Five Potluck Hacks You Need
As the weather gets warmer, whether or not you’re a church member, there are bound to be potlucks in your future. Wanna get credit for bringing something homemade without a lot of work?
As a long time potluck-attendee (and one prone to sending my husband out for fried chicken during the offertory), I have developed some fairly effortless hacks to show up with something made at home with love.
The Cream Cheese Solution
Top a block of cream cheese with orange marmalade and serve with ginger snaps–Wheat Thins work, too. The Cream Cheese solution is multi-faceted. Pretty much any kind of sauce poured over–salsa, marinara, pepper jam, cocktail sauce–paired with the right carrier (see recommendations) is a crowd pleaser.
Easy Peasy Peach Cobbler
I thought everyone knew this one, but the last time I brought this to a potluck (and this was a family gathering–harsh critics), people acted like I must have slaved all night over it.
Hardly.
Dump 16-oz can of peaches w/juice in a greased 9 x 13 dish. Mix a cup of flour, cup of sugar and cup of milk together. Dump over top of peaches. Put a stick of butter in pats over the top. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes or until top is brown and bubbly.
Oreo Brownie
Tip: this one is really fun and festive if you use seasonal Halloween/Christmas/Easter Oreos.
Prep a boxed brownie mix for a 13 by 9 inch pan. Pour half the mix in pan. Cover batter with rows of Oreos. Pour rest of brownie mix over top. Bake according to box.
Three Can Salsa
Drain one can sweet corn, one can black beans, one can Rotel tomatoes. Mix in a bowl (preferably the night before and refrigerate so that the flavors can talk to each other) and add whatever your local seasoning is (Tex-Joy, Tony Chachere’s, Cavendars, etc). Serve with corn or tortilla chips.
Mom’s Broccoli Cheese Soup
My mom kept this recipe close to the vest for years, as folks raved about it, and she didn’t want them to know how truly easy it was. I share it with you now. Don’t tell.
Pour 4 cans of cream of broccoli soup, plus 4 soup cans of whole milk in a crockpot. Add 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (Grate it yourself. It will taste SO much better than the pre-shredded kind). Toss in a bag of frozen chopped broccoli. Cook on low until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
Delicious. And super easy.
Hope the summer ahead brings many opportunities to gather round the table and share food with friends and family and friends who have become family.
