PSA: Potlucks

[Todd&Copper]

How are you familiar with every restaurant/caterer?? Sounds like we are both guilty of generalizing. We are particular about what restaurant we dine in and what caterers we chose for our events. Of course, nothing is 100% safe but I will take the folks who are regulated any day over the 90 year old lady from church who makes brownies with the toilet water....sorry, to each their own, but potlucks are not my thing...thankfully, they don't happen very often in our circles.

Why does a 90 year old woman drag heavy water from her toilet into her kitchen to make brownies????? Or does she cook them in the bathroom, too, with her flat iron or something?

 

[mickeyboat]

Why does a 90 year old woman drag heavy water from her toilet into her kitchen to make brownies????? Or does she cook them in the bathroom, too, with her flat iron or something?

I guess I figure if she has gotten to 90 without killing herself with her cooking, it is probably o.k. if I eat it! Hey, maybe toilet water is the fountain of youth!

Denae

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Seconds the info about snicker salad

 

[binny]

Snicker salad.

Its pretty much a dessert but since it has apples and nuts my friend thinks its a side


We really worked hard on justifying it, protein with the nuts, dairy with the whipped cream and milk, fruit with the apples... Honestly we figure its pretty much a well rounded meal all by itself!

Its a no fail recipe though everyone loves it!



Alysons Apple Salad

4-6 Granny Smith apples chopped in large chunks with peels left on

Cool whip large container

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 small package instant vanilla pudding (cheesecake pudding works great too)

crushed pecans ( or glazed walnuts)

2 ( or more) snickers bad Jumbo sized. ( I like 3 )

In a large bowl add apples, snickers, and pecans.

Thaw cool whip, add milk, and vanilla pudding.

Pour liquid over apple mix and stir.

This is a wing it recipe, anything works really.

 

[anna_chronistic]

This is going to sound like a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyhow (b/c I really want to try this "fruit salad").

Do you mix together the cool whip, sweetened condensed milk, and the powdered instant pudding, or do you make the instant pudding according to the box directions, and then add it to the sweetened condensed milk and cool whip?

Inquiring minds want to know. I have a potluck coming up in three weeks, and this sounds like a great dish!

I'm another one who cannot comprehend a potluck where people actually run out of food. I'm sure it's infuriating, but the very idea stretches the limits of my imagination! We still have a lot of big families in my neighborhood and church -- and a typical meal at my house or my parents' house includes several adults, kids/grandkids, a few neighbor kids if they're playing there anywhere around meal time, and the friends of the family who drop in with their children. And people always bring food with them, too, or offer to pick up anything we need on their way over. Those of us who are used to an overabundance of food at potlucks must be lucky!

 

[binny]

yes, the powdered pudding mix, do not make the pudding. It just flavours the cool whip/milk mixture basically. Dont worry, it wont be gritty at all.


I think youre right, I have a hard time comprehending people who are not used to doing potlucks or not having enough food at one. I guess its how you grow up.

 

[AKBAFB]

This is a fun thread.

The only (non-family) potluck that I'm involved in on a regular basis is our yearly office potluck. I love to cook and bake, so I usually bring two or three things and don't mind a bit because I really enjoy it and love sharing my stuff with others. The one thing that bugs me is that none of the execs ever bring anything (homemade or purchased) and yet, they always get to eat it!

The other thing that doesn't really bug me, but is kind of a running joke with us gals is that the guys always just want to bring "Chips & Salsa". Seriously guys... I'm a firm believer that every man should have a "go-to" homemade recipe that he can make himself, even if that's the only thing that he ever, ever makes! And, if you can't manage one successful recipe, at least buy something a little more creative than "Chips & Salsa" (Note: a veggie tray with dip is not much better!)

 

[CrazedDisFan]

I host family dinners and my dad asks when the next family is coming to eat after we are all done. Needless to say there is always WAY too much food. I phone everyone and ask them to bring something like 18 deviled eggs, or 24 rolls, or a 2 qt casserole of something. This eliminates not having enough, but I always panic and make more dishes than I intended.

DH's family on the other hand is a WHOLE other story. If they are coming over you are better off just doing it all yourself with the exception of his brother-in-law, who like me wouldn't go anywhere empty-handed. The rest of them can't follow simple directions. Dh's brother was told to bring pop once for Easter dinner. He brought one 20 ounce Diet Coke. Mind you, he has two kids and a wife. Luckily, I had drinks in my pantry.

 

[sha_lyn]

I assume I am the rude snob. It's too bad that we can't have civil discussions and express differing opinions without resorting to name calling

Are you preparring and serving the food in restaurants? If not then why are you assuming the post is about you?

ETA: maybe that is why you are slamiing home cooking. You see potlucks as your competition.

ETA again: I would still love to hear about this old lady that uses toilet water to make brownies

 

[kpm76]

Are you preparring and serving the food in restaurants? If not then why are you assuming the post is about you?

ETA: maybe that is why you are slamiing home cooking. You see potlucks as your competition.

ETA again: I would still love to hear about this old lady that uses toilet water to make brownies

I don't even prepare food at home, nevermind a restaurant (I know this sounds sort of snotty, but it's not meant to be and it's the truth.....DH is a wonderful cook). I was not slamming home cooking at all; I very much enjoy it, I just like to know the person who prepared it. Really, who cares? Some people like potlucks and some do not. I can't believe I am still defending my position but I digress.....

So, the 90 year old lady story....I was at a gathering and happened to have a baked good. Not long after consumption, I became violently ill. I was talking to the hostess and described what I had eaten and she said "Oh yeah, Aunt X made those and she uses toilet water to bake etc." She claimed she tried to keep the item off the buffet table but the old aunt insisted they be put out. She also thought everyone knew to avoid them....I was not properly informed

 

[Tinijocaro]

I guess I figure if she has gotten to 90 without killing herself with her cooking, it is probably o.k. if I eat it! Hey, maybe toilet water is the fountain of youth!

Denae

Wouldn't the oven temperature kill off any germs? I'm just sayin'

 

[RUDisney]

I host family dinners and my dad asks when the next family is coming to eat after we are all done. Needless to say there is always WAY too much food. I phone everyone and ask them to bring something like 18 deviled eggs, or 24 rolls, or a 2 qt casserole of something. This eliminates not having enough, but I always panic and make more dishes than I intended.

DH's family on the other hand is a WHOLE other story. If they are coming over you are better off just doing it all yourself with the exception of his brother-in-law, who like me wouldn't go anywhere empty-handed. The rest of them can't follow simple directions. Dh's brother was told to bring pop once for Easter dinner. He brought one 20 ounce Diet Coke. Mind you, he has two kids and a wife. Luckily, I had drinks in my pantry.

You are SO like me!

I'm used to my way of doing things. This is the same way that my DH's family does things. Then, when we go to my mother's house, she is of the belief system that portion sizes are rules and that everyone should only eat the prescribed portion size. She also doesn't want leftovers in her house to tempt her later. She works for Weight Watchers and has gone a little over the top since she started there. We go for the company. We take something to supplement her meal (as do my siblings) and then we eat something when we go home. It works for us without hurting her feelings.

 

[NotUrsula]

"Oh yeah, Aunt X made those and she uses toilet water to bake etc."

Is it possible that she meant REAL toilet water, as in eau de toilette -- perfume? I've known old folks who confuse ingredients in a bad way, and I can see having a recipe that calls for rosewater and using rose-scented eau de toilette instead -- that would definitely make you sick.

DH's grandmother was a legendary cook, but by the time I met her she was in her 90's and pretty much legally blind. I caught her putting boric acid powder into a recipe one time -- she thought it was baking soda.

Our problem family member is BIL (and his wife). In the old days he always just showed up empty-handed. Now that he's married his wife is the bringer, and she is a militant vegetarian (she doesn't just eschew meat, she wants it banned from our tables.) She always brings at least 3 things that are all pretty much inedible by everyone else's taste (not because they are meatless, but because they are just awful.) When they were first married they invited the extended family for Easter dinner, and we all drove 5 hours to get there. The entire meal consisted of a 2 qt. pan of brown rice with no spices of any kind added to it. When they got married they served one bowl of hummus; that was the entire reception buffet for 40 guests. Now we know better -- we try very hard to make socializing with them a non-food occasion, and we NEVER let them host.