Observations and Ruminations

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It has been so long since I went to a potluck dinner. When my son was in grade school we did a few but it was never a regular occurrence. I do entertain on a regular basis and have been known to make dishes that will feed about 20 (ie pulled pork. chili, taco bars, etc) but I think that is different than the traditional potluck. I much prefer to cook ethnic, gourmet, unusual food but that does not work for a potluck.

So let me see.. I guess I would make one of these but note I make up my own recipes so my directions are not exact:

- Italian Torte. Get you spring foam pan out. Take dough (pizza, crescent rolls, etc) and lay it into and over the spring foam pan. Add oil olive, crushed garlic in the bottom and up the sides. Then layer the following proscuitto, mozarella, red peppers, artichoke hearts, provolone, italian sausage (cooked), sun dried tomatoes, ricotta cheese, ham, parmesan cheese, black olives. Take the rest of the dough to cover the spring foam pan (almost like a pot pie). Bake at 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes.


- Meatloaf Layer Cake. This is an amusing dish. Make your favorite meatloaf but mold it into two round cake pans. After baking, remove from pans and "frost" with mashed potatoes. I have decorated with Ketchup "icing".

- Apple Dumplings. This is the easiest dessert recipe ever and can be found on the Pioneer Woman site. Take a glass rectangle cooking dish and butter it. Pre heat oven to 375. Open a tube of crescent rolls. Cut granny smith apples into quarters. Put one slice in a crescent roll and wrap it. LIne the glass pan. Mix 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla and pour over the "dumplings". Pour in a12 oz bottle of Mountain Dew (seriously). Bake for 20 minutes. So good but not at all good for you.