I like both kinds. I like potluck dinners that basically clean out the fridge and let diners take their chances on what combinations they will get. They always seems to turn out delicious.

And I love potluck dinners where everyone brings a dish and you get to enjoy a little bit of everything. These are big for church dinners and family reunions.

I think I might start inviting people over for potluck Wednesday. They all bring a dish and we have dinner. I could furnish the drinks, paper plates (because I don’t want to eat too much then have to do dishes) and maybe some hot rolls.

Sounds like an excellent idea. Wonder how long my friends and family would fall for that? Only a couple of weeks’ worth would be worth it.

I remember when I was 10 years old or so, our church had potluck dinners once a week in the summer. We would meet at the church and the men would mow the yard while the women did some cleaning indoors. When all the work was done, we would have dinner.

One of the dishes my grandmother always fixed was what she called hoppi. She would brown ground beef and onions then stir in a can of Franco-American spaghetti. I would hold that bowl of hoppi, wrapped up in a towel, carefully on my lap all the way to the church. My mouth would literally water in anticipation.

There were no slow cookers or microwaves back then, so by the time we got around to eating, there was always a little cooling of the dish and a little greasy film on the top.

That didn’t matter to me. I dove right in and made sure there was a clean bowl to take home. My husband, Chris, is not a big fan of this dish, so when I fix it, it’s usually all mine and I don’t complain one bit.

There are really no rules for potluck dinners except that everyone is expected to bring a dish large enough to shared by many. I experienced two such dinners last week, both on the same day. Am I lucky or what?

The first was actually a potluck luncheon at the Generations Free Will Baptist Church in Joplin. The Joy Harvester’s class invited me to give a little talk AND eat lunch. Once I filled my plate, I returned to my table and showed my tablemates what a little bit of everything looked like.

Such a wonderful group. I enjoyed myself immensely and I thank Beverly McKelvey for being such an extraordinary hostess and making me feel so welcome. I got to rekindle some old friendships and make some new ones.

Also a big thank you for the recipes for the holidays. So many good recipes I will be thrilled to share. One tidbit from the luncheon — Katie Harlan shared that when her son was a toddler, they were making peanut butter cookies and he decided that instead of making two fork indentations, use a meat tenderizer and make one pretty design in the top. Cute idea.

That evening, it was on to our Family Literacy potluck dinner. I was happy to see platter-sized plates ready to be filled with lasagna, corn casserole, chicken, salads, etc. And the desserts! I was one happy board member by the time the evening ended. You would have thought I had maybe skipped lunch by the way I loaded down my plate.

It would be difficult to top that day when it comes to variety, taste and good company. That evening also brought a nice surprise.

My friend Kathy Conrow had recently visited Graceland and brought back a souvenir pencil for me — one of those with the young Elvis of which I’m so fond. Thank you for thinking of me, Kathy!

My mother always fixes the turkey for Thanksgiving, and, for the past few years, she has fixed it the day before. Dad carves it as usual, and, depending on the size of the bird, puts the meat in either a 9-by-13 baking pan or a large aluminum pan. She pours the drippings over the turkey (reserving what she needs for stuffing and gravy) then covers with foil.

The meat is refrigerated until Thanksgiving. Tightly covered, it’s then baked at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Tastes just like it was fixed that day and it makes the day a lot more leisurely for Mom. I promise you won’t be disappointed if you try this and you might start your own tradition of having a more relaxing Thanksgiving.

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, it’s time for my annual sharing of the make-ahead mashed potatoes recipe from That Joplin Woman. These potatoes can be made up to a week in advance or even more if you freeze them. I always fix them the morning of our dinner then keep them warm in my slow cooker — saves on oven space.

I’m also sharing recipes from the Joy Harvesters. Mary Ann Clubb submitted one of my favorites I share frequently for trees and raisins salad. It’s a great salad for the holidays. Mary Ann suggests adding sunflower seeds, too.

The last recipe is from the same recipe collection and comes from Beverly McKelvey. Super easy and super good pecan puffs are a mouthful of tasty. I hope you have a wonderful week and happy eating!



Make-ahead mashed potatoes

5 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons onion salt

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender; drain. Mash until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat until fluffy. Cool, cover and place in refrigerator. To heat in oven, place in greased casserole, dot with butter and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.



Trees and raisins salad

1 bundle (3 head) broccoli, cut into small florets

12 slices fried bacon, crumbled

1⁄2 cup raisins

1⁄2 cup cocktail nuts

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1⁄2 cup sugar

2 tablespoon vinegar

Combine salad ingredients. Prepare dressing and stir into salad. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 hour. Serves 6.



Pecan puffs

1⁄2 cup butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup finely ground pecans

Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Shape into balls and bake at 350 degrees until brown. While hot, roll in confectioner’s sugar to coat.

Address correspondence to Cheryle Finley, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802.