Potluck Love

I love potlucks. I mean, why limit yourself to just one entrée/side/dessert when you can sample a dozen different ones?

Last weekend we attended two potluck meals. So aside from getting to sample the dishes others brought, it gave me an opportunity to prepare some of my favorite recipes. You know, the ones you don't dare make unless you've got plenty of people to share them with, otherwise you're stuffing your face with those delicious leftovers for the rest of the week. And while that is enjoyable, things come to an abrupt end when you can no longer fasten your pants.

Our first potluck was a dinner. A farewell party for some good friends. And I knew I had to bring a pan of Chocolate Lasagna.

All that chocolatey goodness simply has to be shared.

This easy and oh, so tasty recipe can be found here.

I wanted something savory too take, as well. Something that was more of a party food. So I opted for Hot Hawaiian Beef Sandwiches. I saw the Pioneer Woman make these a long time ago. Now, I always make them for our Christmas lunch when I have lots of growing boys to feed. Don't be put off by the pepper jack cheese and small amount of hot sauce. Between the sweet rolls and cheese, any spice is more about flavor than heat. That recipe is available right here.

For our second potluck, which was after church, I knew I had to bring my favorite broccoli salad. 

This stuff is so addicting. And while it's not unhealthy, it does make a pretty good sized batch. Find out how to make it here.

Of course, no church potluck in Texas is complete without peach cobbler.

It's a quintessential favorite. And this recipe is my personal fave. You can find it here.

Yep, all that good eating made for one really good weekend.

Now it's your turn. What are some of your favorite potluck recipes?

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Our Lord's Resurrection is the high point of Christian history, and the celebration of it is the most wonderful day in our church calendar, isn't it?

But for moms and other family caretakers, Easter Sunday can mean a LOT of work. A special day at church, followed by a dinner to celebrate the wonder of the season.

Not to mention the task of getting everyone dressed up in their finest!

Long ago, I learned the secret to making these demanding days work. You have to have two tools at your fingertips:

1) Learn how to plan ahead.

2) Learn how to prepare.

Planning ahead is simple - as long as you understand the logistics of what you need to accomplish. For this Easter Sunday, we had committed to providing four breakfast casseroles for the annual brunch at church, and then after church the family (all adults) were coming to our house for a turkey dinner with the fixings.

So I made my list and started preparing by doing my grocery shopping on Friday morning.

Saturday afternoon, I started to prep the ingredients for the items that needed to be cooked on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, before church, I baked the casseroles. Then before we walked out the door, I put our turkey dinner in the oven.

But what about the mashed potatoes? A turkey dinner just isn't a turkey dinner without mashed potatoes!

Here's my secret: I made the potatoes on Saturday afternoon.

YES! Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

serves 8-12

Good for special dinners or potlucks!

ingredients:

5 pounds potatoes

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through and ready to mash.

Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into cubes, and place in your mixing bowl along with the butter.

When the potatoes are cooked (you want them slightly overcooked), drain them well, and put them in your mixing bowl.

Let them sit in there for a few minutes to melt the butter and cream cheese, and then whip. But be careful! You only want to whip them for a short time - maybe one minute - because you don't want it to become a starchy lump!

Now is the fun part. You can refrigerate the potatoes for up to three days (how is that for make-ahead sweetness?), but you need to find a good container.

If you have room for it, you could put the potatoes straight into your crock pot and stick that in the fridge. 

Or you can do like I do - I love those crock pot liners, so I put the potatoes in the lined crock pot, then close the liner, remove it, and stick that in the fridge.

Or you can put it in a separate bowl, and then put it in your crock pot in the morning.

However you decide to keep it refrigerated, don't forget to put the potatoes in the crock pot about five hours before you want to eat them.

I like to put a couple more Tablespoons of butter on top, and then set it on low. Now I can forget about the potatoes until the big meal! 

And what does that give me? Peace of mind and more time chatting with the family. Priceless!

What is your favorite food to make ahead?

Don't forget to pre-order Naomi's Hope!
www.JanDrexler.com

Perfect for Potluck

So far this week, we've had lots of desserts and family. Today, I'm bringing you something that's a little the same and a little different.

My daughter was having a pot luck luncheon at her job last week. She knew that one of the ladies is gluten-free, so she wanted to make something this woman could enjoy.

She spent a week running recipes by me, but when I saw this one, I knew she had a winner.  I'm posting a link to the original recipe, but here is her final result.

Butternut Squash, Fennel & Apple Galette

The recipe is from a site called NutritionStripped.
Her description:

"This Butternut Squash Fennel & Apple Galette is not only incredibly beautiful but a crowd pleaser. It’s made with slightly sweet and creamy butternut squash, tart apples, and fragrant fennel- a winning trio of fall flavors wrapped into a rustic gluten free and vegan galette, then sprinkled with fresh herb and a drizzle of olive oil."

Doesn't that sound like an intriguing combination?

All I can tell you is that not only did it garner raves at the luncheon, but apparently it was the only dish that had no leftovers. And people were emailing my daughter for the recipe.

I was not happy about the no leftovers part, and I told me daughter we'd be making this again soon!


In other things...



Mindy posted a picture of her snow yesterday, so I thought I'd show you this one. This is what happens when the weather people predict NO snow for you and then the storm tracks much more to the north than they expected.

I know you're all used to seeing pictures of Fenway, but the cat demanded equal time today. My daughter is away, so Bart wanted snuggles from dad.

Fenway and Dad enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Bart wants to join in.

SUCCESS!

 

 

Someone is not happy to have his daddy time interrupted. 

My boys.

Not much else going on here. It's winter. It's cold. I'm ready for spring.  Or more snow. We might get that this weekend. So probably not since they're predicting it.

I love snow when it's falling and when it's fresh, but here in the city, it doesn't take more than a few hours for it to look pretty nasty.

So how go things in your neck of the woods?