Potluck. Help, please.

[MomOnBike]

Potluck season is upon me. Every spring I seem to have a bunch of potlucks to go to for one reason or another. I'd like to take (show off) my bike, er, make that DH & my matching bikes, but I need to take food.

So, give me a hand here. The most pressing engagement is Friday evening. He is to take a desert & I need to take a salad. Oh, and beer. We have panniers (really old & none too clean), a large seat back bag - think messenger bag, and if we take DH's upright, a square boxy-type thing that is probably sized for a 6-pack. Oh yeah, we are also supposed to take folding chairs, but I think I have that covered.

What I need is food ideas that can travel well by bicycle in the carriers we have. This may well prove impossible, but I thought I'd run it by you guys.

[SadieKate]

Brownies or bar cookies because they travel well.

Quinoa, tabouleh or rice salads.

[Nanci]

You could put any salad or Jello salad dessert in a Rubbermaid container and it would be safe for the trip. Maybe some blue ice so it doesn't melt.

Nanci

[SadieKate]

For the beer, may I suggest a rack from Ahearne Cycles. Notice the very efficient bottle opener. Available in front and rear racks.

[Blueberry]

If you wanted to do a lettuce salad, you could always chop and put it in a big zippy bag. Then do the same with the toppings and assemble when you get there (and add dressing of course). Though SK's ideas sound tastier

Bars/Brownies are a GREAT idea for desserts! Plus who doesn't love them

[CorsairMac]

I was thinking the same thing CA - lettuce and all the fixens in baggies. Carrots and celery, olive etc etc is another thought - they can travel well in baggies also. For dessert: cookies, you can even go fancy and do 7-layer bars, they'll still carry well in a baggie. Another thought would be to make arrangements ahead of time with someone else going: see if you can work it that they take the hot foods over for you so you can ride the bike?

[Kimmyt]

SadieKate, does that rack come with the FAT TIRE??? (Mmmmmmm)

Anyway, brownies definitely travel well. Make some bourbon brownies and those folks will love you forever.

[MomOnBike]

I knew you'd give me lots of good ideas. I was stuck in the fruit platter and cake mode and just couldn't get out of it.

Keep the ideas coming, though, there are more potlucks coming up.

And I love the bike rack, esp. the Fat Tire and the really nice bottle opener. I like the way that designer thinks. Sadly, though, it won't fit on our bikes.



(scurries off to look at cookbooks)

[DirtDiva]

"You bring meat and beer, we'll provide salad, bread and the barbeque."

[DrBee]

I like the ziploc bag idea for the veggies. I'll have to remember that. I would go with cookies (like chocolate chip - with semisweet and white choc chips - yummm) or brownies. You could transport them in ziploc bags, too.

[bikerz]

I usually bring a tub of hummus, baby carrots, and crackers - has the advantage of pleasing any vegetarians, while being yummy in a "dip" sort of way, but still somewhat healthy (or at least the carrots give that impression!)

[DrBee]

yummmmm! That sounds good.

[uk elephant]

I travel by bike wherever I go whatever the occasion. Don't have panniers, but a good backpack does the trick. When going with BF, he carries the drinks, I take care of the food. His backpack fits a 12pack of beer perfectly (or a couple of bottles of wine depending on the occasion). For food, I usually bake any or all of the following:
*bread or buns
*cinnamon rolls/raisin buns - always a popular dessert
*lefse (Norwegian flat-bread type things filled with cinnamon and sugar)
*Pound cake baked in a bread pan. Put it back in the bread pan when cooled and pack in a ziplock bag. Bring the glaze separately in a jar and pour over cake when you get there.
*salad - just get a big plastic tup with a secure lid and it will travel just fine (saves you the trouble of tossing before you go...). Bring the dressing separately and dress on arrival.

All has been well recieved on many occasions, especially the baked goods. I usually find that people forget about desserts for a potluck. Very disappointing. I'm a dessert person and will quite happily skip the salads and veggies and things that everyone else thinks to bring.

Mmmm....I'm hungry now....if only there was cake around.....

[Pedal Wench]

My favorite salad:
Bag o' baby spinach
VERY thinly sliced red onion
Toasted walnuts
artichocke hearts
crumbled blue cheese
Dried cranberries

When you get there, toss with some bottled raspberry/walnut vinagrette (I think either Newman's Own or Ken's)