Need ideas: Picnic food

[lorilei]

Ah, joy and rapture! Good friends of ours are coming from out of town to spend the weekend with us. :) It's a happy thing!

If weather permits, we're planning to picnic on the lakefront on July 3rd. We'll go camp out sometime in the afternoon, and then stay for the evening fireworks.

Now -- the question is... what should we pack for lunch/dinner? We can bring a grill, so grilled food is an option. But we'd have to be careful about what we brought, since it will spend at least a few hours sitting in a cooler, possibly in the sun.

I'd LIKE to stay away from the traditional hamburgers and brats... but I don't want to get too fussy about things. I also don't want to spend a ton of time with prep work, since we'd rather spend our time with our friends.

Right now, I'm thinking I'll make fruit salad... hummus... maybe a vinegar-based potato salad. But I'm running out of inspiration.

Anybody have any fun ideas?

[little_bopeep]

Perhaps kebabs that you can assemble ahead of time and grill? That and pitas would go well with your hummus and potato salad, no?

[KathrynY]

I've made this recipe (below) for picnics a couple of times, and it had good reviews in the recipe finder. One reviewer suggested using raspberry vinegar, which I think I might try next time. It's really quick to assemble too, and would go nicely with pitas & hummus, potato salad and fruit. :)

Chicken Salad with Green Beans and Toasted Walnuts

Serve this herbed main-dish salad with pita bread to reduce the overall calories from fat to less than 30%.

4 cups (1-inch) cut green beans (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped ready-to-eat roasted skinned, boned chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steam beans, covered, 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.
Combine beans, chicken, parsley, nuts, and mint in a large bowl. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Pour over bean mixture; stir well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 146 (36% from fat); FAT 5.9g (satfat 1g, monofat 2.6g,polyfat 2g); PROTEIN 16.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 8.6g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; IRON 1.5mg; SODIUM 446mg; CALCIUM 59mg;

Cooking Light, JUNE 1999

[rosie_one]

Kebabs is a good idea. this thread (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59188&highlight=kebabs) had a lot of ideas.

I also love fruit on picnics. How about fruit and cheese with a loaf of crusty bread? Really easy and kind of elegant too.

[lorilei]

Mmm. Yes. Fruit and cheese :) I don't know why that slipped my mind.

And kebabs are a great idea! I'll definitely check out the suggested thread.

Kathryn - THat chicken salad recipe looks outstanding. I can probably serve that for lunch sometime over the weekend, even if we don't bring it on the picnic...

Thanks for getting my brain jogged. I was really drawing a blank there for a moment!!

[Linda in MO]

This is really good. Make sure to marinate over-night for the most flavor.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken

Recipe By : LHJ online
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken For the Grill
Main Dish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (I used ground chipotle)
2 chickens (3 to 3 1/2 lbs. each), cut up
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Combine buttermilk, ginger, garlic, cumin, salt and red pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Place chicken in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling. Heat grill. Remove chicken from marinade; grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Source:
"posted by Terrytx"

NOTES : I trimmed all the excess fat and only left a small amount of skin on the chicken. Used ground chipotle instead of cayenne.

***************************

I've been wanting to try this one...

* Exported from MasterCook *

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Recipe By :Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pasta Salad

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 small eggplant -- peeled and 3/4-inch
diced
1 red bell pepper -- 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper -- 1-inch diced
1 red onion -- peeled and 1-inch
diced
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta
For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To assemble:
4 scallions -- minced (white and
green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis -- toasted
3/4 pound good feta -- 1/2-inch diced (not
crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves -- cut into julienne

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

[CrystalB]

How about some stuffed grape leaves to go along with the hummus and pitas? Add a tabbouleh salad and a cucumber/yogert dip and you would have a very refreshing spread.

[swquilts]

Don't forget the WINE!! :cool: :D

[lorilei]

Definitely wine... though I have to be sure not to forget totally about the kids dining with us :) Some juice and such is also on the menu!

I really like the kebab idea -- maybe kebabs with fruit, cheese, some sort of bread (maybe pitas or bible bread), a salad of sorts. It all sounds good to me.

I might even make some of those luscious brownies for dessert :)

[seannasad2k]

The current Eating Well has an entire article on kebabs.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by seannasad2k
The current Eating Well has an entire article on kebabs.

Wouldn't you know it?

I let my subscription lapse (lack of funds at the time).

I might just have to get my BUTT OUT THERE and find a copy. I'm sure what they're featuring is LOVELY stuff.

[TerriS]

A "picnic sandwich" or "pressed sandwich" would be yummy. Martha Stewart has a good recipe. Focaccia, meats, cheeses, roasted red peppers...yum.

I like pasta or orzo salads on picnics. I did a green bean salad for a picnic recently that was good. And above all you must have bread, cheeses, hummus, pita, veggies, dip. I like the kebab and the buttermilk grilled chicken ideas too.

[Chocolate Rose]

Here's a sandwich that I like to take on picnics. It would be really great with some fruit and a bottle of wine and the brownies you're considering making.:D
It's great because you do make it ahead of time and just need to take a knife to cut it into wedges when you're ready to serve. It's vegetarian but I'm sure that you could add any type of meat if you wanted. And, it looks impressive.


* Exported from MasterCook *

California Layered Loaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sandwiches, Wraps, & Pizzas

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1 pound round sourdough rye bread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 cup romaine lettuce, torn in bite-size pieces
2 medium tomatoes -- thinly sliced
1 small avocado -- thinly sliced
1 small red onion -- thinly sliced
10 stuffed green olives -- thinly sliced
4 ounces cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese -- thinly sliced
1/2 cup cucumber -- sliced
1/4 cup green pepper -- finely chopped
1 8 oz. can mandarin oranges -- drained well

Carefully slice off top 1/3 of bread. Scoop out inside of bread and lid, leaving a 1/2 to 1 inch shell. In a small bowl combine mayonnaise and mustard. Spread evenly on inside of bread and lid. Inside the bread, layer half the lettuce, tomato and avocado. Top with the onion and olives. Then add half the cheese. Top with the cucumber and green pepper. Next layer the remaining avocado, topped with the orange sections. Top with remaining cheese, remaining tomato, and remaining lettuce. Replace lid and secure edges with toothpicks. Wrap bread tightly and chill several hours. Place something heavy on bread to compress layers. (A plate topped with three 1-pound cans works well.) Remove toothpicks and cut bread into wedges to serve.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : This is great to take on picnics. It travels well.

[JaneStarr]

I haven't tried either of these recipes yet, but they both looked appealing in the library's new issue of Gourmet. I made a photocopy of them to input into MC, but then I found them on the web-site (with photo included).
Let me know if anybody tries either or both of these.

Jane

* Exported from MasterCook *

Tahini Chicken Salad

Recipe By :Gourmet Magazine, July 2004, pg 115, Gourmet Entertains
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 chicken breast halves with skin and bones -- (4 to 4 1/2 lb total)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup tahini -- well-stirred, Middle Eastern sesame paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves -- chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound sugar snap peas -- trimmed
1 red bell pepper -- cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1/4 cup sesame seeds -- toasted

This salad is so much lighter and fresher-tasting than mayonnaise-based versions. It gets crispy sweetness from sugar snaps and peppers and nuttiness from tahini. Keep in mind that tahini can turn rancid rather quickly (even in unopened cans, in our experience). We recommend buying it from a place with a high turnover, such as a Middle Eastern market or a natural foods store.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Rub chicken with oil in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and sprinkle with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Roast chicken until just cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes.

While chicken roasts, blend tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.


Blanch sugar snaps in a 2-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and drain well.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and discard. Remove meat from bones in large pieces, discarding bones, then pull meat into 1/3-inch-wide strips and transfer to a large bowl. Add sugar snaps, bell pepper, and dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cooks' notes:
• Chicken salad (without sugar snaps and sesame seeds) can be made 1 day ahead. Add sugar snaps and sesame seeds just before serving and thin dressing with warm water as needed.
• Sugar snaps can be blanched 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels.

Online Review:
3/4 Forks
A Cook on 06/27/04
I'm always looking for a good chicken salad recipe so I made this in the afternoon and ate it in the evening. It was good, but I am interested to see if the flavors will develop overnight. I skipped the chicken part of the recipe as I already had shredded chicken I made in the crock pot. I also added celery for more crunch


Source:
"http://food.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=109640"
S(Formatted by):
"JaneStarr in CT"
Copyright:
"Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc."
Start to Finish Time:
"2:00"
T(Active Time):
"0:30"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 512 Calories; 35g Fat (60.9% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 93mg Cholesterol; 836mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 4 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Serving Ideas : Serve with Gourmet's "Balsamic Zucchini" from same article


Nutr. Assoc. : 900324 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 904373 0 0

[JaneStarr]

* Exported from MasterCook *

Balsamic Zucchini

Recipe By :Gourmet Magazine, July 2004, pg 115, Gourmet Entertains
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 lb medium zucchini -- cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup pine nuts (1 oz) -- toasted and finely chopped

Preheat broiler.

Toss zucchini with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange zucchini in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (1 inch deep)

Broil 1 pan of zucchini 3 to 5 inches from heat, without turning, until browned in spots and beginning to soften, 4 to 6 minutes.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinegar over broiled zucchini and shake pan a few times, then continue to broil until most of vinegar is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over broiled zucchini and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute more.

Cook remaining pan of zucchini in same manner. Cool to room temperature and serve sprinkled with pine nuts.


Cooks' note:
Balsamic zucchini (without pine nuts) can be made 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature or chilled, covered. Sprinkle with pine nuts just before serving.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Reviews:
Rated 3/4 Forks

A Cook from Palo Alto, CA on 06/28/04
I made this for an afternoon lunch and it was a hit. Very easy and can be made ahead of time which I really like.

A Cook from Boston, MA on 06/25/04
So simple, quick and easy. I used zucchini, asparagus and red pepper and some grated Gouda. The extra step of drizzling the balsamic vinegar made this so much more interesting than regular roasted veggies w/evoo.


Source:
"http://food.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=109640"
S(Formatted by):
"JaneStarr in CT"
Copyright:
"Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc."
Start to Finish Time:
"0:45"
T(Active Time):
"0:20"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 82 Calories; 9g Fat (96.3% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 267mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.

Serving Ideas : Serve with Gourmet's "Tahini Chicken Salad" from same article


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Holly in KC]

This may be a strange idea, but your idea of serving hummus got me to thinking: what better way to celebrate our independence day than to serve a truly international picnic - celebrating the diversity of our country. To the mediterranean pita/hummus, go italian and serve a caesar potato salad (or german with a mustard based salad). Add an asian noodle salad. Maybe some purchased Czech kolache's for dessert. You wanted to stay away from burgers, but they could add the "American" element. Just an idea.

[slawrence]

I just went to a cooking demo titled "An Italian Country Picnic". The food was scrumptious and I would be happy to post the recipes if there is interest. The menu was planned to be able to take cool from the frig and it would last, tasting great left out for awhile. It is fairly portable in my opinion as well. Hope this provides a bit of inspiration......

Grissini
Prosciutto-wrapped roasted asparagus w/ a balsamic reduction
Potato and leek frittata with basil pesto
Grilled vegetable sald w/ summer herbs
and for dessert, Summer fruits macerated in Moscato d'Asti served with ladyfingers.

Sue