Holiday seasonal salad perks up potluck

Holiday season has long meant "potluck party season" for us, but we expect this to be even truer in this year's tough economy. And we're completely in favor of it!

When times are tough, gathering with friends and loved ones becomes even more important. Why should one household have to foot the entire bill? If everyone brings a dish, it makes the expense - and the workload - feasible for most everyone.

And that brings us to today's recipe for Black Bean and Shrimp Salad. It's the perfect take-along dish: Easy to do ahead, transportable, and affordable. (The shrimp could be omitted, and it would still taste terrific.)

The real trick to choosing a good potluck dish is to find something that won't deteriorate (or pose the threat of food poisoning) if it has to sit a while at room temperature. If the dish needs to be warm, consider transporting it in a slow cooker or choose something that can be reheated in the microwave. (We've seen ads for new products, such as casserole carriers and electric warming trays, but we haven't tested them. If you have, please e-mail us at bev-alicia@desperationdinners.com to let us know how they work.)

Our recipe for Roasted Garlic Artichoke Dip, featured today on our Web site (kitchenscoop.com), is one of those hot recipes that is easy to reheat once you arrive at the party.

• Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross write "Desperation Dinners. Write them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at kitchenscoop.com.