First of all, I'm sure your coworker will be touched that you're thinking of them, it's really difficult sometimes at pot-luck events if you can't eat gluten!

Meringue cookies are a great dessert to make, everyone in my office loves them and they don't notice that they're gluten-free. I just made a holiday-inspired batch with peppermint candies crushed and added, they were a huge hit.

Just make sure to read labels on whatever ingredients you use, gluten can lurk in some of the most unlikely places!

Flourless chocolate cake is loved by celiacs and non-celiacs alike.

A good quinoa salad is enjoyable.

If you have access to good fruit, make a fruit plate.

My daughter has Celiac, so I frequently have to bring gluten-free dishes to potlucks. I usually do a rice- or quinoa-based side dish. That way even if there is nothing else that she can eat, she won't go hungry.

I second what adgirlmp says. Even some broths contain gluten!

Fudge!
I just made some candy cane fudge for my gluten-free-friend's pot luck. It was very easy and very well received.

If there is a meat main dish, how about some gluten free dressing/stuffing. We just made this for thanksgiving and everyone loved it and I think it was lighter than using regular bread.

We used glutino bread as a substitute for regular bread cubes - cut into cubes, tossed with some melted butter and toasted. I think this would work with any stuffing recipe as the base... We combined a couple of recipes from food & wine this year.

This is so sweet. I have a gluten intolerance and can find potlucks challenging, but there are a few good standbys that are easy and filling-like butternut squash soup, roasted vegetables, rice pilaf, risotto, etc. I also have a recipe for 5 ingredient peanut butter chocolate chip cookies that are amazingly easy to make and ridiculously delicious. Good luck!

Rice pudding, jamabalya, melon fruit tray, Jello made with ginger ale and fresh fruit, a veggie tray.

Check out the babycakes cookbook for gluten free vegan goodies! I highly recommend the choco chip cookie sandwhiches w/ frosting inside. Check the babycakes blog for recipe & instructions via her segment on Martha Stewarts show. Babycakes LA opening soooon!

I think it's great that you want to make something gluten-free. Just remember that gluten isn't only in wheat - it is in other grains, such as spelt, rye or farro, and can cross-contaminate a lot of store-bought ingredients!

Also, about the Babycakes book... The first edition had a misleading headline, because even though none of the recipes use wheat, a lot still use spelt and therefore contain gluten. SOME recipes are gluten-free, but you have to double-check.

How about one of the gluten-free recipes from the Gluten-free Girl blog?

http://gluten-freerecipes.blogspot.com/

I'm in a similar situation as the poster, and got great reviews when my contribution to a company bakesale was apple tarts where I just eyeballed the crust using a combination of hazelnut flour and buckwheat flour (which I had on hand anyway) instead of wheat flour. I used cornstarch in the topping rather than flour. (It was kind of labor intensive, but only because I was making a lot of little tarts and had only six pans, not because of the substitutions.)

One celiac friend is all over Rice Krispies treats but I did a little research before a party last year and at that time RKs were not guaranteed to be gluten-free but Cocoa Pebbles *were* so I made Cocoa Pebbles stirred up in melted chocolate and dropped in chunks on waxed paper. Went over big.

Regardless, if you're sure your stuff is Celiac-safe, it's nice to put a sign by your contribution. My friend avoids things that potentially have gluten (e.g. anything with soy sauce or gravy) unless otherwise informed and appreciates knowing when she can let down her guard.

This is easier than you think, and doesn't require any special or expensive ingredients. Just double check your ingredients to make sure there is no wheat, soy, caramel coloring, etc.
-cheese plate
-fruit salad
-corn tortilla chips and some sort of bean dip/salsa
-deviled eggs
-bean or other dip with veggie sticks instead of crackers
-stuffed mushrooms with no bread crumbs (stuff them with a mixture of mushroom stems, gluten-free sausage, and herbs

If you want to bake something, Betty Crocker has 4 new GF mixes in most stores: yellow cake, devils food cake, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies.

Some of the above suggestions are really wonderful. Sweets are great, but your co-worker also has to eat -- we don't live on fruit and sugar. I find risotto is great. You could also make a gluten-free lasagna using dry brown rice noodles (Tinkyada makes great pasta), or twice-baked potatoes. Chili's a good one, as is a big pot of baked beans. There's so much, and so many great blogs you may wish to refer to (just google gluten-free recipes.)

It's quite thoughtful of you! Just remember to be super careful about cross-contamination, so wash everything (mixing bowls, baking pans, spoons, etc.) really, really well before you use it.

http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2009/11/salted-rosemary-almond-shortbread.html

a recipe for shortbread which uses almond flour

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ - has a lot of gluten free recipies including main dishes. She currently has a post about gluten free cookbooks on her site.

Good luck. You are being extremely thoughtful.

That is really thoughtful to accommodate to your co-workers' dietary restrictions. As a Celiac myself, I am always extremely grateful when someone makes that extra effort!

Twosavoie kindly mentioned my rosemary almond shortbread recipe and I have an entire blog dedicated to easy gluten free recipes - both sweet and savory - that might be of help.

Fig Galette:
http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2009/09/first-fall-galette.html

Pear and Almond Galette
http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2009/10/pear-galette-with-almond.html

Also these Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are always a hit for a crowd. Just make sure you buy "Gluten-Free" Oats.
http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2009/10/aunt-nitas-coconut-oatmeal-cookies.html

If you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a line.

Happy Holidays,
E

Hello,
My son, of all people, directed me to your website. I have been enjoying your posts for the last week. Great job!
Here is something that I posted today that you and others may enjoy.
Dave
http://www.newtaste.com/potatograin.html

That is very sweet of you to be thinking of your co-worker. However, it is very difficult to make things truly gluten-free as there are issues of cross contamination (both in ingredient production and in your kitchen). When my mother was diagnosed with celiac, she had to get rid of every plastic and wooden utensil that may have been contaminated. If you bake in your kitchen, flour gets everywhere. Of course, celiacs have different levels of sensitivity, but please do not be insulted if this person does not partake in what you bring. My mother has become sick off of people really trying and being gracious enough to try cooking gluten free.

One of my closest friends in college had celiac (imagine, no late night pizza!) and her FAV side dish was a mixture of corn, chopped green onion and diced red pepper. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Super easy, delicious, colorful, festive...and gluten free.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all of the suggestions. Now I might have a more difficult time looking through all of these great ideas and picking just one than I did trying to find a recipe in the first place! Regardless, I appreciate everything. Thanks so much!

As someone with Celiac I can tell you that your efforts will be greatly appreciated by your coworker. It is wonderful that you would do that for them and it will mean a great deal (it would to me).
May I suggest though that when you cook/bake for someone gluten free you are diligent to make sure none of your utensils, pans, cookware, serving-ware etc have gluten residue on them. If you bake Meringues for example be sure your mixing bowl is absolutely clean (which I am sure you would but I am just making a point) use parchment paper on the baking sheet.
Many people don't realize but gluten is stuck to bake-ware and especially in plastic bowls.