Die Hard Picnic

With a temperature in the forties, and winds to boot, we debated whether to head out for our Sunday picnic.  But we reheated some soup to go with the meal, donned our winter coats and headed out.  It was the opening day of a farmers market down the corridor, so we made a stop there and headed to a nearby city park.  It's graduation day for local colleges, so the pavilions were reserved and we headed for a Lake where we picnicked last year. 

The Deegan Hinkle Lake in Bridgeport, WV is very pretty, complete with walking trails around the lake, a dog park and fishing. Our menu today:

Flank Steak Salad with Ginger-Wasabi Dressing

Quinoa and Edamame

Provencal Soup with Pinto Beans

West Virginia Wheat Bread

Strawberry Apricot Tart

Strawberry Apricot Tart

(8 Servings)

Mix flours and brown sugar in food processor.  Pulse in lemon zest and buttery spread.  Add egg yolks and vanilla.

1/2 cup 2 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup hard spring wheat

6 tablespoon pecan flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

2 egg yolks

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Divide crumb mixture in half.  Press 1/2 in bottom of 8 inch springform pan, sprayed with a canola oil spray.

Brush bottom crust with preserves and syrup.

1 tablespoon preserves

1 tablespoon brown rice syrup

Soak sliced apricots in boiling water.  After 15 minutes, drain on paper towels.

1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced

3/4 cup boiling water 

Arrange apricots around outer rim of crust.

Arrange strawberries in the center.

1 1/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Sprinkle strawberries with Sucanat

1 tablespoon Sucanat

Top tart with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake at 400 F. for 30 minutes.

The recipe was inspired by Eating Well Magazine.

The hard spring wheat in the tart and the pinto beans in the soup were grown by my colleague Tom McConnell at his farm in Terra Alta WV.

  

Wasabi Ginger Dressing

(2 Servings)

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh grated horseradish

I poured this over 4-6 ounce baked flank steak, sliced, which I previously baked and froze.

This recipe was inspired by Eating Well Magazine. 

The flank steak was purchased at Working H Farm Store, from grass fed cows raised by the Hardesty family.

 Yes, that's me (wearing gloves) blowing kisses at my husband who is a great sport to go along with me on this unusually cold May day!  Doesn't look like the ducks minded.