Potluck suggestions please!
 

Having a potluck:
So its my work's one year anniversary and we're having a potluck on Wed to celebrate a bit.
I'm guessing I need servings for 20-30people.
I was going to go in on a sandwich platter with another person, but I think we've decided that costs too much.
So I need help figuring out what to bring.
No dessert, no drinks, trying to avoid "snacks", can't be served hot, got to be able to make it the night before.
Suggestions? Please?

Taco Salad

1 lb ground meat
3/4 c water
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 head lettuce
2 c kidney beans
1 - 2 c Cheddar, grated
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 - 2 c carrots, grated (opt)
1/2 bottle French dressing
taco chips, crushed
Prepare meat as for tacos with water & seasoning; chill. Toss with lettuce, beans, cheese, tomatoes, carrots & half the chips. Pour dressing over all & mix. Top with remaining chips. (Use plain chips or Doritos.)

You pretty much have to do "snacks" because you won't be expected to do a full entree for 20-30 servings. Your have to do 1/20th or 1/30th of a meal for each person. That means snack sized portions. It can be a meal-like snack. I'd get a bunch of grapes and cut the bunch up into small portions. Or get a pound or two of cheddar cheese, and a box of toothpicks and fill a paper plate with cubes of cheese. If you feel like actually making something, then how about pinwheels? Cream cheese spread out on tortillas and rolled up into a log and cut into bite sized pieces. Everyone can take one or two for their plate. Serve with salsa if you like.

The no-heat thing limits you. Can you make a salad? Leave it dry and toss it with dressing just before the potluck?

You could always Make your own sandwich platter.

7 layer dip is always good.

Salsa... and guac??? Or hey Tamales are good cold.

What about a salad... like chicken Aisan salad... with napa cabbage, almonds , mandrian oranges and raman noodles?

Little quiche are good hot or cold and are pretty easy to make yourself.

Cute little tea sandwiches? They're much easier than they look ... couple different kinds of bread, couple different sorts of fillings, some sharp cookie cutters, and you're golden.

Wow. I may have to do that for my next pot luck. I go to a quarterly meeting where that's a feature.

Or you could do the Rachel Ray Salmon Dip that I'm completely in love with ... actually you could use this as a filling for the tea sandwiches.

have made this with both honest-to-goodness Nova (expensive) and that Starkist stuff that comes in the foil packet (cheap). Both work. Obviously, the Nova is better, but what I'm saying is you can get away with the less expensive alternative, and you'll still look like a cooking genius.

I usually put a little card next to the dip bowl announcing it as "Wolf's Bossy Nova Salmon Dip."

Ingredients

1/2 lb cream cheese, softened
1/8 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons chives, finely chopped (I've used fresh and freeze dried. Both work fine)
1/2 lb smoked salmon or lox, diced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Mix cream cheese and heavy cream, until smooth.
2. Stir in chives, salmon, lemon zest, pepper and sour cream.
3. Transfer to serving dish and refrigerate for one hour.
4. Serve with variety of crackers.

with a pot luck, you really dont have to have one full portion for everyone.....just show up with something in a bowl. make chili. jinx can tell you how.

but it can't be served hot.

How about a layered sandwich in a hollowed out bread bowl. I have a recipe, but not handy. Let me see if I can find one.

like this: http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2006/...-sandwich.html

I think you could put almost any kind of filling in it. Note that you make it ahead and chill.

I you're wanting to do the hollowed out bread thing, the spinach dip is always a big winner at luncheons.

Deviled eggs would work, too.

deviled eggs for 30 people?

lotta work!

I've never been to a potluck where you're expected to have a serving for every single person. Is MTP going to have thirty servings of food on her plate to eat? The whole point is you can pick and choose which foods you want to eat. I usually make a potluck dish for 10 at most.

What about cold chicken wings? They're always popular at pot luck dinners. Marinate them in whatever you like best then cook the night before. Plate up and away you go.

We make wraps, very simple, very yummy.

Tortilla/burrito shells, spread soft cream cheese on top, evenly, but fairly thin. Then add ham, smoked salmon, whatever meat you like ( one layer over the cream cheese) Roll them up, then cut into 1/2 inch slices

Take the same tortilla wraps, make a grilled veggie salad, fill and fold over the edges, roll up, cut in half.

Noodle Salad

Noodle: 2 cups
Celery: 1/4 cup, chopped
Carrot: 1/4 cup, shredded
Cilantro: 3 tbsp, chopped
Roasted bell pepper: 1, skin removed, chopped
Sesame oil: 2 tsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
Teriyaki sauce: 1/4 cup (or to taste)


Directions:

1. Cook dried noodles in boiling water for the length of time specified on its package. 30 second before removing from the heat, add chopped celery to it.

2. Drain noodle and celery and wash with cold water.

3. Add all other ingredients and combine well.

4. Chill before serving.

Stuffed Dill Pickles

Jar cheese spread and dill pickles

Slice end off pickles. Carefully remove center with apple corer. Remove all possible moisture; drain. Fill center with cheese; pack firmly. Wrap tightly with wax paper; refrigerate for several hours or longer. Slice just before serving. If served on round crackers, cut thinner slices.

Quiche

Asparagus Rolls

Makes 20 appetizers.

20 slices bread
1 package frozen asparagus
1 (5 ounce) jar processed pimiento cheese spread

Trim crusts from bread slices; spread each with cheese. Cook asparagus until just tender. Chill.

Lay one piece asparagus diagonally across slice of bread. Turn opposite corners over asparagus, overlapping. Press firmly to seal. Wrap several sandwiches together in wax paper. Place in covered container and chill for several hours.

Veggie Bars

2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 (1 ounce) envelope ranch style salad dressing mix
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms

Unroll crescent roll dough. Place in a lightly greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch jellyroll pan, pressing edges and perforations together to line bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 to 8 minutes or until browned. Cool.

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and salad dressing mix; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute or until smooth. Spread over crust in pan.

Combine peppers and remaining ingredients; sprinkle over cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Cut into 1 1/4-inch squares.

Yield: 8 dozen.

We add garlic, and sometimes hot peppers as well.. this is a great start to adding whatever you want as toppings.

Pizza!
Just make a couple three pizzas, cool and slice.

Best make another one for when you're cooking them, so the smell doesn't drive you crackers.

Cold pizza always goes quickly at buffets.

Too late I am sure, but.....

It can't be hot, because there is no microwave and or oven? If so, next time anything in a crockpot may work. All you need is a plug, and in fact, as long as it has stayed on until serving time, it does not even need to be plugged in on the buffet line.

Yeah I walked in the grocery store, saw the ready made potato salad, went with that. My budget was under $10, so that worked well.
Yeah, we have shitty low-watt microwaves and no oven. Have a crockpot, felt like that would be too much hassle, plus I'd be worried about ppl messing with it.

LOL! After all our effort!

Easy, cheap--good choice!