Packing for a picnic this Christmas?

[legalsuit]

Christmas picnics are always great fun. I like them on the beach with my little beach tent that comfortably covers four people. Here's a picnic pack for those interested:

• Favourite soft drinks and bottles of water freeze so the ice melts slowly leaving you with lovely cold drinks all day at picnic
• Classic Australian Prawn and avocado salad
• Chicken salad with wholemeal pasta
• Rosemary and garlic grilled pork fillet
• Rocky road to finish off

Classic Australian Prawn and avocado salad
Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 15 min

Ingredients

 1 whole cucumber, (Lebanese), halved lengthways, thinly sliced
 200 g fresh watercress, stems trimmed
 1 medium fresh avocado, halved, stone removed, sliced
 600 g cooked king prawns, shell removed, peeled, de-veined
 45 g snowpea sprouts, cut in half
 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
 1 medium lemon, cut into wedges

Method
Combine cucumber and watercress in a large serving bowl. Top with avocado, prawns and snowpea sprouts. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat. Spoon among serving bowls and serve immediately with lemon wedges
Notes
Any leftovers would be great in a roll the following day with 1 tbs low-fat mayonnaise.




Rosemary and garlic grilled pork fillet
Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 25 min Level: Easy

Ingredients

 1 tbs safflower oil, (or olive oil)
 3 clove garlic, crushed
 1 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
 500 g pork fillet, excess fat trimmed
 4 cup fresh rocket leaves (or lettuce leaves)
 1/4 cup fat free dressing

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Combine the oil, garlic and rosemary in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture over the pork, covering the entire surface. Wrap the fillet in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
3. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pork in a shallow roasting pan lined with baking paper. Bake the pork in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the juices are slightly pink when tested with a skewer. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
4. Toss the rocket with the dressing and serve with the sliced pork.
Notes
You can turn this salad into something more dynamic by adding wedges of fresh figs, some pieces of soft goats cheese and a few chopped pecan nuts.

Chicken salad with wholemeal pasta

6 Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients

 250 g dry pasta, (wholemeal)
 1 medium onion, (red), thinly sliced
 2 stick celery, chopped
 1 medium apple, (green), cored, chopped
 1 whole capsicum, (red), de-seeded, chopped
 100 g canned corn kernels, drained, rinsed
 300 g baked or roasted chicken breast without skin, chopped
 1 tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped
 1 tbs fresh chives, finely chopped
 150 g skim plain yoghurt

Method

1. Cook pasta in saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions. Drain and rinse well under cold water.
2. Meanwhile, combine onion, celery, apple, capsicum, corn, chicken, parsley and chives in a serving bowl. Add pasta and yoghurt and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
For a packed lunch, make sure that you keep salad in a cool bag with an ice pack, or keep refrigerated. Add 2 tsp of medium curry powder to salad to spice it up.



Rocky road
Servings: 21 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 5 min Level: Easy

Ingredients

 200 g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
 300 g marshmallow, roughly chopped
 40 g desiccated coconut, (shredded), toasted
 100 g chocolate coated turkish delight, cut into 1cm cubes
 60 g roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Line base of a 18cm x 25cm deep slice tin with non-stick baking paper. Set aside.
2. Place chocolate in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring for approximately 5 minutes, or until completely smooth.
3. Add marshmallows, coconut, Turkish delight and peanuts. Stir using a large metal spoon, until all ingredients are thoroughly coated in chocolate.
4. Spoon rocky road mixture into prepared tin and press down surface with a spatula. Refrigerate for approximately 1 hr, or until chocolate has set.
5. Cut into 21 squares and pack into container to serve.
Any leftover rocky road is best stored in an airtight container either in the fridge or at room temperature.

[Mr Bean]

Some nice recipes there. I'll bank them up for the warmer weather

[pcabcd]

Warmer weather should be better for that.

[jmtjet]

A picnic here is out of the question. We have 3 feet of snow and temperatures near zero degrees F.

[legalsuit]

Originally Posted by pcabcd

Warmer weather should be better for that.

True. But then, haven't you ever had an indoor picnic on a rug in front of the fire in the middle of Winter?

Now, that's fun!

[legalsuit]

Originally Posted by Mr Bean

Some nice recipes there. I'll bank them up for the warmer weather

Thank you Mr Bean!

[legalsuit]

Originally Posted by jmtjet

A picnic here is out of the question. We have 3 feet of snow and temperatures near zero degrees F.

Oh Lord! Guess I was being kinda heartless, given we're into Summer Down Under.

...temperatures near zero degrees F

...I couldn't survive that sort of weather. But then, like I posted to pcabcd, nothing to stop you having an indoor picnic