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What to take to the potluck?
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One pot Italian : more than 85 easy, authentic recipes
Massimo Capra.
Portland, Me. : Sellers Publishing, 2009.
Includes index.
     
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The everything one-pot cookbook : delicious and simple meals that you can prepare in just one dish
Pamela Rice Hahn.
Avon, Mass. : Adams Media, c2009.
  1. "Completely updated!"--Cover.
  2. Includes index.
     
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The best skillet recipes : a best recipe classic
by the editors of Cook's illustrated ; photography, Keller + Keller, Carl Tremblay, and Daniel J. Van Ackere ; illustrations, John Burgoyne.
Brookline, Mass. : America's Test Kitchen, c2009.
From breakfast all the way to dessert, one skillet is all that is needed for fast, flavorful meals. The editors of "Cook's Illustrated" offer a world of great and easy recipes.
     
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Glorious one-pot meals : a revolutionary new quick and healthy approach to Dutch-oven cooking
Elizabeth Yarnell.
New York : Broadway Books, c2009.
Designed to make cooking dinner a breeze and featuring lists for items to keep stocked in both the pantry and the freezer, "Glorious One-Pot Meals" provides the most convenient method yet of serving up highly nutritious, satisfying suppers every night of the week.
     

Potlucks are the quintessential American gathering. Church suppers, neighborhood block parties, tailgate parties and office parties—who among us doesn’t attend these a few times each year? And who among us hasn’t wondered: what should I bring?

A potluck dish should be appropriate for the occasion. Because most potluck dinners are casual affairs, any formal or fussy food (especially any requiring entire sets of cutlery!) won’t do. Unless you know the tastes of those attending, dishes made from basic, familiar foods are most appreciated. Beware of spicy foods—some groups will love them, but others may not. If your dish requires garnishes or condiments, take them along.

Transporting foods

Keep hot dishes hot and cold dishes cold by transporting in insulated containers or coolers.  You can make your own insulted wraps for warm dishes by using layers of newspapers or quilts.

Wrap the lid of a casserole dish with a clean towel. Secure the lid with rubber bands.
The towel will absorb condensed moisture that would otherwise drip back onto the food.

Place the cooler in an air-conditioned car rather than trunk because trunks get very warm.

Laundry baskets are handy carriers for food. Pad the sides of the dish with towels or blankets to hold it secure.

more tips

Sometimes the most popular dish is one made of familiar ingredients with just a kick of something special. A vegetable dip is made distinctive with a hint of curry spice. Very fresh, simple food such as a perfectly dissected ripe pineapple, properly chilled, hits the spot. Old fashioned comfort foods are eternally popular. Toll-House cookies can be the hit of the party.

Even though all of us have our tried and true culinary specialties, we may want to “Wow!” people with something new. But do remember that your specialty dish may be beloved by your co-workers and they will welcome seeing it again on the potluck table.

The true measure of a successful potluck dish is how many people ask for the recipe!

Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff