Finding A Great Recipe To Take To Your Next Party

How many times have you thought about what to bring to your next get together or potluck dinner and wondered "What can I bring?" When I am in a rush, it only seems harder to make this decision and I am the queen of procrastination. Many times I have reverted to just bringing cheese and crackers because it was easy and quick, or sometimes just cut up fruit. Both of which can get very expensive.

Once in awhile I will come across a great recipe where I say to myself, "I should use that one next time." Well here is my blog where I intend to keep track of those recipes for you and for me.

The first recipe that I want to add could be labeled a salad or even a dinner item because it contains chicken and we have eaten it for dinner as a family before. I have used this one at our last potluck and got rave reviews. I also loved how inexpensive and quick it was. It was great!

Oriental Chicken Slaw (Dinner or Salad item)

• (1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup vinegar)
• 2 pkgs beef flavored ramen noodles
• 16 oz slaw mix
• 20 oz canned white chicken, drained
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Take the oil, sugar, vinegar and the two seasonings packets from the ramen noodles and heat them in a saucepan until boiling. While these ingredients are heating, in a large bowl combine the slaw, drained, chicken, and then the almonds, in this order. When the liguid is heated, pour over the top of the ingredients in your bowl. Oila! That's it and you are done. This dish is best made and eaten within a few hours while the ramen noodles still have their crunch. It is still ok the day after but it won't be quite as crunchy.

Pineapple Sweet Potatoes (Veggie Side dish)

• 3 lbs peeled & cut sweet potatoes
• 1/2 c. milk
• 4 T butter or margarine
• 1 8oz can of crushed pineapple
• 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/8 t. cloves
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 small bag of regular size marshmallows
• optional pecan chunks

Put prepared sweet potatoes in sauce pan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 12-15 min until tender when poked with a fork. Drain potatoes. Mash potatoes in sauce pan, stir in butter until melted, add in milk, pineapple, all 4 spices, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well.

Place mixture in at 12 qt casserole dish. Sprinkle nuts on top. Next put the marshmallows over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 35 min or until the marshmallow are slightly brown or have puffed up.

Check back now and then to see if there is anything you can add to your bag of tricks!

Happy Cooking!