Blueberry-Peanut Cake Recipe

Great pastry chefs often spend a lot of time on shops making delicious cakes and pastries. Well, you don’t have to be one just to make a delightful cupcake that will be perfect for your picnic desert. You might be purchasing cupcakes in pastry shops for years, but this one will definitely re-invent yourself. With this recipe, you can make a healthy picnic dessert for your family.

Bundt Pans
There are many types of baking pans used in different kinds of baking recipes. If you are not careful enough, you may end up having the wrong kind of baking pan for your cake recipe. Read the recipe instructions carefully so that you can get the right pan for the recipe. In the blueberry-peanut cake recipe, you need to have the Bundt pan – a baking pan used specifically for baking cupcakes. This baking pan is usually 10 – 12 inches in diameter. For years, the Bundt pan evolved into many shapes and designs but it is always made of cast aluminum.

Bundt pans have a rich history. Over the years, 50 million Bundt pans has been sold all around the world. At first, it was a challenge to use until the release of Bundt pans made of aluminum – cakes do not stick anymore.

Blueberry-Peanut Cake

Blueberry-Peanut Cake Recipe

To check if the blueberries are fresh, take a look at its skin – a powder-like finish says that it’s fresh. Indigo colored ones are also great to pick. In case you have to store it in a refrigerator, always remember that it can only last for 3 – 5 days. Here is a great recipe with a touch of blueberries and peanuts.

Ingredients

■■ For the filling:
■ 1 can of crushed peanut filling
■ 3 cup(s) of fresh blueberries
■ 3 tablespoon(s) all-purpose-flour

■■ Cake Batter:
■ 3 cup(s) of all-purpose flour
■ 1 teaspoon of baking soda
■ 2 teaspoon(s) of baking powder
■ ¼ teaspoon fine salt
■ 1 ½ cup(s) of sugar
■ 1 cup of butter
■ 3 eggs
■ 1 cup of sour cream
■ 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
■ Confectioner’s sugar

Procedure
■ Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
■ Coat the Bundt pan with cooking spray.
■ In a large bowl, mix the crushed peanuts, flour, blueberries.
■ For the cake batter, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
■ In a large bowl, combine the sugar and butter until it’s creamy. While mixing, add the eggs one at a time. Then you can add the flour mixture along with the sour cream.
■ Now you can put a spoon of the butter on the pan and top it with the blueberry mixture. Repeat the procedure with the rest of the mixtures.
■ Bake in 40 – 45 minutes.
■ Do not unmold the cupcakes until the rack has cooled down. Once you have removed the cakes, dust it with Confectioner’s sugar.
■ Now you can serve your homemade blueberry cupcakes with blueberry sauce, whipped cream, or anything you prefer.

Storing Cakes

It’s really great to have cakes served for dessert in picnics. However, what do you do if you there are lots of leftover blueberry-peanut cakes? Most people try to recycle it but they tend to compromise its delightful taste. The best thing to do with the leftovers is to save it for tomorrow or the next day while keeping it fresh, tasty, and presentable.

How do you do it?

The good news is, it’s pretty simple! If you have a baking pan, you just have to layer the cakes and seal it with a plastic wrap. You can also store it by multi-layering the cakes under an inverted bowl. If you have made a fluffy cake, sealing it might build up some moisture inside – that would compromise the cake’s features. You can try to make a small hole on the plastic wrap or insert a teaspoon under the edge of the inverted bowl to allow air to flow. After carefully wrapping the cakes, you can store it in the refrigerator for days. Some frosted cakes can last up to 4 months.

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Easy-to-Cook Picnic Chicken Recipes

Picnic Food Ideas – Picnic Food Recipes for Meat: Two Great Steaks

Picking Chicken
Chicken is highly recommended because of its advantages. For your daily recipes and holiday meals, chicken is a versatile ingredient that you can use in many kitchen recipes. It’s a great choice for picnic meals since it’s readily available and easy to prepare. The numerous selections of chicken meat products – from boneless, thigh, to skinless, you’ll be able to find the best chicken meat product for your own recipe.

Since there are many issues about meat products these days, you can never be too careless in picking up chicken meat in local and supermarkets. Focusing your attention on expiry dates is quite good, but you definitely have to make some standard in choosing the best and freshest chicken in the market. Here are some of the things that you should do in picking up chicken meat products.

■  First, you should check the meat product’s packaging. If you buy it from supermarkets, it should inform you that it has been inspected by the government. Look for something that isn’t leaking – the packaging is not broken.

■  You should inspect the chicken’s quality. The skin color must be creamy white or yellowish. For the meat – it must be pasty or gray. If it emits an unpleasant odor after unpacking it, there must be something wrong with it. Leave it open for a couple of minutes – if the odor is still there, it must not be used.

Storage
If you’re not going to use it for days, proper storage must be applied to avoid spoilage. Freezing it in your refrigerator will make it last for a month or two. However, you should consider wrapping it a freezer paper or plastic wrap. If you don’t need a whole chicken, you should cut in into pieces before freezing it. Smaller pieces tend to freeze quickly and you can unfreeze it faster too.

Tortillas
If you’re going to make a healthy chicken wrap recipe, you will need tortillas in your ingredients. You can buy tortillas in local and supermarkets as well but you should know that these products expires for a week or too. Make sure you check its packaging before purchasing it. On the other hand, you can also make your own fresh tortillas using simple ingredients and tools in your kitchen. If you want the freshest tortillas for your chicken wrap, making it for yourself is the best. Here are the ingredients and steps that you can do to make fresh tortillas.

Ingredients
◉ 1 cup of lard or vegetable shortening
◉ 8 cup(s) of flour
◉ 2 teaspoon(s) of baking powder
◉ 2 teaspoon(s) of sat
◉ 2 cup(s) of water or warm milk

Procedure
◉ Mix the baking powder, salt, and flour in a large bowl
◉ Mix the vegetable shortening until there are no more lumps
◉ Make a small hole in the middle of the mixed ingredients
◉ Add some water or warm milk (1/2 cup at a time). Mix everything until it looks smooth.
◉ Cover for 10 minutes and make small dough balls.
◉ Roll out the balls (this will make a flattened shape of tortillas).
◉ Cook the tortilla for a couple of minutes.

Chicken Wrap with Alfalfa and Spinach Recipe

Chicken Wrap with Alfalfa and Spinach

Once you have the fresh chicken and homemade tortilla, you can proceed on making your healthy chicken wrap recipe. It’s pretty versatile so you can add more vegetables and other healthy ingredients as you like. Here is an easy chicken and vegetable wrap recipe that you and your family will surely enjoy on a weekend picnic trip.

Ingredients
◉ 8 Alfalfa Sprouts (A great source of vitamins and minerals, dietary fibers – good for those who are on a diet, and chlorophyll. This is also a great appetizer for bigger meals.)
◉ 2 cup(s) of fresh chopped spinach
◉ 6 ounce(s) of skinless breast (cooked)
◉ 1 ounce of cream cheese
◉ Tortillas (The one you made or bought in the supermarket.)

Procedure
◉ Place the tortilla on a clean and smooth surfaced table
◉ Put the cream cheese on the tortilla – about ½ inches in layer
◉ Spread the alfalfa, spinach, and cooked chicken on top of the tortilla
◉ Fold the tortilla in half, tuck the bottom in, and roll it over.
◉ Serve on a clean plate (plain or garnished)

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African Picnic Ideas

Of course, you want this bonding activity to be special for your family and friends – who expect a special menu from you. If you can’t make every food in the menu extra special, having one special dish is good enough. Quiches are also popular in picnic because it tastes really good and it’s not very hard to prepare. Although you might spend some time working on it, you won’t have to spend lots of money for this delightful treat!

A Dairy Delight

Quiche is an oven-baked dish, a classic French dish. It is mostly composed of dairy products like eggs and milk that is baked with several ingredients (including meat, fish and vegetables). Before you rush on the market to buy eggs, there are some things you need to know. Although eggs have different features because of the place it came from, nutritional factors are almost the same. Looking for healthier eggs doesn’t make sense. You should give importance to freshness and quality. These things will help you buy eggs in its fresh condition.

■   In some farms, people don’t wash the eggs because they think it will lessen the quality of the eggs. However, unwashed eggs may cause diseases such as salmonella. Make sure the eggs you’re going to buy are clean.
■   If you buy eggs in supermarkets, you’ll find eggs that are stored in a cooler place. That’s good! In case the eggs aren’t refrigerated, you should buy eggs that are placed in direct sunlight.
■    Don’t buy cracked eggs or something with an odd shape and shell coating.
■    The eggs should be in clean cartons. If the information in the carton such as dates and labels are erased or blocked with re-labeling stickers, ask how fresh the eggs are.
■   The eggs freshness may last for 10 – 15 days. If you’re not very sure about it, put the eggs in lukewarm water. Fresh eggs sink, not so fresh eggs stand on one tip, and no good eggs float.

The Tart

Before you make the quiche, you should consider making a tart first. It’s really good if you have a tart prepared already after finishing the quiche mixture. Making the tart is easy and you can store it for hours until the main ingredient of the quiche is done.

Ingredients
■  2 teaspoon(s) salt
■  1 1/2 cup of ice water
■  5 cups of all-purpose flour
■  2 cups of unsalted butter

Procedure
o    Make a salt and water mixture in a small bowl. Keep the mixture cold until it’s ready to use.
o    Get the flour and butter and put it in a food processor. While mixing the ingredients, add the salt water until a dough is formed.
o    Evenly divide the flour on a floured surface and form it in circles. Wrap it up with plastic and chill.

Bite-size Quiches

The Quiche Recipe

Once you’re finished with your tarts. You’re now ready to complete the quiche recipe. The preparation time might take most of your time, but the reward is definitely priceless!

Ingredients

The tart

■  6 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
■  2 tablespoon(s) fine chopped thyme
■  2 teaspoon(s) salt
■  1 teaspoon pepper
■  10 eggs
■  2 cup(s) whole milk
■  2 cup(s) creme fraiche

Procedure

o    Get the stored dough and fit it in a tart pan. Trim the edges evenly and chill it again to achieve firmness. After that, you can heat the oven for about 375 degrees.
o    Line the dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights and put it in the oven. Once the dough reached a light brown complexion, remove the weights and continue until it turns golden brown. Transfer the tarts on the wire rack.
o    Mix the egg and flour in a bow with an electric mixer. Place the creme fraiche in a medium bowl, whisk until smooth. Add the milk until it’s well mixed and put it to the mixer along with pepper, salt and thyme.
o    Strain the mixture and pour it in the tart shells. Bake it for 40 minutes at 325 degrees until the mixture is firm.
o    Cool it on a wire rack. Now it’s time to serve the quiche!

Everybody has experienced picnic even once in his or her life, right? You may have brought a large blanket with you, complete set of your favorite picnic wares, foods from cheese to ham sandwiches, to all kinds of potato salad and teas. With all these things in mind every time you go on your picnic, do you ever remember where you put to carry those things? Picnic basket is a classic way of carrying your things to your picnic venue. Nowadays, modern designs were made to suit those picnickers according to their style.

Picnic baskets and picnic totes have the same functions. They both keep your utensils organized and clean, they keep your food clean and safe and they both make transporting a complete meal easier. However, there would still be a slight difference between the two.

■  Picnic baskets have two styles. (a) There is the classic picnic basket, which is usually made of either bamboo or rattan. This classic style is very lightweight and yet so durable. However, it can be very uncomfortable to bring if you will be walking to your picnic venue. (b) Now, there is the modern picnic basket, which is usually made of polyester materials. These styles of picnic baskets are fully insulated so that they can keep your beverages and food cold. These baskets are fully zipped, which makes it better for it can keep food and utensils clean and germ-free.

■  Picnic totes are different from baskets they much resemble to an ordinary tote used by students in carrying their books. The position of the straps makes it much easier to carry. In addition, totes usually can carry enough dinnerware up to four persons. However, just like a picnic basket, many totes already includes sliver wares and glasses so that you never have to bring your own dinnerware out in the picnic venue.

■  Some picnic totes are made only for wines or a combination of wine and cheese. These totes keep you wine chilled so that you can enjoy your romantic picnic. However, cheese and wine totes are not the only totes that can keep your food cold. There are available totes that you can purchase online that can keep the whole meal, same as your drinks, at its perfect temperature.

Picnic Baskets that Keeps your Right Supplies Handy in a Picnic

No matter how carefully you planned your picnic, some things might accidentally be forgotten especially if it was planned spontaneously. Participating in spontaneous events sometimes makes us more excited about it. Sometimes, your family is bored in a Saturday afternoon doing nothing inside the house. Suddenly, you remembered that there would be a kite festival in the park. That would keep the kids busy and they will probably enjoy watching those beautiful kites while having snacks on the grass. If you have these fully stocked picnic backpacks, all you have to do now is to gather snack foods, which are ready-to-eat, inside your pantry and refrigerator and everybody is ready to go. Luckily for those who owned those picnic backpacks, which makes the sudden spur of the moment picnic always possible.

If you have not yet heard of the picnic backpacks, it is pretty much the same as picnic baskets. Picnic backpacks also keeps your picnic necessities like cups, silverware and foods safe and organized. The majority of backpacks are insulated so that it can keep your drinks and foods cold. They also have two straps, just like your regular backpacks, so that carrying a heavy load will not be a problem even if you will be walking a long distance. Picnic backpacks have this feature of having many compartments so that you can easily organize all the things you want to carry with you in your picnic adventure.

A PICKNICKER’S BEST FRIEND – QUICHE

Smoked Salmon and Potato Quiche

Smoked Salmon and Potato Quiche

Ingredients:

225g / 8oz ready-made short-crust pastry
1 free-range egg; beaten

For the Filling:

6oz smoked salmon; chopped
3 ½ oz smoky bacon lardons; cooked
3 ½ potatoes; cooked and cubed
2 eggs
1 T fresh dill; finely chopped
7 fl oz crème fraîche
1 t nutmeg; grated
Salt and black pepper
Green salad leaves; ready-to-serve

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350oF
• Roll the short crust pastry to a 25cm cake tin
• Prick the pastry with fork, line with greaseproof paper and pour the rice or drained beans
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes
• Remove the paper with rice or beans and brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake for another 5 minutes
• For the filling, arrange the lardons, salmon and potatoes at the bottom of the pastry case
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg, crème fraîche, dill and nutmeg. Season and pour in the pastry case
• Put the quiche in the oven for 40 minutes or until egg mixture has set
• Let it cool before putting in a container for transporting to your picnic venue
•  Put salad leaves as side dish



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Picnic Food Ideas For Potatoes

Nowadays, more people are fund of transforming their deck, garden or veranda into an extra room for that alfresco dining they fancy, enjoying the comfort of having a picnic every day!

Definitely true, that picnic ware has improved into something fancy over the past few years!

No more rusty tin sandwich boxes, paper plates and smelly old flasks, they turned into a beautiful and colorful picnic containers and accessories with different shapes and sizes that children would truly love.

A portable blender might be perfect for you if you love frozen daiquiris and smoothies in your picnic. According to those blender reviews on the internet, many models that you can choose from might stand out and fit your needs.

Traditionally, picnic means sitting on a blanket that is spread out on the grass. However, in some cases like beach picnics, a picnic table is a much better option. There are those portable and foldable picnic tables available now in furniture stores. The table can be pleasing for a picnic setting if covered by a colorful picnic tablecloth and with the same colors of table napkins (can be a fabric or disposable table napkins).

Picnic foods must be those that are easy to prepare and eat. Finger foods are excellent choice for it does not require cutleries anymore. However, there are picnic forks, knives and spoons available in different colors. Paper plates are now convenient to use for they are now disposables and no washing is needed but they tend to fold when put on the knees. Nevertheless, there are melamine plates that are much better and colorful to look at.

One of the most important inventions in regards to picnic is those food containers that can keep you hot food hot and cold food cold. There are also containers that are airtight so that foods will retain its crispiness and prevent liquids from spilling. It is better to choose those clear containers so that you can easily identify which food to take from the cooler or picnic baskets.

Picnic With Hammock

Wrapping materials like cling wrap or film are also necessary for covering and protecting from bugs the foods that are in plates. It is very versatile that even a small amount of salt and pepper can be twisted in small quantity for an instant need for seasoning. You can also wrap those sensitive fruits like peaches in a kitchen tissue paper for an extra protection before packing it.

Containers and flasks are now spill-proof, which are best for storing any kinds of liquids whether hot or cold.

You may also add some excitement for kids by assigning an individual lunch boxes for their favorite finger foods. Kids love surprises and will enjoy their food more.

Picnics nowadays are becoming a traditional way of reunions and get-together that is why there are many varieties of transportation methods available for convenience. The wicker picnic baskets are very convenient and easy to carry with a suitcase-like shape. They are also available in variety of colors and designs.

You will also need an insulated container like coolers to keep your drinks and some foods fresh and cold. It is available in boxes, bags, chests and buckets depending on the size of attendees and your time travel. It is available in backpacks for those picnic venues wherein it is just a walk away. Whether you will use small backpack or a hamper, keep it organize to save space and will make your transportation comfortable.

CRUNCHY POTATO CHEESE BALLS

Your kids will truly love this easy and delicious finger food. It is very convenient to prepare for you can do it ahead of time. Can be served hot or warm and perfect side dish to any main dish you have in your picnic menu.

CRUNCHY POTATO CHEESE BALLS

Ingredients:

•    8 pcs    large potatoes, peeled and cooked
•    1 t    salt
•    1 cup    milk
•    ½ t    onion salt
•    ¼ cup    butter; melted
•    8 oz    American cheese or cheddar cheese
•    1 cup    cornflakes; crushed
•    ¼ cup    butter; melted

Directions:
1. Mash the potatoes with milk, salt, onion salt and ¼ cup butter
2. Chill the mixture until it is firm
3. Cut the cheese into 1-inch cubes
4. Shape the chilled mashed potatoes around the cubed cheese into 2 1/2” balls
5. Roll the balls in the cornflakes
6. Brush with the remaining butter and place on a greased baking sheet
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown at 350oF
8. Wrap separately with a colored cling wrap for added design

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HERBED LOBSTER ROLL

GUIDELINES IN SEAFOOD HANDLING

Buying and Storing Tips:

•    If you bought the seafood in a store, check for the refrigeration facilities, licenses and proper sanitation inside the store. How they package their sea products do really matter.

•    You can determine fresh fish through their mild sea breeze smell. If it has a strong smell, it only indicates that it is not fresh anymore and may not be good for consumption especially if you will transport it to your picnic venue.

•    Inspect the eyes of the fish if they it is still shiny and bright red in color. They also have pink gills if still fresh and their scales clings closer to the body.

•    Shells like crabs, mussels and lobsters must be still alive when you bought it in store. You can also ask the vendors or check the tag that is attached in the shell produce for its origin.

•    Still with the shell produces, smell is the easiest way to know its freshness. Oysters, mussels and scallops smells like mild breeze. Otherwise, they are not fresh anymore if their odor is strong.

•    Always check the packaging of those frozen fish or any shell products. Shellfish must be kept in moisture-proof containers, fishes must be very well frozen but no ice crystals, and freezer burns.

•    All seafood is sensitive to sudden temperature change. If the temperature soars, fishes rot fast. It is very much advisable to keep the seafood in the refrigerator after purchase.  However, if you bought fresh fish, it must be kept in refrigerator where the temperature is low.

•    If a frozen fish was never consumed completely, never put it back to the refrigerator again. Shell produce may be stored in a container, which is not airtight and must be covered with damp cloth.

•    Once you have opened seafood from its packaging, cook it immediately.

•    During picnics, always keep your raw seafood in your cooler and never take it out until ready for cooking.

HERBED LOBSTER ROLL

HERBED LOBSTER ROLL

Alternatives for lobster: Bay Shrimp or Crabmeat

A multi-purpose sandwich idea that is so delicious but so simple, either with lobster, shrimp or crabmeats. You can also use tarragon, basil, chives or chervil in lieu of parsley.
Ingredients:

■    1 lb    lobster meat
■   8 oz    cream cheese
■   ½ cup    mayonnaise; low-fat
■   1 cup    parsley leaves or any herbs you prefer; finely chopped
■    1 t    Worcestershire sauce
■    2 t    lemon juice
■    Salt and Pepper to taste
■    4 pcs    hard rolls; 5 inches each

Cooking Procedure:

■    Remove the lobster meat by picking the membranes and shells, put it in a mixing bowl
■    Combine cream cheese, parsley, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pepper and salt in a food processor. Puree and season according to taste
■    Add the cream cheese mixture in the lobster meat and combine by stirring
■    Cut the hard roll into two halves lengthwise, make sure to leave the other side attached with each other
■   Spoon the lobster filling on one side of the roll
■    Securely wrap it in a clean plastic wrap followed with an aluminum foil
■    Can be eaten warm or cold

This is a ready to serve sandwich so never store it with your other raw seafood. Bacteria in raw foods can transfer fast to other foods and may cause food poisoning and infection. Proper guidelines must be observed at all times. Sandwiches packed for picnics must stay dry and very well sealed. The aluminum foil is necessary so that the fillings will not spill.

You may add more vegetables to this sandwich such as lettuce, carrots or sweet onions before eating. Make sure that vegetables were still fresh from the cooler.

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Valentine’s Day Special Picnic Ideas

Fruits are healthy, especially when eaten fresh. For picnic snacks and healthy picnic food ideas, chilled fruit bits and chunks are best packed in single containers for easy serving.  Mix with honey, cream, condensed milk, or yogurt—these crunchy fruit cuts will turn to delicious and refreshing picnic fruit desserts. Some picnic dessert recipes use mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, or spicy peanut and shrimp sauce.

Picnic fruit salad recipes are quick to prepare. These delightful and colorful bowls of goodies can be served as a picnic desserts or appetizers. Offer these picnic fruit cocktail appetizers before serving the spicy picnic foods to turn your picnic meal more enjoyable to eat and make other picnic dishes taste taste yummier.

Watermelon Picnic Fruit Salad Basket

Here’s something that kids would enjoy seeing on the picnic table—a creative fruit salad basket instead of the usual salad bowl. The basket is very easy to make. Just cut a quarter off the watermelon fruit and, using a small knife or metal baller, start carving out the fruit flesh from the rind. Watermelon balls in the picnic fruit salad will surely catch the kiddies’ interest and satisfy their playful appetites.

Ingredients:

1 medium whole watermelon, cut into cubes or shaped into balls (shape the fruit rind into a basket)
1 small whole cantaloupe, peeled and cut into cubes or shaped into balls
3 pieces kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into thin round slices
1 cup blueberries, washed and drained well (keep stems intact)
1 cup honey, as salad dressing

How to: In a large bowl, drizzle honey over fruit cuts and toss carefully to avoid bruising. Arrange inside the watermelon basket. Using a food plastic wrap, cover the whole fruit to prevent from wilting while inside the refrigerator. Chill for several hours or overnight. Bring extra honey and cream to put on top before serving.

Weight Watchers’ Picnic Yogurt Fruit Salad

Most people often think of picnics as happy occasions that always overflow with delicious picnic foods, irresistible sweet desserts, ice-cold softdrinks, and lots of laughter. Everybody enjoys going to picnics with family and friends. Eating under the trees and with fresh air turns every picnic food delectable and sumptuous. Diets are temporarily forgotten because everything that comes out of the giant picnic baskets is just mouth-watering and appetizing. For picnickers who don’t want to add inches to their waists while enjoying picnic goodies with the whole clan, a simple fruit salad with yogurt is the perfect dessert for diet watchers.

Ingredients:

1 cup young coconut meat, shredded into long strips
1 cup fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
1 cup whole green grapes, washed and drained well
1 cup whole blueberries, washed and drained well
1 whole peach, peeled and cut into cubes
3 thin slices of fresh lemon for garnishing (optional)
4 cups yogurt, unflavored and with live organisms

How to: Mix all fruits and toss in 3 cups of yogurt. Set aside 1 cup of yogurt for toppings on salad per serving. Chill inside the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before packing inside the cooler filled with ice cubes.

Creamy Picnic Pineapple and Cherry Salad

Just looking at the pineapple chunks and cherry halves lusciously coated with sweet cream can make any mouth water with anticipation. This salad recipe can be readied in a jiffy. No skills needed but a working knowledge of operating a can opener.

Ingredients:

1 large can fruit cocktail in light syrup, drained well
1 small can cream
1 small can condensed milk
1 small jar halved cherries, drained well
½ cup shredded cheese, as garnishing (optional)

How to: In a large bowl, combine together all ingredients. Mix well. Cover. Chill overnight. Serve with shredded cheese on top.

No Dressing Citrus Fruit Salad for Picnic

Health-conscious individuals who like to stay immune from airborne cold virus can bring along picnic fruit salad naturally rich in vitamin C. No dressing added because the juice from the citrus fruits is enough. Just pack in plastic containers with cover and chill inside the picnic ice coolers. For people with sweet tooth, drizzle honey over citrus bits and enjoy the tangy goodness while lounging under the sun.

Ingredients:

2 whole grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 cup gojiberry
½ dry coconut shreds
½ cup honey

How to: Mix grapefruit and gojiberry. Scoop into small plastic container with cover. Arrange inside cold coolers to chill. To serve: drizzle 1 tsp honey and sprinkle 1 tsp coconut shreds on top.

Summer will soon be gone again. Enjoy the warmth of the sun and the great picnic foods with family and friends. Choose to buy the fruits that are in season so that picnic fruit salad desserts will not be too expensive to prepare.

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Two Grilling Methods

Two types of grilling when using charcoal or barbecue briquettes: direct and indirect grilling  methods. Thick cuts of meat usually require cooking over indirect heat; while easy-to-cook picnic foods can be grilled directly over charcoal embers. For indirect grilling method, create an empty space in the middle by scraping the hot charcoals to opposite sides of the grill.

BBQ Tips and Techniques

Here are some grilling tips and techniques to make your picnic food grilled dishes yummy and tasty. Do not burn or overcook because charred meat is not healthy for the body. To avoid overcooking, picnic grilled foods are microwaved or boiled in marinade. To avoid charring, apply sauce or marinade on barbecued meat when cooking time is almost over. To avoid losing the delicious juices while grilling the picnic foods, do not press the meat (like steak or hamburger patties) while cooking. Rub cooking oil on the clean and dry surface grill grate to keep food from sticking. Round-shaped grill has equal distribution of heat.

How to Prepare the Charcoal Grill

Clean the grate grill with steel brush, rinse well, and let dry; then brush on some vegetable oil. Remove ashes in the grill. Arrange the charcoal or briquettes like a mountain with a small cave opening at the bottom. Roll and twist a piece of paper to form a long and thin shape. Light one end and carefully insert into the “cave”. Smoke should be free to escape through the pile of charcoal so that oxygen can get inside to keep the fire alive. Use a metal utensil or thick stick to spread the hot coals.

Picnic Grilled Shrimps

Shrimps are quick-cooking and best grilled over direct heat.

Ingredients:

20 pieces large shrimp (without head), peeled and deveined but keep the tails intact
1 piece small lemon
2 Tbsp honey

Marinade Ingredients:

2 cups barbecue sauce
½ tsp ground pepper, fine
¼ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp garlic powder

How to: In a small bowl, mix all ingredients for marinade. In a large bowl, squeeze lemon over shrimps. Set aside for 2 minutes; then, wash quickly and drain well. Marinate shrimps for 1 hour. Drain well before grilling to avoid burning. Stick 5 shrimps to each barbecue bamboo sticks, horizontally or vertically. Arrange on pre-oiled grill grate and cook over a single layer of red-hot charcoal or white bbq briquettes. Shrimps cook for 6 to 10 minutes; or 3 to 5  minutes for each side. Brush marinade on shrimps only once and when almost half-done. Drizzle or brush honey on grilled shrimps and serve hot on top of sliced ripe tomatoes and shreds of green lettuce.

Picnic Barbequed Chicken Drumsticks

Dark-colored chicken barbecues are caused by the sweetness in the marinade. If light color is desired, pre-cook the chicken drumsticks with the marinade to shorten the grilling time.

Ingredients:

6 pieces medium chicken drumsticks or legs, thawed and well-drained
¼ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ ground pepper
¼ fine salt

How to: Combine all ingredients and set aside for 1 to 2 hours. Using a fork, prick chicken legs on different parts so that meat will absorb the marinade. Cook chicken over indirect heat. Braise the marinade over the chicken while grilling. Serve with green salad and dressing dip.

Picnic Pork Ribs on Hot Grill

Pork is tastier when cooked slowly. Braise with some barbeque sauce while cooking over indirect heat to make it smell delicious. Pork ribs are the best choice for picnic grilled meat recipes because pork meat is more tender than beef.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork ribs, washed and drained
2 cups barbeque sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup chili sauce (optional)
½ cup brown sugar (optional)

How to: Arrange the hot charcoal on the grill to create a vacant space on the middle. Grilling over indirect heat requires longer cooking time and frequent turning to avoid burning or charring. To keep the meat moist, brush with barbeque sauce and vegetable oil on each turning.

Summer Picnic Idea

Summer picnics are more fun when picnic foods are grilled right before eating. Remember: quick-cooking recipes are better cooked over direct heat; while large slabs of meat need to be slow-cooked using indirect heat to keep the meat tasty, juicy, and tender.

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