Anyone have any good ideas of what I should take to a potluck dinner?

Question

I have to go to a potluck dinner tomorrow night. I can bring a dessert, salad, or hot dish, anything goes. I am tired of potatoe salad, and coleslaw. Any ideas?

Answer 1

CUCUMBER-GARLIC DIP
MAKES ABOUT 1-1/2 CUPS

The first time I had this dip, it was prepared by a woman of Greek heritage. I believe she used yogurt. Whether you use that or the sour cream, it is so good and very easy and light. Add more or less garlic to taste, but I like lots. Serve with vegetable crudites, crackers or pita wedges.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into chunks
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (I use reduced-fat)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives (freeze-dried may be used)
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all of the ingredients in a processor. Process until smooth but retaining some texture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with additional chives. Serve with raw vegetables.



FOUR-BEAN SALAD
SERVES 6-8

I guess everyone has a recipe for bean salad. Try this one. It is exceptional.

INGREDIENTS

BEANS

1 16-ounce can green beans
1 16-ounce can yellow beans
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans
1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
DRESSING

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Drain beans; mix together with vegetables. Thoroughly blend together the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over beans and toss. Refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared 2-3 days ahead.)



PIEROGIE CASSEROLE
SERVES 6

If you like pierogies, you will love this. It's also a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. I usually serve it as a main dish, but it makes a nice side dish as well, in which case it would make 10-12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces lasagna noodles
2 large onions, diced
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)
4 cups mashed potatoes, made fresh or leftover
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook noodles according to package and set aside. Brown the butter in a medium skillet, being careful not to burn. Add the onions and sauté until softened and lightly browned. Combine the cheese and mashed potatoes. Butter or spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Line the bottom with a layer of noodles. Add a layer of potato and cheese mixture then spread with a portion of the onions. Continue to layer the ingredients ending with a layer of noodles topped with onions. Bake at 350° F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly.

Notes: Browning the butter adds a lot of flavor to the casserole. If you prefer, it could just be melted. If making freshly mashed potatoes, use about 8 large potatoes. If you don't have enough leftover potatoes, add some fresh or make some from instant potatoes. The recipe can easily be halved.



BAKED CHICKEN WITH DIJON AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
SERVES 4 to 6

There are unlimited ways to season chicken or other poultry before baking or roasting. This recipe uses a simple marinade that can be prepared ahead or brushed on chicken parts just before baking. It's my favorite way to prepare cutup chicken because I can decide at the last moment to do it. A good old standby.

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds) cut up, or bone in chicken parts as desired
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar (can substitute red wine vinegar or lemon juice)
1 tablespoon olive oil, or enough to drizzle over chicken
Preheat oven to 400° F. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, on a baking rack if desired. Brush or spread each piece lightly with Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with the garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the vinegar, then drizzle lightly with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake until chicken is brown and done, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 50 minutes. This is good hot or at room temperature.

Notes: The ingredients can be mixed in a small bowl and poured over the chicken. The chicken and sauce can also set to marinate for about 30 minutes at room temperature or for a longer time in the refrigerator. You may omit the olive oil. Garlic powder may be substituted for the fresh. This is also great cooked on the grill.



BERRY AND KIWI COOKIE CRUST PIZZA
SERVES 10 to 12

It is my guess that many of you made this recipe long before I did. I first ate a fruit pizza of this type at my mother-in-law's. She is no longer with us, and my husband always liked her recipe, so I decided it was time to give it a try. As you can imagine, it is as basic as all the others you find scattered among many recipe pages on the web, probably all variations of a Pillsbury original. I just really like my combination of fruit. If you prefer a crust that is less sweet, use refrigerated pizza or pie dough. Of course, you can also make your own.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (can use reduced fat)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 or 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 cups of washed, hulled and sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh blackberries, rinsed and well drained (can substitute blueberries or use a combination)
1/4 cup apricot jam (or other light colored jam)
Freeze dough for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut dough into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place on a lightly greased or sprayed 15x10-inch baking sheet with sides or in a 14-inch round pizza pan, spaced apart fairly evenly. Press into bottom, with floured fingers, until it forms one flat, even sheet of dough, with a little lip on the edges. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on baking rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. Layer the kiwi, strawberries and blackberries in that order. Heat the jam in a small saucepan until warm, adding a little water if needed to get to spooning consistency. Spoon as evenly as possible over fruit. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cut into squares. Store leftovers in refrigerator. (After a day, the crust will start to get soggy from the fruit.)

Answer 2

Whenever I take either of these to a potluck, there usually isn't any left and I get requests for the recipe:

Corn Casserole (My Aunt Betsy's Recipe)

17 oz. can regular corn, drained (or approx. 17 oz. of frozen corn works, too)
17 oz. cream style corn
1 stick margarine, melted
3 eggs, beaten
8 oz. sour cream
1 small box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Melt stick of margarine in 13 x 9 pan. Add other ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Seven Layer Salad (Grandma's recipe)

Bag of iceburg lettuce
1 large red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
celery, finely chopped
9 oz. pkg. frozen peas, cooked and cooled
1 jar of Hormel real bacon bits
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup Miracle Whip or real Mayo
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ pkg. Good Seasons Dry Italian Dressing

Put the lettuce in a layer on the bottom of a large bowl, next the onion, then the green pepper, then the celery, then the peas, then the bacon, and then the cheese. Mix the mayo, sour cream, sugar, and Italian dressing and put in a layer on top. You can cover and refrigerate overnight. Don’t mix the dressing into the salad until right before serving.

Answer 3

I have always found that when it comes to a potluck all you see are hotdishes / casseroles or salads. How about picking up different kinds of dinner rolls: white, wheat, sesame, french, itallian etc. Put the breads in a nice basket and include plain butter, garlic butter and honey butter for spreads. This is an easy, inexpensive 'dish' to bring. As for the spreads you can find prepared tubs of both honey and garlic butter.

Answer 4

Pink Lady--It can be used as salad or dessert. Very light and cool. 1 large package strawberry jello dissolved in 2 cups boiling water. Add 10oz pkg. of frozen strawberries and stir in. Let it almost set up and whip in 3/4 container of Cool Whip and several sliced bananas. When set put rest of Cool Whip on top.
I always get raves and it is so simple.

Answer 5

Jello jigglers and banana pudding are always popular - but common too.

I like to make an easy cheese cake

One pack Jell-o (any flavor)
One box cream cheese
One tub cool whip thawed separated
One graham cracker crust

Mix jell-o with the boiling water, but don't add the cold. mix thoroughly with cream cheese. Fold in 1/2 tub cool whip. Spoon into crust.
Let set a couple of hours or overnight, until firm. top with remaining cool whip.

You can garnish with whatever fruit you use if you want to.

Answer 6

This is a beautiful, very appetizing dessert, guaranteed to disappear quickly, and it couldn't be more simple to put together:

STRAWBERRY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

1 storebought Angel Food cake, torn into bite sized pieces
1 (8oz.) package no fat cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz.) container light whipped cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 lbs. fresh strawberries, sliced

With electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese, whipped cream and powdered sugar.

In a large clear glass bowl, layer half of the cake, spread half of the cream cheese mixure over that, then half of the strawberries. Repeat layers, ending with strawberries.

Chill until ready to serve.

Answer 7

Take a salad with the salad mix that has greens and romaine and add some crumbled feta cheese and chopped pecans and pour with some vinagrette of your choice and that is it!!! WOnderful with alot of flavors but only 4 ingredients, so good.

Answer 8

Get a large package of country ribs and put them in the crockpot - add some spices and a bottle of BBQ sausce and let them cook for about 6-8 hours - they will be so tender they will fall off of the one and they will still be hot when you get there or you can plug the pot back in to heat them back up!

Answer 9

It's called Whopper Dip!

Lettuce
Tomato
Taco Sauce
Sour Cream
Salsa

Layer these in a dish and serve with taco chips. It really does taste like a Whopper!

Answer 10

This time of year, try a simple salad:

Spinach leaves
Dried cherries
Crumbled Bleu Cheese
Chopped Green Apple
Thin sliced red onion
Broken Walnuts
Raspberry Vinaigrette

Works so well and goes with almost everything this time of year.

Answer 11

Try Balsamic Vinegar Salad....Dressing: a mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, shallots, a pinch of salt, black pepper n sugar.....pour everything into a combination of lettuce, feta cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, bacon, ham and ever thing else according to your creativity......tadaaaa we have a winner =)