Last spring, I spent the better part of four days tucked into a tiny cabin near Neumann University, working on my natural sweeteners book. I took a cooler full of food, a pile of cookbooks to use as reference when my own inspiration failed me, and a few things to read simply for fun.
Included in my pleasure reading was a PDF of Alana Chernila’s book The Homemade Kitchen, provided by her editor in the hopes that I might write a sentence or two of praise. After my first day of writing was over, I warmed some soup for dinner and settled down to read.
My original intention had been to read just a bit that night and then go to bed early. Instead, I sat at that little, formica-topped table and hungrily took in every word. Friends, I devoured this book.
Now, I had a feeling I would like The Homemade Kitchen before I even opened up the document. I am a fan of Alana’s writing and always feel a moment of anticipatory pleasure when I discover she’s posted something new on her blog. What’s more, since we met four or five years ago, Alana has become a dear friend. We don’t get to see each other too often, but whenever I find myself passing through Western Massachusetts, I point my car in her direction.
The reason I tumbled head first into these pages is that they bring together everything I want from a cookbook. It’s got appealing food, smart and sensible kitchen advice, wonderful writing, a glimpse into the author’s life, a pretty design, and glorious pictures.
When the physical book landed in my mailing box late last week, I was reminded of my time with that PDF all those months ago. While I haven’t cooked anything from it yet, I’ve broken the spine in half a dozen places and have littered the pages with post-it notes.
Just a few of the recipes I’ve marked include Broccoli Raab with Cheddar Polenta (page 61), Roasted Salmon with Yummy Sauce (page 163), and the Congee with Chicken and Greens (page 202). I’m hungry just listing them out.
Disclosure: The nice folks at Clarkson Potter sent me a copy of this book for review and photography purposes. No additional compensation was provided.
This time of year, it’s an apple slab pie, with streusel topping and caramel sauce.
I like bringing grain/bean salads to potlucks. There are a ton of variations, and they are good at room temperature. Also, for dessert at a summer potluck, the blueberry pie bars from Smitten Kitchen are always a hit!
My favorite potluck dish to bring is a log of goat cheese, some salty crackers, and one of my preserves!
It’s a toss up between dump cake and rigatoni with meat sauce, sometimes nice pasta salad is good.
This time of year, white chicken chili is a favorite.
I like to bring maple butter tarts to a potluck. They’re easy to make, a little unusual, and a nice single serving treat.
I usually make a batch of dinner rolls for a potluck. They always go over well!
favorite potluck dish? I think the biggest hit was either slow cooker carnitas, or the whole roasted cauliflower head from Food52 by Alon Shaya. Both of those things were gone long before any of the other food at our annual knitting retreat.
My favorite potluck dish to share is roasted roots. It’s a great addition to bbq or any hearty meal, can be used with any thing you have in the fridge, and its an easy set it and forget it dish.
I love to bring my grandma’s cole slaw!
It’s not very fancy – but whenever I take a tray of egg salad sandwiches to a potluck, they vanish! I never bring any home! I’m a little bit rebellious – even if it is a sweets only potluck, I usually take my egg salad sandwiches. And, they always go lickety-split. I suppose I am not the only one who wants something a little more solid than a plateful of desserts!
Serbian eggs. No idea why it’s called that. It’s basically eggs, cheese, Bisquick and butter, bake in a baking dish, serve with salsa. Great brunch potluck dish.
I love potlucks! I usually bring mac and cheese or a favorite dessert, or if I’m feeling rushed I grab a jar of jelly, crackers, and goat cheese.
I like to bring a butternut and kidney bean chili to potlucks. Even though I’m not a vegetarian, I like to have hearty and filling options besides the meat dishes too. I also like to bring homemade hummus and good tortilla chips.
My favorite potluck item this time of year is an apple crisp!
I like to bring a huge potato salad with my homemade pickles mixed in or a chickpea salad. Yay, thank-you for making this open to Canadians!
I like to bring a smoked salmon spread with a sliced baguette!
Everyone I go to potlucks with knows I’m a baker, so they get mad if I don’t bring cookies or brownies or something similar ?
I enjoy bringing vegan or vegetarian friendly dishes to potlucks. A soba noodle and edamame salad or a simple massaged kale salad are my go to options.
my favorite potluck dish is cheesy hashbrown casserole
My go-to favorite is a jalapeno popper dip that rarely lasts more than one hour. It’s easy to make on short notice.
A big pot of winter minestrone soup, and a loaf of hot french bread slathered in butter. 🙂 All I can think about is soup at this time of year.
My favorite potluck recipe is one called “Cowboy Chili”. It’s like a chili con carne, but not spicy, and then you add a can of pork and beans. What a wonderful flavor it has and what a comforting dish.
My favorite potluck is homemade wheat bread along with homemade cultured butter.
My favorite potluck dish used to be hot dogs wrapped in cheesy dough. It was great when we had kids. Now I lean more towards desserts, any desserts. Guess that is because with only two people at home now a whole dessert recipe is more than we should eat!
I am originally from MN so I love to bring smoked fish, its so easy to do on the stove I use tea and wood chips to smoke, only for about 15 minutes. You can shred the fish and mixed it with room temp butter and lots of black pepper to spread on bread or pile them on a plate and serve with onions, capers and lemon. Yummy
Book looks delicious, my favorite potluck dish is Mexican casserole
Deviled Eggs. People seem to forget how much they love them until they see a huge platter – and, of course, they’re gone in seconds. This cookbook looks beautiful!
I love to take Patty’s Killer Noodle Salad to potlucks. It does not need to be refrigerated, makes a big portion, and everyone seems to love it. It is an asian noodle salad and was the winner of the “best recipe” from all recipes published that year in the Portland Oregonian (quite a few years ago). You can find it on the internet.
My most recent fave potluck item is the Winter Vegetable Dal recipe from Eating Well magazine. It always seems that the potlucks I am invited to are heavy on the desserts and grain salads and light on hearty main courses. This dal is a thick, delicious and satisfying soup that always gets rave reviews when I bring it. I le to bring it in a crockpot to keep it warm.
All summer for every get together my broccoli salad is requested. One of my nieces tells me that if that was all the food that was there, she’d be happy!
I am always asked to bring macaroni and cheese. I enjoy baking so I always take cookies, brownies, chewies, or cake. Thanks for the giveaway.
My Dad gave me a recipe for a spaghetti salad with shrimp that is fantastic and always eaten up.
Two popular choices I take to potlucks are marinated tomatoes or corn pudding, depending on the season. The marinated tomatoes I like to use various heirlooms to make it colorful.
My favorite potluck dish is my Grandma Jan’s baked beans! With big butter beans and a sweet and spicy sauce, the canned stand-by doesn’t even compare. I like making them just as much as I like sharing them with loved ones because I always feel like I get to spend a few more precious moments with Grandma.
I love all potluck foods because of the variety of things to try. My favorite growing up was something my mom called American Chow Mein – good memories! Now, I use my corn relish as a base for a salad of whatever is fresh and easily accessible!
My favorite potluck dish to share is a fresh garden salad with a tangy dressing such as bleu cheese.
Depending on the type of party, I like to bring either mac & cheese, pasta salad, or IPA blue cheese dip (SOOO good). As a vegetarian, those are my go-to’s.
I like to mix it up a bit. Mac and cheese is a standard for me, as is black bean and sweet potato stew. For dessert I do Momofuku’s corn cookies if I have some freeze-dried corn on hand. If not, or if I’m super pressed for time, Frog Commissary’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies make a good back-up.
It’s best in summer, but my favorite is this salad: orzo cooked in chicken broth, chick peas, crunchy sprouts (sprouted chick peas and other big beans), and a LOT of finely chopped fresh mint and basil, with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Fresh, surprising, multi-textured, and always a big hit.
Homemade rolls or cupcakes. At our church potluck, there is never any bread! My mom always brings cornbread dressing served with either a roast chicken or turkey breast. Most of the goodies these days at our pot luck are procured…so few home cooks in the next generation.
I love pork spareribs and sauerkraut with sweet and sour sauce. Yum!
I like to take an Asian Peanut Cabbage Slaw. It is super colorful, fresh and stays crisp throughout the event.
Canned peach chutney, made with peaches from our trees and spicy gingerbread!
Corn pudding is my go-to for most events. My mom has the cookbook it’s in (I believe it’s called “Saw Grass and Mills” or something to that effect; I think it was a county-wide collection of recipes from north Florida) but I haven’t had to look at the actual recipe in a long time.
All this summer it was vegetarian baked beans with homemade mustard and apple BBQ sauce. Had to make double batches, they would go so fast.
Fall favorite…reuban casserole with rye toast or crisps. I love Alana’s blog, writing and first book. Can’t wait to devour the new one.
My favourite potluck dish is a fusion entree that I created aptly named enchilagna. As you might guess its a cross between enchiladas and lasagna! I layer tortillas and cheese throughout with a butternut squash, black bean, onion and spinach mix, spiced with, cumin, pasilla and ancho chillies, and homemade canned taco sauce. If I am feeling extra ambitious I will make a fresh pico de gallo for on top. This dish is delicious and is always a hit.
I take a bacon ranch pasta salad to the potlucks at my work. Just last month was the third time! I may have to pick something else next time. I can eat this all by myself. Bad for the waistline!
My favorite potluck dish is a tray of bars (I’m Minnesotan, so dessert bars are our specialty!).