MNP Week 20: Leap Day Potluckin

The Leap Day edition of Monday Night Potluck did not fail to live up to its much-hyped billing. 

In a meat and sweets filled affair, meats carried the day, as all three podium finishers narrowly beat out a plethora of scrumptious desserts on night that happens just once every four years. 

One of the most parity-filled potlucks of the season ended with a three point spread separating the winners. Carolina BBQ Sliders, Stuffed Meatball Parmesan and Ham With Spiced Bourbon Cherry Glaze all duked it out for the top spot, each throwing haymakers into the late rounds. BBQ Sliders classic Carolina sauce brought a refreshing twist on the typical tomato based sauces Monday Night Potluck usually sees, and gave it an early advantage.

Not to be denied, Ham and Meatballs fought tooth and nail to hang with BBQ Sliders. Meatballs' chemistry with its delicious cheese stuffing (because really, when is meat and cheese not the right thing to eat. The answer is never. It's always the right thing to eat) caused problems defensively for the rest of the potluck's dishes, while Ham's delicious Bourbon Cherry Glaze made taste buds too drunk to care about what else they were eating. 

In the end though, BBQ Sliders' depth proved to be too much as it eked out a 26-24-23 victory over Meatballs (2nd) and Ham (3rd). It was a meat off for the ages. 

Honorable mentions go out to all the delicious desserts that finished off the meal for the bloated and delighted potluckers. 

Barnhart - Carolina BBQ Sliders (1st Place)
Dever - Southern Pimento Cheese
Cassels - Vegetable Salad
Chris Hershey - Crazin Pesto
Katie Schroeder - Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Angelina - Blueberry Peach Dump Cake
Kelsey Miller - Spinach Artichoke Dip
Tom Greiner - Thai Chicken Pizza
Nate Murphy - Cake With Fancy Label
Tommy Peters - Baked Green Chile Mac N Cheese
Mike Spies - Ham w/ Spiced Bourbon Cherry Glaze (3rd Place)
Jen and Kim - Decadent Peanut Butter Bars
Samantha and Warren - PB&J French Toast Bites
Rick - Stuffed Meatball Parmesan (2nd Place)
Arkady - Crack & Cheese
Calhoun - BBQ Slider

MNP Week 18: Love Is In The Potluck Air

With the residuals of love hanging in the air, Monday Night Potluck was up for grabs. 

A spread of three points separated the top three dishes last night during the Valentine's/President's Day potluck, as potluck chefs poured all their love into their dishes. 

Karlie McLaughlin's BLT Love Bites fought tooth and nail for the climactic one-point victory, finally claiming the top spot with a delightful presentation of the bacon, which was formed into mini hearts on top of the neatly packaged BLTs. 

Despite a mighty push from the superbly glazed Maple-Dijon Salmon, Bacon Mac managed to cling to second place, finishing two points ahead of the fish. 

Thanks as always to the chefs who whipped up delicious food for the potluck! You all are awesome. The chefs: 

Lana McLaughlin - Breck Bourbon Balls
Karlie McLaughlin - BLT Love Bites (1st Place)
Linda Ralston - Bernie's Spicy Deviled Eggs
Samantha Warren - Washington's Wieners (T-President's Day Wiener)
Team Sully - Bacon Mac (2nd Place)
Team Vargo - Toasty Turds
Tommy Peters - Washington's Favorite Buttery Garlic Cauliflower (T-President's Day Winner)
Lauren Parsons - Homemade Samoa Cookies
Chris Hershey - Maple-Dijon Salmon (3rd Place)
Anonymous - Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon

MNP Week 17: A Slow Cooking Affair

When a serious group of crockpots get together, a delicious potluck is on hand.

That was the case at this week's Monday Night Potluck, which featured a whopping eight slow cooking dishes, nearly half of the 17 dishes supplied on the evening. In the end, both crockpot and non-crock dishes became champions on this potluck evening, with Claudia Olea's Creole Chili and Dirty Rice claiming a victory in the Cajun category while JT and Lucy Beth's Mini King Cake Rollups took first in the general potluck. 

King Cake Rollups stole the narrow victory from Tomato Pie, which also managed to podium over many delightful slow cooked foods, while a certain Mystery Guest took third with Creole Greek Okra. 

But on Mardi Gras week, nothing could dim the Cajunness of Creole Chili and Dirty Rice, which combined the scrumptious heartiness of a chili with the spicy zestiness of Cajun cooking to run away from the rest of the Louisiana-based dishes. 

Join us next week for our Valentine's/President's Day themed potluck this coming Monday! And as always, here's our awesome chefs from this past MNP: 

Jackie and Kim and Sam and Justin and Matt - The Best King Super Cookies Ever
Trish Streicher - Mac & Cheese
Megan Matza - Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Greta Shackelford - Spinach Salad
Chelsea Vendegna - Veggie Enchilads
JT and Lucy Beth - Mini King Cake Rollups (1st Place)
JT and Lucy Beth - Cranberry Orange Bundtcake
Super Bowl Leftovers - Pizza Dip
Russ Schissler - Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Richard and Jess - Tomato Pie (2nd Place)
Kate, Jessie, Kathy - Hotter Than Yo Mama's Hummus
Mike Spies - Chicken Marsala
Claudia Olea - Creole Chili and Dirty Rice (Cajun Champion)
Mystery Regular - Creole Greek Okra (3rd Place)
J. Haggerty - Gumbo
Seth Cohen - Turkey Meatballs w/ Chocolate Coffee Stout Mushroom Bacon Cream Sauce
Jamie Machowicz - Cheese Dip and Pretzel Chip Cookies
 

MNP Week 16: Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes A Delight, Champion

In a shock to absolutely nobody, Maria Galgas's Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes won a commanding victory at last week's Monday Night Potluck. 

An MNP juggernaut, Maria's desserts are renowned across the potluck land for their deliciousness, so when competitors saw her name on the same line as "Cheesecakes" and "Peanut Butter" and "Mini", it was nearly a foregone conclusion. 

With second place up for grabs, however, the remaining dishes held an admirable battle. Sara's Baby Pot Pies clawed their way to the podium, outlasting Mama's Pot Pie in a hearty, chicken-centric pot pie battle, claiming second place with 20 points. Kim and Jen's Salad de Potluck was a late arrival, meanwhile, but managed to secure enough votes for third place while presenting eaters with a different tasty surprise in every bite (seriously, I still have no idea what combinations of foods and flavors were in that salad). 

Delicious as always, and make sure to join us tonight (Feb. 8) for our Cajun themed potluck and to meet our new head brewer, Jason Wiedmaier! (http://www.brokencompassbrewing.com/blog/2016/2/5/meet-our-new-brewer-on-monday-night-potluck)

Loren - Chillin Chilladas
Cliff - Mama Pot Pie
Sara - Baby Pot Pies (2nd Place)
Sarah/Jack - Lil' Smokeys
Samantha and Warren - Mom's Coleslaw
Maria - Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes (1st Place)
Tarek/DBallz - Ballz's Beans
Kim and Jen - Salad de Potluck (3rd Place)

Meet Our New Brewer On Monday Night Potluck

As of this past Monday, we're thrilled to welcome Jason Wiedmaier to the Broken Compass family. 

Jason will be working with Ford (also a Jason, we now have two Jasons! Fromhere on out assume we'll refer to Ford as Ford and Wiedmaier as Jason) as head brewer as we continue to grow and expand the Broken Compass brand and collection of brews. It's a perfect fit for the brewery, as Ford and Jason already have experience working together from Ford's time assisting at Lone Tree Brewing in the Denver area (not to mention the balance Wiedmaier's well-groomed beard provides to Ford's gargantuan equivalent).

We'll be having a meet and greet with our awesome new head brewer this coming Monday during our weekly Monday Night Potluck (which is also Cajun themed, so whip up your best Louisiana based dishes!).

Jason opened Lone Tree in 2011 and served as head brewer and co-owner there for five years, during which time Lone Tree developed a passionate following in the south Denver area. Jason's passion for the craft has always been apparent in his homebrewing and work at Lone Tree, and his excitement only continues to grow as he works his way into Broken Compass's day to day operations.

"I would say first and foremost is the vibe," Jason said of his opportunity to work with Broken Compass. "The overall vibe, the employees the customers, the energy it's got. And then the creativity comes with that."

With a family background full of bakers and chefs, Jason brings a unique perspective to brewing. He's most excited about bringing a series of lagers (for which Lone Tree won a silver medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Fest) to the Compass, including an Oktoberfest and an India Pale Lager, but also loves taking baked recipes and turning them into ingredients in beer.

"That's where the Banana Cream Pie Belgian Tripel idea comes from. I've got maybe 30 of those," he said.

Jason's passion for teaching (he spent 12 years in Aurora public schools) is another major asset to Broken Compass, as he will eventually head up the soon to begin homebrewer's club. 

The team at Broken Compass is beyond ecstatic (seriously, see the picture above) to have Jason working with us and we hope you'll take the chance to come meet the newest member of our team this Monday night!

MNP Week 15: Asian Cabbage Salad Brings Home Title For Healthiness

As many potluckers nursed Broncos hangovers, a few elite chefs plied their trade yet again at Broken Compass for Monday Night Potluck. 

And in a result that was eerily similar to the Broncos AFC Championship victory, Asian Cabbage Salad narrowly clipped Full Loaded Baked Potato Soup 20-18 to secure Tommy Peters's first MNP victory. It was unclear which competition was more exciting (we're trying to be impartial. Obviously potluck was way more exciting than a damn football game).

It was a tight match from the kickoff, as both Cabbage Salad and Potato Soup showed the qualities that got them to this elite level of cooking and eating. Potato Soup edged ahead to an early lead, receiving crucial contributions from bacon, cheese and scallions off the bench. Not to be outdone however, Cabbage Salad gamely hung with the soupy juggernaut and finally inched into the lead late in the fourth quarter with help from a touch of soy sauce and a missed extra point, staking claim to what is likely the healthiest victory in the history of MNP.

Three dishes finished in a tie for third, as Cinnamon Apple Cookies!, Broken Compass Chili Pepper Pale Ale Five Cheese Spinach Artichoke Dip and Feta, Red Onion, Hot Pepper Jam Sliders w/ Pepper Jack pleased palates and stomachs alike.

Thanks to all who brought food and good fun! As always, here's the chefs and their creations:

Lauren P. - Cinnamon Apple Cookies! (T-3rd Place)
Sarah S. - Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup (2nd Place)
Seth Cohen - Broken Compass Chili Pepper Pale Ale Five Cheese Spinach Artichoke Dip (T-3rd Place)
Jack Yeaton - Feta, Red Onion, Hot Pepper Jam Sliders w/ Pepper Jack (T-3rd Place)
Tommy Peters - Asian Cabbage Salad (1st Place)
Krisen Kellogg - Kale Parmesan Salad

MNP Week 14: Ribs Reign Again

Ribs. I had ribs for lunch. That's why I'm doing this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnJndVGtWQY). 

As you prep your dishes for another delicious Monday Night Potluck this evening, peruse the spread from last week's 22-dish affair.

Claudia Richardson - Tortellini w/ Creamy Pesto Sauce (2nd Place)
SF Yin - Shangrila Ribs (1st Place)
SF Yin - Austrian Schuss Rolls
Brett Rudolph - Pizza lol Pizza
Tom Hollinshead - Lickity Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Leigh - Irish Soda Bread
Kim - GF Pistachio Cake
Richard - Toasted Snow Squares
G&G - Spicy Sauce And Ground Beef
Leah - Chipotle White Cheddar Queso
Tommy and Ike - Tzatziki Salad w/ Homemade Yogurt
Samantha and Warren - Kitchen Sink Krispies
Lizzy Savage - Chocolate Chip Cookies
Andre and Nick - Garbage Pizza
Trish and Zach - BBQ Meatballs (3rd Place)
Alli and Dylan - Veggie Spring Rolls w/ Peanut Sauce
Natalia Simmons - Cheesecake
Shelby and Maggie - Sweet Sticks
Shelby and Maggie - Spicy Taler Kibbels
Maggie and Matt - Velveeta Cheese Dip

MNP Week 13: Bean Dip Victory For Mothers, Potluckers Everywhere

With Ullr Fest on the horizon and snow in the forecast, it was time to take it back to the hearty basics.

A throwback to the good old days of huddling around the hearth, Mom's Bean Dip warmed stomachs, hearts and senses of nostalgia Monday night, taking home first place in the second Monday Night Potluck of the new year in a landslide victory. 

It was the first MNP win for Stu and Sadie, and also for their absent mother, who's Bean Dip used an excellent combination of refried beans, Velveeta cheese, ground beef and other assorted spices and meats to crush the competition. 

"It was like the bean dip my family makes on Thanksgiving, only made with care, and love, and actually decent ingredients," one potlucker said wistfully. 

To bring a little bit of health conscientiousness to the potluck, Claudia Richardson's Roasted Squash edged out a narrow second place victory over Warren and Samantha's S'more Casserole, which took that health conscientiousness and deliciously smashed it bits for another podium finish.

As always, thanks to everyone who brought food for the potluck. We're doing it again tonight on MLK Day, hope to see you there! Here are the chefs and they're dishes:

Megan Drew - Shoo Fly Pie
Claudia Richardson - Roasted Squash (2nd Place)
Warren and Samantha - S'more Casserole (3rd Place)
Andrea Reilly - Carrot Soup
Kathleen and Steve - Avo Dip
Stu and Sadie - Mom's Bean Dip (1st Place)
Shelby and Maggie - Under The Breckenridge Sun Soup
Phil Lindeman - Chili
Joaquim - Cheesy Acorns