Nothing says summer than a picnic in the park. With the Fourth of July holiday right around the corner millions of flag waving families will be trekking to local parks to view the annual fireworks displays. And with space at a premium most will be securing their spots from the early morning, which means packing a lot of food to keep the kids occupied until the big bang goes off at dusk.
The following recipes are ideal picnic dishes as neither contains mayonnaise, which tends to spoil when left out in the hot sun too long. The first recipe for meaty Italian sandwiches couldn’t be easier to prepare. It contains a double dose of meat plus veggies and cheese. What’s more, it’s portable—perfect for picnic munching.
The second recipe is a twist on the picnic classic pasta salad. In addition to the variety of different chesses, this pasta salad features crunchy asparagus and squash and red pepper. It packs well and will surely pack a punch at your next picnic.
MEATY ITALIAN SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup of your favorite Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup pesto sauce
4 Ciabatta rolls, split and lightly toasted
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
8 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
2 cups spring mix lettuce
Directions:
Marinate chicken breasts in Italian dressing for up to 24 hours.
Grill chicken breasts.
Spread pesto on both sides of rolls.
Place a chicken breast on each roll.
Top with shredded cheese, proscuitto, peppers, and lettuce.
THREE CHEESE PASTA SALAD
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 slender asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups yellow squash, cut into half rounds
3/4 cup red pepper, diced
1 cup packed arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, sliced
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp, diced
12 ounces pasta, cooked, drained, rinsed and cooled
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) Fontina cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) Cheddar cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1/4 cup Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Directions:
In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add garlic, asparagus, squash and red pepper; cook for 3 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in arugula, scallions and bacon; remove from heat.
In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, vegetables, Fontina, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses plus Italian dressing, salt and red pepper flakes; toss well and serve.
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