Why don't we picnic anymore? #picniceats
A couple of years back, I was living in Amsterdam, and one of my fondest memories was when a group of us interns would have a picnic at the park. It was a great way to get to know one another, and something I feel like we rarely do as westerners, and I'm really not sure why. When my beautiful bestie suggested I do a "how to picnic" blog, I thought it was an amazing idea, given this warm aussie winter.
I dragged my hubby along with me, with the promise of good food, and the promise to watch UFC later that day... #compromise #thatmarriedlife. But it was also kind of crazy to think that we had never been on a picnic together! After 4.5 years of long distance, a simple thing like going on a picnic becomes a major event, so I tried to make it as memorable as possible.
I put together a fun & pretty picnic that required little prep - and I feel like this would also be awesome for a girl's get together as well.
If you're interested in how our little picnic adventure went, keep reading some helpful tips, ideas, and recipes below!
Tip #1: Keep it Simple
It's a picnic, it's meant to be relaxing.. so don't go cray.
Simple Menu:
-Chorizo Pasta Salad (see recipe below)
-Lemon, Lime, Bitters with mixed berries mocktail (see recipe below)
-Mixed Berries
-Mixed Nuts
-Red grapes
-Hummus with caramelized onions & Rosemary crackers
-Birthday cake brownies
Tip #2: Dranks are key
There is nothing better than a refreshing drink in your hand on a hot day outside.
I made a delicious mocktail of lemon, lime, bitters and frozen mixed berries, with fresh lime and lemon wedges. This needs a name - it reminds me of the beach so how about - tanned beach boy? **(Lemon, Lime and Bitters is a mixed drink made with lemonade, lime cordial, and Angostura bitters) Tanned Beach Boy Recipe: -Mix 1 part of the lemon, lime, bitters mix (bought this at the grocery store), and 4 parts water. -Then as you're packing up for the picnic, pop in the frozen berries, and fresh lemon/lime wedges.
Tip #3: Stick to One Main Dish
Chorizo Pasta Salad Recipe:
-Boil your pasta shells - any type of pasta will work.
-In a separate pan, sautee chorizo, 1 chopped onion, 5-6 mushrooms chopped.
-Add some minced garlic and basil. -Then add in diced red, yellow and green bell peppers (1 each).
-Add some chopped up sundried tomatoes, I used about 6-7.
-At the very end, toss in the pasta shells, add some red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar and salt/pepper to taste.
-I added some cilantro to serve - but you can omit this if you wish.
Tip #4: That Picnic Ambience though
One of the best ways to make a picnic feel less like your 10 year old birthday party at the park, and more like a relaxing outdoor dining experience, is to mix and match plasticware with glassware. I chose a combination of glass jars, plastic containers, metal cutlery, and reusable plastic plates, and I stored everything in a small cooler in order to keep it all fresh.
I used a shawl for the blanket, which is so lightweight and easy to pack.
Tip #5: Bring back the old school games
After filling up on your delicious lunch and dessert, break out a kite, ring toss game, or even a deck of cards - I just feel like flying a kite again would be so much fun, amiright?
Well that's all I have for now, below are a few pics of us enjoying ourselves in the out of doors...overall we had a lot of fun and I definitely recommend getting outside to enjoy the beautiful parks and nature surrounding you - it's probably closer than you think!
Oh and don't forget to bring your big floppy hat and a bucket of sunscreen!
Until next time <3
xoxo, --samarajane
