Be the star of your next group gathering by bringing one or more of these tasty creations.
By Janet Groene, F47166
May 2014
Of all the rituals revered by motorhome travelers, campground potlucks rank at the top. At many camping resorts, potluck parties are a weekly tradition. Some campgrounds host a daily coffee get-together, a happy hour, or both.
Keeping in mind that many folks have special dietary needs, these potluck dishes will work for most people. The portion sizes listed are for potluck servings. If the dish will be the only entree, portion sizes should be larger.
Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Banana Bread
5 large ripe bananas
1 cup liquid egg substitute (not egg whites)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup applesauce
3 cups flour
Set the oven to 350 degrees and grease two loaf pans. Mash the bananas until almost smooth. Stir in the egg substitute, baking soda, salt, and applesauce. Mix well, and then stir in the flour. Divide the batter between two loaf pans and bake for 60 minutes or until each loaf tests done with a toothpick. Cool completely; wrap; and let stand for several hours or overnight for easier slicing. This recipe makes 16 servings.
A Month Of Muffins
Variations of this recipe have been around for years. This is a good time to bring it back, because it’s so convenient. Make the batter; refrigerate it; and bake as many muffins as needed, when needed.
1 15-ounce box raisin bran cereal
5 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups buttermilk (1 quart)
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups dried fruit or chopped nuts (snipped apples or apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins)
Dump the dry ingredients (except for the dried fruit or nuts) into a clean bag and work the bag a little to mix well. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Stir in the combined dry ingredients. Keep the batter in the refrigerator for up to one month. To bake muffins, set the oven to 400 degrees and line or grease muffin pans. Fold whatever fruit and nuts you choose into the amount of batter you’ll be using and fill the muffin cups two-thirds of the way full. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until they are firm and springy to the touch.
Orange-Almond Coffee Cake
2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 cups biscuit mix
½ teaspoon baking soda
Crumble topping
½ stick butter
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2/3 cup sliced almonds
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, orange juice, vanilla, and orange rind. Stir in the biscuit mix and baking soda and put in a greased 9-inch-by-12-inch baking pan. Prepare the crumble topping by cutting the butter into a mixture of the flour and sugar until it’s mealy. Stir in the orange rind and sprinkle evenly over the cake batter. Top with the sliced almonds. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow the cake to cool for at least 5 minutes, and then cut it into nine to 12 squares.
Freezer-Ready Sweet Potato Pone
Start with fresh sweet potatoes or buy them canned (in water, not syrup). Because this pone freezes so well, you might make a double or triple batch, freezing some for potlucks and the remainder in smaller batches for the family. Disposable foil casserole pans are ideal for bake-and-take potluck use.
6 cups mashed sweet potatoes
3 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 teaspoons rum flavoring
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
Mash the sweet potatoes in a pot or bowl. Whisk the eggs, melted butter, milk, flavorings, and spice. Mix well with the sweet potatoes. Spoon the mashed potatoes into buttered casserole(s); wrap; and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for approximately 60 minutes or until the pone is set. (Test by inserting a knife into the center and seeing whether the knife comes out clean.)
Creamy Salsa And Chips
When it’s your turn to bring snacks for happy hour, try this quickie.
1 8-ounce carton plain, Greek-style yogurt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet Knorr-brand vegetable soup mix
1 12-ounce jar chunky salsa
Tortilla chips or other dippers
Whisk the yogurt and mayonnaise together and stir in the soup mix and salsa. Chill. Provide tortilla chips for scooping.
Spaghetti Pie
2 eggs
2 cups cooked spaghetti, drained and cooled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 pound ground beef, pork, or turkey
1 small onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 15-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
Grease a deep, 10-inch pie plate. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and stir in the cooked spaghetti and cheese. Smooth the spaghetti mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Fry out the ground meat with the onion and pepper and then stir in the spaghetti sauce. Spoon the meat sauce into the pie “shell.” Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Use a serrated (sawtooth) knife for easier cutting. This recipe makes eight servings.
Mexicali Casserole
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean, mild, bulk sausage
1 teaspoon mixed Italian seasoning
1 16-ounce box processed cheese, such as Velveeta brand
2 boxes Jiffy brand cornbread mix
Eggs
Milk
1 12-ounce can corn with red and green pepper (Mexicorn brand), drained
Fry the beef and sausage. Drain the excess fat and stir in the Italian seasoning. Cut the cheese into cubes and stir them into the hot mixture. (The cheese doesn’t need to melt completely.) Scoop the meat and cheese mixture into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch-by-3-inch casserole and put the dish in a 375-degree oven to stay warm while you whisk the egg and milk into the cornbread mix per package directions. Fold in the canned corn. Carefully remove the hot casserole from the oven and spoon the cornbread batter over the meat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cornbread topping is firm and golden brown. This recipe makes 10 to 12 servings.
Mmmpossible Chili Pie
3 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup biscuit mix
1 large sweet onion, finely diced
2 15-ounce cans of chili
2 plum tomatoes, diced and drained
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Grease a deep 10-inch pie plate or two shallow 9-inch plates and set the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Mix in the biscuit mix and pour the batter into the pie pan(s). Sprinkle with onion and spoon the chili over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with tomato bits and cheese and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes or until set. The pie should be toasty around the edges, and a knife inserted into the center should come out clean, as for custard. Let the pie stand for at least 5 minutes, and then cut in wedges. This recipe serves eight to 12 people.
Asian Broccoli
2 large stalks broccoli
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
First, prepare the broccoli. Cut the florets into bite-size pieces, and peel and slice the stalks. You will need approximately 8 cups of broccoli. In a wok or skillet, fry the garlic in hot sesame oil and soy sauce, gradually adding the pepper flakes. Continue stir-frying while adding sliced broccoli stems for 4 to 5 minutes, and then stir in florets for another 4 to 5 minutes. The vegetables should be crisp-tender. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or chilled. This recipe makes 10 servings.
Sweet ’N Sour Cabbage
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 16-ounce packages of coarsely shredded cabbage (or shred a 2-pound head of cabbage with a knife)
1 large sweet onion, cut into thin crescents
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
2 teaspoons dried dillweed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil and stir-fry the cabbage and onion until they are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with sugar, and then stir in the vinegar, dillweed, and caraway seeds. Serve warm. This recipe makes 10 to 12 servings.
Potato Lasagna
Think of this recipe as a pierogi casserole. This rich side dish goes with everything.
9 lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions
2 12-ounce packages refrigerated mashed potatoes
2 large sweet onions, finely diced
2 sticks butter, melted
Grease a deep 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole and layer three lasagna noodles in the bottom. Add half the mashed potatoes and half the onion. Drizzle with some of the butter. Add another layer of noodles; another layer of potato and onion; more butter; and top with a layer of noodles. Drizzle with the remaining butter. Cover with foil. Refrigerate for future baking or cook immediately, covered, at 350 degrees until heated through. Cut in squares. This recipe makes 12 to 15 servings.
Books For Cooks
Camilla Saulsbury’s book 250 Best Meals in a Mug ($24.95, Robert Rose) is a gem for people who travel alone in an RV or whose partner’s diet is different from one’s own. Not only are the recipes good, they are so extensive and varied you may never cook in a pot again. Every dish is made in a mug in the microwave oven. Colorful photos show how attractive these meals can be.
The only drawback, as with most recipes designed to serve only one person, is that many ingredients come only in larger packages. A recipe may call for a half-cup of canned black-eye peas, a half-can of salmon, or two tablespoons of marinara sauce. Readers will need to learn how to be creative using leftovers. Nevertheless, many of the recipes call for ingredients that are available fresh or are frozen loose in bags that allow you to use small or exact portions, such as with meatballs or frozen peas.
Microwave oven instructions are clear and easy, but may be different from steps you use when heating food in the microwave oven. This book is proof that you can have sumptuous pasta dishes, healthful seafood meals, and quick, wholesome breakfasts for one person.
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