Tropical Nuungria – DFW Summer Potluck

A while back some of my fellow Dallas bloggers and I got together for a summer potluck hosted by the fabulous Dixya from Food Please and Health. Dixya sure knows how to throw a party! She really made things easy for us. Be sure to check out her tips on how to host a potluck.

We had the most delicious lamb from Nourish with Lamb. Dixya prepared two dishes for us. Lamb meatballs with a delicious yogurt dip and the other was loin chops prepared in on a cast iron skillet. I tried so hard to watch her every move while preparing it. I’ve been learning how to cook with cast iron since before I started Ironman training. The doctor wanted me to get more iron in my diet and I knew that, in addition to making some dietary changes, adding a cast iron skillet to my kitchen would be one great way to do it. I will definitely be attempting to recreate this dish!

We also had a beautiful cheese board sponsored by Sprouts  that Dixya also assembled. She is so creative! Emily from Zen and Spice baked these amazing Parmesan tomatoes. They were mouthwatering. The smooth flavor of the parmesan mixed with the tomato made for a great treat.

Erin over at The Speckled Palate made Grilled Peach Bruschetta which I’ve never had, but knew I would love immediately. I have a thing for contrasting fruit and cheese flavors. One of my favorite pizzas is Pear & Gorgonzola. There is just something about salty cheeses and sweet fruits. YUM! Erin’s bruschetta did not disappoint.

Ginger from The Ginger Marie Blog made the most outstanding bacon wrapped mac n cheese. As if mac n cheese isn’t already comforting enough, she went and wrapped it in a savory blanket of warm delicious bacon. I may have had a few too many of these things, but how could anyone resist?

Great Harvest Bread Company also provided a spread of the most decadent breads including cinnamon chip, garlic cheddar jalapeño, Popeye bread with spinach, red pepper and parmesan. As well as the most giant oatmeal cookies I’ve ever seen! I took a few of these home to my kids and they were gone instantly.

Speaking of desserts check out those cupcakes and pastries from Stir Crazy Baked Goods. I’ve been working on my cupcake game and have some fantastic inspiration after inhaling a few of these. Can you tell there was a trend at this potluck? Me stuffing my face.

For my dish I decided to share the Nuun love…as always! I can’t cook quite like these women, but I sure can make a mean cocktail. So, that’s what I did! I created this Nuungria recipe with summer in mind. This is a great poolside cocktail! It combines a refreshing sparkling wine, two delicious summer Nuun flavors, and the fresh citrus juices really give it a kick. It’s perfect for all things summer!