Picnic Fare...Shrimp And Deviled Egg Salad Rolls

I am always looking for new things to make for our weekend picnics on the lake.  If it's just us, which it never is, I try to keep it simple.  It's always nice, though, to add a new twist to an old favorite.

These can be split in half if you are cooking on the grill, or they can be kept whole if it's the only thing you are bringing along.  Frankly I think that if you pack some chips, fruit, cheese and brownies, you would have ample fare for a no-fuss picnic.

Makes 8 mini rolls



Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound large shell-on shrimp, deveined
6 large eggs
2 ounces slab bacon or 2 strips thick-cut bacon, finely diced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper
4 butter lettuce leaves, halved
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
4 top-loading hot-dog buns, halved crosswise
2 scallions, finely sliced


Directions

Fill a large pot with 2 quarts water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat; add the shrimp, and let sit (off the heat) until the shrimp is pink-orange and slightly firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.

Return the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Gently lower the eggs into the water with a large ladle, two at a time, and let simmer exactly 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the shrimp and put them in a large bowl. Saute the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until firm and just turning golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

When the eggs are done, transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle, about 2 minutes. Peel the eggs and halve lengthwise. Separate the whites from the yolks; coarsely chop the whites and add them to the bowl with the shrimp. Press the yolks through a mesh strainer into a separate bowl. Add the mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the yolks and whisk until the mixture is the consistency of cake batter, about 1 minute.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the yolk mixture into the shrimp mixture until the shrimp is evenly coated with the deviled-egg dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. (The shrimp and deviled-egg salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 days.)

To serve, load 1 piece of lettuce and 1 tomato slice into each of the bun halves; spread about 1/2 cup of the shrimp and deviled-egg salad in each. Garnish with the bacon and scallions.


Recipe Food Network
Photograph by Mark Peterson

Tomato Hand Pies

A great recipe to have on hand for your next picnic

Left in the baking tin and covered with cheesecloth, these tomato hand pies are ready to pack. They can be baked a day ahead and refrigerated. The pies will come to room temperature on the trip to the picnic site.

This recipe is part of the menu  An Elegant Picnic for a Concert In Central Park coming up in Lindaraxa


Makes 1 dozen

Serves 6

Ingredients


All-purpose flour, for surface

Pate Brisee

2 1/2 pounds medium tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise

1 medium onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano, plus small sprigs for serving (optional)

1/3 cup chopped pitted oil-cured black olives

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

1.On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to 1/8 inch thick. Using a paring knife, cut out twelve 4 1/2-inch squares, and fit into cups of a standard muffin tin, leaving an overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide tomato and onion slices between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until tomatoes begin to shrivel and onion slices are golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Transfer to a bowl.

3.Divide half the chopped oregano, olives, and feta among the dough-lined tins. Top with tomato-onion mixture. Sprinkle remaining oregano, olives, and feta on top. Fold corners of dough toward centers. Brush with egg wash.

4.Reduce heat to 375. Bake pies until top crusts are golden brown and middles are bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes.

5.Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack. Tuck oregano sprigs into hand pies if desired.


Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Crunchy Chocolate Treats

When we have weekend guests at the lake, it's nice to have a big glass jar of these for snacking while watching a movie or playing cards.   They are also great to bring along in plastic containers on picnics and boat rides.  

To make squares instead of clusters, use a wet spatula and evenly spread mixture into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan.  Let set before cutting with a serrated knife. I find that a small ice cream scooper works the best.


Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 bag (10 ounces) mini marshmallows

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 cups rice cereal

3/4 cup peanut-butter chips


Directions


1.In a large, deep saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, over low heat, about 4 minutes. Add 1 bag (10 ounces) mini marshmallows; cook, stirring, until melted, 6 to 8 minutes.

2.Add 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped; cook, stirring, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Quickly fold in 6 cups rice cereal and 3/4 cup peanut-butter chips until evenly distributed.

3.Coat a 1/4-cup dry measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray; scoop mixture onto waxed paper, forming clusters. Let set, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to several days.

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Read more at Marthastewart.com: Crunchy Chocolate Treats - Martha Stewart Recipes

A New Island, A Beautiful Sunset And Picnic Paella For Dinner!

Warning: If you don't enjoy pictures of beautiful sunsets, food or mischievous Westies, this post may be detrimental to your health!

I hear we are headed to a new island...

I bet they expect me to swim and show off

It's tough being cute

Land ahoy!

Land ahoy, but there's people in our island... bummer

New settlers or just exploring...

I can scare them off

134 feet? no problem, I can swim over... piece of cake!

Coast clear

Look Lucy, there's all that red clay you love to play in!

...and a fire pit

Just marking in case they can't find it at night... they'll thank me later!

Land!!!

Anchor safely in place

Anyone for a swim?

paws still touching

Hey, I need to come up

I'm not dirty, seriously

 Vodka on the rocks with a twist, plueeze!

My tongue is clean

Mine too!

Why do you say I have dirty paws?!!

Don't make me beg....

Just a slice of Brie, then...

I'm telling on her..Mom will get this straightened out

She's a sucker for a cute face

Wait til you hear what just happened, Mom

I love you so, Mommy...

I knew you'd understand

We must have these talks more often...

Not talking to you

Dinner is ready!

Guest arriving!

Moonlight at the Oasis...

That's all folks! ...later!

The recipe for the cold picnic paella is over at Lindaraxa's Garden!

All pictures by Lindaraxa

Rum Glazed Shrimp And Mango

This is definitely going on the docket for our next Dinner Cruise.  Cilantro in the marinade might be a nice addition. 

You will need 12 metal or wooden skewers. To keep them from scorching on the grill, soak the wooden skewers in water while preparing the ingredients.

Printable Recipe

Prep: 35 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Serves 4


Ingredients


1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1 tablespoon (3 limes)

1/4 cup dark rum

3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated, peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

32 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 ripe but firm mango, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 8 slivers, each about 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grates

2 bunches watercress, (about 12 ounces), tough stems trimmed


Directions

1.Make glaze: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup lime juice, rum, sugar, and ginger; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water; stir into lime-juice mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; let cool.

2.Thread shrimp onto 8 skewers, using 4 shrimp per skewer. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Thread mango slivers onto 4 skewers, using 2 pieces per skewer. Brush shrimp and mango all over with glaze.

3.Heat grill to medium-high; oil grates. Place shrimp and mango skewers on grill; cook, turning once, until blackened in spots and shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.In a large bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon lime juice with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Add watercress; toss to coat.

5.To serve, divide watercress among four plates; top each with 2 shrimp skewers and 1 mango skewer.

From Everyday Food, July/August 2005.

A Father's Day Picnic On The Lake

If you want to give Dad a real break, why not pack up a hearty picnic and go somewhere for the day.  If you are not blessed with a lake, a pool, or the seashore, go camping (if he's athletic) or just pick out a site, lay out a tablecloth and hang up the hammock.  Then again, maybe he's just the type who enjoys staying at home this year and watching the soccer match.  Whatever.  Save the grill for another day and let him enjoy his day.

It is unbearably hot here in Georgia, with temperatures in the 90's.  There is nothing more cooling and refreshing than this cucumber soup so bring it along, particularly if you are going to be outside.

You can make all this the day before and pack it up that morning.

No Fuss Father's Day Menu

Cold Cucumber and Spinach Soup

Pulled Pork Sandwiches*

Cole Slaw

Outrageous Brownies

Beer!

*If you really don't want to work, the smoked pulled pork from Kirkland at Costco is terrific.  No kidding, I passed it off as home made just the other day and nobody noticed, sshhh!  It is that good.  Do make your own sauce, that's a must!

You can find this year's Father's Day menu at Lindaraxa's Garden by clicking here

Photo: Julieta Cadenas

How to Build A Picnic Table

If you wanted to set up a folding table and chairs for your barbecue guests, party planners say you'd need to allot 10 square feet per person to create enough access. Do that on the average deck or patio and your Fourth of July celebration will get so chaotic that it may end with the wrong kind of fireworks. A classic picnic table with attached benches is the perfect solution. This staple of backyards and parks—with its elbow-to-elbow dining and climb-over seating—works in all terrains, so you can move off the deck and onto the grass.

It's an easy and fun solution even I could tackle.  Economical too...cost $95

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/print/0,,20291200,00.html