Potlucks are a wonderful way to throw a party--the costs and labor are shared between the host and attendees, and it's a great way to get to know people. Few things are more personal than food, and the flavors and choices people make say a lot about them. Plus, you get to try a variety of foods, including things you'd never think to make yourself (or are too intimidated to try). Got a potluck on the horizon? We've curated some tips for attendees, as well as some perfect potluck recipes!

Potluck Etiquette

So you're going to a potluck: congratulations! You should know there's more to being a great guest than making potato salad and showing up. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Check in with the host before picking a recipe.Is there a theme like a luau or a cowboy cookout? Is there a signup sheet for appetizers, side dishes, etc.? The last thing you want is to show up and realize there are 20 different potato salads to eat.
• Ask before selecting a recipe that will require your host's kitchen. Your stuffed mushrooms are todie for, but they're really at their best if you can bake them at 350F for 20 minutes right before serving. Make sure to ask your host first--she may have other plans for her oven.
• Indoor or outdoor?You probably don't want to bring your slow cooker to a barbecue at a park, where there won't be any outlets to plug into. Of course, even if it's an indoor cocktail party, you'll want to check before bringing equipment that needs electricity! The time of year will also influence what you bring.
• Label your containers--and leave the fine china at home. Make sure to put your name on your bowl or platter (a Sharpied piece of masking tape always works) so you can retrieve it after the party, but also: don't bring anything you can't live without. Accidents happen, and you don't want to lose a family heirloom.
• Label your food. This is especially important today, with the heightened awareness of alternative diets, allergies and food sensitivities. Make sure to write out a card or Post-It note that spells out if your dish contains meat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, or other common triggers.
• Bring serving spoons/spatulas/knives.Don't count on your host to supply anything necessary to serve your dish. Label these as well!
• Leave the table better than you found it. Before you leave, check in with your host. Does he want you to transfer any food you have left to another container, or should you leave your dish and pick it up later? Or take the whole thing home now?
• Ask before taking any other leftovershome.Don't be that person who leaves with all the cookies! Many people welcome sharing the rest of their goodies, but you should ask first, especially if you're leaving before everyone has arrived.

Potluck Recipes

You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen or even bring something homemade to a potluck--your hosts want to see you, not your Aunt Sally's coleslaw. If you're pressed for time or just not feeling your kitchen, you can always pick up cheese, sliced cured meats and olives. Or grab a veggie or fruit tray! However, if you're looking for great potluck recipes, I've included some tried-and-true favorites, as well as some new dishes, below. Appetizers Our Cannellini Herb Dip is visually appealing and full of fiber and protein! Cooked cannellini beans are pureed with fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil to create a vivid green dip perfect for your favorite crackers and veggies. Who doesn't love nachos? Our Nacho Cheese Dip is even more fun because it's vegan and paleo! Stay with me: this miraculous dip is made with cashews, nutritional yeast, spices and lemon juice. Note: while it is tasty at room temperature, you'll want to add a little extra salt and/or re-warm it in the microwave for a few seconds. Don't forget the tortilla chips and salsa! Another fantastic shareable potluck recipe is our Super Snacking Popcorn. This subtly sweet popcorn is tossed with pecans, almonds, coconut, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed. Add a little cayenne and chili powder for extra kick! Tried and True Potluck Recipes: With a Twist For a Middle Eastern twist on macaroni salad, give our Kamut Kusharia whirl! Kamut berries, lentils and macaroni noodles are tossed with a richly spiced tomato sauce and topped with crispy onions. Our Macedonian Baked Beans are the perfect dish to bring to a barbecue. Cranberry beans are simmered with chipotle chiles, adobo sauce and bay leaf, and then topped with sauteed onions and baked. Ramen noodle salad is a perennial potluck favorite, and our Quinoa Asian Slawfrom Inca Organics combines crushed uncooked ramen noodles (try it, you'll like it!) with cabbage, Asian seasonings, green onions and--of course--toasted quinoa. Come on, we're Bob's Red Mill. We can pretty much add quinoa to anything. Add sliced almonds to bring it closer to the original. If you want to go totally retro but don't have time to make a layered Jell-O mold, check out our version of Ambrosia Salad. Mix cottage cheese (it's making a comeback!) with canned pineapple and mandarin slices, coconut, pecans, whipped topping and orange Jell-O, and chill. You're . . . welcome?

New-Now Recipes

Shakshuka, a popular Middle Eastern dish, is very trendy in restaurants these days. Impress your friends with our version, which simmers onion, peppers and farro in a spiced tomato sauce. Poached eggs add richness and protein! OurSmoked Salmon, Spelt, and Spring Greens Tart is distinctive and travels well. Spelt is incorporated into the crust and the filling, which also includes rich creme fraiche and cold-smoked salmon, spinach and asparagus. Socca is another on-trend potluck dish: this gluten free French flatbread is made from garbanzo bean flour and can be a base for pizzas, canapes and more.

Grain Salads

Caprese is always a hit in summer, when tomatoes and fresh basil are at their peak. Our Farro Caprese Salad combines chewy farro with cherry tomatoes, shallots, garlic, fresh mozzarella, and fresh parsley and basil for a fresh yet satisfying dish. Craving something sweet and salty? This Fresh Cherry & Pepita Golden Couscous Saladfrom Rebel Grainis super delicious: sweet cherries and savory goat cheese are mixed with couscous, pepitas, fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette. For a salad that utilizes the freshest seasonal greens, give Market Greens with Millet (pictured in the header photo) from Katie Workman try! Toss baby greens with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, millet and fresh basil. Top with a sherry-Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

Potluck Desserts

There can never be too much dessert! Looking for something nearly effortless? I give you my adaptation of my Great Grandma Potter's Snack Cake: follow the package instructions to bake Bob's Red Mill's Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix in a 9 x 13-inch pan. While still warm, spread with salted butter and sprinkle with plenty of cinnamon and sugar. Slice into squares and serve! Cookies are always a hit at parties, and a skillet cookie is both impressive looking and easy to make! Chef Billy Parisi'sOatmeal-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie is luscious and totally portable. You can take it up a notch and top it with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce! This Seasonal Fruit Galettefrom The Frosted Petticoatis a great recipe to have in your back pocket--you can swap out the berries and nectarines for apples and cranberries in the fall and winter. Frozen fruit also works year-round. The simple dough is made from our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, butter, brown sugar, milk and egg. Also pictured: our Savory Butternut Tart! One last tip: if you try something you love at a potluck, ask for the recipe! Then you can add a new favorite to your personal arsenal. Do you have a go-to potluck recipe? Stories of potlucks gone hilariously wrong? Post them below!