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Choose Your Dish Wisely

partysugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:13:51 -0700

Last weekend I attended a very large Easter dinner complete with extended family and an excessive amount of food. There were over 70 people so it was a potluck. While the event had a commercial-style kitchen - complete with two ovens - it got crowded in the kitchen fast. While it may seem unnecessary to mention this, be careful when deciding what dish to volunteer. Here are some things to remember:

If you bring appetizers: You cannot arrive to the party late. Instead you should show up a little early and at the latest, on time. Choose dishes that can be made in advance, travel well, and need as little time in the oven as possible. My appetizers required last-minute reheating and it got a little difficult when all of the guests started to arrive and bring their dishes into the kitchen.
If you bring a main dish: You will have to leave in the middle of the party to make your dish. You should speak with the hostess or coordinator to determine what time the dinner is to begin and to figure out which oven space is yours.
If you bring a dessert: Be happy! It's the easiest of options, especially if you make the entire dessert in advance. Avoid any dishes that involve last-minute broiling or baking. Also steer clear of desserts like ice cream that will melt.

I prefer to bring an appetizer or dessert. What do you like to bring to a potluck? Do you have any tips to add to mine? Please share below!

Source

How to Bring Salad to a Potluck

partysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:01:31 -0800

Salads don't travel as well as other dishes, especially when the greens are doused in dressing or vinaigrette. When bringing a salad to a potluck, prepare all of the elements in advance. Assemble the salad later upon arrival at the dinner. To avoid a soggy salad use the following technique:

Always wash the greens and lettuce. Even if you purchase a washed bag of greens there are so many recalls these days, it's best to take the time and wash them.
Throughly dry the greens in a salad spinner, colander, or with paper towels and place in the serving bowl.
Chop or dice the vegetable elements. Store in separate containers or plastic baggies and place on top of the lettuce in the bowl.

If using an ingredient that browns easily - like avocado - wait until the last minute to cut it.
Make the dressing or vinaigrette and store in a small Tupperware. Place on top of the salad greens.
Cover the entire bowl with plastic wrap or foil, grab your salad tongs and head out to the party.

Got a tip for keeping salads fresh for potlucks? Please share with us below!

Come Party With Me: Potluck - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:01:18 -0800

Use rustic, earthy tones to create an inviting table setting for your potluck dinner. Set the table the night before so that you don't have to worry the day of the party. Start by covering the table with a striped tablecloth. Use warm taupe plates and brown napkins held with gold napkin rings. A versatile clear wine goblet works well with both the blood orange punch and wine. Gold flatware makes the mood more festive. Run globe votive holders down the sides of the table and place a low floral arrangement in the middle. Make homemade placecards with twigs and pine needles. Light a fire in the fireplace and let the party begin!

Come Party With Me: Potluck - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:28:11 -0800

Don't be afraid to ask guests to bring a wine along with their potluck dinner dish. Suggest that they bring a wine that will pair with either their specific dish or the citrus glazed ham. Pick up water and non-alcoholic beverages like soda or juice.

When guests arrive have a special cocktail ready and waiting. A punch is wonderful because you can set it up and leave it, allowing guests can help themselves. Take advantage of blood orange season, and make a blood orange punch. To see the recipe please read more.

Blood Orange Punch
From Martha Stewart

2 bottles (25 oz. each) blood orange juice, chilled
3 cans (12 oz. each) natural orange soda, such as San Pellegrino Aranciata, chilled
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
8 oz. light rum
5 bitters
1 blood orange, or orange, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and frozen

Fill ice cube trays with 1 1/2 cups orange juice, and freeze.
To make punch, stir remaining orange juice, soda, lime juice, rum, and bitters into a 16-cup punch bowl. Before serving, add frozen orange slices.
Add ice cubes as needed to keep chilled.

Makes 8 cups.

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Come Party With Me: Potluck - Menu

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:18:31 -0800

After New Year's, the last thing I feel like doing is planning another huge party. However, I want to get all of my friends together for a family style dinner, so I've decided to do a potluck. Hosting a potluck is a no-fuss way to throw a party. Start by downloading and filling in our potluck invite. Ask or assign guests to bring a side, salad, pasta, appetizer, or dessert. If one friend loves to bake, ask her to bring a dessert. Likewise, if another friend is plagued with chronic lateness, don't appoint him an appetizer.

As the hostess you should supply the main dish. A delicious citrus glazed ham will feed a crowd and is simple to make. Also, make an appetizer so when guests arrive they have something to nibble on. Little mushroom tarts are bite sized pastries that will have your guests licking their fingers. For these recipes please, read more.

Baked Ham with Citrus-Rum Glaze
From Emeril Lagasse

For the glaze:
3 cups orange juice
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 orange, zested
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
For the ham:
1 (8 to 10-pound) fresh ham, shank end, bone-in and skin-on
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Make the glaze by combining the orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and allspice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Continue to cook at a brisk simmer until the mixture has reduced in volume to just over 1 cup and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the rum, and set aside to cool.
Remove the ham from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. While the ham is still cold, using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham, making a diamond-pattern through the skin and fat about 1/2-inch deep.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Using your hands, rub the salt, Essence, and pepper evenly over the entire surface of the ham.
Place the ham in a large roasting pan and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the scores begin to open up and the ham begins to color.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to cook the ham until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 155 to 160 degrees F, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. The ham will continue to cook after removed from the oven.
During the last hour of cooking, baste the ham often with the glaze and any pan juices that have accumulated. The skin should be crisp and dark. If the skin threatens to burn before the ham is cooked through, cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil.
When the ham is ready, transfer it to a large platter or carving board and let sit for at least 20 minutes before carving.
To serve, slice the meat thinly across the grain and arrange slices on a platter. Serve with any pan juices passed on the side.

Serves 10-12.

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Little Mushroom Tarts
From Sunset magazine

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
8 ounces fresh common mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter, plus 6 tablespoons chilled butter cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (8 oz.), peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Rinse shiitake and common mushrooms. Trim and discard shiitake stems; coarsely chop both kinds of mushrooms (keep separate).
In a 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shiitakes and stir often until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl.
Melt another tablespoon butter with another tablespoon olive oil in pan. Add common mushrooms and stir often over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add to bowl. Cool slightly, then finely chop mushrooms.
In same pan, over medium-high heat, melt third tablespoon butter. Add onion and stir often until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in vinegar and stir until liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and the mushrooms; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor. Whirl briefly to mix.
Add 6 tablespoons chilled butter and whirl until coarse crumbs form. Pour in 1/4 cup cold water and whirl just until dough comes together. Squeeze a little in your hand; if it doesn't hold together, add another tablespoon or two of water and pulse to mix. Pat dough into a ball, then flatten slightly into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until cold, 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°. On a well-floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an oval 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Brush half with beaten egg.
Spoon tablespoonfuls of the mushroom mixture into one hand, squeeze tightly, and mound an inch apart on egg-washed side of dough. Fold bare half over mounds, and press between them to seal. With a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out tarts and transfer to a baking sheet.
Gather remaining dough, roll again, fill, and cut out more tarts.
Bake until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Brush tarts with egg wash (discard any remaining) and continue baking until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.
Serve warm.

Makes 12 to 16 tartlets.

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Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:50:03 -0800

When hosting any Thanksgiving dinner, be it a potluck or one where you do the majority of the cooking, it's a good idea to set the table a couple of days in advance.

Start with a seasonal tablecloth, then add the good china, polished flatware, and wine glasses. Serve the cocktails in tumblers and the turkey on a large platter.

Lots of candlelight creates a festive atmosphere, so place votives on the table and pillar candles around the dining room. Don't forget a bouquet or two of fresh flowers.

Consider the counter space; a lot of it might be in use during the hours before the meal, so a folding table where guests can place their contributions is crucial. If you are attending a potluck, make your dish in a vessel that has a cover or in a disposable pan that can be discarded at the end of the night.

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:49 -0800

If your house is the location of a Thanksgiving potluck, you're hosting duties not only include making the turkey, but also preparing a cocktail. When guests arrive offer them a glass to get things started. Since the meal is a big one, serve an apéritif - something not too sweet that will stimulate the palate like these campari triple-sec concoctions.

On the flip side, when attending a Thanksgiving potluck, don't show up empty handed. Bring a bottle of sparkling wine or Beaujolais Nouveau or a six-pack of festive pumpkin ale.

To look at the campari cocktail recipe, which can be easily adapted for a crowd, read more.

Bitter Orange Kindler
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 ounces triple sec
2 ounces campari
tonic water
orange peel, optional for garnish

Directions

In a tall glass combine the triple sec and Campari with 3 cubes of ice.
Fill the glass with chilled tonic water and stir to blend. Garnish with a strip of orange peel.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Desserts

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:50:13 -0800

If you've volunteered (or been assigned) to bring a dessert to a Thanksgiving potluck, don't run to the nearest bakery. You can bake a delicious homemade treat that will impress your friends and family! Start by selecting an unexpected dessert like caramel-walnut pie. It's similar to classic pecan pie, but is made with walnuts instead. Next give yourself plenty of time to make the pie and if necessary, experiment with the recipe. Although the resulting pie, with its rich Fall flavors, is scrumptious, the technique to put it together is wildly simple.

The dough is store bought and the filling requires nothing more than a whisk, measuring cups, and a bowl. To give this easy, yet divine Thanksgiving dessert a try, keep reading.

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:50:39 -0800

Cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal is quite a hefty task. Not only does it require culinary expertise, but it also involves lots of planning. To help shoulder part of the burden and cut the budget, many people like to throw or attend a potluck Thanksgiving.

Usually the person hosting is in charge of the turkey. They should also assign side dishes - that way you won't end up with seven sweet potato casseroles and no cranberry sauce - and coordinate a cooking schedule.

If you're a guest at a potluck on Thanksgiving, be sure to ask the hostess what you should bring.

Select a side dish that can be made almost entirely in advance and put it together the morning of the big day. Communicate with the hostess and explain that your dish needs a certain amount of time in the oven or microwave. To see my recipe suggestions - like herb-roasted turkey, fennel and potato puree, sausage and apple stuffing, and cranberry ginger relish - for hosting and attending a potluck Thanksgiving, read more.

Herb-Roasted Turkey With Maple Gravy
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

One 18-pound turkey
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
1 medium onion, quartered
20 sage sprigs
20 thyme sprigs
20 parsley sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups turkey stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. Trim the neck skin. Stuff the turkey with the garlic, onion and sage, thyme and parsley sprigs. Season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Transfer the turkey to a large, lightly oiled roasting pan and roast it for about 3 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 175°. Cover the turkey with foil if the skin begins to look very brown. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a heatproof bowl and skim off the fat. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners on high heat until sizzling. Add 1 cup of the turkey stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and side of the pan; add to the pan juices in the bowl.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the pan juices and remaining 2 cups of turkey stock to the saucepan and cook, whisking, until the gravy is thickened and no floury taste remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Strain the gravy into a gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Serves 10.

Notes: Roast the bird for 20 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey and 16 minutes per pound for an unstuffed one. The bird is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers between 160° and 180° and the juices run clear. The USDA specifies that cooking poultry to 180° will kill all bacteria that can cause illness. Remove the turkey from the oven when its temperature is 10 degrees lower than desired; the temperature will rise by 5 to 10 degrees as the bird rests.

You’ll need plenty of turkey stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth and roasting pan juices to make enough gravy. To get lots of pan juices, roast your turkey at 350° and baste with some stock; if the bird does not seem to brown adequately, you can always raise the oven temperature during the last half hour for faster browning. If your gravy is too thin, simply make a smooth paste with equal parts flour and unsalted butter, a mixture known in French as beurre manié (mon-YAY). Bring the gravy to a boil and whisk in bits of the paste until you get the thickness you desire. If your gravy seems too thick, gradually whisk in more stock.

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Yukon Gold and Fennel Puree With Rosemary Butter
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 large fresh fennel bulbs (about 2 1/4 pounds total), trimmed, quartered through core, center core trimmed and discarded, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine fennel, onion, oil, and 1 teaspoon sea salt in large bowl; toss. Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with pepper. Roast until fennel and onion are very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer fennel mixture to processor and puree until almost smooth.
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Cool slightly. Place in large bowl and mash with potato masher until smooth. Mix in fennel puree.
Melt butter with rosemary and 1 teaspoon sea salt in small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir butter mixture into fennel-potato puree. Mix in crème fraîche. Season to taste with more pepper and salt, if desired. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Transfer puree to large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill. Before serving, microwave on high until heated through, about 4 minutes.

Serves 8-10.

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Sausage, Dried Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing
From The Hearty Boys

Ingredients

1 pound mild bulk breakfast sausage
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only, cleaned well (about 2 large leeks)
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in boiling water for 15 minutes and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 cups boxed bread cubes (croutons)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Saute the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage and drippings to a large bowl.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to the skillet and saute until the leeks are soft, about 8 minutes.
Mix in the drained cranberries, sage and rosemary. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in the croutons and parsley. Next add the chicken stock a little at a time until the stuffing is very moist. Be sure not to overdo it; it shouldn't be mushy. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole dish. (The stuffing can be made to this point 2 days before Thanksgiving, refrigerated.)
Bake in a 14-inch oval or 9 by 13-inch rectangular casserole dish and place, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and the center piping hot. Remove and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

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Cranberry-Ginger Relish
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
Remove relish from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and serve (or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days).

Serves 8.

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Simple Tip: When Potlucking, Label Your Kitchen Tools

partysugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:30:10 -0700

Last weekend I attended a potluck-style picnic on the coast. I brought three dishes; two required a sharp knife and the third needed a bowl for serving. Instead of purchasing a disposable knife and bowl, I decided to simply bring my everyday kitchenware. To ensure they weren't lost, I labeled both items.

I placed a piece of a clear scotch tape on the side of the knife and the bottom of the bowl. With a sharpie, I wrote my name. After the party, if one of my friends ended up with the tools, she would know it belonged to me.

Got a tip for not losing your kitchen tools when potlucking? Please share with us below!