PICNIC

The weather has been good, warm, sunny and it is dry with a cool breeze which is very pleasant to be outdoors.  Walking and visiting parks is fun, it is the perfect time of the year for picnics and don't forget to take along the picnic basket.  We could do so much to fill it, from savoury food, fresh fruits, salad, drinks to sweets.

Ideas or suggestion as for what types of food that are suitable for picnics with easy preparation and transportation.

My Picnic Basket': Susy Meatloaf, Crispy pastry with cheese and spinach, herb bread and more. Also, lumpia basah, nasi goreng, arem arem for Javanese flavour.  Fresh fruits: watermelon, oranges and all fruits in season.  Coffee or tea for hot, water or juice for cold drinks.

Cooking and Preparations

Susy Meatloaf

Meat Loaf with Fresh Herbs

The meatloaf is delicious to be served hot or room temperature.  Slice, have it with herb bread and a salad.  On the day you cook it, serve it warm, but it is excellent to be served cold too.

Another food that is suitable to be taken away for eating outdoors is pastry dishes, such as pies. Cold pie with raised pastry is excellent for a picnic.  I have a pastry dish that is easy to prepare, which is spinach and cheese in a crispy pastry.

Crispy Pastry

Spinach and cheese in crispy pastry

Using Susy water pastry. Fill and spread the mixture of cooked spinach ( I used Swiss rainbow chard of my garden) with cheeses ( tasty and Parmesan ) between the layers of the pastry. You could use Feta cheese instead of ricotta.

The two dishes: meatloaf and the spinach and cheese, are served for ten people.  It is good cooking for a family of six to eight.

The Fresh Fruits:  fresh apples, bananas and pears, I would take them as they are, but for watermelons and oranges I would clean, peel, cut and slice then keep the fruit in a proper airtight container.

single or mini herb breads

The herb bread: what you need are self-raising flour, mixed herbs, butter, egg and sour cream,  It is the same preparation as making scone, so this bread will take you about 35 minutes for the prep and the baking.  Not bad !!! Individual herb bread is handy too.
While you are baking this bread, you could prepare a quick cake mix for the sweet.  Do we need sweets for a picnic? Why not, it is good to go with the coffee.  More reasons for having a long walk after the food, or as a treat that can be looked forward to after the activities. Apple, pear quick mix cakes are tasty.

Salads: 
Cos lettuce is the best, as it is perfect in transportation, which is better than butter lettuce as it is too delicate.

Tomatoes are always good, but I would take it as they are, slice before serving and take along the dressing that you like.

Indeed, at a picnic, we tend to eat extra, but the activities that we do will help to consume good food.

A long time ago, my family was taken to a picnic at the Glenelg beach in Adelaide by our friends, the Ferrarrettos.  Lena baked pizza the night before, and she took the pizza for the picnic.   I remember vividly that she said, cold pizza is delicious, it is good to have it for a picnic, and it is OK that we eat more.

Susy Pizza

I bake the pizza with little topping, and also I use a variety of cheeses.  This pizza has Feta cheese instead of Mozzarella.

To many toppings make the pizza soggy with a soft crust.  A good pizza should have crusty edging and delicious but simple topping.

Sliced Susy ' Arem Arem '

Other cold food that is good for a picnic is nasi goreng,
a good taste from Java.  It is good to eat at room temperature.  A better Javanese food that is practical for picnics is 'are arem', it is rice rolls stuffed with spicy meat or vegetables.  Prepare the night before, eat cold or room temperature.

No, I have no recipe for you this time.

Shredded omelette to garnish for Nasi goreng

Lumpia basah (recipe in an older post) is pancake rolls with mixed vegetables filling.  Two of my favourite food from Java that is easily prepared the night before, and are an excellent food for picnics, but the nasi goreng has to be reheated into the warmish stage; otherwise, the taste won't be as good.

A lot of preparation when you think of it, but going out for a picnic it can be comfortable too.  Fill the picnic basket with bread rolls, sandwiches, biscuits, fresh fruits and a thermos of hot drink.  That will do.

I would pack sandwiches with a lot of herbs, they are very refreshing.  Particularly nasturtium flowers, have them as mouth cleanser, but also they are healthy and taste great.

Another meatloaf is meatloaf with mushrooms.  Little preparation was only and inexpensive.

Meatloaf with mushrooms

Ingredients
350 g mincemeat (chicken. pork or beef)
1 cup mashed potato
1 egg
Salt and spices: pepper, nutmeg, onions, parsley and salt
2 tablespoon olive oil
250 g large mushrooms, sliced
1 egg for egg wash
Butter (softened) for the mushrooms
For cooking: foil and baking paper (45cm x 30cm) each piece



Method
Preheat the oven to 185 degrees C (a fan-forced oven)

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl, mix them together to combine.  Gather it and shape into a fat sausage.  Keep aside.  Butter the baking paper and place it on top of the foil, place the sliced mushroom neatly to make the same size as the meat sausage mix.

Lay the meat on top which has been brushed entirely with egg wash.  Place some sliced mushrooms on top, and brush or smear with softened butter. Roll the foil over to enclose the mushrooms and the meat entirely.  Put it on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 33-35 minutes
Take it out let it rest on the baking tray, open then transfer to a dish to cool.
Sliced to serve.
A delicious meatloaf for a family meal, and it is good to be taken away for a picnic, serve hot, cold or room temperature.
** Basically it is meat mixture with sliced mushrooms which is cooked and baked wrapped in foil.

My other meatloaf is the meatloaf which is baked in a dish as the picture at the very top.
These what you need: baking dish, use a baking tin if you don't have the dish, baking paper.  The ingredients are minced beef, couscous, vegetables-diced carrots and peas.  Oil, egg, salt, herbs and spices.  Nuts for the topping.

Susy Meatloaf

Ingredients
300 g good quality minced beef
1 cup cooked couscous
1/2 cup cooked peas
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced thinly
1 egg
Mixed dried herbs: rosemary, bay leaf powder, paprika
1 tablespoon almond flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (fan forced)
Line the baking tin or dish with baking paper
Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix them together, add salt to taste.
Spoon the meat mixture onto the prepared tin, or a baking dish with a lid. Spread the mixture evenly.
Sprinkle the almond flakes on top, press slightly.  Cover with the lid or cover the tin with aluminium foil.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Susy Simple Meatloaf

 Sliced Meatloaf to Serve

I think my Picnic Basket is acceptable.  You could do more, food that is good to be eaten at room temperature and easy to be transported is the best for a picnic.  There is a lot of them, the choice is yours.
Obviously, you could take a bottle of wine if you wish; however, you must remember that
the non-alcohol drinker has to drive you home.

Going out for a picnic is fun, fill the basket with goodies that you have and also a short distance trip is better, you will get there sooner and enjoy the outing.
Make the best of the lovely weather, have a good time to be outdoors, spending quality time with family and friends.


Added pictures of  Susy 'Arem Arem' today 10-12-2013


Until Next Post
Thanks for visiting
Susy