Picnic Recipes Delicious, quick and easy entertaining outside. Check out the Picnic Tips and Safety Guidelines for an enjoyable time. Tried and true recipes from my files. I have a back lanai that looks over the warm pond filled with ducks, beavers and an occassional swan or two. I take many meals on the road when we visit various gardens around Southern California. I always use two containers for a picnic- one for warm food and one for food to be kept cool.
Asparagus and New Potato Salad
1 pound fresh asparagus
4 slices bacon or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed or thinly sliced
2 cups red skin potatoes, balled with a melon baller or cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Toast or croutons (optional)
Snap off the bottom of each asparagus spear where it breaks. Discard the portion below the breaking point.
In heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain about half the fat from the pan. (If not using bacon, heat the olive oil in the skillet.)
Add garlic and potatoes to the skillet, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown and medium soft, about 3 minutes.
Leave asparagus whole, or cut diagonally into 1- to 1 1/2-inch slices. Add asparagus, salt and pepper to the pan. Cover for 1 minute, adjust seasonings and crumble bacon over top. If it is too crunchy, simmer for another minute or two.
Garnish with cut-up toast or croutons, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Asian Chicken Salad
2 chicken breasts, cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons for dressing)
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
l/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 package ramen soup noodles, crumbled
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup oil (can reduce to 1/2 cup)
1 package of seasoning from noodle soup mix
Mix chicken, onions, celery, cabbage and pineapple. About 30 minutes before serving, add sesame seeds, almonds and noodles. Toss to combine.
Combine all dressing ingredients and add to salad just before serving. Serve with hard rolls and fruit.
Makes 4 generous servings.
Sylvia's Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Recipe Introduction Sylvia's Restaurant, NYC My first introduction to American Soul Food, was up in Sylvia's wayyyyyy uptown from 7th ave. Perry Ellis loved to go there for a break during hectic times- good home cooking.
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned black-eyed peas
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
In a large bowl, combine the black-eyed peas, green pepper, celery, and both onions.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Pour the dressing over the beans. Toss. Let stand overnight for the flavors to meld.
Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Hobo Pack of New Potatoes, Spinach and Pearl Onions
12 new potatoes, about the size of golf balls
24 pearl onions, skin on, both ends trimmed
1/2 lb. spinach, well-washed
1/4 C. coarsely chopped fresh sage
1/3 C. olive oil
1 t. red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Heavy-duty aluminum foil, for wrapping
Toss all ingredients together gently.
Tear off four sheets of foil, each about 2 feet long, and stack them. Arrange the vegetables in the center of the top sheet and season with salt and pepper.
Fold up the foil around the vegetables, one sheet at a time, turning the package one quarter turn between sheets and making sure each sheet is well sealed around the vegetables. Place the hobo pack on the bottom of the grill off to one side, pile coals up around it and cook for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the intensity of the heat from the coals.
Serves: 6.
Baked Beans with Coca-Cola
One of my favorite recipes gleaned from living in Atlanta, everything is better with coke! Either in the food or with the food.
Two 28-oz. cans B&M Original Baked Beans
1/2 pack bacon slices.
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. dry mustard
1 bottle chili sauce
1 T. prepared mustard
1 (scant) T. vinegar
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 small bottle Coca-Cola (or less)
Take 1/2 the onion and 1/2 the bacon ( chopped ) and saute till onion is clear, drain fat.. Add rest of ingredients, Mix well. Place extra bacon strips on top. Bake uncovered, approximately 1 hour or more at 375°F.
Lemon Balsamic Rosemary Skewered Vegetables
1 medium to large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium to large yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch slices
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and tops removed
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
Salt and pepper
16 stems fresh rosemary, 6 to 8-inch lengths
Preheat grill pan over high heat.
Combine zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes in a bowl. Dress veggies with lemon, vinegar and oil, salt and pepper. Wet rosemary in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Thread veggies on rosemary from the bottom of the stems. Fill rosemary stems and place them on the hot grill. Cook 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving plate.
Yield: 4 servings
Grilled Vegetable Fajitas With Chipolte Cream
1/3 C. sour cream
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 t. minced chipolte peppers in adobo sauce
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
2 T. olive oil
1/2 to 1 t. Mexican seasoning
1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise
8 10-inch flour tortillas
1/4 t. salt
1/2 C. chunky salsa
For chipolte cream, in a small bowl combine sour cream, cilantro and chipolte peppers; set aside.
Halve bell peppers lengthwise; discard stems, membranes and seeds. Combine olive oil and Mexican seasoning; lightly brush cut sides of bell peppers, onion and eggplant with oil mixture. (Or, place vegetables in a heavy-duty, large plastic bag; add oil mixture. Close bag; shake to coat vegetables.)
Grill vegetables, cut sides up, on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals until tender, turning occasionally. (Or, use a grill wok.) Allow 8 to 12 minutes for eggplant and bell peppers and 12 to 14 minutes for onion. Remove vegetables from grill; cool until easy to handle.
Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil. Place tortillas on grill rack directly over coals. Grill about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Cut bell peppers until thin strips. Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Separate onion into rings. Place all vegetables in a large serving bowl; toss lightly with salt. Serve vegetables in warm tortillas with chipolte cream and salsa.
Makes 4 servings.
Bacon Wrapped Corn-on-the-Cob
8 ears sweet corn
8 bacon strips
2 T. chili powder or Old Bay seasoning mix.
Wrap each ear of corn with bacon strip. Place each one on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle with chili powder.
Grilled Spicy Beef Ribbons
1 lb. Rump roast, trimmed
Marinade:
1 cup Cilantro - finely chopped
1 T. Fresh ginger root - peeled and minced
4 Cloves garlic - minced
4 T. Sesame oil
2 T. Chili sauce - hot
2 T. Soy sauce
1 T. Rice vinegar
1 Whole lime - juiced
pinch Sugar --optional
8 Skewers
Cut beef into long strips, about 1/8 inch thick. Mix remaining ingredients.
Add beef strips to bowl and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. If marinating overnight to take to picnic area, place in plastic bag, put in freezer overnight. Take out of freezer and keep chilled prior to bbq'ing.
Weave 1 or more strips of beef on each skewer.
Grill or broil, turning occasionally (2 to 3 minutes each side) or until desired doneness.
Grilled Steaks with Blue Cheese and Chilies
This is one of my favorite recipes — it's great for a last-minute dinner. The classic combination of blue cheese and steak is updated with a kick of jalapeño chiles.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 1-inch-thick beef tenderloin steaks (about 6 ounces each)
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded red or green jalapeño chiles
1 shallot, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Instructions:
Combine olive oil, 2 teaspoons parsley, and garlic in 8x8x2-inch glass dish. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to dish and turn to coat. Marinate steaks 30 minutes or cover and chill up to 1 day. Mix cream cheese, blue cheese, chiles, shallot, vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon parsley in medium bowl. Season blue cheese topping to taste with salt and pepper. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place steaks on grill rack (some marinade should still cling to meat). Cook 5 minutes. Turn steaks over. Divide blue cheese topping among steaks. Grill until topping softens and steaks are medium-rare, about 5 minutes longer.
Makes 6 servings.
Maile's Huli huli Chicken with Honey Lime Glaze
1 sm chicken (2-3 pounds)
3 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme, fresh
1 salt
1 pepper
Honey Lime Glaze:
1 c honey
1 c shoyu (soy sauce)
1 c lime juice
4 ts brown sugar
Instructions:
Rub the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper and garlic. Place the
thyme under the skin and in the cavities. Place chicken on the spit and
cook over very hot coals, or cut chicken in half and cook on hibachi. Baste
with Honey Lime Glaze every few minutes.
HONEY LIME GLAZE: Place in sauce
pot and bring to boil. Remove from heat and use as basting sauce for huli
huli chicken.
NOTES : On almost any Saturday driving around one of the Hawaiian Islands
you can smell the delicious aroma of Huli Huli Chicken as it roasts over
keawe charcoal. It's a favorite fund raiser and is traditionally cooked on
raised Hibachi-like grills lined up in a great long line. Just follow your
nose and direct the car toward the spiraling smoke clouds! The usual price
is $3.00 for one-half roasted chicken. Buy several, pick up some cold soda
and sushi at the local convenience store and head for the beach!
you can try this recipe! E hele mai oukou e ai! (Come and eat!)
If you'd prefer, you can roast the chicken in a preheated 325*F. oven, basting often, for 1 1/2 hours.
Apple Honey Glazed Chicken
1/3 C. apple jelly
1 t. honey
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
4 chicken breasts
Heat grill. In small bowl combine all ingredients except chicken, blend well. When ready to barbecue oil grill rack. Brush chicken with apple mixture, place on gas grill over medium heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with apple mixture.
Note: I usually prepare the marinade in a plastic resealable bag. Squish to mix ingredients then add chicken. Refrigerate overnight- take to the picnic site if grilling there in the plastic bag- in ice chest.
Freeze the bag of chicken and marinade, thaw in refrigerator before grilling.
Ice Berry Spice Tea
3 tea bags
3 C. boiling water
1/3 C. sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
15 whole cloves
1 1/2 C. cranberry juice *
3 lemon slices, for garnish
Pour boiling water over tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes and strain; discard bags. Add sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Cover and let stand until cool.
Add juice. Serve over crushed ice.
Note:
Tea: I use constant comment tea for a spicy accent or one of celestial seasonings flavored teas.
For picnics I use the frozen concentrate cranberry juice. I keep it in the can semi- frozen till ready to serve the tea. This keeps the tea cold and the slushy cranberry juice is refreshing.
Almond-Strawberry Shortcake Stars
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 (7 oz.) roll almond paste, grated
1/4 C. heavy cream
Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt into a food processor or large bowl. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or with a pastry cutter and bowl, cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly.
Mix in the grated almond paste completely with the flour, until the mixture has the texture of instant oatmeal. Pour int he heavy cream and process, or mix with a spoon, until the shortcake forms a ball.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work table and knead one minute. Roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness; cut into stars or circles as desired, and lay on the baking sheet. Gather up leftover dough and re-roll, to cut out more stars. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until done and slightly golden around the tips.
Makes 13 stars, about 3 1/2 inches across.
Take a bowl of fresh berries macerated in vanilla and sugar to top these stars. I use a mixture of fresh blue berries, strawberries and raspberries for 4th of July and Patriotic Picnic meals. Doesn't hurt top top it off with ice cream made at the picnic or a can of ready whipped topping.