Cookin Sat..A Bit Late but Check out the Nom's!!

Sunday, July 18, 2010 Posted In , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Edit This 0 Comments »
If Summer's known for one thing...
Its picnic's!
So for this weeks blog I'll be sharing some perfect picnic recipe's!!
I do hope ya'll enjoy!!
Let's start with the perfect beverages!!
Its just not a picnic without the stuff that keeps ya cool!!

Amy's Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients
1 tray ice cubes
1/4 cup dried lavender
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup white sugar
8 lemons
5 cups cold water, or as needed

Directions
Place ice cubes into a 2 quart pitcher. Place the lavender into a bowl, and pour boiling water over it. Allow to steep for about 10 minutes, then strain out the lavender and discard. Mix the sugar into the hot lavender water, then pour into the pitcher with the ice.
Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the pitcher, getting as much juice as you can. Top off the pitcher with cold water, and stir. Taste, and adjust lemon juice or sugar if desired. Pour into tall glasses, pull up a lawn chair and a good book, and relax!


Pretty Picnic Salad

Ingredients
5 medium red potatoes
1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cubed mozzarella cheese
VINAIGRETTE:
2/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Cut potatoes into 1/2-in. slices; cut each slice into four pieces. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place beans in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain potatoes and beans.
In a large bowl, combine the red pepper, corn, celery, carrot, onions and cheese. Add potatoes and beans. In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients. Pour over vegetables; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Chicken Salad Pita's
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 cup julienned cucumber
1/4 cup sliced radishes
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
5 (6 inch) pita flat breads
Lettuce Leaves

Directions
In a bowl, combine the chicken, carrot, cucumber, radishes, olives and cheese.
Add dressing and toss to coat.
Line pita breads with lettuce leaves.
Stuff about 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each half.

For My Vegetarian follower's
Delicious Cucumber Sandwich's

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package whipped cream cheese
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (1 pound) loaf cocktail rye bread
1 cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions
In a small bowl, mix whipped cream cheese and dry Italian-style dressing mix.
Spread equal portions of the mixture on slices of the cocktail rye bread.
Top each with a slice of cucumber.
And since all great picnic's aren't complete unless there is a delicious dessert..
How about trying a bread!!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar.
Fold in the zucchini.
Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Gently fold in the blueberries.
Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife
inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.
Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Photo Credit Anna Fischer
Alrighty my dawlings!!
I hope this inspires you to get outside and have a picnic with your special someone or with your very special family!!
There's nothing like sitting around a home made lunch in the middle of a great park or nature.
One of my mom's favorite things when we were kids was gathering us up for picnic's when she could.
We didn't get to do them very often.
But She tried to get them in when she could.
They can defiantly be fond memories.
If its uber hot where you live..make it a breakfast picnic.
Go in the early morning..
Or
Wait till the sun starts goin down and the temp starts cooling off.
Do a dinner picnic!
If you live close to a beach..then that's just an excuse to go enjoy the wonder of the ocean's!
Until next time Darklings!!











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