Good

Eatin’ Church Ladies Share

Favorite Potluck Recipes

To find some of the best cooks in the South — and to soothe your stomach as well as your soul — head to any church event that includes a potluck meal, and be sure to wear your stretchy pants! Dig into entrees like meatloaf, fried chicken and pot roast. Complement them with side dishes like squash casserole, green beans, deviled eggs and pasta salad. Don’t forget to save room for the delectable desserts: coconut cake, apple pie, chocolate delight and brownies. And wash it all down with the house wine of the South: good ol’ sweet tea. ALM asked local members of Eastwood Baptist Church in Marietta to share some of their favorite go-to recipes that are perfect for homecoming, Pastor Appreciation Day, dinner on the grounds or any event for which you might need a few soulsoothing dishes.

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 can chow mein noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chicken, soup, lemon juice, cracker crumbs, celery, onion, pepper, eggs and mayonnaise together. Spread in dish. Sprinkle noodles on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Crack Chicken

Submitted by Michelle Harrell, Acworth

• 2 cups cooked chicken

• Chopped bacon

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 8 ounces sour cream

• Garlic, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chicken, bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic and pepper together. Add whipping cream. Then add cheese and mix well. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and add more cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Millionaire Pie

Submitted by Virginia Sullivan, Kennesaw

• 1 block cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 can crushed pineapple

• ½ cup coconut

• ½ cup chopped pecans

• 1 large Cool Whip

• 1 graham cracker pie crust

Beat cream cheese and sugar together. Add pineapple, coconut and pecans and mix well. Fold in half of Cool Whip. Put in graham cracker pie crust and cover with other half of Cool Whip. Sprinkle extra pecans on top. Refrigerate.

Ritz Cracker

Chicken Casserole

Submitted by Lori Tidwell, Kennesaw

• 4 cups chicken, fully cooked and shredded

• 10½ ounces cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

• 1 sleeve Ritz Crackers, crushed

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Mix chicken with cream of chicken soup, sour cream and seasonings. Add to the bottom of the casserole dish. Top casserole with crackers and butter. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Beefy Baked Beans

Submitted by Beverly Daniel, Acworth

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 small green pepper, chopped

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 1 16-ounce can pork and beans

• ½ cup ketchup

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons vinegar

• 2½ teaspoons chili powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground beef, green pepper and onion in a large skillet; cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients and spoon into a lightly greased 9-by-12-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Taco Salad

Submitted by Evelyn Walden, Kennesaw

• 1 can ranch-style beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 head lettuce, broken into small pieces

• ¾ pound shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 1 small bottle Catalina dressing

• 1 small bag taco-flavored Doritos

Mix all ingredients, but add Doritos last so they won’t get soggy.

Simple and Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

Submitted by Michelle Harrell, Acworth

• 1 box rotini noodles

• 1 can cream of chicken soup

• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

• 1 large can of chicken or 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Cook noodles according to package directions. Combine cream of chicken soup and cheese together and cook until melted and well blended. Add chicken. Pour over cooked noodles.