I don't participate in potlucks at work often, but this is National
Laboratory Professionals Week and I am training on the day shift. :-)

I decided to make the mini-caprese appetizers on a frilly toothpick.
I'll make more later and take pics, but just did not have the time last
night. I promised my new boss I'd make some for my eventual "home lab"
when I picked up my first paycheck last night and we talked about the
week long food fest that the labs have been having. <g> I'm training at
other labs in the system in Austin.

I marinated the cheese in Olive oil and Italian herbs as it won't be
poured over them as per usual, and I put more in the bottom of the
plastic container I put them in.

They are pretty and tasty, but I did find that putting the cherry tomato
on the bottom instead of the top made them stand up better. I used the
"pre-formed" grape sized bits of cheese so they are roundish. Tomato on
the bottom, fresh Basil leave in the middle and the marinated cheese bit
on the top. The cheese is a smaller than the cherry tomato.

I hope they go over well! I'll report tonight...
The tomatoes cost as much as the cheese did! Central Market currently
has a large table of fresh herbs, 3 bunches for $4.00 so the Basil was
not that costly and I have plenty left standing in a glass of water to
enjoy for the next week.

Cheers!
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> I don't participate in potlucks at work often, but this is National
> Laboratory Professionals Week and I am training on the day shift. :-)
>
> I decided to make the mini-caprese appetizers on a frilly toothpick.
> I'll make more later and take pics, but just did not have the time last
> night. I promised my new boss I'd make some for my eventual "home lab"
> when I picked up my first paycheck last night and we talked about the
> week long food fest that the labs have been having. <g> I'm training at
> other labs in the system in Austin.
>
> I marinated the cheese in Olive oil and Italian herbs as it won't be
> poured over them as per usual, and I put more in the bottom of the
> plastic container I put them in.
>
> They are pretty and tasty, but I did find that putting the cherry tomato
> on the bottom instead of the top made them stand up better. I used the
> "pre-formed" grape sized bits of cheese so they are roundish. Tomato on
> the bottom, fresh Basil leave in the middle and the marinated cheese bit
> on the top. The cheese is a smaller than the cherry tomato.
>
> I hope they go over well! I'll report tonight...
> The tomatoes cost as much as the cheese did! Central Market currently
> has a large table of fresh herbs, 3 bunches for $4.00 so the Basil was
> not that costly and I have plenty left standing in a glass of water to
> enjoy for the next week.

... and don't forget the pics

--
--
https://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

In article >,
"Ophelia" > wrote:

> > I hope they go over well! I'll report tonight...
> > The tomatoes cost as much as the cheese did! Central Market currently
> > has a large table of fresh herbs, 3 bunches for $4.00 so the Basil was
> > not that costly and I have plenty left standing in a glass of water to
> > enjoy for the next week.
>
> .. and don't forget the pics

Soon's I make more luv. <g>

They did indeed go over well and about 3/4ths of them were consumed
without my help. I took the leftovers to Sis' and they were appreciated.
:-d

There were two other dishes there that I was impressed with. Potato
stuffed Filo' pastry with curry (curry puffs) with two types of chutney
made by one of our India natives and some simple sandwich wraps cut into
pinwheels made with Olives, Goat cheese and sliced ham. :-)

I think the only thing that sometimes annoys me (mildly mind you! It's
not a big deal!) is people that bring commercial products like grossery
store chicken salad, etc.

Altho' that chicken salad was downright decent when I tried it, to be
perfectly honest... <g>

One of the Vegans brought an impressive dish. Quinoa with bits of walnut
and shaved cooked carrots. It was decorative and tasty! Reminded me
that I really need to play with nuts more often in cooking.

I think I'll take an olive coated cheese ball next time, and a selection
of gourmet crackers!
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

Omelet wrote:

>
> I think the only thing that sometimes annoys me (mildly mind you! It's
> not a big deal!) is people that bring commercial products like grossery
> store chicken salad, etc.
>

We had frequent potlucks at my former place of employment. We also
had cook-outs during the summer. One co-worker ALWAYS brought canned
corn. Not even kidding. We had a "Soup Day" once and she brought
canned Campbells chicken noodle soup. A big can.

Tracy

Tracy wrote:
> Omelet wrote:
>
>>
>> I think the only thing that sometimes annoys me (mildly mind you!
>> It's not a big deal!) is people that bring commercial products like
>> grossery store chicken salad, etc.

> We had frequent potlucks at my former place of employment. We also
> had cook-outs during the summer. One co-worker ALWAYS brought canned
> corn. Not even kidding. We had a "Soup Day" once and she brought
> canned Campbells chicken noodle soup. A big can.

I worked with someone like that. He'd bring the cheapest product he
could find just to say he brought something. Like he'd brag he found a
$1 pound cake mix to bring. He'd make the cake, don't get me wrong,
but his stated goal was to spend as little as possible.

This was the same guy who'd glom as much of the stuff other people
brought as he could fit on a plate.

A can of corn, that might be the absolute least amound of money one
could spend and still meet the rules of bringing food to a potluck.

nancy

On Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:34:57 -0400, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

>Tracy wrote:
>> Omelet wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I think the only thing that sometimes annoys me (mildly mind you!
>>> It's not a big deal!) is people that bring commercial products like
>>> grossery store chicken salad, etc.
>
>> We had frequent potlucks at my former place of employment. We also
>> had cook-outs during the summer. One co-worker ALWAYS brought canned
>> corn. Not even kidding. We had a "Soup Day" once and she brought
>> canned Campbells chicken noodle soup. A big can.
>
>I worked with someone like that. He'd bring the cheapest product he
>could find just to say he brought something. Like he'd brag he found a
>$1 pound cake mix to bring. He'd make the cake, don't get me wrong,
>but his stated goal was to spend as little as possible.
>
>This was the same guy who'd glom as much of the stuff other people
>brought as he could fit on a plate.
>
>A can of corn, that might be the absolute least amound of money one
>could spend and still meet the rules of bringing food to a potluck.

People who are cheap like that are usually weird in other ways too.
Louise worked at a place that had potlucks once a month or so.
Everyone brought good stuff except one creep who always brought in one
liter of soda. Not even name brand stuff but whatever brand Aldi or
whoever had on sale that week.

They ordered pizza once in awhile and send a memo out to see who was
going to be there. Sometimes the company paid and sometime they all
chipped in a few bucks for it. Before he'd commit he wanted to know
who was paying. If they were chipping in he'd pass. After lunch he'd
go in the lunch room to see what was leftover and eat it. Once there
was a lot leftover and he had the balls to ask if he could take it
home.

Jimmy John's opened a store a few doors down and brought over a large
bag of free sandwiches to get business going. Not only did he go on a
feeding frenzy he put a few sandwiches in his desk drawer to take
home.

What a jerk. He didn't know or care everyone made fun of him.

Lou

"Nancy Young" wrote

> I worked with someone like that. He'd bring the cheapest product he
> could find just to say he brought something. Like he'd brag he found a
> $1 pound cake mix to bring. He'd make the cake, don't get me wrong, but
> his stated goal was to spend as little as possible.

Ah ours are so different! We actually DO brag a bit if we got a killer
sale. Several of our little group that do this all summer long are on
limited incomes so they may use cans but they make up nice stuff from them.

Janieece (phonetic) just left. I got back from San Diego today so tomorrow
is a weekend potluck/cookout. She's got 4 kids and her husband just got
'busted' for something silly. Good timing for me (sucks for them) as I
overbought chicken and a few other things so we just filled her freezer.

Heheh Don just finished helping her cart over: 15 lbs of chicken legs and
thighs, 1 quart frozen chicken stock, 1/2 cup bacon grease, 1/4 cup duck
fat, about 3/4 cup fresh lavender (if you mush it down, grows wild in my
front yard), a bag of pasta, 5-6 cups basmati rice (tired of it), small bag
AP flour, about 1 cup dry milk powder (makes a couple of gallons I guess), a
2 lb block of frozen cheese (yellow, nothing special but she's got a cheese
hound there who carried it big eyed back all on his own), a bottle of spiced
vinegar (had 2 by accident), 1 cup sugar and 3 packs of koolaide, my
popsicle freezer (fruit juice, koolaide, whatever), and some onions.

Janieece is making her milk soaked breaded chicken bits. These are little
critters that are almost like hushpuppies with a small center of sweet
chicken. Much better than they sound! She's got an excellent hand with the
spices to get it *dead on perfect*.

Arthur's bringing ketchup, BBQ sauce and rubs, and a mess'o'fresh green
beans to go in my steamer. Mary is bringing about 3 quarts of blue-crab
spicy soup (cheap here, expensive elsewhere but they are practically
crawling up on the shore here due to overcrowding below). Jean is bringing
2 hungry kids, a hungry hubbie, 3 strawberry pies (oohh! I can't wait!) and
some ice cream. I've got 2 racks of pork ribs defrosting for Arthur's
saucing. Breadmaker just beeped. A rye/white mix. I'll have lots of
butter on hand as well.

It someone showed up here with just a can of corn, we'd first worry but
'uninvite' later if they were just being cheap. If however they showed up
with the fanciest cassarole sorta thing they knew how to make and we knew it
was 'lack of funds' we'd start showing them (kindly) some cooking skills and
how to adapt from what ya have.