Yum, Yum! Fall and Winter Potlucks Made Easy and Interesting

Mmmmm. Potluck. I love potluck dinners. There are so many delicious options both to sample and to bring. It seems as if the fall and winter seasons are loaded with the opportunities to share meals with coworkers and friends. At least, with potluck dinners, the burden of providing a meal is shared among everyone, and no certain person is stuck with the stress of making certain there is something for each person's tastes. My favorite contributions for a potluck dinner are simple and enjoyable.

If I do not have much time, and the main dish options are already covered, I do like to make a version of Rotel dip that is slightly different. Now, I do not like cream cheese. The only ways I like them are in cream cheese danishes or cream cheese Rotel. Yes, I said Rotel. Instead of melting Velveeta and having to transport the crock-pot, I take four blocks of cream cheese and four cans of Rotel tomatoes and chilies and dump them into a bowl. Then, I use my mixer to blend and smooth the mixture. I like to give the option of crackers, corn chips or tortilla chips for dipping. Since many people in this area have not heard of this, I generally put a sign explaining that it is not a dessert. Imagine expecting something sweet then getting a mouthful of that!

Another dish that I like to provide is my chicken and rice casserole. I made this up, one day, when I did not have the tortillas available for a Mexican chicken dish. First, I make six cups of minute rice. Then I mix it with three cans of cream of mushroom and three cans of cream of chicken. I mix chicken in to the bowl. I either use chicken that is packaged like tuna or boiled chicken breast cut into chunks, depending on what is available in my house. I mix this into a huge bowl with a few cups of shredded colby/jack cheese. This amount usually allows me to make two large lasagna pans and a small pan. I layer the mixture into the pans, then I lay a thick layer of the shredded cheese. I repeat this two or three times, depending on the depth of the pan. I finally top the pan with a thick layer of the cheese and cover it with aluminum foil. During preparations, I preheat the oven to three hundred fifty degrees. I bake the casserole for forty-five minutes, and remove it from the oven. After I remove the aluminum foil, I bake for fifteen additional minutes to finish the cheese on the top. I simply put a serving spoon with it, and people can try as big a portion as they want.

As always, spaghetti is an excellent addition to any potluck. I have my own method of making the sauce, though. I actually hate the store-bought jars of sauce, since onions and peppers gross me out. I take a pound of hamburger meat that is usually very lean and fry it in my largest skillet. I do use onion powder, since it is the texture of onions and peppers that I dislike. I cover the meat in a layer of onion powder, seasoned meat tenderizer, Italian seasonings, a lot of garlic powder, and a little bit of black pepper. After the meat has been browned, I add a large can of tomato sauce (29 oz) and more of the same spices. I then allow this mixture to simmer on low heat with the lid to the pan on it.. While the sauce is simmering, I boil the pasta, drain it and put it in a bowl. When the pasta and sauce are ready, I put them in a bowl and stir it evenly. I provide a container of Parmesan cheese, and allow people to enjoy. Another option is to put the pasta in a bowl and mix it with a bit of olive oil to retain its moisture. Then I can put the sauce in a crock-pot. This way the amount of sauce is optional.

Lasagna is one of my favorite dishes to make, and it is easy to transport for a potluck. To make it, I follow the same instructions as my spaghetti sauce, except I make a double batch of it. I boil the lasagna noodles and drain them. I follow the recipe that is on any box of lasagna noodles, with a mixture of ricotta cheese with two eggs and Parmesan cheese. First, I put down a layer of sauce. Then I put a layer of noodles. I put a layer of the ricotta mix, and I put mozzarella and colby/jack cheese on that. Then I top it with a layer of sauce. I do this two more times, then I finish with a layer of cheese. I put aluminum foil on the top of the pan and put the pan in a preheated oven at four hundred degrees for one hour. After the hour is done, I remove the foil and bake for fifteen minutes. If there is an oven available when the meal is ready to be put on the table, I will reheat the meal before serving. If not, I allow it to be served at room temperature, since it is actually good, that way.

Finally, there is a wonderful and hearty dish that is good for work potlucks. I like to use my biggest slow-cooker or crock pot, and make stew. To make my stew, I buy a pound of trim stew meat. I boil it in a pot of boiling water, then I put it into the crock pot. I then add some of the water from cooking the meat. I put two twenty-nine ounce cans of tomato sauce, a bag of baby carrots, a lot of peeled potatoes, green beans and corn. I also add seasoned meat tenderizer, salt, pepper, onion powder, and a lot of garlic powder. After I have arrived at work, I plug in the crock pot on high and allow the stew to cook through-out the morning. I usually bring some brown-and-serve rolls and butter to serve with it. This is a perfect winter dish, since it is warm and hearty.

I enjoy potluck dinners. I do not feel so stressed to find something that will satisfy everyone when there will be many options. Since I do not have much time for cooking at home, I am glad to share recipes for simple meals that are healthy and satisfying. I should probably look into bringing desserts, someday, but it seems like that is the one area of potluck that is never lacking, so I try to bring interesting main courses that are a little different. Of course, I do not put down the wonderful additions like cocktail weiners, breads and dips. A potluck would not be complete without them, but I like to be a little different and these recipes are a welcome bunch for any dinner, whether at home or not.