I need potluck dish suggestions...

[Dora]

We're going to a party this Saturday, and we've been asked to "bring food, real food." The hosts don't want chips or desserts because that's what everyone else brings to their parties, and they know that I'm willing to cook "real food." Their parties tend to be quite a draw, so there will be a crowd. The hosts are vegetarian, but the guests will be primarily carnivores.

I have a nine-month old baby, a full-time job, and a giant crock pot. My biggest concerns are ease of preparation and expense. In times past I would have bought a few dozen tamales, but that's out of budget these days.

What are your ideas?

[jeanarrett]

1. 7-layer salad - Good, filling and easy.

[Dora]

2. Is that the same as 7-layer dip?

The hostess always makes 7-layer dip. It's a good idea, but I don't want to duplicate her efforts.

[jeanarrett]

5. No, it's a salad:

1. 1 head of lettuce
2. Med. chopped onion
3. 8 oz. green peas (frozen, thawed)
4. Hellman's mayo (must be Hellman's - it matters)
5. Teaspoon of sugar
6. 1 lb. bacon cubed small and cooked crispy
7. 8 oz. sharp cheddar grated

You layer it in the order above 1 - 3, use Hellman's to "frost," sprinkle on sugar over Hellman's, top with bacon and cheese. Chill. Sounds gross, really good!

[Dora]

7. Thanks for the recipe

And of course: only Hellman's is Hellman's. How much mayo do you use? A jar? A cup? :shrug:

[jeanarrett]

13. Well. . . that's kind of a personal preference.

You know how fattening Hellman's is, but you need to frost the top of the salad (kind of seal in the lettuce, onions and peas). I hate to admit it, but I usually use about half a jar (the larger, regular sized ones)!!!!!! Some people use less.

[KitchenWitch]

3. Thai Chicken Cabbage salad

Shredded cabbage
Pea Pods
Water Chestnuts
Bean Sprouts
Diced Red Bell Pepper
Shredded Carrots
Diced Chicken
Crushed Dry Roasted Peanuts

Dressing:
1 C Peanut Butter
1/4 C Rice Wine Vinegar
2 TBSP Sesame Oil
2 TBSP Fish Sauce
1 TSP Chili Oil (0r more if you like heavier spice)


combine Veggies, chicken and half the peanuts with the dressing. Top with the balance of the peanuts. You may also top with toasted sesame seeds

[Dora]

8. This sounds good, and it could be vegetarian too....

If I made two salads, but left the chicken out of one.

Hmmm.

[KitchenWitch]

11. Very true

it would make a good vegetabletarian dish!

You should leave the fish sauce out too, if you are going veggie...maybe add a dab more sesame oil, or in place of the fish sauce, you could use soy sauce.

[Mr. McD]

4. I frequently take this to potlucks

From another post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x11996#12029

[Dora]

9. Thanks!

And I was thinking of pork as an option too... what timing. This casserole sounds good - I'll put this in my recipe box!

[SW FL Dem]

6. I usually take a pot of chili and corn bread muffins

I cheat and start with a Bear Creek "Damn Good Chili" mix, add tomatoes, beans and some ground beef or turkey. You could always leave out the meat so your veggie friends can enjoy it too.

[Dora]

10. Chili crossed my mind.

I had thought about pork chile as a possibility - roasts are on sale at my store this week, and it's something I can put together with just a little bit of work each day, rather than a lot of chopping and assembling all at once. I don't know why I don't think of using a mix - I'll have to look for this at my store.

Thanks!

[politicat]

12. If they eat eggs, try a chile relleno casserole.

4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons dry mustard
2 cup cottage cheese
2 cup shredded Jack cheese
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 big can whole green chiles
Two 16-ounce package frozen hash browns or 6 large potatoes, peeled, grated, rinsed and squeezed dry.
Shaker of paprika --dust top of casserole just before putting in oven - looks pretty.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with 1/2-inch layer of potatoes. Cut open the chiles and lay them on top of the potatoes. Beat eggs. Add dry ingredients and beat well. Blend in remaining ingredients. Batter will be lumpy. Pour in dish and bake 25-30 minutes.

Check for doneness with a clean, sharp knife blade. The blade should come clean when inserted in middle. Top should be lightly browned, and edges starting to pull away from pan.

Edited to add: total cost for me when I make this is about $7, but I use regular potatoes. I buy the cheese when it's on special and feel free to sub around if you need to - I've made it with only Jack, with cheddar jack, with pepper jack (oo, that was warming!) with mexican quesadilla cheese... whatever. Use what's inexpensive, but not Velveeta. I believe that Kroger chains currently have cheese pre-shredded in the tip-top bags for about $2, and one-two bag(s) of mexican blend cheese will do the trick.

Green chiles are mild and can be purchased whole in big cans in the mexican foods aisle.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

14. Some easy things ...........

Just cook up a big batch of spaghetti - make as much of either of these sauces as you think you might need (they keep well refrigerated, in a sealed jar), add lots of cooked vegetables of all kinds (I throw in broccoli, corn, peas, raw carrot shreds, thinly sliced onion, peanuts, green beans, shredded red cabbage), and you've got yourself a really nice cold sesame noodle salad:

COLD NOODLE SALAD
WITH
SESAME-PEANUT BUTTER-CHILI SAUCE
OR
SOY-VINEGAR SAUCE

1 lb. noodles
2 Tbs. sesame oil
2 tsps. finely chopped garlic
2 Tbs. finely chopped scallions

The sesame-peanut butter-chili sauce:

¼ cup smooth peanut butter
2 Tbs. peanut oil
2 Tbs. sesame oil
½ tsp. coarse salt
4 tsps. sugar
2 Tbs. dark soy sauce
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
4 Tbs. cold water; add more for thinner sauce
2 tsps. hot chili bean paste (you can fake this by substituting hot oil or a bit of cayenne pepper)

The soy-vinegar sauce:
¼ cup dark soy sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. sesame oil
2 tsps. Sugar

[Stinky The Clown]

15. Devilled eggs

Seems to be a forgotten pot lucker. We bring 'em all the time. They always go.

Use hot sauce in the mix if its all adults.

[ernstbass]

16. Just returned from potluck lunch

my deviled eggs were the first item to go!!

[OldLeftieLawyer]

22. Chutney-stuffed eggs

You just reminded me of this recipe:

A dozen hard-boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Chutney
Crisp bacon, minced

I just combine the egg yolks with the chutney, mayo and bacon, and fill the eggs. This is an old, old recipe from a weird little cookbook put out by some nuns at a mission in SE Asia.

They're crunchy, slightly sweet, delicious.

[Dora]

17. I don't have any old eggs.

I hate peeling boiled eggs, and my eggs are too new for deviling.

added on edit - Welcome back!

[babylonsister]

18. How about an easy bean casserole?

This is way too easy but I've had many compliments. Get a can or two of your basic pork and beans, as cheap as you can find. Mix in yellow mustard, catsup, and brown sugar. Mix well, and taste as you go. It turns out pretty runny, but that okay. Top with strips of bacon, bake for an hour at 350 degrees, or til the bacon is cooked.
So easy, cheap, and it's a good side dish.

[Dora]

20. Could be messy....

Fill a house with 100 musicians, tubs of wine, and a couple of kegs, and I think there may be some food sloshing going on.

I think I need thick food for this event.

But the beans sound yummy!

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. I posted this one on another thread lower down the page but i hope

you'll like it.

Broccoli cheese and rice caserole.........

2 cups of cooked white rice
2 steamed broccoli heads (about 2 cups, cut up)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
3 eggs
3 slices of your favorite bread, toasted and ripped into chunks,
Tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper to your taste
(add a little sauteed onion and mushroom if you like)
In a large bowl, mix the eggs and the mayo together till well
blended.
add the cooled rice (If it is hot it will cook the eggs...you DON'T want that yet) and mix well. Add the cooled, cooked broccoli (ditto) a cup of the cheese, half the bread shreds, the herbs (and the onions and mushrooms if you like)

Pour into your casserole dish and cover the top with the rest of the bread and cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife stuck in the center comes out mostly dry. (wanna make sure the eggs cooked)

Yum! The mayo really sets this off. Start checking for doneness after about 35 minutes. Too long will make it too dry. Too little and the eggs wont set up.

Sorry, i don't do test kitchen recipes that are exact!

This is EASILY expandable. Just add another couple eggs, more rice etc. You can also add diced, cooked chicken breast if you like.

[Tab]

21. I've made a Thai Chicken Noodle to great acclaim

It's not hard.

You'll want:
Chicken meat (I use boneless thighs)
Thai red curry paste (or green, but I like red for this)
Two cans of coconut milk
Thai rice noodles
Minced garlic
Fish sauce
Brown sugar
Cinnamon (I like Saigon Cinnamon)
Salt & Pepper
Peanut oil
Fresh basil
(Optional items - straw mushrooms, peanuts, pignoli nuts, whatever else strikes you)

I dice up the chicken thighs, then salt & pepper them
I heat up the peanut oil
I put the diced chicken things in the peanut oil with the garlic
Cook until they're nearly fully cooked

Add the coconut milk
Add a spoonful of curry paste, mix it in well - more if you want.
Add the brown sugar - I guess I use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
Add fish sauce - the more the better, almost!
If you're doing optional stuff like mushrooms, whatever, toss 'em in

Keep it at a low simmer at most

Now boil the water and cook the rice noodles, then drain and add them into the mix.

Add the cinnamon - it really makes the difference, and goes very well with the coconut milk.

Add fresh basil near the end.

Yum, yum

I've also made this with steak slices, and also have mixed in peanut sauce, all of which works, but I like the above approach just as it is.