes....more like 30. Just keep an eye on it.

Chop walnuts and sprinkle over squash. Bake squash mixture 10 minutes more, or until walnuts are lightly toasted and squash is tender.

While squash is baking, in a saucepan of boiling water cook lentils until just tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils in a sieve and transfer to a bowl.

To lentils add squash mixture, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste and toss until combined well.

I use a sweet curry powder, rather than a hot one. I also like lots of lime juice. Use green Depuy lentils only. This recipe doubles very well and makes great leftovers.

Keep em' coming. Maybe there will be a one that has ingredients that won't make my tummy crazy. Cream, nuts and lentils all fall into that category...;-(

These recipes were posted here but I haven't tried them yet so can't say T&T by me...but by someone here!

Parmesan Rice

6 Cups cooked rice (cooked in chicken broth)
8 Oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 Cups frozen green peas, thawed
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbl butter
1/2 Cup Parmegiano Reggiano, grated
6 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add mushrooms, peas, hot rice, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Heat just until mushrooms are cooked, a few minutes. Add Parmegiano Reggiano and toss lightly.

Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley.

Lemon Rice Pilaf:

I TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbl butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 Cup long grain rice
1/2 Cup dry white wine
A few sprigs fresh thyme leaves stripped and chopped, about 1 tabelspoon
1 (14-ounce) can or 2 cups chicken broth
1 Cup water
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 lemon, zested
Slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish

pilaf: heat a medium saucepan or pot over moderate heat. Add oil and butter and shallots to the pan. Saute shallots 2 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups rice. Lightly brown rice 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and allow it to evaporate entirely, 1 to 2 minutes. Add thyme and chicken broth to the rice. Fill broth can half-again with water or, measure 1 cup water and
add to pot. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover rice and reduce heat. Cook rice 20 minutes, until tender.
Stir the zest of 1 lemon and parsley into rice. Transfer lemon rice to dinner plates or warm serving dish and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.

Those both sound very good. Do you think I could make it ahead and finish and re-heat at the party?

Ellen I was so focused on rice or potatoes I didn't think of this one right away . It is a delicious dish !! I have served it several times. I think it would work with the chicken being served and it will travel better than a rice dish.

Butternut Squash Gratin With Rosemary Breadcrumbs (Fearlessem)

1/4 Cup(1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 Cup thinly sliced onions (about 1 pound)
2 1/2 Lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tsp sugar
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
3/4 Cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 Cup fresh breadcrumbs made from soft white bread
2 Cup (packed) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 Tbl chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 Tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; saute until onions are light golden, about 8 minutes. Add squash; saute 4 minutes.

Sprinkle sugar, salt and pepper over vegetables; saute until onions and squash begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Spread vegetable mixture in prepared dish. Pour chicken broth over. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. (Squash mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat in 350F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 400F. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, rosemary and thyme in medium bowl. Sprinkle over gratin. Bake uncovered until top is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Emily

NOTE: Can use sour dough bread cubes instead of crumbs, and Gruyere instead of cheddar, add some diced apples too

That sounds absolutely divine! How far would you go before you wrap it up to take? We live about 20-30 mins away and I'm sure we'll have hors d'ouerves before the main course. Most likely, I can finish it at her house. Would you take it complete and warm it up there, or do the last 30 mins of baking at her place?

I'd do the last 30 minutes there but make sure it is at room temp, not cold. So let it come to room temp on the trip over plus whatever time you have prior to the 30 mins before dinner.

To tell you the truth though I have cooked it and served it for dinner one day and reheated as leftovers the next...it was still great...but for a dinner party I would do it fresh.

All of the recipes above sound great and I can add a lot myself BUT my first thing that I want to say is you can never go wrong with Pyrex Totes. You can travel with them with hot or cold food. Your food will be steaming hot after four hours or will be completely chilled after four hours. They are sold everywhere now - Walmart, Target, Kohl's, etc. and are not expensive and well worth the cost.

Thank you Sharon for your yummy recipe! I think it went over quite well, and I certainly enjoyed it!
The butternut squash was a breeze to peel with my little yellow palm peeler, then I cut and chopped with my sharp Japanese knife. Truly, it was easy!
I sliced the onions on the mandoline and cooked them in butter, but next time, I'd probably use olive oil--healthier and I can eat it too. As it was i made a little one for me minus the butter, cheese and onions so I wouldn't feel too deprived!
It is somewhat labor intensive initially, but if you can make it a day ahead, it would be great. I did use gruyere cheese and sourdough bread as Sharon suggested.
Thanks again!
E

Here is a link that might be useful: Palm Peeler