Ideas for a family reunion

[CRSunrise]

My husband has a family reunion that he's going to on Sunday with my daughter and youngest son. My oldest son and I are going to stay home because we have other commitments that day. Anyway, I need a dish idea that I could send with them that I know they'd eat, but would be simple enough for me to make.

[A_Lurker · Accepted solution]

Not sure if you're looking for salad, main dish, dessert...

Take a collection of fruit in season - cut, chop, slice into a no-stick sprayed disposable 9x13 in pan.  I've seen mention of adding sugar to the fruit, but it didn't need any, even with the rhubarb.  Take one moist cake mix (I've used lemon and yellow Betty Crocker super-moist, both work nicely) and mix following cake mix directions.  Pour over the top, tap on counter to level, then bake as directed.  Sprinkle with a little icing sugar in a small sieve if you want.  Works fine without the sugar.

First one I made had 10-oz of rhubarb, 8-oz of strawberries and I baked it in 2 8x8in pans.  Well I made 4 pans actually.  I took mine to the office/plant and it went fast.  On the plus side, if you cut them into 2x2 in pieces they are only 100 calories.

[CRSunrise]

So if I want to use say a yellow cake, cut up strawberries, and before it's cooked, put the strawberries into the batter, and then let them bake that way? Sort of like a strawberry shortcake?

[A_Lurker]

Don't put them in the batter, put them on the bottom of the pan and just pour the cake mix over the top.  When serving you can turn it upside down so that the fruit is on top if you want.  If you mix them in you might make the cake too wet.

[CRSunrise]

so, more like an pineapple upside down cake. How many ounces of strawberries does that call for?

[A_Lurker]

I didn't use a real recipe, but I used just over a pound of fruit for the one cake mix.  Originally I was going to make it in a 9x13 pan, but when I went to buy a disposible pan they didn't have any.  It worked out well in two 8x8 pans.

[CRSunrise]

Great - that works for a dessert. Now I have to come up with some kind of hot or dish.

[betpchem]

I'd suggest a crockpot dish. That would be easy to transport and keep warm. How about chili? That's always popular.