in other words
june21
2018
9
An Unusual Culinary Column: Summer Picnic Foods
By Karen Kain
I love summer and all the things
that go along with it; the warmer weath-
er, longer days, and the summer fruits.
Nothing beats a warm evening sitting on
the porch with the sun still shining after
8 pm. As the days get warmer the desire
to spend time in the kitchen lessens and
meals get lighter. I thought this would be
the perfect time to share some fun and
easy picnic style recipes with you.
I really enjoyed playing in the
kitchen to prepare for this column. I
started out by making antipasto summer
skewers. This was a super easy recipe to
assemble. People love finger foods and
this is a hearty and playful recipe, per-
fect for parties and picnics. I used moz-
zarella cheese but you can use most any
kind. If you are a vegetarian, omit the
salami, and add pepperoncinis, and or
zucchini. This is a great recipe that can
be made ahead of time.
To keep up with the fresh and
light theme, I made this Orzo & Shrimp
Salad recipe. This is another great dish.
You can serve it hot, at room tempera-
ture, or cold. This is another perfect
party dish than can be prepared ahead of
time.
My next share is a super color-
ful, pleasing to the eye, sweet and spicy
summer salsa recipe that is made with
those gorgeous strawberries you are see-
ing at the markets and stands. This is
quick to put together. Your guests will
fully enjoy the summer freshness tasted
in each bite.
I invited some friends over to
taste test the orzo and shrimp salad dish.
I wanted to end the evening with a sim-
ple light dessert but I happened to be in a
bit of a crunch for time. I picked up some
fresh berries at the market and soaked
them in Frangelico for about 30 minutes.
Then I served them over angel food cake
with a topping of whipped cream. I made
my own whipped cream, but you can use
canned or frozen. This dessert is super
easy to put together and I find that most
everyone enjoys it. Of course, you can
leave the Frangelico out, but I personally
think it makes the dish.
I hope you are all enjoying the
change of season, and of course I would
love to hear what you are packing in
your picnic basket.
Antipasto Summer Skewers
Ingredients:
20 Wooden skewers
Marie Krahn
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1 9-Ounce package of
cheese tortellini, cooked
per the directions
½ Cup zesty Italian
salad dressing
½ - ¾ Teaspoon Tabasco
1 Can artichoke hearts
1 Can of black olives
Package of grape toma-
toes
Salami, sliced thin or cut
into cubes
Mozzarella cheese, cut
into cubes
Fresh basil leaves
Directions:
Put the tortellini into a large ziplock plas-
tic bag. Add the salad dressing, Tabasco,
and artichoke hearts. Using your fingers,
thoroughly mix the salad dressing into
the tortellini. Marinade in the refrigera-
tor for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Assemble
on the skewers in any order you prefer.
If you are vegetarian omit the salami and
add some zucchini and/or pepperoncini.
Orzo & Shrimp Salad
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Shallots, diced
4 Cups fresh corn kernels
4 Cloves garlic
3 Cups raw shrimp with the tails on
1 Package orzo, cooked per directions
1 Pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ Cup chopped basil
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
5 Pepperoncinis, chopped
½ Cup olive oil
2 Teaspoons Pepperoncini juice
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Large lemon, juiced
½ Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a large skillet on medium high heat,
add the 2 tablespoons oil. Once heated
add the corn, shallots and sauté for 5
minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2
more minutes. Add the shrimp and cook
until they are done, bright pink in col-
or. In a large salad bowl, combine the
cooked orzo, tomatoes, basil, parsley,
pepperoncinis, and shrimp mixture. Stir
together to combine all the flavors. In a
smaller mixing bowl, add the ½ cup ol-
ive oil, pepperoncini juice, vinegar, lem-
on juice, salt and pepper. Whisk together
and pour over the salad and toss to fully
coat. Serve hot, at room temperature, or
cold.
Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients:
1 Pint of strawberries, hulled and diced
1 Jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, finely
diced
¼ Cup of red onion, diced
½ Cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Dash of salt and pepper
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together and
serve with chips.
Summer Berry Dessert
Ingredients:
Blueberries, blackberries, and
raspberries
Frangelico, optional
1 Container of heavy whipping
cream
1 Teaspoon vanilla
Angel food or pound cake
Directions:
Wash the berries and cover with
Frangelico, set aside and let
soak. Using a hand or stand-
alone mixer, beat the heavy
whipping cream and vanilla to-
gether until soft peaks form. Cut
the pound cake into slices and
put it onto a plate or in a bowl. Spoon
the fruit over top of the cake allowing
the juices to soak into the cake. Top with
the whipped cream and serve.
Karen Kain can be reached
KarenKain8@icloud.com.
at
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