Best potluck dishes...and etiquette

April 7, 2:52 PMChicago Party Planning ExaminerMarianna Swallow

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Potluck parties, are, well, by their very nature, a crapshoot. (Hence the term "potluck.") When it's your turn to bring food to the party (or the office), make it easy on all involved. Some tips for what to bring, and some ideas on what to bring.

When potlucking...

• Prepare your dish in advance (ie, not at your destination). Once you arrive, the dish should require nothing more than a quick reheat in the oven or nuker.
• Do scale down your dish -- 10 people attending doesn't mean you should make as many portions. Potluck allows that there will be enough to feed an army, so guests will take smaller portions.
• Choose something transportable. A souffle is a bad idea.
• Remember that many people have food allergies or restricted diets. Vegetarians can't eat your meat-filled, cheese-laden taco salad; neither can the lactose-intolerant. Offer options or "on the side," if you can.
• BYOSU: Bring your own serving utensils. How many office parties have we been to where we've had to use a plastic fork to dole out the lasagna, piece by (broken) tiny piece? Put your name on your kitchen implement just in case, and snag it back once the dining hour is over.

So, what to bring? Small finger- or easily-served foods are best. Think simple and crowd-pleasing. Suggestions:

• Salads: Taco Salad, Big Green Salad, or an easy Antipasto Salad.
• Casseroles: Everyone loved Tuna Noodle as a kid, right?
• Bar cookies: try these decadent-but-quick White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake Bars.

Remember that this is not the time to try out an exotic new recipe, nor is it the time to foist off unwanted food, like the fruitcake Aunt Clara left at your house on New Year's. I've got my own potluck dish to whip up by Thursday. I'll post photos here by week's end.