Picnicking with the unadventurous...

[Katie Nell]

We're celebrating my grandma's birthday and my father-in-law's birthday next weekend and if the weather behaves, we are going to have a picnic. (If not, we will be eating out, seeing as our apartment will not hold 10 people comfortably!) I think they both sometimes think my food is "weird" although most of the time they enjoy it. I'm kind of drawing a blank on what to have that's not too out there. I become paralyzed with fear with the thought of making fried chicken, so anything besides that is great. We also don't have a large grill here, so unless someone else brings one, we can't grill. I was thinking about making some spicy pickles, but other than that, I haven't thought of a thing yet. Ideas?

[flipkeat]

I'm all for the sandwich idea for that many..However, I find by the time you buy different fixins and cheeses, eggs, tuna, etc etc..You may as well cook off a whole Filet of Beef and carve it up for sandwiches..less trouble. I just did one last Sat for my Husband's poker night..Worked out great. I served it warm, with assorted buns, mustards, horseradish cream, & lettuce & tomatoes. I made a few side salads and a make a head pasta dish with roasted veg and tomato sauce..Went over well. The beef was perfect..I use Ina's recipe for Filet of Beef Tenderloin..Works perfect every time.. Just make sure your oven is clean.

[rosielucchesini]

Katie, I sympathize as amongst my family (both some members of my immediate and my in-laws), I too am seen as having 'avant-garde' tastes (as if staples such as garlic, hummus, smelly cheese, fatty fish and spicy greens could be considered 'avant-garde', but I digress.....). As such, I like the idea of a make your own sandwich bar. That way you can include easy to eat items such as sliced turkey and roast beef along with the more 'adventurous' prosciutto, coppa salame pancetta and teleme.Sides can be as simple as regular potato chips and regular potato/mac salad for the more pedestrian palates to more strongly flavored sides. Enjoy!

[applehome]

My favorite picnic food - that's not too far out there - is cold poached salmon with a hollandaise. I'll pack 2-3 chunks of skin-off filet (not steaks, as the bones are a hassle) in each square tupperware with the hollandaise on the side. I make it the day before (I use a donabe on the stove top) and put it in the fridge overnight so it's nice and cold the next day. Thin sliced onions and capers are nice, and some lemon wedges.

[Katie Nell]

Okay, sandwiches, salads- pasta, potato, etc., beans- I think I'm feeling re-energized! Now I just need to find some Chinese take-out containers so I can feel like Ina! :-) And figure out something for my MIL to bring that I don't mind giving up but she can still feel like a part of the process! ;-) Peanut butter and chocolate something for dessert for my FIL, and lemon for my grandma, and we're set!

[LaLa]

Yes lemon bars would be nice.
Last week I made baked chicken tenders with some coconut in the "breading" that we ate room temp with a dipping sauce that was mato , honey and stoneground mustard...yummy!

http://stores.ebay.com/Southern-Pirat...

[another_adam]

You could usher in the spring with some favorite summertime items!
deviled eggs, baked beans, some type of pasta or potato salad, a nice green salad, etc. if spicy isn't objectionable, a salad of corn and hot peppers and tomatoes and basil (or peppers omitted) is nice. Oven-roated wings with some type of barbecue sauce (like the Cornell Barbecue Sauce, using vinegar; or teriyaki, if that's not too adventurous) are messy to eat but are popular, and travel well (and avoid the frying/fried problem). Homemade rolls with butter are simple and popular too (potato rolls, squash rolls, etc.) Even though I'm probably a bad judge since my own tastes tend to the "weird", I imagine these kind of summertime picnic items would be hard to object to :)

[MiniMom]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_...
food to go in a picnic...
I picnic every weekend during ski season and things that work are Panini's, cheese/olives/ pasta salads, cous cous salads, anything that you can put into filo pastry & cook...basically hold in your hand easily items.

[coastie]

minimom - thats why I came up with that hot pocket method - I know it seems like a lot of work but Slopeside its the best

[chowser]

Chicken marbella is really good for picnics and unadventurous eaters like it. It's been mentioned many times on this board. Since you make bread, I like to make a braided loaf w/ salami, cheese, ham, whatever you think people would like. It's pretty and it tastes really good. I followed Jamie Oliver's lead once, rolled the dough out to a rectangle, added salami, asiago, hard boiled eggs, basil, etc. and then rolled it all up and baked.

[mojoeater]

Any sort of chicken or tuna salad is great on a picnic. And if you make wraps, you can roll them in foil and cut them in half for easy, no-mess eating. A simple crudite and hummus is also not messy and the fresh veggies are always nice when outdoors.

[Janet]

We cook marinated pork tenderloin and slice it thin for sandwiches or just to stand alone. You can buy them already marinated if time is an issue. Tri tip works for picnics. The above mention of chicken tenders is also a great choice. Blanched asparagus, marinated mixed veggies, tossed salad with a choice of dressing and brownies, you have a party.

[chaussonauxpommes]

I often make pesto pasta salad for picnics. It travels well, has no mayonnaise or or other creamy things to go bad in the sun, and is generally liked. Just make a bunch of pesto (I like basil-walnut, but whatever you like) and toss with al-dente penne. You can add some toasted nuts parmesan curls to jazz it up. I sometimes serve this with grilled lemon chicken, which you could do on an indoor grill pan. Just marinate chicken tenders or breasts in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and lots of fresh thyme, then grill (or broil). Both of these dishes can be served room temp or hot and they go well together for a not quite gourmet, but not quite average picnic. Another idea to go with the chicken would be French style potato salad, basically boiled small potatoes with lots of fresh herbs, green onions or shallots, and a Dijon vinaigrette. Those all travel well and are certainly eaisier than frying chicken.

[Megiac]

What about the Barefoot Contessa Indonesian Chicken? It can be served cold or at room temperature and is tasty. It is much loved by my ILs, who are not adevnturous at all when it comes to asian flavors. I also think that an orzo salad (with scallions, cucumber, tomato and feta is an easy picnic thing. You could always just macerate fruit and bring that as dessert.

[coastie]

I make Pockets or calzones filled with anything......sometimes lunch meats like a stromboli - sometimes a meat/potato mixture....then I put them in a cooler that I have filled with hot water to pre-warm and then drained and dried and have lined the bottom with bottles filled with hot water. I wrap the "pockets" in foil individually. You have about 2 hours from putting them in the "cooler" to eating. They will keep their heat nicely for that long and be about perfect eating temperature. Longer than that and you enter the temperature danger zone and stay there......

[kalidaemon]

You could always buy some cold cuts, cheese, spreads, and sandwich bread so the picky/boring eaters don't have an excuse not to like the food. Make cucumber/dill salad and potato salad to go with the sandwiches and maybe a cake or some cookies if you're feeling up to it. The bonus is that if it rains you will have lunch food for the rest of the week.

[leanneabe]

I like the sandwich idea... you can make it as gourmet or "normal" as you like by getting a variety of sliced meats (turkey, ham, prosciutto), cheese (cheddar, swiss, brie and mozzarella), and some nice lettuce and tomatoes. Grab some good mustard (who thinks fancy mustard is weird?) and you'll have food that's good enough for your palate, but mainstream enough for grandparents. Bring a cold pasta or orzo salad (I like it with sliced spinach, garlic, lemon juice, and oil) and some cupcakes (they travel well and are fun to eat) and you've got a nice spread! You could even pick up a box of Target wine (I hear it's decent).