30 All-American Potluck Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
June 01, 2012

Let our potluck recipes for main dishes, sides, salads and desserts fire up your spirit for a patriotic gathering.

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Baconista Brats

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A wrapping of bacon gives special flair to this beer-soaked brat. A quick stop on the grill crisps the bacon and browns the brat. 

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Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame Seeds

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We gave this popular veggie a new twist with a hint of ginger, some kick from black pepper and a finish of nutty sesame oil and seeds.

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Tiny Chocolate-Cherry Bombs

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Cherry stems form the "fuse" on these brownie-covered maraschino cherries.

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Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad

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Discover the savory potential of watermelon in this five-ingredient salad.

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Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken

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Herbed lemon marinade cooks down with honey to a glossy, gorgeous glaze in our Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken recipe.

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Pretzel Sparklers

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The sweet coating complements salty, crunchy pretzel rods. Stand your edible sparklers in a container filled with coarse brown sugar or candy-coated milk chocolate candies (M&Ms).

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Cherry Berry Berry Pie

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Red raspberries and blueberries join ruby-red cherries in Cherry Berry Berry Pie, a favorite from Sweetielicious Bakery Cafe in DeWitt, Michigan. The trio yields a dark, rich filling crowned with a crunchy streusel topping.

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Triangle Ranch Scalloped Corn

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Diced green chile peppers give this baked and cheesy dish character with some hotness. We like the crunch from the saltine crackers, too. The recipe comes from Triangle Ranch Bed and Breakfast in western South Dakota, where guests enjoy hearty meals prepared by B&B owner Lyndy Ireland.

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Beer Simmered Brats and Potatoes

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We liked the hoppy bitterness of a pale ale for these simmered brats, but you can use a more mild lager.

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Firecracker-Red Cupcakes with Coconut Filling

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A red, white and blue dessert stars at any patriotic potluck. Red velvet cake mix makes our moist and gooey Firecracker-Red Cupcakes extra easy to prepare.

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Beefy Chili Dogs

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The all-American chili dog is a natural for summer potlucks. Stewing the hot dogs in a seasoned meat mixture makes them extra juicy. Top with cheese.

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Watermelon spears

No more drippy chins! Slice watermelon into a checkerboard to make two-bite spears.

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Double Berry Cobbler

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Handy shortcuts make this recipe a breeze. Cooking the fruit in an oven-safe skillet cuts the bake time (and the number of dirty dishes). Refrigerated biscuits form the simple topper.

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Easy baked bean fix-ups

Pop the top on a can, and give summer's easiest barbecue side new personality with these simple baked bean mix-ins. Go saucy: Barbecue sauce. Go sweet: Pineapple tidbits. Go meaty: Diced ham. Go smoky: Smoked paprika.

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Chicken and Corn Hash Brown Bake

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This comfort food hotdish offers a new twist on the usual hash brown casserole. Try it for everyday meals as well as potlucks!

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Vanilla Cake Batter Ice Cream

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Cake and ice cream go together like peanut butter and jelly—so why not combine them in one sweet scoop?

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BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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Prep juicy, tender pulled pork in your slow cooker. Low-calorie barbecue sauce and whole wheat buns help make this a healthier potluck option.

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Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

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The sweet tomatoes blend with tangy-mellow balsamic vinegar and basil. Serve with some crusty bread to soak up the liquid.

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Stuffed Party Pinwheels

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Our recipe actually makes two different kinds of tortilla spirals-one flavored with curry powder, the other with garlic and herbs.

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Sloppy Joes

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Skip the canned stuff and make this childhood favorite from scratch. Our simple recipe is just a starting point; try one of our variations or experiment with seasonings.

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Broccoli Grape Salad

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Salty bacon flavors juicy grapes and crunchy broccoli. The side-dish saladrecipe comes from the Triangle Ranch B&B in South Dakota.

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House-Made Burger with Pimiento Cheese

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Top burgers with a spoonful of homemade pimiento cheese, or stuff the burgers with cheese before grilling. The recipe also gives an alternative for grinding your own burgers from hanger steaks.

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Strawberry Shortcakes

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It's hard to top the divine trio of a tender biscuit, soft whipped cream and juicy strawberries. But our recipe includes four variations that keep those basic elements and add a little twist.

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Three Ways to Butter Up Sweet Corn

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Serve our seasoned butters as a topping for sweet corn, steaks, seafood or burgers. They make a great sauce for vegetables, too.

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Nutty Apple-Cherry Slaw

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Nuts and fruit add crunch and color to cabbage tossed in a homemade vinaigrette. This beautiful twist on traditional coleslaw is best served right away for maximum crispness, but it will hold for up to 24 hours.

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S'More Cookies, Please

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Cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and finely crushed grahams shape this moist cookie made even more irresistible with a thumbprint filling of marshmallow crème and an upside-down milk chocolate candy.

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Creamy Spinach-Basil Pasta Salad

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Fresh basil in the dressing lends a hint of pesto-inspired sophistication to this mayo-rich pasta salad.

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Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

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Layers of cheesecake, raspberry filling, almonds and coconut form dessert bars perfect for summer picnics and potlucks.

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Tropical Tomato Salsa

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Try this sweet, colorful salsa-made with tomato, mango and melon-over chips, fish or chicken.

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Strawberry-Coconut Thumbprints

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Linda Roberts of Rapid City, South Dakota, tops her buttery cream cheese, coconut-coated cookie with fruit jam. 

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Mississippi Corn Bread Salad

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Layers of corn bread, bacon and veggies ensure a flavor-packed salad that adds plenty of color to a potluck table.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com