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| Our picnic companions. |
This past weekend was a specially planned picnic to enjoy the wildflowers that have started blooming with fury out here. I become a little obsessed with planning the perfect menu sometimes - especially when it comes to picnics. I like to pair the food with our picnic spot like you'd pair a wine with cheese.
For our first wildflower picnic (yes, there will be more than one) I chose to make a curried egg salad with gluten free crackers, carrot raisin salad, strawberries & cream jar parfaits, and iced tea. I also packed Cuties and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches cut into fun shapes for my picky boys.
Everyone was very happy with their lunch. Although, my iced tea could have been much colder. Our ice maker decided to take the weekend off. I guess I'm picky too.
The wildflowers are a big attraction up here. Lots of picnic-ers and photographers gett'n their Sunday on.
Mateo took this picture of Matthew and I. We rarely get pics together as one of us is always behind the camera. Mateo was so cute. He instructed us to hold hands. Despite all of the instruction to not cut off our heads, he cut off our heads in every picture he took. This one ended up pretty good though.
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| A picnic princess. |
Nora loves the outdoors, so she was a happy camper the entire time.
The boys were in heaven. My little explorers went with Dad to see the cows, climbed inside a tree, walked on logs, found a hatched snake egg. We called it a day when Ezra ran back terrified and in hysterics, screaming and crying because he saw a big ol' rattle snake. He responded with sufficient terror to my satisfaction.
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| Mateo really wanted me to get this action shot of him jumping off the log with a kick. |
Mateo, on the other hand, was headed back in that direction just a few moments later. Matthew praised his lack of fear with an admonition to be cautious even when he doesn't feel afraid. That kid.
Curried
Egg Salad
INGREDIENTS
8
large eggs
1/8
tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/8
tsp dried dill
½
tsp curry powder
about
½ cup mayo, or to your liking
2
Tbsp thinly chopped green onions
salt
& fresh cracked pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1.
Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with water. Set over high heat
until boiling. Let it boil for a minute, then turn off the heat and
cover. Set a timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes run eggs under
cold water and peel. Cool enough to touch and chop finely.
2.
In a medium bowl combine eggs with the thyme, dill, curry powder, and
green onions. Add enough mayo to get the consistency you like. Taste
and add salt and pepper to taste. You may also want to add more curry powder.
3.
Refrigerate in an air-tight container at least 3 hours for flavors to
meld.
Carrot
& Raisin Salad
INGREDIENTS
4
cups shredded carrots
¼
cup golden raisins
¼
cup mayo
1
Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1
Tbsp sugar or honey
salt
& fresh cracked pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1.
Whisk mayo, vinegar, and sugar together to make the dressing.
2.
In a medium bowl combine carrots, raisins, and dressing. Taste and
add salt and pepper to taste.
3.
Refrigerate in an air-tight container for a few hours to let the
flavors meld.
Strawberries
& Cream Parfaits
(Original recipe from Mary Engelbreit's Sweet Treats Dessert Cookbook)
INGREDIENTS
16
oz package strawberries, hulled and diced
15
oz sour cream
¼
cup brown sugar
4
to 6 half pint jars with lids
DIRECTIONS
1.
Fill jars with a couple of heaping tablespoons of strawberries.
2.
Next, layer a couple of tablespoons of sour cream.
3.
Sprinkle with 1 or 2 tsp brown sugar.
4.
Repeat layers 3 times.
5.
Screw on lids and refrigerate a few hours.
* This recipe is also great with halved blackberries.
* This recipe is also great with halved blackberries.
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