Friday, April 9, 2010

Celebrate Randomocity

Maybe it's not 'cool' but I have to admit that potlucks are my very favorite parties. It's like food show and tell-I like food....I like show and tell....I figure potlucks are only natural at that point. I love everything about them all the way down to deciding what to bring. Okay, especially deciding what to bring. That's totally my favorite part. Here-have some of my favorites. I would love to feed them to you potluck style, but the second best (most internet friendly) option is to share the recipes with you.

Try some of these out:

George of the Jungle Salad

Fresh Spinach (or Green Leaf lettuce, if you truly hate spinach)
Feta Cheese
Walnuts (or almonds)
Apples (or Strawberries YUM!)
Red Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

So easy-just mix to taste. Nothing special. It takes somewhere between ten seconds and two minutes and it's DELICIOUS-so delicious that it's actually the food that first hooked the kidlets on spinach!


Red and Green Potatoes

3 lbs red potatoes, cooked
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dill
1 c mayo
2 tbsp crumbled bacon

Scrub potatoes like mad until they are squeaky clean, then boil them (with skin on, thus all the scrubbing) in salt water until they are done. Cut them into smaller pieces and set them aside. Mix mustard, vinegar, dill, and mayo then pour it over the potatoes, stir until it's mixed well then put in the fridge to chill. Once cold, sprinkle crumbled bacon on the top. Everyone ALWAYS loves this version of potato salad (but make sure to let hosts know that it's not vegetarian!).


The Big Cheese
1 pkg (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
2 lbs ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
8 ounces sauce [I prefer Alfredo Sauce, but Tomato is good too =)]
fresh basil or parsley

Preheat the oven to 375*. Cook pasta shells according to directions. Rinse with cold water until cool then place them open side down on top of paper towels. Mix the rest of the ingredients together, leaving out 1/4c mozzarella, sauce, and the basil. Pour a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a 12x9 pan, fill the shells with cheese mixture and put them open side up in the pan, pour the rest of the sauce over the shells, then loosely cover with tinfoil and bake for 35 minutes. Pull off tinfoil, sprinkle the 1/4 c of mozzarella on top, and bake for five more minutes. Pull out and garnish with basil or parsley.


Cheesecake
15 graham crushed crackers
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1c sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake in a water bath inside a preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 2-5 hours or until the middle is only slightly jiggly. Chill in refrigerator until serving-at least overnight (or 8 hours). I can tell you-cheesecake is ALWAYS A HIT. Ever since I started making it back in February I've very nearly turned into MrsM's House of Cheesecake, there is that much of a demand for it....and not just from me!

I hope you get a chance to try some of these recipes and maybe even take them to a potluck and show them off a bit! Feel free to take 100% credit for them or, if your friends don't like them, blame 'that crazy internet chick'.

[If you're visiting for UBP, you can return to my main post by clicking here]

3 comments:

Vodka Logic said...

they sound delicious and perfect for a party... thanks

Unknown said...

Yum...I want the potatoes!

Anonymous said...

LOL I was googling the movie Randomocity because I just saw it, & this site shows up saying "celebrate Randomocity". I was hoping it was for the movie because the film was GREAT :) oh well, onward google...