Gerda Carmichael has been busy making copies of her recipe for Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
She carried the dish to a recent fellowship dinner after church, and her friends were enthusiastic in their assessment of the casserole."Everybody loved it," the Birmingham, Ala., resident said. "They all talked about how good it was, and everybody has been asking for the recipe."
Casseroles, layered salads and other one-dish creations are popular fare at covered-dish dinners, or potlucks, at churches, club meetings and other gatherings. Potlucking also is popular for informal parties, freeing the hosts of the burden of cooking an entire meal for a multitude.
Dishes that can be prepared the night before and mixed or reheated just before serving are the most convenient for potluck dinners, said Kay Adams, director of the Southern Living Test Kitchens in Birmingham.
"You want something that doesn't take a lot of time right before you go," she said. "You also need to think about how well the dish holds heat, if it is to be served hot.
"Casseroles hold heat really well and they're easy to put together and carry. Sauteed vegetables, on the other hand, don't work well at all for something like this."
Platters of sliced meats and dishes served over noodles don't seem to fare well at potluck dinners either.
If you plan to take a dish that requires reheating, it is a good idea to ask your hosts to save a spot in the oven, Adams said.
"If too many people show up with dishes that need heating, you can have problems with space in the oven or on the stove," she said. "The ideal way to do it is for the hostess to get a list of what everybody is bringing so she can plan how to keep everything hot."
Keeping everything hot is critical when foods must sit on a serving table for more than an hour, advises Susan Templin, supervisor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hot Line.
"Hot foods are the trickiest to prepare and serve at one of these dinners because the bacteria that cause food poisoning grow best in a warm, moist environment," she said. "To be safe, the food should not be off the heat for more than two hours, including the time it takes to drive wherever you're taking it."
If dishes will sit on a table for longer than two hours, they should be kept at 140 degrees or hotter, using chafing dishes, hot plates or other means, she said.
Another method is to divide dishes into several small portions and refrigerate them until needed. As each dish is emptied, reheat and serve another, she suggested.
Refrigerated dishes should be heated to at least 165 degrees before serving, she said.
"You have to be careful about reheating dishes more than once or so," she said. "The more food gets heated and cooled and handled, the greater the potential for trouble"(with bacterial growth).
Foods served cold are less susceptible to bacterial contamination, but should not be allowed to sit at room temperature for too long.
If you're planning a potluck dinner, consider making a large main dish, such as a turkey or ham, and have guests bring side dishes. Keep a list of what each person is bringing.
The recipe for Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole was provided by Gerda Carmichael. Betsy O'Dell provided the recipes for Broccoli-Artichoke Casserole and Chicken and Wild Rice Salad. The recipes for Cranberry-Orange Glazed Ham and Triple-Layer Chocolate-Glazed Cheesecake, provided by Kay Adams, are from "The Southern Living Cookbook" (Oxmoor House).
(Additional information)
Recipes listed:
Chicken and Wild Rice Salad
Chocolate-Glazed Triple-Layer Cheesecake
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Broccoli-Artichoke Casserole
Cranberry-Orange Glazed Ham