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So yes, close to Luxembourg, please go to Pierre Herme and have a macaron for me (superior to Laduree IMHO).
Here are my low key suggestions.
If you go to the Champs Elysees area go to Al Diwan and have a batangene mikli sandwich, bien cuit, sans cornichons!
If you go to the Marais... go have a couscous at Chez Omar; or if you fancy French bistro stuff go to Les Vins des Pyrenees; or Chez Janou, and ask for mousse au chocolat for dessert.

No no no, not yet.
It's besciamella, not beshamella in the lasagne, not the lasagna.
Apparently it's besciamella in the north of Italy (Bologna) and ricotta-mozzarella in the south (Napoli). Where do you come from?
All that because it's an Italian dish, not French, in which case it would have been Béchamel, with an accent.
For Mac and Cheese just use bechamel, it's ok.

I guess parents can't win. If the child is a picky eater and only eats "white food" her parents are bad. If the child is a picky eater and will only eat gourmet meals, her parents are bad too.

But I'd take the latter any time. Call me smug and self-satisfied.

This "koodie" think really sounds like the brainchild of a parent whose child is the former.

Yes you can! a mix of premade sides and perhaps even store-bought, and just the turkey for the day. You can reheat them as you let the bird sit after it's done. The great thing is that something gets messed up THEN you can go out and buy replacements!

I once ordered a small whole turkey to roast at Gourmet Garage and it was really great. I've also done Fairway turkey breasts. You may also consider a large chicken...

This is an awesome article, thank you.

I second the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook.

My dad always liked spicy foods and he taught me to both cook and eat them. My husband is Mexican and it feels as though his mother put chiles in his baby bottles. So everything is spicy in our house. Some of our friends complain...

There is a downside to it -- if you don't get at least a little bit of black pepper in your food, it's just insipid. And I confess that I feel "superior" to the weaklings who scream "oh, it's too spicy". I roll my eyes at them...

here, I had the same problem back in August!
http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/08/what-to-do-with-lots-of-bread-crusts.html

I ended up making a savory bread pudding with leftover ham and cheese that I had bought for the sandwiches. Just buttered a dish, put a layer of crusts, and a layer of ham and cheese, repeat. Then cover it with a mix of beaten eggs and milk/cream, seasoning it as you wish. It was delicious. I called it Croque Monsieur bread pudding.

My only regret was not doubling it and freezing the second dish. I still had lots of bread crusts afterward and they ended up getting moldy before I could use them.

Japanese curry and rice -- kareraisu

just do as you said! Mix cream as you eat it. It will give it some freshness every time.

Sun Chan on Bway and 104

Make it a North African meal with a chicken and/or a lamb tagine, couscous, some vegetables (I always do green beans), or perhaps roasted vegetables, and the appropriate sides. It's easy to make in a large quantity and you get some sort of thematic coherence.

I like the gift-in-a-jar suggestions! Could make spice blends, chili powder too, interesting!

I guess the key is to have a recipe good enough to be given away as a gift, and I am not much of an exacting cook.

I appreciate all the ideas!