Foodbuzz 24x24: Lakeside Lunch!

Summer has finally begun here in Arizona. After the last few weeks of yo-yo weather we have landed ourselves in the 100’s and I am sure it’ll stay that way for the remainder of the summer. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than out at the lake, hosting a wonderful outdoor meal in the company of our friends! I was lucky enough to be selected by Foodbuzz to host this lunch as one of the May 24x24 events!

Luckily the lake wasn’t too busy! Even though the weather was hot, the water was so refreshing. We spent some time swimming, lounging in the sun, did a little bit of wakeboarding and some tubing too!

Since we were going to be spending a good portion of our day cruising the lake on the boat, I decided that having a prepackaged meal for each guest would be the easiest way to enjoy our lunch. They worked great! They were easy to pack/store on the boat and even easier to hand out and eat. It literally took no time to prep – just open your box and dig in!

We found a wonderful beach spot way back in the canyon to enjoy our lunch. This was our view! It was absolutely gorgeous.

Our lunches included a bag of pita chips and hummus, a Greek salad, a turkey pesto lavash wrap, blackberry pie bars and a can of Sanpellegrino.

I love picnics, there is something about eating outside that just makes food taste better to me! I love getting to pack everything up and take it with me. Whether it’s a day at the lake, a fall hike through the woods or relaxing to watch the sunset, there’s always a reason to bring some food along.

 

I always find that deciding what to pack for picnics is the hardest part. I like to incorporate seasonal dishes into my picnics. There is something relaxing about enjoying a bowl of warm tomato soup when dining outside in the fall or eating fresh watermelon in the heart of summer. The kind of picnic you pack should depend on the location and event. Grilling at a local park, hiking to a remote spot with your meal in a backpack, a cooler loaded up for a day at the beach are just a few ideas of how you can adapt your meal to your outdoor activities.

 

When packing up your picnic there are few things to keep in mind:

• If you are bringing sandwiches, make sure all of your veggies are completely dry before assembling your sandwiches – if you don’t, you’ll end up with a soggy sandwich. I have found that using a waxed tissue paper or parchment paper to wrap my sandwiches in helps keep it from getting too moist (it works much better than plastic wrap). It’s best to pick a hearty bread that will stand up to the travel.
• Keep things packaged separate and combine once you are ready to eat – salads last longer with dressing packaged on the side. Plastic Tupperware and ziplock bags work great for this.
• Always chill your food thoroughly in the refrigerator before leaving. Be sure to pack it surrounded by plenty of ice packs (gallon sized ziplocks filled with ice work too!)
• Pack drinks and food separately. People are constantly opening the drink cooler so your food will actually stay cold if it’s packed in its own cooler.
• I always bring extra dessert – you’d be surprised how often people crave more dessert! It’s also nice to have a snack on hand too if you’ll be out all day.
• Don’t forget things like salt and pepper shakers (I throw mine in a ziplock), sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellant, trash bags (always bring more than one!), corkscrew/bottle opener or can opener (if needed), lighter or matches (if grilling).
• Bring plenty of water!

I find it easiest to pack things that can be thrown away to save on the cleanup. A few of the places I like to get my cute picnic ware include:

Garnish (wooden utensils, plastic/paper containers with lids, FDA approved wax tissue paper)

Nashville Wraps (To-go boxes)

Bake it Pretty (decorative bags, cups, straws – great baking packaging too!)

The Twinery (cute colored twine)

 

The girls and I enjoying some post lunch relaxation. This is Arizona’s version of a beach ;)

Hummus

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed

¾ teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons juice from 1 large lemon

¼ cup tahini

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup water

 

Directions:

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 40 seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until the flavors meld, at least 30 minutes.

 

Served chilled with pita chips.

 

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 

Recipe from: The New Best Recipe

Greek Salad

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

For the vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp juice from 1 lemon

2 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves

1 tsp fresh dill, minced

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed

6 tablespoons olive oil

 

For the salad:

½ medium red onion, sliced thin

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/8 inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

2 romaine hearts, washed, dried thoroughly and torn into 1 ½ inch pieces

2 medium vine ripened tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 12 wedges

¼ cup loosely packed torn fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup loosely packed torn fresh mint leaves

6 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, cut into 2 by ½ inch strips (about 1 cup)

20 large Kalamata olive, pitted and quartered lengthwise

5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

 

Directions:

For the vinaigrette:

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Let stand to blend the flavors, about 20 minutes. Pour into individual containers.

 

For the Salad:

Toss together the romaine, parsley and mint and divide into salad containers. Top with tomato wedges, red pepper, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta cheese.

 

Makes about 6-8 individual size salads

 

Adapted from: The New Best Recipe

Turkey Pesto Lavash Wrap

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

3 lavash wraps, each cut in half crosswise to make six 12x12-inch squares

12 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey

6 slices provolone cheese

6  romaine lettuce leaves

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced and seeded

¾ cup pesto (recipe below)

 

Directions:
Place 1 lavash square on work surface and spread lavash with 2 tablespoons pesto. Place 1 piece of lettuce and 2 slices of tomato in center of lavash. Top with about 2 ounces turkey and one slice of cheese. Fold in short sides of lavash, then roll up like burrito. Cut in half crosswise, then wrap tightly in waxed tissue paper or plastic wrap. Repeat process for remaining wraps. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; can be made up to 4 hours in advance.

Classic Pesto

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

¼ cup pine nuts

3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 cups packed fresh basil leaved

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves (optional)

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

Toast nuts in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until just golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate.

 

Add garlic to the empty skillet. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and the color of the clove deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let garlic cool, then peel and chop.

 

Combine basil and parsley in a heavy duty gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Pound with the flat side of a meat pounder or rolling pin until all leaves are bruised.

 

Place nuts, garlic, pounded herbs, oil and ½ tsp salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the side of the workbowl. Transfer mixture into a small bowl, stir in the parmesan and adjust the salt to taste.

 

The surface of the pesto can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3 days. Makes approximately ¾ cup of pesto.

 

Recipe from: The New Best Recipe

Blackberry Pie Bars

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

½ cup white sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 sticks (16 tbsp) chilled unsalted butter, cut into chunks

½ tsp vanilla

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups fresh blackberries

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

 

In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together egg and vanilla. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg mixtures until the dough is crumbly and resembles small peas. Press half of dough into the prepared pan.

 

In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blackberries and lemon juice. Spread the blackberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

 

Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.

 

Adapted from All Recipes