Apple orchard picnic

[VeraBlue]

We're going apple picking next weekend, 30 September. We've been visiting this orchard since I was a young girl, and I've taken my own kids there many many times.
This year, however, my daughter is a vegetarian. (If you recall, this is the one that lapsed when we were in Punta Cana....).

The picnic has always been cold fried chicken, potato salad, chocolate doughnuts, and fresh picked apples. This is the third or fourth year my boyfriend is going, and he's not such a big fan of cold fried chicken or potato salad.

We made muffalettas one year, but I've got that vegetarian problem this year.


I'll be home early enough of friday afternoon to do some prep and cooking for the picnic, if necessary. I'd rather not spend more than a few hours at that chore, however. We also have a bottle of spiced wine we picked up at the Chadd's Ford Winery that has lovely apple flavours. I'll warm that before we leave on Saturday morning and keep it in a thermos for the picnic.

Lou has suggested just going to Clemente's (local italian bread bakery/deli) for sandwiches before the trip. I feel like that would be a sell out. I like to actually pack the food, ya know..?

Any suggestions? What would you take????

 

[Ellen]

I love making picnics. Somehow a pie always gets involved. Bacon and egg, with onions, peas, bell peppers and so on.

 

[amber]

Well, since it's a picnic, shouldnt everyone be bringing a dish they like? I liked your idea of the fried chicken and potatoe salad. You could always make rattatouille, veggies are plentiful right now. Oh and some cheddar cheese would go nicely with the apples!

 

[Ellen]

Meat loaf (ready cut) bread and butter (already buttered) cheeses, pickles, celery stix, and other veggie stix, dips, cold roast lamb/beef/pork... on and on. Love sandies, triple deckers made with thin bread, crusts trimmed and cut into fingers, with fillings various. Mini muffalettas, whole french loaves filled to the gills, Chicken sandwiches with sage and onion stuffing and iceburg lettuce.

 

[mish]

An accompaniment I like, to chicken (along with cold macaroni salad), is tomato pie:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f18/tomato-pie-11888.html?highlight=tomato

Another veggie idea to go with -- zuchinni pie.

I'm a big fan of pasta salads. i.e.:

Greek Pasta Salad - Any shape pasta (ziti, penne, bow ties - or cheese-filled ravioli), black olives, feta, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts -- or go a

Caesar Pasta salad and chicken.

Caprese and chicken.

Shrimp Pasta salad. Can you tell I like pasta salad.

I used to stop at a favorite Italian deli, that had The Best, sandwiches on fresh baked Italian/French bread - A whole can of solid white tuna, tomatoes, provolone, and Italian dressing. I would pick up their marinated mushroom salad, and cold mac salad, and a bottle of wine. Of course there was an array of Italian subs, but mostly not vegetarian -- onions, peppers and sausage, veal cutlet, etc.

I also adore eggplant parm sandwiches on crusty bread.

Ina had a delish shrimp salad packed up in Chinese take-out containers. As I recall, there was a tuna pasta/bow tie salad with Parm.

If you're a fan of pierogys - there's another idea for a cold salad -- Italian dressing, cherry tomatoes, black olives, broc florets.

Chinese chicken salad or cold soba noodles w broc and chicken.

Nicoise or a Nicoise pasta salad.

Another take-along side for chicken - green beans, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella in Italian dressing.

To go with the apples, I would bring along some fave cheeses, crackers, grapes or figs.

 

[kitchenelf]

VeraBlue - one of my favorite paninis can be definately made ahead of time and wrapped tightly.

First, make a basil oil (evoo, fresh basil, fresh garlic, kosher salt). Mix in a blender. Make a couple days ahead of time to allow the flavors to come together).

Portabellas - remove gills and drizzle portabellas with olive oil, fresh garlic, favorite fresh herbs and either grill or cook in oven (gill side up) until done.



Panino
Start at the bottom and stack in this order:

Drizzle both sides of bread with oil mixture
water-packed mozzarella, sliced
slices of portabella
strips of freshly or jarred roasted red pepper
mesclun mix
prosciutto (leave off for your daughter)
a few chopped kalamata olives
more water-packed mozzarella

Place in panini maker, grill, when cool wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

This very same mixture can be made into a salad and drizzled with the basil mixture.

Also, you can toss all this in some shell pasta for a different variation.

I'm just thinking of things that everyone may like - don't know that they actually go together - it's just a list lol!

• Tabouli
• Vegetable summer rolls with an easy dipping sauce
• Various wraps
• Big chunks of vegetables (red pepper, onion, fennel) tossed iin a wok and drizzled with a balsamic glaze
• My mom's macaroni salad
• Drain and rinse a can of french-style or whole green beans and toss with lots of Italian dressing giving time to marinate
• tomato pie cooked that day so it will still be warm
• cold cucumber soup or gazpacho (keep in a thermos)
• sort of a Vietnamese type cold soba salad with sauce of some soy sauce, consomme, lime juice, sesame seeds and cilantro. You can heat the soy and consomme a bit and thicken with a tad of cornstarch to give the sauce some body. Those that eat meat could add some grilled chicken or slices of flank steak.

I'm still browsing my recipes!!

 

[VeraBlue]

Well, since it's a picnic, shouldnt everyone be bringing a dish they like? I liked your idea of the fried chicken and potatoe salad. You could always make rattatouille, veggies are plentiful right now. Oh and some cheddar cheese would go nicely with the apples!

Indeed, the cheddar cheese idea is perfect. I understand the idea of everyone bringing what they like...but two people of the party are college kids...one my daughter and the other a new friend. They are coming home by bus and I'd hate to bog them down with picnic fare.

 

[VeraBlue]

An accompaniment I like, to chicken (along with cold macaroni salad), is tomato pie:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f18/tomato-pie-11888.html?highlight=tomato

Another veggie idea to go with -- zuchinni pie.

I'm a big fan of pasta salads. i.e.:

Greek Pasta Salad - Any shape pasta (ziti, penne, bow ties - or cheese-filled ravioli), black olives, feta, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts -- or go a

Caesar Pasta salad and chicken.

Caprese and chicken.

Shrimp Pasta salad. Can you tell I like pasta salad.

I used to stop at a favorite Italian deli, that had The Best, sandwiches on fresh baked Italian/French bread - A whole can of solid white tuna, tomatoes, provolone, and Italian dressing. I would pick up their marinated mushroom salad, and cold mac salad, and a bottle of wine. Of course there was an array of Italian subs, but mostly not vegetarian -- onions, peppers and sausage, veal cutlet, etc.

I also adore eggplant parm sandwiches on crusty bread.

Ina had a delish shrimp salad packed up in Chinese take-out containers. As I recall, there was a tuna pasta/bow tie salad with Parm.

If you're a fan of pierogys - there's another idea for a cold salad -- Italian dressing, cherry tomatoes, black olives, broc florets.

Chinese chicken salad or cold soba noodles w broc and chicken.

Nicoise or a Nicoise pasta salad.

Another take-along side for chicken - green beans, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella in Italian dressing.

To go with the apples, I would bring along some fave cheeses, crackers, grapes or figs.

I don't think I've ever had a cold pierogi!.....have to consider that one.

 

[buckytom]

i guess you've never lived with an eastern european woman. (or one of like descent).

it would be interesting to have it made intentionally that way, tho.

vb, what orchard do you go to? please don't say masker.

if you're open to suggestions and since you know the area, try the orchard in marlboro that i've mentioned, called weed orchards. great place and very nice proprietors.

 

[Constance]

Mish's mention of Salad Nicoise reminded me of Nicoise sandwiches. You could make two batches of the Salad...one with tuna and one without, for your vegetarian.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda...FOOD_9936_5314_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html

For dessert, fruit, wine and cheese will be wonderful. If you wanted to make some palmiers to go with, that would be a tasty treat.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda...OOD_9936_28196_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html

 

[VeraBlue]

i guess you've never lived with an eastern european woman. (or one of like descent).

it would be interesting to have it made intentionally that way, tho.

vb, what orchard do you go to? please don't say masker.

if you're open to suggestions and since you know the area, try the orchard in marlboro that i've mentioned, called weed orchards. great place and very nice proprietors.

Well, I was going to say Masker's...but now I want to know why I shouldn't. Tell me more about the other place. PM if you prefer. I'm the type of lady that is always open to suggestions.

 

[buckytom]

masker's is overrun with loud, annoying, obnoxious people, mostly from the city and lawn guyland. (no offense intended of course. it's just that people from north jersey are superior beings... )

they think a trip to the country is going to mahwah or suffern. they litter everywhere and swear out their windows at each other when there's gridlock in the orchard. fun, fun, fun.

i recommend "weed orchards", right near the winery you're going to in marlboro. you know what the views are like up there, and it's just far enough away to keep it much more tranquil and quiet. here's the site: http://www.weedorchards.com/

 

[Half Baked]

BuckyTom, that is a magnificent orchard! The view is so serene and I can imagine the crisp air and the smell of the apples.

 

[buckytom]

hb, it is really beautiful. dw and i stumbled upon the place one fall sunday, just wandering around upstate ny, looking for wineries and orchards. it's become a favourite stop as we go there for summer fruit and veggie picking, as well as apples and pumpkins in the fall.

that was back when gas was a buck a gallon.
now i wander in my backyard. the tire tracks are ruining my lawn...

 

[Half Baked]

that was back when gas was a buck a gallon. now i wander in my backyard. the tire tracks are ruining my lawn...

ROFLMAO.

 

[VickiQ]

masker's is overrun with loud, annoying, obnoxious people, mostly from the city and lawn guyland. (no offense intended of course. it's just that people from north jersey are superior beings... )

they think a trip to the country is going to mahwah or suffern. they litter everywhere and swear out their windows at each other when there's gridlock in the orchard. fun, fun, fun.

i recommend "weed orchards", right near the winery you're going to in marlboro. you know what the views are like up there, and it's just far enough away to keep it much more tranquil and quiet. here's the site: http://www.weedorchards.com/

You couldn't have hit the nail more on the head- living in Suffern and in a county with several orchards- we never even attempt to visit any of them-we did go to weeds a number of years ago and loved it- we also visited Soon's in Middletown(I think) and enjoyed that as well but, not the traffic.Because of the "tourist" element we forego the orchards and frequent DePiero's in Montvale at the crack of dawn for fresh produce-certainly not as much fun as actually visiting a working orchard.Hmmm starting to miss the days of Tice and Van Riper farms-sorry- I digress!!!

Vera- no matter where you go and what you decide to take with you- I wish you beautiful weather and a peaceful relaxing day!!!

Love and energy to you both, VIcki

 

[buckytom]

i miss tice's and van riper's too, vicki. it was an annual stop for really good cider and pumpkin pies.
years ago, they used to sell unpasteurized cider.
a forgotten jug placed in the back of the fridge for a few weeks developed a nice kick.

vb, here's a few pics from weed orchards last fall, and one from this summer:

 

[VickiQ]

Great pics BT.
I also have fond memories of fighting off the bees at the spigots for apple cider at Tice's.Now I will have to make a run to The Orchard's of Concklin in Pomona for fresh cider-that will make the male folk here very happy!!!!
love and energy, Vicki