We are having our annual family reunion cookout next Saturday and we always have grilled out hamburgers and hotdogs and everyone brings a dessert and a side dish or two. I usually make Asian slaw because it is a recipe that holds up good against heat. I thought I'd make something a little different this year and need some ideas. What's always a big hit with your crew?

Do you have electricity available? One of the biggies at our family reunions is always scalloped or au gratin potatoes. You could have them in a crock pot, or in one of those pyrex dishes with the insulated carriers. (I love those things, they really work well, in my opinion.)

I'm assuming you already have plenty of potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, chips, etc. How about a 7-layer Mexican dip and chips? Or is that already covered? Hard to make suggestions without knowing the family. Is it big? DH's family reunion is so big, that it's really hard to think of anything that no one else would bring. My family, on the other hand, would not be a problem (if they ever had a reunion).

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Linda

You could make the chipped beef/pumpernickel bread dip. That is a big hit with us.

Round loaf of pumpernickel bread, hollowed out
2 Cups Mayonnaise (can use low fat, but NOT fat free)
1 - 8 oz brick cream cheese, softened
1 - lg jar chipped beef, ripped into small pieces
celery salt to taste

Hollow out round loaf of bread, rip or cut hollowed out piece into bite size pieces. In bowl, beat cream cheese and mayo until blended and smooth. Stir in chipped beef and celery salt. Let set in refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, put dip into center of bread bowl and arrange pieces around bread bowl. As dip is eaten, rip off pieces of bread bowl to dip.

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Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separate them,
But they always come back together.

Giant bowl of bite-size mixed fruit-melon salad nestled in a bed of ice.

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Food for thought -
Everything I eat has been proved by some doctor or another to be a deadly poison, and everything I don't eat has been proved to be indispensable to life...But I go marching on. ~ George Bernard Shaw
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If you wanted just a different type slaw/salad, here are a few ideas. HTH

Squash Slaw/Salad
Antipasto Salad
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
Mellon Ball Salad
Cold Chili
Orzo Salad

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3 bean salad - we have a family recipe (that I odn't have right now) that we use but If ound this one and its very close.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Green-B...ad/Detail.aspx

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Laura
Please visit my blog
http://mylifeinlaurasworld.blogspot.com/

though I love the asian salad, sis's layered salad always goes fast too
Eight Layer Salad -- A Delicious Recipe, as does a sour cream cucumber salad (family fav), several people bring cut fresh fruit and veggi platter for appetizers and snacks for those dieting, which is appreciated. One cousin always brings a crock full of barvarian sauerkraut and sausage too. As it is the holiday weekend you could dazzle them with with a red, white and blue dessert Top 10 Patriotic Dessert Recipes | Taste of Home Not Applicable

- easy layered jello to a strawberry/blueberry tart - kids love the oreo dirt cakes with candy worms too.