Picnic Food Ideas

Summer days mean loads of fun in the sun. Of course, a picnic is fun anytime of the year provided you have the best of company, be it family or friends. A picnic can refresh you in many ways by bringing you close to nature and also giving you the opportunity to spend time with your loved ones. Food and games are the highlight of any picnic. Many people prefer to carry picnic baskets where as some prefer to cook food at the picnic spot! Check out some of the interesting picnic food ideas given below.

Picnic Food Ideas:
Sandwiches and refreshing drinks form a major portion of the picnic basket. However, while packing food for picnics, you would need to bear in mind that it has to remain fresh as per the weather and your destination.

Honey Oatmeal Bread Recipe:
Ingredients
Butter (1/2 cup)
Honey (1/4 cup)
Salt (1 teaspoon)
Egg (1)
Old-fashioned oatmeal (1/2 cup)
Boiling water (3/4 cup)
Active dry yeast (1 envelope)
Very warm water (1/4 cup)
Sugar (1/2 teaspoon)
All-purpose flour - divided use (2 cups)
Oat bran cereal - processed to flour (3/4 cup)

Preparation
Take a large bowl and place some oatmeal with butter and honey and sprinkle some salt over it. Pour some boiling water over it and stir well and let this preparation cool down. Then, sprinkle some yeast over the very warm water. Add some sugar to this and stir it carefully. Place it aside till it turns bubbly. Meanwhile, use some vegetable oil to spray a 9 X 5 X 3 inch pan. Add the yeast mixture along with the egg, 1 ½ cups of the flour and the oat bran cereal flour to the oatmeal mixture. You need to beat this mixture on low speed for around 2 minutes. While doing so, keep adding ½ cup of the flour at a gradual speed.

Graze the dough in the prepared loaf pan and spray the top with some vegetable oil. Cover this with some waxed paper and over this, use a tea towel. Place it in a warm area for 45 minutes till it rises to a double. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the preparation in it for an hour and let it cool on the rack. Use this bread to whip up some delicious sandwiches as the combination of oatmeal and honey helps to add a natural sweetness to the bread.

Eggs with Asparagus Recipe:
Ingredients
Shallots - thinly sliced (2)
Hard - boiled eggs (4)
Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Red wine vinegar – (1 1/2 tablespoon)
Fresh asparagus - trimmed (1 pound)

Preparation
Place the sliced shallots in a cup and pour over some red wine vinegar and place this aside. Arrange the asparagus in a large skillet and ensure all the tips face in one direction. Pour some cold water over this so that it gets covered completely. Bring this preparation to a boil. Reduce the temperature and let it simmer for about 2-5 minutes. Once the asparagus turns tender, drain it and rinse under cold water. Then, arrange the asparagus in a small dish. In the meantime, drain the shallots and rinse them under cold water. Use them over the asparagus. At the same time, cut the eggs into quarters and arrange them on the asparagus.

You can also prepare vinaigrette for added flavor. Mix the olive oil with 1-½ tablespoons of vinegar and some salt and pepper as per taste and pour over the asparagus and eggs. The eggs can be added just before you are leaving for the picnic. The dish can be served warm or even cold.