Potluck Ideas

Nothing says summer fun more than a potluck.  Sharing a variety of foods with family and friends is a great activity.  However, I tend to panic when I am asked to participate. Trying to answer the question, "What to bring?" always sends me in a tizzy.  Why, you ask? Because, I want my contribution to be a success on all levels: tasty, talked about, and totally gone. Therefore, in order to meet my expectations, I often have to think long and hard to come up with that perfect dish to bring.


My friends and fellow bloggers on So Cal Lady Bloggers  have come up with a great solution to my potluck dilemna. They have sponsored a virtual 4th of July Potluck on their blog. The gals who belong to this blog community (which includes me) are sharing their favorite pot luck dishes for anyone to see and use.  In my opinion, the best recipes are those favorites recommended by people you know.  The post provides a treasure trove of ideas for you to fall back on the next time a potluck comes around, courtesy of fellow women bloggers located in southern California.  

My contribution to this clever endeavor is Grape Salad. I first had this delectable dish at an out of state potluck I attended two summers ago in honor of my daughter's new niece. Her family had gathered that late August to bless and celebrate the birth of this adorable baby girl.  I had never seen or heard of grape salad prior to that occasion.  I must admit, It looked and sounded a little interesting to me, so I took just a small spoonful to try.  You know, the size of spoonful that says, "I will be polite and try it but if I don't like it, no one loses," size of spoonful.  To my utter surprise, I found that little spoonful to be one of the most delicious bites I have ever consumed. I immediately went back to the buffet table and proceeded to pile on the grape salad on my plate -- several times over!!! Seriously, I was licking up anything that came in contact with that tasty salad.  Of course, I asked for the recipe and I have been taking it to summer potlucks ever since.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

Grape Salad***

2 pounds each of red and green grapes, washed, stemmed and dried

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and vanilla together by hand. 

 Pour over grapes and carefully combine.

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together and sprinkle over the grapes.  

Cover and let chill overnight. Just before serving, stir in topping to grape mixture.

***Note: I have doctored up this original recipe to make it more "healthy."  I use fat free sour cream and low fat cream cheese.  Instead of sugar, I use Stevia, a natural, no-calorie sweetener.  Six teaspoons of  Stevia substitutes for the half cup of granulated sugar.

What is your favorite potluck dish to bring or eat?