Picnic Food Safety Tips
With picnic and cook-out season here-I thought it would be a good time to post some tips to keep your picnic safe.
Common Picnic Problems
Besides ants, the biggest concern at a picnic should be food safety. While most of us know to keep cold foods cold, and hot food hot, there are some basic things we should all do to insure a safe, happy day.
Away from home and refrigeration, it is can be tricky to keep foods cold until ready to serve. Bring plenty of ice and coolers for all perishable food. Keep food cold until you are ready to cook or eat it. Get food back into coolers as soon as everyone has finished eating.
Package raw meats extra carefully. Raw meat juices, spilling on salads, will make them inedible. Pack raw meats separately if you can, or on the bottom of the cooler in a leak-proof container. You might also consider bringing meats, like burgers, frozen to thaw on the grill or in the cooler. Smoked meats are safer than their non-smoked counterparts but both types can spoil. The ideal situation is to have one cooler only for raw meats.
Don’t make burgers on site. Outdoor prep is always tricky. Better to form burgers at home, where you can wash all surfaces, as well as your hands, thoroughly. If you make them there- bring disposable gloves and a lightweight cutting board to work on.
Never use ice for drinks that has been in contact with raw meat, or even if any raw meats have been stored in the ice. Keep beverage ice in its own cooler, or keep it bagged to insure it is clean and safe.
Solid blocks of ice melt more slowly than cubes, and make good cooler inserts for long, hot summer days. Also, keep coolers in the shade to offset the power of the sun.
Meat should be cooked thoroughly and ground meat is always more at risk for contamination. Make sure your fire is hot enough. Allow for chilly, windy days and pack extra coals or other fuel, to keep the fire hot throughout the cooking process.
Make sure you don’t put cooked meats on the tray that the raw meat was on. Also have different prepping and serving utensils for both the raw and cooked meats.
You can also precook meats (like chicken pieces or ribs), cool and chill until ready for dinner. Then just heat them up over the coals. This way you don’t have the worry of bringing along raw meats and you’ll spend less time cooking and more time having fun.
Mayo is not the evil purveyor of bacteria some people think. Mayo from a fresh jar, can actually retard the growth of bacteria. This does not mean you can leave the potato salad in the trunk for 3 hours because it has mayo in it. It just means that mayonnaise is not the culprit for food spoilage- bad handling was likely the cause.
While 2 hours is the maximum for food to be left out before being refrigerated again, use common sense. Obviously, on a 95 degree day that time is much shorter. Rather than one big bowl of pasta salad, bring several smaller ones that you can switch out. That way you always have cold salad that is safe. And bring plenty of serving spoons. It does no good to swap out the bowls of pasta salad for a fresh bowl, if you keep using the same serving spoon. Try to stay in the shade, too. Bringing some sort of canopy can keep food cooler than sitting in direct sunlight.
I am a big believer in a good hand washing being the best way to clean your hands- but you might not have running water where you are. Hand sanitizers are great when you don’t have hand washing as an option. I also bring a package of sanitizing wipes, in case a surface needs cleaning up, too.
If it is a hot day- you might want to have a large container, filled with ice, that you can put the bowls of salad into, to keep them colder. That way the salads are surrounded by the ice and stay cold a lot longer. You can use a small baby pool. I like to use a container designed for under the bed storage. Nice size.
In the end, it is about using common sense, and copious amounts of ice. Remember, that if you lose track of time, forget to put something back in the cooler or leave something in the trunk, it is always better to play it safe. When in doubt-throw it out.
Picnic Quiches
These tiny quiches pack a lot of flavor. They are also a great take along for picnics and cook outs. Since you can eat them hot or cold, they make a nice food for road trips, too.
The quiche recipe is made up of three parts- the crust, the filling and the custard. They are baked in muffins tins and each recipe makes a dozen. I have two crust recipes- including a gluten free crust that is made from rice and zucchini. There are three filling choices, but you can get creative and make a number of different variations. The custard is pretty straightforward- half and half, eggs and seasonings. I make a couple of batches at a time and then freeze some for later.
Picnic Quiches
Crust Options:
Rice Zucchini Crust (Gluten free)
1½ c. shredded zucchini
1¼ c. cooked rice (white or brown)
1 egg
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
Crouton Crust
3½ c. garlic-cheese croutons, about 5 oz., ground
1/3 c. melted butter
Fillings:
Mushroom and Onion
1 medium onion, chopped
Oil
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
3-4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed fine
In skillet cook onion in oil until lightly browned. Add mushroom and cook until mushrooms are golden. Cool and combine with cheese before using.
Spinach and Bacon
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
10 oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
Combine all ingredients. Set aside until ready to use.
Confetti
1 ear corn, cooked and kernel cut off the cob- about ½ cup
½ c. mined fresh sweet pepper
¼ c. chopped green onion
4 oz. shredded cheese- I like a sharp cheddar in this filling
Custard:
1c. half and half
3 eggs
½ t. each basil and salt
1/8 t. each garlic powder, pepper and paprika
Directions
Grease 12 muffin cups (3 inch). Prepare crust of your choice by mixing crust ingredients together. Pat 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each muffin cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool before filling. While baking and cooling crusts, prepare filling of your choice and make the custard.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling over each cooled crust. Spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of the custard over the filling. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks, chill completely before packing for your picnic.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
I make broccoli salad pretty often, but sometimes like to switch it up a little by adding cauliflower. The result is a salad that has a great mixed of flavors, colors and textures. The addition of bacon also adds a wonderful smoky flavor. Certainly, feel free to omit the bacon for a vegetarian salad. With or without the bacon, this is a great salad for the warmer days ahead.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
4 c. cauliflower, broken into bite- sized pieces
2 broccoli crowns, cut into bite- sized pieces
1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. shredded cheese, optional
8- 10 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2- 3/4 cup of mayo, adjust to your preference
salt and pepper to taste
Steam the cauliflower and broccoli until just tender/crisp. About 5 minutes in a microwave steamer, 6 minutes in a conventional steamer. Place in a bowl to cool down then combine with remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Serves 6-8.
Elmwood Coconut Crackers
I was getting together with friends and wanted to bring one of my favorite snacks along. It was a special occasion.
Throughout the pandemic, my friend Tara, has been having fire pit gatherings in her backyard. They have been a great way to see friends in a safe way. Because Tara is moving, this was the last fire pit at this house.
The magical thing about the location is that her property abuts Elmwood Park. As we sat around the fire we were able to enjoy the beauty of the park. I wanted to name the recipe in honor of our last Elmwood fire.
The base is saltine crackers topped with butter, brown sugar, coconut and cinnamon. They are ready in just a few minutes. Perfect when you are craving something sweet, but don’t have a lot of time. Not too sweet and just a little salty, too. You could use chopped nuts in place of the coconut if you prefer. They are super crunchy, too. Like a brittle, but with a cracker base. Great served alone, or with ice cream.
Store in a cool, dry place to keep them crunchy.
Elmwood Coconut Crackers
36 saltine crackers
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. coconut
1 t. cinnamon
Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the crackers, touching, side by side in a single layer. Melt butter in microwave, then add sugar and heat together 1 minute on high. Stir butter and sugar mixture together until smooth and drizzle this over the crackers. Combine coconut and cinnamon and then sprinkle the coconut over the crackers. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until coconut is toasted. Cool on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Crackers will easily break apart from each other. Makes 36.
Arrange crackers on a baking sheet
Drizzle crackers with the butter/brown sugar mixture
Sprinkle on the coconut and bake until coconut is toasted
Coleslaw Chef’s Salad
I love coleslaw and enjoy it as a side with all sorts of foods. This is especially true when the weather warms up. It seems I go from cabbage soup and cabbage and noodles to coleslaw and cabbage salads as the seasons change.
I wasn’t looking for my coleslaw to be a side dish this time, though. I was thinking of ways to make it more of a main dish. I had gotten busy with a project this morning and wanted something simple and quick. I came up with a twist on a chef’s salad.
I took shredded cabbage and added meat, fruits and dressing, then topped it with some cashews. Quick to make, and a great choice when you don’t have a lot of time or it is too hot to cook.
You can use your own imagination and add other fruits or proteins. This is a great way to use up leftovers, too. I think I might add peaches and raspberries next time.
So here is the recipe- taking coleslaw from side dish- to main dish.
Coleslaw Chef’s Salad
5-6 c. shredded cabbage- cole slaw mix is fine
2 c. cubed cooked meat- I used chicken but use what you like- or use a combination
2 c. fresh fruit- I used blueberries and fresh pineapple but use what you like
1 c. cubed cheese., optional
Dressing:
2/3 c. mayo
3 T. cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 t. fresh grated ginger
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Topping:
1/2 c. cashews, optional
Combine cabbage with fruits, meats and cheeses (if using) in a mixing bowl. In smaller bowl combine the dressing and stir until smooth. Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle cashews on top just before serving. Serves 4.
Tara’s Brunch Enchiladas
These are not traditional enchiladas, and I am OK with that. Made with a ham and cheese filling, then topped with an egg-based custard, they are a wonderful addition to any brunch menu. They would be fine served for breakfast or lunch, too. The prep in all done the day before, so you just have to pop them in the oven when ready to bake and serve.
The recipe can be easily tweaked, to work with other ingredients. Maybe a corned beef and Swiss cheese version or chicken with broccoli. You could also go vegetarian with a combination of beans and veggies. You can cut the recipe in half, or freeze leftovers. I love a versatile recipe.
I started calling them Tara’s Enchiladas for my friend Tara, who needed a recipe for a Mother’s day brunch last year.
We made these in class the other night. It was a class on Sunday Brunch. Everyone enjoyed them.
So here is the recipe. Hope you give it a try.
Brunch Enchiladas
12 oz. fully cooked ham, chopped fine or ground
½ c. sliced green onions
½ c. chopped sweet pepper
2½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
4 beaten eggs
2 c. half and half or milk
1 T. flour
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste- ham is salty- so go light on salt
In bowl, combine ham with vegetables. Place 1/3 c. of ham mixture and 3 tablespoons of cheese in each tortilla and roll up. Place tortillas, seam side down, in greased 9×13-inch pan. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over tortillas. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Uncover and bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until set. To check for doneness, insert a knife off center. Knife should come out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven for 3-5 minutes to melt cheese. Serves 8.
Note: Let enchiladas sit a few minutes before serving to make cutting easier. I cut them down the middle, then into squares to serve.
Praline Biscuits
When you are craving a sticky bun, but don’t want to wait hours for a yeast dough to rise, these Praline Biscuits might be just what you are looking for. They share a lot of the ingredients of sticky buns: pecans, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon. The flavors are a lot alike. The difference is that these tasty biscuits can be ready in 30 minutes or less.
These biscuits use biscuit mix, like Bisquick or Jiffy Mix for the dough. I actually like to make my own baking mix- recipe follows- but store bought is fine, too.
The texture will be different from a traditional sticky bun. Like the name implies, these are biscuits. I don’t think you will mind at all. We made them in class last night and everybody loved them. They would make a great addition to any brunch or breakfast menu.
So here is the recipe, simple and sweet. Enjoy!!
Praline Biscuits
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
36 pecan or walnut halves
cinnamon
2-c. biscuit mix
1/3 c. applesauce
1/3 c. milk
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In each of 12 muffins cups place 2 t. butter, 2 t. sugar and 3 nut halves. Sprinkle cinnamon in each. Heat in oven until melted. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over nut mixture. Bake 10 minutes, invert on heatproof serving platter. Makes 12.
Biscuit Mix
8 c. flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. powdered buttermilk
¼ c. baking powder
1 T. salt
1½ c. shortening- I like to use coconut oil- you can also use butter, but mixture needs to be kept in the fridge if you use butter
In large bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in a tightly closed container and use in 1-2 months. Makes 10 cups.
Coconut Ginger Soup
This recipe is inspired by a favorite dish at a local Thai restaurant. The recipe is pretty simple. Coconut milk and chicken stock are the base. The soup has a few veggies added and a healthy dash of lime juice and ginger. Then it is just a matter of adding some additional seasoning and the cooked chicken.
If you are starting with raw chicken, you could add it with the initial ingredients and just simmer long enough to cook the chicken. Small slices of chicken would cook in a few minutes. Since I had cooked chicken, I added it at the end. It was in the soup just long enough to warm it up. That way the chicken wouldn’t get tough from over-cooking.
The soup is meant to have a nice, citrus flavor from the lime juice. Adding the juice from three or four limes should be plenty, but all limes are not the same. If your limes are smallish, or not really juicy, feel free to add a little more.
For a soup thrown together so quickly, it really has a wonderful flavor. It is one of my favorite quick meals. So here is the recipe. Enjoy.
Coconut Ginger Soup
1 can, (13.5 oz.), coconut milk
2 c. chicken stock
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 jar bamboo shoots, drained
2 T. fresh grated ginger
Juice of 3-4 limes
Hot sauce to taste
3 T. fresh chopped cilantro- or parsley
3 T. chopped green onions
salt to taste
8 oz. cooked chicken, sliced in bite-sized pieces
Heat first 7 ingredients in a saucepan until heated through. Simmer about 5 minutes. Add cilantro and green onions and season to taste. My limes were pretty juicy. Feel free to add a little more lime juice, if you like. Add the chicken and simmer a few minutes longer. Serves 2-3.
Rhubarb Sauce
It is rhubarb season around here. Rhubarb is turning up at local farm markets and even in some grocery stores.
Like a lot of people, when I think of rhubarb, I first think of dessert, like pie or cobbler. But rhubarb’s tangy, tart flavor, lends itself to lots of savory uses.
I had some rhubarb and could not decide what to do with it. I chopped it up, and cooked it in a little water until tender. I ended up with 2 cups of cooked rhubarb.
I used this as the base for the sauce. I added the other ingredients, cooked it down until it was thick, and ended up with about 2 cups of sauce. It had a nice balance of sweet, tart and heat.
I used some of it as a glaze for chicken I was cooking. I froze the rest. The sauce would be good on other meats or even on grilled veggies.
Rhubarb Glazed Chicken
8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken, cut up
1 cup rhubarb sauce (recipe follows)
salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken pieces in roasting pan, season to taste and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain any fat out of the pan. Pour over the rhubarb sauce and return chicken to oven for an additional 35 minutes. Baste the chicken with some of the sauce in the pan and return to oven for 15 minutes more. Serves 4.
Rhubarb Sauce
2 c. cooked rhubarb
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. honey
2 T. dried minced onion
1 T. hot sauce
1 T. paprika
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir more often as mixture thickens. Cook until sauce has reduced to about 2 cups. Use as a glaze on meats and vegetables. It was great on chicken but would also go well on pork or duck. I could also imagine it on portobello mushrooms. It would make a nice dipping sauce, too. Note: I liked the tang of it but you could make it a little sweeter to suit your own taste. Makes 2 cups. Will keep a few weeks in the fridge or can be frozen.
Asparagus Irene
Asparagus will always be one of my favorite vegetables. I just love it. As I started writing out the recipe for this dish, I was thinking about my Mom and how much she loved asparagus. She always wanted the bigger asparagus spears- she said they had more flavor.
I remember her showing me how to break the bottom of the stalks off and how she would cook them until they were just done- but not mushy. She wouldn’t consider eating canned asparagus- only fresh- so the season was short. It was something to be savored while it lasted.
Most times she just placed the cooked asparagus on a plate, topped with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt. One time, though, she made a white sauce and poured it over the asparagus. It was bliss. For this version I used a white sauce, and topped the asparagus with 2 poached eggs, too. It is a lovely breakfast or brunch dish. Makes a great dinner, too. I named the dish after her.
Here is the recipe.
Asparagus Irene
1 lb. fresh asparagus, washed and stems trimmed
white sauce- recipe follows
fresh lemon, cut in wedges
2 eggs
vinegar- for the poaching water
salt and pepper to taste
Put the asparagus in a steamer and cook for about 5 minutes- or until almost done. Set aside. Make white sauce, but add some lemon juice to it. I just kept squeezing lemon wedges in until it tasted right to me. Set sauce aside. Boil some water in a shallow pan and add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Drop the two eggs in and simmer, covered until the whites are opaque and the yolks are still runny. While the eggs are cooking return the asparagus to the heat and cook until just tender. Place asparagus on a serving dish. Sprinkle with a little salt. Gently place the eggs on top of the asparagus. Spoon some of the white sauce over the eggs. You will have more sauce than you need. Save it for another use. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley, if you like. Finish with some salt and fresh ground pepper. Serves 2.
Basic White Sauce (Bechamel)
The start of many a classic dish.
2 T. butter or oil
2 T. flour
1 1/4 c. warmed milk
salt and pepper to taste
In saucepan melt butter or heat oil and add flour, stirring until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Turn heat down and continue to cook, stirring constantly for a couple minutes longer. Season to taste. If you are going to store the sauce for later use place a layer of wax paper on top, store in a container with a lid or pour a little milk over the top to prevent a skin from forming. Makes about 1 c.
Lemon: Add zest of a lemon, 2 T. lemon juice and 2 T. butter just before serving.
