Pot Luck "Fails"

[NFLDERS]

My story is just the opposite...

Our old neighborhood association puts on a pot luck every Xmas in the tiny community hall. The first year we went we were feeling the pinch of a low bank account so close to Xmas, so I rummaged through the freezer and found 3 packs of perogies (weird the dis spell check says that's wrong do y'all spell perogies different in the US?)

I had bought them on sale a week or so before, I fried them up with a bunch of mushrooms, onions, & I put grated cheese on top in a casserole dish and baked it until it melted. I felt a little embarrassed over my cheapo contribution.

When it was our tables turn to serve up, it was the only dish already empty!!! (and we had prepared all 3 big packs - most dishes were 1/2 the size)

Now I bring perogies every year!

Pierogies, I believe but, I lOVE THEM! any way they are spelled.

Many different ways to spell: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi. All over the world!

 

[ellone]

Pierogies, I believe but, I lOVE THEM! any way they are spelled.

Technically pierogi is the plural form (single is pierog) so pierogies is a double plural.

 

[LBIJim]

Pierogies, I believe but, I lOVE THEM! any way they are spelled.

Many different ways to spell: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi. All over the world!

One place I used to buy them spelled them "pyrohy," which was on the list.

Mmmmm, pierogis.......maybe I should heave the turkey and have them instead.

 

[Minnesota!]

Gosh this reminds me of an episode at my friend's family when I was young.

One sister brought a weird salad to Thanksgiving with peas, peanuts, mayo, sour cream and some other stuff. No one would eat it.

One of the other sisters took it home, froze it, and for Christmas gave it to the original sister as her "make it, bake it, sew it, or grow it" gift (cool concept, BTW).

They had a good sense of humor and I think that original pea salad went back and forth the next year, too.

Love pea salad, too. Peas, mayo/sour cream, some type of nut, cheese, and celery. YUM!

I sent DH and DS to an office potluck when we were stationed in Kentucky (Army) with banana pudding.
Nobody at the potluck ate it, except DH and DS. They were actually thrilled to return home with it, because they love it.
That is the only time that has ever happened. DH always had me make banana pudding for his office potlucks, and it was always a huge hit no matter where we were stationed.
I guess banana pudding isn't a popular thing in Kentucky.

I think banana pudding is more southern than anything - I see a lot of southern people on here talk about it. It's not common around here, I know that.

I would eat it, but it would not be my first choice

 

[WDWFAN9]

My husbands family used to bring something called bagna cauda (if I spelled that right) which is basically a greasy sardine dip. The recipe I googled goes something like this:

4 cloves garlic, crushed
l 1/2 oz. butter, melted
4 oz. salted anchovies
pepper
1 cup olive oil


YUCK on the taste....DOUBLE YUCK on the smell

OMG - that is what we are having tonight (minus the oil). Not sure on the spelling either, but it is a dish my Italian grandparents brought over to this country. You dip cut up fresh veggies into the melted butter/garlic/anchovies and use a thick slice of Italian bread to catch the drippings. It is awesome

 

[NFLDERS]

Technically pierogi is the plural form (single is pierog) so pierogies is a double plural.

Yes but, we were talking about more than one. I see that having gone back to read the different spelling. Lesson learned but, I doubt I'll remember..

 

[Chim Chiminy]

Did you send the box of 'Nilla Wafers? You've gotta have the 'Nilla Wafers with banana pudding!!!!

They are layered in the banana pudding.

 

[tvguy]

Scrolling through all the posts.....seems like everyone's pot luck rejects when put together would make a pretty good pot luck.

 

[carrie1626]

+3 I guess it's an acquired taste!

+Pineapple

We call it GREEN FLUFF and it's been around our family gathering
F O R E V E R

And yes, it gets eaten

 

[candacewi5]

My grandmother always made canned pear halves with a scoop of miracle whip in the middle for dessert and we always would take one so we didn't hurt her feelings. It was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. So we all learned to just eat the pear and eat around the mayo. We always thought Granny was having issues with memory loss and confusion because she said she got that recipe for pears and mayo from a book! Well the laugh was on us because a month ago I was looking through a web page with old advertisements. Low and behold one was an ad for miracle whip and their #1 recipe was Granny's pears and mayo. I don't know how that idea got published, nor that anyone would try it and serve it. I still can't eat pears even 20 years later!

 

[LBIJim]

Technically pierogi is the plural form (single is pierog) so pierogies is a double plural.

Most pierogi lovers eat enough of them to account for the double plural.

 

[WorldWacky]

My grandmother always made canned pear halves with a scoop of miracle whip in the middle for dessert and we always would take one so we didn't hurt her feelings. It was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. So we all learned to just eat the pear and eat around the mayo. We always thought Granny was having issues with memory loss and confusion because she said she got that recipe for pears and mayo from a book! Well the laugh was on us because a month ago I was looking through a web page with old advertisements. Low and behold one was an ad for miracle whip and their #1 recipe was Granny's pears and mayo. I don't know how that idea got published, nor that anyone would try it and serve it. I still can't eat pears even 20 years later!

Yuck! That sounds really bad! Guess whoever came up with that recipe also made the green olive-cherry jello one and that spam concoction.

 

[luvsJack]

My grandmother always made canned pear halves with a scoop of miracle whip in the middle for dessert and we always would take one so we didn't hurt her feelings. It was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. So we all learned to just eat the pear and eat around the mayo. We always thought Granny was having issues with memory loss and confusion because she said she got that recipe for pears and mayo from a book! Well the laugh was on us because a month ago I was looking through a web page with old advertisements. Low and behold one was an ad for miracle whip and their #1 recipe was Granny's pears and mayo. I don't know how that idea got published, nor that anyone would try it and serve it. I still can't eat pears even 20 years later!

We have it with a dollop of mayo and shredded cheddar cheese and some add a cherry on top. Its actually pretty good and called "pear salad".

MIL made some last weekend and the teenagers gobbled them up.

 

[mmouse37]

My grandmother always made canned pear halves with a scoop of miracle whip in the middle for dessert and we always would take one so we didn't hurt her feelings. It was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. So we all learned to just eat the pear and eat around the mayo. We always thought Granny was having issues with memory loss and confusion because she said she got that recipe for pears and mayo from a book! Well the laugh was on us because a month ago I was looking through a web page with old advertisements. Low and behold one was an ad for miracle whip and their #1 recipe was Granny's pears and mayo. I don't know how that idea got published, nor that anyone would try it and serve it. I still can't eat pears even 20 years later!

On that note, as kids we always had a similar dish. A layer of lettuce, either canned pineapple rings or chunks and a dollop of mayo. We had that at least once a week as our pre dinner salad. Have not had it since I lived at home as a kid but I remember it fondly. My kids and husband think it sounds yucky but I liked it (as did my 4 sisters).

MJ

 

[Annadesu]

One year, I had a relative that wanted to share her Vegan diet with us. I said that was fine, as I have had vegan dishes in the past and rather enjoyed them. She showed up with boiled veggie dogs with tahini sauce, and rock hard/dry falafel. She then proceeded to get angry when my other relatives didn't eat any of it.

 

[lynxstch]

My mom used to make this green pistachio pudding thing that no one ever ate except a handful of family members who I'm convinced ate it just to be polite. It was green pistachio pudding mix with marshmallows, pineapple and cool whip. The color was a mint green, omg it was so gross. I am still in awe that jello even makes a green pistachio pudding mix.

wow that brought up a forgotten memory, I used to love this stuff..haven't had it in decades!

 

[Jedana]

We have it with a dollop of mayo and shredded cheddar cheese and some add a cherry on top. Its actually pretty good and called "pear salad".

MIL made some last weekend and the teenagers gobbled them up.

DH and I were talking about this thread at lunch today, and he said his mom made this for dessert on a regular basis.

Lettuce leaf, pear half, mayo and cheddar cheese.

For Christmas, she'd dye the pears, some red and some green.

He says it was the best dish she made.... and he hated it. (seriously, the woman couldn't even make mac n cheese out of the box)

 

[Dancind]

DD had a holiday party at her Crossfit box last year, and we made a crockpot of grassfed beef chile. Unfortunately, I cooked it with a bottle of gluten free beer we'd had around for a while. The beer must have been skunked, the chile tasted awful. She brought nearly the whole thing home.

In my 20s, went to Thanksgiving at a boyfriend's house, and took an upside down pecan pie. Have since learned to poke holes in the crust.

And it's not Thanksgiving around here unless DD gets some green bean casserole. We love the stuff.

 

[GusGus77]

It does actually have a name. Watergate Salad. There's a bunch of variations. With gelatin, without gelatin, molded or whipped/fluffed, even one with cottage cheese. I've had that last one..wasn't actually too bad.

We have always had Watergate salad at family gatherings as did my DH- crushed pineapple, pistachio pudding, cool whip,mini marshmallows, walnuts. Now that ds can't have food dye we sub out the pistachio pudding for almond extract and it tastes just the same. I did use real pistachios crushed one year, but it didn't make a difference in the flavor and they are expensive. This is the only time I will eat cool whip!

 

[HM]

We have always had Watergate salad at family gatherings as did my DH- crushed pineapple, pistachio pudding, cool whip,mini marshmallows, walnuts. Now that ds can't have food dye we sub out the pistachio pudding for almond extract and it tastes just the same. I did use real pistachios crushed one year, but it didn't make a difference in the flavor and they are expensive. This is the only time I will eat cool whip!

This is a staple at the Thanksgiving table for my inlaws. I'd only seen it at a cafeteria before I started eating the holiday meal with them.