Southern Style Pot Luck - Ideas

SmugCanucksGal

Going to a Potluck this weekend - Need some ideas for the "Southern" theme. Really want something Traditional (kinda want to WOW these people)

Doesn't need to be low Cal or low fat - as Ill be eating something different anyways, BUT Still want to contribute.

Some foods already covered - creole chicken, cornbread, something with oysters, jambalaya.)

Any Ideas would be helpful as I'm clueless! - maybe a veggie or a desert? - Need a WOW factor if its possible!!

Thanks for help in advance!

kittybitz79

Since it doesn't have to be low cal or low fat.... how about chicken enchilidas

Nelski

How about a potato casserole? I know there are similar versions all over if you google it. They will most likely consist of frozen hashbrowns, onions & cheese the maybe a cream soup, sour cream, sometimes ham. Here is a buffalo chicken one that I haven't tried but would like to soon.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-and-potatoes/5d92a1de-7c9f-42cf-ac32-cc83463a884b?WT.dcsvid=MjA5Njc5MjE0MgS2&rvrin=9EA7166D-0A83-DC11-920E-00110A5B41E6&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_BC_01_26_2012&nicreatID2=Newsletter_BC_01_26_2012

BiggGrizz

Red beans & rice or some black-eye peas to go along with the cornbread that is provided.

conniehgtv

classic southern desert and OMG good Texas sheet cake, there are zillions on line
also classic Bread Pudding or this at just about every southern pot luck I have been to, Banann pudding with vanilla wafers , slice banannas and whipped cream
I have also done shrimp spread fresh or canned shrimp, add 1/2 cream cheese 1/2 mayo, smah together with fork,dust with paprika, srve with crackers and clery stick and endive

melodybarnhart

how about a green veggie with bacon of some sort? Kale, Collard, mix three and cook with bacon and sprinkle cheeses on them. Don"t forgetto add oninon

ElizabethRoad

I could give you a great recipe for chicken dressing. It's not a vegetable or dessert, though.

his_kid1

peach cobbler? pulled pork? collard greens? banana pudding

theoneandonlybrookie

Black eyed peas made with fat back! If you don't have fat back in your grocery store (and you might not if you don't live in the South), you can substitute bacon.

I second the banana pudding recommendation. It's delicious and really a pretty dish to take to a pot luck. So is lemon meringue pie.

Chicken bog is also tasty - you can google recipes for it but it's a chicken, rice, and sausage dish that is Southern to the core.

If you're feeling REALLY adventurous, you can fry up some a chicken. Buy a couple whole, cut up chickens. Soak the parts in salt water overnight. Thoroughly rinse and them and pat them dry. Make an egg wash out of a couple of eggs, beaten, and whole milk. Make a flour coating out of flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat vegetable oil and two tablespoons of cooled bacon grease to 365 (you might have to set your electric skillet to 375 to get this temp.). Dip the chicken in the egg wash, roll it in the flour, shake off the excess coating, and place it gently in the fryer. Here's the big secret to fried chicken: don't turn it until it brown and crispy on one side. You can peek with a fork to see how it's doing, but it need to cook completely on one side. Turn it when it's ready. Different chicken parts will be ready at different times.

It's gorgeous, showy, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

garnet1483

Fried okra, rice dressing, and pecan pie are staples around here... You can also cook white beans with a ham bone and then add shredded ham to it. So yum.

tiptoeketo

Found you a link at allrecipes.com

The green beans look really delicious!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/USA-Regional-and-Ethnic/Southern-Cooking/Top.aspx

jpowers416

What about a chili? You can also make a healthier chili by substituting beef for ground turkey, or if there are vegetarians, you can eliminate the meat all together. I have come up with a (what I think) is a DELICIOUS chili. It is pretty spicy though, but you can change it to your taste.

Spicy Turkey Chili

1 pound ground turkey
1 onion - diced
1 green pepper - diced
1 red pepper - diced
1 can kidney beans - drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel with green chilies - original
28oz crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin

Brown turkey in a pan, then throw everything in a pot (or slow cooker). Cook on low for about an hour (2-3 in a slow cooker). Chili gets better the longer it cooks, so you could even make it in a crock pot if you have one and just leave it to cook all day on low. This feeds about 5-6 people with good sized portions.

danner24

as a woman born and raised in Alabama, at ours its alwasy pulled pork, black eyed peas, turnips, cornbread is a MUST! lol

Mi2sc

When I lived in the South here were some of the staples at many events I went to:

Collards
Red Velvet Cake
Banana Pudding
Pecan Pie
Shrimp and Grits

InTenn

Staples at family and group dinners around here (mid south):

Mac and Cheese
Green bean casserole (with the cream of mushroom soup and canned onion crunchies)
Green beans (cooked with meat)
Brocolli casserole
Sweet potato casserole (marshmallows or brown sugar and nuts)
White beans, pinto beans, BBQ beans (bacon, tomato sauce, and brown sugar)
Mashed Potatoes (someone has to bring gravy)
Anything pork, esp baked ham or pulled pork BBQ.
Cornbread
Yeast rolls
Sweet tea

Desserts - Pecan pie, chocolate cake, apple stack cake, peach cobbler, chocolate chip cookies, brownies.

And depending on the gathering, Jack Daniels (okay, not at church).

SmugCanucksGal

Thanks for all the ideas!
I ended up going with a Jack Daniels Chocolate Pecan Pie, which ended up being the hit of the party!!

pmaxson

I know I am behind the times - but cheese grits!

meltygarden

My family goes nuts over pea salad, which is a pretty typical Southern thing.

Get a bag of frozen peas, soak in cold water to thaw and then drain really well.
Hard-boil two eggs and dice
4 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small dice
a few green onions, chopped
some minced fresh mint leaves, or break open an herbal tea bag and use that
about 1/4 cup each of mayonnaise (not salad dressing!) and sour cream.
salt/pepper

My kids will grab the whole bowl and run off with it, growling at anyone who threatens to interfere with their pea salad.

I like to steam a carrot and add cubes of that for color contract, or slices of raw radish, although my daughters disapprove of this practice.