My Specialty Dish
Me – attempting to tie a bow on a bowl. (I failed.) Taken by LilZ
We went to a New Year’s Eve party this year (I know! The Home Bodies! Left the house!) at Steve and Ronda‘s house. We were told to bring our Specialty Dish if we wanted. This was my thought process regarding that concept:
Hmm…I could bring Krispy Kremes…but those won’t fit in the bowl (made by Brit’s hubby) I’m going to give them for a gift. My other specialty dishes would be…um…French fries from McDonald’s? Pizza from Little Caesar’s? Granola bars? Could I put any of those in a bowl?
I opted to get some of the yummy Choxie truffles from Target to put in the bowl and claim as my specialty dish. I decided they’re prettier than french fries and look better in a bowl than pizza would. Then, we get there and see that someone else brought the Krispy Kremes! It’s nice to know there’s more than one of us in the world.
So – please tell me – what is your specialty dish? Does it take less than 30 seconds to prepare? If so – will you give me the recipe? Or possibly make it for me if I give you advance notice? Thanks.
Taco dip!
16 oz cream cheese (2 bricks), 1 packet taco seasoning, and and 16 oz sour cream – mixed well. Top with salsa, and top that with shredded cheese.
Shove into your face until it’s all gone.
There are a lot of fancier taco dip recipes out there – ones that involve the oven or refried beans or homemade salsa. Those are all pale, less tasty versions of the original.
If you make this for your next party, you have to invite me so that I can have some.
I usually bring big and chewy chocolate chip cookies to get-togethers because they are enormous and yummy. However, they do take longer than 30 minutes, but that’s mostly baking time. You basically mix ‘em up and drop them on the sheet; they’re a lot quicker than other cookie recipes because the cookies are so large that you only need to scoop out 1/3 the normal amount.
In a pinch, though, I make a brownie mix and throw in whatever type chips I have lying around (chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, whatever), because chips=homemade, right?
Oops – the cookies take way longer than 30 seconds, too.
But pumpkin dip is fast, I promise.
That taco dip is amazingly good.
My new specialty dish (buy ingredients from costco to save serious $):
Split open dates, remove seeds
Fill with brie and a pecan or chopped walnuts
Eat the sweet, creamy, crunchy, salty, yumminess while people think you are “gourmet”. Even my grandma who doesn’t eat any “weird” loves them.
I’ve been bringing pickles. It could be my pregnant self really needing pickles to be at the party. But I go to 2 different deli’s to get a variety of pickles. Yum. I think more than 2 pickles makes a party and therefore can count as a signature dish.
My specialty dish is a bottle of rum and some mixers, but that’s not exactly kid-friendly! I am told I make an excellent corn bread (my husband swears the best he’s ever tasted!). It takes about 30 minutes to bake but only a few to prepare:
Preheat over to 350.
3 boxes jiffy cornbread mix
1 box yellow cake mix
Mix the two dry mixes together, then mix with whatever other ingredients the two mixes call for (I’m not sure offhand because I don’t have my recipe with me…but it’s not a lot), pour into greased muffin pans, and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or so.
It’s not even my recipe, I’ve seen about a hundred different variations of it on the net over the years.
Probably more work than you’re looking for, but it’s sooo good, and it makes a lot!
I always make either buckeyes or hershey kisses pretzels. the pretzels are my favorite because they take 10 minutes max to make. plus they are really good. and buckeyes are great becaue they are no bake. I made both for a work lunch the other week and got so many compliments on them.
Frozen Cherry Salad = Giant cool whip + can of cherry pie filling + can of Eagle Brand + can of crushed pineapple (drained)
Stir it up and throw it in the freezer until you need it. Easy.
Bag of green grapes {off the stems – but LilZ could do that}
Stir in 1 container of sour cream, 1Cup of sugar, and a splash of vanilla.
BONUS FOR ADDED PRETTY! carmel topping {the kind for ice cream} drizzled over the top is lovely if you happen to have it around.
Might sound strange but as soon as you get one person to try one they will totally become your signature.
My specialty dish for all potluck dinners is cream cheese corn. You simply melt one block of cream cheese into 4 cans of corn. And stir! Voila! Everyone loves it. And they think you are a genius when you are not.
Cream cheese is a wonder food.
I also put about one cup of salsa into two blocks of melted cream cheese, stir, and then put back in the fridge to set up. Serve with chips. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
I could give you harder recipes, but you pretty much see all of those on my blog anyways.
I guess I should say that I drain all the liquid from the cans of corn first… so as to not leave any steps out.
I make a kickbutt spinach pie, but it takes a while to prepare. The homemade crust has cheddar cheese in it.
I also get raves on my stuffed mushrooms, which is funny because I change the recipe everytime.
My specialty dish is 3-cheese chicken enchiladas. They take a while to prepare and then another hour to bake. I would share my recipie with you, but I am mean like that.
My husbands speciality is chili. Again, I cannot share the recipie because I don’t even know it! He won’t even share it with me!
My 2 year old daughter got that exact same Elmo/Zoe outfit and Elmo slippers for Christmas and she loves them. So cute!
My specialty is lasagna but that isn’t exactly quick or easy. When I need a quick side dish I do corn casserole. Just melt 1 stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl, add a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix and stir until smooth then add 1 can cream style corn and 1 can whole kernel corn drained. Add salt and pepper for taste and cook 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Everyone I know is hooked on it and it is so cheap and easy to make.
2 blocks of cream cheese, 1 cup ranch dressing, 3/4th cup Franks Hot Sauce, 12.5 can chicken. Mix together, bake in 375 oven for 15-20 mins, take out top with shreaded cheese, put back in oven until cheese is melted, serve with crackers.
It doesn’t sound very good, or look very good for that matter but it tastes just like hot wings without the effort of getting them off the bones!!
Spread a container of cream cheese into a pie plate. Mix together a drained can of baby shrimp and a bottle of cocktail sauce and spread on the cream cheese. Serve with crackers.
I actually wondered if you were going to bring Krispie Kremes. I waivered between being embarrassed (it’s kinda like showing up in the same outfit) and overjoyed (YOU CAN’T HAVE TOO MANY KRISPIE KREMES!) Also, I wondered who brought the Choxie. I had never tried it before and was really pleasantly surprised.
I would tell you my specialty, but you saw it. Only preparation needed: keeping an eye out for the light to come on.
Ranch cheese ball=2 8oz bricks of cream cheese, softened + 1 pgk. ranch dip seasoning. Mix it together, form into a ball, and done.
OK – here’s my go-to party appetizer I call it:
Easy Spinach Dip to Makes People Think You Spent a Lot of Time in the Kitchen
Get a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix. Add one pint sour cream according to the directions and mix thoroughly.
Then add one small package chopped spinach (I always use the frozen, boxed variety – I’m not sure of the quantity off hand – It defrosts easily in the microwave).
Add one can sliced water chestnuts (you may want to chop them slightly before adding if you don’t like the big disks in your dip).
Mix it all and serve in a sourdough bread round. Use the bread pieces you’ve extracted from the bread for dipping as well as your favorite club crackers.
Prep time: less than 15 minutes – can’t beat that!
First – LOVE the bowl (I’m a pottery freak).
My specialty dishes when going somewhere tend to be beer cheese dip (cream cheese, sharp cheddar, pour beer over and walk away – the beer melts the cheese after awhile and you come back and stir) or minty brownies (make a box of brownies…after they are done but still hot put a box of unwrapped Andes candies on top, let them melt from heat of brownies then smear around with back of a spoon).
Hashbrown casserole is easy-peasy and always a pot-luck favorite. 1 bag of shredded, hashbrown style potatoes from the freezer section, thawed and drained. Minced onion and black pepper to taste. 2 bags of your favorite shredded cheese or cheeses – mix and match! You can’t go wrong! And 2 cans of cream of comething soup, I usually go with chicken. I’ve used cream of celery before but it’s a bit salty so I stick with cream of chicken.
Mix all ingredients, spread into a couple of 9×13 pans and bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour, should be hot all the way through and the top should be a nice golden color, just starting to brown.
I know that doesn’t fall into your requested prep time, but really, it’s worth it. Those pans will be cleaned OUT, and there’s cheese in there! Hello! CHEEEESE!!!!
I do not cook…I hate it~ It stresses me out! My very upscale mother in law decided to have a party and I was told to bring an appetizer. I stressed! if it is not frozen or from a drive thru, it usually is not for me! My mom helped me make this and EVERYONE loved it. Make it the night before and refrigerate it, it sets better and is yummy! Ingredients
1 package (10 oz) baby spinach, chopped or 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe soup mix
1 can (8 oz) water chetnuts, drained and chopped very thinly
3 green onions, chopped (optional)
You can get a bread bowl (cut out the insides) and serve it with that and crackers, veggies, or anything you like! (If I am ever near you I will make it for you too…or we can just go to Chick Filet together mmmm)
oh…btw all you do is mix all the ingreients together and freeze in a zip lock bag…cut the end of the zip lock the next day and squeeze it out
Scalloped potatoes, from scratch. Found on “All Recipes.com”
You can get away with this, living in Alabama.
Block of cream cheese
Jar of pepper jelly
Pretty plate
Crackers
(put the cream cheese on a plate and pour the pepper jelly over top of it – arrange crackers around it – YUM!)
more of a summer dish – but Pasta Salad – boil pasta (rotini is best), cool pasta, cut up green peppers and tomatoes (or other colorful veggies), add Wishbone Robusto Italian Salad Dressing, shredded Mozzarella cheese. Easy. Yummy.
Also, Zoot – you finally look pregnant in the picture! Yippee!
Mine would be pasta salad.
Our specialty dish is curried cauliflower. When you bring it the first time, everyone scoffs until they try some. Then they beg you to bring it every time.
velvetta & cilli, nuke for 5 mins & serve w/chips.
if you’re FAN-CEE you can do:
Brie, poke w/fork to make pretty design (I make a snowflake in the middle & a zig zag design on the border, drizzle brandy over & nuke for 2-3 mins (depends on size of brie round). Sprinkle dried cranberries over it & serve w/crackers or bread or apple slices! (I had that this weekend & thought it was such a good idea since I’ve gone low carb.)
My specialty dish would be Caesar Salad from a bag… I think your specialty dish is much tastier.
I wouldn’t exactly call it a “specialty dish” [and I don't normally make it, my husband does] – but most any time we go someplace and asked to bring a dish, people request our peanut butter pie.
It takes no cooking [the part I love] is super sweet and yummy [the part everyone else loves], and if you don’t care about calories [cause I'm sure it's got a shitload in there] – it’s perfect!
i always make a dessert called “white trash”…classy i know. it takes 5 minutes to do…..take a bag of salted mini-pretzels, peanuts, and a box of corn chex….throw all in a big bowl. melt some white chocolate morsels in microwave and pour over dry ingredients…..use hands to mix it up and coat all of it—then spread it out on wax paper and let it dry for 30 minutes. great for holiday tins as gifts or to take….a great salty sweet dessert. i also have a fantastic recipe for mash potatoes suffle. cook 4 cups of instant potatoes and half a stick of butter, take off stove mix in room temp. 8 ounce cream cheese and onion flakes. also some pepper. mix with mixer till fluffy….the potatoes are a bir runnier…i always add more instant to the mix. place in a casserole dish bake at 350 for 40 minutes. the best!
Oh probably a wedge or two of some kind of stinky triple-cream cheese and OH MY LANDS WHO CARES LOOK AT YOUR BELLY! WHEE!
(Ultrasound tomorrow, no? Yay!)
I love that so many of your readers love cream cheese as much as me! Oh, and Mayo and Sour Cream. Yum
Glop is my specialty. Sounds weird, but it’s yummy. And I was making it WAY before it was on the Philly website.
1 Block Cream Cheese
1 Can No Beans Chili
LOTS of Shredded Sharp Cheddar
Layer (in order above) in a dish, Bake (350 for 20) or Microwave (until nice n’hot) and serve with Tortilla chips…OH, yummy.
I’m with Amalah…your belly is freakin’ adorable! Keep eating all things Cream Cheese to keep that baby growing big & strong!
you don’t have to cook actual food when you’re busy cooking up a whole new person.
Is it bad that I’ve bookmarked this page for future reference?
I love the Cherry Salad from Cathy. My great-grandmother makes it for me every holiday (I might whine a little if it’s not there).
My signature dish is Mexican rice:
1 bag of Boil-in-Bag rice, prepared (I use brown)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 (16-ounce) can of corn (can use Mexicorn)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup water (more or less)
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)
Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30-ish minutes. Top with more cheese and/or salsa and bake until cheese melts. Take along salsa and sour cream, if desired. Serve with tortillas or nachos.
Ohhhh! I have two easy winners for you!
“Puppy Chow”
9 cups Chex cereal (any kind)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
½ c. smooth peanut butter
¼ cup butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Measure cereal in large bowl and set aside. Microwave chocoate chips, peanut butter, and stick butter for 1 minute on high; stir. Cook for 30 seconds longer or until smooth. Add vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until coated. Pour mixture into large Ziploc bag and add powdered sugar. Shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in ziploc bags or large sealed bowl.
“Haystacks”
12 ounces butterscotch chips
1 five ounce can chow mein noodles
1 cup salted cocktail peanuts
Microwave morsels in glass bowl on medium just until shiny. Add chow mein noodles and nuts. Stir quickly and thoroughly until noodles are evenly coated. Quickly drop by spoonful onto waxed paper. Let them set until dry (about 15 minutes).
Strawberry jello pretzel dessert. It has strawberries, strawberry jello, cream cheese filling, on a bed of baked broken pretzels. Takes more than 30 seconds, alas!
I don’t have the exact recipe at hand, but I could dig it out if anyone is interested…
The choxie truffles were a great choice!
I make these italian skewer thingies (not sure what they’re called). I put tortellini, black olives, cheese cubes, and pepperoni slices (a few of each) on skewers, then marinate them in italian dressing overnight. You can also put on pieces of artichoke (I think) or baby tomatoes. The only problem is I hate taking these to parties where there are kids becuase I worrry someone will get their eye poked out. But they’re always a big hit.
I made the *exact* same thing as Diane for a group thing a couple weeks ago – same recipe precisely.
Anyway, my signature dish is definitely my “Famous Craisin Cookies” which it just the recipe from the Chipits chocolate chips bag (I am hardcore), but instead of chocolate chips/nuts, I substitute dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Everyone LOVES them!
Those gross Entamin’s chocolate covered donuts and a bag of Funyuns. I don’t eat either of these, but other people seem to love them.
And Zoot, thanks for making me feel better about not having some fancy homecooked specialty dish.
My all time specialty dish is a Tex Mex Chili that is super easy (secret ingredient is a can of Miller Lite.) I can’t find the recipe but has 2 pounds of ground chuck, an onion, green pepper sauteed first with a bit of garlic, diced tomatoes, a small can of tomato paste, and kidney beans. My entire family loves it.
This year my Christmas specialty dish was an artichoke feta dip I posted about here…it’s a nice alternative to the spinach/artichoke dips that are so popular and the pimientos are kind of festive.
Plus it’s easy to make and mama don’t make it if it ain’t easy.
http://blondemomblog.com/2007/12/29/channeling-my-inner-pioneer-woman-minus-the-calf-nuts/
Mashed Potatoes. They aren’t appropriate for most parties, but I bring ‘em anyways, and they get a good reception!
A bag of tortilla chips and some salsa. Works every time.
I did make a kick ass veggie chili last night however!!
let me tell ya one more – get a big box of brownie mix, 13×9 dish size – mix that up and pour half in the dish, then get three of those LARGE Symphony candy bars with toffee and almonds, lay them side by side across the top of the brownie mix you poured in the dish, then pour the rest of the batter on top and bake according to the package directions.
Now cutting them is tricky. You kind of want to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes after it cools, just to firm it up enough to slice through, and then basically put it back in the refrigerator so that toffee crunch stuff hardens back up. Then when you are ready to serve them or plate them, pull them out and cut through again where you have cut/scored before, and they will be easier to get out intact.
I know it sounds a little complicated but oh my, those gooey brownies and then you bite into that crunchy, buttery toffee….YUMMMMM and so worth it. (it’s really not that complicated once you get into doing it and understand how it is setting up!)
It seems that my specialty dish is macaroni and cheese. I’m asked to bring it to every BBQ and gathering to which I am invited.
It takes apporoximately 2 hours to make and I would be happy to make it for you.
I will second the Velveeta and chili dip. To add a little kick to the cheesy I add some sharp cheddar.
I just love this topic.
This isn’t my specialty dish, but it is popular when I make it.
Refrigerated dough (I prefer the Pillsbury Pizza Crust)
Pizza/Spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella
Pepporoni
If the dough is perforated, press seams together. Stretch out dough, pour some sauce down the center, sprinkle some cheese down the center, add pepporoni, add more cheese. Pull dough together and cut a few slashes over the top. If you would like, you can brush an egg wash (one egg beathen with 1 tbsp. of water) over the top. Bake at 350° until golden brown.
This is my last one, I promise.
Refrigerated dough (I prefer the Pillsbury Pizza Crust)
Spaghetti sauce (I prefer one with Basil)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Cut dough into strips (5-6″ in length and no wider than 1″). Place strips on foil lined baking sheets. Brush strips with egg wash. Sprinkle parmesan cheese according to taste. Bake according to dough package. Serve with suace in a small bowl.
Options: If you want to get fancy, you can give the dough strips a twist or two before baking. Also, if you are serving at room temperature, you could heat the sauce for 15 seconds or so.
The dish is great, thanks!
microwave popcorn and coke!!
The spinach dip or hummus from Publix is yummy paired with Pita chips. I transfer to my own bowl and act like it is my special dish. That is until someone asks me how to make it and then I give them driving directions. Why bake when you can buy?
Erm. Toast. I can make toast.
I’m definitely coming back here and stealing these recipe’s! My specialty is:
http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/dirt-dessert-recipe.html