by Linda Larsen
What to Bring
Whether the host asks you to bring a specific dish or one that falls into a general broad category, stick with what you know. Unless you’re an experienced cook, make something you know turns out well and that you can make. This is not the time to experiment with a fancy new dish, especially if you’re preparing it just before the party.
Tried-and-true recipes are your best choice. And bring what you like! If your family loves one of your dishes, chances are others will too. Everyone enjoys food prepared with love and care.
Be Open to Suggestions
If you’re the guest at a potluck party, it’s important that you cooperate as much as possible. Throwing a party, even a potluck party, still takes a lot of effort and energy. Offer to help beyond just bringing a dish. Always offer to help clean up, and ask if you can bring anything like serving utensils, beverages, or cooking equipment.
If you’re asked to bring a dish in a general category, pick your best recipe and serve it with pride . And be sure to bring the recipe, written out on several cards . Someone will be sure to ask for it . If the recipe is unusual or a family heirloom, be sure to make a note of that on the card.
Ask if you can bring serving dishes, utensils, even a grill if it’s a cook-out party. And do agree to the dish you’re asked to bring, unless you have a moral or physical objection to it. In fact, if you’re a good cook or have the time, ask if you can bring more than one dish.
Party Planning: Start Your Lists
Lists are essential to planning and organizing any event, and a potluck party is no exception. Make a list of the guests you invite, the food each person is bringing, what you have to provide, the shopping list, the cleaning list, and notes on how the party turned out.
One of the best lists to keep is a record of the party. After a few years of entertaining, you’ll find you have a notebook full of great gatherings and ideas that you can repeat if you’d like. Always write down how each dish was liked, if there were any problems you could solve for next time, and ideas for new parties.
Guests’ Likes and Dislikes
It’s important to know what your guests like and don’t like and what they will and won’t eat when planning any party. With a potluck, you can be a little more adventurous, since there will be quite a lot of food. Still, be sensitive to the needs of vegetarians, those who keep kosher, and those who just plain don’t like certain foods.
If a guest has a strong aversion to a food, seriously consider leaving it off the menu entirely. Some foods can upset people just with the aroma. The comfort and happiness of your guests is paramount.
Food Allergies
Most of all, be sure that you ask, every time, what food allergies your guests may have. These conditions can be life threatening, so if someone is allergic to peanuts, make sure that not only are peanuts or other nuts not on the menu, but that the food has been prepared in a peanut-free kitchen.
If your party is fairly large, it’s a good idea to make labels for each dish, with a note of what’s in it . Be sure to make note of allergenic foods, which include nuts, wheat, milk, soy, seafood, and eggs, so those allergic to those ingredients can avoid it . Never use serving utensils to serve more than one food, to avoid cross-contamination.
If a guest is allergic to a food, be sure to ask about the severity of the allergy. That guest may want to bring more than one dish to be sure she has something she knows she can safely eat.
Choosing the Recipes
If you like to have lots of control, you can give a recipe to each guest and ask them to prepare it. Be sure to listen to your guests, though; a vegetarian wouldn’t enjoy preparing a meat dish, while someone on a strict diet because of a health condition won’t want to prepare a dish full of heavy cream and sugar.
Choose the recipes based on your tastes and on the types of dishes common to your area if you aren’t throwing an ethnic party. Be sure to match the dish to the cooking and baking expertise of the guest.
Who Brings What?
Chances are you know at least a little bit about the people on your invitation list. If you know that one friend loves baking and is known for her fruit pies, ask her to bring one or two. If another friend is an expert at the grill, ask him to bring a recipe of his famous marinated grilled salmon. People will be happier bringing something they know is good and that they can cook.
If you don’t know the kitchen experience of a guest, ask! If the guest says that she isn’t a cook, ask her to bring something other than food, or come prepared to help you set up or clean up. A potluck is all about participating.
Roles for Non-Cooks
And what about people who can’t cook or don’t like to cook? They can still participate in a potluck, and if you are one of them, you can still host a potluck. Ask these people to provide other party essentials to take even more of the financial burden off you. The non-cook can even buy some of the ingredients if you’re hosting a cooking potluck party.
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE NON-COOK
• Beverages
• Utensils and serving pieces
• Condiments
• Flowers for the table
• Party favors
• Food from the deli
• Serving on cleanup duty
• Bakery breads and desserts
Party and Cooking Techniques and Tips
It’s best to plan the party and food so that only one or two dishes needs last-minute attention in the kitchen. If you have a small kitchen, think about using an outdoor grill (yours or borrowed) to take some of the pressure off the kitchen.
If some of your guests are bringing make-ahead casseroles, try to plan so they all bake at the same temperature, or are cooked in a slow cooker that can be transported in the car.
Organize Your Kitchen
Your kitchen has to be very organized with this type of party. The guests are probably going to see your entire kitchen, including inside the refrigerator and pantry. Clean out the oven, freezer, pantry, refrigerator, and drawers and cupboards before the party. Not only will this help you stock up on items you may be missing, but also you’ll feel more comfortable knowing there’s nothing to hide. Buy new dish towels and stock up on paper towels for easy cleanup.
Last-Minute Recipes
Just in case a recipe from a guest doesn’t turn out, make sure that you have all of the ingredients for a backup recipe or two. There are several last-minute recipes in this book. Read through them and stock all of the ingredients. If there is a flop or someone decides at the last minute that they can’t attend, you’ll be able to fill the hole in the menu.
LAST-MINUTE RECIPES
• Ham Creole (page 78)
• Chicken and Pasta in Cheddar Sauce (page 113)
• Chicken Hawaiian (page 118)
• Beef Mornay (page 95)
• Grilled Red Snapper with Fruit Salsa (page 134)
• Sugar Snap Spinach Salad (page 193)
• Potluck Pita Pizzas (page 36)
• Swiss Fondue (page 40)
• Best Ever Garlic Bread (page 59)
• Grilled Herb Cheese Breadsticks (page 63)
Main dishes are usually the recipes you’ll need to add at the last minute. Side dishes are easy: just boil some baby carrots and toss with butter, or put together a green salad. Have a bakery dessert or two on hand just in case.
Make-Ahead Tips
If you’re providing the main dish (or two), as is traditionally the case for the host, pick one that can be made ahead of time. Casseroles are easy and delicious, and can be completed and refrigerated until the party begins. You just bake or microwave it until hot and bubbly.
For a small house or kitchen, or a party venue that doesn’t have a complete kitchen, all of the food should be ready to eat, except for foods that can be grilled at the last minute. Make sure that the food stays cold or hot and that it’s well wrapped against the elements.
Food Safety
Food safety is really the most
important factor in a potluck party; any party, for that matter. If the food makes people sick, you will feel terrible too! Stress keeping hot food hot and cold food cold. Be sure to tell your guests to either completely cook a recipe or just assemble it and cook at the party. Never partially cook meats, then chill to finish at the destination.
Transporting Food
Transporting food, whether it’s across the street or to another town, can be tricky. Follow suggestions in the recipes. If you’re traveling a long distance, it’s best to bring something that is done and can be served at room temperature, like a batch of cookies, roasted vegetables, bread or rolls, or a fruit pie.
If the host asks you to bring something like a hot dish or perishable appetizer, ask if you can bring a safe food instead. Or maybe there’s a food you can make at home, pack into an insulated container, and bake or grill at the party.
Keep It Hot
Keeping food hot is more difficult than keeping it cold. Be sure to follow this ironclad rule: perishable foods can only be out of refrigeration for two hours, one hour if the ambient temperature is above 80°F.
That means that if you bake a meatball casserole, it can be transported in your car, then served at the party, within two hours. Be sure to take that timing into consideration when you’re planning what to bring.
What’s the danger zone in food temperature?
The temperature range you want to avoid is 40°F to 140°F. At these temperatures, bacteria can grow rapidly in perishable food . Even if you cook the food after it’s been sitting at this temperature you can still get sick because some bacteria produce toxins that heat will not destroy.
The best way to keep hot foods hot is to use an insulated carrier. Many hardware stores and kitchenware stores have a nice supply of these items. If not, wrap the hot food in layers of newspaper, then in kitchen towels to hold in the heat.
Keep It Cold
Cold food is a bit easier to handle. First make sure that the food is thoroughly chilled or frozen before you transport it. Ice chests with frozen gel packs or bags of ice cubes can keep food cold for four to six hours. Follow that perishable rule again: two hours max out of refrigeration.
Cooking Together
Cooking together is a challenge. But after all, most party guests tend to congregate in the kitchen. Giving them a task to do is a great ice breaker and takes some of the pressure off you. With some planning, you can create great food together and have a wonderful time too.
For your party, it’s best if you plan to have only one or two dishes that need to be baked or fried just before serving. Many dishes can be served cold or at room temperature. If possible, plan on a slow cooker dish, a refrigerated dish or two, one that should be grilled at the party, one finished on the stovetop, and one baked dish.
Basic Tips
Take a good look at your kitchen and decide how you can divide it up for the most efficiency. Even if you have a very small kitchen, you can designate one area for chopping, another for cleaning, and another for cooking. Then assign people to the areas, divide up the recipes, and get ready for fun.
When you’re inviting people to a cooking party, have a few appetizers ready and waiting for them . People will arrive hungry, and it’s really nice to have some munchies and wine or other beverages available while they’re cooking . There’s nothing cozier than cooking in a nice kitchen, nibbling on snacks, and talking to friends.
Be sure that each cooking area has the recipe, utensils, tools, pots and pans, and ingredients all ready for the cooks. You don’t want people having to stop and search for an item when they’re getting into the swing of cooking.
You may want to divide up the recipes and ask each guest to bring a certain number of ingredients to defray the costs. This will require a lot of list making and double-checking to make sure all of the ingredients and utensils will be on hand.
How to Divide a Recipe
Take a look at a recipe, study it for a while, and you’ll see how it naturally divides into several tasks. For instance, in a stir-fry recipe, the meat has to be prepped, the marinade prepared, and vegetables or fruits peeled, chopped, or diced. Then everything comes together in a few minutes on the stove.
So have a station where the meat is prepared, another for measuring and mixing ingredients for the marinade/stir-fry sauce, another for preparing and cooking the rice, and a fourth for the vegetable preparation. Then you, or another guest, will be the stir-fry master just before you want to eat.
You want to make sure that all of these cooks aren’t spoiling the broth . Tell everyone to wash hands before and after the preparation . Those working with raw ingredients like meats or eggs have to be very vigilant . Place containers of wet wipes around the kitchen so everyone keeps it clean.
Divide up the stations according to guest’s cooking skills and what they like to do. You wouldn’t give the task of cutting beef to a vegetarian, and a person with limited abilities because of arthritis perhaps wouldn’t be comfortable handling a knife.
Recipe Stations
Model your kitchen after a professional kitchen. Each area of the kitchen, and each chef, is designated to produce one part of the meal. If you’re preparing more than one dish, mix up the assignments so one person isn’t stuck doing all the potato or onion peeling.
Make sure that there is enough space between each station so people can move freely without bumping into each other. Bring some stools or small chairs into the kitchen if there’s room, so those who aren’t working can rest for a while.
And designate a space to put dirty utensils, pots, and pans. A large container full of soapy water can be placed out of the way. As people work, they just drop the utensils into that container.
The Party
It’s the day of your party! You should be excited and a little bit nervous, but very confident. You’ve planned well, and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. No matter what, be flexible and open to change. Nothing, short of the house burning down, is a disaster, so roll with the punches.
TimeTable
The morning of your party, put the finishing touches on house cleaning. Get your family or friends to pitch in. Make sure that everything is ready well in advance of the starting time. The kitchen, especially, should be impeccably clean.
Do last-minute shopping for perishable items in the early afternoon. Read over your menu, check all of the food, and make sure that you have everything you need for the food you’re preparing, as well as items like candles, flowers, serving utensils, and condiments.
A bulletin board is a great addition for any kitchen, and it can help you with a potluck party. Post all of your lists on the board, and check off tasks as they are accomplished . This will also help you keep track of the menu, so you see if there are holes and you have to bring in a last-minute recipe.
If you are preparing a make-ahead recipe, be sure to start it the night before if the recipe stipulates that. Many of the make-ahead recipes can be prepared a few hours before the party and spend time in the fridge before you bake or grill it to perfection.
Now take some time for yourself. Give yourself an hour or two to get ready: take a bubble bath, condition your hair, take a relaxing walk, or do something to pamper yourself. It’s always a good idea to be ready and waiting for your guests. Try to have everything done at least half an hour before party time so you can sit and relax before the fun begins. Enjoy your clean house and the aroma of food drifting through the rooms.
Your Role
As the host, your role is to make sure that everyone is comfortable and having a good time. That starts with you! If the host is nervous or upset, everyone else at the party will feed that vibe and you’ll have a big flop on your hands. If you’re happy and confident, everyone else will be too.
If there are any disasters, like a recipe not turning out or something burning, don’t panic. Just take it in stride and, if all else fails, just order in pizza and have a pizza party! The odds are that even if there’s a
failure, the guests won’t even notice if you don’t make a big deal out of it.
Now relax and enjoy the party. Remember that the guests take their cues from you, so be happy and really have fun. You’ve planned well and organized the event to perfection. Let’s start cooking!
CHAPTER 2
Crowd-Pleasing Party Drinks
Lemon Sangria
Fruity Sangria
Pink Lemonade
Cranberry Daiquiri
Almond Smoothie