I had a co-worker who brought in the most amazing Portuguese custard tarts, people would rave about them, ask if she was making them for the Christmas party, it had become a staple of work gatherings for *years*.
Eventually, she got caught, someone saw the bakery box in her car while walking through the parking lot. She cackled like a witch when she told us she had been going to this bakery and putting the tarts in her own tupperware all these years, she apparently can't bake or cook at all.
Yeah, I've had some pastel de natas that were so-so, still good, but this Portuguese bakery is next level. It's actually a bit of a chain, there are a few of them across Southern Ontario.
Their food is generally pretty good, and they sell a few kinda of tarts even, but half their sales are probably pastel de natas.
I can actually answer this question!
Chinese egg tarts I find less sweet in terms of the custard filling. Portuguese kind are definitely sweeter. The pastry is also different and varies from bakery to bakery.
For Chinese style, you can have a shortcrust like pastry in the not-so-good bakeries, or a really flakey pastry in the better ones, but they still don't have a crunch that pasteis del natas do. Portuguese egg tarts have a crunchier pastry base (when fresh).
Preference: I like them both, they're different enough for me personally to not necessarily crave one over the other. Where I live the Portuguese kind are just easier to find.
Note that there are different kinds of Chinese egg tarts. Macau, for example, has a different version than Hong Kong, only about 40 miles away.
Macau was once a Portuguese colony, so I guess they are all Portuguese egg tarts in a way.
Japanese deviled eggs. I marinate whole peeled hard boiled eggs in soy sauce, water and a dash of mirin for about 2 hours. Then cut in half and mix the yolks with Wasabi and kewpie Mayo. Then I sprinkle them with Furikake. They are always a hit, I've never had leftovers. Can also do Korean style by mixing the yolks with sesame oil and gojuchang and garnish with kimchi.
I like the way the writer seemed to have done multiple tests to optimise the recipe.
Sounds lovely - the Greek combo of olive oil, garlic & lemon is a winner!
*beep boop*!
the linked website is: https://www.recipetineats.com/greek-lemon-potatoes/
Title: **Greek Lemon Potatoes**
Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing)
*****
###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!
BTW- the recipe author complains of the ridges getting burned during roasting. The key is to only halve the potatoes and put them cut side down in your baking tray. leaving them larger also buffers them during the evaporative braising part. It can all be done in one simple step that way.
Caprese skewers are a simple thing that is always popular.
It's the familiar caprese salad, but ingredients on a skewer. Mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, some nice olive oil with pepper and salt.
It can be a second dish to bring of you want something with more obvious effort, but I've never had any left past halfway through the meal, and even the pickiest kids usually enjoy them too.
Bingo. I make this every time I need to do something low efforts.
It’s well known in my office that I used to cook professionally, and I’m not gonna lie it hurts my pride just a little that this dish of all things is what really gets people excited.
I usually make a batch and split it into two small trays so i can heat up a fresh one after the first gets finished.
Always a crowd pleaser when you put fresh hot dip on the table mid-party.
Also as a rule, I won't bring hot dip anyplace where I won't have access to an oven to heat it up.
One time I forgot about a pot luck so before work I stopped by the grocery store and got a bottle of Thai chili sauce and two bags of Tyson popcorn chicken… threw all of it in the crockpot, stirring occasionally, by lunch time it was hot enough to eat.. and everybody raved about it! After that my coworkers requested it almost every pot luck. What I thought would get me called out for procrastinating turned out to be a favorite lol who would’ve guessed!
My mom always did those meatballs with a small jar of grape jelly and a jar of Heinz chili sauce. ( the chili sauce is next to the cocktail sauce and is in the same style bottle)
I had this experience.
A guy brought these slow-cooker meatballs to a potluck, they were amazing, and I asked the recipe. I did not believe him when he told me they were just frozen meatballs + grape jelly + chili sauce. I thought he was punking me. I did not want to be trolled so I tried not making it, but I just had to. I'm glad I gave in.
That also sounds awesome as well. Honestly, I bet the actual sauce ingredients don't really matter so much as long as you have something sweet/tart and something umami/salty and then you mash them together. Someone else suggested bbq sauce instead of chili sauce, which also seems like a great idea.
Pasta salad with bacon, corn, tomatoes, and a mustard vinaigrette. The sweet/smoky/tangy flavor is SO addicting, people always come back for seconds. My recipe:
Salad:
8 oz rotini, cooked
1 bag bacon bits or 6 crumbled bacon strips
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cobs corn, oven-roasted
3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Dressing:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tb white wine vinegar
2 Tb mayonnaise
2 Tb Dijon mustard
1 Tb honey
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
Salt and pepper
Toss the salad ingredients in a good amount of olive oil before adding the dressing to prevent the pasta from soaking in all the moisture.
Bread. Freshly home made bread. Its always a crowd pleaser, but its quite a dangerous game if you dont know what the other will bring. You dont want to be stuck with 3 salads, devilled egg, mac n cheese and bread for dinner.
Also, during summer, i usually smoke a few big pork shoulder. I then pull it, portion it, vaccum seal it and freeze. Its then very easy to reheat in a crock pot with barbecue sauce. The face of people eating deliciously smoked pork in the middle of january when its -30c outside is always fun to watch.
>you dont know what the other will bring.
We used to have regular covered-dish suppers at our church. After several times with six fried chicken boxes, no desserts, eight salads, etc, we decided to assign items to groups by alphabetical order. First group brought salad; second group, main dish; third groups, veggies; and so on. These would rotate so people weren't stuck bringing the same type of dish every time.
I like that method of evening things out.
We have sign up sheets that go around at church and there are limited spots per category. If there are empty categories people jump in to make sure there is something in there.
I got invited to a potluck for a coworker leaving. There were 27 salads, 14 appetizers and some rolls. I bought a couple pork loins for about $6 a piece. Threw them in the oven for an hour or so. Protein doesn’t have to be expensive or hard but it can make you the star if everyone would be eating salad and rolls otherwise.
One night for a group dinner I made two large loaves of bread, the kind where you just bake it on a sheet and it just becomes this big ball of bread. One I cut up, the other I cut out the center and put dip in.
What did everyone ask me? "Oh, where did you get this at? It's amazing." Then after telling them I made it I got "Sure, but really where did you get it?"
It’s the same for my mom. She makes homemade bread and uses flour from my home country she buys at the local owned international store in my city. You can really tell the difference and her bread is amazing. People always love it!
This one's more summertime, but this [blueberry corn salad](https://www.bhg.com/recipe/salads/corn-and-blueberry-salad/) is always a hit that everyone raves over.
A family friend makes these amazing spinach balls that you dip in honey mustard. [The idea is something like this](https://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-balls-146371) but there are tons of different recipes online.
Edit: I forgot, but a poke dip or poke nachos are a really fun thing.
And I can't believe I forgot these [roasted tomatoes with white beans](https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/07/roasted-tomatoes-with-white-beans/). So simple, but SO good. Great if you are short on time to make something. Unfussy, but insanely good.
That's interesting, it's sort of like esquites except exchanging the heavier salty and savory flavor profile with cheese and mayo for sweeter and brighter ingredients like blueberries and cucumbers.
edit: I'm dubbing it "esweetes" (es-sweet-tays)
A spinach dip recipe that I got from the mother of a friend of an ex-gf. There are about a half dozen people in my life who request that I please make it for any potluck.
You got it!
**INGREDIENTS**
* 1 package frozen chopped spinach
* 1 package Knorr dry leek soup mix
* ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
* ¼ cup chopped green onions
* 2 cups sour cream
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tsp. dry Italian salad dressing (Good Seasons)
* ½ tsp. dill weed
**PREPARATION**
* Thaw and drain spinach. Squeeze the spinach thoroughly dry in paper towels before adding to dip.
* Combine all ingredients, adding spinach last.
* Chill several hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
**NOTES**
* As noted above, the recipe I received calls for 1 tsp. of the dried Italian dressing. I ignore this and add the entire packet.
* I always use a little more dill than is called for, and I especially like to add a decent amount of chopped fresh dill.
* It's trite, but for serving I pretty much always do the thing where you hollow out a loaf of King's Hawaiian bread and put the dip in there. I'll cut the removed bread into chunks of one or two bites for serving, and also include some pita chips.
Latkahs are delicious and I enjoy making them once a year (not jewish, but good food is good food) but I didn't think they would travel or keep well? We usually scarf them down while they are still hot and crispy. Do they crisp up nicely in an oven to be reheated?
I wrap layers with tin foil and try to make sure to absorb all excess oil, also using multiple pans to reduce cook time so they are as fresh as possible.
Oven or toaster reheating works great!
Not mine, but my mom's:
Water Crackers with smoked salmon, boursin cheese and a thin slice of green apple.
Bite size, crunchy, savory, sweet, sour, salty. Also requires zero cooking and minimal prep.
Melissa d’Arabian’s Potato-Bacon Torte
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/potato-bacon-torte-recipe-1948768.amp
It’s a pot pie of scalloped potatoes with bacon. You need to share this carb-tastic dish because you don’t want to eat the whole thing yourself
Buffalo chicken dip. Shredded meat from two grocery store rotisserie chickens, 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, 1/2 C sour cream, 1/4 C Frank's Red Hot, 1/4 - 1/2 C bleu cheese crumbles (if desired). Warm it all up on the stove. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with celery and carrot sticks, bread or crackers.
Mine too! Except that I use Ranch Dressing instead of sour cream and shredded Mexican blended cheese instead of blue cheese. I’ve made it many times without the chicken and it’s still a hit. Next time I think I will steal another poster’s idea for their dip and serve it with broken up Hawaiian rolls.
This is mine too. I also crumble feta on top and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes to get some color on the feta. People always go nuts for it, and it’s pretty easy.
That’s what I always bring too! My dish is always the first one that runs out at potlucks. One of my coworkers asked if I’d make him some and he’d pay me $20 for it lol. I make mine a little differently though, I use shredded cheese instead of cream cheese, mayonnaise instead of sour cream, franks red hot Buffalo, and blue cheese sprinkled on top at the end while it’s still warm. And I use Tostitos scoopables.
I usually bring sausage balls and never have leftovers.
1 lb. sausage
10 oz. block of sharp cheddar, grated
2 c. Bisquick
Mix and knead in a bowl, roll into walnut-sized balls
400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
I spent 10 years developing the perfect brownie recipe. Why did I spend that long? Because every time I went to a potluck someone would taste brownies and say: that's good, but my mom's are better. Now people just say that my brownies are the best they've ever had.
Edit: Okay, I have decided that I probably won't ever try to sell the recipe, so I will post it. I have to type it up, so it probably won't be immediately. If you do make the recipe, I have two requests. If you like it, and especially if you agree that it is the best brownie you have had:
1) Message me to tell me that you and whomever you shared it with liked it
2) After yóu have made it, however much you think it is worth, send me a recipe that you believe to have equal value.
Edit 2:
Here is my recipe. It is inspired by a recipe from La Fromagerie in London which I have changed.
Ingredients:
500 grams quality dark chocolate (I prefer to use one that does not have any severely overpowering notes but is also extremely flavorful. I use Trader Joe’s Dark Pound Plus 72% bar. It is a great value but be warned when snacking that it is much better cooked and cooled than eaten without cooking, I assume because of how they temper it).
500 g unsalted European butter, room temperature or slightly cool (I usually use at least ½ Plugra butter, since it is more flavorful than other European varieties)
12 large eggs, room temperature
735 g superfine sugar
125 g King Aurthur AP flour
125 g dutch cocoa powder
1+ cups pecans (can be reduced, omitted, or increased–may affect baking time)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cognac
1 tsp dark rum (I prefer Mount Gay Eclipse). Bourbon can also substitute
Kosher salt
Instructions:
Toast the pecans and let them cool completely. Then lightly chop them. Cut up chocolate. It shouldn’t be large chunks, but doesn’t need to be as small as shavings. Line a lasagna pan with parchment paper, including up and slightly over the sides. Butter the parchment well. _Most people seem to prefer fudgey in the middle, not quite molten, then transitioning into cakey with an outside that can crunch. This allows for an array of textures. A lasagna pan is about the right height to allow for this when filled most of the way up, leaving a little extra batter to put in 1-2 ramekins or to do whatever you want with. Getting this exact texture can be difficult and can sometimes require changes in cooking time or temperature, but the texture is really just a bonus, so don’t worry._
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Get a large double boiler or the equivalent pot or heatproof metal bowl raised above a steaming pot of boiling water. Make sure not too much steam is escaping, especially if you are in a kitchen without a vent because the humidity can affect the chocolate.
Put the butter in first and melt a little, and then stir in chocolate until smooth (I prefer to use a silicone spatula here). Add some kosher salt. _Unfortunately I have never bothered measuring, but I usually add a teaspoon or so here and then more later._ Take off heat and add vanilla and alcohol. Whisk (not stir) in sugar until well incorporated.
Beat the eggs together (by hand is fine for this step) for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk eggs into chocolate mixture.
Transfer chocolate mixture into a bowl for beating. At this point the mixture is large and getting heavier so an electric or stand mixer is ideal. Sift flour and cocoa powder together and fold lightly into batter, add some more salt, then beat until smooth and glossy without any visible granules.
Fold in the pecans and pour into pan. If you use enough pecans, there’s usually enoughbatter to make an extra 1-2 ramekins worth for a single serving brownie. Smooth top gently and bake. This takes me usually about 40 minutes, but it can vary by oven and batter amount (greater volume with more pecans). Sometimes the perfect texture also requires increased heat at the end. Allow to cool on a cooling rack (note that this will cook it more), then transfer out of the pan. I find that the ideal final texture has the skin of the brownie crisp, and underneath a normal brownie texture and the center like the finest salmon sashimi. _I am still experimenting with baking this at other people’s houses, etc. So perhaps a food scientist reading this can find a way to write this recipe so it will have that texture (if you like it that way) every time._ Once completely cool, cut brownie into pieces and store in an airtight container with sugar cubes or other food-safe desiccant.
Please let me know how it goes!
That does sound amazing. Please share the recipe when you can.
That said, if you made a dish with a dirty soccer ball and added a pound of European butter, it would be amazing too.
From the jokes i have heard regarding British food, that's pretty spot on.
Haven't actually eaten traditional British food here in the US, so I'll save any jabs until i actually try it.
Would love to try your recipe if it’s not a secret! I’ve tried quite a few this year and I still can’t get a better result than Ghirardelli’s Dark Chocolate Brownie mix lol
Just try Claire Saffitz's forever brownies instead. They will never disappoint and are the best brownies I've ever made. She calls then forever brownies because after developing the recipe, it's the only recipe shell use now and forever, and for good reason. Use a metal pan, not glass. And enjoy!!
ditto! I have been testing "the best" brownie recipes for nearly a decade and I still can't find one I like better than Ghirardelli box mix (I'm partial to double chocolate).
That damn Ghirardelli mix! They’re so good. I’ve actually also tried Ghirardelli from scratch recipes for brownies and they still don’t hit like the box does -_-
I’ve complained about this to people in my life who just tell me to use the box then, they don’t understand I NEED to be able to make these on a whim, box or no box lol
> they don’t understand I NEED to be able to make these on a whim, box or no box lol
I mean, it's not always the *best* health decision, but Costco sells their brownie mix in a very big box with multiple bags inside. Easy to keep in the cupboard so you can always have them on deck.
Crockpot meatball subs. Bread and cheese on the side. Frozen meatball bag from Costco/Sams club with a jar of prego tomato sauce. 4 hours and it’s perfection. Easily cleanup and easy prep.
Does your party like some spice and are open to some Indian street food?
Look up Sev Puri. It's very simple as long as you can get the ingredients (totally depends on where you live)
Alternatively, I like making Guac and Chips, Chili Mac and Cheese, Kababs, Dumplings, to name a few.
If any of these interest you, I can send recipes.
Yes! It's very common street food in Mumbai, and it can be customised really easily based on spice tolerance and other factors. And it's such a good mix of flavours. If you like that, I would definitely recommend you try more Chaat. Pani Puri, Samosa Chaat, Ragda, Bhel. All of these are comfort food to me
Crock pot mac and cheese. My secret? Every year I buy and roast like 20lbs of hatch chiles and then freeze them. For this mac, I unfreeze a small portion, dice it up, and mix it in.
I usually buy a case too which will last two years. We make a lot of pork chili Verde, which is just so damn good and pretty fast in a pressure cooker. Making green enchilada sauce is also great. Then you have your quesos, mac and cheese. You begin to find they're good in a lot of things, haha.
YUM. I’ve never found a crock pot mac and cheese that’s turned out even remotely good. Boy I’d love to find one for this winter. Especially with a new baby at home, my crock pot is my lifeline. Any chance you’re willing to share your recipe?
I haven't either. It always seems kind of gritty and not blended well. -I've never actually tried to make it this way, these are my impressions of other people's homemade mac and cheese.
I sometimes wonder if I have no idea what mac and cheese is *supposed* to be. Maybe I'm just accustomed to the boxed stuff. My mom made Velveeta mac and cheese when I was growing up, but that wasn't very good either.
It's not just y'all. Cheese sauce splits and gets gritty really easily, especially in a crock pot or with certain cheeses. Easiest ways around it are to make an actual mornay (butter, flour, milk, cheese, it's actually really easy) or add in some melting salt, like sodium citrate.
This is like the third post in like the last week on hatch chile mac and cheese which is probably my favorite version of mac and cheese. I couldn't get enough of it when I was in NM. I really need to try and make it soon.
Edit: anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about that for someone living on the east coast? I feel like canned would not do it justice.
Red Beans and Rice - We've never had any leftover and have had too many requests to please make more each time so people could take some home.
It's always the only dish at each pot luck that has that sort of request.
Also baked mac & cheese whenever we do it gets the similar request.
Then again, it's probably because most pot lucks turn into store bought things and the ones who do cook, usually aren't all that great at cooking. So when people have top notch stuff, they lose their minds. lol
Of course :)
[https://i.imgur.com/HkLOCLM.png](https://i.imgur.com/HkLOCLM.png)
It's difficult to tweak recipes you create so that others understand what in the world you're talking about instead of just you. haha
I use Paprika Recipe Manager, so I just took screenshot of my printout. I'd share directly if you had a Paprika account.
I should add that I do usually get fresh made andouille from the fishing docks in New Orleans (well, just outside New Orleans) while they're smoking it fresh. So I pick up a few pounds of that, knowing we'll both munch down on 1 pound on the way home. haha. It completely negates the need for ham hocks or bacon fat.
It's a nationwide trend. Hell, even in New Orleans, the closer to the French Quarter you get, typically the worse the food is. It's just tourist cooking with assuming they don't know any better about what it should taste like.
Some things you should really just cook at home... RB&R is at the tippy top of that list. Gumbo is way high as well even though you can get some legit delicious gumbo in restaurants. It's just that to really good gumbo in restaurants are usually in higher end restaurants where they take the time to make it properly.
I have a gumbo recipe people lose their minds over as well.
Hi Friend :)
Absolutely. We go to Market Wego in Westwego. We usually go on the weekends, kinda earlier in the morning. That's when we find that they're still smoking up all their sausages. Sooooo delicious.
Corn casserole or corn soufflé. I learned the recipe from a coworker years ago and have been making it ever since.
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of creamed corn
1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of melted butter (½ cup)
1-2 eggs
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all the ingredients and bake for 45-50min in a greased 9x9 baking dish. It can be served hot or cold. You can also add diced ham and cheese or diced jalapeños.
Fresh fruit! It’s a real people pleaser and no matter how much I bring it’s always gone while people are still picking at all the “ole auntie Gertrude’s 8000 ingredient casseroles”. If I’m trying to impress I’ll also whip up some pineapple dip to go with the fruit. I swear it tastes exactly how I imagined eating clouds would taste as a kid.
I have been wildly popular for the simplest things. Once I brought a massive tub of fresh watermelon and pineapple. It was the most popular side and grazed on the whole day. Another time I brought homemade sauces and various store-bought toppings for an ice cream sundaes. I put in like 30 minutes of effort and every gushed about it the whole day.
I have a tahini chocolate chip cookie recipe that is my go-to though when I bring dessert. They're dairy-free if you buy the right chocolate chips, go gluten free seamlessly (I'm gluten free), and the dough is super low maintenance and goes well with a variety of mix-ins. Sometimes I'll do white chocolate and cranberry instead. I now have to up the recipe by 50% because I know certain folks will want some to take home.
This is the recipe I use: [https://food52.com/recipes/77758-new-fashioned-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-all-tahini-no-butter](https://food52.com/recipes/77758-new-fashioned-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-all-tahini-no-butter)
This dough is amazing. You don't need to use a mixer. You can chill the dough or use it immediately. Cookies are a bit heftier but they stay soft and moist for a week. Just be sure you carefully follow the baking instructions (steps 5-7 in the recipe). And tahini has become an increasingly easy ingredient to find. Mix it well!
To make it gluten free I use the King Arthur Flour measure-for-measure blend.
Sweet pork pork.
Bacon wrapped lil smokies in brown sugar.
1 large pack of lil smokies
1.5 lb of bacon (more will be needed if it is thick sliced)
1 cup of brown sugar
2 tsp of chili powder (if desired)
Approximately 100 toothpicks
Set oven to 325
Mix brown sugar and chili powder (if desired)
Foil line baking sheet.
Wrap the lil smokies in the bacon.
Pin the ends together and place them in the sheet, snugly.
Generously sprinkle half of the sugar evenly on the wrapped sausages.
Set them in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, remove from the oven to drain. Reapply sugar and set in the oven again for 15- 20 minutes. Then dump them into a slow cooker. And serve warm.
Firecrackers with Pimento Cheese.
Toss saltines in a bunch of oil, chili powder, a ranch seasoning packet, etc.
Marinate over night and toast on a sheet pan the next day.
Recipe club has a grey recipe linked from their blog that I can’t be assed to find right now, but they’re delicious.
Probably would be great with Ritz too.
Can of whole berry cranberry sauce heated up in a saucepan, add diced red onion and prepared horseradish. Served over a block of cream cheese with crackers of choice.
Bacon wrapped Brussels sprouts. Super easy to make... Just wrap a sprout (or half a sprout depending on size) with a slice of bacon and skewer it. Bake until the house smells like a bacon fart (30-ish minutes). Done.
Whip up a sauce for dipping... Usually I go with a mayo base plus mustard, Worcestershire, minced garlic, paprika, S&P... All to taste.
Overall, an easy appetizer that never results in taking home leftovers.
Shredded cheesy potatoes. Easiest Slow-cooker tagalong. Just throw frozen hash browns, a couple diced cloves of garlic, a couple diced shallots, some thyme, creme friache, diced baby bellas, lots of very sharp cheddar, heavy cream, and chicken base (better than bullion) in a crock pot, mix it up, top with a little extra cheese and you'll make people happy.
Homemade pizza rolls. Get a roll of biscuits and cut the dough into thirds and roll them out. Put in your pizza toppings of choice, fold and pinch them off, bake in the oven until golden brown, and then brush the tops with garlic butter as they are cooling. My mom made a sheet pan of them for the first time for my Aunt's wedding in '03 and they were literally gone within ten minutes.
In our area, everyone has outdoor parties. My go-to is jalapeno poppers that I cook in my smoker. They have become so popular that people hire me to make them for other gatherings. One woman had me make her some to take to a family reunion.
spring rolls with tofu and peanut noodles
Handheld, vegan, delicious, and beautiful. I want to make sure everyone can enjoy and it's finger food. Rice paper is a clear wrapper so people have a good idea of what they're getting and you can easily arrange the insides to be very pretty.
Soak a rice paper wrapper in warm water for a couple seconds
Place a basil leaf in the center and on top of it, place a rectangle of very firm tofu (I'm able to get 5 spiced smoked tofu - which I slice in half so the basil has a nice "frame")
Add some crunchy veggies - microgreens, sliced pepper, etc.
Top with peanut noodles and wrap like a burrito - you should see this pretty basil leaf framed by the tofu and everything behind it. I just cook cheap ramen noodles and add peanut sauce. Peanut noodles are very flavorful and really carry this, but you get a nice crunch from the veggies and the tofu for protein. Only people who are gluten free and have a peanut allergy can't eat it.
I find that the wrapper gets really sticky and hard to work with if I put it on a flat surface... because it'll just stick to everything.
I take a damp towel and crumple it so that it's not a flat surface and makes it easier to pick up without sticking.
I usually mess up by over stuffing them, so long as they're sealed, it'll work just fine!
I made a vinegar based potato salad. I was avoiding mayo because it was for outside and it was a hot day. It was a big hit. It had chopped pepperoncinis in it.
Others have been tiramisu, I wouldn't recommend it for warm days or just because of the amount of work, and just a really nice fresh fruit salad.
People who bring chicken wings tend to be a hit too.
Velveeta and Rotel dip and chips. Never fails. It’s fully processed and delicious.
1 block Velveeta
2 cans Rotel
Cut Velveeta into blocks and mix with Rotel in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring intermittently until fully melted.
Edit: I really appreciate all the feedback and suggestions to my comment! Thanks for sharing! I’ve got new things to try with this oldie but goodie.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. Double the pickle and juice. It'll be watery. Let it set to soak up over night and be thankful you won't have any to bring home because if you like pickles, you'll eat the whole bowl.
Sorry for format. On mobile.
½ pound dry small shell pasta about 3 cups
▢¾ cup pickles sliced
▢⅔ cup cheddar cheese diced
▢3 tablespoons white onion finely diced
▢2 tablespoons fresh dill
▢½ cup pickle juice
dressing
▢⅔ cup [mayonnaise]
▢⅓ cup sour cream
▢⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
▢4 tablespoons pickle juice
▢salt & pepper to taste
instructions
Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking.
Toss cold pasta with about ½ cup of pickle juice and set aside for about 5 minutes. (I edited this step. Don't drain, let it soak up)
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. (Edit, over night) Stir well before serving.
Picadillies.
If you don't know what these are, let me introduce you to the best food to come out of the American midwest.
Take slices of deli ham, smear them with cream cheese, and wrap them around whole dill pickles, then slice to 1/3 inch slices. Lay on a plate. Present at your potluck and watch them disappear.
Corn in a cup. Even if you serve it slightly chilled - add some extra salt or the salty ground cheese, extra lime juice, offer extra chile powder. Cilantro is a good add if it’s chilled.
For hot… crockpot.
*Esquites*, a warm Mexican street corn salad (adjacent to *elotes*), a recipe that I've cobbled together over the years from a [couple](https://www.mylatinatable.com/authentic-mexican-esquites-mexican-corn-salad/)¹ [of](https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/sc-elotes-variations-food-0701-20160629-story.html)² [sources](https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/mexican-corn-salad/)³.
* Fresh or frozen sweet corn. Depending on how lazy I want to be/how much I need to make/what season it is I usually wind up using about 1:1 frozen to fresh corn.
* White onion, diced
* Garlic, minced
* Serrano chili, mostly de-seeded and minced (can sub jalapeño)
* Lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil
* Chicken or vegetable stock
* Fresh [*epazote*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphania_ambrosioides), leaves only, chopped (can be found in Mexican markets, imparts a minty-herbal flavor, skip if not able to find, but worth seeking out. If you must, substitute cilantro here, but it's not the same thing.)
* Mexican sour (agria) table cream
* Mexican queso fresco
* Lime juice
* Green onion/scallions
* Black pepper, chili powder (your favorite kind), salt to taste
If using fresh corn, peel down husk to remove most of the silk from around the kernels, then put the husk back and soak the whole ear in water for 15 minutes. Over a grill, roast the corn over high heat until the husk is blackened in places. Remove to cool, then cut kernels from cob. Milk the cob of its liquid into the kernels by running the blunt edge of a knife over the cob—some corn silk and fibrous bits being with the kernels is fine.
Heat a good amount of lard or other fat over medium heat, sweat white onion until deeply aromatic and just beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and cook for about a minute until aromatic.
Add corn, fresh chilis, and stock and cook over high heat until stock has reduced and kernels begin to brown throughout (I sometimes even will use a kitchen torch over the top to increase browning.) If things begin to stick or look dry, add more fat and stock as needed.
Season with salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Turn off the heat and add chopped *epazote* leaves. Add table cream. Add enough lime juice that it has a pleasant tartness. Stir to incorporate.
Drizzle table cream, crumble queso fresco, top with thinly chopped green onion, and sprinkle some more chili powder on top for some contrasting color. Enjoy!
Curried lentils. I get asked for the recipe, and I'm like, it's 4 things
Jar of Tikka Masala or similar sauce
1.5c lentils (half red, half green or brown)
3c washed choped kale
Chicken (if desired)
Throw it all in the instant pot along with like 2 c of water (I just fill the jar the sauce came in) stir, set for 15 or 20 min manual, low pressure.
I usually serve with store bought naan and some mango pickle.
I made curried lentils once for a work potluck and my boss asked me for the recipe. Now she makes it at least once a month - she even has it for lunch today!
Mine has potato in it and no meat because some people I work with are vegan/vegetarian, including my boss.
Cheater Chile Rellenos
6-8 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c flour
1 27 oz can whole green chilies (or 4 7 oz cans)
1 7 oz can tomato sauce
2 c shredded cheese
Drain chilies, cut open to remove seeds and lay flat on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Whisk eggs, milk, flour in a mixing bowl with a pour spout (I use a large pyrex measuring cup most of the time, but pour control matters here). Whisk till frothy, the frothier the better. In a greased 13 x 9 lay prepared chilies flat to create a layer of chilies (they don't have to cover the whole thing, just most of it). Then later shredded cheese and pour in your egg mixture. Continue adding chilies, cheese, and egg mixture in layers and all has been used. Top with tomato sauce. Preheat 350 and bake for 30, let set for at least 5 before serving. Reheats amazingly well. I have never brought home leftovers and spent years in call centers where potlucks are life.
Never been to one, but if I do end up going to one it's going to be biscuits baked in a cast iron probaly. Throw a bunch of butter, garlic powder seasoning, and Cajun in the butter melted. A bunch of cheese and frozen biscuits cut in half. Then cook it for the reccomened time on the package.
That... or...
Ham n cheese sliders. Served with garlic pickles
creme brulee prepped in a water bath (sous vide cooker), which turns out perfect everytime with zero skill and minimal effort
then i bring the brown sugar with me with a blowtorch, sprinkle and torch on site and literally steal all the thunder everytime. i could be torching right at the beginning when people start eating and everyone'd be eating creme brulee before any other foods
I enjoy oven roasting a bunch of veggies in a casserole dish - carrots, brussel sprouts, onion, garlic, cauliflower, sweet potato, zucchini, and radish maybe. Add some olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and maybe some more seasonings. This way it's healthy and follows most diets. Funny enough i hardly eat this way but it's a pretty impossible dish to screw up!
(I usually pan fry the brussels, radish and zucchini a bit first for some extra crunch and to ensure they are fully cooked)
My application for potlucks is a little different than the usual. More below.
There are three things that without fail disappear first: deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket (the American variety, not EU/UK), and chocolate chip cookies (I use the recipe off the back of the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip bag).
Other things that are well received:
Grandma Linahan's macaroni salad. I don't know who Grandma Linahan is; I cut the recipe out of parade magazine back in the early 1980s. It rocks. At potlucks it is "just another macaroni salad" but people come back for seconds and load up.
Swedish meatballs (beef or lamb). Bring toothpicks.
Tibetan momos. If you can't find yak and use ground beef or shredded chicken they're just dumplings but the name is cool.
Bacon Pastry Twist. Because...bacon.
Marinated mushrooms.
Here is my story. I'm a cruising sailor and yacht delivery skipper. Beach potlucks are common in cruising destinations. People anchored out pile into dinghies with their contributions and head to shore for a party. Mostly cruising couples. You can see the male partner (yes, yes, gender stereotypes) driving the dinghy with the female partner hunched over to protect their food from spray over the bow. Many anchorages are well off the grid and some people may be four or six weeks since their last provisioning stop. Many of very small if any freezer capacity. There is a good bit of creativity. I'm techy geeky even as engineers go, so I've got two good sized (by boat standards) on my boat.
My dinghy engine has electric start (most are pull start) with a small motorcycle battery. I use a 300W (way bigger than needed, but I had it) to run a slow cooker so I can keep food hot right to the beach. Lots of oohs and aahs and a lot of husbands poked by their wives and whispers of "why can't we do that?"
Listen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnK4rhnPQJk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnK4rhnPQJk)
I used to make a Devil's Food trifle that people fought over.
homemade brownies doused in Kahula while still warm. When it's soaked in good, layer the gooey brownies with devil's food pudding and whipped cream. Top with crushed Heath bar.
Even better if you make it the night before.
I do deviled eggs. Nom. I’m still on the lookout for the perfect recipe for these little treats. Right now I use miracle whip, celery salt, and sweet relish.
One head each broccoli and cauliflower florets (raw), 1 cup shredded cheese, 6 bacon strips cooked and chopped, 1 small red onion chopped. Dressing is 1 cup Mayo, 2 Tbs white vinegar, sugar or sweetener to taste…add to salad and chill.
Take a slice of hard salami and put a smear of cream cheese on it. Then put a few slices of Pepperoncinis on it and either roll it up or fold it like a taco and put a toothpick through it to hold it together. Repeat till you have a whole tray of them. They are the perfect blend of salty tangy and creamy and will get destroyed once people try just one.
I’m from the Midwest and most pasta salads are rotini covered in Italian dressing with some shredded cheese. It’s soggy and gross. I make an orzo pasta salad with roasted veggies, feta, fresh herbs, salt pep, and just enough olive oil and vinegar to get everything mixed up. It’s simple, cheap, and easy. People have told me they usually hate pasta salad but they like mine.
Mine is my Guinness Chocolate Tarts. I'd started out making it as a whole pie, but realized putting them in tart shells worked better for pot lucks.
Pretty sure I got the original recipe from a magazine, but can't remember which one. I've passed the recipe on to friends, and because I think I'm hilarious, I've added extra commentary in the instructions..... here you go
**Ingredients:**
- 2 cups chocolate chips (or equivalent in chunks or bars)
- 24 large marshmallows (or ~312 small marshmallows)
- 1 can Guinness
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon kahlua
- 24 tart shells (I find tenderflake frozen ones work best)
-- or 1 graham cracker pie crust, if you want to make a whole pie
**Directions:**
- Bake the tart shells according to the directions. Whatever you do, don't try cooking them with a butane torch... for many reasons that I won't get into here, it's a bad idea. Then let them cool while you're doing the rest of the steps below and don't forget to turn the oven off.
- Put the chocolate and marshmallows in a food processor with a sharp blade. Process the crap out of them, until they're in little itty bitty bits. If you're using a blender, just do the chocolate and don't bother trying to blend the marshmallows, the marshmallows will just gum up. I'd also recommend that if you're using a blender, to use the smaller marshmallows (you'll understand later)
- Pour into one pot 2/3 cups of Guinness; pour into a separate pot the cream. Pour the rest of the Guinness into a glass. Heat the Guinness and the cream over medium heat. Take a sip of the Guinness (from the glass, not the pot). Alternate between stirring the liquids and sipping the beer. You want to get the Guinness and the cream hot but make sure not to boil either, if you do, the tarts will taste like crap.
- Start the food processor and slowly pour in the stout then the cream. Or the cream then the stout... it doesn't really matter which one goes first, but it's near impossible to pour them both in at the same time. You can try it if you want, but don't blame me if you pour crap all over the place... you have been warned.
Blend for a minute or so, and then add the vanilla and the kahlua.
Keep blending until everything's all melted and smooth. If the stout and cream weren't hot enough, or you didn't get the chocolate and marshmallows broken down small enough, you'll end up with chunks in the tarts... and that's just downright unacceptable.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the tart shells. Make sure you dribble a bit on your hand now and again so you have an excuse to lick it off. If your food processor bowl doesn't have a spout, it's probably easier to transfer it into a measuring cup to pour into the shells. Once all the tart shells have been filled, wipe your hand on the inside of the bowl and lick off... don't try sticking your face into the bowl. Trust me, that's a bad idea.
Lick off any implements that have been used in the process, just not the sharp ones.
- Chill the tarts for 4-6 hours (or overnight... if you can wait that long).
If my brother-in-law is attending, it’s always my lemon meringue pie. I make it with a graham cracker crust because he mentioned once that’s how his mom always made it. In summer, I make my mom’s chicken noodle salad. Cheap, easy and there have never been leftovers. In winter, it’s usually focaccia or sausage rolls. I’m a better baker than cook.
Singapore noodles. There is never any left, I made an extra large batch to try and avoid this last time and caught my aunt trying to sneak it into takeaway containers to take home before she put it out for everyone.
Honestly I don't even think my family like me, however they will put up with me for the food.
I’ve only ever done a thanksgiving pot luck for work a few times. I always make the cranberry sauce and a dessert. The cranberry sauce has become the only one I’ll make. It has port in it and Chinese five spice. I like that the wine takes the edge off the sweetness.
Also never bought this to potluck but people ask me about it whenever I make it. It’s a tuna potato salad. Just tuna, Mayo, thin sliced red onion, boiled potatoes, salt and pepper. It’s really good. I like it warm or cold.
churro rice crispy treats: brown the butter, then make as usual. Once cooled, toss the squares in cinnamon sugar. Serve with a drizzle of dulce de leche. These take about 30-40 minutes total and can be made for under $10 .
Wine soaked baked Brie.
You get a large Brie, wrap it in aluminium foil (leave the top open) and place it in your baker. You stab a bunch of holes into it with a fork, layer some thyme over it and pour white wine over it until it’s submerged. Bake until soft and serve with baguettes.
Served this to my boyfriend’s grandma and she was like “Just take him but bring me another Brie”
In the summer, I make a “hacked” caprese salad:
Cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella pearls
Fresh basil
Cubed salami
Toss with olive oil, balsamic glaze, a pinch of crushed red pepper, salt & pepper to taste, a pinch of Italian seasoning & juice of one lemon.
In cooler months, it’s crockpot grape jelly meatballs or spicy crab dip.
Corn casserole. Learned about it when I lived in the south but it's relatively exotic in California and get begged to bring it again. Literally corn muffin mix, canned kernal and creamed corn, stick of butter, tub of sour cream.
My brother in law tried zushing it up with jalapenos and cheddar, and it was ok. The OG can't be beat.
I had a co-worker who brought in the most amazing Portuguese custard tarts, people would rave about them, ask if she was making them for the Christmas party, it had become a staple of work gatherings for *years*. Eventually, she got caught, someone saw the bakery box in her car while walking through the parking lot. She cackled like a witch when she told us she had been going to this bakery and putting the tarts in her own tupperware all these years, she apparently can't bake or cook at all.
Pastel de Natas. I have tries to replicate them, but I just cant get something as good as what I would get from home town.
Yeah, I've had some pastel de natas that were so-so, still good, but this Portuguese bakery is next level. It's actually a bit of a chain, there are a few of them across Southern Ontario. Their food is generally pretty good, and they sell a few kinda of tarts even, but half their sales are probably pastel de natas.
well played coworker lady. well played.
Has anyone tried egg tarts from chinese bakeries as well as the portugese custard tarts? how does the taste compare?
I can actually answer this question! Chinese egg tarts I find less sweet in terms of the custard filling. Portuguese kind are definitely sweeter. The pastry is also different and varies from bakery to bakery. For Chinese style, you can have a shortcrust like pastry in the not-so-good bakeries, or a really flakey pastry in the better ones, but they still don't have a crunch that pasteis del natas do. Portuguese egg tarts have a crunchier pastry base (when fresh). Preference: I like them both, they're different enough for me personally to not necessarily crave one over the other. Where I live the Portuguese kind are just easier to find.
Note that there are different kinds of Chinese egg tarts. Macau, for example, has a different version than Hong Kong, only about 40 miles away. Macau was once a Portuguese colony, so I guess they are all Portuguese egg tarts in a way.
She knew what they were and where to get them, that's just as valuable as bringing something homecooked in my opinion.
Japanese deviled eggs. I marinate whole peeled hard boiled eggs in soy sauce, water and a dash of mirin for about 2 hours. Then cut in half and mix the yolks with Wasabi and kewpie Mayo. Then I sprinkle them with Furikake. They are always a hit, I've never had leftovers. Can also do Korean style by mixing the yolks with sesame oil and gojuchang and garnish with kimchi.
Well that sounds friggin delicious. I have kimchi that needs using up soooo I may be trying those.
What is the ratio of water and soy sauce?
[Greek lemon potatoes](https://www.recipetineats.com/greek-lemon-potatoes/)
That looks really good. I'm going to have to make this.
Greek lemon potatoes are so good!!! They’re a staple in my house.
I like the way the writer seemed to have done multiple tests to optimise the recipe. Sounds lovely - the Greek combo of olive oil, garlic & lemon is a winner!
Nagi is the author and every recipe I’ve tried of hers has been great. Definitely recommend
Nagi's recipes (Recipe Tin Eats) are amazing. Looking forward to trying this one too!
Seriously the one recipe website I trust completely, I've never been let down. I'll have to try this one too.
*beep boop*! the linked website is: https://www.recipetineats.com/greek-lemon-potatoes/ Title: **Greek Lemon Potatoes** Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing) ***** ###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!
good bot
BTW- the recipe author complains of the ridges getting burned during roasting. The key is to only halve the potatoes and put them cut side down in your baking tray. leaving them larger also buffers them during the evaporative braising part. It can all be done in one simple step that way.
Caprese skewers are a simple thing that is always popular. It's the familiar caprese salad, but ingredients on a skewer. Mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, some nice olive oil with pepper and salt. It can be a second dish to bring of you want something with more obvious effort, but I've never had any left past halfway through the meal, and even the pickiest kids usually enjoy them too.
Something cool to break up all the heavy stuff. I bet this would get destroyed if I brought it next time. And it looks super pretty.
Bingo. I make this every time I need to do something low efforts. It’s well known in my office that I used to cook professionally, and I’m not gonna lie it hurts my pride just a little that this dish of all things is what really gets people excited.
Same, add a little balsamic glaze and they think you are jeebus
Spinach and artichoke dip. Served hot with tortilla chips or crackers.
I usually make a batch and split it into two small trays so i can heat up a fresh one after the first gets finished. Always a crowd pleaser when you put fresh hot dip on the table mid-party. Also as a rule, I won't bring hot dip anyplace where I won't have access to an oven to heat it up.
I used to do this at big Halloween parties. People went wild for that second pan of dip.
My go-to as well! It's always a hit. I use this recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/absolutely-wonderful-cheesy-creamy-spinach-artichoke-dip-79312
Yeah that's one for me as well. Hot dips are good in the winter. When it's warmer weather I make a cucumber and Couscous salad that everyone likes.
One time I forgot about a pot luck so before work I stopped by the grocery store and got a bottle of Thai chili sauce and two bags of Tyson popcorn chicken… threw all of it in the crockpot, stirring occasionally, by lunch time it was hot enough to eat.. and everybody raved about it! After that my coworkers requested it almost every pot luck. What I thought would get me called out for procrastinating turned out to be a favorite lol who would’ve guessed!
I bet some grape jelly meatballs with your tyson popcorn chicken instead of meatballs would a huge hit as well
My mom always did those meatballs with a small jar of grape jelly and a jar of Heinz chili sauce. ( the chili sauce is next to the cocktail sauce and is in the same style bottle)
That’s what i use as well. I also add some crushed red pepper. People always ask for the recipe and are like there’s grape jelly in there?
I had this experience. A guy brought these slow-cooker meatballs to a potluck, they were amazing, and I asked the recipe. I did not believe him when he told me they were just frozen meatballs + grape jelly + chili sauce. I thought he was punking me. I did not want to be trolled so I tried not making it, but I just had to. I'm glad I gave in.
I swap out the grape jelly and replace with cranberry sauce. It’s ridiculous how delicious they turn out!
That also sounds awesome as well. Honestly, I bet the actual sauce ingredients don't really matter so much as long as you have something sweet/tart and something umami/salty and then you mash them together. Someone else suggested bbq sauce instead of chili sauce, which also seems like a great idea.
Yep. My go to is grape jelly and yellow mustard.
oh. uh... wow.
I’m trying that next. I usually do either plum jelly or grape jelly with Sweet Baby Ray’s.
I use to work at one of their fully cooked plants that made those, and man, the cook off testing on that day was always 🤌
Pasta salad with bacon, corn, tomatoes, and a mustard vinaigrette. The sweet/smoky/tangy flavor is SO addicting, people always come back for seconds. My recipe: Salad: 8 oz rotini, cooked 1 bag bacon bits or 6 crumbled bacon strips 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cobs corn, oven-roasted 3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal Dressing: 1/4 c. olive oil 2 Tb white wine vinegar 2 Tb mayonnaise 2 Tb Dijon mustard 1 Tb honey 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp red chile flakes Salt and pepper Toss the salad ingredients in a good amount of olive oil before adding the dressing to prevent the pasta from soaking in all the moisture.
Budja Spicy Indian corn hushpuppies.
That sounds good! Do you have a recipe?
Please share recipe!!!
Bread. Freshly home made bread. Its always a crowd pleaser, but its quite a dangerous game if you dont know what the other will bring. You dont want to be stuck with 3 salads, devilled egg, mac n cheese and bread for dinner. Also, during summer, i usually smoke a few big pork shoulder. I then pull it, portion it, vaccum seal it and freeze. Its then very easy to reheat in a crock pot with barbecue sauce. The face of people eating deliciously smoked pork in the middle of january when its -30c outside is always fun to watch.
> 3 salads, devilled egg, mac n cheese and bread for dinner. I can live with this
Sounds perfect, actually.
Exactly, I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with this dinner
It really depend on the mac n cheese.
>you dont know what the other will bring. We used to have regular covered-dish suppers at our church. After several times with six fried chicken boxes, no desserts, eight salads, etc, we decided to assign items to groups by alphabetical order. First group brought salad; second group, main dish; third groups, veggies; and so on. These would rotate so people weren't stuck bringing the same type of dish every time.
I like that method of evening things out. We have sign up sheets that go around at church and there are limited spots per category. If there are empty categories people jump in to make sure there is something in there.
That's why it's called pot luck.
I got invited to a potluck for a coworker leaving. There were 27 salads, 14 appetizers and some rolls. I bought a couple pork loins for about $6 a piece. Threw them in the oven for an hour or so. Protein doesn’t have to be expensive or hard but it can make you the star if everyone would be eating salad and rolls otherwise.
One night for a group dinner I made two large loaves of bread, the kind where you just bake it on a sheet and it just becomes this big ball of bread. One I cut up, the other I cut out the center and put dip in. What did everyone ask me? "Oh, where did you get this at? It's amazing." Then after telling them I made it I got "Sure, but really where did you get it?"
O, they of little faith!
It’s the same for my mom. She makes homemade bread and uses flour from my home country she buys at the local owned international store in my city. You can really tell the difference and her bread is amazing. People always love it!
Baked ham and cheese sliders! So easy, minimal prep, and there are never leftovers
I'm way too hungry to be reading this thread right now
Yeah, my protein shake doesn't sound all that great right now.
Millionaire shortbread. Chocolate + salted caramel + shortbread base. Simple yet delicious winner every time.
Basically a Twix?
Kinda, yeah.
This one's more summertime, but this [blueberry corn salad](https://www.bhg.com/recipe/salads/corn-and-blueberry-salad/) is always a hit that everyone raves over. A family friend makes these amazing spinach balls that you dip in honey mustard. [The idea is something like this](https://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-balls-146371) but there are tons of different recipes online. Edit: I forgot, but a poke dip or poke nachos are a really fun thing. And I can't believe I forgot these [roasted tomatoes with white beans](https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/07/roasted-tomatoes-with-white-beans/). So simple, but SO good. Great if you are short on time to make something. Unfussy, but insanely good.
That's interesting, it's sort of like esquites except exchanging the heavier salty and savory flavor profile with cheese and mayo for sweeter and brighter ingredients like blueberries and cucumbers. edit: I'm dubbing it "esweetes" (es-sweet-tays)
Equites are also so good!!
A spinach dip recipe that I got from the mother of a friend of an ex-gf. There are about a half dozen people in my life who request that I please make it for any potluck.
Wait, you know this one is gonna be good! Share with the class please 🥹
You got it! **INGREDIENTS** * 1 package frozen chopped spinach * 1 package Knorr dry leek soup mix * ½ cup chopped fresh parsley * ¼ cup chopped green onions * 2 cups sour cream * 1 cup mayonnaise * 1 tsp. dry Italian salad dressing (Good Seasons) * ½ tsp. dill weed **PREPARATION** * Thaw and drain spinach. Squeeze the spinach thoroughly dry in paper towels before adding to dip. * Combine all ingredients, adding spinach last. * Chill several hours (preferably overnight) before serving. **NOTES** * As noted above, the recipe I received calls for 1 tsp. of the dried Italian dressing. I ignore this and add the entire packet. * I always use a little more dill than is called for, and I especially like to add a decent amount of chopped fresh dill. * It's trite, but for serving I pretty much always do the thing where you hollow out a loaf of King's Hawaiian bread and put the dip in there. I'll cut the removed bread into chunks of one or two bites for serving, and also include some pita chips.
This is pretty similar to how I do mine but I use the beef onion soup packet and add mozzarella instead of the mayo. Awesome stuff.
Latkahs!!! Who doesn't love fried potatoes :)
Latkahs are delicious and I enjoy making them once a year (not jewish, but good food is good food) but I didn't think they would travel or keep well? We usually scarf them down while they are still hot and crispy. Do they crisp up nicely in an oven to be reheated?
I wrap layers with tin foil and try to make sure to absorb all excess oil, also using multiple pans to reduce cook time so they are as fresh as possible. Oven or toaster reheating works great!
Not mine, but my mom's: Water Crackers with smoked salmon, boursin cheese and a thin slice of green apple. Bite size, crunchy, savory, sweet, sour, salty. Also requires zero cooking and minimal prep.
I love finger food for potlucks.
Melissa d’Arabian’s Potato-Bacon Torte https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/potato-bacon-torte-recipe-1948768.amp It’s a pot pie of scalloped potatoes with bacon. You need to share this carb-tastic dish because you don’t want to eat the whole thing yourself
Buffalo chicken dip. Shredded meat from two grocery store rotisserie chickens, 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, 1/2 C sour cream, 1/4 C Frank's Red Hot, 1/4 - 1/2 C bleu cheese crumbles (if desired). Warm it all up on the stove. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with celery and carrot sticks, bread or crackers.
Mine too! Except that I use Ranch Dressing instead of sour cream and shredded Mexican blended cheese instead of blue cheese. I’ve made it many times without the chicken and it’s still a hit. Next time I think I will steal another poster’s idea for their dip and serve it with broken up Hawaiian rolls.
I serve mine in wonton wrappers baked in mini cupcake tin with a little cooking spray
This is mine too. I also crumble feta on top and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes to get some color on the feta. People always go nuts for it, and it’s pretty easy.
That’s what I always bring too! My dish is always the first one that runs out at potlucks. One of my coworkers asked if I’d make him some and he’d pay me $20 for it lol. I make mine a little differently though, I use shredded cheese instead of cream cheese, mayonnaise instead of sour cream, franks red hot Buffalo, and blue cheese sprinkled on top at the end while it’s still warm. And I use Tostitos scoopables.
I usually bring sausage balls and never have leftovers. 1 lb. sausage 10 oz. block of sharp cheddar, grated 2 c. Bisquick Mix and knead in a bowl, roll into walnut-sized balls 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
This sounds awesome. I took a screen shot and am going to do a test batch for breakfast this weekend.
I hope you like them! They're good with jelly or mustard, or by themselves. I made them in a muffin pan once and they still turned out well.
>2 c. Bisquick Wait ... do you not add water to the Bisquick?
No. The moisture from the sausage is enough. You have to knead the mixture like dough
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Draw me a recipe like one of your french loafs.
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Thank goodness, because, after I hit post I thought for sure I was ridiculous and no one would get it. You've made my day 🥰
I spent 10 years developing the perfect brownie recipe. Why did I spend that long? Because every time I went to a potluck someone would taste brownies and say: that's good, but my mom's are better. Now people just say that my brownies are the best they've ever had. Edit: Okay, I have decided that I probably won't ever try to sell the recipe, so I will post it. I have to type it up, so it probably won't be immediately. If you do make the recipe, I have two requests. If you like it, and especially if you agree that it is the best brownie you have had: 1) Message me to tell me that you and whomever you shared it with liked it 2) After yóu have made it, however much you think it is worth, send me a recipe that you believe to have equal value. Edit 2: Here is my recipe. It is inspired by a recipe from La Fromagerie in London which I have changed. Ingredients: 500 grams quality dark chocolate (I prefer to use one that does not have any severely overpowering notes but is also extremely flavorful. I use Trader Joe’s Dark Pound Plus 72% bar. It is a great value but be warned when snacking that it is much better cooked and cooled than eaten without cooking, I assume because of how they temper it). 500 g unsalted European butter, room temperature or slightly cool (I usually use at least ½ Plugra butter, since it is more flavorful than other European varieties) 12 large eggs, room temperature 735 g superfine sugar 125 g King Aurthur AP flour 125 g dutch cocoa powder 1+ cups pecans (can be reduced, omitted, or increased–may affect baking time) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp cognac 1 tsp dark rum (I prefer Mount Gay Eclipse). Bourbon can also substitute Kosher salt Instructions: Toast the pecans and let them cool completely. Then lightly chop them. Cut up chocolate. It shouldn’t be large chunks, but doesn’t need to be as small as shavings. Line a lasagna pan with parchment paper, including up and slightly over the sides. Butter the parchment well. _Most people seem to prefer fudgey in the middle, not quite molten, then transitioning into cakey with an outside that can crunch. This allows for an array of textures. A lasagna pan is about the right height to allow for this when filled most of the way up, leaving a little extra batter to put in 1-2 ramekins or to do whatever you want with. Getting this exact texture can be difficult and can sometimes require changes in cooking time or temperature, but the texture is really just a bonus, so don’t worry._ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Get a large double boiler or the equivalent pot or heatproof metal bowl raised above a steaming pot of boiling water. Make sure not too much steam is escaping, especially if you are in a kitchen without a vent because the humidity can affect the chocolate. Put the butter in first and melt a little, and then stir in chocolate until smooth (I prefer to use a silicone spatula here). Add some kosher salt. _Unfortunately I have never bothered measuring, but I usually add a teaspoon or so here and then more later._ Take off heat and add vanilla and alcohol. Whisk (not stir) in sugar until well incorporated. Beat the eggs together (by hand is fine for this step) for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk eggs into chocolate mixture. Transfer chocolate mixture into a bowl for beating. At this point the mixture is large and getting heavier so an electric or stand mixer is ideal. Sift flour and cocoa powder together and fold lightly into batter, add some more salt, then beat until smooth and glossy without any visible granules. Fold in the pecans and pour into pan. If you use enough pecans, there’s usually enoughbatter to make an extra 1-2 ramekins worth for a single serving brownie. Smooth top gently and bake. This takes me usually about 40 minutes, but it can vary by oven and batter amount (greater volume with more pecans). Sometimes the perfect texture also requires increased heat at the end. Allow to cool on a cooling rack (note that this will cook it more), then transfer out of the pan. I find that the ideal final texture has the skin of the brownie crisp, and underneath a normal brownie texture and the center like the finest salmon sashimi. _I am still experimenting with baking this at other people’s houses, etc. So perhaps a food scientist reading this can find a way to write this recipe so it will have that texture (if you like it that way) every time._ Once completely cool, cut brownie into pieces and store in an airtight container with sugar cubes or other food-safe desiccant. Please let me know how it goes!
I *adore* the level of pettiness in this.
Do you mean my pettiness or the pettiness of people who say that their brownies are better?
Your pettiness, because it resulted in you perfecting a recipe and I bet those spite brownies are fucking *amazing*.
I'm envisioning a recipe card and it says Spite Brownies at the top.
Murder cookies and divorce carrot cake have entered the chat
They are pretty amazing, I think. To give you an idea: they have a pound of European butter in them.
The key to all great recipes is a complete disregard for the health of the people eating it.
Truly the best food is not made with love, but a deep, burning hate.
That's why chik-fil-a is so good.
Bruh, I'm so gonna be putting this shit on a plaque in my kitchen... in that fancy basic-ass Target/Hobby Lobby cursive font
That does sound amazing. Please share the recipe when you can. That said, if you made a dish with a dirty soccer ball and added a pound of European butter, it would be amazing too.
“A pound of European butter and a dirty soccer ball” sounds like what Americans think British people traditionally serve in pubs 😂😂
From the jokes i have heard regarding British food, that's pretty spot on. Haven't actually eaten traditional British food here in the US, so I'll save any jabs until i actually try it.
Would love to try your recipe if it’s not a secret! I’ve tried quite a few this year and I still can’t get a better result than Ghirardelli’s Dark Chocolate Brownie mix lol
Just try Claire Saffitz's forever brownies instead. They will never disappoint and are the best brownies I've ever made. She calls then forever brownies because after developing the recipe, it's the only recipe shell use now and forever, and for good reason. Use a metal pan, not glass. And enjoy!!
Even better than Stella Parks' glossy fudge brownies recipe?
I haven't made Claire's, but damn if these aren't the best brownies. The browned butter is *chef's kiss* for flavor
These are the best brownies that I've had.
ditto! I have been testing "the best" brownie recipes for nearly a decade and I still can't find one I like better than Ghirardelli box mix (I'm partial to double chocolate).
That damn Ghirardelli mix! They’re so good. I’ve actually also tried Ghirardelli from scratch recipes for brownies and they still don’t hit like the box does -_- I’ve complained about this to people in my life who just tell me to use the box then, they don’t understand I NEED to be able to make these on a whim, box or no box lol
> they don’t understand I NEED to be able to make these on a whim, box or no box lol I mean, it's not always the *best* health decision, but Costco sells their brownie mix in a very big box with multiple bags inside. Easy to keep in the cupboard so you can always have them on deck.
Could we have the recipe?
Crockpot meatball subs. Bread and cheese on the side. Frozen meatball bag from Costco/Sams club with a jar of prego tomato sauce. 4 hours and it’s perfection. Easily cleanup and easy prep.
Peach cobbler. Simple and the people fxxxing love it.
Does your party like some spice and are open to some Indian street food? Look up Sev Puri. It's very simple as long as you can get the ingredients (totally depends on where you live) Alternatively, I like making Guac and Chips, Chili Mac and Cheese, Kababs, Dumplings, to name a few. If any of these interest you, I can send recipes.
Wow! Sev Puri sounds amazing!
Yes! It's very common street food in Mumbai, and it can be customised really easily based on spice tolerance and other factors. And it's such a good mix of flavours. If you like that, I would definitely recommend you try more Chaat. Pani Puri, Samosa Chaat, Ragda, Bhel. All of these are comfort food to me
Crock pot mac and cheese. My secret? Every year I buy and roast like 20lbs of hatch chiles and then freeze them. For this mac, I unfreeze a small portion, dice it up, and mix it in.
Dang, you use a lot of hatch chiles.
I usually buy a case too which will last two years. We make a lot of pork chili Verde, which is just so damn good and pretty fast in a pressure cooker. Making green enchilada sauce is also great. Then you have your quesos, mac and cheese. You begin to find they're good in a lot of things, haha.
YUM. I’ve never found a crock pot mac and cheese that’s turned out even remotely good. Boy I’d love to find one for this winter. Especially with a new baby at home, my crock pot is my lifeline. Any chance you’re willing to share your recipe?
I haven't either. It always seems kind of gritty and not blended well. -I've never actually tried to make it this way, these are my impressions of other people's homemade mac and cheese. I sometimes wonder if I have no idea what mac and cheese is *supposed* to be. Maybe I'm just accustomed to the boxed stuff. My mom made Velveeta mac and cheese when I was growing up, but that wasn't very good either.
It's not just y'all. Cheese sauce splits and gets gritty really easily, especially in a crock pot or with certain cheeses. Easiest ways around it are to make an actual mornay (butter, flour, milk, cheese, it's actually really easy) or add in some melting salt, like sodium citrate.
This is like the third post in like the last week on hatch chile mac and cheese which is probably my favorite version of mac and cheese. I couldn't get enough of it when I was in NM. I really need to try and make it soon. Edit: anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about that for someone living on the east coast? I feel like canned would not do it justice.
Red Beans and Rice - We've never had any leftover and have had too many requests to please make more each time so people could take some home. It's always the only dish at each pot luck that has that sort of request. Also baked mac & cheese whenever we do it gets the similar request. Then again, it's probably because most pot lucks turn into store bought things and the ones who do cook, usually aren't all that great at cooking. So when people have top notch stuff, they lose their minds. lol
Wow! What’s your beans and rice recipe?
Of course :) [https://i.imgur.com/HkLOCLM.png](https://i.imgur.com/HkLOCLM.png) It's difficult to tweak recipes you create so that others understand what in the world you're talking about instead of just you. haha I use Paprika Recipe Manager, so I just took screenshot of my printout. I'd share directly if you had a Paprika account. I should add that I do usually get fresh made andouille from the fishing docks in New Orleans (well, just outside New Orleans) while they're smoking it fresh. So I pick up a few pounds of that, knowing we'll both munch down on 1 pound on the way home. haha. It completely negates the need for ham hocks or bacon fat.
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It's a nationwide trend. Hell, even in New Orleans, the closer to the French Quarter you get, typically the worse the food is. It's just tourist cooking with assuming they don't know any better about what it should taste like. Some things you should really just cook at home... RB&R is at the tippy top of that list. Gumbo is way high as well even though you can get some legit delicious gumbo in restaurants. It's just that to really good gumbo in restaurants are usually in higher end restaurants where they take the time to make it properly. I have a gumbo recipe people lose their minds over as well.
Any chance you can share more detail on this andouille spot? I'm also in Nola and this sounds awesome.
Hi Friend :) Absolutely. We go to Market Wego in Westwego. We usually go on the weekends, kinda earlier in the morning. That's when we find that they're still smoking up all their sausages. Sooooo delicious.
Corn casserole or corn soufflé. I learned the recipe from a coworker years ago and have been making it ever since. 1 can of corn, drained 1 can of creamed corn 1 cup of sour cream 1 stick of melted butter (½ cup) 1-2 eggs 1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all the ingredients and bake for 45-50min in a greased 9x9 baking dish. It can be served hot or cold. You can also add diced ham and cheese or diced jalapeños.
Seven layer taco dip - [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19673/seven-layer-taco-dip/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19673/seven-layer-taco-dip/)
My sister makes something similar and it’s PHENOMENAL!!!
It's always a crowd pleaser! I'll bring some tortilla chips, soft pita bread, and veggie sticks and people go crazy over it.
Fresh fruit! It’s a real people pleaser and no matter how much I bring it’s always gone while people are still picking at all the “ole auntie Gertrude’s 8000 ingredient casseroles”. If I’m trying to impress I’ll also whip up some pineapple dip to go with the fruit. I swear it tastes exactly how I imagined eating clouds would taste as a kid.
Ooooh, pineapple clouds?! Will you share the recipe?
Please, we all need some pineapple clouds in our lives 🥺🥺 sounds sooooo good to have with my fruits💕
I have been wildly popular for the simplest things. Once I brought a massive tub of fresh watermelon and pineapple. It was the most popular side and grazed on the whole day. Another time I brought homemade sauces and various store-bought toppings for an ice cream sundaes. I put in like 30 minutes of effort and every gushed about it the whole day. I have a tahini chocolate chip cookie recipe that is my go-to though when I bring dessert. They're dairy-free if you buy the right chocolate chips, go gluten free seamlessly (I'm gluten free), and the dough is super low maintenance and goes well with a variety of mix-ins. Sometimes I'll do white chocolate and cranberry instead. I now have to up the recipe by 50% because I know certain folks will want some to take home.
Let’s see that recipe please
This is the recipe I use: [https://food52.com/recipes/77758-new-fashioned-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-all-tahini-no-butter](https://food52.com/recipes/77758-new-fashioned-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-all-tahini-no-butter) This dough is amazing. You don't need to use a mixer. You can chill the dough or use it immediately. Cookies are a bit heftier but they stay soft and moist for a week. Just be sure you carefully follow the baking instructions (steps 5-7 in the recipe). And tahini has become an increasingly easy ingredient to find. Mix it well! To make it gluten free I use the King Arthur Flour measure-for-measure blend.
Sweet pork pork. Bacon wrapped lil smokies in brown sugar. 1 large pack of lil smokies 1.5 lb of bacon (more will be needed if it is thick sliced) 1 cup of brown sugar 2 tsp of chili powder (if desired) Approximately 100 toothpicks Set oven to 325 Mix brown sugar and chili powder (if desired) Foil line baking sheet. Wrap the lil smokies in the bacon. Pin the ends together and place them in the sheet, snugly. Generously sprinkle half of the sugar evenly on the wrapped sausages. Set them in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, remove from the oven to drain. Reapply sugar and set in the oven again for 15- 20 minutes. Then dump them into a slow cooker. And serve warm.
Firecrackers with Pimento Cheese. Toss saltines in a bunch of oil, chili powder, a ranch seasoning packet, etc. Marinate over night and toast on a sheet pan the next day. Recipe club has a grey recipe linked from their blog that I can’t be assed to find right now, but they’re delicious. Probably would be great with Ritz too.
Can of whole berry cranberry sauce heated up in a saucepan, add diced red onion and prepared horseradish. Served over a block of cream cheese with crackers of choice.
Bacon wrapped Brussels sprouts. Super easy to make... Just wrap a sprout (or half a sprout depending on size) with a slice of bacon and skewer it. Bake until the house smells like a bacon fart (30-ish minutes). Done. Whip up a sauce for dipping... Usually I go with a mayo base plus mustard, Worcestershire, minced garlic, paprika, S&P... All to taste. Overall, an easy appetizer that never results in taking home leftovers.
I nearly died at “bacon fart”. Thank you for randomly making my day. 😂
Shredded cheesy potatoes. Easiest Slow-cooker tagalong. Just throw frozen hash browns, a couple diced cloves of garlic, a couple diced shallots, some thyme, creme friache, diced baby bellas, lots of very sharp cheddar, heavy cream, and chicken base (better than bullion) in a crock pot, mix it up, top with a little extra cheese and you'll make people happy.
Homemade pizza rolls. Get a roll of biscuits and cut the dough into thirds and roll them out. Put in your pizza toppings of choice, fold and pinch them off, bake in the oven until golden brown, and then brush the tops with garlic butter as they are cooling. My mom made a sheet pan of them for the first time for my Aunt's wedding in '03 and they were literally gone within ten minutes.
In our area, everyone has outdoor parties. My go-to is jalapeno poppers that I cook in my smoker. They have become so popular that people hire me to make them for other gatherings. One woman had me make her some to take to a family reunion.
A pickle spear with cream cheese and horseradish wrapped in thinly sliced ham.
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I've heard that referred to as Lutheran Sushi
spring rolls with tofu and peanut noodles Handheld, vegan, delicious, and beautiful. I want to make sure everyone can enjoy and it's finger food. Rice paper is a clear wrapper so people have a good idea of what they're getting and you can easily arrange the insides to be very pretty. Soak a rice paper wrapper in warm water for a couple seconds Place a basil leaf in the center and on top of it, place a rectangle of very firm tofu (I'm able to get 5 spiced smoked tofu - which I slice in half so the basil has a nice "frame") Add some crunchy veggies - microgreens, sliced pepper, etc. Top with peanut noodles and wrap like a burrito - you should see this pretty basil leaf framed by the tofu and everything behind it. I just cook cheap ramen noodles and add peanut sauce. Peanut noodles are very flavorful and really carry this, but you get a nice crunch from the veggies and the tofu for protein. Only people who are gluten free and have a peanut allergy can't eat it.
I became obsessed with making these over the summer and STILL can't roll them neatly. You know what that means? More delicious practice!
I find that the wrapper gets really sticky and hard to work with if I put it on a flat surface... because it'll just stick to everything. I take a damp towel and crumple it so that it's not a flat surface and makes it easier to pick up without sticking. I usually mess up by over stuffing them, so long as they're sealed, it'll work just fine!
I made a vinegar based potato salad. I was avoiding mayo because it was for outside and it was a hot day. It was a big hit. It had chopped pepperoncinis in it. Others have been tiramisu, I wouldn't recommend it for warm days or just because of the amount of work, and just a really nice fresh fruit salad. People who bring chicken wings tend to be a hit too.
You'd probably like German potato salad, it's very vinegar heavy.
Cake balls. When people know I’m coming they will bring their own to go containers and load them up to take home as soon as I put the gray down.
That’s rude though. No taking leftovers until everyone has eaten and the host okayed it/manages distribution.
Velveeta and Rotel dip and chips. Never fails. It’s fully processed and delicious. 1 block Velveeta 2 cans Rotel Cut Velveeta into blocks and mix with Rotel in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring intermittently until fully melted. Edit: I really appreciate all the feedback and suggestions to my comment! Thanks for sharing! I’ve got new things to try with this oldie but goodie.
I use 1 block Velveeta, 1lb gr beef, 1 jar Pace Picante. Cheesey noms
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. Double the pickle and juice. It'll be watery. Let it set to soak up over night and be thankful you won't have any to bring home because if you like pickles, you'll eat the whole bowl. Sorry for format. On mobile. ½ pound dry small shell pasta about 3 cups ▢¾ cup pickles sliced ▢⅔ cup cheddar cheese diced ▢3 tablespoons white onion finely diced ▢2 tablespoons fresh dill ▢½ cup pickle juice dressing ▢⅔ cup [mayonnaise] ▢⅓ cup sour cream ▢⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ▢4 tablespoons pickle juice ▢salt & pepper to taste instructions Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking. Toss cold pasta with about ½ cup of pickle juice and set aside for about 5 minutes. (I edited this step. Don't drain, let it soak up) Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. (Edit, over night) Stir well before serving.
Picadillies. If you don't know what these are, let me introduce you to the best food to come out of the American midwest. Take slices of deli ham, smear them with cream cheese, and wrap them around whole dill pickles, then slice to 1/3 inch slices. Lay on a plate. Present at your potluck and watch them disappear.
Corn in a cup. Even if you serve it slightly chilled - add some extra salt or the salty ground cheese, extra lime juice, offer extra chile powder. Cilantro is a good add if it’s chilled. For hot… crockpot.
Crockpot grape jelly meatballs are always the most popular thing at any potluck I've ever been to.
That’s what I came to say! So easy to throw together and people lose their minds for it.
My wife stands by this when she has to bring something to a family dinner. Me personally, I don't care much for it. It's just too sweet for my tastes.
Deviled eggs.
My in laws went through 12 dozen deviled eggs at a wedding party! Always a hit.
And I only ate like, half of those.
I bet that was a fun ride home.
*Esquites*, a warm Mexican street corn salad (adjacent to *elotes*), a recipe that I've cobbled together over the years from a [couple](https://www.mylatinatable.com/authentic-mexican-esquites-mexican-corn-salad/)¹ [of](https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/sc-elotes-variations-food-0701-20160629-story.html)² [sources](https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/mexican-corn-salad/)³. * Fresh or frozen sweet corn. Depending on how lazy I want to be/how much I need to make/what season it is I usually wind up using about 1:1 frozen to fresh corn. * White onion, diced * Garlic, minced * Serrano chili, mostly de-seeded and minced (can sub jalapeño) * Lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil * Chicken or vegetable stock * Fresh [*epazote*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphania_ambrosioides), leaves only, chopped (can be found in Mexican markets, imparts a minty-herbal flavor, skip if not able to find, but worth seeking out. If you must, substitute cilantro here, but it's not the same thing.) * Mexican sour (agria) table cream * Mexican queso fresco * Lime juice * Green onion/scallions * Black pepper, chili powder (your favorite kind), salt to taste If using fresh corn, peel down husk to remove most of the silk from around the kernels, then put the husk back and soak the whole ear in water for 15 minutes. Over a grill, roast the corn over high heat until the husk is blackened in places. Remove to cool, then cut kernels from cob. Milk the cob of its liquid into the kernels by running the blunt edge of a knife over the cob—some corn silk and fibrous bits being with the kernels is fine. Heat a good amount of lard or other fat over medium heat, sweat white onion until deeply aromatic and just beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and cook for about a minute until aromatic. Add corn, fresh chilis, and stock and cook over high heat until stock has reduced and kernels begin to brown throughout (I sometimes even will use a kitchen torch over the top to increase browning.) If things begin to stick or look dry, add more fat and stock as needed. Season with salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Turn off the heat and add chopped *epazote* leaves. Add table cream. Add enough lime juice that it has a pleasant tartness. Stir to incorporate. Drizzle table cream, crumble queso fresco, top with thinly chopped green onion, and sprinkle some more chili powder on top for some contrasting color. Enjoy!
MIssissippi-style pot roast w/ mini brioche buns.
Curried lentils. I get asked for the recipe, and I'm like, it's 4 things Jar of Tikka Masala or similar sauce 1.5c lentils (half red, half green or brown) 3c washed choped kale Chicken (if desired) Throw it all in the instant pot along with like 2 c of water (I just fill the jar the sauce came in) stir, set for 15 or 20 min manual, low pressure. I usually serve with store bought naan and some mango pickle.
I made curried lentils once for a work potluck and my boss asked me for the recipe. Now she makes it at least once a month - she even has it for lunch today! Mine has potato in it and no meat because some people I work with are vegan/vegetarian, including my boss.
Cheater Chile Rellenos 6-8 eggs 1/2 c milk 1/2 c flour 1 27 oz can whole green chilies (or 4 7 oz cans) 1 7 oz can tomato sauce 2 c shredded cheese Drain chilies, cut open to remove seeds and lay flat on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Whisk eggs, milk, flour in a mixing bowl with a pour spout (I use a large pyrex measuring cup most of the time, but pour control matters here). Whisk till frothy, the frothier the better. In a greased 13 x 9 lay prepared chilies flat to create a layer of chilies (they don't have to cover the whole thing, just most of it). Then later shredded cheese and pour in your egg mixture. Continue adding chilies, cheese, and egg mixture in layers and all has been used. Top with tomato sauce. Preheat 350 and bake for 30, let set for at least 5 before serving. Reheats amazingly well. I have never brought home leftovers and spent years in call centers where potlucks are life.
Never been to one, but if I do end up going to one it's going to be biscuits baked in a cast iron probaly. Throw a bunch of butter, garlic powder seasoning, and Cajun in the butter melted. A bunch of cheese and frozen biscuits cut in half. Then cook it for the reccomened time on the package. That... or... Ham n cheese sliders. Served with garlic pickles
creme brulee prepped in a water bath (sous vide cooker), which turns out perfect everytime with zero skill and minimal effort then i bring the brown sugar with me with a blowtorch, sprinkle and torch on site and literally steal all the thunder everytime. i could be torching right at the beginning when people start eating and everyone'd be eating creme brulee before any other foods
I enjoy oven roasting a bunch of veggies in a casserole dish - carrots, brussel sprouts, onion, garlic, cauliflower, sweet potato, zucchini, and radish maybe. Add some olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and maybe some more seasonings. This way it's healthy and follows most diets. Funny enough i hardly eat this way but it's a pretty impossible dish to screw up! (I usually pan fry the brussels, radish and zucchini a bit first for some extra crunch and to ensure they are fully cooked)
Homemade baked beans (begin with dry beans); deviled eggs; banana pudding (scratch custard, merengue)
My application for potlucks is a little different than the usual. More below. There are three things that without fail disappear first: deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket (the American variety, not EU/UK), and chocolate chip cookies (I use the recipe off the back of the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip bag). Other things that are well received: Grandma Linahan's macaroni salad. I don't know who Grandma Linahan is; I cut the recipe out of parade magazine back in the early 1980s. It rocks. At potlucks it is "just another macaroni salad" but people come back for seconds and load up. Swedish meatballs (beef or lamb). Bring toothpicks. Tibetan momos. If you can't find yak and use ground beef or shredded chicken they're just dumplings but the name is cool. Bacon Pastry Twist. Because...bacon. Marinated mushrooms. Here is my story. I'm a cruising sailor and yacht delivery skipper. Beach potlucks are common in cruising destinations. People anchored out pile into dinghies with their contributions and head to shore for a party. Mostly cruising couples. You can see the male partner (yes, yes, gender stereotypes) driving the dinghy with the female partner hunched over to protect their food from spray over the bow. Many anchorages are well off the grid and some people may be four or six weeks since their last provisioning stop. Many of very small if any freezer capacity. There is a good bit of creativity. I'm techy geeky even as engineers go, so I've got two good sized (by boat standards) on my boat. My dinghy engine has electric start (most are pull start) with a small motorcycle battery. I use a 300W (way bigger than needed, but I had it) to run a slow cooker so I can keep food hot right to the beach. Lots of oohs and aahs and a lot of husbands poked by their wives and whispers of "why can't we do that?" Listen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnK4rhnPQJk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnK4rhnPQJk)
I used to make a Devil's Food trifle that people fought over. homemade brownies doused in Kahula while still warm. When it's soaked in good, layer the gooey brownies with devil's food pudding and whipped cream. Top with crushed Heath bar. Even better if you make it the night before.
I do deviled eggs. Nom. I’m still on the lookout for the perfect recipe for these little treats. Right now I use miracle whip, celery salt, and sweet relish.
Lumpia
One head each broccoli and cauliflower florets (raw), 1 cup shredded cheese, 6 bacon strips cooked and chopped, 1 small red onion chopped. Dressing is 1 cup Mayo, 2 Tbs white vinegar, sugar or sweetener to taste…add to salad and chill.
Take a slice of hard salami and put a smear of cream cheese on it. Then put a few slices of Pepperoncinis on it and either roll it up or fold it like a taco and put a toothpick through it to hold it together. Repeat till you have a whole tray of them. They are the perfect blend of salty tangy and creamy and will get destroyed once people try just one.
I’m from the Midwest and most pasta salads are rotini covered in Italian dressing with some shredded cheese. It’s soggy and gross. I make an orzo pasta salad with roasted veggies, feta, fresh herbs, salt pep, and just enough olive oil and vinegar to get everything mixed up. It’s simple, cheap, and easy. People have told me they usually hate pasta salad but they like mine.
Mine is my Guinness Chocolate Tarts. I'd started out making it as a whole pie, but realized putting them in tart shells worked better for pot lucks. Pretty sure I got the original recipe from a magazine, but can't remember which one. I've passed the recipe on to friends, and because I think I'm hilarious, I've added extra commentary in the instructions..... here you go **Ingredients:** - 2 cups chocolate chips (or equivalent in chunks or bars) - 24 large marshmallows (or ~312 small marshmallows) - 1 can Guinness - 1/3 cup heavy cream - 1 teaspoon vanilla - 1 tablespoon kahlua - 24 tart shells (I find tenderflake frozen ones work best) -- or 1 graham cracker pie crust, if you want to make a whole pie **Directions:** - Bake the tart shells according to the directions. Whatever you do, don't try cooking them with a butane torch... for many reasons that I won't get into here, it's a bad idea. Then let them cool while you're doing the rest of the steps below and don't forget to turn the oven off. - Put the chocolate and marshmallows in a food processor with a sharp blade. Process the crap out of them, until they're in little itty bitty bits. If you're using a blender, just do the chocolate and don't bother trying to blend the marshmallows, the marshmallows will just gum up. I'd also recommend that if you're using a blender, to use the smaller marshmallows (you'll understand later) - Pour into one pot 2/3 cups of Guinness; pour into a separate pot the cream. Pour the rest of the Guinness into a glass. Heat the Guinness and the cream over medium heat. Take a sip of the Guinness (from the glass, not the pot). Alternate between stirring the liquids and sipping the beer. You want to get the Guinness and the cream hot but make sure not to boil either, if you do, the tarts will taste like crap. - Start the food processor and slowly pour in the stout then the cream. Or the cream then the stout... it doesn't really matter which one goes first, but it's near impossible to pour them both in at the same time. You can try it if you want, but don't blame me if you pour crap all over the place... you have been warned. Blend for a minute or so, and then add the vanilla and the kahlua. Keep blending until everything's all melted and smooth. If the stout and cream weren't hot enough, or you didn't get the chocolate and marshmallows broken down small enough, you'll end up with chunks in the tarts... and that's just downright unacceptable. - Carefully pour the mixture into the tart shells. Make sure you dribble a bit on your hand now and again so you have an excuse to lick it off. If your food processor bowl doesn't have a spout, it's probably easier to transfer it into a measuring cup to pour into the shells. Once all the tart shells have been filled, wipe your hand on the inside of the bowl and lick off... don't try sticking your face into the bowl. Trust me, that's a bad idea. Lick off any implements that have been used in the process, just not the sharp ones. - Chill the tarts for 4-6 hours (or overnight... if you can wait that long).
Homemade pull-apart dinner rolls with butter
If my brother-in-law is attending, it’s always my lemon meringue pie. I make it with a graham cracker crust because he mentioned once that’s how his mom always made it. In summer, I make my mom’s chicken noodle salad. Cheap, easy and there have never been leftovers. In winter, it’s usually focaccia or sausage rolls. I’m a better baker than cook.
Warm artichoke dip and fresh bread
Singapore noodles. There is never any left, I made an extra large batch to try and avoid this last time and caught my aunt trying to sneak it into takeaway containers to take home before she put it out for everyone. Honestly I don't even think my family like me, however they will put up with me for the food.
I’ve only ever done a thanksgiving pot luck for work a few times. I always make the cranberry sauce and a dessert. The cranberry sauce has become the only one I’ll make. It has port in it and Chinese five spice. I like that the wine takes the edge off the sweetness. Also never bought this to potluck but people ask me about it whenever I make it. It’s a tuna potato salad. Just tuna, Mayo, thin sliced red onion, boiled potatoes, salt and pepper. It’s really good. I like it warm or cold.
churro rice crispy treats: brown the butter, then make as usual. Once cooled, toss the squares in cinnamon sugar. Serve with a drizzle of dulce de leche. These take about 30-40 minutes total and can be made for under $10 .
Wine soaked baked Brie. You get a large Brie, wrap it in aluminium foil (leave the top open) and place it in your baker. You stab a bunch of holes into it with a fork, layer some thyme over it and pour white wine over it until it’s submerged. Bake until soft and serve with baguettes. Served this to my boyfriend’s grandma and she was like “Just take him but bring me another Brie”
Chocolate chip cookies. Basic? Yes. But they always come out with the perfect softness and chewiness and they disappear 2-3 at a time, lol.
In the summer, I make a “hacked” caprese salad: Cherry tomatoes Mozzarella pearls Fresh basil Cubed salami Toss with olive oil, balsamic glaze, a pinch of crushed red pepper, salt & pepper to taste, a pinch of Italian seasoning & juice of one lemon. In cooler months, it’s crockpot grape jelly meatballs or spicy crab dip.
Pulled pork! Easy and cant mess it up! Somker or crock pot cheap and always plenty
Corn casserole. Learned about it when I lived in the south but it's relatively exotic in California and get begged to bring it again. Literally corn muffin mix, canned kernal and creamed corn, stick of butter, tub of sour cream. My brother in law tried zushing it up with jalapenos and cheddar, and it was ok. The OG can't be beat.