Taste of Home (editor) - Taste of Home What Can I Bring?: 360+ Dishes for Parties, Picnics & Potlucks

Taste of Home

What Can I Bring?

360+ Dishes for Parties, Picnics & Potlucks

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1610 N. 2nd St., Suite 102, Milwaukee WI 53212-3906

All rights reserved. Taste of Home is a registered trademark of RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.

Visit us at tasteofhome.com for other Taste of Home books and products.

International Standard Book Number:

978-1-62145-891-3

International Standard Book Number:

978-1-62145-892-0 (Ebook)

Chief Content Officer, Home & Garden: Jeanne Sidner

Content Director: Mark Hagen

Associate Creative Director: Raeann Thompson

Senior Editor: Christine Rukavena

Senior Art Director: Courtney Lovetere

Editor: Amy Glander

Senior Designer: Jazmin Delgado

Deputy Editor, Copy Desk: Dulcie Shoener

Copy Editor: Cathy Jakicic

Contributing Designer: Jennifer Ruetz

Cover Photography:

Photographer: Dan Roberts

Set Stylist: Stacey Genaw

Food Stylists: Shannon Norris, Ellen Crowley

Pictured on front cover:

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The secret to any fantastic get-together is amazing food. Whether youve been invited to a church supper, family reunion, pancake breakfast, charity bake sale or casual backyard barbecue, the first question that pops into your mind is, What can I bring?

Finding the perfect contribution is now easier than ever thanks to the collection of easy-to-make, easy-to-take dishes inside Taste of Home What Can I Bring? This brand-new cookbook is your biggest and best source for 361 impressive feed-a-crowd dishesall guaranteed to have guests piling their plates high and begging for the recipe!

Find party-pleasing favoriteshot and savory appetizers, comforting casseroles, sunny breakfast specialties, colorful salads and sides, marvelous sandwiches, even dreamy dessertsto put the finishing touch on a fabulous spread.

In addition to a bevy of big-batch and make-ahead recipes, youll find those that are suitable for specific holidays and gatherings as well as a chapter devoted to slow-cooker classics that will save you time in the kitchen. Each of these versatile home-cooked dishes has been tested and approved by our staff of Test Kitchen experts, so you can cook with confidence and trust that every dish will be a winner.

Youll also find practical pointers for transporting food and keeping dishes hot and cold on the buffet, easy ways to impress the host, plus other handy how-to tricks for making the most of your culinary creations.

Brimming with gorgeous full-color photos, dozens of clever cooking and entertaining tips, and hundreds of must-try recipes, What Can I Bring? makes it a snap to wow your hungry crowd!

BRING YOUR A-GAME TO GATHERINGS WITH THESE EASY IDEAS

You know who they are: the mom who makes the perfect casserole for the church supper, the neighbor who contributes the best dessert to the block party, the guy whose appetizer receives cheers at the barbecue. Well, at Taste of Home we think its about time you start counting yourself among these cooks!

With the 361 crowd-pleasing recipes in What Can I Bring?, bring-a-dish success is as easy as apple pie. Simply follow these practical pointers, prepare a recipe from this book and become the life of the party!

Who has time to set a dinner on the table, let alone whip up dozens of cupcakes for a bake sale? You dowith a little planning, that is. Be realistic about the time you have available, and choose a recipe that best fits your schedule. Look for throughout this book, and consider those recipes first if time is tight.

When it comes to making and taking a dish to a get-together, slow cookers are ideal travel vessels. Not only do they simmer large-yield recipes on their own, but they also keep food warm on buffets. See for an entire chapter of slow-cooker greats.

All the recipes inside What Can I Bring? travel well, but we recommend planning accordingly. A four-layer cake may not be the best option for a long drive. Sturdy cardboard boxes prevent slow cookers and casserole dishes from sliding around in car trunks, so ask your grocer for any clean boxes you could have. Secure lids with rubber bands.

Salads, dips and brownies are welcome at shared-dish events, but why not wow the crowd with a change-of-pace item? Consider something like .

If you have more dishes than hands to hold them, use a cooling rack with folding legs. Fold out the legs and use the rack to create sturdy, stable levels inside a carrying tote without crushing whats below. You can also build layers by propping a sheet pan with ring molds or cans.

Place grippy drawer liners or silicone baking mats in the car before loading your food. The liners will keep dishes from sliding and contain any errant spills. An old yoga mat works well for this too.

Use a bungee cord, painters tape or a thick ribbon to keep the lid of your slow cooker or Dutch oven in place. Secure the cord around the handles and over the top. Now youre ready to transport without risk of a mess.

Its easy to serve a crisp salad even when youre far from home. Bring the fixings in a serving bowl along with the utensils. Toss it all together at your destination. Hold off on adding salad dressing or croutons until its time to serve. Adding these too early can result in soggy salad greens or the croutons absorbing moisture and losing their crunch.

If youre transporting a cake to a special event, make it easier to tote with this little tip: Secure the cake (or cardboard cake circle, if youre using one) onto the presentation plate with a dab of frosting. This makes the cake less likely to slide around, even if you have to brake suddenly.