Does it have to be vegan or gluten free?
The spaghetti sauce, cheese and macaroni casserole that was a mainstay in school lunches is a good pan dish for pot luck.
I use whole peeled tomatoes, Italian seasoning and ground beef for the sauce but it is good without the beef. The sauce is wetter than usual spaghetti sauce for a casserole dish
I layer sauce, macaroni and cheese and bake in oven until cheese is melted.
You can substitute hominy for the macaroni which is also delicious
I usually make a pan of enchiladas when I have to do potluck following the directions on the back of the Ortega sauce can.

Baked Spaghetti Casserole

1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1.Cook spaghetti not quite al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
2.In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
3.Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Basque Chicken and Rice

2 TB olive oil
8 pieces of chicken (I used thighs, no skin, bone in)
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
opt. small jar of strips of pimento
opt. 1/2 cup halved olives
2 cups rice (I used the yellow rice package)
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
opt. pinch of saffron, heated in a little of the chicken broth
opt. pinch of smoked paprika

1.Heat a large saucepan or Le Creuset French oven on the stove top, add oil, saute chicken pieces until browned, remove to a platter.
2.Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and saute until onion is transparent.
3.Deglaze pan with about 1/4 cup water.
4.Return chicken to the pot and add rest. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

I recently made this recipe and it was delicious! The area of Myrtle Beach SC is called the Grand Strand.

Grand Strand Chicken Bog

2 1/2 lb. chicken pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 t poultry seasoning
1 TB dried parsley flakes
1 lb. smoked sausage
2 t salt
1 t black pepper
2 cup long grain rice
2 TB butter

1.Boil chicken,onion, and herbs in 4 c. water until tender; debone chicken.
2.Slice sausage in 1/2" pieces, add sausage, pepper and rice to chicken.
3.Simmer until all broth is absorbed and rice is cooked, 20-25 minutes.
4.Add butter; season with salt and pepper to taste.
5.Serves 8.

Teresa
Great Recipes!

Hominy can be substituted for pasta in spaghetti/macaroni casseroles for gluten free and delicious change of taste.

I only substitute hominy in casseroles using traditional tomato sauces. When substituting, it is best to test before going public. I love hominy, spaghetti sauce, cheese casserole but not certain how other white sauces or mushroom soup type sauces would taste with hominy substitute.

For potluck, I keep it very simple. I know people who are allergic to onions so I omit those also.

This post was edited by lucky123 on Mon, Nov 24, 14 at 11:37

Too bad on the chili, as I have a crockpot chili stew with a cornbread topping that is delish, but I understand about not wanting to repeat. As for crockpot stuff, how about this, my new "go to" baked beans. Recipe says to do in the oven, but I do in the crockpot and then finish in the oven. I start with dried beans--fresher tasting and cheaper.

Italian-style baked beans
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients

6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped (I use regular bacon, there are many suitable substitutions for the protein--Italian sausage or ham would work in a pinch)
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dark beer
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons mild-flavored molasses
6 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook the pancetta in a heavy large oven-safe pot over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the beer, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in the beans. Bring to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the bean mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-style-baked-beans-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Thank you for all the wonderful recipes.

Those beans sound fantastic with the beer -- I am seriously considering that for something different, and we can take the crockpot early and let it sit until it's time to eat. I won't have a way of reheating food at the hall where the party is taking place.

I would love the recipe for the crockpot chili stew with cornbread topping. :o)

Thanks!

If you can use a hotplate, maybe enchiladas. You can do pretty much any kinds of fillings, they serve up well and for sure are something different. I have a friend that always does those and they go fast! If you don't want the potential mess of the enchilada sauce, you can do them without the sauce and just use the hotplate to keep the rolled up goodness warm.
Crockpot scalloped potatoes are good and easy.
Crockpot buffalo chicken dip is really yummy- don't forget the chips! It does not sound like a main dish type of thing, but I've seen people eat it up like it is.
I'm a big fan of soups and stews and have done matzo ball soup, chicken potato corn chowder, chicken stew, beef stew, ham and bean soup and squash soup.
Hot ham or roast beef for sandwiches are good.
Layer salads are usually popular too.

Broccoli salad, the one with bacon, cheese, pecans, red onions and a sweet dressing has always been immensely popular when I take it to potlucks.

I've done pinwheel appetizers for potlucks, pretty easy. Can do any type of sandwich filling like refried bean, lettuce, cheese and salsa, or hummus and cukes and lettuce, or ham or turkey and swiss, with some fancy mustard, vegetable cream cheese, etc. Spread on a large wheat tortilla, mix colors if you like, roll up and then slice into short sections, turn on the side for the pinwheel effect. Is easy to make and usually a hit.

Here's my bean/cornbread crockpot casserole recipe.

Note: the cornbread part which bakes on top of the stew takes at LEAST an hour so make sure you allow enough time for that.

Serves 6.

1 med. onion--chopped
1 med. green pepper--chopped (can use a roasted skinned poblano)
2 cloves garlic or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 16oz. can red kidne beans, undrained
1 16 oz. can pinto beans undrained (I don't like pintos, I use black beans)
1 16oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. hot sauce or use chopped jalepenos if you have them, probably 2 TBLSP or to taste.

Top with

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup milk (can use soy)
1 egg beaten
1 TBLSP plus 1 1/2 tsp. veg. oil
1/2 cup (small can) cream style corn.

Grease the crock pot. Cook the onion and green pepper and any fresh jalepenos if you are using them, in a small amount of oil in a skillet. When finished, transfer to the crock pot. Stir in all the other ingredients, including the seasonings. Cover and cook on high until it comes to a boil and then reduce to low and cook for 1 hour. You can cook it on low for as long as 8 hours.

Meanwhile, mix together the other ingredients including the creamed corn. When the stew is boiling away, spoon on the cornbread topping and cook on high for 1.5-2 more hours. Could also cook on low for a longer time.

Note: you could brown some meat and add to this if you wanted to, along with the onion and pepper, but drain it first. Adjust the chili recipe part to your own particular tastes. For example, I would probably add fire roasted tomatoes and some V8 juice for body and flavor, which is how I make my chili most of the time.

You can double the recipe if you have a bigger crockpot.

Thank you, lpinkmountain, for the recipe - and also to the others for your great suggestions.

I like to take White Chili for potluck. Here is the recipe I use. You can add more chicken or beans as needed for a large group.
Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken (chopped in chunks)
2 -" 15 oz cans of white beans (Great Northern beans or cannellini beans) drained
1 -" can navy beans
16 oz frozen corn
1 onion chopped (sweet/Vidalia)
1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 package taco seasoning
2 -" 7 oz can of chopped green chilies
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 -" 14 oz can of chicken broth

Toppings:
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
Finely chopped cilantro
Fresh shredded cheese (I used Colby-Jack)

Place cut up chicken in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Add beans, corn and onion. Mix the next five ingredients and pour over the top. Cover and cook on low in the Crock Pot for 8-10 hours. (I was running low on time so I cooked mine on low for about 4 1/2 hours and then raised it to high for the last two hours).

Add shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a splash of lime juice, cilantro and chips before serving, if you like. YUM!
Stove top
Cook onions add everything else and cook until desired thickness
Top with good stuff!!!

Caminn, THANK YOU for posting that white chili recipe! It was very timely since just the other day I was out to dinner with my folks and my mom got white chili and she really liked it. She always makes the red chili but I make white chili quite often. I love crock pot cooking so I am going to have to make your recipe and take some over to my mom. She might also like to make it, although for some reason she never uses her crockpot. I go over there and use it for her! She also had an aluminum non-stick coated dutch oven that I inherited because she just kept it on a shelf in the garage! Slow cooking is just not her style for some reason.

I make this for family potlucks and it gets raves, and disappears quickly, made into small meatballs and keep warm in a slow cooker.
I also make it into larger balls and serve as a dinner for us.

Garlic Meatballs
1 lb hamburger
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Mix into meatballs, of whatever size you like. Brown and simmer in following sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Heat the sauce and simmer meatballs in it for 30 minutes

Thank you for the additional recipes. ALL of them sound fantastic. Now to choose just one!

Many thanks, again.