Pretty Please Party Potluck Suggestions!
Decorating By KittyPTerror Updated 22 Sep 2007 , 1:51am by Honeydukes
So my husband just realized that we're supposed to go to a party for his department (we're both graduate students) at a prof's house tomorrow- and we need to bring something! They weren't specific as to what to bring, just something to share. Does anyone have any ideas for something that would be fairly quick and easy but still impressive? Not just decorating ideas, but recipes, too would be great. Actually- even hors de vours? I guess what I'm asking is- post your favorite, easy, impressive recipe, no matter what it is. Please? 
I just yesterday made cream puffs for a church function. I got the recipe for the pastry from Paula Deen's book--Paula Deen & Friends. I have always been intimidated by these for some reason, but they were really very easy and everyone was quite impressed with them.
Instead of the homemade filling I just made instant white choc pudding with only one cup milk and then mixed in some cool whip (I was out of whipping cream).
The pastry recipe is:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Bring butter, water and salt to a boil. Add flour and stir constantly until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. (At this point, I transferred mixture to a mixing bowl to cool.) Beat in eggs, one at a time with wooden spoon til mixture is smooth. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until browned. Pierce each puff to let steam escape. Let cool on a rack.
When completely cool, pipe filling into the center of each puff.
You can spread or drizzle some melted chocolate or ganache onto the top of each and make them like tiny little eclairs.
Also, I just spooned the pastry dough into my decorating bag fitted with a tip #12 and piped the dough right onto the pan. This was way faster and less messy to me than trying to do it with a spoon.
Hope this helps and even if it's not exactly what you're looking for maybe it will give you a bump and someone else can help! 
I either make hummus or pasta salad. Everyone seems to love the pasta salad and it's really easy to make. Not everyone likes the hummus.
Feta and vegetable pasta salad:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=feta%20and%20vegetable%20rotini%20salad&u3=**1*1&wf=9&recipe_id=75143
Hummus:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_20023,00.html?rsrc=search
When I make this I omit the pepper flakes (kids eat it) and add a little more than a drizzle of oil and extra lemon juice. If you don't have the tahini, Alton Brown says you can substitute peanut butter.
I would recommend deviled eggs. Quick, easy, cheap, and everyone seems to love them! I make them even easier by using Marzetti's Coleslaw Dressing to mix into the yolks. Whenever we have a cookout at work I'm always told to bring extras so everybody can snack on them before lunch.
These are easy and get rave reviews
Mushroom Appetizers
3 c finely chopped canned mushrooms, drained (I have used fresh too)
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/2 t Worcesteshire sauce
2 T butter
Saute until brown
Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan and preheat oven to 350.
2 c Bisquick
1/2 c butter
1/4 c boiling water
Mix baking mix and softened butter. Add water until dough forms and spread into pan.
Spread 3 oz softened cream cheese over dough, top with mushroom mixture and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Cut into 2 inch squares. Serve hot or room temp.
I usually make something in my trifle bowl. It looks nice but is very easy to put together. Most of the time I do a dessert but you can also do salads and things too. Just layer each ingredient, I like to do angel food cake (broken up or cut into bite size pieces) then a layer of pudding mixed with cool whip, then fresh fruit then a layer of just cool whip and just repeat all layers until full.
The options are endless.
The easiest ever are 2 packages of the little smokies placed in a crock pot, pour in one jar/can (12oz) chili sauce and one jar (12oz) grape jelly cook on med/high for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally. You can also do them in a dutch oven on the stove: Pour the sauce and jelly in first and warm and blend until well combined, then add the smokies turn heat to low and cook for about an hour stirring occasionally.
There is also a recipe where you take flour tortillas and spread herb seasoned cream cheese mixture on the tortilla and then top with shaved deli ham or turkey, then roll up tight. Slice in 3/4" slices and serve.
Good luck!
The easiest ever are 2 packages of the little smokies placed in a crock pot, pour in one jar/can (12oz) chili sauce and one jar (12oz) grape jelly cook on med/high for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally.
Coupla questions for you. I've seen this recipe before, but for the life of me I can't figure out what this would taste like. What kind of chili sauce? I don't think I know what that is. 
Love the Little Smokies. Seriously, grape jelly?
Love the trifle idea.
The easiest ever are 2 packages of the little smokies placed in a crock pot, pour in one jar/can (12oz) chili sauce and one jar (12oz) grape jelly cook on med/high for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally.
Coupla questions for you. I've seen this recipe before, but for the life of me I can't figure out what this would taste like. What kind of chili sauce? I don't think I know what that is.
Love the Little Smokies. Seriously, grape jelly?Love the trifle idea.
I make these with a bottle of barbecue sauce and a small jar of grape jelly-just gives it a sweet little tang. I also throw purchased or homemade browned meatballs in it for appetizers. Yummy!
I kind of do the trifle thing too--Since I always have extra cake tops around, I do a layer of that, a layer of instant pudding, a layer of pie filling, repeat until the trifle bowl is filled, then top with cool whip. You can then sprinkle nuts or whatever fruit you've used on top. So quick, gets rid of cake top and impressive! Trifle bowls at Wal-mart are cheap, but you can also use a clear glass bowl.
I LOVE to serve Fruit Salsa and cinnamon chips. It always gets rave reviews when I bring it to potlucks. It is best to make it ahead of time so it can get all nice and juicy.
Here is a link to the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Annies-Fruit-Salsa-and-Cinnamon-Chips/Detail.aspx
I always do the triffle. I do a death by chocolate one that is one batch brownies, one lg box chocolate pudding mixed up, one lg container of cool whip and a couple of toffee bars broken up you just layer it all in the clear dish and sprinkel the candy on top. every one loves it and it is soooo yummy.
Also my take on strawberry pretzel salad. 2 cups crushed pretzels, 1/2c melted butter and 3 Tbls. sugar. toss together and put in 400 d. oven for about 10-15 min. untill toasted. Then you mix one 8oz. pack of soften cream cheese, 1c. sugar and 1sm tup cool whip untill smooth. and the final filling is one lg. box strawberry jello mixed with 1c boiling water when disloved add 1c. ice and stir untill thick. then add one pint of fresh strawberries that have been cut small or pureed. Layer them in a triffel dish in the order of pretzels, creamcheese, jello, creamcheese,pretzels, creamcheese, jello, creamcheese, and decorate with a little whip topping, the garnish could be a perfect straberry in the center or some of the prezale sprinkled around. This one is very pretty.
I have also tried the fruit salsa and it is a great crowd pleaser.
One of my favs from my "Martha Steward Hors D'Oveurs Handbook" otherwise called my appitizer handbook!
Poached Mozzarella
preheat oven to 300
heat 1 Tbs EVOO in large skillet over medium low heat
add 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, cook about 5 min 'til golden
add 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
add 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, 4 leaves of fresh basil and salt and pepper
simmer about 20-25 min
Transfer the sauce to an 8" round overproof baking dish
place 1 1lb ball of fresh mozzarella in center of dish
bake until cheese has almost completely melted
sprinkle with pepper
server with 1 1lb loaf of crusty peasant bread cut or torn in peices - scoop the mozzarella out with a fork onto the bread, or dip in sauce - YUMM!!! 
Honeydukes -
Okay - I'm fessing up here - I rrreeeaaallllyyyy don't like smoked foods AT ALL!! But if you like smoked sausages, polish sausages (Hillshire, etc), then you will love these - according to all of my family and friends. Yep - I make 'em but don't eat 'em! The chili sauce is sold with the bbq sauce, steak sauce section - usually in a bottle - it is spicier than a normal steak sauce; then the grape jelly just adds a bite of sweet. I agree with the above poster - I usually use less grape jelly than the recipe calls for.
But - there are never any left - doesn't matter if I make a single, double or triple batch - they are gone! Men absolutely love them.
This one isn't impressive to see, but it is impressive to taste. It is also extremely easy, inexpensive and easy to transport. (Add eye appeal by mounding on a fancy plate, garnishing with a bit of parsley and ringing the mound with crackers.)
Three Cheese Spread
1 cup shredded Swiss
1 cup shredded mild cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip
7 -9 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, to taste
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least 2 hours or over night. Serve with assorted crackers.
This is super easy and is a variation on the flour tortillas suzycakes mentioned....
Pinwheels
8 oz. cream cheese
1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
small can diced green chiles (we prefer the "fire roasted" variety)
small can chopped black olives
flour tortillas (amount depends on how much filling you spread on each one)
Mix cream cheese and dry ranch mix together. Spread on flour tortillas. Sprinkle drained green chiles and black olives and lightly press down on filling. Roll the tortillas up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap and either refrigerate overnight or freeze for a few minutes to firm them up. Slice in 1/4" slices and arange on a plate with the cut sides up. You can vary what you put in the pinwheels with things such as pimientos, roasted red peppers, or red bell peppers and chopped green olives, chives, or green onions for Christmas. The possibilities are endless. I have even just taken a flour tortilla and spread it with peanut butter and grape jelly and rolled it up and cut it and my son loves those.
Here are two that always get rave reviews. Both suggest that you serve immediately, but can survive a short trip (or a longer one if you have one of those "keep it hot" type of carriers.
Baked Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts rinsed and chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
3 cloves raw garlic finely chopped
Mix all ingredients together (saving ¼ cup of the parm. cheese for the top of the dip).
Spread in 9 pie plate or 11x7 rectangular pan. Sprinkle saved cheese on top.
Bake 350F for about 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is warm. Serve immediately.
Parmesan-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon
18 (1x ¼) sticks Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 lb.)
18 pitted dates (preferred Medjool)
6 bacon slices, cut into thirds
18 wooden toothpicks
* Put oven rack in middle position & pre-heat oven to 450F.
* Stuff 1 piece cheese into each date, then wrap with 1 piece bacon and secure with toothpick.
* Arrange dates 1 apart in shallow pan.
* Bake 5 minutes per side or until bacon is crispy.
* Drain on paper & serve immediately.
* Can be made 1 day ahead & baked on the day bring to room temperature before baking.
Make Cake Balls!!!!!!!
Depending on if you have cake scraps and such, it's the easiest, you have it on hand (I freeze mine and thaw a day ahead when needed "scraps"). Crumble scraps add approx one cup of whatever flavor coffee creamer, liquid that compliments the flavor of your scraps... then stir until sticky enough to forms balls, freeze for approx 15 minutes, melt some almond bark or chocolate for your desired flavor dip and set on cold pan covered in wax paper to cool.
Ta Da!!!!! Dessert that you can pop in the mouth! Not much prep, and if you got it, use it!
Honeydukes -
Okay - I'm fessing up here - I rrreeeaaallllyyyy don't like smoked foods AT ALL!! But if you like smoked sausages, polish sausages (Hillshire, etc), then you will love these...
Those sausages just went on sale here and we're having dinner with friends. I'll give them a try.
That Martha Stewart Poached Mozzarella dish sounds wicked good. And I love the idea of the Baked Artichoke Dip. Will definitely have to try those. Now ya'll made me hungry!
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