My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
Usenet:

We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
we leave the house.

But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
cold, like ratatouille.

What do you folks like to make for such situations?

"spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
...
| My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
| Usenet:
|
| We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
| weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
| no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
| we leave the house.
|
| But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
| cold, like ratatouille.
|
| What do you folks like to make for such situations?

This Jamie Oliver recipe has become a standby. In his words, of course:

What a pukka combination, simple and classy. Don't try to make this when you feel like
it, make it when you can buy perfect pears, otherwise it will taste naff. For 1 person I normally
use around 1/2 a pear, 2 big handfuls of watercress and 2 big handfuls of rocket. If the pear skins
are nice I just give them a wash, if not I remove them with a peeler. Then cut them in 1/2 and
deseed. It doesn't really matter how you cut them up. Sometimes in big rough chunks, maybe sliced up
or even grated. Then place into a bowl with the watercress and rocket. The pepperiness of the leaves
works so well with the sweetness of the pear. Drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil just to coat,
a small squeeze of lemon juice (because the pear juice is slightly acidic but very tasty), and
season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss all this together and serve. Shave over
Parmesan or pecornio, crumble your nuts over and tuck in. I love this salad with roasted meat or as
a starter on its own.

Episode#: NC1A13 Food Network Show

pavane

In article
>,
spamtrap1888 > wrote:

> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

That's a tough one. I like the ratatouille idea (room temp service).
What about tabbouli? You could either combine all the ingredients
before leaving home (except the oil and lemon juice) and then add the
dressing at the last. Or bring the ingredients separately in baggies
and combine on site. Plastic bags in an ice-filled small cooler should
keep things sufficiently cold for food safety. Bring a serving bowl.

A marinated vegetable salad could travel the same way.
--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Gumbo 3-11-2010

In article
>,
spamtrap1888 > wrote:

> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

Insalata Caprese always goes over well, or variations of it. I saw one
awesome variation where the person put a cube of cheese on the bottom, a
basil leaf on top of that, then a cherry tomato on top and stuck a
toothpick thru it all. But since it'd be hard to add the balsamic
dressing to this, they marinated the cheese ahead of time. ;-d
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

"Omelet" ha scritto nel messaggio
> spamtrap1888 > wrote:

>> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good>>
>> cold, like ratatouille.

> Insalata Caprese always goes over well, or variations of it. I saw one >
> awesome variation where the person put a cube of cheese on the bottom, a
> basil leaf on top of that, then a cherry tomato on top and stuck a >
> toothpick thru it all. But since it'd be hard to add the balsamic >
> dressing to this, they marinated the cheese ahead of time. ;-d

Insalata caprese is not supposed to have any vinegar but only olive oil. It
would be a shame to discolor that beautiful fresh mozzarella by marinating
it in purple vinegar. Tomatoes aren't good enough yet for me to make
caprese, where each ingredient is supremely important. Same for Ligurian
tomato salad.

I carry a Sicilian cous cous salad because nothing in it needs refrigeration
for that 4 hour period. Every bite is different because it has many
different small ingredients and overall is very sparkly tasting. It's
better in summert, but doable in winter.

On Mar 18, 9:12 am, Melba's Jammin' >
wrote:
> In article
> >,
>
> spamtrap1888 > wrote:
> > My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> > Usenet:
>
> > We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> > weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> > no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> > we leave the house.
>
> > But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> > cold, like ratatouille.
>
> > What do you folks like to make for such situations?
>
> That's a tough one. I like the ratatouille idea (room temp service).
> What about tabbouli? You could either combine all the ingredients
> before leaving home (except the oil and lemon juice) and then add the
> dressing at the last. Or bring the ingredients separately in baggies
> and combine on site. Plastic bags in an ice-filled small cooler should
> keep things sufficiently cold for food safety. Bring a serving bowl.
>
> A marinated vegetable salad could travel the same way.
> --
> Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.me.com/barbschaller
> Gumbo 3-11-2010

The rat and tabbouli are good, but people have seen them, and worse,
someone else may bring them. Similar things I usually do in this
situation - taramasalata - potato, bread, garlic, carp roe. It is a
sauce or a dip or something. Bring pita or grill some veg.

Or more similar - equal parts spinach, garbanzos, tomato paste, a
handful of garlic. Mash it up, cook it a little. Again, bring pita
or chips or bread.

You ever make a cabbage pie? That confuses and entertains folks on a
pot luck buffet.

Does ceviche count as salad?

On Mar 18, 9:52*am, spamtrap1888 > wrote:
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

Texas Caviar (Black-Eyed Pea Salad)

2 cups Black Eyed Peas -- Dry
1/2 cup Green Pepper -- Diced
1/4 cup White Onion -- Diced
2 tablespoons Canned Jalapeno Peppers -- Finely Chopped
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil -- From List
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 medium Clove Garlic -- Minced
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper -- Freshly Ground

Sort the black-eyed peas and soak overnight in 6 cups of water. Drain.
Cook peas
in 4 cups of fresh water until done but still firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
Rinse in
cold water and drain. In a medium bowl, combine all the remaining
ingredients
and mix well. Add the peas and chill.



However, I use frozen black-eyed peas and fresh jalapeno (and no green
pepper).
I also like to add sliced scallions. Sometimes chopped parsley. I've
always wanted
to try some cilantro in it. I once used bacon grease, but then I had
to heat it up
slightly.

A lot of people dip this up on tortilla chips, but I prefer just
serving it as a bean salad.

Cindy Hamilton

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:52:42 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
>Usenet:
>
>We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
>weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
>no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
>we leave the house.
>
>But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
>cold, like ratatouille.
>
>What do you folks like to make for such situations?

This needs to be served at room temperature anyway and kinda fits your
request. My family requests it and fight over who gets to take any
leftovers home.

http://www.recfoodcooking.org/sigs/L...a%20Salad.html

Lou

spamtrap1888 wrote:
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?
>


I would take a black bean salad. Black beans, sliced celery, sliced
green onions, a couple of chopped tomatoes, minced jalapeño, apple cider
vinegar, oil, sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.


Becca

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:32:42 -0700 (PDT), bulka wrote:

> The rat and tabbouli are good, but people have seen them, and worse,
> someone else may bring them.

I have never seen either at a potluck. They're pretty obscure (now
that the movie has passed).

Tabbouli is a tough one, though. Not everyone is thrilled with it,
and I know a lot of people who won't eat any amount of parsley in
public because they're afraid of having green bits all over their
teeth.

-sw

In article >,
"Giusi" > wrote:

> "Omelet" ha scritto nel messaggio
> > spamtrap1888 > wrote:
>
> >> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good>>
> >> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> > Insalata Caprese always goes over well, or variations of it. I saw one >
> > awesome variation where the person put a cube of cheese on the bottom, a
> > basil leaf on top of that, then a cherry tomato on top and stuck a >
> > toothpick thru it all. But since it'd be hard to add the balsamic >
> > dressing to this, they marinated the cheese ahead of time. ;-d
>
> Insalata caprese is not supposed to have any vinegar but only olive oil. It
> would be a shame to discolor that beautiful fresh mozzarella by marinating
> it in purple vinegar. Tomatoes aren't good enough yet for me to make
> caprese, where each ingredient is supremely important. Same for Ligurian
> tomato salad.
>
> I carry a Sicilian cous cous salad because nothing in it needs refrigeration
> for that 4 hour period. Every bite is different because it has many
> different small ingredients and overall is very sparkly tasting. It's
> better in summert, but doable in winter.

Well, there are always spring rolls. I like to make them with sprouts
or finely sliced romaine and a variety of ingredients. Chopped cooked
chicken, cooked shrimp, tomato, cucumber, etc.

Salad in a rice wrapper. ;-) I dress them lightly with a mix of soy
sauce, vinegar, mustard and oyster sauce.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >, Becca >
wrote:

> spamtrap1888 wrote:
> > My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> > Usenet:
> >
> > We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> > weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> > no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> > we leave the house.
> >
> > But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> > cold, like ratatouille.
> >
> > What do you folks like to make for such situations?
> >
>
>
> I would take a black bean salad. Black beans, sliced celery, sliced
> green onions, a couple of chopped tomatoes, minced jalapeño, apple cider
> vinegar, oil, sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.
>
>
> Becca

There are also a large variety of pasta salads. :-)
Make with the tri-color twisty pasta. I think we ran a pasta salad
thread once and there were a nice number of good combos mentioned. I
like to make a seafood one with peas and stuff.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

On Mar 18, 5:52 am, spamtrap1888 > wrote:
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

Our experience with potlucks is limited, but the tendency seems to be
that they feature "heavy" foods--casseroles and pastas and such. So
our usual contribution is a fruit salad or a light dessert. I'll go
to the market or the farmer's market and see what looks particularly
suitable at that time and go from there. Seems to me there were
clementines earlier this week--the seedless kind of tangerines. You
could make a good fruit salad based on them, I think. -aem

"Omelet" > ha scritto nel
> Well, there are always spring rolls. I like to make them with sprouts >
> or finely sliced romaine and a variety of ingredients. Chopped cooked
> chicken, cooked shrimp, tomato, cucumber, etc.
>
> Salad in a rice wrapper. ;-) I dress them lightly with a >mix of soy >
> sauce, vinegar, mustard and oyster sauce.

I love those.

"spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
...
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

If you really want to bring something hot invest in a Pyrex casserole
carrier. I have one and I put a piece of foil big enough to wrap around the
casserole in before I put the casserole in. I take the casserole out of the
oven and put it straight into the carrier. I've had casseroles stay so hot
that two hours later you still had to use potholders to take it out of the
carrier.

With a good cooler you can take any cold foods you want.

Ms P

"Janet Baraclough" > wrote in message
...
| The message >
| from "pavane" > contains these words:
|
|
| > "spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
| > ...
| > | My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
| > | Usenet:
| > |
| > | We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
| > | weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
| > | no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
| > | we leave the house.
| > |
|
| > This Jamie Oliver recipe has become a standby. In his words, of course:
|
| > What a pukka combination, simple and classy. Don't try to
| > make this when you feel like
| > it, make it when you can buy perfect pears, otherwise it will taste
| > naff. For 1 person I normally
| > use around 1/2 a pear, 2 big handfuls of watercress and 2 big handfuls
| > of rocket. If the pear skins
| > are nice I just give them a wash, if not I remove them with a peeler.
| > Then cut them in 1/2 and
| > deseed. It doesn't really matter how you cut them up. Sometimes in big
| > rough chunks, maybe sliced up
| > or even grated. Then place into a bowl with the watercress and rocket.
| > The pepperiness of the leaves
| > works so well with the sweetness of the pear. Drizzle with good
| > extra-virgin olive oil just to coat,
| > a small squeeze of lemon juice (because the pear juice is slightly
| > acidic but very tasty), and
| > season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss all this
| > together and serve. Shave over
| > Parmesan or pecornio, crumble your nuts over and tuck in. I love this
| > salad with roasted meat or as
| > a starter on its own.
|
| > Episode#: NC1A13 Food Network Show
|
| > pavane
|
| Itys a good recipe but they have a 4 hour time lag; won't the pears
| discolour.?
|
| How about hummus (and take some flatbread strips to dip in it)
|
| Janet

Cut the pears at the last minute (you could even do it just before setting it
out at the potluck) and sprinkle with the lemon juice. I usually carry the
greens, Parmesan, nuts and pear in separate plastic bags, then toss them
just before serving.

pavane

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:52:42 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
>Usenet:
>
>We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
>weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
>no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
>we leave the house.
>
>But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
>cold, like ratatouille.
>
>What do you folks like to make for such situations?

Seviche travels well and this one always gets favorable comments:

----- Now You're Cooking! v5.60 [Meal-Master Export Format]

Title: Shrimp And Crab Ceviche With Avocado
Categories: appetizers, mexican
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 lb plum tomatoes; halved,
-seeded
1 lg red bell pepper; halved,
-seeded
1 lg jalapeno chili; halved,
-seeded
1 md white onion; cut into 6
-wedges
6 tb lime juice
2 tb orange juice
1 tb catsup
1 ts horseradish
1/2 ts Tabasco sauce
1 lb cooked large shrimp; peeled,
- deveined
; cut in 1/2
; lengthwise
1/2 c tomato; chopped
1/2 c cilantro; chopped
1 green onion; chopped
1 ripe avocado; halved,
-pitted, peel
1/2 lb crabmeat; drained, picked
; over

Preheat broiler. Place tomato halves, bell pepper and jalapeno, skin
side up, on baking sheet. Place onion on baking sheet. Broil
vegetables until slightly blackened, about 5 mins. Transfer vegetables
to blender. Add lime juice and next 4 ingredients. Blend until almost
smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep
chilled.)

Add shrimp to sauce. Mix in chopped tomato, cilantro and green onion.
Cube avocado half. Slice other half. Fold avocado cubes and crab into
ceviche. Garnish with avocado slices and serve.

Contributor: Bon Appetit

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as warm as the wine,
if the wine had been as old as the turkey,
and if the turkey had had a breast like the maid,
it would have been a swell dinner." Duncan Hines

Lou Decruss wrote:
> This needs to be served at room temperature anyway and kinda fits your
> request. My family requests it and fight over who gets to take any
> leftovers home.
>
> http://www.recfoodcooking.org/sigs/L...a%20Salad.html
>
> Lou
>

This looks so good. Thanks for sharing your recipe. :-P


Becca

"spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
...
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?



Grill a bunch of vegetables, red onion, zucchini, yellow squash eggplant,
beets, anything you can grill that you like. Chill and serve as a cold
vegetable dish dressed very simply with EVOO & fresh lemon salt & pepper.


--
Dimitri

Corned beef

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

pavane wrote:
> "spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
> ...
> | My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> | Usenet:
> |
> | We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> | weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> | no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> | we leave the house.
> |
> | But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> | cold, like ratatouille.
> |
> | What do you folks like to make for such situations?
>
> This Jamie Oliver recipe has become a standby. In his words, of course:
>
> What a pukka combination, simple and classy. Don't try to make this when you feel like
> it, make it when you can buy perfect pears, otherwise it will taste naff. For 1 person I normally
> use around 1/2 a pear, 2 big handfuls of watercress and 2 big handfuls of rocket. If the pear skins
> are nice I just give them a wash, if not I remove them with a peeler. Then cut them in 1/2 and
> deseed. It doesn't really matter how you cut them up. Sometimes in big rough chunks, maybe sliced up
> or even grated. Then place into a bowl with the watercress and rocket. The pepperiness of the leaves
> works so well with the sweetness of the pear. Drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil just to coat,
> a small squeeze of lemon juice (because the pear juice is slightly acidic but very tasty), and
> season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss all this together and serve. Shave over
> Parmesan or pecornio, crumble your nuts over and tuck in. I love this salad with roasted meat or as
> a starter on its own.
>
> Episode#: NC1A13 Food Network Show
>
> pavane


I was going to suggest a romaine salad with pears, blue or goat cheese,
toasted pecans and a slightly sweetened vinaigrette dressing.

gloria p

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:52:42 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
>Usenet:
>
>We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
>weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
>no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
>we leave the house.
>
>But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
>cold, like ratatouille.
>
>What do you folks like to make for such situations?

I bring marinated vegetables or corn and tomato salad. For the
marinated vegetables, I cut up fresh raw vegetables -- cauliflower,
broccoli, carrots -- and marinate them in Zesty Italian dressing
overnight. To make corn and tomato salad, just gently cook some
corn kernels, stir in some grape tomatoes, and toss it with
vinaigrette. Top it with parsley or basil.

Grilled and roasted vegetables are good to eat at room temperature. An
antipasta or relish tray is nice.

Tara

Giusi wrote:
> "Omelet" ha scritto nel messaggio

>
>> Insalata Caprese always goes over well, or variations of it. I saw one >
>> awesome variation where the person put a cube of cheese on the bottom, a
>> basil leaf on top of that, then a cherry tomato on top and stuck a >
>> toothpick thru it all. But since it'd be hard to add the balsamic >
>> dressing to this, they marinated the cheese ahead of time. ;-d
>
> Insalata caprese is not supposed to have any vinegar but only olive oil. It
> would be a shame to discolor that beautiful fresh mozzarella by marinating
> it in purple vinegar.
>


Not only that, but vinegar does something to the protein and makes fresh
mozzarella very tough and leathery.

gloria p

panzanella
ambrosia
cornbread salad

Tara

spamtrap1888 wrote:
> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> Usenet:
>
> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> we leave the house.
>
> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> What do you folks like to make for such situations?

I usually try to keep it simple for potlucks. My most frequent
salad/side offerings a

Grain salad (usually couscous or wheatberry)
Caponata and a baguette
Fresh bread and butter
Cheese plate (usually with three fancy cheeses and some appropriate
crackers)
Marinated bean salad with pickled red onions on top

Serene

--
"I tend to come down on the side of autonomy. Once people are grown up,
I believe they have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of their
choosing." -- Pat Kight, on alt.polyamory

Serene Vannoy wrote:
> I usually try to keep it simple for potlucks. My most frequent
> salad/side offerings a
>
> Grain salad (usually couscous or wheatberry)
> Caponata and a baguette
> Fresh bread and butter
> Cheese plate (usually with three fancy cheeses and some appropriate
> crackers)
> Marinated bean salad with pickled red onions on top
>
> Serene

Oh, I like the idea of a cheese plate. You could throw some grapes up
there along with the crackers. Nice idea.


Becca

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> spamtrap1888 wrote:
>> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
>> Usenet:
>>
>> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
>> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
>> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
>> we leave the house.
>>
>> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
>> cold, like ratatouille.
>>
>> What do you folks like to make for such situations?
>
> I usually try to keep it simple for potlucks. My most frequent salad/side
> offerings a
>
> Grain salad (usually couscous or wheatberry)
> Caponata and a baguette
> Fresh bread and butter
> Cheese plate (usually with three fancy cheeses and some appropriate
> crackers)
> Marinated bean salad with pickled red onions on top
>
> Serene


The answer is yes, no, absolutely, probably, definitely, maybe, and I don't
know.

A lot has to do with the style of the pot luck.

I like to take a Dutch oven and cook apple cobbler, but that's not always
practical. When it is, it's a big hit.

Refrigeration is the biggie. Even a good cheese tray, precisely prepared
horse douvers, or veggie tray can wilt in even a little heat. Personal
tastes come into play a lot, too.

Sometimes, you can shine by bringing something in a category everyone else
ignores.

And dontcha love the people who stop by the local grocery, and get some of
yesterday's chicken wings, or something equally appetizing?

If I'd have to bring something and make a bet on it, it would be a
scrumpdillyicious desert. No matter how bad everything else is, people will
remember SUGAR! Especially after some questionable pot luck items.

Steve

On Mar 18, 6:56*pm, "Steve B" > wrote:
> "Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > spamtrap1888 wrote:
> >> My wife asked me for suggestions so I thought I would tap the power of
> >> Usenet:
>
> >> We need to bring "a salad or a side dish" to a lunchtime potluck this
> >> weekend. Normally we bring a salad of some type because there will be
> >> no way to reheat the dish, and we will not eat for some 4 hours after
> >> we leave the house.
>
> >> But I was thinking there were some cooked side dishes that taste good
> >> cold, like ratatouille.
>
> >> What do you folks like to make for such situations?
>
> > I usually try to keep it simple for potlucks. My most frequent salad/side
> > offerings a
>
> > Grain salad (usually couscous or wheatberry)
> > Caponata and a baguette
> > Fresh bread and butter
> > Cheese plate (usually with three fancy cheeses and some appropriate
> > crackers)
> > Marinated bean salad with pickled red onions on top
>
> > Serene
>
> The answer is yes, no, absolutely, probably, definitely, maybe, and I don't
> know.
>
> A lot has to do with the style of the pot luck.
>
> I like to take a Dutch oven and cook apple cobbler, but that's not always
> practical. *When it is, it's a big hit.
>
> Refrigeration is the biggie. *Even a good cheese tray, precisely prepared
> horse douvers, or veggie tray can wilt in even a little heat. *Personal
> tastes come into play a lot, too.
>
> Sometimes, you can shine by bringing something in a category everyone else
> ignores.
>
> And dontcha love the people who stop by the local grocery, and get some of
> yesterday's chicken wings, or something equally appetizing?
>
> If I'd have to bring something and make a bet on it, it would be a
> scrumpdillyicious desert. *No matter how bad everything else is, people will
> remember SUGAR! *Especially after some questionable pot luck items.
>

I thought I would tag on to this post to thank everyone for their
suggestions, which sparked a lot of thought here. For now we decided
to go with a fruited-up salad, with ingredients bagged separately and
tossed at lunchtime. But we will try making all of the suggested
items.

The idea that strikes me the most is the mini-Caprese: maximum impact
(taste as well as eye appeal) for minimum work. Plus cherry tomatoes
and basil are available year round. Next I want to try Lou's signature
salad, if I can figure out how to scale it down for a pilot run. Some
things are already in our repertoire, like taramosalata, tabbouleh,
and grilled vegetables. And I would like to try making naan, having
successfully made roti on our cast iron comal before.

There will be no lack of sugary treats, btw: for this group, half will
provide salads and side dishes while the other half must bring
desserts.

In article
>,
bulka > wrote:

> On Mar 18, 9:12 am, Melba's Jammin' >

> > That's a tough one. I like the ratatouille idea (room temp service).
> > What about tabbouli? You could either combine all the ingredients
> > before leaving home (except the oil and lemon juice) and then add the
> > dressing at the last. Or bring the ingredients separately in baggies
> > and combine on site. Plastic bags in an ice-filled small cooler should
> > keep things sufficiently cold for food safety. Bring a serving bowl.
> >
> > A marinated vegetable salad could travel the same way.

> The rat and tabbouli are good, but people have seen them,

So what?

> and worse, someone else may bring them.

Horror of horrors! So what? I must've missed where he mentioned a
contest.

On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:35:25 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article
>,
> bulka > wrote:
>
>> On Mar 18, 9:12 am, Melba's Jammin' >
>
>> > That's a tough one. I like the ratatouille idea (room temp service).
>> > What about tabbouli? You could either combine all the ingredients
>> > before leaving home (except the oil and lemon juice) and then add the
>> > dressing at the last. Or bring the ingredients separately in baggies
>> > and combine on site. Plastic bags in an ice-filled small cooler should
>> > keep things sufficiently cold for food safety. Bring a serving bowl.
>> >
>> > A marinated vegetable salad could travel the same way.
>
>> The rat and tabbouli are good, but people have seen them,
>
>So what?
>
>> and worse, someone else may bring them.
>
>Horror of horrors! So what? I must've missed where he mentioned a
>contest.

Noodle kugel wins.

In article >,
"Giusi" > wrote:

> "Omelet" > ha scritto nel
> > Well, there are always spring rolls. I like to make them with sprouts >
> > or finely sliced romaine and a variety of ingredients. Chopped cooked
> > chicken, cooked shrimp, tomato, cucumber, etc.
> >
> > Salad in a rice wrapper. ;-) I dress them lightly with a >mix of soy >
> > sauce, vinegar, mustard and oyster sauce.
>
> I love those.

And they are so simple to make! I rehydrate the wrappers between sheets
of dedicated cut fabric. I don't use them for anything else.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

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