Potluck Parties

 

“Potluck Parties”

The term “potluck party” has an old-fashioned ring to it. I picture old ladies in their Sunday bonnets and dresses, carrying a large dish covered with a checkered cloth. But in reality, potluck parties are an ideal form of modern entertaining today.  We all like to gather with friends but sometimes we just get overwhelmed by the stressors of class, tests, homework, work, and organizations on campus that we are involved in. Whenever the impulse to host a casual get-together strikes, you can call up your friends, tell them you’re organizing a potluck, and ask them to bring along one dish to share with the rest of the group! My sorority sisters and I love to do this. It’s so easy, and it’s a very inexpensive way to hold a social event. After all, food is a great way to bring people together!

 

Here are a few general guidelines to follow to be the hostess with the mostess!

• The idea of a potluck dinner party is to serve a random assortment of dishes, but sometimes this part doesn’t always go as planned. Your potluck party is sure to be a success if you do a little bit of pre-party organizing. If you don’t want to risk the chance that all of your guests will bring only desserts, begin by assigning your guests a specific course to bring along.  Next, ask each guest to commit to a general category of food. No matter how much we may love sweets, a table full of desserts wouldn’t give much variety to your potluck!
• Often times the hostess will provide the main course such as a turkey, hamburgers on the grill, or any other main dish and ask guests to bring side dishes and desserts. It’s really up to you based on the size of your guest list.  
• We must not forget that someone has to be responsible for drinks! You can either ask your guests to bring them as their contribution or maybe supply them yourself. Other items that often get forgotten are serving utensils. Most guests don’t realize they don’t have anything to serve their dish with until they arrive so always keep a few extra serving spoons handy!

Here are a few rules to follow as a potluck party guest… • All dishes should be prepared in advance. • Nobody should do more in the kitchen than pop something in the oven for reheating. The dishes should be easy to transport. If there are many people attending the party, the serving size of each dish does not need to equal the number of guests. Everybody will take only a small portion of each dish because there are many to choose from. • Traditional potluck dishes include casseroles, chili, cookies, salads, and slices of bread. • Recipes don’t need to be fancy. Dishes that have been handed down through the generations are often the most popular. • If you’re looking for a new recipe to try at your next potluck, here are several of my favorites that will make an excellent collection to start you on your way to potluck fame! [ultimate-recipe id=”70271″ template=”default”] [ultimate-recipe id=”70277″ template=”default”]

The trick I’ve found with chili is that the longer you cook it, the better it is!

Best of Luck with all your potluck party adventures, and join me next Friday where I will be telling you the many ways you can add flare to your Ramen Noodles! Picture: Potluck Recipe: Chili