Summer Picnic Station

With chances of a thunderstorm, we planned our Sunday picnic at a park with a pavilion. This is our 4th year of summer picnics, so we've become familiar with those parks where we can find shelter.  Ryerson Station Park, a Pennsylvania State Park, has several picnic tables under shelter.  This one has a perfect view of the wildlife area.  There were birds and bees, water and trees all in view.

Our picnic today featured:

 Shrimp, Brown Rice and Vegetable Salad

Sweet Italian Sausage Roll

Strawberry and Coconut Parfait

The salad I originally planned was a Jambalaya Salad.  When we saw our baker friend Patty was selling the Italian Sausage Rolls at yesterday's Farmers Market, I opted to eat her roll and eliminate the sausage from the salad.  Wow, was that a good choice.

For the salad, I first cooked 1/4 cup brown rice in the rice cooker and mixed it with 2 ounce mascarpone cheese.  I sauteed fresh green garlic and onion with fresh grated ginger in 2 teaspoon sesame oil.  Then I blanched 1/4 cup each shelled edamame, corn and peas.  I mixed the rice and vegetables and refrigerated.  The salad was placed in a lettuce lined bowl and topped with 1 tablespoon each toasted ground almonds, 1 teaspoon pimiento peppers, fresh tarragon, basil and parsley. Cooked shrimp (marinated in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce) crowned the bowl. The recipe was a mix of many, though I did monitor the portions as I did with the roll, which was halved and shared. I often finish a picnic with a fruit and yogurt parfait.  Here's todays:

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

(Serves 2)

In a mini food processor, blend berries, yogurt and sugar.  Remove to another container.
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
6 ounce plain non fat yogurt
1 teaspoon sugar

In a clean mini food processor, mix water, prunes, vanilla, cocoa and coconut.  Process until prunes are finely chopped.
1 Tablespoon hot water
5 prunes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoon coconut

In each parfait, layer as follows:
2 tablespoon blended yogurt mix
1 tablespoon prune coconut mix
1 tablespoon fresh strawberries, chopped 
Repeat.
Garnish each with a fresh whole strawberry.