Here is a recipe by Giada DeLaurentiis from food network...I swear she has the best recipes and she makes them so simple to make. This one does take a bit of prep, but you mentioned you wanted to do something special for these ladies. Anyway this recipe is for baked cheesy farro squares (farro if you haven't used it before is basically an Italian grain that looks like larger grains of brown rice but cooks like pasta, and holds its texture beautifully when baked). Once the recipe is finished cooking and cools, you can cut it into squares - perfect to pick up and eat. I'd practice it once at home first - in some ovens it needs less time to cook than what the recipe says. Then on the day of the shower transport them warm if you can then the squares are fine to sit out for the party at room temp. YUM.
Ingredients
* Vegetable cooking spray
Sauce:
* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups warm whole milk
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Farro:
* 2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
* 1 cup grated Gruyere
* 1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated
* 6 cups chicken broth
* 2 cups faro or barley, rinsed and drained
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
* Olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
For the sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes (do not allow the mixture to boil). Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
For the farro: In a large bowl, add the cheeses and stir to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and reserve. In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the farro, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the faro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, if necessary. Add the farro, thyme, and sauce to the bowl with the cheese. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake until the top is golden brown and forms a crust, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.