Need help with a party menu

My girlfriend and I are giving our neighbor a neighborhood baby shower in a few weeks. We have 11 women attending. Two women are Jewish and keep Kosher (they don't eat pork products, shellfish, or mix dairy with meat, but will eat food prepared in a non-kosher kitchen) and one gal (the other host) is a vegetarian (she will eat dairy, eggs, and fish).

So her and I decided on the following menu:

She is going to prepare a cheese plate, crudite, and fruit, a veggie medley for the main meal, and dessert.

I will be making 2 appetizers and the entrees.

We decided I would make a tomato basil bruschetta (it will have no cheese so good for the kosher gals and good for the vegetarian) and also bacon wrapped dates.

For the entrees, I will make baked ziti (fine for the vegetarian), chicken piccata (good for the kosher gals since I will use no dairy), and a rice pilaf (I will make with veggie broth so good for the kosher gals and the vegetarian).

So my questions are:

1. I would like to make another appetizer that is both kosher and vegetarian...any suggestions?
2. How much baked ziti, chicken, and rice should I make?
3. Does anyone have a good chicken piccata recipe they like?

2 chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and halved
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. Madeira wine
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. capers
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Flatten breasts with mallet to 1/4 inch.
Mix flour, salt, and paprika. Shake breasts in bag with mixture. Sauté breasts on each side in butter and oil until golden. Move to warm platter. Add Madeira to skillet, cook over medium heat stir to dissolve bits. Add lemon juice. Return breasts to skillet with lemon slices. Add capers and parsley.
Serves 4

1. I would like to make another appetizer that is both kosher and vegetarian...any suggestions??

Humous?

Hard to get more Jewish/Israeli than that.

Plus easy and tasty.

Bruschetta at this time of year?

I'll second the hummous suggestion and add baba ghanoush. If you're feeling ambitious and a bit of deep frying doesn't bother you, there's also falafel.

You could always channel your Italian heritage and do artichoke hearts braised in white wine, balsamic glazed cippolines, involtini with red peppers wrapped around ricotta...

Maybe a lentil dish? I posted one with wine-glazed vegetables a while back. Kosher and veggie both.

Hot artichoke dip with pita chips? Everyone seems to love that.

Pasta AND rice? What is this, a flashback to The Big Night?

I would make a half pan of each - half pans are approx 12 x 10 x 2.5 - that will be plenty of food for 11 ladies.

Skip the bacon-wrapped dates, or any use of pork. It will make the Jewish ladies uncomfortable thinking their food was prepped in the same kitchen at the same time with the same utensils. If you are willing to cater to their needs, you can easily forego the bacon.

Why not serve a smoked salmon hors d'ouvre instead? You know the routine. A schmeer of butter or smooth cheese like chevre on a neutral cracker, topped w/ curled slice of salmon, garnished with dill sprig or chives.

Rahsaan beat me to the hummus, but tapenade is another suggestion. These are the recipes I use:
TAPENADE

1/2 pound green olives, pitted
1/2 pound black olives, pitted
1 small can of anchovies
4-6 pepperoncini – remove stems
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into the food processor except olive oil. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil. Refrigerate in a covered container. Spread on toasted, crusty Italian bread.

Hummus

Hummus is a cream of chick peas with garlic, lemon and olive oil, from Lebanon.

4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/3 cup sesame seeds
Zest from one lemon
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. If necessary for consistency, add some of the liquid reserved from the canned chickpeas. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature with Pita bread wedges.

Thanks everyone for the great ideas and recipes!!

Hummus is a cream of chick peas with garlic, lemon and olive oil, from Lebanon.

I think you'll get as much agreement (and debate) on that front as on who makes the best pizza or what condiment is best with French fries!

I have a recipe for a roasted red pepper hummus-like dip that is a little different. Let me know if you'd like it, Maria.

Yes, Cynthia, if you wouldn't mind...that sounds really great.