Potluck Main Dish Idea

[theycallmered]

Hi Everyone. My husband is going to a picnic potluck this Sunday and would like to bring a main dish type item. It is at an outside venue and he will not have access to a grill or anything like that. The only 'refrigeration' will be our good ole' Coleman Cooler and a few ice packs.

The only idea I have thus far is a pasta salad with added protein of some sort (chicken, beans, etc.).

Any suggestions??

Thanks!!

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Fried chicken is good hot or cold.

 

[theycallmered]

That is a good idea. I have never made fried chicken but know for a fact that KFC is yummy!

 

[katesorad]

What about mac & cheese? Yummmmmmmmmy! If you wanted to add a protein to that, just make a chili mac! But make the chili a vegetarian chili, in case there are any vegetarians. I always have a seriously hard time finding something to eat at a pot luck, as a vegetarian!

 

[robinb]

I would eat someone's homemade chicken, but the thought of KFC chicken does not excite me. It seems like a lazy way out of contributing to the pot luck.

* I did fruit kabobs at the last pot luck I went to. I cut melon into chunks and added chunks of pineapple, big grapes & strawberries to 8" skewers. They were a big hit!

* guacamole with chips

* pesto pasta salad with chicken or shrimp

* brownies or other bar cookies

 

[epcotprincess]

Mostaciolli is always a big hit!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Taco Salad! I will find my recipe...it is always a hit and served cold.

ETA: Here it is:

Taco Salad

1 head of iceburg letuce, shredded
4 tomatoes, chopped (I usually take the seeds out)
2 onions, diced
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 # ground beef, fried and drained (I quickly rinse too)
1 package shredded cheddar cheese, 2 cups
5 1/2 oz bag of Doritos, crushed
8 oz. French dressing
1 jar salsa

Mix everything together just before serving***add the Doritos last.

 

[theycallmered]

Taco Salad! I will find my recipe...it is always a hit and served cold.

Taco Salad is a good idea too for a main dish item to bring to a picnic where my husband won't have a fridge or a way to keep things warm.

Do you have a recipe you could share?

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Taco Salad is a good idea too for a main dish item to bring to a picnic where my husband won't have a fridge or a way to keep things warm.

Do you have a recipe you could share?

Just posted it above. In the past, when making this head, I just put everything in baggies. If he does this, you can just get a big aluminum pan to toss it in and then clean up will be easy too.

It is a family recipe that has been around for at least 20 years and is really good. I may have to make a smaller version for football this weekend now that I am thinking of it!

 

[theycallmered]

Just posted it above. In the past, when making this head, I just put everything in baggies. If he does this, you can just get a big aluminum pan to toss it in and then clean up will be easy too.

It is a family recipe that has been around for at least 20 years and is really good. I may have to make a smaller version for football this weekend now that I am thinking of it!

Sounds yummy and easy. Thanks for the recipe!!

 

[LuvOrlando]

No suggestions but I had to stop to say you are soooo lucky to be going to a picnic. Have fun!

 

[theycallmered]

Yea. Living in northern California is pretty sweet sometimes.

 

[scrapquitler]

I often bring a spiral cut ham to potlucks...it doesn't need to be kept hot, and it's already sliced and ready to serve...and there are often lots of carby choices without so much protein.

 

[golfgal]

I would eat someone's homemade chicken, but the thought of KFC chicken does not excite me. It seems like a lazy way out of contributing to the pot luck.

* I did fruit kabobs at the last pot luck I went to. I cut melon into chunks and added chunks of pineapple, big grapes & strawberries to 8" skewers. They were a big hit!

* guacamole with chips

* pesto pasta salad with chicken or shrimp

* brownies or other bar cookies

No the lazy way to "contribute" to a pot luck is to bring nothing. Where is it written that you have to make something to bring

Op-would bringing a crock pot work? Will they have electrical outlets (is there a park shelter or something that has electricity)? If so, you could bring meatballs with cranberry sauce/chili sauce or grape jelly/chili sauce and keep them warm in a crock pot.

 

[pixiewings71]

You could do meatballs, they are good hot or cold.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

No the lazy way to "contribute" to a pot luck is to bring nothing. Where is it written that you have to make something to bring

Op-would bringing a crock pot work? Will they have electrical outlets (is there a park shelter or something that has electricity)? If so, you could bring meatballs with cranberry sauce/chili sauce or grape jelly/chili sauce and keep them warm in a crock pot.

I'm lazy and I like to bring bananas to a potluck. The first time I did so it was because I was desperate for time, but they were a huge hit. Everyone else seems to bring casseroly type things and there are always a bunch of kid swho don't eat "touching" foods so you'd hear parents exclaiming with delight at something that most kids will eat. I'm pretty sure that bananas are lazier than KFC, given that I have to pass about 10 places that sell bananas to get to KFC. Sometimes I bring apples too.

Having said that, if I'm not bringing bananas, my favorite potluck thing is salmon pasta salad. I marinate a bunch of veggies in storebought Italian dressing (see, still lazy) and broil them, mix them with some orzo and some crushed up feta, and some salmon I marinate, broil and shred. In this case the only thing that would need to be kept cool is the salmon and maybe the feta, so you could put those things in the cooler with some frozen water bottles, and combine at the last minute. If you've got vegetarians you can put some aside for them before you add the salmon, vegans get it before you add the feta or the salmon (if you use a vegan salad dressing to marinate). It's very yummy and almost as easy as bananas.