Recipe for church dinner?

Question

My church is having a dinner this Sunday and I'd like to bring something. I'm a newly wed so I'm still learning how to cook and I'm excited about bringing my first dish to be tasted. I'm thinking of taking a dessert, or a simple side item. Can you all offer any good recipes? Thanks!

Answer 1

Chocolate Pudding Trifle
Yield: Fills a 6-quart bowl about 3/4

Chocolate Cake:
Use your favorite chocolate cake recipe or even a box of your favorite chocolate cake mix. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before proceeding. Break up the cake into small pieces in a large bowl.

Chocolate Pudding Filling:
2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups whole milk
Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnish:
About 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs, or chocolate-sandwich cookies, crushed into crumbs

Prepare the chocolate cake as recommended above.
To prepare the chocolate pudding filling: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the instant pudding and the milk for 3 minutes. Place uncovered in the refrigerator and chill until set, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and the vanilla extract until soft peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.

To assemble the trifle: Place 1/3 of the cake in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Place over this 1/3 of the pudding mixture, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Spread 1/3 of the whipped cream over this. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cookie crumbs. Proceed in this fashion until three layers have been assembled, ending with a dusting of the cookie crumbs. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight, before cutting and serving.

Shepherd's Pie
2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds ground beef/turkey
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or turkey. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Hope you like it!!!
Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

This was my secret recipe of summer 2006. I took it everywhere when asked to bring a dish. I took the Jello salad to serve with it. I don't know why but, it's very good together...and pretty. No one else has this recipe until now.
Lemon Cake
1 Super Moist Lemon Cake Mix
Grate lemon peel of 1 lemon and beat into eggs real good.
Fix cake according to directions on box.
ICING
1 box powdered sugar
Grated lemon peel of 1 lemon
Squeeze lemon of 1 lemon
3 TBS softened butter
Add milk a TBS at a time to consistency. For a smoother icing add a little flour (I don't).
JELLO SALAD
1 8 oz. cool whip
1 sm package jello (any flavor)- DRY
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
I add a sliced banana, and pecans or walnuts.
Mix together a refrigerate over night.

Answer 3

I make this wonderful cake..Its called "Angel Lush"...so its perfect for the occasion. And its so simple.

1 Angelfood cake
1large box Vanilla pudding (instant)
1 can crushed pinapple (do NOT drain)
cool whip

Take a prebaked angelfood cake and slice it thru in three layers.

I large bowl...mix dry pudding mix, pinapple with juice until well blended. Then add 1 1/2 cups coolwhip.

Place bottom layer on cake plate, top with 1/3 of the pineapple mixture, place next layer on that and continue with the third layer.
I like to take a few strawberries and cut in half and put on top for decoration.

This is a very light dessert and can be made with even less fat by using lower fat versions of the pudding and coowhip. Good Luck.

Answer 4

How about chicken and dumplings. In a large pot sautee up 1 medium onion, 1 - 2 sliced carrots, 1 - 2 stalks of celery with a little salt and pepper. Then add 2 qts. of chicken stock and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add 2 - 3 shredded chicken breasts. Next add the dumplings. You can make your own from scratch, but I generally like to use the recipe of the back of the bisquik box. Smothered pork chops are also easy and delish. In a baking dish lay 6 porkchops that you have seasoned with salt and pepper. In a bowl mix 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 1 small diced onion, and 1/2 c. fresh sliced onion. Spoon this on top of the pork chops and bake covered for about 45 minutes, then uncovered for about 15 more minutes. YUM! Baked Beans. I cheat on this and buy 2 large cans of b & m baked beans. To this I add 1 medium diced onion, 1/4 cups each ketchup and brown sugar, and about 2 tbsp. yellow mustard. Top with sliced bacon and bake on 300 for about 45 minutes. The bacon should be crispy when you are done. Red Beans and Rice. This depends on where in the south you are from. There are a ton of recipes out there, it really depends on what part of the south you're from.

Answer 5

Spinnach Rice and Bell Pepper Salad

1 bunch fresh spinnach (don't buy bagged with the health scare and wash it really well in water with a few teaspoons baking soda)
3 cups uncooked white rice
6 cups water
pinch of salt
1 each: red pepper, yellow pepper, green pepper
1/4 cup raisins
1/4-1/2 cup Wishbone Italian Dressing
handful of shelled sunflower seeds

Place the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add white rice with a pinch of salt. Stir, put the lid on, and turn down to low heat. Cook for 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, slice the peppers thinly, discarding seeds.
Cool the rice in the fridge until cold. When the rice is cooled, flake rice with a fork into a large bowl so no clumps remain. Wash and chop spinnach, discarding stems. Add the spinnach, peppers, raisins, and sunflower seeds to rice bowl and stir. Add the Italian dressing and toss. Serve cold.

Answer 6

This isn't a desert, but it's very easy and always a huge hit:

Ingredients:
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 can cream style corn
1/2 C. melted butter
3/4 C. sugar
1 can whole kernel corn
2 eggs
1 C. (8 oz.) sour cream

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Bake at 375 for 45-60 min. or til well set in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Enjoy!

Answer 7

you should make carrot cake it is sooooooooo good
Here's an easy recipe


Carrot Cake

2 cups of sugar
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups of grated carrot
1 cup of chopped nuts, optional
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Sift together the sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add carrots, nuts, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Pour into a floured and greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch cake pan. Bake in a 350ºF. oven for 30 minutes. Cool in pan. Spread with Cream Cheese Icing.

and here's the recipe for the Cream Cheese Icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

One 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. pkg. powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Blend in vanilla. Sift powdered sugar. Gradually beat together powdered sugar and mixture.

if you don't want to make carrot cake then check out this site is got allot of really easy recipes

http://www.basic-recipes.com/

Answer 8

Here's an easy dessert that's easy to make and just about everyone loves.

chilled fresh fruit: cut strawberries, pineapples & grapes (and/or whatever other fresh fruits you like)
16oz fluff (that marshmellowy stuff in the jar)
8oz cream cheese

Let the cream cheese get to room temp and mix with the Fluff till completely mixed and creamy. Put in bowl and arrange on tray with fruit assortment. Chill. For more, just double or triple the above parts.

Enjoy!

Answer 9

Go to allrecipes.com
It is a great site where the recipes are reviewed by people who have used them and they give great suggestions, the recipes are also rated.
Look for the pretzel/jello salad recipe. It doesn't look to great on paper but it is awesome, lot of compliments will come your way and it's easy.

Here I posted it for you.
Happy Cooking.

Answer 10

irish soda bread would be perfect. although i don't know the recipe my father uses, but it's kind of a family thing so i probably wouldn't give it out anyway. but i'm sure you can find a good recipe for it. it's pretty easy to make, just takes some time is all. if you make it, make it with raisins, it tastes so much better with raisins.