Potluck Party 

A big gathering of friends & family for a festive meal.
From “Little House in the Big Woods”
by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Sketch by Garth Williams.

I love inviting my friends over for dinner, potluck style! Reminds me of the big, southern, family reunion meals we had when I was growing up … or of yummy church dinners.

And you know what’s great about these “family dinners,” as I call them? Everyone brings something!

In this economy, it’s a great way to have a dinner party. It’s also a great way to accommodate a variety of food allergies or preferences.

Food themes are always fun for potluck parties. Here are a few that have been successful:

• Individual pizzas (fun for grownups and kids; everyone makes their own, then throw on the grill or in the oven)
• Taco salad (ingredients in separate bowls, not mixed together)
• Finger foods (especially good when lots of kids are involved, or you don’t want to provide lots of utensils!)
• Super Bowl (tailgating theme)
• Back-to-School (the foods you loved as a kid or ate at school)
• Italian (a couple pasta dishes, a salad, a veggie, bread and tiramisu!!)
• Soup Swap (everyone bring a homemade soup and the recipe, plus some to-go containers to take home a bit of leftovers)
• Grill party (everyone brings a dish to share and their own meat/fish for the grill)
• Breakfast for dinner (a variety of quiches … or individual mini-quiches … some vegetarian, breads, fruits, cheese plate, grits, breakfast meats, etc.)

What are some of your favorite potluck dishes to make?

Potluck Party with individual pizza makings