My family will be attending a retirement party potluck later this week. My young daughter is hoping that there will be plenty of desserts there since we were selected to bring an appetizer. I assured her that there would be more dessert options at the party than her little stomach could possibly hold. She was thrilled.
That’s the beauty of potlucks—-variety. Still, I always get nervous preparing dishes to pass because I’m afraid that someone might not like what I’ve made… save for the two recipes I’ve listed below. The Sunburst Taco Dip and Easy Pasta Bake are two of the simplest recipes I have in my potluck repertoire. What’s more, their familiar tastes make them real crowd pleasers.
SUNBURST TACO DIP
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
Favorite taco fixings (olives, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning and water and cook for a few minutes until water is absorbed.
Place rolls on a round cookie sheet, so the design looks like a sunburst, with the wide end of crescent roll on the inside. Leave an opening in the center and pointed ends on the outside. The wide ends of crescent rolls should overlap slightly.
Spread the hamburger mixture over the large part of crescent rolls. Top with 1 cup cheese. Fold small ends back over top of filling, forming a circle.
Top with extra cheese and bake until rolls are light golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Serve warm with taco toppings.
EASY PASTA BAKE
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage
2 (26.5-ounce) cans spaghetti sauce
1 red onion, chopped
1 can pizza sauce
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 pound of Rainbow Rotini pasta
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sage
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown beef, sausage, onion and garlic together over medium, high heat. As the meat begins to cook, season with basil, oregano, sage, salt and pepper.
While the meat is cooking, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to directions.
Drain meat and spice mixture and put back on stove over medium, low heat.
Add 1 can of spaghetti sauce and the pizza sauce, mix well. Once this is mixed well, add the other can of sauce and simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer meat and sauce mixture to the large bowl and add pasta. Stir until the mixture is well combined.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan that has been sprayed with PAM cooking spray.
Cover the layer with Italian cheese blend and pour remainder of the mixture on top and then cover with Mozzarella cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
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