Fun Monday: Potluck style

Sayre is once again our hostess for Fun Monday for June. She’s got this topic for us: What is your favorite cook-out food and/or recipe? OR What special dish are you known for at gatherings of family or friends?

Every good Methodist likes a potluck. So this is right up my alley. I took a quick peek at Sayre’s post for this morning. Turns out that her boy and I have something in common: frustration over lack of meat at potluck suppers. Seriously? Most of the time, it’s not any more to cook with chicken than it is to put together a dessert with 12 fancy ingredients, people! So, in that spirit, the last time we had a potluck, I took this:

Meat Loaf

2 lbs ground chuck
1 C bread crumbs (2 slices of bread)
8 oz tomato sauce
2 eggs
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t chili powder
small onion, chopped
salt and pepper

Use a blender or food processor and make breadcrumbs. Then process eggs and onions in blender (this chops up the onion really fine and makes is very kid friendly). Mix all ingredients together and form in greased pan. Spread ketchup over the loaf and top with a couple of bacon slices. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes.

—————-

Then there are times when I KNOW that there will be meat there, because it’s explicitly written to be a turkey dinner or something like that. Here’s what I might take then:

Easy Deviled Eggs

eggs, vinegar, marzetti’s slaw dressing

Place one layer of eggs in pan (the more eggs you do, the bigger the pan) and cover with cold water. Add 1 T of vinegar (keeps shells from cracking) and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Pour off hot water and add cold water in stages until you can handle the eggs. Peel, and cut in half lengthwise. Put yolks in food processor and blend into fine crumbs. Pour yolks into a bowl and add enough Marzetti’s slaw dressing for creamy consistency and to taste. Stuff eggs with small spoon and top with a sprinkle of paprika.

————

or if I am supposed to take a salad:

Pudding Salad

20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 1/2 C marshmallows
8 oz cool whip

Fold together canned pineapple with pudding mix in a large bowl. Gently stir in oranges, marshmallows, and then cool whip. Chill.

—————

I think my favorite thing to take, though, which got a few raised eyebrows, was ‘Roadkill Cupcakes’. I used a half an oreo for a tire, piped yellow frosting for road lines, and a ‘ road kill’ gummi on top. I thought they were great. Peta threw a fit and got the gummis outlawed shortly after that, so I’ve never been able to repeat them (darnit). They were my own creation and I was really proud!

 


2 Comments

  1. I agree with you about Methodist cookbooks, Jill. My favorite is “Feed My Flock”–40 yrs. old and still used regularly. Love the idea of using Marzetti’s slaw dressing for deviled eggs. Hard to get the right balance of sweet-tang in them with mayo.

  2. Mmmm!!! I have to try your meatloaf. I am so bad at meatloaf – I can’t seem to get it to work for me.

    And I like your deviled egg recipe! I make mine by hand with mayo and dijon mustard. They always disappear, so it must work okay. I’ll have to try peeling my eggs warm. I’ve always tried to get them cold fast but it doesn’t seem to work very well.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *