to
Cooking For Fun's
Picnic!
Introduction
Picnics are one of the great
warm weather bonuses and pleasures. Remember the picnics of your youth
on the 4th of July or Canada Day? You were busy all day watching the parade,
then going to the park or picnic grounds, listening to speeches and enjoying
your family, friends, and food. Even if you live in a large city, you can
still enjoy picnics since most big cities and towns have parks. Picnics
can be backyard picnics, tailgate picnics, romantic picnics, kids picnics,
musical festival picnics, events picnics, and company picnics - to name
a few. They can be a picnic in a foreign country, with wine, cheese,
fruit and the car pulled off at the side of a country road, or the same
sort of picnic wherever you live.....well, you get the idea. :-)
Picnics can be elaborate
masterpieces with fine wine or champagne, crystal stemware, linen napkins,
fine china, silverware, and elaborate food. Or they can be as simple as
paper plates, napkins, cups, and sandwiches, or somewhere in between. They
are part of the memories of our childhood, and hopefully the memories of
whatever age group we now belong to.
Let's not forget picnics
can also be enjoyed during the fall. Think of being in the country picking
apples, having a picnic in an apple orchard, and eating just-picked apples
for dessert along with a wonderful piece of cheese. How about a picnic
on a cold, clear, sunny day after a morning of skiing? Hot glug wine
or hot chocolate, again with some wonderful fruits and cheeses that can
be bought locally, along with fresh bread and whatever else your imagination,
and taste buds think up.
The one thing to remember
which is very important in a warm weather picnic is food safety. Make sure
all perishables are on ice in order to avoid any contamination. If you
don't have the ubiquitious ice packs, then freeze some water in plastic
containers or double plastic bags, or even bottles and jars. They will
last several hours, and can also be used to keep the drinks cold as well.
Tips for a Safe & Fun
Picnic
Before you head out into
the heat, keep these tips in mind:
Try
to keep bees away with a sprig of fresh mint placed on your blanket.
Freeze
drinks the night before. Not only will your drinks stay cold the next day,
they'll help keep your food chilled.
To
keep your picnic festive, bring a colorful and comfortable blanket. Extra
towels can serve as pillows when sunbathing or napping.
Set
up your picnic in the shade.
Food
spoils quickly in hot weather. Be sure to tote your munchies in an
ice-filled cooler, and
if you're driving, transport your cooler in the
air-conditioned car instead
of the stuffy trunk.
Throw
away any food that's been out of the cooler for more than an hour.
Picnic Checklist
Here is a checklist you
might want to use for your picnics. Some are for more elaborate picnics,
but you will need at least the basics.
Plates
Forks, knives, spoons
Sharp knife and cutting
board
Glasses
Bowls, including serving
bowls
Mugs or cups and saucers
Thermos
Wine cooler
Paper towels, disposable
washcloths
Salt, pepper, sugar cubes
or packets
Mayonnaise (on ice please)
Ketchup
Mustard
Bottle opener, corkscrew
Napkins
Table cloth
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Blanket or ground cloth
Book of poetry - remember
we mentioned romantic picnics :-)
Portable audio equipment
- no loud boom boxes please :-)
Recreational equipment
such as balls, bats, gloves, frisbee, etc.
Hat, sunglasses, sun block
Binoculars (bird watching?)
Favorite board games
Candles, candleholders,
matches - think romantic twilight picnic :-)
Insect repellent - well,
it can't all be romantic...LOL
First aid supplies
Garbage bags
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This is a rather long list,
but we all know, you don't need all these supplies to have an enjoyable
picnic. If you have a pet or pets you would like to bring along, please
remember to find out if the park allows pets, and make sure you clean up
after them. Good manners make picnics more enjoyable for everyone sharing
the picnic space.
Now onto the most important
thing of all at a picnic...FOOD :-)
July 4th Picnic
Picnics are so much fun,
especially when you're a kid and the whole family goes to a 4th of July
picnic in the park. Maybe if you were lucky, the boy/girl you had a crush
on would be at the park also with their family. Remember when people used
to be more patriotic and the 4th of July meant something besides a day
off, or if you were lucky a 3 day weekend?
Some of the parks and picnic
areas had outdoor grills where you could make hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.
These were usually simple affairs made of bricks with a grill on top of
them. But they served the purpose didnt they? :-) If the park was of a
good size you might have even been lucky to have a lake to row or swim
in. Ah, the good ole days :-)
Always remember to follow
food safety rules!
Tomato Salad*
Seasoned Country Fried
Chicken*
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken*
Low Calorie Fried Chicken*
Apple-Cider Raisin Pie*
Southern Pecan Squares*
Corn-on-the-Cob
Hot Dogs
Hamburgers
Deli Meats
Assorted Cheeses
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Fresh Fruit
Rolls, Bread
Chips
Mustard
Ketchup
Mayonaise
Pickles
Relish
Onions
Cold Drinks
*Recipes Included Below
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Simple Fresh Tomato Salad
Home grown tomatoes warm
from the sun..yummmm.
4 fresh vine ripened tomatoes
(home grown if possible)
Extra virgin olive oil
Vinegar for sprinkling
(balsamic would be wonderful)
Chopped basil for sprinkling
Cut the tomatoes in thick
slices and arrange on a plate. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the vinegar
and basil over them. Serves 4 to 6.
Seasoned Country Fried
Chicken
Middletown Place Restaurant
Charlotte, SC
1 cup unbleached all purpose
flour
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) broiler/fryer
cut into pieces (skinned if you prefer)
Vegetable oil for frying
In a plastic bag combine
the flour, pepper, salt, paprika, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder.
Shake to mix and set aside.
In a small bowl beat together
the egg and milk. Place 2 or 3 pieces of chicken in the plastic bag, and
shake well. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, return to the bag and shake
again. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. In a large heavy skillet,
add oil to a depth of about 1 inch, and heat until hot but not smoking.
Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, leaving plenty of space between
the pieces. Fry, turning once, until chicken is golden brown and
fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and refrigerate until
ready to pack for the picnic. Serves 4.
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
Preheat oven. Grease a shallow
baking pan. Cut chicken into serving pieces. Wash and pat dry. Sprinkle
pieces with salt and pepper. Dip pieces into melted margarine or butter
then roll pieces in corn flake crumbs. Place pieces in a well greased shallow
baking pan and drizzle melted butter over pieces. Bake in a 325 F oven
for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.
Low Calorie Fried Chicken
Preheat oven to 325. Well-grease
a shallow pan (Pam spray is good for this). Cut chicken into serving pieces.
Wash and pat dry. Sprinkle pieces with salt and pepper. Dip pieces into
milk and roll in corn flake crumbs coating each piece well. Place pieces
in a well greased shallow pan and bake at 325 F for 1 hour or until tender.
Apple-Cider Raisin Pie
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups seedless raisins
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cup chopped tart apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Grated rind and juice of
1/2 lemon
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cornstarch
Pastry for a 2 crust 10-inch
pie, unbaked (store bought is fine)
Preheat oven to 450 (yes
450). Mix 1 cup of the water with all the ingredients except cornstarch
and pastry. Bring to a boil. Blend cornstarch with remaining 1/2 cup water.
Stir into first mixture and cook, stirring until thick. Pour into pastry
lined pan, put on top
crust and prick to allow
steam to escape, and seal edges. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat
to 350 and bake for 35 minutes longer. Cool.
Southern Pecan Squares
Kathleen's Fantastic Food
& Catering
Newport, RI
Very tasty, and easy to
transport!
2 cups unbleached all purpose
flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
plus 1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Butter
a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a food processor, process the flour, sugar,
baking powder, salt and cold butter just until the mixture resembles coarse
crumbs. Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes
until the crust is lightly browned. In a medium bowl, beat together the
eggs, brown sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Fold in the pecans. Pour
this mixture over the crust and return the pan to the oven for 20 to 25
minutes, or until topping is puffy, golden, and almost set in the center.
Let cool and cut into squares. Makes about 3 dozen squares.
Canada Day Picnic
Habitat Pea Soup
2 cups dried yellow peas
2 qts plus 1 cup cold water
1/2 lb salt pork, blanched
and minced
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup minced celery
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
Pick over peas and soak
overnight, or according to package directions. Boil for 10 minutes in water
to cover. Drain; discard water. Place peas in a deep kettle. Add cold water,
salt pork, vegetables, allspice, salt, pepper to taste. Simmer, covered
over lowest possible heat for 2 to 3 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Note: This can easily be
taken to a picnic and kept warm by keeping it in a thermos.
CFF Shared by Bev
Tourtiere (Pork Pie)
1 lb lean pork, ground*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh
if possible)
1/8 tsp ground mace
2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup water
pastry for a 2 crust 8
inch pie, unbaked
*I grind my own with a food
processor.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine
all the ingredients except for the pastry, and blend thoroughly. Simmer
covered, for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Roll out pastry and use half
to line an ungreased 8 inch pie pan. Pour meat mixture into pan. Cover
pie with remaining pastry and seal edges with water. Prick with a fork
to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake in 425 F oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat after 10 minutes to 350, and bake for 35 minutes or until the
top is brown. Serves 6.
Note: You can flavor the
Tourtiere with 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves,
cinnamon, and marjoram
instead of the nutmeg and mace.
CFF Shared by Bev
Pain De Veau (Veal Loaf)
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, minced
2 lbs veal, ground
1/2 lb salt pork, ground
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Bacon fat from 2 slices
of bacon
Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat
butter and saute onion until golden brown. Combine onion with remaining
ingredients except bacon fat, and blend well. Pack mixture into a loaf
pan (9x5x3). Brush top with bacon fat. Bake at 350 F for about 1
hour. Makes 4 to 6 servings, and is also good eaten cold. It can also be
served hot with gravy or tomato sauce.
CFF Shared by Bev
Canadian Rum Cake
1 lb pitted dates
1 lb walnuts shelled
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups firmly packed
ligth brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water
3 eggs, well beaten
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
2 tbsp rum
Rum glaze (optional)
Preheat oven to 300 F (slow
oven). Grease pan (13x9x2). Chop dates and walnuts. Cream butter and sugar
until well blended. Add dates and nuts. Mix baking soda with water and
pour over dates and nuts. Add eggs; stir in flour and salt beating until
smooth. Add rum and blend well. Turn into greased pan, and bake in oven
for 1 1/2 hours. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from
pan. May be frosted with rum glaze if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
CFF Shared by Bev
Rum Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp rum
Mix all ingredients together,
and frost cake while it is still warm.
CFF Shared by Bev
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Graphics.
If you have comments, suggestions
or recipes
email us at devriesb@vianet.ca
Webpage designed and maintained
by: Leilani
Devries
Editor: Bev
Schneiderman
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