A MALIBU PICNIC: STORY, PHOTO GALLERY, RECIPES

There is nothing quite as summery as a picnic. Packing up a delicious meal to be enjoyed outdoors is a fun and rewarding project.  Then, relaxing on a picnic blanket while the children play is about as idyllic as it gets.  And so, the other day, when we were in a celebratory mood, we did just that ... Tasty style!  As always, we made sure to incorporate some of our delicious organic baby food in at least one of our recipes (check out Shannan's yummy grilled chicken sandwiches, garnished with Tastybaby's Peas On Earth!), along with a menu of other picnic faves.  The little girls even set up their own doll-sized picnic on their own blanket next to ours, and we whiled away the afternoon under the shade of a big tree which the kids climbed and frolicked on.

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Cucumber Yogurt Dip

2 (8-ounce) containers organic plain yogurt, drained in a fine sieve set over a bowl, covered and chilled, for 4 hours

2 organic hothouse cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped    fine

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh organic dill plus dill sprigs for garnish

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon organic fresh lemon juice

Pita loaves, cut into wedges, as an accompaniment

In a bowl stir together the drained yogurt, the cucumbers, squeezed dry between paper towels, the chopped dill, the garlic, the oil, the lemon juice, and salt to taste. Let the dip stand, covered and chilled, for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Stir the dip, garnish it with the dill sprigs, and serve it with the pita wedges.

Tasty Tip: Make this a day ahead!

White Bean Hummus with Parsley

 2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (16-ounce) can organic white beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup well stirred tahini

2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice, or to taste

1/4 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

1/2 cup water, plus extra, if needed

2 tablespoons fresh organic parsley leaves

2 tablespoons of organic extra-virgin olive oil

Toasted pita thins, as an accompaniment

On a cutting board mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a food processor puree the white beans with the garlic, the tahini, the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the oil, and 1/2 cup water, scraping down the sides, until the hummus is smooth and add salt, to taste. Add water, if necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency and transfer the hummus to a bowl. In the food processor, cleaned, puree the remaining 1/4-cup oil with the parsley until the oil is bright green and the parsley is minced.  Fold in the parsley mixture into the white bean hummus The hummus may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Divide the hummus between shallow serving dishes and smooth the tops. Serve the hummus with the pita.

Dee Dee's Summer Salad

serves 4-6...

3 cups oranic seedless watermelon, formed into balls using melon baller

3 cups of organic yellow tomatoes, cleaned & tsems removed

3 teaspoons sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 small organic red onion, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup good, extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of thinly sliced, fresh organic mint

Toss the melon and tomatoes with sugar and salt.  Let sit for 15 minutes. Then fold onions, vinegar, and oil.  Garnish with fresh mint. Serve very cold.      

Marinated French Green Bean Salad

This tasty salad is perfect for a summer buffet or picnic. Tossing the French beans with vinegar while they are still warm, allows them to absorb as much of the flavors as possible.

1 1/2 pounds organic french green beans

Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 organic shallots, finely minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh organic thyme, stems removed

2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh organic parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar

1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard

1/2 cup of organic extra-virgin olive oil

Fill a pot large enough to hold the green beans with water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

While the water is heating, snap off the ends of the beans and rinse them in cold water. When the water comes to a boil, salt it generously (about 1 teaspoon per quart of water) and put in the beans. Cook until they are crisp & a little tender all the way through but not mushy, 6-8 minutes.

While the beans are cooking, chop the shallots, thyme & parsley. Put the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper & sugar in the salad bowl you will be using. Combine the shallots, parsley, & thyme with the vinegar mixture.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste…adjust seasoning if necessary.

When the beans are cooked, drain them well and add them to the salad bowl. Add the vinegar and toss. Let stand at room temperature for at least a 1/2 hour before serving.

Note: This salad can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. If doing so, reserve some of the chopped fresh herbs for garnish. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving.

Parisian Purple Potato Salad

2 pounds small organic purple boiling potatoes*

1 tablespoons champagne vinegar 

1/2 cup organic Crème Fraiche

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus salt to season water

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground organic black pepper

6 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil

2 bunches of organic chives

Place the washed potatoes in a large pot of water over high heat, season with kosher salt. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the champagne vinegar & olive oil. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Snip the chive bunches in to 1/2 inch pieces with very sharp scissors.  You may use a knife if you do not have scissors, but be careful not to bruise the chives. Add the crème fraiche to the potatoes. Mixing gently so the potatoes do not get too smashed. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Stir in the chives and taste for seasoning. If need be add the rest of the salt & pepper and voila! Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Goat Cheese, Bacon and Pea Tendrils

Chicken:

1 whole boneless, skinless organic chicken breast

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh organic rosemary leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sandwiches:

4 ounces of soft organic goat cheese

1 package of smoked uncured bacon(12 pieces)

1 box of organic pea tendrils(sprouts)

1 3.5 ounce serving of Tastybaby “Peas on Earth” Frozen Organic Baby Food (may use basil pesto if Tastybaby is sadly not available in your area)

2 (6-inch) loaves ciabatta bread, or your favorite long and crusty bread, halved lengthwise

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and the grill to med-high heat

Make the chicken: Using a knife, butterfly the chicken and pound thin between 2 layers of plastic wrap. Transfer the chicken to a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the rosemary. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. When ready to cook, grill the chicken, turning once, until just cooked through.  

Make the sandwiches: Spread the bacon on a cookie sheet, so the bacon does not overlap.  Place cookie sheet in oven for 15 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Toast the bread in the oven or the grill depending on your taste. Spread the Tastybaby “Peas on Earth” on one side of the bread(may substitute pesto), and the goat cheese on the other side. Layer the chicken, bacon and pea tendrils between the bread, sprinkle with a little rosemary and season with salt and pepper…tasty!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup organic butter

1 large organic grain-fed egg

2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour,

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, butter and egg in a mixing bowl on medium. (I like the Kichen Aid mixer). Slowly stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.  The dough will be very stiff.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon 1/2 of the dough mixture on to parchment paper.  Using the paper, roll out cookie dough into a log.  Place log in freezer until hard, or leave in freezer until another date. Repeat process with the rest of the dough/  Remove paper and slice log into 1/2 inch thick discs. Place discs 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown.  The centers will be soft.  Let cool for one minute then remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack to finish cooling.

Don't forget refreshments!