For your quasi-vegan friends, I suggest my “kids’ baked pasta”. A big pan of Rao’s dressed tubes, dusted with fried crumbs. Baked until bubbly. It’s actually delicious, certainly easy and fits their demands.
If you make it difficult for people to entertain you, you should be happy with whatever they put on the table that meets your needs…IMHO!
I have ordered dishes that had only goat cheese listed on the menu (which I can eat, only to have it arrive smothered in mozzarella (which will leave me suffering) i have also asked about dairy as an ingredient, onky to have someone recite an opus about gluten-free options…
I can absolutely relate.
OMG, that’s the funniest thing I’ve read today! Maybe the large pasta shells that are stuffed would be suitable for women of child bearing age!! I’ve got to stop now, could but won’t add a few more things 
Of course I can! DH is the one who has perfected it, as it would never turn out, air drying in our rather cool, somewhat humid climate. We got new ovens that go low enough to function as dehydrators - yay!
The trahana always works perfectly. I will ask himself for the recipe/technique and post it asap.
My long departed MIL and her mother would put a clean sheet over their double beds and dry it that way. Of course they lived in a high desert, very arid part of the inter mountain west. SF area in fall may be warm & dry enough to air or even sun dry if not too breezy.
Ah, we all had these long and dearly departed MILs who used beds and fully extended tables to recreate traditional family recipes. Thankfully, most of our generation has devised shortcuts to these not-to-be lost treasures.
I’ll be listening up for your rendition.
Nancy’s garbanzo’s are done, a little sooner than expected.
More for the “back pocket”
CAULIFLOWER & ROASTED GARBANZO “RICE AND PEAS” SALAD
This ones sounds a little “too good to be true”, and the reviews are all from folks who THINK it would be good.
Lovely, let us know the feedback!
Thinking about holding off on adding the dressing, mint and basil until the morning of, to preserve color and freshness, and maybe the tomatoes too, to avoid refrigerating them. On the other hand, mixing the tomatoes and dressing overnight might help both.
Any thoughts?
PS No judging my mental health please!
Your first idea is good.
Overnight mixed salad with dressing, something I will avoid. Tomatoes overnight will became soaky with all juice coming out. Dressing overnight with herbs would be turning black.
I would certainly hold off on the herbs till the last possible moment. I’d probably add the dressing and tomatoes though to let everything meld together.
It’s been my experience to hold off on the vinaigrette until day of; pasta just keeps soaking up any moisture, leaving it dry with not enough flavor when served.
Dried herbs, no problem, but if using fresh basil I would add that later as well.
Fresh mint and fresh basil, stored for the last two days with cherry tomatoes in a “keep cool bag” with ice packs to maintain about 70 degrees.
You guys are my PEEPS! Who else thinks about all this?
Serious Eats!
How to Store Tomatoes (and Whether to Refrigerate Them)
I noticed cherry tomatoes were different.
I read that the refrigerating tomatoes thing is actually a myth! Ripe ones can handle it - and it may even preserve their flavor.
I have to admit that we are pretty cavalier in treatment of tomatoes. Intellectually, I will tell you they should not be refrigerated. In practice, we do what we need to do re maintaining viability. Have never noticed a real difference, certainly not with marginal product.
Thanks all! I will do the best I can.
I think I know what my friend would say, but I will also keep in mind what our friends would appreciate.
I usually add the dressing to the beans (and pasta) so it will get absorbed. Agree with others on herbs and tomatoes.
Looks tasty!
Perhaps you have a different Barbie, but then, I was never a fan. I still have “Barbies” from the 1970’s that I never played with. I remember seeing that I was getting one for Christmas and thinking whaaaat?
I never understood Barbies.
Arggggh! As I’m writing out the ingredients I realized there is honey in the vinegrette! 
Sub agave?
