Looking for dessert ideas for an open house / reception

This might sound crazy, but I love panna cotta made with agar agar in place of gelatin. You can top it with a berry coulis or compote. Its fancy but not fussy, since the agar makes it stable at a wide variety of temps. I have a recipe for a lemongrass version on site, and have also made a jasmine tea version (just sub some jasmine tea for the lemongrass.) I serve it in little plastic wine glasses. http://www.food52.com/recipes/12260_lemongrass_panna_cotta

On a small or medium-sized watermelon, use a washable marker to write your daughter's name around the middle at about 2/3 of the way up. Using a sharp knife, cut open the melon and cut around your daughter's name so that it forms the "rim" of the melon rind. Wash off the marker. Discard the top of the melon and scoop out the interior. Make a fruit salad with melon balls or chunks and other fruit. Fill the melon "bowl" with the fruit salad. My dad used to make these melons and they were always a showstopper.

Thanks again to everyone for the great ideas! ATG117 -- after you suggested them, I could not get thumbprint cookies out of my head. I ended up making these (http://www.food52.com/recipes/17837_almond_thumbprint_cookies_with_dark_chocolate_and_sea_salt) and will likely serve them along with another dessert at our open house. Thanks so much for the idea!

I thought these are really neat: http://food52.com/recipes/12477_two_bite_lemon_cheesecakes. And the way they are served in cupcake liners (or maybe muffin top liners) makes them just a bit more special than a sliced bar and very convenient to eat out of hand.

Wow -- thanks for all of the great ideas! I'm going to check out Ina's cake recipes that a few of you mentioned above (I've never been disappointed by her recipes). Several of you also mentioned ricotta-based desserts or lemon bars -- so I'm thinking I might give Kukla's lemon ricotta bars a try! Luckily the festivities are next weekend so I have some time to decide!

We make Ina Garten's lemon cake with blueberry sauce all the time. It is yogurt based, super simple and very flavorful. I mix chopped, candied ginger into it, cut it in slices and top with the sauce. You can also do strawberry or raspberry sauce.

You can make two different types of cookies. Jam thumbprints are super easy and very dainty. You can then make a small chocolate chip or a white chocolate toffee chunk--anything that suits your fancy. Rivka's rhubarb squares also come to mind. They are awfully pretty and delightful.

As easy cakes go, Amanda's chocolate dump-it cake is a synch. As a matter of fact, I think any one-bowl cake with a pour-over frosting would work well and could sit a day or two.

http://www.food52.com/recipes/864_deep_chocolate_cake_with_orange_icing

http://www.food52.com/recipes/11163_texas_ruby_red_grapefruit_cake_with_a_hint_of_mint

YOu mention sheet cake. Ina Garten has a sheet cake she uses for a July 4th flag cake, but you can use the base and frosting and then decorate according to your liking. It's a great recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/flag-cake-recipe/index.html

Here's another Ina Garten idea for an easy strawberry country cake:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/strawberry-country-cake-recipe/index.html

What about biscotti? David Lebowitz has a great recipe for lemon biscotti.

Here's another ricotta cake that's really good and easy. You could serve it with berries.
http://food52.com/recipes/10436_louisas_cake

Chocolate chip cookies are always good :)

I make a lemon curd and blackberry trifle typically for Easter. I just use pound cake, lemon curd, whipping cream, I cook most of the blackberries (2 containers) with 2 tsps. sugar and a splash of Grand Ma. Garnish with Meyer lemon slices and mint. I don't think you could make it the night before but you could assemble it in no time in the AM before church and let it sit out. Or what about something with amaretti cookies? Every time I turn on the TV Giada is making something with them. :)

One word answer = cannoli !

If you want to follow the Italian theme, how about a torta di ricotta? I make a version that I based off this one:
http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/italian/recipe/ricotta-and-chocolate-cake/
It's really delicious. You don't need to include the grappa if you don't want to.

How about simple lemon bars and fresh strawberries with bowls of sour cream and brown sugar for dipping