What would you serve?

I'm having some girlfriends over Saturday. Now that the weather is behaving, I think I can move forward with my plan to prepare some type of soup or stew. It's easier on me (Break out the programmable slowcooker!), it makes the house smell fabulous and who doesn't love comfort food when the weather turns cool?

I'm thinking of going with heavy appetizers with some light ones thrown in for freshness and then something sweet to round things out. I'm making a take on chicken potpie, serving the stew (chicken, mirepoix, tarragon, potatoes, etc...) in ramekins and topping each with leaf-shaped puff pastry (thanks Pepperidge Farm!) just before serving. For dessert? An apple-pear crisp (with good vanilla ice cream for those who dig à la mode).

Any other ideas for an apps menu? Maybe some kind of a kebab...? I thought about white chicken chili instead of the "pot pie." (By the way, if you are in the market for some really, really inexpensive ramekins, check out the Target near you. I went a couple of days ago and they had some small ones for 2 for $1. Insane!)