Odd situation

M

mathgeek

Cathlete
The other day a lady from church called me up and asked if I could bring food for a dinner that they're doing later in the month. I said sure, no problem. She asked if I'd rather make a chicken dish or a green salad. I said salad since I'm not a big meat eater. She said great, I'll email you the recipe. I thought that was wierd because I've never used a recipe for salad before. It's greens in a bowl with maybe some tamatoes and radishes and stuff thrown in, not that complicated. So she sends me this recipe for this "salad" that sounds aweful. It's iceburg lettuce, frozen peas, hard boiled eggs, celery, bell pepper, miracle whip and bacon bits layered in a bowl and refridgerated over night. If that's the kind of food they're eating, I don't even want to go, let alone make this calorie-disaster. I don't even want to go to the grocery store and buy miracle whip. Gross! If I'm going to eat something fattening, I'd much rather it be brownies than an icky salad covered in miracle whip.

So what should I do? Should I just suck it up and make it? Or should I ask if I can just bring a "normal" salad? Should I tell her that I've been restricted to a miracle whip-free diet? Should I tell her that suddenly have to travel to Uzbekistan and I can't make it?

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Well, that seems odd. A potluck dinner where you're given a recipe you have to make. Miracle Whip and bacon bits layered with iceberg lettuce sounds absolutely disastrous.

What would the resultant fall-out be if you made your own thing? Do you think that, politically speaking, you may be better off just making it and NOT eating it?:p
 
Kristy, that's called a 7 layer salad and, though not clean, they are delish! Actually, I think it takes a lot of nerve to ask somebody to bring a specific dish and then proceed to tell them how to make it. I would just make your salad the way you like it and not worry about it. If she says anything just tell an itsy, bistsy, teensy, weensie, teeny, tiny, little white lie and tell her you never got the email and perhaps it was inadvertantly deleted.

Michele:)
 
Kristy,

You sound like me. EW! So your given a recipe? Odd, yes. I would just thank her for the recipe and bring in something else. I personally don't like buying a whole big jar of something I won't use again or a bag of sugar, etc. just to throw out.

Charlotte~~
 
Not only disastrous, it doesn't even sound like it tastes good!

I don't know what the fall out would be. I've only lived here a few months and I don't know anyone very well. I get really worried about offending people. I'm also concerned that if I say I can't make that because it's too fattening and then turn around and eat the desert, I'll come off as a whiney, hypocritical bitch.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
You could try this recipe for layer salad if you still want to bring something similar to what she asked for.

The way I make my layer salad is this (because I can't stand Miracle Whip or peas in my salad).

In this order in the bowl:
Green leaf lettuce
Broccoli (raw) chopped into little pieces
Cauliflower (raw) chopped into little pieces
Tomatoes
Shredded 2% cheese (usually cheddar)
Green onion - chopped
Light Mayo (I use Helman's Light - I think it tastes like regular)
Good Seasons "Garlic and Herb" seasoning packet sprinkled on top.

Using the light mayo and 2% cheese makes it a little less fatty. Some people but real bacon bits on it but unless I have the precooked bacon it is too much trouble.

Kimbra
 
Unfortunately, I don't like mayonaise or miracle whip. I don't even like ranch dressing. I think I'm going to ask if I can just bring a tossed salad.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Kimbra, what a great alternative! My DH loves 7 layer salad and I rarely make them because they are so full of fat. This will be a fantastic substitute! Thanks for posting the recipe.

Michele
 
I emailed her back and asked if I could make a regular tossed salad instead. Hopefully no one will be offended.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Kristy, I see no reason for her to be offended whatsoever. If she gets mad about about something as inconsequential as salad preparation then I would chalk it up to experience and avoid her in the future. I'll bet most people would rather have a healthy tossed salad anyway.

Michele
 
At least there will be one healthy thing for people to eat at this dinner. If that's what they want us to do to salad, I can only imagine what they're doing to the poor chicken!

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Stuff like 7-layer salads are kind of standard fare at church dinners. That lady has probably helped with a million other such dinners and keeps the menu pretty much the same. She might also think she's doing you a favor by providing the recipe. But since it's a volunteer effort I think you should bring what you like and don't worry cause I'm sure the people who come will love it!
 
I think I'd skip the dinner if they are going to tell me what to bring. But that's just me. I suppose it's too late to get real busy with something else you forgot was more important and back out!
Just Do It! :)
 
Do let us know how it goes with this woman. The last church dinner I attended should have been called Fried Salvation. There wasn't one item available that wasn't dripping with butter or grease! Ick!

Marie

PS: If she gives you a hard time, just tell her where you come from salads aren't covered with mayonnaise. Yuck. I hate that stuff.
 
That salad sounds like something my Mom used to make! Anyway, can you pretend that you didn't get the recipe? That way, you can just bring your own salad, and if she asks you if you got her recipe, you can just look confused. Just a little white lie.
 
That sounds like a salad my MIL would make. UGH! Here's a crazy idea...I don't know if it was mentioned as I didn't really read all the posts....Why don't you make that salad AND make your own salad? That's what I do. I make what they like and I make what I like. If people want to try what I made, GREAT. If not, to heck with them. They don't know what is good if it bit them in the arse. ;-)

Lisa
 
OMGosh! 7 Layer Salad is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite foods that my grandma used to make!!!! But, you can't forget to put parmesan cheese on top!!YUMMY! :9 :9 :9 :9
 
I've been in situations like these before. You can make the dish that they would like you to bring and then make your own salad for yourself. Or, tell them the truth why this salad doesn't appeal to you. Just say that you really dislike mayo/mircle whip dishes and the thought of making this makes you very queasy.

Namita
 
I think I pissed her off. She called me up this morning and told me she gave my food assignment to someone else and asked if I could make chicken instead. When I asked if I could just bring a regular tossed salad, she said no. When I told her the layered salad grossed me out, she said it was her recipe. I'm considering becoming a vegetarian just so I can get out of this thing.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top