Jorjanne Southerners love a gathering - whether it’s family, church, or community - people, food, and laughter will be involved! Holidays, church suppers, weddings, funerals, family reunions, any reason will do. In many cases, guests are expected to bring a “covered dish” (usually a casserole, side dish, or dessert). Sometimes, these events are unplanned or just slip up on me. In those moments of panic I stare in my pantry and refrigerator, wondering what I am going to fix. This has happened often enough to me that I now have a few items I always keep on hand.
Photography by Clark Jones
- Frozen vegetables, cream soups (cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery, etc.), sour cream, shredded cheese, and crackers - You can throw together almost any casserole with these items. Thaw your veggies, mix the can of soup, sour cream, cheese, and seasonings. Add chopped onion, celery, and/or carrots. Place filling in glass pyrex dish, top with crushed crackers, and bake! (Note: I have known my father-in-law to improvise with cheez-its or goldfish crackers in a pinch!)
- Canned beans and/or corn, rice or balsamic vinegar, olive oil - Drain the cans, add chopped onion, tomato, and/or bell (or jalapeño!) pepper, salt & pepper, herbs, oil, and vinegar. Instant salad!
- Deviled eggs are super easy to prepare, and go with almost any meal. Read this recent post for a traditional deviled egg recipe, or join The Southern Mercantile’s Recipe Club for delicious Blue Cheese and Bacon Deviled Eggs!
- Make a relish tray with sliced pepperoni or salami, rolled pieces of ham or turkey, pickles, pepperoncini or banana peppers, pickled okra, mixed olives, and sliced or cubed cheeses. Add crackers or toast points to the side or in a separate basket or tray, so they won’t get soggy.
- A box of brownie mix makes a simple start to a delicious dessert. Mix up the brownies as directed, then add chopped nuts, coconut, mini marshmallows, white chocolate or other flavor chips, even candies or chopped candy bars! Bake as directed, then enjoy the ooey-gooey goodness!
- You can never go wrong with a fruit or veggie tray. Just be sure to have the ingredients on hand for a simple dip to go with the healthy treats. I like to make a veggie dip using sour cream, mayo, and powdered Ranch dressing mix. My favorite fruit dip is cream cheese and marshmallow fluff.
Here’s hoping that the next time you find yourself wandering around your kitchen thinking, “What in the world am I going to take?” these tips will help you answer that question quickly!
Visit our Kitchen Category for great casserole dishes and cook books to go along with these great tips!
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