Picnic Time

It’s the Perfect time for a Picnic!

Nothing says summertime like a great Picnic! Friends and family gathering together in the park, at a concert, on the deck or simply in the backyard is a great way to celebrate the fabulous foods of the season.

The main key to the perfect picnic is “No Muss No Fuss”. Keeping that in mind put your culinary skills at ease with a few quick, simple and delicious tips to planning a bit of summertime fun.

Gather the gang together, divvy of the menu list and embrace one of 2011’s top ten trends: the year of the Pot Luck!

Spreads and Schmears – served with a variety of flatbreads, ciabatta and foccacia

Pimento Cheese – a true southern classic
Recipe secret: combine sharp cheddar and white cheddar cheese with a dash of
Cayenne pepper, diced pimentos and a subtle amount of mayo
Jalapeno Egg Salad - chopped hard boiled eggs, Dijon mustard, thinly sliced celery,
dried jalapenos, black pepper and celery salt to taste
Creamy White Bean and Herb – cannellini beans with Vidalia onion, cream cheese,
lemon juice, chives, oregano and thyme
Ttzaki – Greek yogurt, lemon, cucumbers, garlic and dill says nothing but YUM!
Mortadella with Pistachio - Mortadella pulsed with mayonnaise, thyme, butter and balsamic vinegar makes this a picnic recipe must have

Simply Sensational Snacks

Parmesan and Herb Almonds – All natural whole almonds tossed in dried herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, toasted in the oven
Spicy Garbanzo Beans – Cayenne Pepper and Kosher Salt dusted chickpeas roasted in the oven

Seasonal Salads

Feta Slaw – shredded green cabbage, sliced green onions, crumbled Feta cheese, drizzled
with a champagne vinaigrette
Strawberries in Balsamic – quartered strawberries tossed with basil chiffonade, sliced
almonds and balsamic vinegar
Arborio Rice Salad - boiled arborio rice with lemon, olive oil, sliced cucumber and mint
New Age Relish Tray - with Marinated olives, Sweet Gerkins, Pickled cucumber & red
onion, spicy radish



Sweet Temptations

Blueberry Streusel Bars – fresh blueberries with lemon cream filling topped with
cinnamon brown sugar streusel
Rosemary Pine Nut Cookies – buttery shortbread cookies with flavorful rosemary and
toasted pine nuts



Good for the licking Chicken

Grilled Chicken Kabobs – grilled chicken tenders skewered with mushrooms and a peanut dipping sauce
Oven “Fried” Chicken - skin on buttermilk dipped chicken pieces rolled in cayenne pepper dusted flour and panko bread crumbs then oven baked for a crispy treat
Lemon Pepper Crusted Chicken Wings – heavily seasoned, grilled and served with a spicy Key Lime dipping sauce

For the Love of the Perfect Picnic – Keys to success

Keeping it real, fun and safe are the keys to your success.. Add a few of this tips to your adventure and you are paving the way to the perfect picnic fun.

Gather up some fresh mint sprigs to keep the bees at bay
Pack a bottle of bug spray to keep the critters from crawling up your sleeve
Freeze several bottles of water to keep your food chilled and drink them for later
When the sun is shining pack the sunscreen for you, yourself and others
Light some citronella candles for ambience as well as bug defense
Pack a few trash bags and zip lock bags for easy clean up
Don’t forget the all important Wine & Beer bottle opener
Keep it dry with a weatherproof blanket to keep moisture from the ground off your guests
Pack some paper towels for spills and clean up
Nothing says safe like a bit of hand sanitizer
Be earth friendly with some sustainable plate ware
Always be the hostess with the mostest with pretty linen napkins

Keep your picnic perfect with a ton of fun and always remember
Peace Love Food!