Potluck Ideas and Dump Cake Recipes

Updated on August 13, 2010
B.W. asks from Bethel Park, PA
20 answers

I am going to a potluck family reunion saturday and need some ideas of what food to take. I need something pretty cheap and easy to make (i'm not much of a cook). I also have to drive 2 hours to this reunion so it has to be something that will last in the car. Any ideas? Thanks!
*i should mention that it is at 12:30 so i will be leaving at 10:30am...also i have a 2 year old and a 2 month old i will be getting ready in the morning as well so it would be a plus if i could make it the night before.
thankyou for all the good ideas. i'm still undecided on a main/side dish but for dessert i want to make a dump cake. i never made it before and i was just wondering if anybody has and what fruit filling did you use and was it good and which one was your favorite?

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Does it have to be a main dish?
You could make Shredded BBQ Beef--super easy in a crock pot (which is used to transport and warm it in too)
Place chuck roast(s) in crockpot and cook all day on low.
Drain liquid.
Shred meat with two large forks.
Add bottled BBQ sauce (Jack Daniels is great!) and about 1/2 jar of apricot preserves (mix the two first).
YUMMMMMMY! (and easy!)
You might want to bring some buns too.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

Take Mac and Cheese.....it's easy, it can sit in the back of the car (trunk) and stay warm.......just some macaroni (cooked), some cheese (velveeta), alittle butter, and maybe some bread crumbs on top, cook till cheese melts and top with bread crumbs.........cover with foil or whatever, put in car, and away you go......or freeze and let it thaw out in the car.......

you could also do baked beans......they are easy enough.....and can be cold or hot.....I use canned and add some bacon to it......

Take care, be careful and have a great time.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.T.

answers from Dallas on

I always take dessert to my church potlucks. Try brownies, cookies or a cake - and they travel well!

2 moms found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

My family loves my nacho dip it is easy and goes a long way. 1 lb. of Hamburger, 1 package Cream Cheese, 1/2 -1 pack of Velveeta, 1 can Stewed Tomatoes Sliced, and a large Onion then you use nacho/tortilla chips to dip. Fry the burger in a skillet drain and rinse off grease then put in crockpot, then put stewed tomatoes and cream cheese in skillet until it boils and cream cheese melts put it in the crockpot with the other ingredients cut up velveeta and put in the crockpot when it is all melted it's ready to eat ( I just stir occasionally to speed it up) then put on low and it is hot and ready to eat when you are.For a party I usually use about 2 1/2 - 3 pounds of burger (extrra lean) a whole box of velveeta, 2-3 packs cream cheese and probably 3-4 cans stewed tomatoes and a couple of onions. We eat this as a meal and always have it for parties. I don't have an exact recipe it just depends on how it looks. I like to eat it as soon as it is all hot and melted and the onions are still crisp.
Kay

1 mom found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

Watermelon. Especially if you cut it in slices or cubes beforehand and put it in a cooler on top of some ice or ice packs. You will be queen at the family reunion! It's amazing how the "small things" are really wonderful during the summer.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.K.

answers from Boise on

I was coming on to suggest the corn dish someone else mentioned! It really is very easy and yummy.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.T.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I just made a green bean and tomato side for a gatherig that went over well. I took about 1 -1 1/2 pounds of fresh green beans, cut the ends off then cut them in half then and boiled them for a few minutes (should still be a bit crisp). Drain then rinse with cool water. I washed and halved a pint container of cherry tomatoes and mixed them with the cooled beans. I mixed about 1/3 EVOO and 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar with a handful of chopped onion. (You could use a premade vinagrette or Italian dressing instead.) Pour on veggies and toss. Put in a cooler with a few ice packs to transport. It was quick and simple, had a garden-fresh taste and can be served cold.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Allentown on

baked beans can travel well in a crock pot. I also like the watermelon idea- either that or a fruit salad. Just cut up the fruit the night before and place them in separate ziplock bags. Bring a big bowl & mix all together when you get there. I've made a dump cake with apple & cinnamon filling. There are lots of different recipes on www.allrecipes.com. The peach cobbler filling sounds especially good & got great reviews (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blueberry-Dump-Cake/Detail.a.... Good luck & have fun!

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A.H.

answers from New York on

I always bring beans to potlucks....cheap and easy in the crockpot. I buy two large cans of baked beans then add 1 pkg precooked bacon, and slice up 1 or 2 pkges of Kilbasa (no idea how to spell that). Then I add some ketchup, brown sugar,dried onion, mustard and some red wine vinegar to the beans. I make it the night before and then just put in in the crockpot insert in, in the morning. You could do as much or as little to the beans as you want.

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H.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

I make a veggie salad.
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cans of corn
2 cans of french cut green beans
Italian dressing
Lettuce
Tomatoe
Cucumber (optional)

Chop 1st 2 ingriedents and put into a large ziplock baggie with the drained cans of veggies. Allow this to marinate overnight.. When you get to the reunion make the salad, and then mix everything in a large bowl. People usually love it. It is cheap and doesn't require a lot of time or skill.

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I usually take a cream cheese pound cake to ours. Not to brag, but it is pretty good. I found it in a church cookbook and it reminds me of the one my granny used to make (without a recipe). I didn't have time to make it this year (it takes and hour & a half in the oven and I was at the beach all day the day before and had house guests), so I took something else. Several people asked me "Where's the poundcake?" with disappointment.

It travels well, can be sliced in advance- or not. Just cover with foil and set it on the seat or in the floorboard.
Piece of cake! (pun intended)
:)

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

my mom makes this incredible cream cheese corn thing. she uses a few packages of frozen corn, adds in cream cheese and some butter to taste/desire and warms it all up in a crock pot. OMGoodness, It is delicious, not healthy, but a Thanksgiving favorite and why I don't know the exact ingredient amounts is because neither does she - LOL. It is whatever strikes her and based on number of people, etc. It is easy to throw together, (corn frozen keeps the cream cheese cold while you drive) then just plug in when you get there and it will be partially defrosted, but not icky.

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K.B.

answers from Harrisburg on

Buy a bag or two of turkey Italian meatballs (can't taste the difference), toss in a crock pot with a can or two of cheap garlic spaghetti sauce, a 4 cup bag of shredded mozz cheese and a half dozen bags of hot dog buns. Heat it all up hot before travel so it'll take a while to cool down before you get there. Then just plug it in on high when you get there. If there's no outlet in the eating area, plug it in on high until it hot and then take outside and keep the lid on. Some will eat the meatballs with no buns so if you don't want the buns you can skip that and the cheese.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
events and chat within 2 hour radius

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Buffalo & Teriyaki Chicken Wings.

Cook jointed wings the night before on a cookie sheet under the broiler (if you feel like flipping them), or bake at 450 (if you don't). Done when internal temp is 180... skin should be golden brown to brown. No seasoning necessary. Allow to cool and put in big ziplock bags in the fridge. Day of : toss one batch with Franks Buffalo Wing sauce, and one batch with teriyaki sauce. Just pour sauce directly into bag and shake. Transport in the bags, and serve on platters at the potluck.

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I love the dump cake! I use 1 can each of cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple. Mix these together (don't drain the pineapple). Then sprinkle a box of yellow cake mix evenly over the mixture. The use small slices of one stick of butter and spreak over the cake mix. Bake in a sprayed can at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. It's very easy and very tasty!

M.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

For a side dish - would do artichoke salsa (with chips). It needs to chill for at least 30mins, so I would make it the night before, but it tavels well and can be served at room temp.

Good luck!

T.C.

answers from Albuquerque on

Hi B.,

Fruit Pizza!!!

t

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D.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

I do not know how to make a dump cake. I would say make something easy like a zucchini bread. It is one cup of zucchini grated or put it in food processor. 1 cup of sugar. 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 egg, pinch of salt,1/2 tsp. baking soda,1/4 tsp. of baking powder,teaspoon vanilla extract,1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg or cloves.Mix all together in same bowl. cook at 350 for an hour.make sure oven is preheated and grease and flour the bread pan.
also go to cooks.com, they may also have your recipie. good luck

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

What about just taking a couple big watermelons and a butcher knife, big platter and cut it up when you get there? Everyone LOVES watermelon! Good luck and have fun!

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G.O.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with the corn dish! I always bring that to potlucks and people love it. I even sometimes spice it up by putting a can of rotel. Yummy and super simple to make!

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