bounty in a basket - picnic · pdf file · 2008-07-15bounty in a basket: ......

BOUNTY IN A BASKET:

101 Foolproof Picnic Recipes from Picnic-Basket.com

Copyright © 2006 Picnic-Basket.com All rights reserved. This E-book is provided for personal use only. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

CONTENTS

Introduction 1 Recipes by Category 3 Menu 1: Autumn Harvest Celebration 5 Menu 2: City Park Picnic 13 Menu 3: Wine Lovers’ Grazing Menu 19 Menu 4: Tailgating Party 25 Menu 5: Romantic Picnic for Two 32 Menu 6: Southeast Asian Feast 39 Menu 7: French Riviera Splendor 48 Menu 8: Fishing by the Lake 54 Menu 9: A South-of-the-Border Cookout 62 Menu 10: Children’s Outdoor Party 69 Menu 11: Make-it-Fast Picnic 76 Menu 12: A Deep South Picnic 80 Menu 13: Vegetarians’ Revenge 87 Menu 14: Caribbean Flavors 94 Menu 15: A Ladies’ Outdoor Luncheon 102 Menu 16: All-American Fourth-of-July Barbeque 113 Menu 17: Beach Menu 120

INTRODUCTION

What are the ingredients that define the character and success of a picnic? First,

there’s the setting—a rustic picnic table by a glistening lake, a blanket spread on the

bluff of a hill, or folding chairs and tables set out in a churchyard, for example. Then

there’s the company, of course, and the occasion for the picnic. We at Picnic-

Basket.com believe the carrier itself, be it a handsome wicker basket or insulated pic-

nic tote, is an essential part of the mix. But perhaps trumping all the other parts of a

picnic is the food that will be pulled out of the basket for everyone to savor.

Just what makes picnic food picnic food? While there really aren’t any hard and fast

rules, a few guidelines apply. Picnic food very often means finger food, especially

when the picnickers will be sitting on the ground and even more especially when chil-

dren will be present. Sandwiches, fried chicken, fajitas, kebabs, and other self-

contained foods eliminate the need to cut with a knife and fork. Foods that are well

suited to outdoor eating taste good a room temperature, and don’t melt, deflate, or dis-

color quickly. They travel well, fitting in neat lidded containers within the picnic basket.

This is a cookbook of menus. Each is designed around a particular theme or regional

cuisine, or with a specific setting in mind. The themes range from informal, low-key

events like a beach picnic or tailgating party to upscale, gourmet meals (“Romantic Pic-

nic for Two”). Think of the menus as suggested groupings of dishes, and feel free to

mix and match as the whim strikes. The glazed brownies that cap off our City Park Pic-

nic, for example, will feel just as appropriate in the South-of-the-Border Cookout. And if

the list of recipe ideas for a particular menu calls for more kitchen time than you have

to spare, simply replace some of the dishes with store-bought versions. Will anyone

complain if you produce supermarket or made-from-a-mix brownies at the end of a pic-

nic? We doubt it. Let your own judgment, personal taste, and schedule be your guide.

For group picnics where there will be more than one cook in attendance, why not

Forks, knives, spoons, soupspoons

Wine glasses, Champagne flutes

Insect repellent

Serrated bread knife Corkscrew Citronella candles, punk sticks

Small paring knife Bottle opener Sunscreen

Small cutting board Plates, bowls Salt and pepper shakers

Serving spoons Napkins, wet naps Freezer packs

Cheese/dip spreaders Candles First-aid kit

Cups, acrylic glasses Matches Picnic blanket

choose a menu together and divvy up the cooking? We offer this cookbook free to any-

one who registers on our website, making it easy for groups to access to the same

recipes. And unlike a potluck, where the selection of dishes that show up is random,

every menu from this cookbook ensures your group a picnic spread designed with vari-

ety and harmony in mind.

A cookout or barbeque is, in a sense, a type of picnic, and we’ve included in this cook-

book several menus that require or benefit from on-site cooking. The All-American

Fourth-of-July Barbeque, which features homemade burgers, is an example. Other

meals are completely make-ahead.

What essential non-edibles should you take to a picnic? The list will vary with the set-

ting of the picnic and the foods served. Here, however, is a comprehensive list of eve-

rything you might want to have along. Cut out the list and store it in your picnic basket

to have for easy reference.

Picnic-Basket.com’s Picnic Packing Checklist

We hope you enjoy using this cookbook and its 101 picnic recipes as much as we’ve

enjoyed producing it. When you find yourself needing a new picnic basket, wine tote,

or other picnic supplies, please remember the unparalleled selection and value offered

on Picnic-Basket.com. Happy picknicking!

2

RECIPES BY CATEGORY

Meat, chicken, and fish main dishes Campfire Fish, 55 Cold Fried Chicken, 81 Cold Maple Pork Loin, 6 Cold Roast Beef, 34 Crowd-Pleasing Chicken Fingers, 71 Fireworks Burgers, 114 Full-Throttle Baby Back Ribs, 26 Jerk Pork, 95 Lemony Ginger Shrimp, 21 Lobster Salad, 33 Picnic Lamb Chops, 14 Roast Leg of Lamb, 107 Sweet and Smoky Chicken Wings, 27 Tequila-Spiked Beef Fajitas, 63 Thai Grilled Chicken, 40 Salads and vegetable side dishes Aloo Gobi (Indian Potatoes and Cauliflower), 89 Arugula, Endive, and Dried Cranberries, 78 Asparagus with Raspberry Dressing, 110 Avocado Salad, 66 Classic Ratatouille, 50 Collards with a Kick, 82 Creamy Potato Salad, 117 Easy Broccoli Slaw with Pistachios, 116 Fennel with Mushrooms, Shaved Parmesan, and Truffle Oil, 36 Goat Cheese with Golden Beets and Baby Let-tuces, 16 Herb-Marinated Tomatoes, 123 Jamaican Cole Slaw, 97 Mushroom Kebabs, 57 Piquant Broccoli-Zucchini Salad, 44 Sautéed Apples and Onions, 7 Sultry Moroccan Eggplant, 11 Bean side dishes Mediterranean White Beans with Rosemary and Capers, 52 Mexican Black Bean Salad, 65 Three-Bean Salad, 30 Eggs Mushroom Quiche, 106 Tarragon-Chive Deviled Eggs, 17

Soups Chilled Mexican Tomato Soup, 88 Strawberry Soup, 103 Bites and hors d’oeuvres Almond-Paste-Stuffed Dates, 93 Banana-Peanut Butter Bites, 72 Fiesta Dip, 28 Irresistible Spiced Almonds, 20 Mozzarella-and-Cherry-Tomato Bites, 73 Shrimp Summer Rolls, 42 Pastas and grains Greek Couscous with Oregano Vinaigrette, 108 Jasmine Rice Salad, 45 Nutty Barley Salad, 90 Oceanside Seafood Salad, 121 Spicy Sesame Noodles, 15 Two-Step Pasta Salad with Feta, 58 Sandwiches and breads Pan Bagnat with Tuna, 49 Critterwiches, 70 Curried Chicken Salad Wraps, 77 Fresh-Corn Cornbread, 83 German Weck Rolls, 8 Grilled Garlic Bread, 56 Open-Face Tea Sandwiches with Cucumber and Dill Butter, 104 Spill-Proof Ham Pitas, 121 Sauces and condiments Authentic Salsa, 64 Dill Butter, 105 Dry Jerk Seasoning, 98 Green Tomato Relish, 84 Homemade Onion Relish, 115 Horseradish Sauce, 55 Island Crab Spread, 99 Jalapeño Butter, 29 Oregano Vinaigrette, 109 Pineapple Salsa, 96 Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise, 90 Smoked Salmon Spread with Dill, 22 Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, 43 Tangy Thai Dipping Sauce, 41 Tapenade, 23

3

RECIPES BY CATEGORY continued

Baked desserts “Babe Ruth” Bar Cookies, 31 Candybar Cupcakes, 75 Chocolate-Walnut Meringues, 111 Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake with Rasp-berries, 37 Everybody’s Favorite Lemon Bars, 92 Glazed Espresso Brownies, 18 Ladies’ Lunch Amaretto Cake, 112 Made-from-Scratch Fruit Tart, 53 No-Sand Pecan Sandies, 125 Not-Your-Everyday S’mores, 60 Oatmeal Cookies, 61 Pastel Tres Leches (Three Milks Cake), 68 Patriotic Trifle, 118 Peach Upside-Down Cake, 86 Pear Tarte Tatin, 12 Fresh fruit desserts Fruit with Lemon Ginger Cream, 79 Grilled Pineapple Rings, 119 Mango Slices with Lime and Salt, 101 Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar, 24 Tropical Fruit Salad, 46 Drinks Cherry Limeade, 59 Coconutty Rum Punch, 100 Cranberry Iced Tea, 124 Horchata, 67 Sangria, 91 Southern Iced Tea, 85 Vietnamese Iced Coffee, 47 Wormy Bug Juice, 74

4

Menu 1:

AUTUMN HARVEST CELEBRATION

There is something about cooler tempera-

tures and crisp air that stimulates the ap-

petite, especially after months of high heat

and humidity. Autumn, we think, is one of

the best seasons for eating outdoors.

This is the picnic you might pack when

your family’s off for a day of apple-picking

in Vermont, or to follow an October hike in

Colorado. Our Autumn Harvest Celebra-

tion makes use of several foods that are

at their best in fall: apples, pears, egg-

plant, and so on. For the kids, serve apple

cider, and for the adults, hard cider.

The components of this menu can be

eaten separately, the pork smeared with

the garlic mayo, for example, and the rolls

on the side. Even better, though, will be a

sandwich made with the pork, apple-onion

mixture, and garlic mayo on salty weck

rolls.

For added warmth, a plush picnic blanket like

our plaid Cozy Picnic Blanket, which comes

with its own carrier, is just the thing.

MENU

Make: Cold Maple Pork Loin

Sautéed Apples and Onions

German Weck Rolls

Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

Sultry Moroccan Eggplant

Pear Tarte Tatin Buy: Apple cider and/or

Hard cider

5

Cozy Picnic Blanket and Carrier

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Cozy-Picnic-Blanket-Carrier_p_0-117.html




Autumn Harvest Celebration

COLD MAPLE PORK LOIN

Serves 10

1 (5-pound) pork loin 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/3 cup real maple syrup 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup brown sugar

Place the roast into a large resealable bag.

In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, vinegar,

maple syrup, cornstarch, and brown sugar. Pour into

the bag with the roast. Seal, and turn to coat. Refriger-

ate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.

Place the roast into a roasting pan or large Dutch oven,

and pour the marinade over it. Cover pan with alumi-

num foil or lid and roast for 1 hour. Uncover and con-

tinue roasting until the top is browned and a meat ther-

mometer registers at least 150˚F. Let pork rest 10 min-

utes before carving.

B C D E

Even though maple syrup is harvested in late spring, its flavor is one people tend to associ-

ate with autumn. Maybe it’s because autumn is when the maple-syrup-producing regions of

northeastern U.S. and southern Canada are at their most picturesque.

6


SAUTÉED APPLES AND ONIONS

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter 2 apples, peeled, cored, halved, and cut into half-rounds 2 yellow onions, sliced into rings 1 tablespoon cider vine-gar 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium-low heat.

Add the apples and cook until they begin to soften,

about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onions,

salt the entire dish, and sauté another 3 minutes. Add

the vinegar, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water and con-

tinue to cook, stirring constantly, until a sauce has

formed and the apples and onions are very tender.

7


GERMAN WECK ROLLS

Makes 16 rolls

2 tablespoons active dry yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons shorten-ing 2 teaspoons salt 7 cups bread flour 3 egg whites, beaten until stiff, plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon cold milk 1 cup ice cubes 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 2 1/2 cups

warm (110˚ F) water. Let stand until creamy, about 10

minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the

shortening, salt, and 3 cups flour; beat well for 2 min-

utes. Fold in the stiff egg whites. Stir in the remaining

flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a

lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and sup-

ple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the

dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with

a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled

in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, cover, and let rise again until dou-

bled, about 45 minutes. (Continued on next page.)

B C D

In Buffalo, New York, beef-on-weck is a local specialty. Pork-on-weck gives Buffalo’s iconic

sandwich a run for its money! These old-fashioned rolls do require several risings, so plan

accordingly.

8


GERMAN WECK ROLLS continued

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide the dough into 16

equal pieces and form into rounds. Use a rolling pin to flatten each piece into a 7-inch

circle. Fold left side to center to form a flap. Halfway down flap fold again to center to

form another flap. Repeat all the way around to make overlapping flaps. Lift the first flap

to ease the last flap underneath. Press center to seal the dough. Place rolls seam side

down and 3 inches apart on well-greased baking sheets. Let rise 30 minutes, turn right

side up, and let rise 15 more minutes. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until

doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425˚ F and place a

shallow pan on the bottom shelf of the oven.

In a small bowl, beat together the milk with the remaining egg white. Lightly brush the

rolls with this egg wash. Combine the coarse salt, poppy seeds, and caraway seeds and

sprinkle the spices over the washed rolls.

Place 1 cup of ice cubes in the heated pan in oven. Transfer baking sheets to the oven

and bake rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool rolls on wire racks to cool.

E F G

9


ROASTED GARLIC MAYONNAISE

Makes 1 cup

1 head garlic 1 cup mayonnaise

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and place it in the

oven. Cook 30–40 minutes, until garlic feels soft and

squishy to the touch. Let garlic cool to warm, then

squeeze the garlic paste from 3 cloves into the mayon-

naise. Beat mayonnaise with a fork until homogenous. Taste, and add more garlic if desired. Reserve leftover

roasted garlic for another use.

B C

10


SULTRY MOROCCAN EGGPLANT

Serves 4

2 large eggplants, about 1 pound each 1 cup diced green bell peppers 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted and ground 3 cloves garlic, mashed 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 500˚F.

Pierce eggplant in several places and bake until skin is

charred, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove eggplant from

oven, place in paper bag, and let cool. Remove and

discard skin. Cut pulp into cubes about 1-inch in size.

In a sealable container, mix together the eggplant, bell

peppers, olive oil, sesame seeds, garlic, mint, salt, pep-

per, and paprika. Refrigerate until ready to pack.

B C D

Here’s a decidedly exotic eggplant dish. To make it less ethnic or to please timid taste buds,

eliminate the mint.

11


PEAR TARTE TATIN

Serves 8-10

10 tablespoons butter at room temperature 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons dark rum 4–5 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/3 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup plus 2 table-spoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking pow-der 1/2 pint whipping cream


Butter a 10-inch, deep-dish pie plate with 1 1/2 table-

spoons of the butter. Sprinkle bottom of dish with 2/3

cup of the sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons rum.

Arrange pear slices in concentric circles.

Bake until pears are lightly caramelized and very ten-

der, about 1 hour. Remove pie plate from oven and

reduce oven temperature to 375˚F.

Cream remaining 8 1/2 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup

sugar, 1 tablespoon rum, lemon zest, cardamom, and

salt and mix until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Fold in flour and baking powder. Spoon batter evenly

over pears.

Bake 25–30 minutes and immediately invert cake onto

platter. Use a spatula to scrape out any caramel re-

maining in the pie plate and spread it over pears.

Whip cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to soft

peaks. Serve pear tarte at room temperature with a

dollop of whipped cream.

B C D E F G

Tarte tatin, an upside-down cake, is traditionally made with apples. But pears are at their

peak in autumn (unlike apples, fine specimens of which are available year-round), so this is

the season to cook with them.

12

Menu 2:

CITY PARK PICNIC

Picnicking in a city, whether in a grand

park like Manhattan’s Central Park or on

the rooftop of an apartment building,

offers urban dwellers a chance to con-

nect with the great outdoors. On-site,

outdoor cooking can be a challenge in

cities, either for practical or legal rea-

sons; with that in mind, we’ve limited

this menu to dishes that can be made

ahead, then transported in a picnic bas-

ket or cooler. It’s an eclectically global

feast sure to satisfy the most urbane

palate. Our Eclipse Picnic Basket for

Two has an edgy, cosmopolitan flair

perfect for this picnic.

MENU

Make: Picnic Lamb Chops

Spicy Sesame Noodles

Goat Cheese with Golden Beets and

Baby Lettuces

Tarragon-Chive Deviled Eggs

Glazed Espresso Brownies Suggested wine: Riesling from Alsace or New Zealand

13

Eclipse Picnic Basket for Two

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Eclipse-Picnic-Basket-for-Two_p_0-64.html



City Park Picnic

PICNIC LAMB CHOPS Serves 4

1 egg 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 3 tablespoons fine unsea-soned dried breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons sesame seeds 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 8 rib lamb chops, trimmed of excess fat 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In bowl, beat together the egg, mustard, salt, and

pepper.

On a plate, combine the breadcrumbs and sesame

seeds.

Place the flour on another plate.

Coat each chop with flour, shaking off any excess.

Follow by dipping it in the egg mixture and then

coat with the breadcrumbs, using fingers to press

on firmly.

Refrigerate chops for 15 minutes.

Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over medium-

high heat. Cook lamb chops in batches until crispy

and golden, about 5 minutes on each side.

B C D E F G

14

City Park Picnic

SPICY SESAME NOODLES Serves 6

2 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter 3 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 2 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or cider vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 pound Asian egg noodles (not ultra-thin) or spaghetti 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

In a blender, combine the peanut butter, sesame

oil, soy sauce, 1/3cup water, garlic, ginger, vinegar,

sugar, and chili flakes. Blend until smooth.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the

noodles until they’re al dente. Drain.

While the noodles are cooking, toast sesame

seeds in a dry sauté pan until they’re golden, shak-

ing the pan frequently, about 5 minutes.

Toss the noodles with the peanut butter-sesame

sauce. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

B C D E

If you’ve ever ordered cold sesame noodles in a Chinese restaurant, what you were served

was probably very similar to the noodles we present here. They are delicious warm, chilled,

or at room temperature.

15

City Park Picnic

GOAT CHEESE WITH GOLDEN BEETS AND BABY LETTUCES Serves 4

3 large golden or orange beets 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ tablespoon sugar ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 8 ounces crumbled goat cheese 2 cups baby lettuces (also called “mesclun”)


Rub peels all over with vegetable oil, sprinkle with

salt, then wrap individually in aluminum foil. Roast

in oven on a baking sheet for 1 hour, until tender

when pierced with the tip of a knife. When cool

enough to handle, remove the beets’ skins, which

should slip right off. Cut beets into slices about 1/4-

inch thick.

Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the vine-

gar, mustard, sugar, and olive oil.

Place beets in your transportable container. Drizzle

vinaigrette over beets and turn slices to coat them

well. Distribute the crumbled goat cheese over the

dressed beets and the baby lettuces over the

cheese.

B C D E

Goat cheese and beets are a classic pairing; the sweetness of the beets and the tanginess

of the goat cheese balance each other so well.

16

City Park Picnic

TARRAGON-CHIVE DEVILED EGGS Makes 12 deviled eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and more as necessary 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon minced onion 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 2 teaspoons minced chives

Peel the eggs and cut each in half lengthwise.

Carefully scoop out the yolks and mash them in a

small bowl. Add to the mashed yolks the mayon-

naise, mustard, onion, tarragon, and chives. Stuff

yolk mixture into whites. Refrigerate until ready to

assemble picnic basket.

17

City Park Picnic

GLAZED ESPRESSO BROWNIES Makes about 12 brownies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 ounces unsweetened bak-ing chocolate 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup white sugar 1 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (set three sticks out to soften) 1 tablespoon instant es-presso or coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8” x 8” pan.

In medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking

soda.

Melt baking chocolate in a double boiler. Allow to cool

10 minutes.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, blend brown and white

sugars with an electric mixer. Add 2 sticks butter and

mix to form a grainy paste. To the sugar-butter mixture

add the dissolved coffee and melted chocolate. Beat at

medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and extracts

and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and 1 cup of

the chocolate chips and blend at low speed just until

combined. Do not overwork.

Pour batter into greased baking pan. Bake 35–40 min-

utes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out

clean. Place pan on a cooling rack and cook for 15 min-

utes. Invert brownies onto the rack.

To make the glaze, melt together the remaining 1/2 cup

chocolate chips and 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon but-

ter in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Spoon the

glaze over the brownies. Sprinkle with almonds.

Let glaze and brownies cool completely before cutting

into bars.

B C D E F G H

These glazed brownies ask a bit more effort of the cook than their box-mix cousins, but they’re

well worth the effort. Undercurrents of mocha make them a bit sophisticated.

18

Menu 3:

WINE LOVERS’ GRAZING MENU

Whether the occasion is a pre-concert lawn

picnic or a romantic riverside date, wine

makes the event that much more special.

At Picnic-Basket.com, we offer a wide se-

lection of single-bottle and multiple-bottle

insulated wine totes. Choose foods that are

delicate in flavor, like cheese, fruit, shell-

fish, and olives. The menu we’ve put to-

gether here does just that. When choosing

the wines, go for a selection of varietals,

one bottle for every two people. Any white,

rosé, or sparkling wine will do well with this

menu. Red wines will work too, though

stick with light-bodied, fruity reds such as

Beaujolais Nouveau and Gamay from

southern France. To pair with the cheeses,

consider splurging on a luscious, syrupy

dessert wine like Tokaji, Sauternes, or a

small-batch ice wine.

Because this picnic involves two forms of

seafood, be sure the food stays chilled dur-

ing transit, either by packing ice packs into

your picnic basket or using an insulated

picnic cooler like our Sherwood Picnic

Cooler for Four.

MENU

Make: Irresistible Spiced Almonds

Lemony Ginger Shrimp

Smoked Salmon Spread with Dill

Tapenade

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar Buy: Selection of cheeses

Crusty bread

19

Sherwood Picnic Cooler for Four

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Sherwood-Picnic-Cooler-for-Four_p_0-179.html




Wine Lovers’ Grazing Menu

IRRESISTIBLE SPICED ALMONDS Makes 3 cups almonds

1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoons ground all-spice 1/4 teaspoons ground nut-meg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pep-per 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 large egg white 3 cups whole unsalted al-monds


Combine the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg,

cayenne, and salt in a small bowl.

In another bowl, beat the egg white until it’s frothy.

Add the almonds and toss until coated. Pour the

spices over the almonds; toss.

Spread almonds on a greased baking sheet in a

single layer. Bake for 1 hour. Cool slightly, then

break apart. Cool completely and store in an air-

tight container.

B C D E

Sweet, salty, and with just a hint of heat, these almonds go well with so many picnic foods.

They’re also a welcome addition to any cocktail party buffet.

20


LEMONY GINGER SHRIMP Makes 45 shrimp

1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined Special equipment: skewers

In a blender or food processor, combine the vege-

table oil, sesame oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, gin-

ger, cilantro, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for basting.

Pour the remaining marinade into a container, add

shrimp, and stir to coat all shrimp well. Cover and

refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto

skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near

the head. Discard marinade.

Lightly oil grill grate. Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes

per side, or until opaque, basting with reserved

marinade while cooking. Eat hot off the grill or at

room temperature. Shrimp will be easier to pack in

a picnic basket if they are first removed from their

skewers.

B C D

21


SMOKED SALMON SPREAD WITH DILL Serves 9

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 12 ounces smoked salmon, chopped 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce 3 drops hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

In a medium bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer,

beat cream cheese until it is no longer in a hard

form. Add salmon, Worcestershire sauce, hot pep-

per sauce, dill, and onion; mix well. Refrigerate un-

til picnic time.

22


TAPENADE Makes about 3/4 cup

20 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon rinsed, drained, and chopped capers 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional) Fresh cracked black pepper

Combine olives, capers, lemon juice, olive oil, an-

chovy paste if using, and pepper. Mix well. Refrig-

erate at least 2 hours before serving.

Tapenade is a black-olive spread from the south of France, where it is used most often as a

condiment. Olives and wine have a natural affinity for one another.

23


STRAWBERRIES WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR Serves 6

16 ounces fresh strawber-ries, hulled and large berries cut in half 2 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar (use aged balsamic vinegar if you have it) 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle vinegar over

strawberries, and sprinkle with sugar. Stir gently to

combine. Cover, and let sit at room temperature for

at least 1 hour but not more than 4 hours. Just be-

fore the container goes in the picnic basket, grind

pepper over berries.

Balsamic vinegar has an uncanny ability to heighten the sweetness and depth of flavor in

strawberries. This recipe proves that unfussy, simple preparations are often the most sub-

lime.

24

Menu 4:

TAILGATING PARTY

Tailgating before the big game? This is the

messy, sports-fan-friendly food everyone will

love: juicy ribs, spicy chicken wings, and

plenty of sides to round out the menu. The

baby back ribs are par-cooked at home in the

oven, meaning you’ll only need to grill them

for about 15 minutes at the tailgating party.

The chicken wings, however, will need to be

on the grill for about 45 minutes total.

There are several reliable methods for grilling

corn. Our favorite is this: peel back the outer

husks without detaching them from the cob,

remove the silky threads, then recover the

corn with the husks. Place ears on the grill

and grill, rotating every few minutes, until corn

husks are charred and kernels are tender. The

husks will provide a barrier between the corn

and the dry heat of the fire, which keeps the

corn juicy. Enjoy the grilled corn naked, or

slathered with the spicy Jalapeño Butter that

appears in this section.

Nothing will complement this stadium-side

menu better than cold beer and soda. Take

plenty of napkins!

MENU

Make: Full-Throttle Baby Back Ribs

Sweet and Smoky Chicken Wings

Fiesta Dip

Jalapeño Butter

Three-Bean Salad

“Babe Ruth” Bar Cookies Buy: Corn on the cob

Tortilla chips

25

Tailgating Party

FULL-THROTTLE BABY BACK RIBS Serves 8

6 cups pineapple juice 3 cups brown sugar 3 tablespoons mustard pow-der 2/3 cup ketchup 2/3 cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon ground ginger 8 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pep-per 4 pounds baby back pork ribs (about 2 full racks), cut into individual ribs 1 (18-ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

In a large nonreactive baking dish, mix together the

pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard powder,

ketchup, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce,

cloves, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Place

ribs in the marinade. Cover dish and refrigerate,

turning every few hours, for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 275˚F. Cook ribs in marinade for

90 minutes, flipping occasionally to ensure even

cooking. Let cool. At this point, ribs can be stored

in the refrigerator in a covered container until picnic

time, but for no longer than 2 days.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil grate. Grill ribs for 15 to 20 minutes,

basting with barbecue sauce, and turning fre-

quently until nicely glazed.

B C D E

These ribs are tenderized in a zesty marinade for hours, partially cooked in a low oven, then

finished on the grill.

26

Tailgating Party

SWEET AND SMOKY CHICKEN WINGS Serves 8

1 cup teriyaki sauce 2 cup oyster sauce 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 3 tablespoons garlic powder 1/2 cup gin 4 dashes liquid smoke fla-voring 1 cup sugar 3 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips dis-carded 1/2 cup honey

In a large bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce, oyster

sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, gin, liq-

uid smoke, and sugar. Place the chicken wings in

the bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 8

hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill for low heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange chicken on the

grill, and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken

wings on one side for 20 minutes, then turn and

brush with honey. Continue grilling 25 minutes, or

until juices run clear.

B C D

Some uncommon barbeque ingredients turn up in this recipe, notably gin. Try these wings

once and we think you’ll agree that they are pretty special.

27

Tailgating Party

FIESTA DIP Serves 12

1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans 4 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 1 cup salsa 1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped scallions

Heat a large skillet. Add ground beef to skillet and

cook until browned, stirring frequently. Drain beef in

a colander and cool to room temperature.

Spread the beans in the bottom of a 9” x 13” cov-

ered container that is about 1 1/2 inches deep.

Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheese on top of

beans. Sprinkle beef on top of cheese. Spread sour

cream very slowly on top of beef. Pour salsa over

sour cream and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining

shredded cheese. Sprinkle black olives, tomatoes,

and green onions on top. Refrigerate until picnic

time. Serve with tortilla chips.

B C

This is our rendition of the seven-layer dip that always vanishes quickly at Superbowl par-

ties. Think of it as nachos to go!

28

Tailgating Party

JALAPEÑO BUTTER Makes 1 stick butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and

fluffy. Beat in the jalapeños, then the cumin. Refrig-

erate in a covered container until ready to use.

The piquant, earthy flavors of this compound butter play beautifully with corn’s natural

sweetness. The same butter is delicious on our Fresh-Corn Cornbread.

29

Tailgating Party

THREE-BEAN SALAD Serves 10-12

2 cups cut green beans 2 cups dark red kidney beans (or 15 oz. can) 2 cups garbanzo beans (or 15 oz. can) 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook green

beans just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes, then

drain and run under cold water.

Drain canned beans and rinse. Toss green beans,

kidney beans, and garbanzo beans with onion and

bell pepper.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and

white pepper. Pour vinaigrette over the beans. Chill

at least 4 hours before serving. Flavor improves

with overnight marinating.

B C D

30

Tailgating Party

“BABE RUTH” BAR COOKIES Makes 18 bars

1 cup peanut butter 1 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 6 cups Cornflakes cereal 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2/3 cup lightly salted peanuts

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine

the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and

white sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until

smooth. Remove pan from heat and quickly stir in

the cereal, chocolate chips, and peanuts until all

pieces are evenly coated. Press the entire mixture

gently into a buttered 9”x13” baking dish. Allow to

cool completely before cutting into bars.

We pay tribute to an American sports great with these cookies, which are inspired by the

candy bar of the same name. And parents take note: kids adore these candy-like cookies.

31

Menu 5:

ROMANTIC PICNIC FOR TWO

From kiddie fare we move full circle to

elegant, gourmet dishes designed to

stimulate deep conversation and plein-

air romance. If nothing else, the dishes

here prove that their cook went to

lengths to create a memorable meal.

We’ve pulled out all the stops, both in

terms of budget and diet. Our romantic

date food uses lobster, real Parmigiano-

Reggiano cheese, truffle oil, chocolate,

and strawberries. No one-site cooking is

required.

To really do this picnic justice, consider

drinking a Champagne, Italian

prosecco, or other sparkling wine. Pic-

nic-Basket.com’s charming wicker

Champagne Basket comes with non-

breakable champagne flutes and is just

the thing to carry your Champagne in

style.

MENU

Make: Lobster Salad Cold Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce

Fennel with Mushrooms, Shaved Parmesan,

and Truffle Oil

Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake with

Raspberries

Buy: Baguette

Suggested wine:

Champagne or prosecco

32

Champagne Basket

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Champagne-Basket_p_0-237.html



Romantic Picnic for Two

LOBSTER SALAD Serves 2

1 pound lobster meat 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped dill Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1/2 lemon 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon malt vinegar 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Season-ing Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix everything together in a bowl. Adjust seasoning

to taste.

33


COLD ROAST BEEF WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE Serves 10-12

1 (4–6-pound) beef eye round roast Salt and pepper Horseradish Sauce (see rec-ipe below)


Put roast on a rack set in a roasting pan. Sprinkle

meat all over with salt and pepper. Add about 1/4

water to the roasting pan.

Put roast in oven and immediately reduce tempera-

ture to 350˚F. Cook 10–12 minutes per pound of

beef, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the

middle reads 120˚F for rare meat, 130˚F for me-

dium-rare, and 140˚F for well-done meat.

Let meat rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with Horseradish Sauce.

B C D E

34


HORSERADISH SAUCE Makes 1/2 cup

1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 scallions, finely chopped 2 teaspoons prepared horse-radish

Combine all ingredients in small container. Cover

and refrigerate.

35


FENNEL WITH MUSHROOMS, SHAVED PARMESAN, AND TRUFFLE OIL

Serves 2

1 teaspoons white truffle oil 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 bulb fennel, fronds re-moved and thinly sliced (with a mandoline if you own one) 5 ounces enoki mushrooms or other mushrooms 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt

Whisk together the truffle oil, olive oil, lemon juice,

and mustard. Hold vinaigrette aside.

Arrange fennel slices in a single layer in a wide,

flat-bottomed container. Scatter clusters of enoki

mushrooms over fennel. Drizzle vinaigrette over

fennel and mushrooms and gently toss to coat.

Shave cheese over fennel and mushrooms and

finish dish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

B C

The flavor of truffles is earthy, woodsy, and for some, an acquired taste. If you like wild

mushrooms, you’re bound to appreciate truffles. The oil is very expensive—truffles are rare

and highly prized in Europe—but a small $20 bottle will last years.

36


DECADENT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRIES

Serves 12

1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs 1 cup plus 2 table-spoons sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla ex-tract Raspberries to garnish

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring-

form pan.

In a small bowl, mix together chocolate wafer crumbs, 2

tablespoons of the sugar, and melted butter. Press

onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inch up the sides of the pre-

pared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Reduce

oven temperature to 325˚F.

In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the whipping

cream and 1/4 cup chocolate chips, stirring constantly,

until chips are melted. Remove pan from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of

sugar until smooth. Add cocoa and beat well. Add eggs

and beat on low until just blended. Stir in 1 teaspoon of

the vanilla and reserved chocolate mixture until

blended. Pour over crust. Bake at 325˚F for 45 to 50

minutes or until center is almost set. (Continued on

next page.)

B C D E

Chocolate is unsurpassed in its ability to convey passion and indulgence. What’s wonderful

about this cheesecake is that it’s not too sweet; the tang of the cream-cheese filling is a foil

for the chocolate. Buy the best-quality chocolate chips you can find and afford; they’ll really

make a difference.

37


DECADENT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRIES continued

To make topping, heat remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream and remaining 1 teaspoon

vanilla in a small, heavy saucepan until cream is steamy with small bubbles around the

edges of the pan. Stir constantly and do not let it come to a boil. Place remaining 1 1/2

cups chocolate chips ready in a small bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir with

a spoon until smooth. Spread chocolate topping over baked cheesecake and refrigerate

overnight.

Pack 2 or more slices of cheesecake in a container, garnished with the raspberries.

F G

38

Menu 6:

SOUTHEAST ASIAN FEAST

The foods of southeast Asia—think

Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singa-

pore—make ideal picnic food. These

cuisines are light and sprightly, with in-

teresting interplay between sweet, salty,

bitter, and sour flavors.

A Thai grilled chicken is the star of the

menu, and it can be grilled at the picnic

spot or cooked at home and then en-

joyed at room temperature. It’s a fairly

long menu; certainly, one where the

work will go faster if divided between a

few cooks. This way of eating is typical

of southeast Asia, where a bountiful,

eye-pleasing spread of proffered dishes

is always equated with good hospitality.

A white wine that stands up to spiced

foods is a good bet here. We recom-

mend a Sauvignon Blanc. The ultra-

sweet Vietnamese Iced Coffee will go

best at the very end of the picnic, along

with the Tropical Fruit Salad. Tote the

whole picnic in comfortable style with

our Hamptons Picnic Backpack for

Four.

MENU

Make: Thai Grilled Chicken with Tangy Thai Dipping

Sauce

Shrimp Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Dip-

ping Sauce

Piquant Broccoli-Zucchini Salad

Jasmine Rice Salad

Tropical Fruit Salad

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Recommended wine:

Sauvignon Blanc

39

Hamptons Picnic Backpack for Four

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Hamptons-Picnic-Backpack-for-Four_p_0-87.html



Southeast Asian Feast

THAI GRILLED CHICKEN Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro roots 8 large cloves garlic, minced 3 shallots, minced 2 teaspoons white pepper-corns, freshly ground 1 tablespoon ground corian-der 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder 2-3 tablespoons Thai or Viet-namese fish sauce, to taste 2 teaspoons sugar 1 large roasting chicken, cut into pieces, 6 whole chicken legs 1/2 cup coconut milk

Using a heavy mortar and pestle, pound cilantro

roots, garlic, and shallots to a paste. Add the

ground white pepper, coriander, and curry powder.

Stir and pound to blend the dry and wet ingredi-

ents. Add the fish sauce and sugar. Stir well to dis-

solve the sugar.

Trim off excess fat around the edges of chicken

pieces, leaving the skin on. Rub paste onto the sur-

face of the chicken and under the skin. Marinate 2

hours or overnight.

Preheat a grill for medium.

Lightly oil the grates of the grill and place the

chicken pieces on the grill, reserving marinade.

Turn chicken frequently to prevent charring and

burning.

Add coconut milk to the marinade; stir. Baste

chicken with this mixture after each turning. Grill

until cooked through, 20–25 minutes total. Serve

with Tangy Thai Dipping Sauce (see recipe below).

B C D E F

This recipe is impressively authentic, and calls for an ingredient not found in most American

kitchens: fish sauce. Fish sauce, made from fermented anchovies, is absolutely indispensa-

ble to the famous cooking of southeast Asia. It is sold in all Asian markets. And while fer-

mented anchovies might not sound terribly appetizing, we guarantee that you won’t detect

any strange flavors in the finished chicken.

40


TANGY THAI DIPPING SAUCE Makes about 1 cup sauce

5 dried whole small red chil-ies 4–6 large cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup white vinegar Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime 3 tablespoons fish sauce 1/3–1/2 cup sugar, to taste A few cilantro leaves and/or a 1-inch section of scallion, chopped (optional)

Cut the stem tip off the dried chilies and place in a

bowl. Add tap water to cover. Soak until softened,

30 minutes, and then chop.

With a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a

paste. Add the chopped chilies. Pound well to

blend. Add the vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, and

sugar. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Adjust flavors so

that the sauce has a good balance of salty, sweet,

and sour tastes. Let sit for at least 15 minutes be-

fore serving. Just before packing in a picnic basket,

add the chopped cilantro and/or green onion if you

wish.

B C

41


SHRIMP SUMMER ROLLS Makes 24 half-rolls

4 ounces dried vermicelli noodles, cut into 6-inch lengths 12 round rice-paper wrap-pers 24 medium cooked shrimp, cut in half lengthwise 1 cup fresh mint leaves 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1 cup fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil 1 cup mung bean sprouts 1 cup matchstick-size strips seeded English cucumber 1 cup matchstick-size strips peeled carrots or jicama

Place vermicelli noodles in large bowl; add enough

hot water to cover. Let stand until softened, about

15 minutes. Drain. Hold aside.

Fill a wide, shallow bowl with warm water. Add a

rice-paper wrapper and turn until it begins to sof-

ten, about 30 seconds (sheet will still be stiff in a

few spots). Remove from water. Lay out on a tea

towel.

On the bottom third of the wrapper, arrange 4

shrimp halves, and a pinch (roughly 1/36) of each

of the other ingredients. Leave about a half an inch

free on the sides. Beginning with the bottom edge,

roll the sheet tightly over the filling. Fold in the ends

as you go. Cut roll on a sharp diagonal to make two

rolls. Place halves, seam side down, in a portable

container. Repeat with remaining rice-paper wrap-

pers. Use wax paper or plastic wrap between lay-

ers of summer rolls so that they don’t stick to each

other. Cover top layer with damp paper towel and

plastic wrap; chill. Serve with Spicy Peanut Dipping

Sauce (see below).

B C D

Summer rolls are as fun to look at as they are to eat: the bright pink of the shrimp and

greens of the herbs show through the translucent rice wrappers. They’re very healthy,

too, containing almost no fat. One cook we know brings a large platter of these rolls to

her annual neighborhood picnic, along with mini containers of dipping sauce.

42


SPICY PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE Makes about 1 cup, enough for 24 half summer rolls

1/4 cup tablespoons crunchy peanut butter 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons lime juice or rice wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (look for “siraccha” or “sambal” in an Asian market) or Tabasco

Heat peanut butter and hoisin in microwave or over

medium heat, stir together, and add hot sauce,

starting with 1/4 teaspoon and adding more to suit

your palate. Stir in water as needed to get the de-

sired consistency.

43


PIQUANT BROCCOLI-ZUCCHINI SALAD Serves 8

1 pound fresh broccoli, flo-

rets and stalks

1 medium zucchini, cut into

matchsticks

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro,

minced

3/4 teaspoon crushed red

pepper flakes

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 scallions, white and light

green sections finely

chopped

Cut the broccoli stalks into slices about 1/4-inch

thick.

Combine the broccoli florets, broccoli stalk slices,

and zucchini in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the shallots, garlic, cilan-

tro, and pepper flakes. Stir well and 1/4 cup water,

lime juice, and oil. Whisk to blend. Add dressing to

the vegetable mixture and toss gently.

Garnish salad with scallions.

B C D E

What makes this light vegetable salad southeast Asian in character is the garlic, cilantro, red

pepper flakes, and citrus.

44


JASMINE RICE SALAD Serves 4

3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 dash cayenne pepper 3 cups cooked jasmine or other long-grain rice 3 carrots, grated 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 5 tablespoons chopped ci-lantro 4 scallions, white and light green sections finely chopped Salt and pepper

Make a dressing by combining the fish sauce, lime

juice, oil, sugar, and cayenne in a nonreactive

bowl. Let dressing stand for 5 minutes to encour-

age the flavors blend.

Into the dressing, stir the rice, carrots, cucumbers,

cilantro, and scallions. Season rice salad to taste

with salt and pepper.

B C

Jasmine rice, a highly fragrant medium-grain white rice, is popular throughout southeast

Asia. If you can’t find it, substitute basmati rice.

45


TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD Serves 4

1 mango, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 papaya, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 Asian pear, quartered, cored, peel left on, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 kiwi, quartered and peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinna-mon

Combine mango, papaya, Asian pear, and kiwi in a

large bowl. Sprinkle with

sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat. Let stand at

room temperature until picnic time, or refrigerate if

salad is being made a day in advance.

With rare exception, baked desserts do not turn up after lunch or dinner in tropical Asia.

What is devoured in copious amounts, however, is fruit. Some of the most interesting and

sumptuous fruits are grown in this part of the world. This recipe uses fruits that are easy to

find in most U.S. supermarkets. If Asian pear is not available, use an apple in its place.

46


VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE Serves 4

1/2 cup dark roast ground coffee beans 1/2 cup sweetened con-densed milk Ice cubes

Brew coffee with 4 cups water using

your preferred method to make brewed

coffee.

Place the condensed milk into an insu-

lated container. Pour the hot coffee over

the milk, and stir to dissolve the milk. If

possible, serve ice cubes with the cof-

fee, and pour the room-temperature

coffee over the ice. If ice can’t be practi-

cably transported to your picnic destina-

tion, chill coffee in refrigerator and take

to picnic in a picnic cooler.

From the French, the Vietnamese inherited a yen for very strong coffee. Their contribution

has been to sweeten the coffee with condensed milk. The result is a heavenly confection

that’s far tastier than anything you’ll find at Starbucks. For transporting the coffee, we sug-

gest a thermos like our Kona Steel Thermos and Duffel.

B C

47

Menu 7:

FRENCH RIVIERA SPLENDOR

The cooking of Provence and the

French Riviera takes full advantage of

the agricultural bounty of the region. It’s

sun-drenched food with the same re-

laxed spirit as the good-natured people

who live in southern France. Packed in

our blue-and-white Provencal Picnic

Cooler, this picnic is picture-ready.

The reputation of rosé wine suffers un-

fairly in North America, where pink-hued

wines are usually cloyingly sweet. In

France, though, were rosé originated,

the style is dry, and the wine is always

served chilled. Travel to cities like Nice

and Marseille and you’ll spot pretty ca-

rafes of rosé on café tables everywhere.

For this picnic, seek out a rosé from

France or described on its label as dry

and French-style.

MENU

Make: Pan Bagnat with Tuna

Classic Ratatouille

Mediterranean White Beans with Rosemary and

Capers

Made-from-Scratch Fruit Tart

Buy: Crusty bread

Soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet

Grapes

Breakfast radishes

Suggested wine: French rosé

48

Provencal Picnic Cooler for Two

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Provencal-Picnic-Cooler-for-Two_p_33-99.html




French Riviera Splendor

PAN BAGNAT WITH TUNA Serves 6

2 cloves garlic 1/4 pint extra virgin olive oil 1 baguette or 6 crusty white bread rolls 1 cucumber, thinly sliced Crisp lettuce or curly endive leaves 3 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1 roasted red pepper 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 4 canned anchovy fillets, drained 6 ounces canned tuna in oil, drained and flaked 12 black olives, stoned and halved

Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a heavy

knife and place in a clean jar with the olive oil.

Cover jar and let stand for several hours or over-

night, shaking the jar occasionally.

If the baguette is very long, halve it, then split each

half horizontally. If using bread rolls, split into

halves. Hollow out the bread a bit by remove some

of the crumb from the inside. Brush each cut side

generously with the garlic-infused oil.

Layer the filling ingredients onto the sandwich

halves, beginning with the pepper or cucumber.

Top with the olives. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refriger-

ate and keep chilled until picnic time. If you’ve used

a baguette, cut each half into 3 pieces before serv-

ing.

B C D

“Pan bagnat” comes from the ancient Provencal language, a dialect spoken in southeast

France that’s more closely related to Latin than French. In its essence, a pan bagnat is a

Niçoise salad sandwich — tuna, vinaigrette, olives, and greens on a hollowed-out roll. Inevi-

tably, some of the sandwich’s filling falls out as it’s eaten; you’ll want an ample supply of

napkins when your picnic includes pan bagnat.

49


CLASSIC RATATOUILLE Serves 4

1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 3-inch-long pieces 1 pound zucchini, un-peeled and sliced into rounds 1/4 cup tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 pound yellow on-ions 2 garlic cloves 1 pound firm, ripe to-matoes 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper

Place the eggplant and zucchini in a bowl, cover with

water, and let rest for 30 minutes. Drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet with a

lid. Place the eggplant and zucchini in the skillet, sea-

son with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes,

shaking pan constantly. Transfer vegetables to a

bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in

the same skillet and cook onions for 10 minutes over

moderate heat. Stir in the garlic and add salt and

pepper. Hold pan off heat.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and immerse to-

matoes. Boil for 30 seconds. When cool enough to

handle, remove tomatoes’ skins. Cut into slices. Lay

them over the onions in the skillet. Cover and cook

over low heat for 5 minutes. Uncover. Baste toma-

toes with the juices in the skillet. Raise heat and boil

for several minutes until juice has almost entirely

evaporated. (Continued on next page).

B C D

The approach in southern France is to showcase the natural flavors of pristine ingredients,

rather than cloak them with a heavy sauce, as is the custom in other parts of the country. In

ratatouille, a centuries-old dish, Mediterranean vegetables are cooked briefly and seasoned

respectfully. The dish is always eaten at room temperature.

50


CLASSIC RATATOUILLE cont’d

Put a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsley, then arrange half of the egg-

plant and zucchini over the parsley. Follow with more tomatoes and

1 tablespoon of parsley. Finish with what’s left of the eggplant and

zucchini, tomatoes, and parsley.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, and sea-

son to taste with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook

uncovered for 15 minutes, baste the vegetables with their pan

juices several times.

E F

51


MEDITERRANEAN WHITE BEANS WITH ROSEMARY AND CAPERS

Serves 4

1 (16-ounce) can white navy or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed 1 (2 -ounce) jar pimientos 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vine-gar 2 tablespoons capers 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary Salt to taste 6 leaves Boston lettuce

Combine all the ingredients except the lettuce

leaves and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Depending on the saltiness of the capers, you

might not need additional salt. Refrigerate beans

until time to pack the picnic.

Line your portable container with the lettuce leaves.

Spoon the beans over the lettuce. Serve at room

temperature.

B C

Bean salads are always popular picnic fare. This one captures the bright, rustic flavors of

Provence especially well. It would be equally at home in a Spanish tapas menu.

52


MADE-FROM-SCRATCH FRUIT TART Serves 6

1/3 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon plus 2 tea-spoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter, cold 2 tablespoons ice water 1 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 cup orange juice 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 3/4 cup thinly sliced bananas 1 cup thinly sliced strawber-ries

For the crust, combine flours and 1 tablespoon of

the sugar. With a pastry beater or in a food proces-

sor, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse

crumbs. Sprinkle with ice water and toss until crum-

bly. Form dough into a ball, then flatten into a disc.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.


On a floured surface, roll dough out into a 10-inch

circle. Transfer circle to an ungreased baking sheet

by draping the dough over the rolling pin so it does-

n’t break. Use a fork to crimp the edge of the

dough. Prick all over with the tines.

Bake crust for 12–15 minutes or until lightly

browned. Cool on a rack.

For glaze, combine 2 teaspoons sugar and corn-

starch. Stir in orange juice. In a small, nonreactive

saucepan, cook the mixture until thickened and

bubbly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool.

Place crust on a serving plate. Arrange kiwi fruit in

the center, the bananas around the kiwi, and the

strawberries around the bananas. Spoon glaze

over fruit. Chill 1 hour.

B C D E F G

This glossy tart will be your picnic’s crowning glory: it’s lovely and absolutely delicious.

53

Menu 8:

FISHING BY THE LAKE

There’s an appealing primitiveness to

cooking the fish that one’s caught him-

self or herself. We developed this menu

for a fishing enthusiast and with a lake-

side picnic table in mind. Of course, you

could always buy the fish and grill it in

any setting. Picnic-Basket.com carries a

picnic basket designed for those who

love to fish: the Sporting Picnic Basket

in Fishing Theme comes with melamine

plates and mugs patterned with old-

fashioned fishing lures and spinners.

This menu makes full use of the grill. In

addition to the fish, you’ll use the grill to

cook garlic bread, mushroom kebabs,

and even dessert—that perennial camp-

fire favorite, s’mores.

A cherry limeade will delight your little

campers. In terms of alcoholic bever-

ages, either pale beer or wine is well-

suited to a fish grill. A light, taut pinot

grigio or pinot blanc would be a perfect

choice.

MENU

Make: Campfire Fish

Grilled Garlic Bread

Mushroom Kebabs

Two-Step Pasta Salad with Feta

Cherry Limeade

Not-Your-Everyday S’mores (with Oat-

meal Cookies)

Suggested wine: Pinot grigio or pinot blanc

54

Melamine plate and mug from Sporting Picnic Basket in Fishing Theme

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Tea-Baskets--Sporting-Picnic-Baskets-FishingTheme_p_0-234.html





Fishing by the Lake

CAMPFIRE FISH Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 clove garlic, minced

4 (6-ounce) fillets fish or 2

whole fish

1 lemon

Salt and pepper

At home, prepare the marinade for the fish. In a

closeable container, combine the mix the olive

oil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and garlic.

At the picnic site, brush the marinade on all sides

of the fish. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze its

juice over the fillets or whole fish. Let marinate

for 30 minutes.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil grill grate. Place fish on the grill and

cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Fish is

done when skin is crispy and the meat flakes

easily with a fork. Finish with a sprinkling of salt

and pepper.

B C D E

55

Fishing by the Lake

GRILLED GARLIC BREAD Makes 16-20 slices

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted but-ter 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large loaf Italian bread 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

At home, melt the butter in a small saucepan

over low heat. Add the minced garlic. Keep butter

over low heat for 20 minutes, then turn off heat

under pan. Stir in salt and let garlic butter sit 1

hour longer. Transfer to a lidded container and

refrigerate until it’s time to pack the picnic.

At the picnic site, slice the loaf of bread in half

lengthwise, making two long halves. Hold the

container with the garlic butter over the grill just

until it’s soft enough to spread. Use a butter knife

to spread the garlic butter on the cut sides of the

bread, then place bread buttered-side-down over

the grill. Grill until bread is golden brown with grill

marks, then flip bread and sprinkle with the Par-

mesan cheese. Grill just 2 minutes longer and

move bread to table. Cut each half into as many

slices as you’d like.

B C

For this toast, you’ll prepare a garlic-flavored butter at home. At the lake, the bread is

spread with the butter and Parmesan and grilled along with the fish.

56

Fishing by the Lake

MUSHROOM KEBABS Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 10 ounces fresh button mush-rooms, cleaned well 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares Special equipment: 4 skewers

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon

juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Place mushrooms and peppers in a picnic-

basket-friendly container, and pour flavored oil

over vegetables.

At the picnic site, thread mushrooms and pep-

pers on skewers.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Brush grate with

oil, and place kebobs on the grill. Baste fre-

quently with oil mixture from container. Grill for

about 4 to 6 minutes, or until mushrooms are ten-

der and thoroughly cooked.

B C D

57

Fishing by the Lake

TWO-STEP PASTA SALAD WITH FETA Serves 4

1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oreg-ano 3/4 teaspoon sugar 2 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni 15 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup sliced red bell peppers 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 1 (4-ounce) can whole black olives 3/4 cup sliced pepperoni, cut into strips

In a portable container, whisk together olive oil,

vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and sugar.

Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, red peppers, feta

cheese, olives, and pepperoni. Toss until evenly

coated. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

58

Fishing by the Lake

CHERRY LIMEADE Makes 12 servings

2 (12-fluid-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate 1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and juice reserved 1 lime

Into a large insulated thermos with tight-fitting lid,

pour both cans of limeade concentrate. Pour in

lemon-lime soda and reserved cherry juice.

Squeeze juice from lime into mixture, then slice

lime and add lime slices and cherries to thermos.

Stir well and add plenty of ice.

This limeade, an updated version of a Lime Rickey, is best when made no more than a few

hours ahead of time. If that’s not possible, choose another beverage for the picnic.

59

Fishing by the Lake

NOT-YOUR-EVERYDAY S’MORES Makes 12 s’mores

12 squares milk chocolate 24 large soft oatmeal cookies (store-bought or made from our recipe for Oatmeal Cook-ies) 12 large marshmallows Special equipment: metal skewers

Place 1 square chocolate on the flat side of 12 of

the cookies.

Skewer the marshmallows, and roast them over an

open flame or glowing embers, turning constantly,

until they are a golden brown all over.

Slide a warm marshmallow onto the chocolate and

top it with another cookie. Repeat. Let s’mores sit

for a minute to melt chocolate, and eat.

Instead of the traditional graham cracker, this s’more makes its home between a pair of oat-

meal cookies. The result is a more flavorful dessert, and because the cookies are pliable,

these s’mores are easier to eat.

B C D

60

Fishing by the Lake

OATMEAL COOKIES Makes about 5 dozen

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together brown sugar, shortening or butter,

and granulated sugar. Add 1/4 cup water, egg, and

vanilla. Beat well. Add oats, flour, salt, and baking

soda and mix well.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto un-

greased cookie sheets.

Bake 11–13 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Store tightly covered.

B C D E

61

Menu 9:

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER COOKOUT

It’d be a shame to wait until Cinco de Mayo

to make this great spread of vibrant Tex-Mex

dishes. The main dish is beef fajitas: a well-

marinated skirt steak is grilled to perfection,

then stuffed into tortillas and garnished with

homemade salsa, sour cream, shredded

cheese, lettuce, or whatever fajita condi-

ments your group prefers. If it will be impossi-

ble to grill where you’ll be picknicking, make

the beef ahead of time and bring it along.

For a nonalcoholic drink, we’ve suggested

horchata, a sweet beverage made from rice

that’s popular throughout Spain and Mexico.

For dessert, an authentic Pastel Tres

Leches—“Three-Milk Cake”—is easy to

transport and needs no ice cream to sparkle.

The spicy notes of these dishes go best with

a light beer like Corona.

Our thoughtful Catalina Picnic Basket

comes with place settings, a cutting board,

salt and pepper shakers, and air-tight con-

tainers, among other amenities. It’d be a

0perfect choice for your South-of-the-

Border picnic.

MENU

Make: Tequila-Spiked Beef Fajitas

Authentic Salsa

Mexican Black Bean Salad

Avocado Salad

Horchata

Pastel Tres Leches (Three Milks Cake) Buy: Corn or flour tortillas

Garnishes for fajitas: sour cream, hot sauce,

shredded lettuce, shredded cheese or crum-

bled queso fresco

62

Catalina Picnic Basket in Rose

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Catalina-Picnic-Basket-Rose-Edition_p_0-245.html



South-of-the-Border Cookout

TEQUILA-SPIKED BEEF FAJITAS Serves 6

2 pounds skirt steaks, cut into

pieces that will fit on the grill

3 garlic cloves, peeled and

mashed

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup tequila

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons

vegetable oil

1 large white onion, sliced

into thin crescents

3 bell peppers (any color), cut into strips

Place the meat in a nonreactive bowl or baking

pan.

Mix the garlic, lime juice, cumin, tequila, salt, and

1/3 cup vegetable oil. Pour over the meat and mari-

nate for 2 hours.

Heat the grill for medium-high heat.

Remove the meat from the marinade and grill until

cooked through, about 20 minutes. Do not allow

meat to dry by overcooking. Cut the grilled meat

into strips and serve with pepper and onion mix-

ture.

Fit a perforated tray designed to grill small items

over the grill. Brush the onions and peppers with

marinade used for the meat and grill on tray until

crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Warm tortillas on the grill before serving as part of

fajitas.

B C D E F G

63


AUTHENTIC SALSA Makes about 5 cups

1 pound diced ripe toma-toes (about 4 cups) 1/2 cup chopped white on-ion 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves 4 large fresh serranos or jalapeños, finely chopped (discard seeds for a milder heat) 1/2 cup ice water Salt to taste Lime juice to taste

In a portable container, mix together the tomatoes,

onion, cilantro, peppers, and ice water. Add salt

and lime juice to taste. Don't over-stir: the salsa

should not become mushy.

When it comes to salsa, using fresh ingredients makes such a difference: there’s no re-

semblance between this pico de gallo and bottled imitations. Use fewer or more chile pep-

pers for a mild or extra-hot salsa.

64


MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SALAD Serves 8

2 small jalapeños 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 cup olive oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon ground cumin Salt and freshly ground pep-per, to taste 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed 1 cup chopped red onion 6 plum tomatoes, chopped 2 cups cooked corn Juice of 1 lime

In food processor, mince jalapeños and garlic. With

motor running, add parsley, cilantro, oil, vinegar,

cumin, salt, and pepper. Hold dressing aside.

In a large portable container, combine beans, red

onion, tomatoes, corn, and lime juice. Pour dress-

ing over salad; toss well to combine. Refrigerate

until it’s time to pack the picnic.

B C

65


AVOCADO SALAD Serves 6

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 large ripe tomato, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilan-tro Juice of 1/2 lime Salt and pepper to taste 1 Romaine lettuce heart, chopped or torn into bite-size pieces

In a medium bowl, combine avocados, onion, bell

pepper, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Gently toss

until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Make a bed of lettuce in a serving dish or portable

container. Spoon avocado mixture over lettuce.

B C

If you’ve worked with avocadoes, you know that their meat begins to brown within 30 min-

utes of exposure to the air. Guacamole, as a result, would not be the best choice for a pic-

nic. However, in this salad the avocadoes are bathed in a few tablespoons of lime juice,

which retards the oxidation process. Any discoloration that does occur does not indicate that

the salad has turned.

66


HORCHATA Serves 6-7

6 tablespoons rice 6 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) blanched almonds 1-inch cinnamon stick Three 2-inch strips of lime zest (rind only, not the white pithy part) 1 cup sugar

Pulverize the rice in a blender, getting a mixture

that’s as close to a coarse rice flour as possible. To

the blender add the almonds, cinnamon, and lime

zest. Let this mixture stand 6 hours to overnight.

Return the blender jar to the blender base and

process the ingredients for 3–5 minutes, until the

mixture is smooth and no longer has a gritty tex-

ture. Add 2 cups of water and blend again for just a

few seconds.

Place a large sieve over a mixing bowl and line the

sieve with three layers of damp cheesecloth.

Strain the rice mixture through the sieve a little at a

time, stirring to help the mixture go through the

sieve. Once all the liquid has passed through to the

bowl, gather the cloth together at the top, give it a

twist, and squeeze out any additional liquid.

Now add 2 more cups of water and stir in as much

sugar as you'd like, to taste. If the mixture is too

thick, add more water. Cover and refrigerate. Hor-

chata keeps several days, refrigerated.

B C D E

67


PASTEL TRES LECHES (THREE MILKS CAKE) Serves 12

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted but-ter 1 cup sugar 5 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla ex-tract 2 cups whole milk 1 (12-fluid-ounce) can evapo-rated milk 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/2 teaspoon ground cinna-mon Pinch ground cloves


Grease and flour a 9” x 13” baking pan or Bundt

pan.

Sift flour and baking powder together and set

aside.

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add

eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Beat

well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 table-

spoons at a time, mixing until blended. Pour batter

into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes and let cool completely on a

wire rack. Pierce top of cake all over with the tines

of a fork.

Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, and con-

densed milk together. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves,

and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour milk mix-

ture over the top of the cake. Refrigerate cake until

picnic time.

B C D E F G G

Sticky-moist and sweet with every bite, this cake might remind you of a holiday rum cake.

And, in fact, a few tablespoons of spiced rum added to the milk mixture would be an inter-

esting variation to try!

68

Menu 10:

CHILDREN’S OUTDOOR PARTY

When it comes to make healthy food ap-

peal to kids, many parents find that the

trick is finding and exploiting the “fun fac-

tor.” Take our Critterwiches: they’re noth-

ing more than sandwiches brought to life

with the help of animal-shaped cookie

cutters. Or Wormy Bug Juice, a truly

gross concoction that will have your little

one squealing in delight.

Another theme in this selection of easy

dishes is finger foods. No silverware what-

soever is needed. And the menu man-

ages to hit on all the important food

groups—grains, protein, dairy, fruits, and

vegetables.

This menu would lend itself well to a chil-

dren’s birthday party or school picnic. Let

your kids help prepare the food (the can

skewer the tomatoes and mozzarella balls

on cocktail picks, for example), and get

them involved in packing the picnic bas-

ket. Picnic-Basket.com’s extensive selec-

tion even smaller baskets scaled for chil-

dren, like Emma Bridgewater’s Peter Cot-

tontail-themed basket.

MENU

Make: Critterwiches

Crowd-Pleasing Chicken Fingers

Banana-Peanut Butter Bites

Mozzarella-and-Cherry-Tomato Bites

Wormy Bug Juice

Candybar Cupcakes Buy: Pretzel rods

69

Baby/Child’s Picnic Basket

http://www.picnic-basket.com/BabyChilds-Picnic-Basket_p_0-226.html




Children’s Outdoor Party

CRITTERWICHES Makes 10 sandwiches

20 slices sandwich bread Assorted sandwich fillings of your choice, such as peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese and jelly, American cheese and mayonnaise, bologna and cheese, and tuna salad Cake decorator’s colored gel Special equipment: Animal-shaped cookie cutters

Make 10 sandwiches. Use the cookie cutters to cut

out animal shapes. With the cake gel, add eyes.

70


CROWD-PLEASING CHICKEN FINGERS Serves 8

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 quart buttermilk 1 egg 2 teaspoons garlic powder, to taste 1/4 cup lemon-pepper sea-soning, to taste 1 pint cooking oil 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided 3 teaspoons salt, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons black pep-per, divided

Rinse chicken under cold water. Pat dry with paper

towels. Cut chicken into small strips, each about the

size of finger.

Pour buttermilk into a large, non-reactive container;

add egg and whisk until mixture is homogenous.

Whisk in garlic powder and lemon-pepper seasoning.

Add chicken pieces to buttermilk mixture and stir to

coat all pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate

overnight.

When ready to cook, pour enough oil into a heavy skil-

let to cover chicken pieces halfway. Heat oil to 375˚F.

While oil is heating, mix 1 cup flour with 1 teaspoon of

the salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Remove

chicken pieces from marinade and dredge in dry in-

gredients to coat, replenishing dry ingredients neces-

sary.

Fry chicken in hot oil until well browned; turn and re-

peat, cooking on second side until done. Remove

chicken fingers to platter or cookie sheet lined with

paper towels to absorb excess grease. Sprinkle gen-

erously with salt immediately. Let chicken fingers cool

completely before putting them in a closed container.

Kids adore chicken fingers (and any food shaped like a finger, for that matter), but this rec-

ipe isn’t for kids alone. It works as a cocktail-party hors d’oeuvres or as a take-along for an

adult picnic. A simple honey-mustard dipping sauce is all that’s needed to transform them

into more elegant fare.

B C D E F

71


BANANA-PEANUT BUTTER BITES Makes about 15 bites

3 bananas 3 tablespoons peanut butter 3 teaspoons sunflower seeds

Peel the bananas and cut them in half lengthwise.

Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter along each

banana bottom half, then sprinkle sunflower seeds

over the peanut butter. Place top half of banana

over bottom and cut each banana into about 5 2-

inch sections. Use frilly toothpicks to stabilize each

bite.

72


MOZZARELLA-AND-CHERRY-TOMATO BITES Makes 40 bites

20 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini), about 1/2 pound total 1/2 teaspoon salt 40 cherry tomatoes 40 basil leaves (from about 1 large bunch), washed and dried thoroughly 40 cocktail picks

Halve the mozzarella balls and place in bowl. Sea-

son with the salt.

Skewer 1 mozzarella ball half, 1 basil leaf, and 1

cherry tomato on each cocktail pick. Serve imme-

diately, or refrigerate the picks for up to 2 hours.

B C

73


WORMY BUG JUICE Makes 12 servings

3 pounds strawberries, ei-ther fresh or frozen-and-thawed 12 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate 2 quarts ginger ale 12 gummy worms

Place the strawberries in a bowl and mash with a fork.

In a large insulated thermos (or two smaller ones),

blend the strawberry mash, lemonade, and ginger ale.

Close tightly to retain carbonation.

To serve, put a gummy worm in the bottom of each

cup and pour bug juice over candy.

Ew, gross! There’s a worm in my cup! Minus the gummy worms, the sparkling strawberry

lemonade is a yummy thirst quencher that picnickers of all ages will enjoy.

B C D

74


CANDYBAR CUPCAKES Makes 30 cupcakes

2 cups sugar 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking pow-der 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups chopped pea-nuts 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares, melted 1 cup caramel ice cream topping

Heat oven to 350°F.

Line 30 muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Combine sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs in large

bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often,

until smooth. Continue beating, gradually adding

flour, 2/3 cup water, baking soda, baking powder,

salt, and vanilla, until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips,

1 cup of the peanuts, and unsweetened chocolate by

hand until well mixed.

Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each paper cup.

Bake 20–25 minutes or until top springs back when

gently pressed. Remove cupcakes from pans; cool

10–15 minutes on a wire rack.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon caramel topping onto each cup-

cake and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chopped

peanuts. Refrigerate cupcakes if you prefer a firmer

caramel topping.

These cupcakes are outrageously over-the-top. Ideal for a birthday!

B C D E F

75

Menu 11:

MAKE-IT-FAST PICNIC

Some picnics, we know, are spur-of-the-

moment affairs. A dazzling blue sky and

mild weather beckon, and you start

thinking of all the foods that might fill

your picnic basket. There’s just enough

time to run to the store and whip up a

few simple dishes. But fast food needn’t

be boring. In this section, we’ve devised

an interesting chicken-salad sandwich

that relies on a pre-cooked, rotisserie

chicken from the supermarket. It’s a real

time-saver that sacrifices none of the

home-cooked flavor we all crave these

days. This entire menu can be made in

under an hour. Pack it up in a basket

like our double-lidded Bakers Casual

Willow Picnic Basket and off you go.

A chardonnay, buttery and rich or lean

and crisp, is a can’t-miss pairing for this

menu.

MENU

Make: Curried Chicken Salad Wraps

Arugula, Endive, and Dried Cranberries

Seasonal Fruit with Lemon Ginger Cream Buy: Cookies or other baked dessert

Spreadable, herbed cheese

Crackers

Suggested wine:

Chardonnay

76

Bakers Casual Willow Picnic Basket for Four

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Bakers--Casual-Willow-Picnic-Baskets_p_0-241.html




Make-It-Fast Picnic

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD WRAPS Makes 4 sandwiches

2 small or 1 large tart apples Juice of 1 lemon 1 heaped cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons curry powder, or more or less to your taste 2 tablespoons of Worcester-shire sauce 1 rotisserie chicken, cut or hand-torn into small chunks 3 ribs celery, chopped 1/3-1/2 cup raisins Salt and pepper Large flour tortillas, colored if you’d like

Peel, core, and dice the apple. Toss the apple with

the lemon juice in a bowl to prevent discoloration.

Mix the mayonnaise with the curry powder and

Worcestershire sauce.

Mix together the chicken, apple-lemon mixture,

seasoned mayonnaise, celery, and raisins, stirring

well to coat all pieces. Season to taste with salt and

pepper.

Lay out your tortillas and spoon one-quarter of the

chicken salad in the third of the tortilla nearest you.

Roll up the tortilla, folding in its ends as you go.

B C D E

77

Make-It-Fast Picnic

ARUGULA, ENDIVE, AND DRIED CRANBERRIES Serves 4

1 (10-ounce) bag baby aru-gula 1 Belgian endive, halved lengthwise and sliced thin 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries 1/4 cup pecan pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons lemon juice Salt

Place the arugula, sliced Belgian endive, dried ber-

ries, and pecans in a container. Drizzle the oil and

lemon juice over the salad ingredients and toss

quickly to combine. Sprinkle entire salad with salt.

78

Make-It-Fast Picnic

FRUIT WITH LEMON-GINGER CREAM Serves 4

1 cup sour cream 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 tablespoon chopped ginger Fresh mint 4 cups mixed seasonal fruit, such as peaches, blueber-ries, and plums

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, lemon

juice, lemon zest, and ginger. Whip vigorously until

cream is light and fluffy. Dollop over the mixed fruit in

a transportable container.

We use sour cream here instead of whipped cream, which would lose its volume in warm

weather.

79

Menu 12:

DEEP-SOUTH PICNIC

Generations of creative, resourceful

Southern cooks have given our country

a fabled regional cuisine, one today

known the world over. We’ve assem-

bled a menu that celebrates the food-

ways of the South: fried chicken, collard

greens, cornbread, green tomatoes,

peaches, and, to wash it all down, su-

per-sweet iced tea. No matter where

you live, it is just the picnic food you’re

hungry for during summer’s hottest

months. The whimsical, handcrafted

Sunshine Picnic Basket for Four will

inject your gathering with Southern sun-

shine and cheer.

MENU

Make: Cold Fried Chicken

Collards with a Kick

Fresh-Corn Cornbread

Green Tomato Relish

Southern Iced Tea

Peach Upside-Down Cake Buy: Crackers

80

Sunshine Picnic Basket for Four

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Picnic-Basket-for-Four-Sunshine-Basket_p_8-12.html



Deep-South Picnic

COLD FRIED CHICKEN

Serves 8

2 frying chickens, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each, cut into serving pieces 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup milk Vegetable shortening for frying 1 tablespoon bacon drippings

Wash chicken and pat dry.

In a heavy brown paper bag or large food storage bag,

combine the flour, salt, and pepper; shake to blend

well. Pour the milk into a wide shallow bowl.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of shortening in a deep heavy skillet

over medium heat, or electric fry pan set at 375°F.

Add the bacon grease. When a drop of water spatters

when it hits the hot oil, dip some of the chicken pieces

into the milk then place in the bag and shake to coat

evenly. Arrange the chicken pieces in the fat in a single

layer. Fry the chicken until golden brown and crisp,

about 15–20 minutes, turning once to brown both

sides. Reduce oil temperature to 350°F and fry until

cooked through and golden brown, about 15 minutes

longer. Turn once. Drain chicken on brown paper or

paper towels, adding a little more shortening and bacon

grease if necessary, setting or regulating the tempera-

ture as for the first batch.

Let chicken cool completely before placing in a trans-

portable container; storing while it’s warm will cause the

coating to become soggy.

B C D D E

There are possibly as many recipes for Southern fried chicken as there are Southern cooks,

and each has its merits. This one uses shortening enhanced with bacon drippings as the

frying fat. The ideal pan for frying chicken is a well-seasoned, deep-sided cast iron skillet.

81

Deep-South Picnic

COLLARDS WITH A KICK

Serves 4

1 pound collard greens, rinsed well and cut into thin strips 2 cups vegetable stock 3–4 leaves fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil 3/4 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced very thin 1 teaspoon grated gin-ger 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño pepper, or more to taste 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil Ground pepper to taste 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Place collard greens in a saucepan with the stock and

basil, cover the pan, and cook about 30 minutes over

low heat, until greens are tender.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and sauté onion and garlic

for 2 minutes. Add ginger and jalapeño pepper and

cook 2 minutes more. Add collards with their cooking

liquid and stir until liquid has nearly evaporated.

Add sesame oil and pepper; stir. Sprinkle with sesame

seeds.

B C D

82

Deep-South Picnic

FRESH-CORN CORNBREAD

Serves 6-8

2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cups oil 1 cup self-rising corn-meal 1 cup fresh corn, scraped from cob, with its juice 1 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoons salt


Whisk eggs and oil together in a mixing bowl. Add the

cornmeal, corn kernels, sour cream, baking powder,

and salt. Mix just until the dry ingredients are mois-

tened. Don’t overmix.

Pour into greased 8” x 8” pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Note: If you cannot find self-rising cornmeal, use regu-

lar cornmeal and increase baking powder to 3 tea-

spoons and salt to 1 teaspoon.

B C D

Fresh corn kernels stud this unusual cornbread. Enjoy it with butter, honey, or a bit of the

Green Tomato Relish from this section.

83

Deep-South Picnic

GREEN TOMATO RELISH

Makes about 3 cups

2 large green tomatoes 1 bell peppers, any color, halved and seeded 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion 2 teaspoons whole cel-ery seed 1 teaspoon whole mus-tard seed 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup cider vinegar

In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes, red bell pep-

per, and onion. Line a large colander with cheesecloth,

place in sink or a large bowl, and pour in tomato mix-

ture to drain for 1 hour.

In a non-reactive saucepan, combine tomato mixture,

celery seed, mustard seed, salt, sugar, and vinegar.

Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat 5 minutes,

stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let relish

sit for 1 hour. Refrigerate until serving.

B C

84

Deep-South Picnic

SOUTHERN ICED TEA

Serves 12

6 family-sized tea bags 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 to 2 1/2 cups of sugar

Bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda to

the water and the tea bags and remove pan from heat and

cover. Allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags

and pour tea into a 2-gallon pitcher. Add sugar, stirring tea

until sugar has completely dissolved. Fill pitcher with cold

water or ice cubes.

“Luzianne” is one brand of tea bag favored in the South. Specially grown and packaged for

iced tea, It makes a robust brew that’s not bitter.

85

Deep-South Picnic

PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Serves 12

9 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon brown sugar 4 fresh peaches, pitted, skinned, and sliced 3/4 cup white sugar 3 eggs, whites and yolks separated 3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla ex-tract 2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs 1 teaspoon baking pow-der 1/8 teaspoon salt


Place 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 9-inch round cake

pan and place pan in oven. Once the butter has

melted, pull pan from the oven, and stir the brown

sugar into the melted butter. Spread to coat the bottom

of the pan evenly. Arrange the peach slices in the pan

and set aside.

Cream the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter with the

white sugar. Beat in the egg yolks, then the milk and

the vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks

form.

In a separate bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs,

baking powder, and salt together. Beat the graham

cracker mixture into the egg yolk-butter mixture. Gently

fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. Pour the bat-

ter into the prepared pan, over the peaches.

Bake cake for 40 minutes. Remove cake from oven and

immediately invert the cake upside-down onto a large

plate. Because this cake is so moist, it should be stored

in the refrigerator.

B C D E F G

86

Menu 13:

VEGETARIANS’ REVENGE

We go gallivanting around the world for

this menu, which is completely devoid of

meat, chicken, and fish. (It does, how-

ever, contain eggs and milk.) From

Mexico, there’s a refreshing tomato

soup. From India, aloo gobi, a stewed

dish of cauliflower and potatoes that is

delicious warm or at room temperature.

Spanish Sangria is the beverage we’ve

chosen for this lineup, though a nice

merlot would be fine if you’re short on

time or the right thermos.

The understated elegance of our Natu-

ral Picnic Baskets line matches the

healthy attitude of a meatless way of

eating.

MENU

Make: Chilled Mexican Tomato Soup

Aloo Gobi (Indian Potatoes and Cauliflower)

Nutty Barley Salad

Sangria

Everybody’s Favorite Lemon Bars

Almond-Paste-Stuffed Dates

87

Natural Picnic Basket with Tea Service for Four

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Natural-Picnic-Baskets_p_0-222.html




Vegetarians’ Revenge

CHILLED MEXICAN TOMATO SOUP

Serves 4

4 cups unseasoned tomato juice (bottled or juiced from about 8 large tomatoes) 2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted, and diced 1 cup cooked corn ker-nels, preferably fresh 3 tomatoes, diced 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice Salt and pepper to taste Optional: several dashed Tabasco or other hot sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a portable container. Sea-

son to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, if using.

88


ALOO GOBI (INDIAN POTATOES AND CAULIFLOWER)

Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon ginger paste or minced fresh ginger 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 1/2 cups chopped toma-toes with their juices 1/2 teaspoon ground tur-meric 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon garam masala Salt to taste 1 pound cauliflower, chopped into florets 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir

in the cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger paste or minced

ginger. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until

garlic is lightly browned. Add the potatoes and toma-

toes. Season with turmeric, paprika, cumin, garam ma-

sala, and salt. Cover pan and continue cooking 5 min-

utes, stirring occasionally. Add the cauliflower and ci-

lantro to the pan. Reduce heat to low and cover. Sim-

mer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pota-

toes and cauliflower are tender. Let cool, then refriger-

ate until time to pack.

Garam masala is a spice blend integral to Indian cuisine. If you don’t live near an Indian

market, make your own by combining equal parts ground coriander, cinnamon, cardamom,

and cloves.

89


NUTTY BARLEY SALAD

Serves 11

1 1/2 cups pearl barley 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 3/4 cup dried apricots, sliced 1/2 cup sliced almonds 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt 2 tablespoons honey Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon ground cinna-mon 1/2 teaspoon ground tur-meric 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Rinse barley in a fine sieve. Bring 4 1/2 cups water

to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the barley,

and return to a boil. Cover pan, reduce heat, and

simmer until water is absorbed, 45–50 minutes. Let

cool to room temperature.

Pour oil into a small skillet over medium heat. Add

onion, and sauté until golden brown, about 7 min-

utes.

In a serving dish, combine barley, onion, apricots,

almonds, and parsley. Toss.

In a small bowl, making a dressing by whisking to-

gether the yogurt, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon,

turmeric, salt, and nutmeg. Pour over the barley

mixture and toss well to combine. Serve at room

temperature.

It’s a shame that barley has been typecast as a soup workhorse, because it is so much

more. In Korea, barley is made into a fragrant, earthy tea. Eastern European cooks use it in

dumplings and knishes. And in this recipe, which is Indian in inspiration to match the aloo

gobi, the grain becomes the backbone of a multilayered salad.

B C D E

90


SANGRIA

Makes 18 servings

1 bottle (750 ml) light-bodied red wine, such as Rioja or Beaujolais Nouveau 6 thick orange slices 6 thick lemon slices 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, triple sec, or other orange liqueur 2 tablespoons brandy 1 tablespoon sugar 1 bottle (750 ml) club soda, chilled 30 ice cubes

In a large thermos or pitcher with tight-fitting lid, combine

the wine, orange and lemon slices, orange liqueur, brandy,

and sugar. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Top with the bottle

of club soda. Just before leaving for the picnic, add the ice

cubes to the sangria.

91


EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE LEMON BARS

Makes about 12 bars

2 1/2 cups sifted flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more to garnish 1 cup butter 4 large eggs, beaten 2 cups granulated sugar 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the cookie base, combine 2 cups of the flour,

the powdered sugar, and the butter. Mix with hands

until it clings together. Press into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch

pan. Bake 20–25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Leave oven at 350°F.

For the filling, beat together eggs, granulated

sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Separately, sift

together the remaining 1/2 cup flour and baking

powder. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture. Pour

over baked, cooled crust.

Bake lemon bars for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with pow-

dered sugar and let cool on wire rack. Cut into

bars.

B C D E

92


ALMOND PASTE-STUFFED DATES

Makes 24

2/3 cup finely ground al-monds 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg white, slightly beaten 1 teaspoon rum or sherry 1 teaspoon sour almond extract (from a Middle East-ern market) or regular al-mond extract 24 dates Slivered almonds

Mix together ground almonds and sugar. Add

beaten egg white, rum or sherry, and sour almond

extract. Beat well with a spoon.

Divide paste into 24 equal parts. Shape each part

into a small almond.

Halve dates lengthwise; remove stones. Fill dates

with almond paste “almonds.” Decorate each date

with an almond sliver, pressing nut lightly into al-

mond paste. Store in an airtight container and use

wax paper to separate layers of dates to prevent

sticking.

B C D

These are sweet little Middle Eastern nibbles that you might serve at the beginning or end of

your vegetarian picnic. They go quickly!

93

Menu 14:

CARIBBEAN FLAVORS

The colors and flavors of Caribbean

cooking are tantalizing, exotic, and fes-

tive. Here is a themed menu that will

transport you to the white sands and

turquoise waters of Jamaica or Saint

Marten. The main dish is jerk pork, and

for it you will need a grill at the picnic

site. Reggae music and our coconut-

infused rum punch complete the island

vacation experience.

Have you been introduced to the con-

venience of picnic cooler on wheels? In

addition to their impressive capacity,

they make getting everything to the pic-

nic spot a breeze. Our Avalanche Picnic

Cooler on Wheels comes in blue, light

green, and dark green, each with color-

coordinated napkins and tablecloth in-

cluded.

MENU

Make: Jerk Pork

Pineapple Salsa

Jamaican Cole Slaw

Dry Jerk Seasoning

Island Crab Spread

Coconutty Rum Punch

Mango Slices with Lime and Salt

Buy: Crackers

94

Avalanche Picnic Cooler on Wheels

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Avalanche-Picnic-Cooler-On-Wheels_p_0-38.html




Caribbean Flavors

JERK PORK

Serves 6-8

1 1/2 teaspoons ground all-spice 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme 1/2 teaspoon ground cinna-mon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 3 scallions, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled 1 to 2 Scotch bonnet pep-pers 1 medium onion, chopped Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon oil 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons malt vinegar 1 teaspoon minced ginger 3-4 pounds cubed pork butt, cut into 2-inch chunks Special equipment: skewers

In a large bowl, combine the allspice, salt, pepper,

thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix thor-

oughly.

In a food processor, combine green onions, garlic,

peppers, onion, lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, malt

vinegar, and ginger. Process until very smooth.

Rub spice mixture on all surfaces of the pork

pieces and place meat in a glass bowl or large

freezer bag. Pour the liquid marinade over the pork

and turn to coat well. Cover container. Refrigerate

at least 8 hours.

Remove pork from the refrigerator 1 hour before

grilling. Thread pork cubes on skewers, 4 cubes to

a skewer.

Preheat grill to medium high. Grill skewers about 7

minutes on one side, then flip and grill 6–8 minutes

on the other. Serve the pork with the Pineapple

Salsa from this section.

B C D E F

Scotch bonnet peppers are seriously hot. Start with just one, and be sure to wear dispos-

able gloves to keep the pepper juices off your skin and out of your eyes.

95

Caribbean Flavors

PINEAPPLE SALSA Makes about 2 cups

Mix all ingredients together. Taste and adjust with

more salt, lime juice, sugar, or chipotle, if desired.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to let the

flavors mingle.

The fruitiness of this salsa provides a welcome counterpoint to the heat and spices of the

jerk pork.

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 red onion, diced 3 chipotle peppers, minced 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Zest and juice of 2 limes 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt

96

Caribbean Flavors

JAMAICAN COLE SLAW

Serves 8

4 cups shredded cabbage 1/4 cups shredded carrots 1/2 cups chopped walnuts 1/2 cups mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon dry jerk sea-soning, prepackaged or from Dry Jerk Seasoning recipe, below

Combine the cabbage, carrots, and walnut in a

large container; set aside.

Mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and

seasoning. Spoon dressing over cabbage mixture

and toss well. Cover and chill until ready to pack.

B C

97

Caribbean Flavors

DRY JERK SEASONING

Makes about 1/4 cup

1 tablespoon onion flakes 2 teaspoons ground thyme 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinna-mon 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons sugar

Mix together all the ingredients. Stored in a tightly

closed glass jar, it will keep for about a year.

98

Caribbean Flavors

ISLAND CRAB SPREAD

Makes 2 cups

8 ounces lump crabmeat, shredded and picked over for cartilage 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes 2–3 teaspoons Pickapeppa Sauce, to taste 2 tablespoons Heinz chili sauce 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Place crab meat in a mixing bowl and set aside.

In another bowl or food processor, blend cream

cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, horseradish, on-

ion flakes, Pickapeppa Sauce, chili sauce, and pa-

prika until smooth and creamy.

Add cheese mixture to crab and mix well.

Refrigerate for several hours and serve chilled with

crackers.

B C D

Jamaican Pickapeppa Sauce is shelved with steak sauces in most American supermarkets.

It’s Worcestershire sauce’s fruitier cousin.

99

Caribbean Flavors

COCONUTTY RUM PUNCH

Makes 1 cocktail

1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger co-conut flavored rum 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger or-ange juice 3 fluid ounces pineapple juice 1 dash grenadine syrup

In a mixing glass, combine coconut rum, orange

juice, and pineapple juice. Mix well and top with a

splash of grenadine. Transport to picnic in an insu-

lated thermos and serve with ice cubes or crushed

ice if possible.

Multiply this recipe as necessary to accommodate the size of your group.

100

Caribbean Flavors

MANGO SLICES WITH LIME AND SALT

Serves 4

3 small or 2 large mangoes,

ripe but not mushy

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8–1/4 teaspoon salt

Peel and pit the mangoes. Cut them into wedges or

slices and place in a container. Squeeze the lime juice

over the mango and sprinkle with the sugar and salt.

Gently mix. Taste a piece of a mango, and add more

salt or sugar if desired.

Ripe mango is so luscious and complex that the less adulteration of the fruit, the better.

Lime juice tempers mango’s extreme sweetness, and salt draws out its juices.

101

Menu 15:

A LADIES’ OUTDOOR LUNCHEON

This menu was conceived as a meal for

a large group of women. Perhaps the

occasion is a wedding or baby shower,

a 30th birthday party, or a sorority reun-

ion. This is elegant food meant to be

eaten with proper plates and silverware,

and on tables. The number of dishes is

about double that in our other menus:

feel free to scale back if your group is

smaller than, say, 10 people. Cold lamb

is the main dish, so be sure someone in

the group brings good steak knives. A

pretty strawberry soup kicks off the

meal.

Which dish will you opt to contribute to this

picnic? An insulated tote bag, such as our

royal blue Pacifica Insulated Tote, is perfect

for carrying one or two prepared dishes.

Insulated bags are a favorite tool of ca-

terers.

MENU

Make: Strawberry Soup

Open-Faced Tea Sandwiches with Cucumber

and Dill Butter

Mushroom Quiche

Roast Leg of Lamb

Greek Couscous with Oregano Vinaigrette

Asparagus with Raspberry Dressing

Chocolate-Walnut Meringues

Ladies’ Lunch Amaretto Cake

102

Pacifica Insulated Tote

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Pacifica-Insulated-Tote-Bag_p_0-42.html



A Ladies’ Outdoor Luncheon

STRAWBERRY SOUP

Serves 4

2 pints strawberries, washed and hulled, plus 4 sliced strawberries for garnish 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup white wine 1 cup buttermilk Pinch salt

In a food processor, process the 2 pints strawber-

ries with the sugar. Add the wine, buttermilk, and

salt. Blend until smooth, transfer to a container,

and chill. Garnish each serving with a few slices of

strawberry.

103


OPEN-FACE TEA SANDWICHES WITH CUCUMBER AND DILL BUTTER

Makes 24 open-face sandwiches

24 slices pumpernickel or rye cocktail bread 1 recipe dill butter (see be-low) at room temperature 1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

Spread each slice of bread with some dill butter,

and center one or two cucumber slices on the but-

ter.

Oh-so-British and refined, these dainty bites are found on afternoon tea trays in London.

104


DILL BUTTER

Makes 1 stick butter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) un-salted butter at room tem-perature 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely chopped dill 1 teaspoon minced shallots 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place softened butter in a small bowl. Add the

lemon juice, dill, shallots, and salt, and mash with

the tines of a fork until butter appears homoge-

nous. A food processor fitted with a small bowl also

works well.

Shape butter into a log and roll tightly in wax paper.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to

pack picnic.

B C

105


MUSHROOM QUICHE

Serves 8-10

1 unbaked pie shell 1 tablespoon butter 4 cups sliced fresh mush-rooms 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/4 cups milk 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


Bake pie shell for 10 minutes; remove and let cool.

Reduce heat to 350˚F.

Melt butter in a sauté pan. When it’s melted, add

mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Remove

mushrooms with slotted spoon and hold aside.

In a bowl, toss cheese with flour. Add eggs, milk,

parsley, garlic salt, and pepper.

Stir in the mushrooms. Pour mixture into crust.

Bake quiche for 1 hour, or until set. Let stand for 10

minutes before cutting.

B C D E F G

106


ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Serves 8-10

1 leg of lamb (about 5 pounds) 3 cloves garlic, slivered 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh or dried rosemary 1 1/2 teaspoons black pep-per, coarsely ground Coarse salt

Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before roast-

ing.


Make small slits just large enough for garlic slivers

all over the lamb, and insert the garlic slivers. Rub

all over with lemon juice, then pat the rosemary

and black pepper evenly over the surface. Sprinkle

generously with salt. Place lamb fat-side-up on a

rack in an uncovered, greased pan.

Roast 30 minutes for each pound or until the inter-

nal temperature reaches 175–180˚F for well-done

meat. Lamb, however, tastes best at medium-rare,

or an internal temperature of 160–165˚F.

B C D E

107


GREEK COUSCOUS WITH OREGANO VINAIGRETTE

Serves 12

2 (6-ounce) packages garlic and herb couscous mix (or any flavor you prefer) 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 (5-ounce) jar pitted kalamata olives, halved 1/2 cup diced mixed bell peppers (any color) 1/2 cucumber, cut into half-rounds 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup Greek vinaigrette, bottled or from Oregano Vin-aigrette, below

Cook couscous according to package directions.

Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Break up

clumps of couscous with a fork.

When the couscous has cooled to room tempera-

ture, mix in tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, cucum-

ber, parsley, and feta. Gradually stir vinaigrette into

couscous until you arrive at desired moistness.

B C

We chose this cold couscous because it pairs so well with lamb, an omnipresent meat

throughout Greece.

108


OREGANO VINAIGRETTE

Makes 3/4 cup

2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper Pinch sugar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a small screw-top jar

and shake vigorously. Vinaigrette will keep for sev-

eral weeks in the refrigerator.

109


ASPARAGUS WITH RASPBERRY DRESSING

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar 3 cups extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and ground pepper to taste 3 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed of tough ends 3 tablespoons butter

Whisk together the raspberry vinegar, olive oil, gar-

lic, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper. Hold

aside.

Bring a wide, shallow pan of salted water to a boil.

Immerse asparagus in water and cook for 4 min-

utes. Remove the asparagus to a large strainer and

drain. Place in a serving container and dot with

pieces of butter. Once the butter has melted, driz-

zle asparagus with the raspberry vinaigrette.

If you can find it, splurge on white asparagus.

B C

110


CHOCOLATE-WALNUT MERINGUES

Makes about 5 dozen

2 egg whites at room tem-perature 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt at high

speed of an electric mixer 1 minute. Gradually add

sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff

peaks form and sugar dissolves (about 2 to 4 min-

utes). With a spatula, gently fold in chocolate mor-

sels, chopped nuts, and vanilla.

Drop meringue mixture by teaspoonfuls onto

cookie sheets lined with aluminum foil.

Bake 20 minutes or until meringues are dry. Cool

completely on cookie sheets; carefully peel cookies

from foil. Store in an airtight container.

The texture of these meringues is light and crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside.

They’re wonderful to have around at the holidays, too, and are considerably healthier than

cookies made with butter.

B C D E

111


LADIES’ LUNCH AMARETTO CAKE

Serves 12

1 package yellow cake mix 4 eggs 1 (3.3-ounce) pack-age instant white chocolate pudding mix 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup amaretto li-queur 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup (1 stick) un-salted butter 1 cup white sugar 1 (16-ounce) con-tainer vanilla frosting 1/4 cup blanched sliv-ered almonds

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Lightly oil a 10-inch non-stick Bundt

pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, pudding mix, 1/2

cup of cold water, oil, 1/2 cup of the amaretto, and 1/4 tea-

spoon almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer for ap-

proximately 3 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45–60 minutes, until

a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out

clean. Leave oven on.

While cake is baking, make the glaze. Combine butter,

sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup amaretto in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove cake from oven, and use a long skewer to pierce

holes all over the top of the cake. Slowly spoon the glaze all

over the cake. Allow cake to cool in the pan for at least 2

hours.

Lightly toast slivered almonds in the oven for 10 minutes.

Shake pan frequently and be careful not to burn. Heat 1/4

cup of the prepared frosting in the microwave for 10 seconds

to soften. Place the cake on serving dish and use a spoon to

drizzle the softened frosting over the cake. Scatter toasted

almonds over cake before frosting cools.

The flavors of white chocolate, vanilla, and almonds stand out in this luxurious cake. It re-

minds us a bit of a simplified wedding cake.

B C D E F G

112

Menu 16:

ALL-AMERICAN FOURTH-of-JULY BARBEQUE

For this menu, we’ve stayed true to the

time-honored fare of the mid-summer

holiday: burgers, dogs, potato salad,

and all the fixins’. A spectacular red,

white, and blue dessert adds just the

right festive end to the meal. To drink?

We think iced tea and lemonade pair

perfectly with this no-frills picnic, as

does beer for the adults in the group.

On Picnic-Basket.com you’ll find everything

you need for a cookout, including tools for

grilling. The 22-piece Pyro Deluxe BBQ

Set would be perfect for your Fourth of July

picnic or as a Father’s Day gift.

MENU

Make: Fireworks Burgers

Homemade Onion Relish

Easy Broccoli Slaw with Pistachios

Creamy Potato Salad

Patriotic Trifle

Grilled Pineapple Rings Buy: Hot dogs

Hot dog and hamburger buns

Ketchup

Ballpark mustard

113

Pyro Deluxe 22-Piece BBQ Tool Set

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Pyro-BBQ-Utensils-2-piece-carry-case_p_41-65.html




All-American Fourth-of-July Barbeque

FIREWORKS BURGERS Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 egg 1 (1-ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt A few cranks of black pepper from a pepper mill

Preheat a grill.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, on-

ion, cheese, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce,

egg, onion soup mix, minced garlic, garlic powder,

parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shape

beef mixture into 4 patties.

Place patties on the grill and grill 3 minutes per

side for medium-rare or 5 minutes per side for well-

done. Resist the urge to flatten the patties with a

spatula, as this will force the precious juices out of

the meat and into the grill.

Serve on buns with your favorite condiments.

B C D E

Sure, you could buy frozen hamburger patties for the gang and call it a day. But for a holiday,

spoil your friends and family with these all-beef patties. They’re as far from supermarket-

ordinary as you can get and loaded with bold flavors—Worcestershire, onion, garlic, herbs.

Make them at home several hours to a day before your Fourth of July cookout.

114


HOMEMADE ONION RELISH Serves 8

1 large onion, cut into wedges and separated 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 tablespoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pep-per 2 teaspoons white sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, slowly

cook and stir the onions and butter until onions are

tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add vinegar,

salt, pepper, and sugar to the pan with the onions.

Continue to cook and stir until the mixture thickens

to a chunky, spreadable consistency, about 10 min-

utes longer. Refrigerate until serving.

115


EASY BROCCOLI SLAW WITH PISTACHIOS Serves 12

2 (16-ounce) packages broccoli coleslaw mix, or 2 pounds broc-coli stems shredded in a food processor fitted with a food mill attachment 1 (16-ounce) bottle coleslaw dressing 1 (8-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries 2 cups pistachio nuts Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine broccoli, dressing (use

more or less to achieve desired creaminess), pista-

chios, dried cranberries, salt, and pepper. Mix well,

cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you’ve always disposed of the thicker stalks of broccoli bunches, you’re in for a treat. Broc-

coli stalks taste just like broccoli, and they can be rendered into a variety of shapes. Shredded

in a food processor, as in this recipe, broccoli becomes a more interesting substitute for the

shredded cabbage in coleslaw. You might also be able to find pre-cut broccoli slaw mix in the

packaged lettuces section of your supermarket.

116


CREAMY POTATO SALAD Serves 8

8 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Golds 6 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup prepared mustard 1 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pota-

toes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15

minutes. Remove potatoes from water, and when

cool enough to handle, cut into half-rounds or

cubes.

In a large bowl, gently mix together the potatoes,

eggs, celery, pickles, garlic, mustard, mayonnaise,

salt, and pepper.

B C

What would a Fourth of July picnic be without potato salad? There are several styles of potato

salad, from the German sweet-and-sour to the dill-laden Scandinavian version. This one, how-

ever, with its creamy consistency and chopped eggs, is quintessentially American.

117


PATRIOTIC TRIFLE Serves 8

1 (5.9-ounce) package va-nilla instant pudding 2 (12-ounce) containers whipped topping, thawed 1 whole angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and sliced 1 pint blueberries Slivered almonds

Prepare instant pudding according to package di-

rections.

In a trifle bowl or see-through container with a lid,

put one-third of the whipped topping, followed by

half of the cake cubes, half of the pudding, all the

sliced strawberries, one-third of the whipped top-

ping, the remaining cake cubes, the remaining pud-

ding, all the blueberries, and the remaining

whipped topping. Sprinkle the whipped topping with

the slivered almonds. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve

with a large spoon.

B C

This dish is an easy-to-assemble trifle—angel food cake layered with pudding, whipped top-

ping, and fruit. The blueberries and strawberries contribute the emblematic colors of our na-

tion’s flag. Pack shallow bowls in your picnic basket for serving the trifle.

118


GRILLED PINEAPPLE RINGS Serves 8

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into rings 1/4 cup canned coconut milk 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

At home, place the coconut milk and cinnamon

sugar on separate dishes. Dip slices of pineapple

into coconut milk, then coat in cinnamon sugar.

Place pineapple in a container and refrigerate until

time to pack picnic.

At the picnic, grill slices for 6 minutes on each side.

Serve warm.

B C

119

Menu 17:

BEACH MENU

In-the-sand eating poses some special

challenges. For one, keeping sand out

of the food can be tricky. We worked

around this by relying on lap-friendly

foods that can be eaten with a fork only.

The sandwich is in a pita, minimizing

the risk of the filling hitting a sandy pic-

nic blanket.

A second consideration is weather: that

sun is hot! Take along a cooler of iced

beverages, plus a thermos of Cranberry

Iced Tea.

The Deluxe Beach Bag available on Picnic-

Basket.com is an all-in-one wonder: an up-

per mesh compartment holds your sun-

glasses, towel, and other beach accessories,

while the insulated lower compartment

keeps food cold for hours and is lined with a

waterproof material.

MENU

Make: Oceanside Seafood Salad

Spill-Proof Ham Pitas

Herb-Marinated Tomatoes

Cranberry Iced Tea

No-Sand Pecan Sandies

Buy: Potato chips

120

Deluxe Beach Bag in Orange Stripe

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Deluxe-Beach-Bag_p_40-47.html



Beach Menu

OCEANSIDE SEAFOOD SALAD Serves 8

1 tablespoon butter 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound lump crabmeat 8 ounces seashell pasta (half a 16-ounce box) 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1 cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Sea-soning

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.

Sauté the shrimp in the butter until pink. Add crab-

meat and cook 1 more minute or until heated

through. Set aside and let cool to room tempera-

ture.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al

dente; drain.

Transfer the shrimp and crabmeat to a large mixing

bowl. Stir in pasta, celery, bell pepper, scallion,

mozzarella, almonds, mayonnaise, lemon juice,

and parsley. Season with Old Bay Seasoning. Toss

to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours

before packing for picnic.

B C D

It may be cliché, but eating seafood within view of its source just feels like the right thing to

do. Be sure to keep this pasta salad well chilled, as seafood perishes quickly in the heat.

121

Beach Menu

SPILL-PROOF HAM PITAS Makes 4 sandwiches

4 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons prepared mus-tard 2 tablespoons honey 1 large tart apple, such as a Granny Smith, cored and sliced thin 4 pocket-style pita breads 1 cup (about 4 ounces) shred-ded cheddar cheese 8 slices ham

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard,

and honey. Add apple slices to mayonnaise mix-

ture and allow to sit for 15 minutes. This will pre-

vent the apples from browning (oxidizing).

Use a serrated knife to cut the top third off each

pita, then gently open each pita pocket. Spread

insides generously with the flavored mayonnaise.

Fill each pocket with a quarter of the apple slices,

1/4 cup of shredded cheese, and 2 slices of ham.

B C

122

Beach Menu

HERB-MARINATED TOMATOES Serves 4

4 beefsteak tomatoes 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt Ground pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices and

arrange in a large, non-reactive container or dish.

Mix together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano,

and salt and pepper. Pour marinade over toma-

toes. Garnish dish with parsley. Let sit for several

hours in a cool place, but do not refrigerate.

B C

The farmstand tomatoes you picked up on the drive to the shore have met their destiny!

This recipe pairs ripe tomatoes with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and herbs, letting the flavor of

the produce shine through.

123

Beach Menu

CRANBERRY ICED TEA Serves 14

1 cup sugar 15 tea bags 1 (12-fluid-ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Add

sugar and stir until dissolved. Add teabags, remove

pot from heat, and let tea steep until desired

strength is acquired.

Stir in cranberry juice concentrate while tea is still

warm. Allow to cool, then refrigerate or add ice if

serving immediately.

B C

Fruit-infused teas have become all the rage lately. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make

your own! Experiment with different juice-concentrate flavors.

124

Beach Menu

NO-SAND PECAN SANDIES Makes about 48 cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, sof-tened 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for decoration 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans


In a large bowl, cream together the butter, vegeta-

ble oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and confection-

ers' sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, then stir in

the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda,

cream of tartar, and salt; stir into the creamed mix-

ture. Mix in 1 cup of the pecans.

Spread a few tablespoons of sugar on a plate.

Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in

the sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on un-

greased cookie sheets. Using the remaining nuts,

dot the top of each cookie with a pecan piece.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are

golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire

racks.

B C D E F

Rich and nutty, pecan sandies are practically addictive. If you live in the south and can get

fresh pecans, the cookies will be that much more delicious.

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