Pot luck recipes- What is your favorite!

[Jean]

Here are some of my favorites at Potlucks:

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup pretzels, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup pecans, crushed
1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 carton (8-ounce) non-dairy whipped topping
1 cup powdered sugar
1 package (6-ounce) strawberry gelatin
2 cups hot water
1 package (16-ounce) frozen strawberries
whipped topping for garnish, optional

1. Combine melted butter, pretzels, sugar, and pecans. Pat into bottom of 13x9x2-inch pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; cool.
3. Beat together cream cheese, whipped topping, and powdered sugar. Spread on top of pretzel mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until completely chilled.
4. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add strawberries; stir until gelatin begins to thicken and cool. Pour over cream cheese mixture.
5. Refrigerate, covered, until firm.
6. Before serving, top with additional whipped topping, if desired.

Serves: 12-15

Note: Prepare the night before or the day of serving so the pretzel layer will remain crisp.
When not using nuts, use 2 cups of pretzels.



Squash Casserole

1 pound yellow squash
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 cup low fat grated cheese
1/2 cup chopped pimento
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick low fat margarine
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Cook squash until tender.
2. Add margarine and mash.
3. Mix sugar, egg and mayonnaise.
4. Mix salt, onion, and pimento with this mixture and add to squash.
5. Pour mixture into buttered dish. Top with bread crumbs and cheese and dot with butter.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

NOTE: Better if mixed the day before baking.



Easy Stuffed Shells
1 box large pasta shells, cooked
2 cups mozarella chesse, shredded
1 small carton Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons of grated Parmensan cheese
1 jar of spagetti sauce

Pre-heat oven to 375. Spread 1 cup of spagetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13in. pan. In mixing bowl, combine the cheeses. Stuff the pasta shells with cheese mixture. Layer the shells in the pan. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the shells. Bake for 40 minutes.

Easy Glazed Fruit Salad
3 pints strawberries, cut into quarters
4 bananas, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 can of cubed pinnapple, drained
1 carton of strawberry glaze

In a large mixing bowl, combine the fruits and glaze. Make sure all fruit is covered with the glaze. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to serve.



Chocolate Eclair Cake or Gramham Craker Cake
1 small box of gramham crackers
2 box of instant vanilla pudding
1 container of cool whip
1 container of chocolate frosting

Prepare pudding according to directions. Fold cool whip into the pudding. Spread the pudding mixture into a 9X13in pan. Top the pudding mixture with a layer of gramham crackers. Spread the frosting on top of gramham crackers. Refrigerator before serving.



Tomato Cucumber Salad
2 small cucumbers, sliced thinly
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
6 small tomatoes, cut into quarters
1/2 cup Italian dressing

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerator before serving.




Title: Recipe(tried): Creamy Hash Brown Casserole

1 package(32 oz) frozen Southern-style hash brown potaoes, thawed
1 lb process american cheese, cubed
1 can(10 3/4 oz)cndensed cream of chicken soup,undiluted
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup butter or marg melted,divided
3 tb chopped onion
1/4 teas paprika
2 cups cornflakes,slightly crushed
fresh savory,optional

In a large bowl combine hash browns, cheese,soup,sour cream, 1/2 cup butter and onion. Spread into greased 13x9x2inch pan baking dish.
spinkle with paprika. Combine cornflakes and remaining butter,sprinkle on top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until heated through . garnish with savory if desired. Makes 8-10 servings


Try this potato casserole in the Crockpot for about 3-4 hours on Low. Also the recipe I use calls for a pound of bacon cooked and crumbled.



Title: Recipe(tried): Taco Dip

Here is a really good taco dip recipe that goes fast at potlucks:
Taco Dip
1-8 ounce package of cream cheese
1 can chili without beans
1 small can sliced black olives
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package Monterey Jack Jalapeno pepper cheese
Layer all ingredients in bowl in order given, & microwave for 12 minutes. Serve with nacho chips,
This is delicious.


Title: Recipe(tried): Broccoli Salad

I got this recipe from a friend after eating it at a potluck. It is very good & everyone seems to like it.
Broccoli Salad
1 bunch fressh broccoli, chopped in small pieces
8 ounces cheddar cheese, finely julienned
1 pound bacon fried & crumbled
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Mix all of above ingredients together & add the following sauce:
1/2 cup Miracle whip
3-4 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP vinegar.
Mix well. Let sit in fridge a couple hours or overnight before serving. It even tastes better the next day.


Enjoy
Jean

 

[oldsparkey]

My Favorite ........ That is easy.

When the wife & I manage to have the Youngest daughter (Mary) make supper for us, with Neil's help, she makes the Stuffed Shells and they are out of this world. She tells me how hard they are to make ... :roll: .... Boy do I have her number now.....
Not sure if it is the same recipe but it sure looks like it. "O" by the way she makes her own spagetti sauce..... That might be the hard part. :? but she makes 2 or 3 jars of it at one time.

As she told me in a e-mail a while back........ We make just the sauce. Some tomatoes, grated carrots and celery, chop up some zucchini and garlic.
Add a bunch of spices and wine and then the lean hamburger meat. Its great cause its pretty cheep to make.
We take a couple bottles and freeze them so it wont go bad.

Its really yummy!!!

Chuck.
*************************************************************
Easy Stuffed Shells
1 box large pasta shells, cooked
2 cups mozarella chesse, shredded
1 small carton Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons of grated Parmensan cheese
1 jar of spagetti sauce

Pre-heat oven to 375. Spread 1 cup of spagetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13in. pan. In mixing bowl, combine the cheeses. Stuff the pasta shells with cheese mixture. Layer the shells in the pan. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the shells. Bake for 40 minutes.

 

[Jean]

Easy Shells

Say Chuck,

see if you can get her sauce recipe for us! That sounds good.

Jean

 

[mary]

Here ya go Jean!

2-3 carrots (shredded)
2-3 celery stalks (shredded)
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 zucchini (chopped fine)
1 good size onion (chopped fine)
1 lb. lean hamburger meat cooked and drained
1 jar store bought sauce
1 large can minced tomatoes
3 count pour of red or white wine (what ever you have)
a few shakes of different spices. (salt, pepper, oregano, cilantro, basil, garlic salt, onion salt, whatever you have in the Italian spices...)
1 beef bullion cube

Put it all in a big pot with a lid and simmer for 2-3 hours, don't forget to stir.


Keep the bottle the Store Bought sauce came in to freeze a jar of the sauce for later'

( Mary and I were talking about this last night when she & Neil were over for supper and she told me that she is not sure of the measurements of everything because she just throws some of this and some of that in there till it tastes right. I told her that is how good cooks do it and to just list it that way.
My guess it this is why cooks never eat what the fix ... they have been tasting it all day and are full. :roll: )
....Chuck

 

[JEM]

We did one of my favorites last night. not very refined, but tasty.

This time of year we have zucchini coming out of our ears. This helps get rid of those ones that got real big and full of seeds.

-Peel a big one, slice open, and remove the seeds.
-Chop up into bight-size cubes.
-Saute with butter, garlic, and onions. I like el dante because the zucchni cubes seem to lose their flavor if you cook too much.
-Add a can of diced tomatoes. Fresh diced tomatoes work but we didn't have any last night. Simmer for a few minutes to cook off some of the moisture.

Sometimes we'll toss in some corn too.

I like to serve it with rice and mix it all together.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Matt,

My dear olde grey-jaired Mommy used to cook what she called "ratta-tooie" (or something like that.)

Layers of tomato, onion zucchini, garlic, repeat until you reach the top of the pot. Cover and simmer a while.

 

[Jean]

Matt, about those zucchini!

This is one of my old favorite Zucchini casseroles.

4 cups zucchini- diced and partially cooked - 10 min. in microwave
1 medium onion diced
1 cup sourcream or mayo
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup green pepper diced
salt and pepper to taste
stack of Ritz for cracker topping

Blend sour cream, parmesan cheese and eggs well, add remaining ingredient and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with crushed Ritz crackers(about 8-10). Bake in oven at 350% for 35-40 minutes.

Also, a good zucchini jam

Zucchini Jam

6 c. zucchini, seeded, peeled, and ground, medium coarse
6 c. sugar
2/3 c. crushed pineapple, do NOT drain
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 (6 oz.) pkg. apricot or orange Jello

Stir together in 2 quart kettle, zucchini, sugar, pineapple, and lemon juice. Boil for 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Jello. Pack in Jars and refrigerate or share with friends(especially those in N.C.-lol )
makes about 6 pints.


These are both tried and true recipes.
Jean

 

[Jean]

Jack, about that Ratatouille'

Say Jack, your ma was a smart woman! That is wonderful stuff hot or cold.

Here's you a recipe if you don't have ma's, though you might want to divide this recipe by 4. :lol:

Ratatouille'

1/4 cup olive oil
12 cups cubed eggplant -- (2 medium)
4 cups zucchini -- cubed, (2 large)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups onion -- chopped
3 medium green bell peppers -- cut in chunks
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
6 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes -- (6 large)

Heat oil in a large heavy pot. Add eggplant, zucchini and garlic and saute
until lightly browned.

Add onions, peppers, parsley, basil and thyme. Cover and cook over medium
low heat 25 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 20 minutes or until vegetables
are tender and sauce has thickened. Serve hot or cold. Can be frozen up to 6 months.

Good Stuff :!:

Jean

 

[Kayak Jack]

Jean, our recipes remind me of "Garden Clean-Out Stew". Kinda like "Refrigerator Clean-Out Soup".

 

[Jean]

Recipes

Jack,

Hey, nothing wrong with using up whats there. It's the way I was brought up. As the youngest of 7, nothing went to waste and there wasn't enough to go to waist! :roll:

Jean

 

[bearridge]

Garden Clean-Out Stew & Refrigerator Clean-Out Soup

Friend Truthful Jack,

Two of my favorites fer sho. Yesterday I fried a onion, some garlic cloves, green tomatoes, leftover somethin' gray with some kinda meat 'n mushrooms in it, some left over chopped tomato (mostly juice), spices 'n some colorful beans Miz Bear haz been servin' on salads.

I ate some over brown rice, but the rest iz settin' in the ice box waitin' fer whatever comes next. A few ounces of that stuff will go good in a heap a dishes.

regards,
bearridge
bodine school of crockery

I asked him, 'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?'
He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.' Pro basketball player

 

[Kayak Jack]

Tomate-Cucumber Salad

Jean,

I've served this twice. Once at dinner at home, & folks were asking to take some along with them. Last night at a potluck. There were three spoonsfull left.

I ttried adding dill, good. Added garlic, sweet basil, (WHO is that guy anyway??) & oregano, better.

 

[oldyaker]

Bumper Crop......

Bumper crop of bananna peppers this hot summer.....
*Wash them up
*Cut off tops and stick in a fillet knife to clean out seeds and veins.
*Stuff with sweet or hot Italian sausage, poke the meat in the pepper with handle of a wooden spoon.
* Brush peppers lightly with olive oil.
*Place peppers on a Pam sprayed flat pan and bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees, until pepper skin starts to wrinkle.

You can also kick up the sausage by adding Bears holy grail (Zatarains).

You can also drizzle some tomato sauce over the peppers during the last few minutes of cooking, also you can sprinkle over some shredded mozzerlla cheese to melt over the peppers.
Get some good Italain bread and a glass of red and enjoy. This recipe is easy and really good with fresh bananna peppers. Sometimes I serve them as an appitizer, other times, it's my main course with a tomato salad.
For some reason this hot summer has really produced the bananna peppers!

 

[oldsparkey]

I say ole man since you have a bumper crop of banana peppers then pickle some for later in sandwiches.
Now take the rest and dehydrate them for later when you are snow bound and past this 70 degree weather you are presently enjoying.

Down here we don't need any peppers to stay warm it is sweltering with a heat index of Par Broiled and that is in the shade. 70 degrees is a cold snap for us during that one week ................ we call winter. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[oldyaker]

Ya know Chuck, I meant to bring a jar of pickled bananna peppers stuffed with kraut when we camped at Lost Mine in May. I forgot, next time.

 

[Kayak Jack]

...pickled bananna peppers stuffed with kraut ...

That would be like a group of cutting torches sitting around the campfire!

 

[oldsparkey]

...pickled bananna peppers stuffed with kraut ...

That would be like a group of cutting torches sitting around the campfire!

Jack ..... That is some mighty fine eating , throw in a hard boiled egg or two on the side and some cold beer.......... Man "O" Man.
I get the already pickled peppers and then stuff them here at the house with kraut for snacks. I still have not figured it out but those nights ole pups sleeps in the wifes bedroom with her , "O" well at lease then I don't have to listen to his snoring. :lol:

Which reminds me if we ever get together for camping we will have to have that for snacking on while sitting around the campfire and I want to have my sleeping area just a few yards up wind of yours.

Chuckles

 

[Kayak Jack]

... Which reminds me if we ever get together for camping we will have to have that for snacking on while sitting around the campfire and I want to have my sleeping area just a few yards up wind of yours.

Nebba hatche, GI!