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Your next potluck meal is sure to be a lucky one with the addition of these tried-and-true recipes.
My husband and I recently returned to his hometown of Chickasha after his mother passed away. After her service, about a dozen women, all members of his church and friends of the family, made all of our family members the most amazing lunch. While we were all chatting over fried chicken and Jell-O salad, I started thinking, “What happened to the potluck?” It was originally popular in the 1800s as a feast given by churches or large groups to help feed a crowd. Instead of one cook being responsible for the entire feast, many other people were enlisted to bring a dish — and you hoped for good luck that whatever pot they brought was delicious. These classics are sure to appeal to all palates — perfect for your next “social,” family picnic or neighborhood party.
Orange gelatin salad
Serves 8 to 10
This classic potluck dish is perfect to take to a cookout or casual dinner party. While I would normally whip my own cream for the topping, in this case the ease and stability of non-dairy whipped topping substitutes nicely.
2 3-ounce boxes orange gelatin such as Jell-O
1 15-ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained, 1 cup juice reserved
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons butter
1 container non-dairy whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
Chopped toasted pecans for sprinkling, optional
1. Empty Jell-O into a medium bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups boiling water until dissolved. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water. Pour into 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and refrigerate until starting to set up, about 20 minutes. Stir in pineapple, oranges and lemon juice. Refrigerate until firm.
2. To make the topping, combine reserved pineapple juice in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in butter and cool completely. Fold pineapple juice mixture into Cool Whip until just combined and spread over chilled Jell-O. Top with pecans if desired.
Nonnie’s fried chicken
Serves 8
Growing up, whenever we visited my Grandmother Louise and Aunt Mary Guy in Jackson, Miss., my Great-Aunt Nonnie would make, after much begging from my sister and me, a batch of her wonderful fried chicken. It is the bar by which I judge all fried chicken to this day. When I got married, she gave me a gift that no one else could have — the recipe! I was reluctant to share the recipe and just keep it in the family, but I feel I would be doing all of you a disservice — try it and I think you’ll agree. While this is best served hot out of the fryer, it reheats well after transport in a warm oven. I even love to eat it straight from the fridge the next day.
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag and add buttermilk. Let soak a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a few inches of oil in a large, deep frying pan or deep fryer to 350 degrees. Place flour in a large bowl or another large zip-top bag and season well with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drain off, and add to flour, tossing to coat well. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes for breasts and wings and 10 to 15 minutes for thighs and legs.
Peach cobbler
Serves 8 to 10
No Oklahoma cookout is complete without a sweet fruit cobbler — serve it hot, warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Plunge peaches into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to slip skins off easily.
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and vanilla in a bowl, tossing until well combined. Transfer to a buttered, shallow 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
2. Whisk together remaining 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk until combined. Drop mixture by the spoonful over peaches. Bake until fruit is bubbly and crust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving warm, topped with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Layered chopped salad
Serves 8 to 10
For the best presentation, travel with this colorful salad layered in a glass serving dish and toss it on site. This will also keep it fresh for a longer period. These colorful and tasty ingredients are merely suggestions — use whatever veggies you like best. The creamy avocado dressing can be made up to 4 hours ahead of time. I prefer freshly roasted beets over the canned varieties – simply peel them, toss with a little olive oil and wrap in foil; roast at 350 until tender.
4 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups finely chopped iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup finely chopped radicchio
1/2 cup thinly sliced Belgian endive (about 1 small head)
1 English (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled, cut lengthwise in half, then thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup diced, seeded plum tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 small bunch radishes, sliced
2 cups diced, cooked beets
3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Creamy avocado dressing (recipe follows)
1. Arrange the romaine in the bottom of a 2-quart glass bowl or trifle dish; top with iceberg. Layer radicchio, endive, cucumber, celery, carrot, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, green onions, radishes, beets and eggs evenly over lettuces. Sprinkle with parsley and walnuts, cover and chill until ready to serve.
2. When ready to serve, drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. If your serving bowl is not large enough for mixing, transfer salad to a very large bowl and toss until well coated with dressing, then transfer back to serving bowl.
Creamy avocado dressing
Makes about 2 cups
This creamy dressing is delicious on any salad but also serves nicely as a sandwich spread, dip for veggies or as a sauce for cheesy quesadillas.
1 medium firm-ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons grated sweet onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 4 hours.
Ham and biscuits
Serves 16 to 20
What ham to buy? Fully cooked hams are cured — either with a dry salt rub or in a wet brine — and often, smoked. This type of ham is delicious on its own but also benefits from a few hours in the oven with a sweetened glaze or sugary rub. For the best flavor, avoid hams whose labels read “ham, water added” or “ham and water product.” I prefer to use a bone-in ham, for the bone intensifies the flavor of the meat.
1 medium (10- to 12-pound) uncooked smoked ham, bone-in
1 20-ounce can pineapple slices, juice reserved
1 small jar maraschino cherries
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup bourbon
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap ham completely with parchment-lined foil and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Transfer ham to oven and bake 1 1/2 hours.
2. Unwrap ham, discarding parchment and foil. With a large, sharp knife, score fat in a diamond pattern, making the lines about an inch apart. Decoratively arrange the pineapple slices on top of the ham, securing them with toothpicks. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring and secure with a clove or toothpick.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, mustard, bourbon and enough reserved pineapple juice to make a thick glaze. Brush ham evenly with 3/4 of the brown sugar mixture and return to oven; cook ham 1 hour. Brush ham with remaining brown sugar mixture and continue cooking 30 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.
Sweet potato biscuits
Makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on the size of your cutter
These sunny-hued and tender biscuits owe their thanks as well as their earthy flavor to mashed sweet potatoes. Be careful not to overwork the dough or you could end up with golden hockey pucks. While you can certainly use up any leftover boiled and mashed sweet potatoes, I think roasting them intensifies the flavor.
1 medium sweet potato (about 14 ounces)
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Generous pinch ground ginger
Generous pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus melted butter for brushing biscuits
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Prick potato in several spots with a fork, place on a small baking sheet and bake until fully tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Cut potato in half and cool until room temperature. Scrape out flesh into a small bowl and mash until smooth. Add buttermilk, mix well and set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, ginger, cayenne and orange zest in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut chilled butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until it comes together, 6 to 8 times. Pat dough to 1-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and transfer to prepared baking sheet. The scraps may be patted out again once more. Brush tops with melted butter and bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
Texas sheet cake
Serves 24
This rich yet simple cake reminds me of my childhood days eating in the Jenks school cafeteria. Popular everywhere in the South, Texas sheet cake is claimed by, well, Texas. Also known as Texas brownie cake, Texas brownies, Texas ranch cake, Texas sheath cake and chocolate sheet cake, this chocolaty delight has also been credited to Lady Bird Johnson. I’ve heard it referred to as the little black dress of desserts — it can be dressed up or down and should be in every cook’s closet … I mean recipe box.
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Quick chocolate frosting (recipe follows)
Chopped toasted pecans, optional, for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch-by-15-inch-by-1-inch jellyroll pan. Bring cocoa, butter and water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until butter melts and cocoa dissolves.
2. Combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a bowl until combined. Pour cocoa mixture over and stir until combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake until set, about 20 minutes.
3. Pour frosting over warm cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans if desired. Let cool completely before cutting.
Quick chocolate frosting
Maked enough to frost an 8-inch cake or half sheet cake
This super-easy frosting is perfect for quick breads or snack cake. Frosting will keep, chilled, up to 4 days — bring to room temperature before frosting.
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
1 box (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar, sifted (about 4 1/4 cups sifted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Combine butter, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whisk or beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
