It has been one week since we moved. When Paul said last night that this would be the case as of the next day, at first I thought he had done the math wrong. We have slept here six/seven (last night / this morning) times? How can that be, when each night I still have to mentally steel myself for Bedtime In The New House, and also medicate? But it’s true it is not the same level of dread as it was. And when I wake up in the night, I don’t feel despair at having to find The New Bathroom. And when I get up in the morning to take a shower, I am starting to appreciate the heat lamp as something that is Better Than The Old House.
Because it was dumb to decide to move over the holidays, this weekend we have not one, not two, but THREE holiday events. Have I already told you this? I remember typing out that “not one, not two…” etc. format. Maybe I wrote it in one of my freaking-out emails to a friend.
Anyway, of the three events, I am looking forward to only one, and I am not saying that only because some of them read here: it’s my wine-and-appetizers group’s annual Christmas party with Yankee Swap, and I have acquired the gift for the swap, and I no longer feel nervous about appetizers, and one of the friends is bringing a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN, and I’m going to have William drive me so I can have multiple glasses of wine, and anyway this is going to be fun and I’m looking forward to it.
The one I am most dreading is Paul’s office party. We have never been to one before (until this year, Paul was a contractor rather than a regular employee, and contractors don’t typically attend the holiday party). It’s at the house of his boss’s boss, which feels a lot higher-pressure to me than if it were at the office. Paul had a very difficult time acquiring information about WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO WEAR, which was a shruggy subject to him and a subject of utmost importance to me. Finally he asked the secretaries, who said most people wear whatever they normally wear to work. “Or, like, Friday casual,” one said. UNHELPFUL. Well, a little helpful: I now know not to order a cocktail dress. But I have zero office clothes, Friday casual or otherwise. Anyway, with the help of Twitter, which said spouses are not expected to acquire khakis and blazers for office Christmas parties and are allowed to be sparklier than that, I am going in black flocked-velvet jeans, a matte-champagne-sequined tank top, a flowy dressy cardigan with fancy fluttery sleeves, velvet flats, and holiday jewelry. Plus lipstick, and maybe I can find a fancy/sparkly thing to put in my hair.
For the hostess gift, I consulted with family and friends and have decided on a box of chocolates from a local family-owned handmade-chocolates place. With one of their handmade (and charmingly handmade-looking) candy canes tied to the top of the box.
The next decision is what to BRING. The party is potluck-style. I have lots of yummy ideas from years of meetings of my wine-and-appetizers group, but the party is over an hour’s drive away, so hot things are not ideal, and also I’d rather not be trying to heat stuff up right before we leave, because I’m going to need that time to freak out about my outfit.
Ideally I’d like to bring something room-temperature, something I can make earlier in the day. I’d personally rather make a dessert, but I know from similar events that these events tend to have way too many desserts and not enough dinner food. Ideally I’d like it to be the kind of thing where no one would consider it fancy/competitive, but everyone would like it, and people who feel nervous about fancy food would be relieved to see it. Finger sandwiches of some sort? This is a downer of an example, but at my grandfather’s funeral one of the things served was little egg-salad finger sandwiches, and my mom and I commented to each other many times that we would not have thought to serve those and yet they were EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED. But does that mean egg-salad sandwiches are the perfect funeral/grief food, not necessarily the perfect office-holiday-party food? I’m imagining that hard-boiled-egg smell permeating the room. I could make little turkey/ham finger sandwiches, plenty of mayo, fancy meadow greens or whatever instead of the iceberg lettuce we’d all probably prefer.
Or maybe a dip is the way to go? With a pretty cracker assortment? I don’t know, what would you bring if it were you?
My favourite thing right now is smoked mackerel mixed / mushed up with cream cheese and served with crackers. You can put a few spoons in the dish and people spread their own crackers.
Or you can buy a bag of cubed frozen pumpkin, wrap Parma ham around it and roast. I did these recent skewered with bamboo cocktail sticks and they were tasty at room temperature.
OK, so this does not fit many of your criteria, but every year I bring Catherine Newman’s kale salad to my office Christmas party and every year it is very popular (I made a triple batch this year, because the double batch I brought last year disappeared in minutes–this year’s giant salad also got completely consumed). It can hold at room temperature for several hours because the kale is sturdy. This year I used bags of pre-washed and cut Tuscan kale and it was even easier to make (I chopped up the kale a little bit more, but otherwise didn’t mess with it before dressing it). I recommend seeking out sherry vinegar for the dressing. I feel like a salad is often a welcome contribution to a potluck spread, and this has the advantage of being delicious and not soggy even if it sits out for a couple of hours.
The recipe is here: http://benandbirdy.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-ultimate-kale-salad.html
This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. I make it a lot in the winter.
Turkey and spreadable cheese rollups in green wraps. I like Boursin. Transport on a plate, plastic wrapped, in a grocery thermal bag.
Charcuterie plate.
Shrimp cocktail platter.
Something easy would be caprese skewers, one grape tomato, one tiny mozzarella ball, one basil leaf on a cute toothpick. You can drizzle the balsamic (that you brought in a tiny Tupperware) at the party. Those are always a hit at our wine club. You could put a cooler in the car to transport if you want them to stay cool. Bonus points for a balsamic reduction!
I hope it all goes well. Three parties in one weekend is too many parties.
Or you can do the same thing as a salad and skip the skewering.
Oh I always forget about these and I LOVE them whenever someone has them at a party! The look cute and taste fab!
Beth cooked for two potlucks in the past week, one at work, and one at the theater where North’s show is playing– to feed the actors between the matinee and evening show last Saturday. She made spinach dip for the first and lasagna for the second. You’d have to reheat lasagna, so I guess that’s out, but dip is always popular.
Texas caviar is always a hit, and it gives the vegan and gluten-free crowd an option.
https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/texas-caviar-bean-dip/
I make sausage balls for stuff like this! They travel/keep well and you can eat them room temp or pop them in the oven for 5 to heat them up. Plus, it’s the perfect holiday indulgence lol.
MMMMM Sausage balls.
Blue Devils–deviled eggs with lump crabmeat mixed in.
We were just having this what-to-bring-to-potluck conversation in my office yesterday. Deviled eggs were the popular choice; it’s something that people don’t tend to make for themselves but seems to disappear immediately from the buffet table, and it’s also a nice nostalgia food (“Oh, my aunt used to bring these to Easter dinner every year, I love deviled eggs!”)
Do you have a Wegmans near you? Several years ago around the holidays they were sampling their Cremeux de Bourgogne cheese, on one of their fruit breads with a candied pecan on top. I loved it so much that I bought all of it on the spot. I’ve brought it to almost every party that I’ve been to since then and it’s always popular. From their bakery, get one of their breads with fruit in it, the marathon bread with cranberries is especially good, get it sliced and then cut the slices in thirds. You cut the lid off the cheese and it’s very soft inside, almost like a fondue. Spread the cheese on the bread and then add a candied pecan on top. The candied pecans are conveniently right there in the cheese Department. Yum! I wish I had some now.
Should your thoughts turn to a cheeseball or log, this is a good one. https://www.homesicktexan.com/2008/12/cheese-logs-cheese-balls-and-aunt-betty.html
Cheese ball! I was coming here to say, I’m always so happy to see a cheese ball or log at a party.
Your outfit and hostess gift sound PERFECT. I literally read the comments and immediately got up from my desk and walked to the sign up sheet for food for MY office party and signed up for kale salad and texas caviar. So thanks!
I’m always relieved to see crudités and some sort of green goddess or ranch dip. IDK how you manage the keto during the holidays, but on certain nights, I dread the sugar rush/dips and just want something I can munch on AGGRESSIVELY without feeling yucky. I need a prop when I’m meeting new people, and veggies take a lot of WORK to eat! Built in buffer silences. And, you know, radishes and celery and carrots are bright and pretty. And they travel well.
Similar to the turkey & cheese roll ups suggested above: https://www.plainchicken.com/2016/11/cracked-out-turkey-pinwheels-football.html?m=1
I think your outfit and hostess gift choices sound absolutely perfect!
Your outfit sounds absolutely perfect! I find that at any holiday work party there’s always a huge range in what people wear (anything from spouse who only owns jeans, to fancy cocktail dresses, at the same party). It’s noticeable, but not remarkable, and no one looks out of place.
My go-to dish is always a veggie tray with dip. Under the theory that everyone always wants a vegetable at these things, and I really would rather die than ask a stranger if I could use their oven/fridge/stove. The key is to put the vegetables on a nice looking platter (heap them up so they look abundant). I find a simple yoghurt dip with plain yoghurt, salt/pepper, and whatever herbs you enjoy is pretty popular. Or, no one ever turned down ranch dressing. A little icepack will keep the dip cold for the trip, and the veggies would hold up fine.
Ditto to all of this, except I’d add cheese and crackers to the veggie tray idea. You could have fun with some fancy cheeses and crackers, but as a picky eater I’m always SO RELIEVED to see some “regular” options (some kind of orange cheese – cheddar or colby or something, or maybe even WHITE cheddar to be fancy!) and the protein from the cheese is sometimes all I manage to find for “dinner”. (And I hope you’ll post pictures of you in your pretty outfit!)
For the potluck book xlub I’m in, I’ve very often taken a salad – my perqonal favourite is grated carrot, finely chopped shallots, feta cheese, pistachios (add at the last minute so they stay crunchy) and a lime juice vinaigrette. Doesn’t need to be particularly cold, always gets eaten up fast, and it’s delickus and easy to make.
My go to if I can’t think of anything else to bring is taco dip and chips/veggies. It’s delicious, everyone loves it! I love all of the ideas everyone has already said too, though!
Your outfit sounds perfect!
My favorite of this type of appetizer is cream cheese with pepper jelly. The cream cheese will soften on the way and you can dump the jelly on it when you arrive. And red and/or green jelly is festive. And if you are fancy, you can mold the cream cheese into a tree or wreath or such. And crackers are easy.
I was going to suggest this! My favorite version uses raspberry pepper jelly, which ups the sweet and cuts the heat a bit.
Your outfit and gift sound perfect.
Technically this should be hot, but it is also good at room temperature (and the sauce is good wiped up with crudites). I usually don’t bother with shrimp, and instead use chicken and skirt steak.
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-shrimp-and-beef-sates-with-peanut-sauce-2382
I also like this spinach dip when I need something and don’t want to make any effort.
http://healthelissa.com/recipe/spinach-dip/
Your outfit sounds PERFECT. As for the potluck, my mom makes a sweet dip that people absolutely love:
1 can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
12 oz Cool Whip
cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste
Serve it with those little graham cracker sticks. People will wonder why they never invited Paul before. :)
Your outfit and hostess gift are absolutely SPOT ON. 10/10, couldn’t be better.
Caprese salad, the Kale salad above, cheese or veggies. Anything you don’t have to STRESS over or take more than 10 minutes to make.
My mother used to make an amazing rye bread dip, where she hollowed out a large loaf of rye bread, put the dip in, and then put the chopped-up bread (plus more bread from a second loaf) from hollowing the bread out around it to use for dipping. After people finished up the bread around the bread bowl, she’d cut up the bowl and you’d get to eat the bread that had dip soaking into it for hours. It’s not dinner food, but it’s a savory hors d’oeuvres, and was so good.
What a nuisance, though, that they’re doing it as a disorganized potluck. They should at least have assigned people categories of food so that they don’t end up with too much of one type of thing and too little of another.
I agree that your outfit sounds perfect.
My new favorite appetizer is Boursin cheese with honey on top, served with crackers. It sounds weird, especially with a savory, herby cheese, but it is DELICIOUS! A friend brought it to an event and did one cheese round with honey and one without, and the honey version went way faster than the non.
I love Boursin cheese so I’m curious about this. Is it just honey drizzled on top, and that is it? I saw a recipe that had pecans and chives along with the honey, but I’m wondering if the one you describe is coated in honey or drizzled. We used to go to a restaurant the fried that Boursin, and served it with a raspberry puree and toast crisps-it was delicious!!
Antipasto platter! Super easy to build yourself if you have a whole foods/wegmans/fancy grocery store. Look on pinterest for plating ideas.
Bring this dip: https://everyday-reading.com/jalapeno-popper-dip-or-appetizer-i-can/
I bring it to every party and it is *always* the first thing to go. Also really easy to make.
My go-to for an easy pot-luck dish is pigs in blankets. I cook them at home, and bring them in a pan, wrapped up, they are still sort of warm by the time I get there, and everyone (mostly) loves them. Another choices is a block of cream cheese with medium or spicy salsa poured on top, and served with buttery crackers. (I like Ritz, but anything buttery and basic will do)
Have fun!
I had husband’s holiday party last week, and everyone goes straight from the office. I went to Target and bought a new top (black, satiny, but shaped like a regular shirt I’d wear) I wore my regular Doc Martins and dark-wash jeans. Oh, and sparkly earrings. I felt special, but not too fancy and fit in with the coworker crowd pretty well.
Your outfit and hostess gift sound great!! I love the veggie tray (especially with cheese) option! If that isn’t substantial enough, have you ever made little ham rolls? We take dinner rolls or even better Hawaiian rolls, thinly sliced ham, cheese, and a yummy sauce you make with mustard/onions/poppy seeds if you like , bake them, and they are delicious! You could transport in an insulated grocery bag or an insulated Pyrex container. People love them! It isn’t fancy st all but “pigs in a blanket” (little smokies wrapped in crescent rolls) are also yummy and a crowd pleaser.
Veggie or cheese tray sounds like a good pot-luck option to me, and something I’d bring for sure.
The outfit also sounds spot-on.
1. Your outfit sounds perfect and I would like a picture.
2. I feel great symptoms because my husband’s office holiday party is coming up and I have no idea what to wear.
3. My husband jas a colleague who makes this dip (https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cranberry-jalapeno-cream-cheese-dip-sugar-rush-reinvented-7/) every year and he LOVES it and has informed me we are making it this year. It sounds weird to me but he swears that it is the most amazing thing he’s ever put on a cracker and I tend to trust his food judgment.
Please tell us what you end up bringing!
Um, SYMPATHY. Not symptoms.
But the nerves about office parties FEEL like symptoms!
A-MEN.
Your outfit sounds PERFECT. Do not fret another moment about it. I will also second the salmon/cream cheese dip with crackers. Easy to mix up and keep chilled on the way over. We had it at Thanksgiving and it was everyone’s favorite appetizer.
One of my favorite things to bring is cucumber, cream cheese and lox. I slice the cucumbers about a 1/4″ thick, put a little dollop of cream cheese (you can even be fancy and get one of the herb or onion flavored kinds), and a small slice of lox on top. It’s super easy, travels well, and is delicious (and has the added bonus of being keto, even though you aren’t worrying about it right now).
I just need to say that Funeral Egg Salad Sandwiches are a THING in my family. We anticipate them at every funeral we attend and are highly disappointed when they’re not available. They give us something to look forward to in a situation where there is not a lot to look forward to.
Despite that association, I would personally be delighted to see egg salad sandwiches at a potluck. I never make them at home and consider them a treat. In a similar vein: deviled eggs (there are even ways to make them fancy with fresh bacon bits and pickles/olives). They wouldn’t travel well though, unless you own one of those fancy deviled egg containers that have ice packs built in (which everyone in my family seems to have – so maybe someone in your life has one you could borrow?).
I normally always slice a log of goat cheese and drizzle olive oil and garlic on top, serve with crackers. But this year I’m making my second cheese ball because the first one was the bomb dot com. I got the recipe on food52 (it’s their “perfect cheese ball” but I subbed green onions for chives) and it was SO GOOD.
Am rushing to the comments to commiserate on the spouse’s office party. I’m probably feeling a bit more irritated than usual about this topic because this year not only did I have to attend H’s work holiday party (which is at a nice hotel etc but I don’t know his coworkers because I only meet them once a year!) but I also had to go to H’s fancy City Business Organization dinner (at which neither H nor I knew anyone) AND a party thrown by someone in H’s racquetball league (SURPRISE! I don’t play RB and didn’t know anyone there either). I’m thoroughly DONE with going to parties at which I know no one and have to make polite conversation for hours. I’m an introvert and these last few weeks have used up all of my ability to chat. I want to climb into bed and never speak to another person again. Sigh.
ANYWAY, on a more helpful note, my local fancier grocery store sells really nice spiral wraps with ham and turkey and what not. They look nice, transport well, and don’t involve you making anything during this already ridiculously busy time. If you have a similar place near you, maybe those?
I buy mini croissants and put this curried chicken salad and a tiny piece of fancy lettuce: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222604/curried-chicken-tea-sandwiches/
Sometimes I even serve them open face, with a single craisin on top instead of putting it in the chicken salad
I think dip is the thing. It seems to me like you want to be the person who shows up having brought a thing, but then nobody asks for the rest of the night “Who brought the ____” Dip is great for that.
I see cheese has been covered pretty well. One of my favorite combos that hasn’t been mentioned is brie with fig jam.
If you want to put in a little prep, I recommend jalepenos stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon. I usually quarter the peppers if they’re big. We use a thick cut bacon, so 1/3 strip wrapped over the top is perfect, but if you prefer a thin cut, you could wrap it all the way around. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, until bacon is crispy. They’re amazing hot, but really good at room temp.
Ok so I’m English and this might not be doable for you, but the absolute winners at any Christmas or family gathering I go to are either mini cocktail sausages or homemade sausage rolls. The former would really be better hot, but the latter are good either way. All you’d need would be a pack of pork sausage meat (or actual sausages de-skinned) and some ready-made puff pastry. My American FIL goes absolutely mad for them.
Other than that, how about mini veggie quiches or tarts? Or a cheese plate?
I think a good American equivalent is “pigs in a blanket” (similar, not the same, but usually a crowd pleaser unless you’ve got a no pork crowd). I like them warm, personally, but will eat them cold if I missed them coming out warm.
My go-to at the moment is the hummus and focaccia from the Hot Bread Kitchen cookbook. https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Bread-Kitchen-Cookbook-Artisanal/dp/0804186170/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544729488&sr=8-2&keywords=hot+bread+kitchen
I love this book. I love the hummus, the focaccia, the tacos and the pepita multigrain. I need to make more of the things. The only thing I do not love (that I have tried) is the pullman loaf – too sweet, too white, imho. I make king Arthur back of the bag bread with about 25 – 30% whole wheat subbed in for sandwich bread.
Oh, and the naan! and the pita! I love those too.
I like the idea of a salad. If you want to go really breezy and fun I’d go by whatever the favorite local burger place is, grab 10 cheeseburgers, and cut them in half on a fancy platter. We do this for potlucks here and they are always a huge hit and cheaper than what we’d have to buy and prep otherwise. Maybe save this for next year though when you know the vibe of the party? Also your outfit and hostess gift both sound PERFECT. I just tried on 14 shoes to wear with the dress I’m wearing to my husband’s company party tomorrow and I hate them all and should probably just cut off my feet that would solve everything. (CHRISTMAS PARTIES GAAAAH STRESSSSSSSS)
I have an excellent and easy appetizer for you! Alton Brown’s Caramelized Onion Dip. It is one of those crack-like dishes that have people immediately ask asking for the recipe. It takes a bit of time to cook the onions (20-30 mins?) but beyond that you literally mix five things together and you’re done. I made this at a very large Thanksgiving gathering and even with all the other yummy food around, people were FREAKING OUT over it. It’s actually best if made in advance, and you can serve it with potato chips which always make people happy. (I snip some fresh chives on the top to make it look a bit more festive).
I like halloumi cheese, grilled in chunks and then alternating with hunks of ham and pineapple on skewers, served cold as a really nice, different kind of appetizer.
My go to winter party dish is a salad that consists only of toasted, chopped walnuts, crumbled Gorgonzola and sliced pear (or apple if you can’t find a pear) over whatever greens you like ( I like romaine and spinach) with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing that you can put in a small Tupperware container or baggie and pour over it when you get there. Very easy and always gone. The summer version is toasted, chopped almonds, feta and nectarines with spinach and arugula. Your outfit and hostess gift sound perfect!
I always love bringing a cheese ball (I have a recipe that includes garlic and spinach and … some kind of cheese I can’t remember right now) because you make it ahead and just plop it on a plate surrounded by crackers when you get there. Add a knife, and voila, done.
Cheesey sausage balls are one of the easiest and tastiest things I bring to my partner’s office party every year, they’re always a big hit and taste best at room temp!
1 cup cooked quinoa, chilled
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 pound ground pork sausage (either mild or spicy, depending on your tastes)
Cooking spray
Mix all ingredients except for cooking spray. Form mixture into one inch balls.
Spray foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray and place balls on sheet. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 20 servings (2 balls per serving).
Firstly I’m still recovering from the fact that William can drive.
Secondly crackers and dips is always a relief to me at these things, as a vegetarian, as there’s often not many veggie choices.
Always easy and a favourite. A good cheese board with some fancy crackers and some seedless grapes. Stick it on a festive plate and you are done.
I just read through all these comments and my immediate takeaway is that a salad/some sort of vegetable sounds refreshing after all the cheese and sausage and mayonaissey dips and such. So my vote would be for some sort of vegetable or even just some fruit skewers maybe with a yogurt dip. (not that there is anything wrong with eating all the cheese and sausage and such, but after a few parties of that I start searching out the lighter options)
And here’s my main point: double check with Paul that there is not a sign up sheet floating around somewhere already that he has not told you about. Just to be sure.
Or bring wine. That’s always welcome.
Yes! I didn’t even think of this, but my husband would absolutely do this. After several similar issues he now just forwards all emails about gatherings to me.
My extended family does a big Christmas Eve party every year with potluck appetizers. For the last several years, I’ve brought homemade caramelized onion dip and chips and it’s always a hit. This is the recipe I use: http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/3989?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ezrapoundcake+(Ezra+Pound+Cake)&utm_content=Google+Reader
I use less cayenne, and I chop up the onions after they’ve cooked so that it’s easier to eat the dip. Soooo good, and particularly popular with my uncles for some reason.
I like to make these spinach balls. I made them this morning for another work potluck (they’re always a hit, no matter the crowd). They’re delicious hot (I kept the crock pot on warm in my car driving to work, then put them on a serving plate when I got to work), and just as good at room temperature. They’re easy to grab, no nonsense to eat, and they’re pretty!
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25528/parmesan-spinach-balls/
I ordered a finger sandwiches platter for a baby shower and the egg salad was the first thing to go. I’d go with that.
Your outfit sounds perfect, holiday casual. I hope the party is more fun than you’re anticipating.
Deviled eggs, deviled eggs, deviled eggs. I take them every single time to potlucks and every single time they ALL get eaten and people remark on how glad they are to see them. And they are cheap and easy and can be done ahead of time.
My 7 layer taco dip is always a huge hit wherever we go. I make it with gluten free taco seasoning, so it is gluten free.
I think your outfit sounds fab, and I hope that means that you don’t spend time freaking out about your outfit.
My husband’s company did away with the big holiday party. Part of me is OK with it, and part of me misses the outing. Have fun!
My go-to dip is guacamole. It’s my favorite way to eat vegetables. Just mix together avocado, chopped onion, chopped tomato, lime juice and salt to your liking. Chopped cilantro is optional. I’ll usually bring chips, too. My favorite are the Late July restaurant style corn chips.
Fun botany fact: you’re actually eating fruit! (Well, except of the onion I suppose.) Avocado and tomato are both botanically berries!
We add cumin, fresh-ground pepper, and granulated garlic to your recipe. I don’t think we put in the onion, so ours is even more of a fruit spread. :)
Where you live sounds way more fun than my locale, because when I go to potlucks there is often not a single dessert in sight, or just a couple of clamshells of grocery-store-baked cookies. If my son is along I pretty much have to bring some sort of egg-free dessert (pumpkin chocolate chip mini-muffins) because he’s got an egg allergy and it’s no fun for him to not find anything sweet he can eat.
My summer go-to is watermelon salad: watermelon, mint, feta, and lime juice. So far there seems to be only a couple of people per party that really go nuts for it, but I love it and can eat a huge amount of it, so if I see it’s not disappearing quickly I feel free to help myself. And the bonus is that it stops me from eating a lot of less-healthy choices.
I think dips like Mexican 7-layer dip are a very safe choice that most people love, and it won’t need to be heated up. I also make a very decent guacamole. Also people seem to just go mad for pre-made frozen little meatballs in a jar of tangy sauce – you could heat them in a small crock pot at home easily, then just bring the whole thing with you and plug it in at the party at an out-of-the-way outlet in the kitchen to top up the temperature again.
A couple people mentioned crockpots and that is what we usually contribute. My husband is a great cook and does things like ribs (he grills baby backs, cuts them up and puts them in a sauce), pulled pork-and puts it in a crockpot with an insulated cover, and it stays warm. You get there and all you need is a plug. You could make a chili, which has also been a big hit. What we have noticed over the years, not enough people bring more substantial food-and my husband kind of took on the role of providing that for his work potlucks.
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/myrecipes/recipe/apricots-with-basil
Your outfit and gift sound perfect!
Lots of great ideas! This is my go-to party recipe. Barely any prep, and can travel in a sealed container and be poured out onto a platter for serving once you arrive. And so delicious!
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/amazing-greek-feta-dip/