Here are a few of my favorite ideas for office potlucks:

1. Bring the veggie tray, here’s a recipe for an easy Ranch dip that will have them asking for the recipe.
2. A fruit tray would be popular, and easy, with cream cheese fruit dip.
3. This Reuben dip would be a big hit if you could keep it warm, with some crackers or mini rye bread on the side for dipping.
4. Crock pot pork barbecue, just don’t forget to bring the buns to go with it.
5. Make a crock pot chili con queso dip, and bring some corn chips to go with it.
6. The ever popular green bean casserole.
7. Sweet potato casserole~ Yum!
8. Everyone would love you if you brought a homemade chocolate pie.
9. Cucumber sandwiches are quick and easy, if you have a place to keep them refrigerated until lunchtime.
10. One of my favorites is Southern Potato Salad, fabulous!

What’s your favorite dish to take to potluck work or office parties?

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1. Cupcake Flag

2. White Silk and Berry Tarts

3. Jean’s Blueberry Quickbread

4. 32 Unique Homemade Popsicle Ideas and Recipes

5. Simple Summer Cupcakes

6. Dirt Cake

7. Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits

8. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

9. Homemade Organic Fruit Snacks

10. Creamy Berry Fruit Mold

11. Icy Cold Summer Lime Smoothie

12. Zebra Pop Cookies

13. “Springish” Fruit Pandowdy

14. Frozen Pudding Cups

15. Candied Flowers

16. Homemade Ice Pops

17. Grandma’s Homemade Banana Pudding

18. Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

19. Molded Rhubarb Rosemary Cucumber Salad

20. Strawberry Shortcake

21. Baseball Cupcakes

22. Peanut Butter Pie

23. Praline Ice Cream Log

24. Rhubarb Cake

25. Lemon Cups

26. Grilled Peaches and Cream

27. Pina Colada Ice Pops

28. Angel Food Flag Cake

29. Blueberry Ice Cream

30. Mandarin Summer Dessert

31. Deep Dish Peach and Berry Pie

32. Creamy Caramel-Peach Parfaits

33. Frozen Strawberry Margarita Dessert

34. Pineapple Coconut Sherbet

35. Summer Dessert Pizza

36. Banana Nut Bread Mini Loaves

37. Summer Celebration Ice Cream Cake

38. Summer Berry Pie

39. Cool Creamy Chocolate Dessert

40. French Vanilla Summer Trifle

41. Summer Fruit Tart

42. Home Made Butter Pecan Ice Cream

43. Ice Cream Sandwiches

44. Almond Cream Ice

45. Peach Ice Cream

46. Sangria On a Stick

47. Mom’s Baked Apples

48. Grilled Caramelized Bananas

49. Sweet Fruit Kabobs

50. Grilled Peach Cobbler

I tried to include some ice creams, sorbets, grilled desserts, fruit pies, and summer tarts. A great variety for your summer gatherings, and parties.

If you have a great summer dessert you’d like to share, leave it in the comments or send me an email. We’ll have more summer recipes for entertaining in the upcoming weeks.

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I received permission to share this email with you:

Dear Deb,

I’m a fan of all your blogs, but She Knows Parties really caught my eye because I love to socialize. My husband and I love to have parties all summer long on our patio. There are times when we lay out the whole spread but sometimes we do a potluck. I have a friend who likes to have barbecues but doesn’t drink and asks everyone to BYOB.

My sister says BYOBs and potlucks are tacky. What do you think?

Caryn M.

Hi Caryn,

I’m a big fan of potlucks. Don’t you just love sampling other people’s specialties? I went to a big Halloween party last fall and the hostess wrote on the invitation for people with an odd numbered address to bring appetizers and people with an even numbered address to bring desserts. She provided beverages and the main course.I loved this idea. Everyone brought something – and boy was there good food to be had! Plus there was more food because instead of the host making a few dishes, there was one from each guest.

I’ve never been asked to BYOB though I usually bring a bottle of wine along to parties and social events as a hostess gift. I see nothing wrong with asking guests to bring their own if the host and hostess don’t imbibe. I don’t think it’s necessary to have booze at every single party and barbecue, but if I’m not serving and the guests want to to tote their own, this doesn’t bother me.

I don’t think potlucks or BYOBs are tacky at all. There’s a saying, “never visit someone’s home empty handed.” These types of parties ensure that. Plus, it takes a lot of the pressure off the host and hostess and leaves them free to mingle with their guests and spend their time on other things.

What do you think, folks? Tacky or not?

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