Fall Picnic Menu

[Tripper]

I would appreciate suggestions for a portable dinner...we are going to an outdoor play. We'll have a very small table so anything requiring a large platter won't work. Thanks for any ideas you share...

[HillJ]

portioned nachos made in indiv tins or transferred into plastic storage sandwich containers work great for transported meals
we're fans of wine spritzers in travel mugs (lots of ice and fresh citrus fruit)
premade kabobs and corn salad fit nicely in indiv containers
dessert: brownies, honey drizzled soft cheese bites, yogurt, apples & honey

have fun!

[alex8alot]

I think a nice fall picnic dessert would be slices of spice cake or gingerbread with some clotted cream and caramel sauce on the side.

[Pampatz]

Baked potato soup or green chili corn chowder
Southwestern chicken salad on crusty roll with avocado mayo
Grilled stone fruit (nectarines are my favs) with bleu cheese and an Irish cheddar with Anna's lemon or ginger crisps.

[HalfBaked]

I would recommend wraps. Here are a couple I make frequently.
Smoked turkey club -- Whole wheat wrap or tortilla packed with shaved smoked turkey topped with sliced cheddar & swiss cheese, crisp turkey bacon, basil aioli, fresh tomato, red onion and leaf lettuce.
Sonoma roasted chicken -- Whole wheat wrap or tortilla stuffed with all natural chicken, sun-dried tomato pesto, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, provolone cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh tomato and greens.
The gardener -- Sun dried tomato wrap or whole wheat tortilla filled with a garden of carrots, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, lettuce, lemon tahini, beans sprouts, hummus, organic tofu, cilantro, basil & soy pepper jack cheese.

[kitchensalli]

Thermos of butternut squash soup or similar smooth type of your choice.
Really good bread/rolls/crackers.
Cheese, pate, olives.

Lemon squares for dessert.

[Christnp]

Not sure how many you're serving, but I'd do something like this:

appetizers:
- Brie and crusty french bread, (sliced at home, unless you like the romance of breaking off chunks).
- Assorted olives, or maybe a nice olive tapanade
- Blanched sugar snap peas with your favorite dip

main:
- pesto pasta salad
- halved cherry tomatoes with red onion in balsamic vinaigrette (bring some fresh basil leaves to tear in at the last minute. optional: Add halved fresh mozzerella balls (the small ones).
- Grilled marinated boneless chicken breasts, sliced, served cold. I'm thinking a light parsley, rosemary, lemonjuice, garlic, olive oil marinade.

[pescatarian]

are sandwiches in? if so, you could make muffaletta - large calabrese loaf, cut 3 or 4 times horizontally, depending on the size. On each layer you vary your ingredients to your liking - italian cold cuts, cheeses, roasted red peppers, grilled eggplant and onions, olives, spread bread with pesto and/or tapenade, etc. stack layers of loaf back together and then wrap tightly in saran wrap and keep refrigerated for several hours or overnight. Unwrap and cut with a serrated knife into wedges. You can wrap each individually in wax paper or use long toothpicks to hold wedges together.

Couscous or quinoa salad would be easy to transport.