Tiny New York Kitchen Wishes Everyone A Happy Labor Day!
Labor Day Weekend Picnic
Labor Day Weekend is the perfect weekend for a picnic. To celebrate the end of summer I’ve organized a feast of some of America’s favorites – from fried chicken to chocolate cake, cheeseburgers to homemade strawberry ice cream.
Parsley Potato Salad
Mushroom Artichoke Salad
Chile-Spiced Bean Salad
Crusty Parmesan Chicken Breasts
Deviled Eggs
Pickled Beets
Barbecued Cheeseburgers
Tomatoes
Radishes
Lettuce
Red Onions
Pickles
Olives
Chocolate Buttercream Cake
Strawberry Ice Cream
Strawberries
Beer
Lemonade
Coffee
Packing the picnic: The salads can be prepared a day in advance. It’s probably not necessary to double the recipes unless you have a large crowd to feed. Be sure to include a serving spoon for each salad. The Crusty Parmesan Chicken Breasts can be served either cold or warm. Either bake it a day ahead, refrigerate it, and carry it in a cooler; or pop it in the oven about an hour before you leave and transport it hot. The deviled eggs can be made from your favorite recipes or one from Tiny New York Kitchen. They will need several hours to chill and must be packed in a cooler, along with the assortment of vegetables (each in a plastic container). Take along a basket or platter for the chicken, a tray for the eggs, and serving forks.
All of the barbecue equipment can travel in a sturdy cardboard box, if there’s room, lay the buns and cheese on top so they don’t get squished. The hamburgers and condiments should be packed in a cooler.
You can bake the cake and prepare the frosting well in advance; both can be stored in the freezer. After thawing, the frosting should be beaten for a few minutes with an electric mixer. A round plastic serving plate with a high, tight-fitting cover is ideal for transporting the cake; remember to carry along a knife and a cake server.
In a cooler, pack the ice cream custard, berry mixture, and ice, each in its own container. Take a hammer and large, heavy dishtowel for crushing the ice cubes, and rock salt for the ice cream freezer (which would be a non-electric one). Pack the fragile ice cream cones and berries for garnish last.
Keep the beer in the cooler. For the lemonade and coffee, you will need a couple of thermoses. Preheat the one for the coffee; don’t forget to take cream (kept cold) and sugar. Pre-chill the other thermos and fill it with cold lemonade.
At the site: Assemble the ice cream freezer and begin hand-cranking, taking turns so that everyone can participate. If the ice cream is ready before it’s time for dessert, remove the dasher, cover the container, and let it stay in the freezer to ripen; don’t forget to dump out the salty water and pack the freezer with fresh ice.
Fire up the barbecue about 30 minutes before you want to begin cooking. Grill the cheeseburgers when the coals are gray. Arrange the chicken in a basket, set out the rest of the food, and dig in.
Packing A Picnic & Serving Food Outdoors
Packing A Picnic
*Pack lots of extra drinks in a cooler. When it’s hot outside picnickers get thirsty.
*Pack sweet treats. Bring fresh fruit such as berries and melon or cookies instead of ice cream.
*Keep prepared foods in the refrigerator until it is time to pack them up.
*Bring a soccer ball, football, baseball & mitts or a Frisbee. If you live close to the park either walk, rollerblade or ride your bikes.
*Pack sunscreen! Even when it is overcast or if you’re lying in the shade make sure to wear sunscreen.
Serving Food Outdoors
*When taking foods on a picnic make sure to keep perishables in the cooler with either ice or freezer packs until serving time. Make sure that the food is cold BEFORE it goes into the cooler.
*Pack just the right amount that you and your picnickers are going to eat. You don’t want to bring leftovers back home.
*If you are driving to your picnic don’t put your cooler and picnic basket in the hot trunk. Instead transport your picnic in the air-conditioned car.
*At you picnic site, keep the cooler and picnic basket in the shade. Open the cooler as little as possible.
*Never leave foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the temperature outside is over 90°F, perishable foods should be left out no longer than 1 hour.
*If you buy a lot of take-out foods, such as fried chicken or barbecued beef, make sure to eat the food within 2 hours of pickup. Otherwise, buy the food in advance, refrigerate and reheat just before serving.
*Keep desserts made with whipped cream, cream cheese or dairy products refrigerated until you are ready to serve. Store any leftovers in a refrigerator or cooler.
*When preparing food outdoors, away from home, make sure to bring a jug of water, soap and paper towels for hand washing.
Birthday Picnic Basket
My Birthday Present! I have wanted a decked out picnic basket for years! One of my favorite things to do is travel around the U.S. and Europe packing little picnics. Now I can do it in style!
Today is Labor Day and I am going on a picnic with my new picnic basket.
The menu is:
Fried Chicken
https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/olympic-fried-chicken/
Green Olives
Boston Baked Beans
https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/boston-baked-beans/
Picnic Perfect Pasta Salad
https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/picnic-perfect-pasta-salad/
Fresh Blueberry & Mango Cake
https://www.tinynewyorkkitchen.com/fresh-blueberry-mango-cake/
