Platinum Celebrations
Chic Beach Picnic
By Jeanne Benedict
Tiki Pop-Up Canopy from Hutshop
3. Save space by freezing some individual-size water bottles to chill food in a cooler instead of ice. When the frozen water melts, drink it!
4. Bring trash / recycle bags and a bag for non-disposable cups or serving ware.
5. Cool off with hand-held fans & water misters.
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
3 tablespoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
50 medium cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Cover snow peas in water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and blanche peas for 5 minutes. Drain and then plunge into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and intensify the color. Drain peas of water.
Whisk together orange juice, limejuice, olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in peas and cooked shrimp. Cover and chill.
For transport to the picnic, pour off excess marinade and place shrimp and snow peas in a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes about 8 Servings
2 tablespoons butter
2 clvoes garlic, peeled. minced
1 large brown onion, minced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups Arborio rice or long grain rice
1 cup broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup Chardonnay wine
1 cup sweet peas
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add rice and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent.
Add broccoli and stir in vegetable broth 1 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, until each cup of broth is fully absorbed before adding next cup. Add wine and, peas, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is fully absorbed. If rice is not tender, stir in more broth until desired consistency. Total cooking time is about 30 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cool completely, cover and chill.
For transport to the picnic, transfer risotto into a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes 4 to 6 Servings
5 pounds calamari tubes and tentacles, cleaned
3 large garlic cloves
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
Salt
Cut tubes of calamari into 1-inch rings and cut the tentacles in half. In a large pot bring water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Carefully place the calamari in the pot. Cook the calamari until tender, about 2 minutes. Be sure not to overcook.
Strain the calamari and place in a mixing bowl. Add all of the ingredients and mix well. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the calamari cold.
For transport to the picnic, transfer salad into a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
4 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2 tablespoons Anisette
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Butter a pan of 3-inch madeline molds. Beat sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Add butter, Anisette, zest and flour to egg mixture and beat until combined. Gently fold in almonds until throughout mixture.
Spoon by tablespoon into prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into a cookie comes out clean. Remove from heat. Dust with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Makes about 26 Cookies
Tiki Pop-Up Canopy from Hutshop
With the ocean as a backdrop for your Beach Picnic, adding a stylish touch is simple.
Take your color cue from the coast and set up a spread with aqua and ecru accents.
Elegance and ease are what we have in mind for this chic summer get-together at the shore.
A Posh Place in the Sun
Celebrate nature’s beauty by using beach tones and textures at your picnic.
Cool Acrylic Glasses at Target
- Choose cool acrylic glasses in coastal colors.
- Go eco-chic with bamboo wooden utensils and plates.
- Send the kids on a shell hunt and create a seaside centerpiece for your picnic or a fun border around your space in the sand.
Stylish Shore Shade
- Shade your picnic in style with a chic pop-up canopy (pictured above). On a windy day, be sure to stake the canopy securely in the sand.
- Hang sheer white curtains or mesh tent walls from a sturdy canopy structure for extra shade and an elegant touch.
- Illuminate your picnic at night with battery-operated light strings.
Coastal Comfort
- Use nice wooden crates to tote beach supplies and then turn them over to use as tables. Place cloth napkins on the crates to dress them up.
Wooden Crates at Michaels
- Keep in theme with wooden fold-up beach chairs.
- Cover inflatable pillows with neutral color pillowcases or shams to add a comfy style.
5 Beach Picnic Tips
1. Consider packing food in unique individual-size containers that are easy to hold and stack inside a cooler, such as pasta salad in plastic tropical cups with spill-proof lids.
2. Instead of bringing bulky beverages, combine different flavors of powdered drink mix, such as kiwi-berry with iced tea. Make individual-size portions in mini plastic containers with lids so guests can pour the mix into their bottles of water.
Beach Stripe Napkins at Target
3. Save space by freezing some individual-size water bottles to chill food in a cooler instead of ice. When the frozen water melts, drink it!
4. Bring trash / recycle bags and a bag for non-disposable cups or serving ware.
5. Cool off with hand-held fans & water misters.
Frutti Del Mare Menu and More
Serve Frutti del Mare (Fruits of the Sea), and other fresh fare as suggested in the recipes below at your Beach Picnic and remember to:
- Keep seafood and other perishable menu items covered and cold or iced until ready to eat, especially on a hot day.
- Bring plenty of water to stay cool and refreshed!
- Check with local authorities about grilling food on the beach or any other questions about your planned picnic activities.
Check out our Summer Parties, Barbeque and Outdoor Entertaining, and Picnic pages for more ideas or post a question in my Forum!
Asian Marinated Shrimp and Snow Peas
50 large snow peas1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
3 tablespoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
50 medium cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Cover snow peas in water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and blanche peas for 5 minutes. Drain and then plunge into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and intensify the color. Drain peas of water.
Whisk together orange juice, limejuice, olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in peas and cooked shrimp. Cover and chill.
For transport to the picnic, pour off excess marinade and place shrimp and snow peas in a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes about 8 Servings
Cold Risotto Primavera
2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons butter
2 clvoes garlic, peeled. minced
1 large brown onion, minced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups Arborio rice or long grain rice
1 cup broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup Chardonnay wine
1 cup sweet peas
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add rice and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent.
Add broccoli and stir in vegetable broth 1 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, until each cup of broth is fully absorbed before adding next cup. Add wine and, peas, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is fully absorbed. If rice is not tender, stir in more broth until desired consistency. Total cooking time is about 30 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cool completely, cover and chill.
For transport to the picnic, transfer risotto into a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes 4 to 6 Servings
Calamari Salad
Recipe courtesy Cafe Fina & Food Network5 pounds calamari tubes and tentacles, cleaned
3 large garlic cloves
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
Salt
Cut tubes of calamari into 1-inch rings and cut the tentacles in half. In a large pot bring water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Carefully place the calamari in the pot. Cook the calamari until tender, about 2 minutes. Be sure not to overcook.
Strain the calamari and place in a mixing bowl. Add all of the ingredients and mix well. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the calamari cold.
For transport to the picnic, transfer salad into a container with an airtight lid. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Anise Almond Madelines
3/4 cup granulated sugar4 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2 tablespoons Anisette
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Butter a pan of 3-inch madeline molds. Beat sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Add butter, Anisette, zest and flour to egg mixture and beat until combined. Gently fold in almonds until throughout mixture.
Spoon by tablespoon into prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into a cookie comes out clean. Remove from heat. Dust with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Makes about 26 Cookies
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