Thanksgiving potluck recipe ideas

We're having a Thanksgiving potluck in our office later this month. I'm looking to my LTH friends for a delicious, transportable item I could bring. On-site heating is limited to a microwave or crock-pot (if I schlep that in.) There is a prize for the best food item. What ideas do you have?

Mary,

Your re-heating options make me think that a soup -- maybe squash or mushroom -- might be a delicious and winning idea.

=R=

For the Small Household Food Exchange on Sunday, I’m making several kinds of ravioli in a turkey bone broth. The ravioli is par-cooked (steamed). Should heat up well in a microwave.

Homemade cranberry sauce made with port. There are a bunch of recipes out there. No worries about reheating.

“Easy-to-make and easy-to-bring” is the mantra of The Appetizer Person. Old favorites with a new taste often score high marks.

Cheese-and-crackers/crudités fall into this category, with prepared dishes such as: Whipped Feta with Roasted Red Peppers or with Hatch Chiles or with Pistachios. Or Pimento Cheese (so many variations).

Guacamole offers a plethora of tasty versions: bacon; Asian; Caribbean; Italian; Pear & Pistachio; Salsa Verde & Tomatillo

Appetizers give you an opportunity for being creative and, since they are finger-food, your office-mates can eat as much as they wish – guilt-free – without having to load up a plate.

The GP wrote:What ideas do you have?

I've not made this, not sure I'm going to try but, as the proud owner of "White Trash Cookbook" vol 1 & 2, I'm intrigued. Linked ---> recipe is from The Wolf Pit a YouTube channel, which does (mostly) serious reviews of frozen dollar store entrees.

If you make this and its a hit, great! If it bombs like Borat #3 in an Appalachian movie theater please forget I made the suggestion.

According to the Wolf Pit recipe may be oven roasted or smoked, served cold, hot or as a sandwich. Were I to serve for a party I might cube with a drizzle of cranberry sauce and stick a frilly toothpick in the center

Ottolenghi does brilliant things with pumpkin/squash:

Squash/tahini spread - sort of a thanksgiving hummus

Roast Butternut Squash also terrific, but probably better warm, not so good in a crock pot.

Thanks everyone! Love the ideas and welcome more. I was contemplating doing "stuffing muffins" but worry about the reheating options. I might have to do a trial run.

Concept only, have never done . . . but turkey 'n dumplings . . . with the dumplings being stuffing flavored.

JoelF wrote:Ottolenghi does brilliant things with pumpkin/squash:

Roast Butternut Squash also terrific, but probably better warm, not so good in a crock pot.

I have made this, and it's fine at room temperature. It's also delicious.

Given your reheating options, the obvious options seem to be (1) a pumpkin/squash soup, (2) cranberry sauce, and (3) a dessert such as pumpkin pie. I'd also suggest a more unusual dessert, such as pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bars, pumpkin/pecan pie bars, etc., or some turkey-and-stuffing muffins or miniloafs with gravy that can all be reheated in the microwave.

leek wrote:

JoelF wrote:Ottolenghi does brilliant things with pumpkin/squash:

Roast Butternut Squash also terrific, but probably better warm, not so good in a crock pot.

I have made this, and it's fine at room temperature. It's also delicious.

leek-

Did you peel the squash? The recipe doesn't specify, but it seems awkward to eat without peeling it.

The GP wrote:We're having a Thanksgiving potluck in our office later this month. I'm looking to my LTH friends for a delicious, transportable item I could bring. On-site heating is limited to a microwave or crock-pot (if I schlep that in.) There is a prize for the best food item. What ideas do you have?

Can you do a "Black Friday" Muffalata? Large Boule with turkey slices and cranberry sauce inside. Heat on-site gravy (as a dunk for sandwich), heat sweet potatoes, mashed potato pancakes, and, dressing on site. They can add that to their slice of sandwich.

pairs4life wrote:Can you do a "Black Friday" Muffalata? Large Boule with turkey slices and cranberry sauce inside. Heat on-site gravy (as a dunk for sandwich), heat sweet potatoes, mashed potato pancakes, and, dressing on site. They can add that to their slice of sandwich.

I might do this at home with any leftovers I can scrape up.

The GP wrote:

leek wrote:

JoelF wrote:Ottolenghi does brilliant things with pumpkin/squash:

Roast Butternut Squash also terrific, but probably better warm, not so good in a crock pot.

I have made this, and it's fine at room temperature. It's also delicious.

leek-

Did you peel the squash? The recipe doesn't specify, but it seems awkward to eat without peeling it.

I did it with Kabocha which does not need peeling.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I ended up making cranberry cake, one of my favorites. It could not compete with a colleague's amazing mac & cheese. I do plan to make the roast butternut squash recipe that Joel recommended. Hopefully it will be a winner on my family's Thanksgiving table.

Those both sound great! Any chance of posting recipes for the cranberry cake and/or Macaroni n cheese?

I did the squash again this year, this time with butternut, which I peeled first. Still good!