Picnic Basket Site

Australia is definitely on my life TODO list!

Foodanddrinkclub.com shares this fun picnic spot – Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge was transformed into one of the world’s greatest picnic spots Monday with some 7,500 people enjoying breakfast suspended 164 feet above the water.Pinicing on the bridge is the centerpiece event at the annual Crave Sydney International Food Festival, a month long food celebration in Sydney and across New South Wales. Read entire post

Sounds fun
Tina D.
Shop www.picnicbasketsite.com

Here in Utah the weather has started cooling off and I am sure we will have snow for Halloween again this year, . The cold or cooler weather does not need to put picnic season on hold…. you can just move it indoors!

To help keep an indoor picnic from being boring I suggest picking a theme for your foods decor and games (Think the movie Mermaids, where they turned their indoor picnic to an under water scene).

My ideal indoor picnic would have a vampire twist to it. A Bayou theme complete with green blankets for the grass, misty fog, southern foods and of course all my favorite vampires in attendance.

Tweet me at apicnicbasket7 to share your indoor picnic ideas.  I’ll list the 20 best indoor picnic ideas on my Twitter faves gadget. Your ideas can be themed or un-themed.

Tina D.

The Oxford English dictionary defines a picnic as “a pleasure outing including an informal outdoor meal” or “the meal itself”. However, I have tucked into a picnic indoors, sitting on the floor around the coffee table – having returned from “the pleasure outing” because of lashing rain! You can also have fun with a picnic in bed, can’t you? Therefore, I’d personally define a picnic as a meal eaten anywhere other than at the indoor dining table or from a tray in front of the TV!

So that leaves a lot of places to enjoy a picnic.

One that immediately springs to mind is on a journey. That journey could be on foot (ie while rambling, hiking etc.), by bicycle or motorbike, by car, or boat or plane.

While traveling by plane most of us want to eat something, if only to help prevent boredom. However, you don’t have to eat the pre-packaged food presented by the airline. With a little forward thinking, you can enjoy a homemade picnic – the envy of your fellow passengers!

You can also enjoy a picnic while camping (one long picnic!), fishing, or even playing a round of golf! A picnic basket is also an essential item to have on hand while watching sports or at an outdoor concert or play. The occasion will dictate whether the items you have in the hamper are of the gourmet picnic or snack variety.

Picnics needing much more planning and preparation are those to which you invite others – such as a wedding picnic alfresco birthday party, company picnic or other special event held outdoors.

Completely opposite from this is the impromptu meal enjoyed outside just because the weather is perfect for picnicking. If you are pre-prepared with picnic hamper, cooler and other items on a picnic list list you’ll be able to add some tasty nibbles and refreshment at a moment’s notice and set off for the nearest balcony or roof-top, beach, park or tree-shaded meadow, to relax in the sunshine with friends or family.

I suggest you take a break from the frenetic pace of life at least once every few weeks and transport yourself into the scene and mood of such a relaxing picnic setting. This will refresh your mind, body and spirit. Especially if you leave your mobile phone at home!

Let’s Picnic!

Eating and drinking with loved ones is synonymous with lazy hazy days and a sunny trundle down to the seaside or out into the country is always a leisurely joy.

Come the week-end, I’m a great picnic fan and after a late start, there’s nothing better than a preparing a meal to be eaten outside – whether it’s lunch in the park, tea under a tree somewhere, or a barbeque dinner at dusk on the beach.

Outdoor dining relies on hearty food – we all know that appetites are heightened out in the fresh air. But recipes need to be wholesome and easy to prepare. A little chopping and cooking in advance leaves you free to enjoy yourself at the picnic venue.

Transport salad dressings in lidded jars and drinks in flasks with ice. Freeze some bottles of water too and use as ice packs around the food first and thirst quenchers later. Forget unhealthy fizzy drinks, and save money at the same time, by making some lemonade or ginger beer to accompany your alfresco meal.

Last Saturday I prepared Sticky Chicken Pieces for our family picnic on the South Downs (that’s a beautiful area in southern England, UK). My daughter-in-law’s sister-in-law (have you got that?!) was running a marathon along the South Downs and a whole pile of us in the family, from 3 year old twins to seniors of 63 decided to support and meet Tanya at the end of the race. So while we were waiting, of course, we had a picnic.

We all chipped in with food and drinks and my contribution was this chicken, which is delectably sticky, so it was a good job I remembered to include the wet wipes in my picnic hamper!

Sticky Chicken Pieces

• 12 chicken thighs, skinned and boned
• 5 oz dark soft brown sugar
• the juice of one fat lemon
• 3 tablespoons of sherry or ginger wine (I used ginger wine this time)
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic

Put all the ingredients, except the chicken, into a pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat, bring to the boil and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the chicken into a dish and pour over the sauce. Cover and leave to marinade for a couple of hours.

Then prepare a hot oven. Take the chicken pieces out of the sauce and put in a roasting tin. Cook for 10 minutes and then baste with some sauce – just enough to make the pieces sticky. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.

Take out of the oven and leave to cool. Transport in a cooler and serve cold.

On Saturday I also sprinkled the chicken pieces with sesame seeds as they came out of the oven, which added a nice touch – in my opinion anyway and nobody else seemed to object as the chicken disappeared quickly!

If you’re planning a picnic for this coming week-end then check back for more ideas later in the week – or click over now to my Picnic Site for more recipes and ideas.