HollyDay Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Our church is having a potluck this Sunday. We do this often in the winter, but this summer we have been doing mostly picnics and the occasional breakfast. The rule is to take a main dish and a side dish that will feed your family if that was all you had to eat. So, what is a good summer pot luck meal that would fit that requirement? In winter I do crockpot things like beef stew, meatballs, heavy things like that. I just can't face something that heavy when it is this hot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 anyone?:lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 How about a pasta salad with some type of meat like chicken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwalizer Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 How about a pasta salad that has cut up cooked chicken or ham in it and then some fruit such as a big bowl of grapes or a cut up watermelon or a fruit salad? I'm all about pasta salad for picnics in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classical Beginnings OR Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Here is our family's favorite pasta salad recipe. It's always our first choice to bring when attending potlucks, parties, etc. We always get asked for the recipe. It's a keeper! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Antipasto-Pasta-Salad/Detail.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 We have pot-luck every Sunday, so I do this A LOT... I like to bring chicken salad. Sometimes I just put chicken salad in the middle of a platter and put crackers around it. When I have more time, I buy croissoints and make little sandwiches. They usually go better if I cut the sandwiches in half. Another dish I bring is BBQ. I cook a pork tenderloin in a crockpot until is falls apart. I then bring a basket of buns and a bottle of BBQ sauce. People can make their own sandwiches, or just eat the BBQ pork by itself. For a side dish, Jello salads are always eaten. I also like to bring a green salad. I find that at potlucks the salads go better if I just toss the whole thing with dressing instead of having people add their own. My favorite salad for summer is chopped Romaine, 2 cans drained mandarin oranges, "sugared" almonds, chopped green onions, and an oil/vinegar dressing. I bought a big metal salad bowl so I don't have to worry about breaking it as we cart it back and forth. I know one family who brings corn-dogs every time. The kids love them! None of this is the healthiest option, but at least these dishes get eaten. HTH, Leanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Pigs in a blanket--made with those mini sausages and crescent roll dough Devilled eggs Pinwheels/roll ups BBQ Meatballs--people like them any time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Now I want to do a potluck! I love all of the suggestions you've gotten so far! I love pasta salad! You could also do a potato salad. One thing I always love too are Hawaiian meatballs! You could also just do a big spinach dip with chips, or some sort of boneless buffalo wing - there are all kinds of good flavors for those! If you haven't found anything that quite hit the spot for you yet - try www.cooks.com. They have a category for potlucks! Or you could look in the appetizer section. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I'll second or third the pasta salad recommendation. I make a kind of Italian anti-pasto kind w/ bow-tie pasta, salami, peppers, tomatoes, black olives, onion and Italian dressing or Creamy Caesar as the dressing. Always gobbled up and my family can eat it as a main dish - sometimes I will add diced chicken if we are planning it as a main dish. Chicken salad (made with grapes and slivered almonds) with the croissants is one of my ALL TIME favs. Quiche is good too because it can be served cooler, or with fruit on the side as a main dish. With ham and spinach and swiss it's so good! And eggs are economical enough that you could make 2 to be sure to have enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I have to add--I like most kinds of salads, but when I go to a potluck and it seems everyone thought "I'll bring a X salad!" (insert pasta, potato, lettuce, fruit, etc...), I groan because that's not what I want to fill my plate with. I know there are sooo many different kinds of salads, but ...I don't know...salad, salad, salad. I get tired of it. Sorry, had to vent. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I would bring that if there are going to be bowls available, and that would be my main dish. I find that chili tastes better the second day, so I would make it in advance and keep it in the fridge, and warm it in a crockpot before the picnic. That way the pot could be plugged into any convenient outlet before church, and not be in anyone's way in the church kitchen. Our church kitchen is always a mob scene right before a potluck, and there are two families who pretty much claim the stove for themselves, so the rest of us never get a crack at it. Then for a side dish, I would bring a seedless, ripe watermelon, already cut into nice thin wedges and laid out on a platter. It will disappear like lightning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adams101 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Here is a good pasta salad recipe. It sounds kind of wierd, but it is soooooo good! Ingredients and be adjusted as needed, or to taste) 1 pkg spiral noodles (you can use tri-color to make it more colorful) bacon, cooked and crumbled shredded carrots raw brocolli grilled chicken (can use ham, turkey, etc. great for leftover whatever) shredded cheese Dressing 2c REAL mayo (I've been told this will NOT work with anything else, even low fat) 1c sugar 1/3 c Red wine vinegar Can be eaten immediatly, but is better after a night or 2 in fridge. I LOVE this salad and it is great for large groups. It is very different from any pasta salad I've had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamace Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Bean salad-the kind w/the vinegar-ey taste! YUM! Gives you plenty of protein, fiber, and veggies to fill you up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvbnhome Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 I've found that if I put anything on a stick...kids love it. Sliced fruit and cheese...Just make up a bunch of these.. The adults too...love them... It's just not the same as serving oneself from a bowl :) Watermelon is always good.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 How about some good crusty Italian bread with a balsamic dipping sauce and yes again, salad? Ina Garten's fresh corn salad is so good. I'm salivating just thinking about it. I add diced cucumber and/or red bell pepper or seeded roma tomatoes sometimes. We have this salad/bread with dipping sauce combo for dinner many summer nights. If you don't want to visit the link, here's the actual recipe: 5 ears of corn, shucked 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion) 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves Directions In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob. Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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