Good food is at the heart of a great Christmas and a Happy New Year

The theme for this Food on Friday was suggested to me by a friend in California ~ I would never have thought if it on my own.  Here in England the traditional Christmas Day fayre is exactly the same as a Thanksgiving Dinner ~ only better.  The idea of having a pot luck Christmas lunch / dinner is alien to an Englishman, but it does sound brilliant.  As a matter of fact, we don’t do pot luck at all in England.

Ergo these recipes should not only be fantastic in their own right, but should also be suitable to take along to a pot luck meal.

First up this week, here’s a simply delicious dish from Dianes Kitchen; baked chicken Parmesan meatballs.  Diane says these are great eaten right of the oven, or with your favorite sauce.  These look as though they would be very welcome at any pot luck.

Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

If we’re looking for an appetiser to have with drinks then we could do worse than go for these fabulously festive brie bites from Erin Clarke at Well Plated by Erin.

Brie Bites with Puff Pastry

Here in England, just about the only time we eat brussel sprouts is at Christmas, so I felt I just had to include a sprouts recipe.  From Tieghan Gerard at Half Baked Harvest we have these roasted bacon brussels sprouts with salted honey.  A great side dish to take to a pot luck.

Roasted Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Salted Honey

In all my visits to the USA, I have never, ever had a decent baked potato.  That’s because you guys cook them in the microwave.  A proper jacket potato needs a very hot oven, and I’ve yet to see anyone in the USA actually use their oven,  So, since great baked potatoes would go down well at a pot luck here’s Ali from Gimmie some Oven to tell you how to do it.

The Best Baked Potatoes

So, you’re going to a pot luck and you want to really help the table along / show off how rich you are, then why not take along a whole maple glazed ham.  We have the perfect recipe from Chungah at Damn Delicious.

Maple Glazed Ham

Our collection this week comes from Taste of Home, 40 last minute Potluck ideas ready in 30 minutes or less.  From this collection I’ve chosen to feature herb-roasted olives & tomatoes, partly because the recipe is by Anndrea Bailey from Huntington Beach, California.  I like Huntington Beach.  Anyway this is a great vegan side.

Herb Roasted Olives and Tomatoes

~

jack collier

jackcollier7@talktalk.net

30 minute Asian Chicken Soup

one of the best soup recipes ever.

I’ve made this.