Picnic 101

Enjoy nature's beauty and get swept off your feet with an outdoor dining experience you're sure not to forget.  Create a fabulous outdoor setting by tossing out your black and red plaid blanket in one smooth motion as you find that perfect grassy knoll to settle down and get comfortable.  It's time to open your rattan picnic basket filled with American classic foods that will satisfy your culinary palette as you sit back and relax.

 

Wow!  Those words sure make a picnic sound FANTASTIC!!!!  It's a combination of phrases I found in some picnic advertisements. I am very happy to know that some of the LIFE'S simple pleasures are really a lot of fun and simple things you can do with family and friends. As simple as you can get.... put food in a basket/cooler, pick out a destination (it can even be the living room floor on a rainy day), bring the bug spray and enjoy the great outdoors!!!

I'm not going to give you specific recipes, just a general idea of some of my successes. 

I used to boil corn on the stove top.... I still do, but now as the water just starts a rolling boil I add a teaspoon of granulated sugar and a generous splash of lime juice before I put the shucked corn in.  You might have locally grown SWEET corn, but ever since I found this suggestion.... my corn has never tasted better!

 

The key to a great grilled burger is the FRESH ingredients.  After I make the ground sirloin patties (we enjoy the leaner meat) ... I learned to flatten the center more than the edges..... so it looks like a slight saucer shape.  There used to be a meat tenderizer that we found at WalMart, Dales.... haven't been able to find it lately.  I think we can order it online... it's really tasty... but not worth the effort at the moment.  So, I use a dash of Worchestshire Sauce and a little salt and pepper.  We like a fresh toasted Kaiser roll and some zesty pepper jack cheese.  My burger above is topped with a sliced tomato from my own garden and few lettuce leaves.  That first bite to the last was super juicy and delicious!

 

Standard picnic fare food you want it to be easy to eat, fork only, or finger foods (no knives) easy to transport and things that wont spoil quickly: potato salad, macaroni salad, watermelon, deviled eggs, bread, cheese, cold cuts, grapes, olive, potato chips, veggies, cookies and a beverage.  Last but not least....

 

The ultimate camping out... cookout ... open fire (or in this case, microwave) delicious dessert s'mores. 

 

I found a new way to enjoy that gooey chocolate flavor over at Kevinandamanda. She combined a Ritz cracker with a Reese's Peanut butter cup and marshmallow and made that sweet treat even better.  Here is my attempt at it.... still using the boring graham crackers.... but as you can see... I almost licked the plate clean! Just think of the possibilities but switching out the crackers and the candy bar!!!!

 

Week #35 LIFE'S simple pleasures - a picnic

 

Hope you stop by again and see what other ways we've created our picnics!!