Need new idea for potluck
 

I need a new idea for a potluck supper. But there are a few rules...

1. Both adults and children will enjoy

2. Easy to transport

3. Only small microwave to reheat

4. 30 to 40 people attending

5. Not too expensive

6. Not too spicy

7. Different

Thanks

I haven't made this, but I recently had a pasta salad that they added boiled potatoes to. It had some pickles in it and probably mayo. Everyone loved it.

I like those too Tartan. I put black olives, green onion and pecans in mine.

Make it in your crockpot/slowcooker at home.
Easy to transport and no need to reheat.
Depending on timing, you may not even need to plug it in when you get to the event.

Lots of options to choose that will meet your other requirements.

One of my lfavourites is to take either scalloped potatoes or garlic mashed a la crockpot.
Most people will never take potatoes.
Bonus ... most people devour either of the above ... and you will be a hero!

One time for a Super Bowl party I made a crock pot full of ravioli. I bought the frozen cheese ravioli and boiled it ahead of time - then put it in the crock pot layering it with the sauce. Everyone loved it - they ate it all and I had a large crock pot. You could do meatballs too. Really anything you want to keep warm you could put in a crock pot.

I have done meatballs in the crock pot. Always popular especially since many potlucks are low on meat and high on starches. In a hurry cheat with frozen meatballs.

For the roll ups---I add a bit of packaged dry Ranch Dressing Mix into the cream cheese....

I always find vegetables and fruit lacking at pot lucks, so I generally bring crudites or fruit salad. Fruit is always a hit with kids. One thing I like to eat at potlucks is Mexican 7 layer dip - salsa, beans, sour cream, cheese, etc. - with tortilla chips or pita chips

Cornbread Salad is great for potlucks; easy to make - just layering; no heating and goes with any other dishes. I have used Paula Deen's Recipe and just change it up with either what I have in the refrigerator or what others like/don't like. Hope this helps. ENJOY!

Baked Bean Goulash

1.5 pounds hamburger, browned with diced onion
Cook 1 cup elbow macaroni as package directs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can baked beans with juice - medium size (baked beans r better than pork & beans)

Combine all, cover and bake 30-40 minutes. Or heat longer in crockpot.

My Mother often made scalloped potatoes, plain, with ham or even hot dogs and took home an empty dish.

One great, inexpensive dish is the roasted potato recipe on the Lipton onion soup box. Scrub and cube 5# of potatoes into a lasagna-size container, toss with a mixture of oil, melted butter and several envelopes of the Dry soup mix. Bake until tender. Never any left to take home. I never measure any of the ingredients, as people aren’t picky about doctored potatoes, lol.

If you don't have to bring the main meat, I make Chinese Coleslaw. It doesn't use mayonnaise so no need to keep it cold. It has Ramen noodles for crunch. Google the recipe and use whatever you like in the way of nuts.

Thanks for all the good ideas. Our crockpot row usually has bratwurst and saurkraut, baked beans, little smokies in barbeque sauce, neeps and tatties, ravioli. (Several different countries favorite foods) Never have scalloped potatoes so maybe I will do that, or as mentioned fruits are often missing so maybe a jello fruit salad. Had Chinese coleslaw once in NM, delicious, never heard of cornbread salad. All these sound so good I am getting hungry! :)

What is "neeps and tatties"?

This is mashed turnips and mashed potato. They can be mashed up together, or separately, but use plenty of butter and/or cream, salt and pepper. Mashed together it is very tasty, and wonderful with sausages/ chicken/ ham/ or any vegetarian alternative and gravy. I like them separately and together, but don't be mean with butter, cream and seasoning.
As a named dish, it is traditional with haggis for Burns night in Scotland, but also very familiar to me when growing up in Ireland.

My MIL (German) made mashed rutabagas and mashed potatoes together. Yum! Yum! Yum!

I like vegie chili and cheese biscuits or cornbread made in muffin tins. I am not vegetarian, but find that often there is not much for the vegetarians at a potluck. I do not make it spicy, but will bring hot sauce for those who want more heat.

I have also brought taco salad. I do not mix it until I get there, I keep the meat (chicken or beef) and cheese separate, to accommodate the vegans and vegetarians.

An oldie that is still enjoyed is meatballs with a sauce of 1/2 bbq sauce and 1/2 grape jelly or cranberry sauce. I use cranberry sauce, as I often have leftover in the freezer.

Cabbage roll casserole is good. You use all the regular ingredients, but layer it instead of rolling. Can go in a crock pot. Not spicy, but lots of flavour.

Make Ahead mashed spuds, they keep hot for about an hour. 5# yellow spuds (I don't bother to peel), boiled and mashed with 2 cups (500 ml) full fat sour cream, lots of sharp cheddar, butter to make a smooth consistency. Mix in bacon bits. Put into a greased lasagne pan, top with more cheese and bacon and bake an hour until bubbly. You can add onions, but I do not, as I find the onion flavour overpowers the dish. But you can put some chives or green onions on top after it bakes. If you are making ahead, do not bake, cover with plastic and you can freeze for a few weeks, thaw overnight before baking.

We learned about neeps and tatties when our daughter was in college at Stirling, Scotland. Not a new taste for this Midwest German heritage farm girl. Yes, my Grandma made it but we just called it potatoes mashed with turnips. :)
What is cornbread salad?

Follow up on the potluck meal: when I told the co-ordinator I would bring deviled eggs, she rudely laughed and said "Nobody makes those anymore, and nobody eats them." But I brought deviled eggs anyway. Everybody complimented on how tasty they were, and ate all of them. :)

Deviled eggs are almost always gone before anything else at the pot-lucks I've been at. What was that co-ordinator thinking?

Another thing that goes fast is pigs in a blanket if there is a way to keep them warm or heat them up.

Deviled eggs will always be a big hit.

I made vegies and dip and put the dip in a hollowed out pumpernickel round that you could tear apart and eat along with the dip. One woman said to me..."That's so retro. I haven't seen that since the '80's", but it was gone in a flash and people were devouring the bread and dip before the vegies were gone, so ;) to her.

Watson

My contribution:

Marinated carrots (one reviewer suggested adding garbanzo beans which I think sounds good).
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/...8?ftab=reviews

I've taken these to pot lucks. NO ONE brings carrots, and these are delicious. Can be served hot or cold.

That's so retro? Wow, some people................

if it was good "then" -

I've done this for a potluck of mixed genders and ages. I fill a big dish pan with fried bacon. No matter how much I cook, the bacon is always gone. Always.

I like jello, but object to it at potlucks unless there is a separate dish provided for it. Jello comes in contact with my hot food and it’s icky to me.

I have taken this to pot lucks and it went very well; hot, nutritious, quick, inexpensive.
Corn showder
1 can Creamed Corn
Potatoes, cut small
Ham chunks
Salt and Pepper
Takes maybe 5 minutes and can be microwave or even crock pot.
Combine ingredients, stir to mix well. Heat and eat.
Men really like this!
1 can corn and the ham and potato chunks will serve 4-6 with bread and a salad; glass milk.
Mariah

I like steamed cauliflower mashed with cooked, regular, white potatoes. You can use russet, or white wax, or a combination of both. I add some S&P, a dash of garlic powder, some finely chopped parsley and a little melted Earth Balance drizzled on the top. Everyone loves them!

~C

My favorite to take is cheesy potatoes made in crock pot! Never have to worry about leftovers because there never is any left!

I always head for the deviled eggs first! What was she thinking?

Hot German Potato Salad (potatoes and kielbasa with vinegar) made in your crockpot or InstaPot.
Mac-n-cheese
Beef stew (or chicken/turkey stew) or a Hunter's Stew
Tater Tot casserole (ground meat, cream of ?? soup [I use cream of onion or potato], shredded cheddar, tater tots) - bake at home and reheat
Pulled pork or chicken - crockpot/Instapot
Fruit salad
Green/tossed salad with dressing on the side
Soup (Minestrone, Chicken noodle, Clam/fish/corn chowder or a cream soup) - crockpot/Instapot
Chicken n' dumplings - crockpot/Instapot
Chicken cranberry salad (can add nuts if you want. I use almonds or walnuts.)
Curried chicken salad (add green grapes or raisins)
Tuna salad
Ham salad
Egg salad

For a Potluck Dinner ,,I have made Chicken Dumpling's
Ham Salad,,,Chicken Salad with grapes in it
A pot of Scalloped Potatoes
Nice big bowl of Garden Salad always took Different Salad Dressing's
Big Pot Bake Beans
And of course Devil Eggs etc.