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These Easy Picnic Recipes and smart picnic food ideas will ensure your summer pienics are full of food, fun and laughter. Get the party started with my sure-fire tips for grilling the perfect burgers. And make up a big batch of homemade lemonade with the kids, using my easy recipe. Fried chicken is the perfect easy picnic food because you can make it in advance and serve it cold. Could there be an easier picnic recipe?And don't forget the picnic sides and salads. My easy picnic salad recipes include classics, like potato salad and cole slaw, plus new favorites. And no picnic would be complete without dessert. These easy picnic dessert recipes will have your guests going home happy -- guaranteed!

1. Take This Quiz to Learn How to Practice Picnic Food Safety

What temperature should chicken breasts be cooked to? How long is it safe to leave potato salad out? Discover the answers to these questions and more by taking my Picnic Food Safety Quiz.

2. Tips for Grilling Burgers

If you want to go with a classic entree for your picnic, there's nothing better than burgers. These tips will tell you everything from how to choose the best meat for the juiciest burgers to how to season burgers properly to how to know when a burger is cooked through.

3. How to Make Fried Chicken

I'm a big fan of make-ahead dishes. The only problem with some barbecues and summer picnic foods is that you have to make the main course at the last minute. With fried chicken, though, you can make it ahead of time and serve it cold. Or heat it up. The choice is yours. But you don't have to fuss at the last minute, so you have more time to be with your friends.

This step-by-step instructions show you how to make perfectly crispy, juicy buttermilk fried chicken.

4. Salad Recipes

Round out your picnic with these easy salad recipes. You'll discover vegetable salad recipes, fruit salad recipes, pasta salad recipes, potato salad recipes and more salads to fill out your perfect picnic.

5. How to Make Lemonade

There is nothing quite like the sweet-tart taste of lemonade on a hot summer day. With these step-by-step directions, you can make your own homemade lemonade in minutes.

6. Easy Summer Desserts

Complete your picnic with something sweet. Choose from 10 easy summer dessert recipes, including homemade strawberry ice cream, blueberry pie, ice cream sandwich cake and the best chocolate chip cookies.

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This Cornbread Recipe is rich, sweet and creamy. I came up with this recipe when my daughter was growing peppers in her AeroGarden. We had to find a way to use all those mini jalapenos and purple hot peppers!

Serve this Cornbread with Chili.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 8 oz. box corn bread mix (such as Jiffy)
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 large egg
* 2 Tbsp. honey
* 3 Tbsp. diced jalapeno or serrano chili peppers

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Do not overmix.

4. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.

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The long, slow cooking process makes the meat in this Beef Stew melt-in-your-mouth tender. This Beef Stew Recipe is really a meal in and of itself. Serve it for Sunday dinner with Baked Rice Pudding for dessert.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients

* 2-3 lbs. beef stew meat or chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 cup baby carrots
* 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
* 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
* 3 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 2-inch chunks
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
* 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 cups V-8 juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, toss beef with flour, making sure all sides of the beef cubes are coated, shaking off excess flour.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef to the skillet. Brown on all sides.

4. Transfer beef to an oven-proof 5-quart dutch oven with a lid (an enameled cast iron dutch oven works best). Add carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Pour V-8 juice all over beef and vegetables.

5. Stir. Cover and cook 5 hours.

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Beef Brisket is a classic holiday dish for everything from Rosh Hashana to Passover in my family. My mother makes a delicious brisket. This is her Beef Brisket Recipe, with just a few tweaks to make it my own.

I like to cook my brisket the day before I serve it. Then I slice the brisket, wrap it tightly in its pan juices, and reheat the brisket at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 3- to 4-pound beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
* 2 large onions, sliced
* 1 envelope onion soup mix
* 1 12 oz. jar chili sauce
* 1 cup red wine

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Place sliced onions in the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

3. Lay trimmed brisket on top of the onions.

4. Sprinkle onion soup mix evenly over brisket.

5. In a small bowl, stir together the chili sauce and red wine. Pour over brisket.

6. Bake brisket on the middle or lower rack of the preheated oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours until the meat is cooked through.

7. Take meat out of the oven and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before cutting.

8. Cut brisket into thin slices against the grain; otherwise the meat will be tough and stringy.

9. You can serve immediately or cover the brisket tightly with foil and reheat later.

This brisket also freezes well. Just wrap the sliced brisket very tightly in foil and then in a zip-top plastic bag. Place the pan juices in a separate plastic container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before re-heating.

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This Crockpot Chili Recipe is as tasty as it is easy to prepare. Ramen Noodle Cole Slaw and Cornbread make delicious accompaniments to this Crockpot chili recipe.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 lb. lean ground beef
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced
* 1 medium green pepper, red pepper or poblano pepper diced
* 2 Tbsp. chili powder
* 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
* 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
* 1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 14 oz. can chili beans, undrained
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup canned sliced jalapeno peppers (optional)
* kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
* shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Drain and transfer beef to the slow cooker. Add the next 10 ingredients (through jalapeno peppers) to the slow cooker.

3. Cook on high, 4-5 hours or low, 6-8 hours.

4. Just before serving, taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. If chili appears too watery, remove 1/2 to 1 cup of the liquid, stir in 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch and return it to the slow cooker. Cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Serve garnished with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

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This Ramen Noodle Cole Slaw Recipe makes a great side dish for picnics, cookouts and barbecues. It goes great with everything from burgers to Fried Chicken.

But you don't have to wait for a cookout. This Ramen Noodle Cole Slaw makes an excellent, easy side dish for Chili, chicken recipes too.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 2 Tbsp. honey
* 1 3 oz. package oriental-flavored Ramen noodles
* 16 oz. package cole slaw mix (cabbage, carrots) or 1 large head cabbage, shredded
* 1/2 cup peanuts

Preparation

1. In a large salad bowl, whisk together canola oil, vinegar and honey. Whisk in the seasoning packet from the Ramen noodles.

2. Place Ramen noodles in a sealed plastic bag, and crush with your fingers or a rolling pin. Pour into the dressing in the salad. bowl.

3. Pour cole slaw mix over top. Toss to coat well with the dressing.

4. Top with peanuts.

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This White Chicken Chili is a hearty, soul-warming dinner or lunch. Tomatillos and fresh cilantro give this Chicken Chili Recipe an authentic Mexican flavor.

If you've never worked with tomatillos before, it's easy. They look like green tomatoes with a papery husk on it. Just remove the husk, wash the tomatillos (they have a sticky layer underneath the paper), and cut off the stem.

Serve this white chicken chili with Sweet Cornbread or tortilla chips for a healthy, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
* 2 stalks celery, diced
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded and diced
* 6-8 fresh tomatillos, husked, washed and trimmed
* 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
* 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
* kosher salt and black pepper to taste
* 2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken breast (or any cooked chicken)

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add carrots, celery, onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers. Cook until soft, several minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place tomatillos and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse until chunky -- the texture of salsa. Add to the vegetables in the pot.

4. Add chicken broth, beans, cumin and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and let simmer 10 minutes.

5. Use an immersion blender to puree part of the chili. Or transfer about 1/3 of the chili to a blender, cover and hold a kitchen towel over the top, and puree. Return to the pot.

6. Add the chicken. Cook a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

7. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese, scallions, and/or black olives. Serve with tortilla chips or Skillet Cornbread.

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This easy Cornbread Recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare. But the result is a tender, slightly Sweet Cornbread that goes perfectly with Chili, Salad or soup.

Amazingly, this Sweet Cornbread Recipe has no butter or oil. It gets its tenderness from yogurt and honey.

Ingredients

* 2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick)
* 6 Tbsp. cornmeal
* 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/4 tsp. baking soda
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
* 1/4 cup skim milk

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the baking mix, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, yogurt and skim milk. Pour into the dry ingredients.

4. Mix gently, until there are no lumps of flour showing, but do not overmix.

5. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 28-34 minutes, until golden brown.

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This Chili Con Carne Recipe is delicious when you first make it, and even better the next day. You can also make this Chili Recipe ahead and freeze it.

All you need to complete the meal is some Sweet Cornbread and Coleslaw.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced
* 1 small red or green pepper, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 Tbsp. mild chili powder
* 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
* 3/4 lb. extra lean ground beef (93%)
* 1 29 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 1 Tbsp. sugar
* 1 14 oz. can cannellini beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add onions, peppers, garlic and carrots. Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften.

3. Add chili powder, cumin and ground beef, stirring frequently until beef browns completely.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let chili simmer until it thickens, about 20 minutes.

Serve topped with shredded cheese, diced onion and/or sour cream, if desired.


Makes 6 servings.

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Once you learn how to make lemonade with these easy instructions, you'll never go back to store-bought lemonade again.

The first step is gathering your ingredients for the Lemonade Recipe.

You will need:

* 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

* 6 cups cold water, divided

* 5-8 lemons

In addition, you will need:

* a strainer

* reamer (optional)

* 1- or 2-cup liquid measuring cup

* pitcher






Pour the sugar and 1 cup of the water into a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

Now you have a simple syrup. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate while you juice the lemons.






Roll the lemons to warm them and get the juices flowing. Cut in half.






Place a strainer over a liquid measuring cup. I like to use a 2-cup liquid measuring cup because the strainer fits easily over it.

Now juice the lemons over the strainer, allowing the liquid to flow into the measuring cup. Continue juicing until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. You may need 5 lemons; you may need up to 8 lemons.





Mix the refrigerated simple syrup and the remaining 5 cups of cold water. Add the fresh lemon juice. Mix well.




Enjoy your lemonade! For variety, try garnishing with fresh mint, fresh lemon slices or a fresh strawberry.

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Simple Syrup requires only water and granulated syrup, and can easily be made in only a few minutes. It's a building block for cocktails or for nonalcoholic drinks, and can also be used to sweeten iced tea or coffee, or even to brush over cakes before frosting to keep them moist. You can even flavor simple syrup by steeping ingredients like vanilla beans, herbs or citrus peel in it. Simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup water

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan combine sugar and water. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar dissolves until the liquid is no longer cloudy and is perfectly clear, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool simple syrup completely before storing in the refrigerator.

This recipe for Simple Syrup makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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This Lemonade Recipe makes the freshest, tastiest lemonade you'll ever try. Indeed, once you try this lemonade recipe, you'll never go back to bottled or powdered lemonade again. How to Make Lemonade

Feel free to adjust the sweetness of this lemonade recipe by adding more or less sugar to suit your taste. A sprig of fresh mint makes the perfect garnish for this lemonade recipe.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 6 cups cold water, divided
* 5-8 lemons

Preparation

1. Combine sugar and 1 cup of the water in a medium (2- or 3-quart) saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate this mixture (Simple Syrup) while you make the rest of the lemonade.

3. Juice the lemons over a strainer, until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice.

4. Add the lemon juice to the remaining 5 cups of cold water. Stir in the refrigerated simple syrup (sugar and water mixture).

5. Garnish with lemon slices or fresh mint, if desired.

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Improper measuring is probably the number one reason recipes fail. Flour is crucial to the structure of baked goods; too much flour and your product will be tough and dry. Too little flour, and your product will collapse when it comes out of the oven, and have wet spots and dense layers.

To correctly Measure Flour, use a spoon to lightly scoop flour out of its container into a measuring cup. Continue until the cup is overflowing. Then use the back side of a knife to level off the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup. Repeat as necessary, with 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup measures. Be sure to look at my Step by Step: Measuring Flour Correctly for best results.

For the most accurate flour measuring, you can weigh the flour on a kitchen scale. This is what home economists do when they are testing recipes before publication; and it's the way Nigella Lawson always measures her flour on her TV show!

* One cup of white flour weighs 120 grams.
* One cup of whole wheat flour weighs 140 grams.
* One cup of bread flour weighs 130 grams.
* One cup of cake flour weighs 114 grams.

The most common mistake made in measuring flour is to dip the measuring cup into the flour instead of lightly spooning flour into the measuring cup. This can result in up to 25% more flour than the recipe calls for.

To see this for yourself, measure 3 cups of flour into a bowl by scooping the flour with the measuring cup. Then stir the measured flour, and re-measure by lightly scooping with a spoon. When you have measured 3 cups this way, how much flour is left in the bowl? This extra flour will make your baked products heavy and tough. So remember to measure by lightly scooping with a spoon!

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Measuring Flour incorrectly is one of the most common mistakes people make in baking and cooking. At the University of Minnesota, we conducted experiments where we learned that the biggest variable in every recipe is the cook. So standardizing measuring techniques is the most important way to ensure that a recipe works.

This is the wrong way to measure flour. Scooping flour from the container or bag directly with the measuring cup will pack the flour into the cup and you'll end up with too much flour. Even with a properly leveled top, this method is wrong.


A cup of all-purpose flour, properly measured, should weigh 120 grams. As you can see, the flour measured incorrectly by dipping the measuring cup into the flour weighs 161 grams. This is more than 30% more flour than the recipe needs. A cookie or cake made with flour measured this way will be tough and dry. Sauces will be too thick, and pie crusts crumbly and dry.



To measure flour correctly, you need calibrated measuring cups made for measuring dry ingredients. Do not use a coffee cup or drinking glass. Lightly spoon the flour directly into the measuring cup from the container or bag. Do not shake the cup. Do not pack the flour down.




Keep spooning the flour into the cup until it mounds well above the top of the measuring cup.




Using a dinner knife, turn it so the flat side is down. Hold the cup with the flour in your left hand, and start sweeping the knife over the top of the cup to remove the excess flour.




You'll probably need to pass the knife over the measuring cup a few times to get a level surface. Do not shake the cup or pack the flour down.




As you can see, the properly measured flour weighs 121 grams. That's an accurate measurement, and the recipe will be perfect.

Other Measure Flours weigh different amounts. For the most accurate baking, you can weigh flour instead of measuring it. But with some practice, your flour measuring skills will become quite precise.

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This Peach Cobbler Recipe takes only minutes of active prep time. It has just three ingredients, one of which is a yellow cake mix. I like to serve this easy peach cobbler warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 29 oz. can peach slices in heavy syrup
* 1 yellow cake mix
* 1/2 cup butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Drain 2-3 Tbsp. of syrup from peaches. Pour remaining peaches and syrup in prepared pan.

3. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over peaches, pressing down lightly to moisten slightly.

4. Cut butter into very small chunks and dot over cake mix.

5. Bake 35-45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

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I like to make these Lemon Bars for bake sales, potlucks, picnics and spring and summer celebrations. There is just something about the sweet-tart taste of lemon that really tickles the taste buds.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

* 5 large eggs
* 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
* zest of 2 lemons
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Add flour to mixture just until it comes together as a dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead a few times. Press into bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.

3. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let crust cool on a wire rack.

4. For the filling, beat eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together. Whisk in flour until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 30 minutes or until filling is set.

5. Let lemon bars cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 36 lemon bars.

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This Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe is made without eggs, so it's quick and easy. If fresh strawberries are in season, I recommend using those. If not, frozen strawberries work just as well for this homemade strawberry ice cream.

You will need an ice cream maker to make this Strawberry Ice Cream.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

* 16 oz. frozen strawberries (or 2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled)
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
* 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
* 1-1/2 cups whole milk

Preparation

1. Place strawberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Puree, leaving some chunks of strawberry.

2. Pour strawberry mixture and remaining ingredients into an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

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For these Bacon Cheeseburgers, the bacon is crumbled and cooked inside the burger. The result is a moist and juicy bacon cheeseburger.

Click here for more tips on Grilling Perfect Burgers.

Ingredients:

* 3 slices pre-cooked bacon
* 1-1/2 pounds 80%-85% lean ground beef
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 tsp. canola oil
* 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Re-heat bacon according to package directions. Drain and crumble into a large mixing bowl.

2. Prepare grill or heat a grill pan on the stove over medium heat.

3. Add ground beef, garlic powder and black pepper to the crumbled bacon.

4. Using your hands, mix gently, and form into 6 patties, being careful not to press or pack the beef down too much (you will lose moisture that way).

5. Sprinkle the salt over the patties on both sides.

6. Dip a paper towel in the oil, and rub on the grill or grill pan. Add the patties, being careful not to crowd the pan.

7. Cook 3-4 minutes. Flip. Top each burger with shredded cheese. Cook another 3-4 minutes until burgers are cooked through.

Serve on toasted buns.

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These step-by-step photos will show you how to make Fried Chicken that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

First, you will need to gather your ingredients. You will need:

* 1 3-lb. chicken, cut up, or 3 lbs. of bone-in chicken pieces
* 1 quart buttermilk
* 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
* 1/4 cup host sauce
* 2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
* peanut oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil for frying





Whisk together the buttermilk, salt and hot sauce.





Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk marinade, turning with tongs to coat well. Refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.





Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Place the flour in a shallow dish next to the chicken. Place a rack over a baking sheet. Set it next to the flour. This is your breading station.





Using tongs, lift each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk mixture. Dip into the flour, turning to coat well. Then set on the rack to rest.





Let the chicken rest on the rack for 15-20 minutes. This is important, because it helps the batter adhere to the chicken, which will form a crust.






Pour the oil into an electric skillet or a cast iron pot. Bring the oil to 350 degrees.

An electric skillet works well for frying chicken, because it maintains the proper temperature throughout the cooking process. That helps the chicken form a crispy crust without drying out or becoming overcooked.

Fry the chicken 9-10 minutes on each side.





Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Enjoy! ~ How to Make Fried Chicken

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