Picnic Menu Planning

Menu One: Lunch in the Park with Family:

 

Fried Chicken

– click for Alton Brown’s recipe at foodnetwork.com

Potato-Egg Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs waxy potatoes
  • 1 rib of celery, diced
  • 2 tbsp onion or green onion, minced
  • (¼ parsley, minced)
  • 3 hard boiled eggs, diced
  • 1/3 cup light sour cream
  • 1/3 cup light, real mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • (1 tbsp grainy mustard)
  • (1 tbsp sweet pickle relish)
  • Salt, to taste
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper, or to taste
  • 3 tbsp chives, chopped

Procedure:

  1. Boil potatoes (with skins on) in salted water until just tender.
  2. Drain, peel if you wish and cut into bite-size pieces.
  3. With all other ingredients, prepare dressing in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add still warm potatoes to the mixing bowl and toss to combine.
  5. Cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

            Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 ¼ cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking power
  • ¾ cup butter, melted
  • 4 eggs, beaten slightly

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  • 1 (250g) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • Handful of chocolate chips

Procedure:

  1. Brownie base (first group of ingredients)
    1. Preheat oven to 350̊F
    2. Mix dry ingredients
    3. Add butter and eggs and blend well.
    4. Spread in 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
  1. Cheesecake top (second group of ingredients)
    1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and butter until creamy.
    2. Beat in eggs, milk and flour.
    3. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
    4. Pour over cooked brownie base and bake at 350̊F for 40 minutes.
    5. Cool completely then drizzle with melted chocolate . Continue reading

Cooking With Mitch vol. 1: Pan-Bakes and Other Recipes for Your Man

Hello ladies and gentlemen, but probably ladies, I’ve gathered you here today in the house of my god (the internet) to once again impart my manly wisdom.

They say the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, though that’s not entirely true, you’re a classy lady.

Yes, you are

Continue reading

Homemade Hot Chocolate

As the cold weather slowly encroaches upon us, we desire hot tasty beverages more and more. When November arrives in Canada, everyday without the first snowfall is a bonus that makes us feel like we are living on borrowed time before the cold winter weather arrives. It is at this time of year that we can really appreciate the romance of cuddling under a soft blanket with our husband or boyfriend while sipping some lovely hot chocolate together. Why go out in the cold to purchase that hot chocolate when you can make a more delicious hot chocolate at home? Continue reading