Summertime on beautiful Canebrake Lake in Hattiesburg is a wonderful place for an afternoon of fun and fellowship with family and friends. Add a beautiful vintage 1959 Chris Craft custom Cavalier recovered from an old barn in Tennessee and restored by Lloyd Mullen, complete with red, white, and blue flags and a simple and delicious picnic, and the setting is elevated to perfect! With a little sun, a magnificent blue sky with billowing clouds, and a few cool breezes, guests enjoy a picnic of sandwiches wrapped in parchment paper with jute and cool salads served from mason jars with refreshing iced tea and lemonade. And for sweet treats that are available all day long—all of the old-time favorites—the best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownie Cookies, Lemon Bars, and Raspberry Bars.
With good company, good food, and the perfect setting, it just doesn’t get any better than a picnic in the good old summertime!
MENU
Turkey Sandwiches
Brisket Sandwiches
BLT Potato Salad
Watermelon Salad
Raspberry Bars
Lemon Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownie Cookies
TURKEY SANDWICHES
Basil Mayonnaise
8 sourdough rolls
1 pound thinly sliced Boar’s Head smoked turkey
1 (7-ounce) package sliced Havarti cheese
16 slices crisp cooked bacon
1 tomato, sliced
Lettuce
BASIL MAYONNAISE:
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and black and white pepper to taste
In a processor, pulse ingredients.
Yield: 1¼ cups
For sandwiches:
Prepare mayonnaise. Spread both sides of rolls with basil mayonnaise. Layer bottom of each roll with lettuce, tomato slice, several slices of turkey, 1 slice cheese, and 2 slices bacon. Place top of roll on each sandwich. Chill until serving.
Yield: 8 sandwiches
BRISKET SANDWICHES WITH COLESLAW
1 (16-ounce) Sadler’s sliced hickory smoked brisket, cooked according to package directions
½ cup barbecue sauce
8 Ciabatta rolls
Coleslaw
COLESLAW:
1 (16-ounce) package shredded coleslaw
Coleslaw dressing
COLESLAW DRESSING:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Yield: 2 cups
For sandwiches:
Drizzle brisket with barbecue sauce. Prepare coleslaw. Layer each bun with brisket and coleslaw. Chill until serving.
Yield: 8 sandwiches
BLT POTATO SALAD
4 pounds red potatoes, boiled and quartered
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 ribs celery, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 grape tomatoes, sliced and drained
2 green onions, chopped
Salt, black pepper, and white pepper to taste
½ cup ranch dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
1 (3-ounce) package real bacon bits
In a bowl, drizzle cooked potatoes with lemon juice. Stir in celery, parsley, tomatoes, and onions. Season with salt and peppers. Fold in ranch dressing and mayonnaise. Stir in bacon bits.
Yield: 8-10 servings
WATERMELON SALAD
3 cups watermelon, cubed
2 cups blueberries
Chopped fresh mint
DRESSING:
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, gently stir together watermelon, blueberries, and mint. For dressing, in a jar with lid, combine lime juice, honey, chili powder, and salt; shake well. Pour over fruit. Chill.
Yield: 8 servings
RASPBERRY BARS
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped almonds
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup raspberry preserves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir in egg until creamy. Beat in flour, chopped almonds, and almond extract. Reserve 2 cups crumb mixture; set aside. Press remaining crumb mixture into foil-lined and greased 9×11-inch pan. Spread preserves to within ½ inch of edge. Crumble reserved crumb mixture over preserves. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool. Cut into bars.
Yield: 16 bars
LEMON BARS
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling pan
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar; set aside. With mixer, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add flour and salt. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, ice with lemon icing.
Yield: 16 bars
LEMON ICING:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
In a bowl, whisk ingredients together.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
2 sticks butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups milk chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat flour mixture into creamed mixture (dough will be stiff). With a spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Centers will be soft. Cool for 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Michelle Townsend, Clinton
BROWNIE COOKIES
1 (8-ounce) bar semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
½ stick unsalted butter
2 eggs
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, microwave chocolate bar and butter for 1 minute on defrost at 30-second intervals until just melted; cool slightly. With mixer beat melted chocolate, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat on low until combined. Stir in chips and pecans. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking oil spray. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn baking sheet, and bake for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
FRUIT AND MINT TEA
1 quart boiling water
½ cup fresh mint leaves
8 regular tea bags
1 cup sugar
1 (6-ounce) package frozen lemonade
¾ cup orange juice
3 quarts cold water
In a large bowl, pour boiling water over tea bags and mint. Cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Discard tea bags and mint. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add lemonade, orange juice, and cold water.
Yield: 1 gallon
SUMMERTIME LEMONADE
1½ cups sugar
1½ cups lemon juice
8 cups water, divided
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to boil; stir to dissolve sugar. Cool to room temperature, cover, and chill. Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp. In pitcher, stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice, and remaining 7 cups water.
Yield: 2 quarts
