Get out your checkered tablecloths — it's picnic season.
Leslie Dabney, The Vineyard Mom, joined us from her California home with picnic tips and recipes.
She offered 7 things to make your next picnic a success:
- Pick the right spot.
- Bring a surface to put food on. Something as small as plates and a cutting board or big like a folding table.
- Have some shade. Make sure you're either under a tree or bring an umbrella to get out of the sun.
- Don't forget utensils.
- Whether you're in a chair or on a blanket on the ground, bring a few throw pillows, so everyone is comfortable.
- Don't forget the sunblock.
- Make sure you bring a few garbage bags to clean up. Not every area has accessible garbage cans and you do not want to leave a mess.
Leslie also shared three picnic recipes:
Artichoke and Olive Tapenade Sandwiches
2 -3 cups of artichoke and olive tapenade
2 beefsteak tomatoes sliced
3 cups of fresh spinach leaves
1 large baguette cut into 4 equal slices, cut horizontally
Olive and Artichoke Tapenade
1 14 oz. jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts drained
1 10 oz. jar pitted kalamata olives drained
1 10 oz. jar of Spanish green olives with pimentos drained
1 garlic clove chopped
1/4 tsp. lemon juice and the zest of the lemon
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cut artichoke quarters in half before putting them into the processor.
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse about 12-15 times. You will need to scrape the sides several times in between pulses.
If you don't have a food processor use a blender (pulsing) or just chop each ingredient and mix together. Add extra virgin oil, lemon juice, pepper and combine.
Cut bread into slices and drizzle with olive oil. Toast in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned.
Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Spread olive and artichoke tapenade onto the bottom slice of the baguette.
Add spinach leaves to the top of the tapenade.
Top spinach with 2-3 slices of tomato
Cover with the top part of the baguette.
Watermelon and Feta Salad
10 cups of watermelon cut into 1 inch chunks
2 avocados
2 limes, juiced
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
In a large bowl, add chilled watermelon chunks.
Peel, pit and chop avocados into small chunks. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the avocado chunks. Stir to coat avocado completely with the juice.
Add avocado chunks to the watermelon.
Add feta cheese, mint leaves to the watermelon and avocado. Squeeze the juice from the
second lime over the top of the salad. Stir gently to combine.
Serve or keep refrigerated until service.
Asparagus and Radish Salad
1 lb. trimmed fresh asparagus
6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh green peas
1 cup roasted Pignoli nuts
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook at a simmer for 3 minutes. Take asparagus out of the water and immediately transfer into a bowl with cold water and ice. Leave in the ice bath for 1 minute. Drain asparagus and pat dry.
In a large bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Cut asparagus into 3 inch pieces and add it to the bowl. Add radishes, peas, Pignoli nuts and stir to coat with the dressing.
Top with fresh chopped mint.
Recipes courtesy of: Leslie Dabney, The Vineyard Mom @thevineyardmomliving on IG.
