Yummy Picnic Picks

I have always loved the summer picnic holidays the most.  They provide the perfect opportunities to get together with your family and friends without the drama that seems to be attached to the winter holidays.  You can have fun together without people getting all bent out of shape if traditions are not followed exactly.  There is no gift giving involved to hurt people’s feelings.  You still get a day off work.  Although rain can throw a wrench into some plans, usually weather is nowhere near severe enough to cancel activities completely.  Everyone just relaxes and has a good time.

The best part though is all of the yummy food that people bring to these barbeques.  I love food.  I love to make it, and I love to eat it.  I wanted to share some of my favorite summer party contributions.  Here are four things that I routinely make to take with me to summer picnics.  Each of them has been well reviewed by others, and I commonly receive inquiries into the recipes.

Salsa Rollups

8 flour tortillas

8 oz cream cheese

Salsa

Mix softened cream cheese with salsa until consistency is smooth enough to spread (the more liquid the salsa, the less you will need).  Spread a ¼ inch layer on each tortilla.  Roll up tortillas.  Refrigerate for an hour.  Cut into 1 inch slices.  Serve with salsa to dip.

Notes:  1) This recipe was created by my cousin Joe when he was in elementary school.  I have since seen variations of it many places, but he still gets the credit for my version of it.  2) This recipe can be easily modified to fit unique tastes.  Feel free to add ingredients to the cream cheese mixture or to experiment with dipping options.

Cucumber Salad

3-4 cucumbers

1 large tomato

1 small onion

Salt

½ cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

Dill

Slice cucumbers into a bowl.  Coat them with salt.  Allow to sit for two hours.  Slice onion and add to bowl.  Dice tomatoes and add to bowl.  Dissolve sugar into the vinegar and pour over vegetables.  Add dill to taste.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours (or overnight).   Mix well and serve.

Notes:  1) Again I have seen many variations to this recipe, but I base mine off a recipe included in a church newsletter I received many, many years ago.  2) This is also a very flexible recipe.  You can add or subtract any vegetable except the cucumber.  Use Italian seasoning, or basil, or whatever you like instead of the dill.

Bistro Pasta Salad

1 box cooked penne pasta

1 container cherry tomatoes – halved

1 small onion – diced

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) – I normally halve or quarter the bigger pieces

6 oz crumbled feta cheese

Basil

Good Seasons Italian salad dressing (prepared per package directions – vinegar, water, oil, packet)

Toss pasta, tomatoes, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta in large bowl.  Shake on dried basil to taste (I use a lot!).  Pour entire bottle of prepared Good Seasons Italian dressing.  Mix well.  Refrigerate overnight.  Mix well and serve.

Notes:  1) This recipe has been passed around my family for ages, but I think it was originally found in a cookbook my Grandmother owned.  Unfortunately, I have no ideas on what it was or who wrote it.  2) If you want some protein to make this a complete meal, slice grilled chicken breasts and add to pasta salad.

Take Over the World Bars

1 18 oz roll Pillsbury Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter, softened

¼ cup water

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 9 X 13 glass pan, smoosh Pillsbury cookie dough until it covers bottom of pan.  Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool.

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and water until smooth.  You can add a little more water (tablespoon at a time) if needed to get a creamy peanut butter fudge consistency.  Spread across the top of the chocolate chip cookie.

Melt chocolate chips.  Spread across top of peanut butter fudge.  Allow chocolate to set.  Cut into bars.

Notes:  1) This recipe is actually called Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Bars and it is from a Pillsbury cookbook I bought more than a decade ago.  I started calling them Take Over the World Bars when the reaction I received every time I brought them was so strong that I started joking I could use them to brainwash the world and make everyone do my bidding.

These are a few of my favorite summer holiday recipes.  What are yours?  I am always looking to try something tasty.

See you next week!