Potluck! (...68)

There are few meal-centered get-togethers I like better than a potluck.  It's a fun and relaxed way to share a meal and you never know what kinds of dishes you'll get to taste!  Plus, no one person needs to do all the house prepping, meal making, and clean up.  I've hosted a few potlucks now and then but last winter I was craving company and the combination of friends and food on a more regular basis.  Since I wasn't sure I'd commit to a regular hosting responsibility on my own, I asked a friend to co-host monthly potlucks with me.  And so was born Somerville Potlucks!   Each month we alternate houses and each meal has a theme.  The first gathering, a soup potluck, was so enjoyable to have mid winter, I knew right away the idea would take hold.  Today was the 4th Somerville Potluck with a Cinco de Mayo theme.  The food was out-stand-ing!

I made guacamole with these ingredients:  avocados, tomatoes (roasted), garlic, hot pepper (roasted) but not nearly spicy enough, red onion, and limes.  It was OK, but not a candidate for a repeat.

This pretty thing is a Lemon Layered Cake with Dulce de Leche.  De-li-cious!  It was tasty, but I admit to botching the dulce de leche...I boiled the milk and sugar for 3 hours and it never condensed to the thick caramel-like, milk-like, frosting-like consistency that it was supposed to become.   Last minute, I made a simple caramel frosting on the stove instead.  It's topped with white chocolate curls!  Tomorrow, or soon after, the Somerville Potluck blog will have pictures from tonight's Cinco de Mayo celebration and soon recipes will be posted as well.