potluck – a rented kitchen

Saturday will be here before we know it, and that means the Fourth of July – fireworks, family, friends, starry nights, jeans, bare feet and food. Lots of food.

For all of you out there brainstorming what to bring to your neighborhood potluck, what to cook for your relatives, or how to celebrate this holiday in a more environmentally friendly way by going vegetarian- look no further.

Below I have compiled a list of scrumptious foods perfect for this summer holiday. Check it out, and let me know what you try!

Happy cooking, and an even happier Fourth of July 🙂

With lots of love, Sarah

Appetizers:

Fruit Salsa

Crispy Black Bean Fritters with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Healthy Honey Cornbread

Feta, “Sausage, and Tomato Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Graham Cracker Crumb Fruit Dip

Drinks:

Blueberry Mint Lemonade

Flavored Ice Cubes

Ginger Peach Sweet Tea

Homemade Ginger Ale and Variations

Lavender Lemonade

Entrees and Sides:

Balsamic Mushroom and Fruit Summer Salad

Garlic Hassleback Potatoes

Harvest Peach and Cherry Summer Salad

Homemade Black Bean Burger

Homemade Pigs in a Blanket

Orange and Garlic Roasted Green Beans

Oven-Roasted Corn in the Husk

Parmesan Pesto Pasta with Roasted Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes

Strawberry Balsamic Caprese Pasta Salad

Vegetarian Barbeque Baked Beans

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Desserts:

Apple Pie Egg Rolls with Cinnamon Cardamom Dipping Sauce

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Fresh Fruit Dessert Tart

Homemade Cherry Pie

Ice Cream Sundae Icebox Cake

Whenever I get invited to potlucks, I get stressed out. That probably sounds silly coming from the girl who runs a food blog, but it’s true!

I don’t want to bring anything that’s going to require a ton of preparation or assembly required, once arriving at the potluck. I don’t want to bring anything that’s already being made, so mac and cheese is perpetually off the list. I want my dish to be easy to carry around in case there is not enough table seating, and I want it to be friendly for those with dietary restrictions.

Whew! Now you see why I find potlucks slightly stressful?

Well put your stress aside, because I have some good news for you! My recent potluck friendly dish of choice has been to make homemade fancy quesadillas! I used this particular filling combination for my a dinner with my a cappella group recently, and despite having made enough to feed an army, every single one of these little quesadilla triangles was devoured! That’s a good sign you’re doing something right! Thus, I thought I would share, for those of you with similar potluck anxiety as myself.

Gluten free? Use corn tortillas! Vegan? Try substituting with vegan cheese!

These little guys really are a win-win-win.

Try them yourself! There’s so much to love.

XO, A Rented Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 package of button mushrooms (your preference on type), diced
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 Whole wheat Tortillas
1 bag of shredded blended white cheese (mozzarella based)
1 16 oz. can of pineapple tidbits, reserve the juice
1 package of fresh spinach leaves, chopped and stems removed

Directions:

Heat one Tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the diced onion and mushrooms. Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the vegetables are lightly browning.
Add the Balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to the pan. Stir and allow to cook for a few more minutes, as the veggies absorb some of the balsamic vinegar. (At this stage, I also liked to add some of the pineapple juice from the can to the pan, however I love pineapple, and if that is not your favorite flavor, you can leave the juice out!)
In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. To arrange the quesadilla: Place one tortilla in the pan and top with a generous layer of cheese. Then add some of the mushroom/onion mixture, pineapple tidbits, and chopped spinach on top. Finish with an additional layer of cheese and another tortilla.
Allow for the quesadilla to cook on its original side for a few minutes, allowing for the bottom layer of cheese to melt and the tortilla to lightly brown. Flip sides and continue cooking for another few minutes.
Place on a cutting board and cut into triangles using a pizza cutter. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes and Tips!:

Source: A Rented Kitchen
I made this dish for a party, thus I bought all the ingredients in mass and made dozens of quesadillas. Consequently, I cannot give you very accurate quantities in the ingredients list, but I trust you to favor whatever flavor combination you prefer and to highlight that.
Prefer fresh pineapple?! Check out this step-by-step photo tutorial on how to cut a fresh pineapple for a quick and easy process!
Like this recipe? Try these other scrumptious dishes by ‘A Rented Kitchen’! (Recipe links found below):