You could make that corn and black bean salad I posted recently. It's easy and yummy.

I make a non mayo cole slaw and it is always a hit....Tomorrow I'm going to a gathering and I am taking a bowl of chopped tomatoes that have onion and pepper and basil in it and a Tuscan white bean salad.

I used to take a enchilada casserole but found out that most people didn't care for it in this area. Watch the heat and keep salads cold, and hot foods hot especially with all this food problems around. I love salads with oranges/fluffy stuff. Jello desserts are good but may be hard to keep. Food networks have good ideas also.

I always take the califlower/broccoli salad to anything at my MIL's (she insists on it every time. lol). Another easy item is a black eyed pea salad that can be eated as a dip with tortilla chips.

Every year, when we have a poolside potluck, someone always brings corbread salad.

Never made it myself, but this looks quite similar to the ones I have been served.

Read the reviews as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: cornbread salad

Lately, i've been taking a roaster of Chicken piccata. Lots of people don't care for beef, and it can be made a day ahead of time.

This salad is so pretty and it makes a big bowl. Always a hit.

Robust Pepper Salad

1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium head of broccoli, broken into florets
1 each red, yellow and orange pepper, julienned
1 red onion, halved & sliced
8 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups zesty Italian salad dressing

In a large bowl combine veggies, onion & cheese. Add salad dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Or this corn salad is another good one:

Corn Medley Salad

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) whole baby corn, rinsed and drained, halved
1 can (11 ounces) yellow and white whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (11 ounces) white or shoepeg corn, drained
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 to 5 celery ribs, sliced
Leaf lettuce, optional

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar and oil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely. In a bowl, combine the corn, red pepper, onion and celery. Add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Stir well. Serve with a slotted spoon in a lettuce-lined bowl if desired. Yield: 10-12 servings.

How about a potatoe casserole? I make 1 with frozen hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese and crackers on the top...Always have an empty dish to bring home...

Glenda, that cornbread salad sounds yummy!

Linda, it is yummy!
Friend always goes home with an empty dish.

I took a corn casserole to a potluck last week and there was not much left to bring home.
I would also suggest a 3 bean salad with Italian dressing or somthing similiar. I don't like to take anything with mayo when its a warm day.
Lois

I "HAVE" to make potato salad, deviled eggs and now Calico Beans if I want to be let in the door. I also make a pasta salad.

I do NOT use recipes, I go from my head.

It depends on whether there is a theme or what time of the year it is. Last week I took pulled pork for a Luau potluck. I sometimes bring an avocado/orange mixed green salad with raspberry vinagrette dressing. In the fall I might take a salad I a salad with cranberries, apple and sugared nuts added. I try to do something healthy if I know there will be a lot of traditional foods. I bring a fresh fruit plate with a dip sometimes or a fruit pizza for dessert. I also do a Mexican pizza based somewhat on 7 layer dip. I've brought a platter or two of different tea sandwiches. Like Audry I don't use recipes that often. I try not to bring anything that might duplicate what others bring.

We are having a cookout here tomorrow...(maybe I can put them to work hauling branches to the burn pile...hehe)
It's to celebrate our oldest daughters birthday, which was on the 19th...but we couldn't get together at that time.
She turned 40....gee how can that be...I'm only 50...."S"..I thought maybe I might try the crockpot chicken with the black beans, corn and salsa. I have a package of skinless boneless chicken tenders...that should work. Sounds yummy.

Then we will be deep frying some chicken I guess, outside in the big fryer.(not me...I don't like those things..the fryers that is)

LOL..last time we used it we found a fried grasshopper in it...must have hopped in when they lifted the lid. I couldn't eat any of it after that...

patti

I usually take pea salad.....lots of recipes online.
I don't use recipes, either.
I use frozen petite peas, chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped water chestnuts, cubed colby cheese, mayo, salt and pepper to taste and what ever else I have that sounds good.
I add, just before serving, chopped cashews or chopped, salted peanuts.

I'm trying to make the same decision.

I often take baked beans to cookout, partly b/c I know DH especially likes the way I make them. He's kinda picky with food, and doesn't really like large gatherings, so it's my peace offering for making him go. ;o) Not this time, though.

I'll be at my family's picnic on the 4th, too. It's annual, but I am not often there b/c it's in Ohio. So I won't be in my own kitchen. I'll be at MIL's (and driving 1.5 hours to my family reunion on 4th). MIL won't prevent me using her kitchen, but she won't like it. So I'd like to keep the mess to a minimum. I'm thinking it would be best to make it something I can throw together in a jiffy once I get there.

Maybe Mexican 7 layer dip. But I'd like to know about that Buffalo chicken dip. I had a chicken dip a while ago that was amazing, 2 casserole dishes of it were scraped clean! The chips served with ran out, and people were using anything to scrape the dishes. It was funny, really.

OMG Did I laugh at the fried grasshopper Patti! Ewwww!If you make the black beans chicken let me know if they liked it, cause we sure did! I debated making it for the 4th too cause we eat after the parade and since its cooked in the crockpot it couldn't get much easier!

Stephanie, this is the chicken dip Glenda posted awhile back, its a hit! Seems to me someone wondered if you could use the large cans of chicken in it instead of cooking and shredding the chix breasts? I always do the cooked breasts but if your worried about a mess I'd be tempted to do the canned stuff.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
1 12oz. bottle Frank's Hot Sauce
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese
1 16oz. bottle blue cheese salad dressing(or Ranch if you prefer)
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar, Mont. Jack or a combo
Boil chicken until cooked through, shred with 2 forks.
Preheat oven to 350. In a 13x9, combine chicken with hot sauce and spread evenly.
In a large saucepan over med. heat, combine the cream cheese and dressing, stirring until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 min., then sprinkly with shredded cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 min. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Don't take credit for the buffalo dip. First time I had it was at Sandy's IA, which she prepared. I have been making it ever since. Sooooooooo good, and serve with frito scoops.

Myself!!!! Just kidding. I usually bring whatever the host wants me to bring. The last potluck I attened I was
asked to bring bottled water for everyone.

Glenda, I saved that Cornbread Salad Recipe. That's right up my alley.

I took 7-Layer Mexican Dip to my last outting and the Youngens (20's &up) thought that was the bestest thing they had ever eaten. They had never had it before. I can't imagine, but some where new Texans.

Gayle

I wonder how much cornbread they are talking? I will have to look at the store and see what they have, but I think the only mixes are the Jiffy and they are small, will that be enough do you think???

I love the buffalo dip. In addition to chips or scoops, try serving it with celery or carrot sticks.

Here's a newer dip (at least to me) that's a winner:

--Jalapano Dip--

16 oz Bag of frozen corn
2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 Stick of Butter
Garlic Salt to Taste
1/2 to 3/4 of a 12 oz. jar of Sliced Jalapeno's: drain the juice
(more or less to taste)

Throw everything together in a 9X13 glass pan, bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. (You don't need to melt or really blend everything in the beginning. , just sort of stir it together as it melts and cooks to blend it). Very easy... you can easily add a little more or less of stuff too.

Serve with Frito Scoops. It's spicy hot! Men seem to love it!

Connie, did some looking at other cornbread salads, and most call for 4 1/2 cups cornbread or 8.5 oz pkg cornbread mix.

Check this one out, and do a comparison of the first one posted.

Here is a link that might be useful: nother cornbread salad

I always take "Death by Chocolate"

One glass type punchbowl
3 or 4 Heath Bars or Skor Bars crumbled or package Heath Bar chips
1 Box Chocolate Mousse mix
1 Box of Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
1 medium tub of Cool Whip

Make the Mousse and put in the frig to set up
Make the Brownies

THEN....

cube the brownies...line the bottom of the punchbowl
then spoon on the mousse
layer in some coolwhip
sprinkle some of the heath/skor crumbs...

Keep doing this till you reach the top of the bowl, ending with the cool whip and heath chips/crumbs on top

I never have any left...It's DECADENT!!

I'm ususally asked to bring Baked Mac and Cheese(from scratch),Baked Beans,and or Potato salad(i use Patti Labelles potato salad recipe.
Kathi

I usually take a taco salad. It's a layer of cream cheese and sour cream mixed together and topped with cooked crumbled beef taco meat topped with mexican cheese, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes and served with tortilla chips. Yummy.

I usually take shrimp cole slaw or a pea salad very similar to the one that Carol in California posted....thawed, raw peas, bacon, purple onion, celery, peanuts and dressed with mayo thinned with Italian dressing.

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

(can be multiplied to serve HUNDREDS!)

3 tablespoons each Balsamic vinegar and Olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp.pepper
1/8 tsp sugar
2 cans whole or cut green beans, WELL drained
3/4 # tomatoes (2 med.) cut in wedges (or use halved cherry tomatoes while we're having the tomato salmonella scare)
1 large green onion, diced

Mix vinegar, oil, salt, pepper & sugar. Add beans, tomatoes & onions. Chill overnight (I chill for about 24 hrs., mixing it all up every so often. If you put it in a plastic bowl with a tight lid, you just have to turn the bowl upside down a few times every few hrs.)

Potluck Entries:

Potato Salad
Cole Slaw
Quiche
Jelatin deserts
Deviled eggs
Cake
Pie
Cobblers
Trail mixes
Variety of nuts
Salads