Sunday, April 8, 2012

Magical Traveling Vegan Potluck

Since November, my friends and I have been taking turns hosting our Magical Traveling Vegan Potluck once a month. Well, almost every month. It was my turn to host in March, but my weekends were just too busy. So we skipped March, and I had my potluck this past weekend. My friends are all bomb-ass vegan cooks, but I really think we all outdid ourselves this time.

I've been itching to pull out the deep fryer for some time, but I really can't bring myself to do it when it's just for little old me. This potluck sounded like the perfect opportunity to make a batch of the Fried Macaroni & Cheese Balls from Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites:

First, you make a delicious cream cheese and nooch-based macaroni and cheese. Then, you form it into small balls and place those balls in the freezer overnight. The next day, they're battered, fried, and dipped in marinara. I could have eaten this whole plate!

Stephanie (a.k.a. Poopie Bitch on the PPK) brought Pizza Rolls!! You know, like cinnamon rolls with pizza stuff (marinara, Daiya mozzarella, vegan sausage). I would eat these over cinnamon rolls any day!

Mike brought THE WORLD'S BEST VEGAN QUESO. Oh yes, it was really the best! He just melted Daiya cheddar with Ro-Tel and a little almond milk in a Crock Pot. It has the same exact consistency as the Rotel dip I remember from my childhood. This will be my new go-to queso recipe.

Greg brought his famous Tofu Chicken Nuggets. He made these for the last potluck too, and they were a huge hit.

And Greg also brought Vegan Lox and Bagels. Now, I've never had real lox, and I never liked fish, so this kelp powder-based lox spread kinda freaked me out. It tasted so real that I couldn't eat more than a few bites. I'm pretty sure I'm not a fan of kelp.

Misti brought a yummy Pasta Salad. She's not a vegan, and I think this may been her first vegan potluck! I'm so proud of her for whipping up a delicious vegan dish!

It was Cassi's first vegan potluck too. And guess what she made? Vegan Jello Shots in cute-ass little lime rinds! They look like tiny watermelons. She Facebook-messaged me on the day before the potluck asking where she could find vegan jello, and I had no idea what she was up too. Ha! These were spiked with vodka!

For dessert, I had to make more use of that deep fryer. So I made the Maple Bacon Donuts from Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites. The donuts are flavored with real maple syrup and maple extract, and they're sprinkled with bacon bits! Biting into one was like biting into a waffle coated with maple syrup and bacon on the side.

Leslie brought a Fruit Pizza! It had a lemon cookie crust, a layer of cream cheese, and bananas, strawberries, and blackberries. This was a refreshing healthier treat after all that deep fried stuff and fake cheese:

And a potluck just isn't a potluck with a batch of Stephanie's cupcakes. This time, she made mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream. These were so moist and awesome. Stephanie is the world's best baker, just fyi.

Well, that's it. I'm pretty sure my friends and I have the best vegan potlucks in the world.

19 comments:

James said...

That all looks sooo dope! I like the cherry touch at the end. Here in Japan it's cherry blossom season. Only lasts a couple of weeks at most, but sakura-flavored everything abounds. Pretty sure cherry blossoms themselves have no flavor, so it's usually just cherry flavor. I know D.C. has sakura, but what about Tennessee?

T said...

What a spread, I agree y'all outdid yourselves! It all looks amazing, but I think of would have stood in the corner huffing down the maple-bacon donuts and cheese dip. Your potluck group is awesome!

Julie said...

Wow,what a potluck! I too think kelp (and all sea veggies) are gross. Could you possibly post the recipe for those cute lime shooters?

Amber said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amber said...

Those Pizza Rolls are blowing my mind!

Marisa Sandlin said...

Everything looks so good that I am totally jealous I wasn't there!!!

Erin said...

That is a RIDICULOUS potluck spread, your friends are amazing! Everything looks so good that I can't comment on any one thing...but I will say that the jello shots are adorable.

and_i_say said...

Oh man, there are NO words to describe the level of envy I'm feeling right now. Everything looks incredible. I'll definitely have to break out the deep fryer soon to try those mac & cheese balls and donuts. I can't believe I never thought to just melt down Daiya and RoTel to get that dip!

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

Wow, I really wish I'd been there to sample all that deliciousness! (That being said, I don't care for anything with the flavor of seafood, either.)

xvavaveganx said...

Wow! This looks like such a delicious and decadent spread!! Your macaroni and cheese bites look divine and those pizza rolls! That's genius! Everything really looks great, you are lucky to have such an awesome group of local vegans to have these great potlucks with! Those jello shots are adorable!

Sheridan said...

Oh my GAWD, yes, you have the best potlucks! I'm always so jealous that I don't live in Memphis when you post about the potlucks! All of this looks so so awesome! I WANT one of those donuts, like now!

mshrcfit said...

It was THE best potluck!

Maxx said...

I need to know how you made those lime jello shots! so cute.

Theresa said...

Okay, I think it is safe to say that you and your friends have the best potlucks! Why don't you all come to Townsville for a nice tropical holiday, and you can hold your potluck at my house?

Katie said...

SWEET MOTHER, that spread looks so unbelievably amazing! I'm salivating over here! I'd drive down to TN for food like that. :)

Bird and Boy Photography said...

OoooOOoooo, there are SO many yummy photos here... It is making me so hungry. You are gorgeous by the way :D

Babette said...

Every single dish looks so amazing. I wish I were there! It definitely looks like the best vegan potluck ever.

Elyse said...

I just made the queso and it really is the best! Thanks!

Elyse said...

I just made the queso and it really is the best! Thanks!