Church Pot Luck followup

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest

Over the years I have gotten the strong impresison that people
LOVE to eat at potlucks for the potential variety of foods, but
HATE to cook for them because it gets expensive to cook good food
for a crowd. I honestly think the problem is the cost involved in
providing a meat dish, particularly for people with limited
imaginations.

Our local high school PTA equivalent had no problem 20 years
ago, asking members and their friends to provide a very nice,
well-rounded buffet lunch for the staff on their first day back
to school in the fall. Some 10 years ago this project began
to face failure when, as you say, it became a meatless pasta
starchfest, even when half the people were asked to bring a
"main dish". Pasta salads and brownies became the norm.

The short-term solution was to set up a baked potato bar
with lots of toppings and a few green salads on the side.
A few members baked ovensfull of very large potatoes for ~250
people, the rest provided things they were free to choose from
a list.

I have no idea what they do now since I have not been involved
for about 5 years.

gloria p

On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 16:07:38 -0400, Karen AKA Kajikit
<[email hidden]> wrote:

one snippy snippy

Quoted message said:

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it.

two snippy snippy

Karen,
When we have pot lucks at work one lady always brings two different
kinds of green salad, one with fruit (spinach strawberry) and another
loaded with yummy vegetables.
They are always the first to dissapear.
I make sure I'm busy helping with arranging the table so I can be one
of the first to get to the greens.

I'm sure your's will be a bit hit.

Koko

A Yuman being on the net
(posting from San Diego)

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest and there were five 'salads' (all either potato or pasta),
bread, two different baked bean dishes (one mixed with vienna sausage
and covered in biscuits so it looked like food...) etc. and only a
small pot of chilli and a tray of supermarket fried chicken for
protein. I'm ashamed to say I added to the starchfest - I ended up
making a pasta salad with canned beans and corn and frozen
broccoli/peppers, and I also made some fresh blueberry muffins because
they were on sale. Most of the salad got eaten but the muffins weren't
needed because a birthday celebration had been organised for a couple
of the church kids and there was icecream and birthday cake.

Oh, heavens. At least everyone survived, Ihope <G>. That's very
unusual, as I have always found that church socials or potlucks of any
kind seem to bring out some really good food. Better luck next time?
I am continually amazed at how very different everyone's version of
something as simple as fried chicken or potato salad can all taste.
It's very interesting. I still remember an "ice cream social" many
years ago - there must have been 30 or more batches of ice cream and
they were all so completely different. Well, I didn't try ALL of
them, but I did my best.

--
The Doc says my brain waves closely match those of a crazed ferret.
At least now I have an excuse.

Puester said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all
protein - three different people brought chicken). Today the table
was a starch-fest

Over the years I have gotten the strong impresison that people
LOVE to eat at potlucks for the potential variety of foods, but
HATE to cook for them because it gets expensive to cook good food
for a crowd. I honestly think the problem is the cost involved in
providing a meat dish, particularly for people with limited
imaginations.

Yep, it's expensive. I used to take a crock-pot of teriyaki chicken thighs
to work (bought the "family" pack) but even that was a tad pricy.

Quoted message said:

Our local high school PTA equivalent had no problem 20 years
ago, asking members and their friends to provide a very nice,
well-rounded buffet lunch for the staff on their first day back
to school in the fall. Some 10 years ago this project began
to face failure when, as you say, it became a meatless pasta
starchfest, even when half the people were asked to bring a
"main dish". Pasta salads and brownies became the norm.

And store-bought cakes.
(snippage)

Quoted message said:

gloria p

I think the closest we really got at work to "vegetables" was someone would
bring the ubiquitous broccoli-rice casserole. Much more rice than broccoli,
of course.

Jill

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 00:38:24 GMT, [email hidden]

(AlleyGator) said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest and there were five 'salads' (all either potato or pasta),
bread, two different baked bean dishes (one mixed with vienna sausage
and covered in biscuits so it looked like food...) etc. and only a
small pot of chilli and a tray of supermarket fried chicken for
protein. I'm ashamed to say I added to the starchfest - I ended up
making a pasta salad with canned beans and corn and frozen
broccoli/peppers, and I also made some fresh blueberry muffins because
they were on sale. Most of the salad got eaten but the muffins weren't
needed because a birthday celebration had been organised for a couple
of the church kids and there was icecream and birthday cake.

Oh, heavens. At least everyone survived, Ihope <G>. That's very
unusual, as I have always found that church socials or potlucks of any
kind seem to bring out some really good food. Better luck next time?
I am continually amazed at how very different everyone's version of
something as simple as fried chicken or potato salad can all taste.
It's very interesting. I still remember an "ice cream social" many
years ago - there must have been 30 or more batches of ice cream and
they were all so completely different. Well, I didn't try ALL of
them, but I did my best.

It's a very small church with only about twenty families... and a lot
of them seem to be mediocre cooks. Thank goodness for the Spanish lady
and her empanadas! Oh well, I'll do better next month 🙂

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com

jmcquown said:

I think the closest we really got at work to "vegetables" was someone would
bring the ubiquitous broccoli-rice casserole. Much more rice than broccoli,
of course.

Vegetable dishes usually aren't eaten anyway.

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest [snip]

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably apricot
chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with broad
categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert. I mean,
I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take important
things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

sf said:

jmcquown said:

I think the closest we really got at work to "vegetables" was
someone would bring the ubiquitous broccoli-rice casserole. Much
more rice than broccoli, of course.

Vegetable dishes usually aren't eaten anyway.

Oh, they ate up the broccoli-rice casserole for sure. They also ate my
yellow squash casserole and my cheese-hash brown casserole. But most people
brought desserts and stuff like that.

Jill

aem said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all
protein - three different people brought chicken). Today the table
was a starch-fest [snip]

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably
apricot chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with
broad categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert.
I mean, I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take
important things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

You sure are being pissy lately, aem. Maybe it's not apparent to you but
Karen is from Australia. Maybe they do things differently in Australia.

RE: the sign-up sheet, that's pretty funny. I find the men (the ones who
participate on this ng are excluded) sign up to bring paper plates, napkins,
plastic utensils. Rarely any food. Meat/protein dishes are hard to come
by. Everyone wants to bring a pasta salad or some sort of dessert. Blanks
are left next to things like vegetables or meats. Just happens that way.

Jill

aem said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest [snip]

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably apricot
chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with broad
categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert. I mean,
I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take important
things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

I do not think that the purpose of the pot luck suppers is necessarily
to have a meat, starch, veggie and dessert meal. The purpose is the
fellowship. I am planning a family reunion and my husband said
something to the effect that he hoped everyone didn't bring chips. My
cousin replied that as long a they remember the dip it would be fine.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral, 48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

jmcquown said:

You sure are being pissy lately, aem.

Well, pissonya, mate.

Quoted message said:

Maybe it's not apparent to you but
Karen is from Australia. Maybe they do things differently in Australia.

RE: the sign-up sheet, that's pretty funny. I find the men (the ones who
participate on this ng are excluded) sign up to bring paper plates, napkins,
plastic utensils. Rarely any food. Meat/protein dishes are hard to come
by. Everyone wants to bring a pasta salad or some sort of dessert. Blanks
are left next to things like vegetables or meats. Just happens that way.

Well, our group was a good deal more cooperative than that. Pays to be
lucky, I guess. Or, you've been unlucky. In either case, I don't see
how the OP could lose by considering my suggestion. -aem

In article <[email hidden]>,

aem said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest [snip]

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably apricot
chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with broad
categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert. I mean,
I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take important
things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

Potlucks aren't supposed to be planned -- they're supposed to be for
taking potluck at what you get. I hate signup sheets for potlucks.
Before I got kicked out of church we'd organize them to the extent that
last names beginning A-H brought salad, I-Q brought entrees or
hotdishes, and S-Z brought dessert. Do you know how many last names
begin with S.? Could be worse fate than that. Bread and beverages were
usually provided. When things really went to hell as far as willing
workers went, we'd bring our own plates and utensils, too.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 7/8/05 WeBeJammin'!

jmcquown wrote on 20 Jul 2005 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

You sure are being pissy lately, aem. Maybe it's not apparent to
you but Karen is from Australia. Maybe they do things differently
in Australia.

RE: the sign-up sheet, that's pretty funny. I find the men (the
ones who participate on this ng are excluded) sign up to bring
paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils. Rarely any food.
Meat/protein dishes are hard to come by. Everyone wants to bring
a pasta salad or some sort of dessert. Blanks are left next to
things like vegetables or meats. Just happens that way.

Jill

I'm the guy who organizes the lunch potlucks at work for our floor...I
always bring a meat dish...Something like chicken wings or a crockpot
ham. If I didn't do it...there wouldn't be potlucks lunches at where I
work. We have a sign-up sheet...Ya puts your name and your
dish...People are bright enough to see what is in abundance and what is
needed. So we rarely get similar items. We get a well blended
meal...several meat entries, 3 or 4 casserole
dealies...salads...veggies and usually 5 or 6 desserts. I'd say at a
guess there are approx 20 women and about 5 men on my floor. Rosie the
female clerk who sits near me is one of the few who doesn't cook for it
but brings store bought crusty rolls or soft drinks. Sure most of the
men don't spend a long time on their dishes, but bring or make
there...things like tortilla roll-ups, ceasar salads.

The sign up lists also provides an opertunity to cancel if only say 3
people sign up. Somebody (not me) wanted a monthly pot luck...after 2
months attendance fell off dramatically...now its a 4 times a year
dealie.

--
It's not a question of where he grips it!
It's a simple question of weight ratios!

A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aem said:

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all
protein - three different people brought chicken). Today the table
was a starch-fest [snip]

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably
apricot chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with
broad categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert.
I mean, I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take
important things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

You sure are being pissy lately, aem. Maybe it's not apparent to you but
Karen is from Australia. Maybe they do things differently in Australia.

RE: the sign-up sheet, that's pretty funny. I find the men (the ones who
participate on this ng are excluded) sign up to bring paper plates,
napkins,
plastic utensils. Rarely any food. Meat/protein dishes are hard to come
by. Everyone wants to bring a pasta salad or some sort of dessert.
Blanks
are left next to things like vegetables or meats. Just happens that way.

Jill

Besides, half the fun of a pot luck is eating 6 kinds of pasta salad and 11
desserts.

Kathy

"kr_gentner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:yZvDe.114306$gc6.78621@okepread04...

Quoted message said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aem said:

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
> Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all
> protein - three different people brought chicken). Today the table
> was a starch-fest [snip]
>
> Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
> lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
> kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably
> apricot chicken or something like that. [snip]

Has it not occurred to this group that a tiny bit of nearly effortless
planning can solve the imbalance problem? All you need is a sign-up
sheet, or the verbal or telephonic or electronic equivalent, with
broad categories like Meat, Starch, Fruit/Vegetable/Salad, Dessert.
I mean, I know it's church, but that doesn't mean you have to take
important things like meal planning on Faith. :-) -aem

You sure are being pissy lately, aem. Maybe it's not apparent to you

but

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Karen is from Australia. Maybe they do things differently in Australia.

RE: the sign-up sheet, that's pretty funny. I find the men (the ones

who

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

participate on this ng are excluded) sign up to bring paper plates,
napkins,
plastic utensils. Rarely any food. Meat/protein dishes are hard to

come

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by. Everyone wants to bring a pasta salad or some sort of dessert.
Blanks
are left next to things like vegetables or meats. Just happens that

way.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Jill

Besides, half the fun of a pot luck is eating 6 kinds of pasta salad and

11

Quoted message said:

desserts.

Kathy

Isn't that why it's called Pot LUCK????

kili

"kilikini" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"kr_gentner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:yZvDe.114306$gc6.78621@okepread04...

Quoted message said:

Besides, half the fun of a pot luck is eating 6 kinds of pasta salad and

11

Quoted message said:

desserts.

Kathy

Isn't that why it's called Pot LUCK????

kili

I don't know about you but I consider 11 desserts lucky.

Kathy

Monsur Fromage du Pollet said:

[snip] We have a sign-up sheet...Ya puts your name and your
dish...People are bright enough to see what is in abundance and what is
needed. So we rarely get similar items. We get a well blended
meal...several meat entries, 3 or 4 casserole
dealies...salads...veggies and usually 5 or 6 desserts. [snip]

Exactly. How tough is that? -aem

In article <[email hidden]>,

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

It's a very small church with only about twenty families... and a lot
of them seem to be mediocre cooks. Thank goodness for the Spanish lady
and her empanadas! Oh well, I'll do better next month 🙂

I'm sorry to hear that. 🙁 Well, except for the empanadas. We have
a small church, with all the kids it's about 50 people, nine families.
However, we all come from varied backgrounds and all love food. We talk
about our church growing, and we mean in girth. 🙂

One family is a cross of military brat who lived in China and Hong
Kong for much of their time, then the US, and a country American girl
whose father was from Hungary, there is a family where the father is
Puerto Rican and the mother is pretty Anglo, but she was a missionary
kid and grew up in Africa and Mexico, there is one family who
specializes in soulful, southern food, dad is southern black, mom is
from Wisconsin white, our family with Rich's pretty American upbringing,
but adventurous, and my middle eastern and foodie proclivities, four
families who are pretty much midwest church supper folks, don't do much
in the way of cooking out of their sphere, and a family that is half
Greek. We eat well, and we eat a lot. You should move here and join
our church. 🙂

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Well the event was today... and the food was, shall I say ordinary?
Last month was apparantly an abberation (that day they had all protein
- three different people brought chicken). Today the table was a
starch-fest and there were five 'salads' (all either potato or pasta),
bread, two different baked bean dishes (one mixed with vienna sausage
and covered in biscuits so it looked like food...) etc. and only a
small pot of chilli and a tray of supermarket fried chicken for
protein. I'm ashamed to say I added to the starchfest - I ended up
making a pasta salad with canned beans and corn and frozen
broccoli/peppers, and I also made some fresh blueberry muffins because
they were on sale. Most of the salad got eaten but the muffins weren't
needed because a birthday celebration had been organised for a couple
of the church kids and there was icecream and birthday cake.

Next month I swear to you I will make a HUGE bowl of green salad with
lots of yummy vegetables in it, and also something involving whatever
kind of real meat I can get the cheapest that week... probably apricot
chicken or something like that.

The nicest thing on the table was a big bowl of empanadas - the lady
must make them every month.

Have you considered making a couscous or bulgur sald with lots of veg?
easy to make, healthy, affordable and you can choose how much or little
veg you put into it.