query_posts to list recent posts – problem

In the theme I am now using on my site, I’m using query_posts to recreate the loop to list my 10 latest posts in the sidebar. However, whilst making a new theme, this is giving me some problems. Because the sidebar in this new theme is on the left, so query_posts comes before the actual loop, all my post pages have 10 posts on them — single post, archives, all of them. I tried using this plugin, but I want the dates to show with the post titles and not having sufficient knowledge to edit the plugin, I’m now asking you for a possible solution, whether for the query_posts issue or editing the plugin (or perhaps you can point me in the direction of another plugin). Thanks in advance.