hi guys!!
was wondering if you could recommend any potluck dish for an "old friends" gathering (early 30's kind) :D am thinking i'd want it to be healthy yet will still be "appreciated" by all! it would be great if it is something which i could prepare myself...
would appreciate if you could post a recipe of such here...thanks!! :tu:

hi guys!!
was wondering if you could recommend any potluck dish for an "old friends" gathering (early 30's kind) :D am thinking i'd want it to be healthy yet will still be "appreciated" by all! it would be great if it is something which i could prepare myself...
would appreciate if you could post a recipe of such here...thanks!! :tu:

Check this out man...I used to work at a Middle Eastern restaurant..and they made what they called "Jerusalem Salad" (the owner was from there and its his recipe..Shai, all credit yer way bro;)!)

2 large tomatos
1 large cucumber
lime juice from a fresh lime (or whatever lime juice you have on hand)
Huge handful of fresh cilantro
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (try not to overdo it w/ pepper...)

Easy stuff- Dice tomatos and cuke (even mixture of both), add on lime juice and cilantro, then pour olive oil over the whole thing and mix.

The acid and base of the oil and juice even out for a good texture, the veggies taste wonderful w/ this sauce, but the secret is to have lots of cilantro.

Thats a great summery dish, not overly healthy but certainly healthy by "pot luck" standards and everyone will ask how you did it ;)

I had to do a lil more thinking about this and consult a few cookbooks but since I gave you a salad recipe, I thought I'd add an appetizer, simple veggie dish (as a compliment or 2nd dish), entree, and dessert too so you had a wider scope of good ones to choose from (I'm sure other folks will chime in too...and take a look at my EFA Pesto in the other thread, it can be good warm or cold on chicken or pasta)

simple veggie dish:
Zucchini Italian Style (via Cooks Encyclopedia Vegetable edition)
1tblspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tblspn sunflower oil (or just another of EVOO is prolly fine if you don't have it)
1 large onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
4-5 medium zucchini cut in to 1/2 inch thick slices
2/3 cup chicken/veggie stock
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (If you use dry, do it to taste because its a really strong flavour)
salt+pepper to taste and parseley to garnish

1. Heat oils in large frying pan and fry the onion and garlic over moderate heat 5-6 min. until the onion has softened and is beginning ot brown.
2. Add the zucchini and fry for about 4 min. until they begin to be flecked with brown. Stir frequently.
3. Stir in the stock, oregano, and seasoning and simmer gently 8-10 min until the liquid has almost evaporated. Spoon the zuchini in to a serving dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Appetizer (kind of another salad, but this one sounds too good to pass up as an appetizer and is relatively healthy too!):
Also via Cooks Encylopedia...

Celery, Avocado, and Walnut Salad

3 bacon strips (optional)
8 tender white celery stalks very thinly sliced
3 scallions, finely chopped
2oz walnut halves (I think almonds probably work okay here)
1 ripe avocado
lemon juice
For The Dressing:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tblspn olive oil
pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Cook bacon to a crisp. Chop bacon in to small pieces and place in salad bowl with celery, scallions and walnuts.
2. Halve avocado and cut in to thin slices (sharp knife is key here..I also suggest a quick chill before cutting to make it easier). Peel away the skin from each slice and then sprinkle generously with lemon juice and add to celery mixture.
3. Lightly beat the sour cream, olive oil, and cayenne pepper together in a jug or small bowl. Carefully fold in dressing.

You could also wait until getting to the party before adding the dressing if you'd like.

Entree and Dessert in next post.

For an entree I have 2 suggestions one vegetarian, the other a meat dish (dunno who you're cooking for..)

I would say if you like omelets you'll like frittatas, here's an easy more entree-focused fritatta. If you've never tried this kind of thing, you're looking for an omelet consistency...here it is:

2 cups cooked pasta (try a smooth pasta..I think non-grooved mosticholi (sp?) or elbow macaroni would work best)
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated cheese, such as Parmesan, goat's cheese, sharp white cheddar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons minced scallion or chives or other fresh herbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sliced black olives for garnish

In a bowl mix pasta with eggs and cheese of choice; season with salt and pepper and herbs or scallions. In a non-stick skillet heat the olive oil. Add the beaten eggs and pasta. Lower the heat and cook stirring frequently until eggs have solidified and frittata is firm except for the top. To give color to the top, run the skillet under a broiler for a few moments, just until the top is brown. Let frittata rest, then invert a plate over skillet; turn skillet upside down and frittata will slide onto plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges and garnish with black olives. (Via Michele Urvater @ Foodnetwork)



For a meat dish, I suggest chicken. Its healthy, versatile, affordable, and easy to prepare and keep warm. Here's a recipe I think is a real crowd pleaser and healthy as well!

From Cooks Encyclopedia BBQ Edition--
Citrus Kebabs
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
fresh mint sprigs, orange, lime, or lemon slices to garnish

Marinade:
finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 orange (if you dont' have a zester, dont' worry about the rind..)
finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime
2 tblspns olive oil
2 tblspns honey (leave it out if you want for health reasons)
2 tblspns fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

1. Cube the chicken breasts
2. Mix marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, add the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Marinade at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible.
3. Thread chicken on to skewers (if they're wood, soak them first so they dont' burn) and cook on a medium grill for 10 min basting w/ leftover marinade frequently. Garnish with citrus slices and mint.

You could also use a grill pan on the stove top,or you could bake it at 350 for 25-30 min (until cooked) and then add a little marinade and put it under the broiler until its got that brownish tint on the outside.

Dessert in next post.

Quick and easy dessert drink:

Mint Cup (also Via Cooks En. BBQ Ed.)
Handful of fresh mint leaves
1tblspn sugar
crushed ice
1tblspn lemon juice
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
2.5 cups chilled tonic water
mint sprigs and slice lemon for garnish

Crush mint leaves with the sugar and put in to a pitcher. Fill the pitcher to the top w/ crushed ice.
Add lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and tonic water. Stir gently to combine the ingredients and decorate with mint sprigs and slices of lemon.


Sorry I posted a TON of stuff..but I basically live to give out recipes and make good food for myself as well! I had a lot of fun looking up recipes!!

Let me know if you make one of these, and how it turns out!!

-Andrew

Kerrry's Beany Salad (http://salad.allrecipes.com/az/KerrysBeanySalad.asp)

Leave out the rice, and cut the olive oil in half. Corn is optional.

hi guys!!
was wondering if you could recommend any potluck dish for an "old friends" gathering (early 30's kind) :D am thinking i'd want it to be healthy yet will still be "appreciated" by all! it would be great if it is something which i could prepare myself...
would appreciate if you could post a recipe of such here...thanks!! :tu:

I bring hummus with whole wheat pita to potlucks fairly often. No one even realizes it's healthy and it always disappears :D

guava, andrew and terri...

thanks for the recipes, guys!!! i'd be going with terri's humus and whole wheat pita combo for tomorrow's gathering but i'll definitely be using your recipes for my own consumption, potluck or no potluck!! :D

you guys are really great!! thanks again!