Potluck?

[AdminAssistant]

I have a conundrum, so I turn to you, my dear CS'ers.

My department banquet is next Friday. It is a semi-formal potluck. So, I have to get dressed up AND bring something. Yay. Not. But there's a slim chance I might get an award and money to go with it, so....yeah.

I just got a dress (holy cow, I found a dress! That fits! And isn't able to double as a tent!) But, they assigned potluck duties by last name, and I got stuck with entree. Now, I have a ton of 'go-tos' for desserts, appetizers, dips, you name it. But...not so much on a main dish (must serve 8). I can cook for myself, of course, but a main dish for multiple people is a little trickier. Thoughts, suggestions? I thought about doing some kind of baked pasta thing. (Fewer ingredients/shorter cook time is better).

[BookstoreEscapee]

Baked ziti or lasagna are always good bets. Easy to make, even for a lot of people (especially if you get the ready-to-bake lasagna noodles that you don't have to boil first) and something most people will eat. And you can get one of those aluminum baking pans and it's easy to clean up - when it's empty just toss it in the recycling bin.

[Setsunaela]

baked ziti is always a good standby.. you could also consider making a casserole, or some small sandwiches.

[Greenday]

How many people? If it's not too many, anything in a crockpot would do. Crockpots make everything taste better.

[AdminAssistant]

How many people? If it's not too many, anything in a crockpot would do. Crockpots make everything taste better.

8 people. I have two crockpots - one is really little, and the other is bigger, but doesn't have a removeable crock. So I never use it.

[Aethian]

Wait wait wait...any allergies we should know of?

[BookstoreEscapee]

I have two cockpots -

Really. hmm.

[AdminAssistant]

Wait wait wait...any allergies we should know of?

Well, I don't have any...and I'm guessing that there's going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 100-150 people...maybe more after guests. There are a lot of undergrads in my department. The flier we got didn't have list anything about allergies. If I would be making my world-famous boiled cookies, I would attach a note saying they contain peanut butter. But alas, no.

[Kittish]

Boiled cookies? Never heard of such a thing.

Another easy entree idea would be a rice and chicken casserole sort of thing. For this I would definitely go with using aluminum pans to save on some clean up. Put rice, water, cut up chicken, and one or two cans of cream of mushroom soup into the pan, mix thoroughly, cover and bake at 350 for about an hour (or until the rice is cooked).

[AdminAssistant]

Boiled cookies? Never heard of such a thing.

More commonly known as Mississippi Mud cookies, no-bake cookies, or drop cookies. Basically, sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa mixed together, boiled for one minute, then stir in oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Drop onto aluminum foil - no baking required. The peanut butter doesn't give much flavor, but helps them set up - which is what makes Mom's recipe so awesome. When I've had other people's, they're almost always runny, these set up really nicely.

[AccountingDrone]

lasagna isnt a good choice ... if it isnt in what seems to be logical portions you will get some jackasses at the head of the line who will cut themselves a quadruple portion, leaving nothing for the poor guys at the end of the line ... at least with a soup or stew you can sort of control portion size with the right disposable bowls ... they normally come in 8 12 or 16 oz sizes. You can aid that along with a 8 ladle [8 oz cup size]

Solo has a 12 oz plastic bowl that is fabulous for potlucks

As to crockpotting, since you have to make an entree, how about a nice vegan minestrone? There are a lot of recipes out there, but I make mine out of 15 bean soup that I get in a little bag in the grocery and bash from the southern food recipe - I add precooked leftover pasta so it doesnt slurp up all the broth before I get to serve it [dump it into the crockpot maybe 10 minutes before serving] I also like to add chopped carrot, celery, and fresh roma tomatoes. Sometimes I like to add in chunks of yellow summer squash about half an hour before serving. I tend to make this except for the pasta the night before, and leave it on very low after dumping in more veggie broth.

of course making it vegan makes it accessable for more people =) if you are a carnivore fry up a bunch of crumbled hot or sweet italian sausage and toss it in at the beginning=)

[AdminAssistant]

With so many folks coming, I'm not too worried about running out of food. I'd really rather not bust out the crockpot. I'm gonna be all dressed up in heels...I forsee catastrophe! Besides, my big one is a pain to clean since the crock doesn't come out.

So, here's my thought. I do an awesome veggie pasta (not a vegetarian, just not a fan of meat in my pasta or on my pizza). Whole wheat pasta (usually penne or fusili), with sauteed mushrooms, zuchinni, squash, onion, bell pepper and store bought tomato sauce. What's the best way to turn it into a baked dish? Undercook the pasta a little, and just top with cheese? A combo of mozzarella and parmesean would probably be good...

[Shpepper]

I would just fix it like you would for yourself and then mix it all together, pour it into a baking pan of some sort and then top it with cheese and bake long enough to melt the cheese. Wither that or make it regular and put a thing of Parmesian cheese next to it and let people top it themselves.

This dish sounds really really good. I am going to have to try it for myself.

[AdminAssistant]

This dish sounds really really good. I am going to have to try it for myself.

Thanks, Shpepper! I like using the zuchinni and squash 'cuz of the pretty colors more than anything. And I use a full pound of mushrooms. I LOVE mushrooms..mmmm. Sometimes, if I've got some cooked chicken on hand, I'll toss that in as well. And it's all flexible...sometimes I'll put in some celery or carrots if I've got some (just have to let those cook a bit longer).

[taxguykarl]

Wait wait wait...any allergies we should know of?

Not only that but religious eating preferences. Any Hindus, Muslims, Jews or Seventh-Day Adventists among your CW's?