What could be more fun than a picnic at our own Mississippi Gulf Coast on the beautiful sandy beach as the sun sets on the horizon?
Set the scene with colorful fabrics, a few comfortable pillows, and several wooden boxes and baskets used to transport the picnic to the beach and for service tables. Two boxes topped by a few boards provide a perfect low table when covered with sea-inspired outdoor fabric. Add unbreakable plates, napkins, disposable flatware, and some gorgeous shells with a few flowers; and you are set. The beautiful sand, seagrass, water, and multi-colored sky with delightful sea breezes complete the ultimate setting for relaxing and creating memories.
Prepare easy refreshing sandwiches and fresh cold salads, and have lots of fresh fruit, bread, and cheese on hand. And people always love pick-up bars and cookies and cool refreshing drinks.
Enjoy the picnic, walk on the beach, collect shells, and talk and visit, and always cherish special moments spent with family and friends on the beach at our beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast!
Menu
Prosciutto and Fig Sandwiches
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Greens in a Jar
Cucumber Salad
Corn and Tomato Salad
Easy Brownies
Lemon Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramel Pecan Cookies
Prosciutto and Fig Sandwiches
4 Ciabatta buns
6 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
8 ounces sliced prosciutto
4 tablespoons fig jam
4 tablespoons honey
4 ounces spring mix salad
Slice buns, and layer each with cheese, prosciutto, jam, honey, and salad greens.
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Chicken Caesar Wraps
3 cups romaine lettuce shredded
2 cups chicken cooked, chopped
6 slices bacon cooked, chopped
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup Caesar dressing
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
In a bowl, stir together lettuce, chicken, bacon, parmesan cheese. Stir in Caesar dressing until evenly coated. Spoon into tortillas and roll wraps.
Yield: 6 wraps
Greens in a Jar
1 (16-ounce) package mixed salad greens
1 (6-ounce) package craisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 chopped apple
½ cup Fuji Apple Vinaigrette Dressing
In a bowl, stir together mixed salad greens, craisins, pecans, strawberries, and apple pieces. Stir in dressing to combine. Place in fruit jars, and seal.
Yield: 6 servings
Cucumber Salad
2 English cucumbers, sliced
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
¾ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a bowl, stir together cucumbers and onions; set aside. For dressing, in a bowl, stir together sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir dressing into salad, and mix to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
Yield: 6 servings
Corn and Tomato Salad
1 (11-ounce) can shoepeg white corn, drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (10-ounce) package grape tomatoes, quartered
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 English cucumber, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 red orange bell pepper, halved and cleaned
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and cleaned
For garnish: fresh cilantro
In a bowl, stir together corn, chickpeas, tomatoes, chopped green bell pepper, cucumber, and green onion; set aside. For dressing, in a bowl, stir together olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over salad. Refrigerate until serving. When serving, spoon into bell pepper halves, and garnish with cilantro.
Yield: 4 servings
Easy Brownies
1 (17.6-ounce) package double fudge brownie mix
¼ cup sugar
Prepare brownies for fudgy version on package in a greased 8-inch-square pan. Cool. Pour icing over brownies, and let set until firm. Cut into 2-inch squares and dip bottoms in a plate of sugar.
Chocolate Icing:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
In microwave on defrost, melt butter; stir in cocoa until dissolved. Stir in confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. To thin, add small amount of additional milk.
Yield: 16 small brownies
Carolyn Hodges, Brandon
Lemon Bars
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together flour, salt, an ½ cup confectioners’ sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press into greased 9×13-inch pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Cool.
With mixer, beats eggs, sugar, zest, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over baked crust, and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove, and cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares
Yield: 16 bars
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips or combination
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. With mixer, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with sour cream until combined. With a spoon stir in chocolate chip. Cover, and freeze for 10 minutes. Using a tablespoon, drop dough into mounds 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Caramel Pecan Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon corn starch
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup caramel bits
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, corn starch, and salt. Stir in chips, caramel bits, and pecans. Form into rounded 1½-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Resources: Wooden boxes, fabric, shells, plates, and napkins from Hobby Lobby, Flowood and Madison, and table fabric from Joanne Fabrics, Jackson.
