The best recipe for a successful outing consists of protein and plenty of it, complex carbs, fruits, veggies, bottled water and juice boxes. I’ll give you a glimpse into my cooler…

Deviled Eggs - made with Best Foods mayo and seasoned with Old Bay seasoning, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and dusted with smoked paprika (recipe follows).

Sam’s Chicken Salad – inspired by the wine country north of me, with red grapes, poppy seeds, pecans, celery and a sauce drizzled with honey (recipe follows). 

Niçoise Salad sandwiches – the classic salad wedged into a Baguette or French bread with the “meat” of the bread gently ripped out. I drizzle some balsamic vinaigrette onto the interior of the sandwich before wrapping tightly in foil. 

Cherries, berries, melons – whatever I’ve got in the fridge.

Sliced cucumbers, baby carrots, grape tomatoes – a mélange of anti-oxidants gobbled up when the chips are suspiciously absent.

Can’t forget - whole grain crackers, juice boxes, tons of bottled water, and a diet soda hidden at the bottom of the cooler for me. More than once I’ve wished I had a paste of baking soda and water in a plastic baggie when there have been bee stings.

I’ve frozen the bottled water once or twice, it didn’t defrost in time to be consumed when we were thirsty. Also, I put the sunscreen in the cooler last year so it would be refreshing when applied on baby skin, it came undone on the way to the beach inside the cooler. My kids thought it was sour cream, and well, those are my tips on picnic tips you may have already read before.

Summer time gets a lot of attention. Cited in literature, written into music - it’s a metaphor for the very best things can be. As if we needed any persuasion to enjoy sunshine, warm water, long days and fireflies. As if the lure of Crayola sunsets and picking berries were not enough to get you packing up for the outdoors. So much awaits you beyond your front doorstep. Pack, and eat, accordingly. And have a delicious summer.

Here are my recipes for Deviled Eggs and Chicken Salad…

Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs
2-3 tbsp. mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman’s)
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning™
Dash of cayenne
Salt and Pepper to taste
Paprika for dusting

1. In a pot of cold water, place eggs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and turn off heat, leave covered for fifteen minutes.
2. After eggs are cooled in water, peel and discard shells.
3. Slice all eggs in half and place cooked yolks in bowl.
4. Mash yolks with a potato masher, or just a fork.
5. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix well.
6. Scoop mixture into open egg halves. Sprinkle paprika on top of eggs.
7. Keep eggs refrigerated until ready to serve. When taking to beach, pack as close to cooling mechanisms as possible in picnic basket, cooler, etc. If they are in a Tupperware, put it on ice, and keep in the shade of a big beach umbrella. These usually disappear quickly, so you won’t need to worry about spoiling.

Sam's chicken Salad

3 or 4 cans chunk chicken (light meat preferably)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman’s)
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 package seedless red grapes, all sliced in half
4 stalks celery, diced
½ - 1 cup chopped pecans

1. Make base of salad: mix together sour cream, mayonnaise, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. With a fork, break apart the chicken, add grapes, celery and pecans, mix well.
3. Add to base of salad, stir all ingredients together. Keep chilled until ready to serve.