Snack suggestions?
At least weekly here in Georgetown, someone organizes a potluck beach event. Every once in a while these are actual dinner affairs where people bring items suitable for a meal. More often than not though, people simply contribute finger foods and snacks to be consumed alongside their favorite beverages while socializing and watching the sun go down.
I have heard from more than one cruiser that, although they provisioned well before leaving the US, they were completely unprepared for this. As simple as it sounds, I will admit that it is quite a struggle to come up with something suitable (creative?) in a place were a bag of potato chips costs 7-10 dollars and a box of crackers is about 7 bucks as well. Produce is also very costly making veggie trays a bit out of the question. So here is a challenge to our blog readers… do you have any suitable snack-type suggestions that would be appropriate to bring to a potluck beach affair? If so, please post them here. I’m sure that everyone would love to read about, and later try them out. I know we would!
Bake a stack of grissinis and make a sourcream w/garlic dip to go with it.
Grissinis are easy to make and not very expensive.
http://www.nibbledish.com/people/nudlaug/recipes/italian-grissini
Or little muffins containing cheese?
I.e. Bell pepper muffins: http://www.nibbledish.com/people/Paula/recipes/bell-pepper-muffins
Or what about accras (saltfish fritters)?
You should be able to find the few ingredients somewhere in GT
http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/food_and_drink/saltfish-fritters.htm
Bon appetit 🙂
How about quesadillas or a homemade pizza?
Since tomoatoes seem to be the only reasonably priced thing I remember from G-town and onions or greenpeppers too we did a LOT of gazpacho! Also if you have canned black beans and canned corn aboard we did a yummy fresh tasting dip with canned corn, canned black beans, fresh or canned tomaotes with a squirt of lime plus salt & pepper.
I will come up with more and zap to ya. One of our friends (who is in G-town now, Shara & David on Aura) made a wicked good potato salad by doing curries and olive oil and such to season it rather than old lady mayo. Go find her, she’s a rockin’ good cook!
Conch anything, lobstaaa anything, fish anything, fruit anything………..live off the land and sea
Mike,
Can you give us an idea of what’s available at a reasonable price or free. From the list I’m sure we can come up with some great dishes.
-Val
I have no idea if eggs and mayonnaise are cheaply available in GT, but deviled eggs are a great snack idea! I keep it simple … eggs, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper.
get creativewith black beans or lentils, made into little meat-like meatballs,
Mike,
I have a recipe for homemade tortillas that bake into fantastic chips and a recipe for corn and black bean salsa that I’ll be happy to email to anyone that wants them. Too long to post here. d_akey att sbcglobal dott net.
Deb
S/V Nomad
http://www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
The tortillas rock! Thanks for sending us the recipe.
How about bringing desert!? If you have some oats on board these no-bake cookies are delish! http://galleyswap.com/at-anchor-recipes/desserts/90-no-bake-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies.html
And these rum balls (made with lots of real rum!) will always get a party rolling 😉
http://galleyswap.com/at-anchor-recipes/desserts/299-cocoa-rum-balls.html
Dollar sized pancakes with a smear of butter and a dot of jam (raspberry is best). Served cold.
YUM!
Oh! Yum indeed!
Original Tip:
To keep potatoes from budding,
place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Older Cook’s Tip:
Buy Smash mashed potato mix.
Keeps in the cupboard for up to a year.
Original Tip:
When a cake recipe calls for flouring
the baking tin, use a bit of dry cake
mix instead and there won’t be any
white mess on the outside of the cake.
Older Cook’s Tip:
Go to the bakery!
Heyl, they’ll even decorate it for you!
Original Tip:
Wrap celery in aluminium foil when putting
in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Older Cook’s Tip:
Celery?
Never heard of it!
Original Tip:
Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and
rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Older Cook’s Tip:
Take a lime, mix it with tequila,
chill and drink! All your pains go away!
Original Tip:
Don’t throw out all that leftover wine.
Freeze into ice cubes for future use
in casseroles and sauces.
Older Cook’s Tip:
Leftover wine???????
HELLO!!!!!!
Bread Puding
1 Large sliced loaf approx. 800g ( I prefer white), crusts removed and broken up into bits.
Boiled water from kettle to soak bread
2 eggs beaten in some milk ( 1 cup will do)
Sugar to taste
2 large mugs of currants soaked in hot, boiled water to soften
Blobs of butter for top of cake to “glaze”
*(Preferably a large, rectangular oven proof glass dish to bake in, you’ll find glass easier to clean afterwards!)
Method
Place bread bits in *glass dish
Soak in hot, boiled water until ” mushy” ( quite wet, but don’t overflow bread)
Add soaked currants, mix in well
Pour over egg/milk mixture and mix in well
Add enough sugar according to your taste ( I like preferably sweet) and mix in well again until of “mushy” appearance
Add little “blobs” of butter evenly spread, over top of pudding
Cook in a preheated moderate oven at 160 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Test with metal knife in middle of pudding to see if the pudding is cooked enough and consistency is right for your taste – the middle should stick to the knife and not fall off it
My Tip:
(The longer you leave in oven, the “drier” the pudding will become in middle. I prefer my pudding to be slightly moist in middle with the cooked top crust not too browned off, just a light golden brown)
Serve hot or cold ( I think pudding is best left to stand anyway and go completely cold for ease of cutting – you can always microwave it for your hot desert with custard)
Enjoy! Don’t eat too much, you’ll be full, full, full!!
mango-pineapple salsa
1 large ripe mango, chopped
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1–2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Salt, to taste
To make the mango-pineapple salsa: Peel the mango and chop into small dice and place in a bowl. Chop the yellow and red bell peppers and add them to the bowl with the mango. Add the drained pineapple tidbits and chopped red onion and toss together. Squeeze some lime juice over and toss. Add the chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
tortilla chips. Spray a whole-wheat tortilla with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper (or cayenne and ground cumin). Slice thinly and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy. or use your bbq
spicy black beans
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 14-ounce can black beans
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
To make the spicy black beans: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and chopped garlic clove. Sweat the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and the black beans. Stir and add the red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Have tons of ideas… but, what do you have readily available (on hand)? Do you have or heard of the cookbook “5 Ingredients or Less”? Awesome choices that are yummy, yummy, yummy!
Garlic bread. Simple ingredients. Simple to make. And everybody loves garlic (well, aside from the occasional vampire…).
Hi everyone. THANKS very much for all of the suggestions posted so far. One thing we really love about pot luck affairs is that everyone often brings their coolest stuff. Please keep the ideas coming. This thread could be a good resource, not only for us, but for many others too.
@Darien: No, I do not have that book but it sounds good.
@Val: Most things are available here but just about everything is priced much higher that in the US, especially packaged foods.