Let's Picnic!

 

 

 

 

{part 1}

With Spring comes the anticipation of picnics. Lots of them. Wheather it be dining on the bleachers at a ball game or a Sunday afternoon picnic with friends at a park. Packing a picnic can be a great alternative to purchasing pricey, un-healthy food at your favorite local drive-through.

My friend Penny asked me if I had any ideas for easy "pack up and go meals" to eat at the ball park. I thought that since I had been talking about taking meals this week, this would be the perfect time to "chat" about portable lunches/dinners. I am sure you have way more ideas than me , so...be sure to add your ideas and thoughts that work for you.

As mentioned before, I keep a stash of basic containers on hand because the LAST thing I want to do when I get home is to clean a bunch of containers-with the exception of a few glass containers and occasional utensils that can be loaded into the dishwasher.

I keep a stash of basic containers on hand just for picnics.

Depending on what we are having to eat, I pack everything into an oil cloth bag with dividers or a portable cooler on wheels {COSTCO usually carries these every spring} or both. The cooler on wheels is one of my favorites when space is NOT an issue. :)

A caady is perfect for keeping all silverware, plates, napkins etc. ready to go so that it can easily be put into your bag to go at a moments notice. If you have a hard time purchasing one...they are perfect for little kids to take carry around the table when it comes to setting the table for meals. Our children LOVED this!

Everything is packed so it doesn't spill or stain. Be sure to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.

Everybody gets their own container with their "main dish" or their sandwich, unless it is potluck-style where there is a picnic table to put out a large container for everyone to help themselves.

Sometimes I label the containers with the individuals name. This is helpful for those who are picky. Instead of specifying no mayo, no pickles, no meat etc. :)

I used to have such a hard time not having dinner all together at home @ 5:00 sharp every evening. It just threw me for a loop! Once I stopped pouting and decided I could make it fun, it has just been THAT...lots of exciting meals away from home and lots of memories with friends and family.

Here are some menu ideas:

drink

Caesar salad with leftover BBQ chicken-box container

dressing-condiment container

rolls with butter-cookie bag

brownie-cookie bag

drink

tortilla soup in mini Mason jars

cornbread muffin-cookie bag

tortilla chips-cookie bag

applesauce with cinnamon sugar-glass container

drink

chopped salad-box container

dressing-condiment container

focaccia bread-cookie bag

drink

tunafish sandwiches-cookie bag

pita chips-cookie bag

monster cookies-cookie bag

ginger ale

Asian rice/noodle bowl-large Chinese take-out box

molasses cookies

drink

pasta salad-large Chinese take-out box

mini focaccia loaves-cookie bag

mini cupcakes-mini Chinese take-out box

Italian Sodas-disposable cup with lid and straw in drink carrier

Turkey wraps in Lovash-wrapped in wax paper and put in box container

chips-cookie bag

apple slices-cookie bag

BBQ beef sandwiches-wrapped in wax paper and put into box container

potato salad-mini Chinese take out

carrot/celery sticks-small cup with lid

ranch dressing-condiment container

oatmeal cookies-cookie bag

strawberry lemonade-disposable cup with lid and straw

taco salad-box container

salsa and sour cream-condiment container

pineapple slices

{Individual drinks should be packed for ball games as it is NOT convenient to be passing a thermos around with cups etc. Sun tea, lemonade and water are much healthier and more cost effective than soda pop with high fructose corn syrup.}

This was originally posted 4.15.10

{part 2}

Since I got more than one e-mail wondering who else carries the containers I had mentioned in the picnic post, I decided to follow up with a second post.

RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORES ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO PURCHASE PICNIC ESSENTIALS. Cash and Carry is my #1 choice. You can’t beat their prices. If you are limited on storage space, you may consider splitting your goods with a friend. Think about only purchasing one or two different kinds that be used for a variety of uses: leftovers, gift boxes, kids’ lunches, etc.

If you live in the middle of nowhere...Garnish carries a large selection of containers that you will LOVE! You wont even have to leave the comfort of your own home at o-dark-thirty to head out to Cash and Carry hoping the whole drive over that all of the solid white containers are not gone {AGAIN!} and to be left with the containers that still have their original "SWOOSHY" design that was all the rage in the 70's. Who knows?! I personally am in love with white, because even if you don't embellish it, it still looks classy!

If you don't purchase the products, I can guarantee you will be on the lookout for produce etc. that comes in these fancy little packages! You will become a Treasure Hunter in your own right! Just don't drive to the GOLDEN ARCHES and park your little self by the trash bin and ask people for their drink carriers, leftover napkins, ketchup packages and straws...oh and the adorable condiment containers. I'm just saying.

However, there is NOTHING wrong with asking your family and friends to save their packaging for you, though.

Now that business is taken care of here are some things I love to use:

COOKIE BAGS: great for cookies, bars, chips, some veggies etc.

DELI CONTAINER: Great for extra soup, apple slices, veggie slices, BBQ beef, ice cream

CONDIMENT CONTAINER: So nice for Ketchup, mustard, mayo, salad dressing, salsa, sour cream

SOUP CONTAINER: Can be used for packing soup, ice cream, cobbler, pasta salad, trifle etc.

PRODUCE CONTAINER: Fun to package a sandwich lunch in. Think of it as a lunchbox. {No time? Go buy a bag of french fries, bake 'em. Line the container with wax paper or a paper towel, put the fries in it along with a condiment container with ketchup and let your little athlete have a snack on the way to the game!}

BOX CONTAINER: This is awesome for everything! I even take gifts in these boxes!

P.S. These containers are amazing for picnics, but I use them for taking meals to people as well. The recipient of a delivered meal will not only be grateful for a night of no dishes, but I am pretty sure the happy dance will be taking place when it comes to having one less 9x13 in the back of the car to return!

All paper container pictures are from GARNISH

Mason Jars: Amazing portable containers that can be purchased at thrift stores, garage sales, or sometimes given away by those who are no longer canning. Ask around before you buy! You never know. These are great because there are so many different sizes. Think about toting soups, trifles, berries and cream, crisps, cobblers and pies that are hot from the oven. Just bake as you would in a ramekin, let cool a bit and screw the lid on…these can be placed in a drink carrier and they will not budge…plus they are a bit insulated.

{A pie picnic is a fun thing to do on a summer evening...pack ice cold milk, hot pies from the oven and fresh whipped cream!}

IKEA’S SLOM Bottle with Stopper: A bargain for $2.99. These may be used as an alternative to purchasing plastic water bottles. Keep them filled with filtered water ready to grab-n-go. No need to worry about a leaky thermos. The smaller ones are a great choice for de-cantering soy sauce, syrups for a breakfast picnic or other dressings for potluck-style picnics. The glass keeps things extra cold or hot! And they are so charming!

Starbucks Frappucino Mocha bottles: great for individual drinks, sauces, and flowers!

Our family favorite: Table in a bag from Crate and Barrel. We take it everywhere. It is perfect for places that don't have tables and we love it for outdoor concerts, the beach, the lake, forest picnics etc. We have even taken it to homes for little kiddos to sit around! It is on sale right now for less than $35.00!

Shared with: at the picket fence, stuff and nonsense, tidy mom, pink saturday, raising homemakers, women living well

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Zesty Strawberry Shortcake {to go}

When the birdies start chirpin' early in the morning and the sunbeams bounce off your warm bed blankets, you know SPRING is in the air which means picnic season is on its way! Although we enjoy picnics all year long {making picnic fare and eating at games, in the car etc.} warmer temps mean hikes, bike rides, adventure in the warm fresh air! What do you look forward to when the sun starts to shine and mornings start to become a tad bit warmer?

Here is a quick recipe that beats the storebought variety. It will take you less time to make these yummies than it will take you to take a trip to your local grocery store! The smell of the orange zest baking in these biscuits will entice your children to be members of "the clean plate club"!...with the promise of a healthy dessert to follow!



Zesty Strawberry Shortcake
Lisa Pearson

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. organic sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

Zest of 1 orange

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened OR Organic All Vegetable Shortening {Spectrum brand}

1 cup whipping cream...sweetened a bit OR Vanilla Soymilk

Extra cream or soymilk
Coarse sugar

DIRECTIONS:
• Mix dry ingredients together; Cut in butter; Add cream. Mix until dough is soft
and ingredients are all mixed in. It will look like cookie dough.

• Place six to eight mounds on greased baking sheet or SILPAT. Flatten just a bit.

• Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

• Bake at 425 for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Let cool and wrap each shortcake in cellophane bag. Tie with string.

BERRIES:
*Slice four pints of fresh strawberries, add about half cup of sugar

*Sprinkle with a little lemon juice;

*Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Slice shortcake in half, add strawberries, top with ice cream.

If you want to make these in advance, just bag the individual wrapped shortcakes, put into gallon Ziploc bag and freeze. They will stay as fresh as the day you baked them!

...OR...you can make lots and lots and lots and have friends over and enjoy it outside!


Happy Thursday!

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Paint Storage Organization {how to...}

{before}



{after}



It has been at least 16 years that I have put this project off. That is major procrastination! And you know what? It took less than an hour to get it done. Maybe I should have baked one less dessert or dinner or skipped a load of laundry somewhere over the years.

Please tell me I am not the only one that has had issues with nasty, dirty, bug- infested, rusty, old paint cans. PLEEEASE! Wanna know the straw that broke the camel's back? We had paint cans all over including ones that were stuffed under my hubby's work bench. I needed a color to touch up some spots. No, it wasn't in the closet or anywhere handy. It was jammed way behind the work bench. I have no idea how we got them under there because of the lip on the bottom shelf. Anyhoo, I had to use a rubber mallet to bang it out at an angle. Now you know why I had to get this project done ASAP.

Here is the tutorial: {fancy schmancy name for how to...do it!}

What you will need:

*a label maker, a sharpie pen, or adddress labels

*mason jars and platic screw lids OR clean plastic food storage containers {Cash and Carry}

*free paint stir sticks...Home Depot gives them to you!

*3x5 index cards

*an envelope to keep 3x5 index cards in

*hanging file folder for your files


Directions:


1. Stir paint thoroughly with stir stick and pour into new container.



2. Make label for top of paint container. If you are over 40, Do this right away! You don't want to forget what is what...unless you are only doing one can...then you shouldn't have a problem. :)




3. Take a 3x5 index card and write down all of the paint info. Where you bought it, color code, type of finish ie. satin, flat etc. If you are super organized, you could staple the info to a card. File the info away into an envelope.










NOW, that you are all oganized or thinkin' about it, be sure to do this every time you get new paint. It will make your hubby swoon and it will keep your knuckles from bruising up the next time you are digging for "that color"!


GOODBYE, NASTINESS!




HELLO, little beauties!





Happy Spring Cleaning to YOU!

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, at the picket fence

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Baby Birdie Macaroon Nests

Is there anything sweeter than a momma bird feathering her nest...and then the little eggs waiting to hatch? DO you LOVE SPRING?

I have felt like a momma bird feathering my nest over the past week while the kiddies were gone...and last night we were all together for a very fun family dinner night. Nothing beats cleaning house and making a nice hot dinner for family.

It used to be that I would make crockpot dinners on Monday nights quite a bit. It was great because Monday is laundry day...but somewhere along the line, I stopped doing it. Anyhoo, last night we enjoyed dinner made by the crockpot. All I had to do was plug it in and add some mushrooms my momma had picked, make a salad and the bread took all of five minutes...so not bad at all!

I love the chattering, the craziness, and the VOLUME of a full house. Vacation laundry was going during dinner and we had Nana's machine going with Rachel's laundry and ours going with Rissy's mounds of clothes. Nana folded all of Rachel's laundry and I had to stuff the rest of Rissy's wet laundry into a bag for her to finish at school. BAD MOMMA! Well, the girlies were in a rush because they had homework to do that DID NOT GET DONE duringspring break. Imagine that!

Caleb was full of stories from his trip to Mexico, as well. Thank you for praying for him. It was an amazing trip for him. I think he is still tired from all the hard work and can NOT wait to do it again next year.

So, the macaroons are the same recipe I used for the lime macaroons without the lime. I thought they would be cute made into little nests. A little reminder of what a priviledge it is to be a nurturing momma bird! As tiring and full of messes it can be at times!

I am making these little sweet treats for Easter...they are packaged into a small BIO BOX from Cash and Carry. They fit perfectly and will be fun to package and make tags for. I think I found the perfect ribbon, too!

Happy Tuesday!

Idea shared with: Moms Crazy Cooking

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Clothes and Random Thoughts

For those of you who really really know me, I am so not into clothes. I have no patience for clothes shopping whatsoever. I would rather sit in a dentist chair and have my teeth drilled at than shop. I love hand-me-downs and for the most part, my hubby and daughter and twinsie are the ones who clothe me.

As I was reading in Colossians today, this was the verse, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" Colossians 3:12.

First of all it is a commandment and it is not something somebody else can do for us. It is something that HAS to be done by us. It isn't easy, but nothing is easy when we are doing it by ourselves and with our own strength. It is something that God is more than happy to help us with!

Well, at the grocery store today {Problem #1}, I decided to really conscientiously apply compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience {Problem #2}!

There is a reason I do not shop the day before the weekend. I was missing my family and I was a hormonal mess!

I am not kidding, by the time I left the grocery store, I thought I was going to have to call my honey home from the station!

This is how the shopping errand went:

*A lady was swearing at her tiny babies

*Two very young girls were shopping alone...I felt so bad for them????

*An elderly man in a wheelchair stopped beside me while I was ordering from the deli and said, "I can't believe what is happening to food prices." He was very sad about it. So, later I wondered if I should have bought his groceries!

*An elderly lady standing behind me with a bottle of wine and a card looked as though it had taken all her energy to make it to the store. I asked if she would like to go in front of me. She was so KIND and GENTLE herself. We had quite the little conversation. She had almost forgotten it was her son's birthday and she was so HAPPY she had remembered. She was an absolute doll. I wanted to take her home with me!

Anyway, it is amazing how God can work in our lives through such little things. I was emotional, but also touched by looking at my errand with a definite purpose in mind. I loved having a homework assignment during spring break!

So, tomorrow morning, I am going to try to remember as I am getting dressed to clothe myself with the same five attributes and just see if I look at things differently...the way God would have me be. The best things about clothing ourselves with kindness, gentleness, humility, patience and compassion is this:

*no shopping required

*it fits into the budget

*no laundering

*no ironing

*it always fits

*always in style

*it can be handed down {MY FAVORITE!!}

*one size fits all

*doesn't take up room in the closet

*AND it wont offend anybody! {Nobody will be reminding me my skirts are too short!}

What will be your favorite attribute to show others TODAY?

In other news:

*It finally dawned on me today to write the name of the spice on my bulk tag today and not JUST the number. Seriously! I am so excited. I have never thought of doing that until today!

*Chocolate Espresso Lava Cakes are the easiest to make ever. I always forget about making them. I guess I made them to many times and got tired of making them. Anyhoo, they are back in the dessert rotation.{Imagine how pretty they will look with a scoop of my hubby's homemade vanilla ice cream down inside the chocolate volcano!





*S&W puts HFCS in their Mexican Blend...so I have switched to S&W diced tomatoes with spices and chilies for Oma's Salsa and it turned out way better!!

*Back on a cooking with yogurt kick. The little shrimpies are swimming away {marinating} in yogurt, pepitas, cilantro, garlic etc. etc. before they get skewered onto mini skewers tomorrow.

*HAPPY FRUGAL FIND = Mini skewers at Cash and Carry for less than $1.00. Can I tell you how many times I have cut skewers in half!

*I always feel so domesticated when I roast my own peppers as opposed to buying the little can of green chiles. OH! The small pleasures in life!



Aren't they beautiful?


Okay! Enough of my blah.blah.blahing!

So please don't forget to use one or all five attributes tomorrow! I would LOVE to read through some on Saturday!

Happy Happy Thursday!

This post is linked to: THE SATURDAY EVENING BLOG POST at:

http://www.elizabethesther.com/

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Easter Dinner Organization...for leftovers

Don't forget: SHARPIE, tags, tape for labeling containers








As we all begin with our individual preparations for Easter which may include out-of-town guests, travel plans, pet care, housecleaning, coupon clipping, stocking up on paper towels, tin foil and groceries, it is easy to forget about LEFTOVERS.

I could care less about any of the leftovers. Having said that, I can get myself into a major tizzy if we don't come home with Auntie Debie's broccoli salad and Oma's dessert. "Mean-spirited" might be a better adjective, actually. You would be too!

How many times have you been cleaning up after your Easter DINNER in anticipation for dessert {at least that is the order in which we do it!} and you discover you are short on containers for leftovers? Seriously, it used to happen EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

You can only save sooo many Cool Whip, sour cream and cottage cheese containers! Then, if you are lucky enough to find the actual containers, you start breaking out into a sweat looking for the lids. We have had our share of Saran Wrap and rubber bands wrapped around a container with greasy gravy and ham one TOO many times...all over the back of the car. I wonder how many of you have had a food disaster heading to or returning from an Easter dinner? Anyway, misery loves company. {PLEASE DO TELL!}

I hope you aren't checking for Grammar here. ANYhoo, enough is enough.

Several years ago, I started planning for the leftovers. I decided to add to my Cash and Carry stash to ensure that we all had DISPOSABLE containers to pack leftovers in. Can I tell you how nice it is for everyone to be able to take containers home without needing to return them? 'Cause I can't even remember how many times I have ended up with my Momma's orange Tupperware from the 70's, knowing, it had better not end up in the bags for GOODWILL. It is also nice for your fridge to NOT be cluttered with three sour cream containers only to have to take the lids off of all three before finding the leftover green bean casserole! I know it could be labeled with a SHARPIE, but it still stressed me out.:)

AHHHHH, it is so nice. It is not a huge investment, either. You can purchase 5o take-out boxes for less than $5.00. I usually have other containers in different sizes only because I use them for alot of different projects, but you could easily decide on a basic size and go with one kind, or you might want to go halvsies with a friend. I have two other friends and my twinsie that I have split cash and carry products with and it works out great!



So, if it floats your boat to save containers, just make sure you have the lids! If you want to stock up on disposables...be sure to plan for leftovers...your hubby will be happy for the turkey sandwiches, you will be happy with the pie, your children wont need to be rushed in for counseling due to the trauma of spilled food... and your car will thank you, too. I am guessing there is a reason why car fresheners smell like pine, vanilla or strawberries and NOT mashed potatoes and gravy or turkey!

HAPPY PLANNING!



*edited and re-posted

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