when my sister Francine mentioned that she had to bring a dish to a neighborhood gathering. I thought, “What the hell is she going to bring? She can’t cook!”

I lived in New York City for over 20 years and worked in restaurants for a handful of those years, so I either ate at work or, like most New Yorkers...ate out; therefore, the need for cooking and the skills that come along with it were very low on my list of priorities (finding the perfect purse, however, was at the apex of that list). When I was forced to bring a dish I would experience a brief moment of panic until I remembered that I could grab a fabulous gourmet dish at Balduccis or Zabars and try to pass it off as my own.

But what of my four sisters back home in Atlanta? They must have certain dishes hidden up their proverbial sleeves, right? So, for grins, I asked them to send me five recipes each that they’ve used in their times of need. When some could come up with only three (like myself), I snagged favorite recipes from other family members, friends, magazines, and was finally forced to crack open the many cookbooks I received as wedding gifts, obviously from the groom’s family.

The recipes herewith are all easy, ‘bring-a-ble’ dishes intended for those who are not so sure footed in a kitchen, and also for those who are, but are frustrated going from cookbook to cookbook searching for a quick, easy dish to bring to a gathering.

Catherine Dyer