August 29, 2012
Wow I haven't updated this in a long time. Honestly I actually forgot about it. Well guess it's time for another recipe!

It's almost fall, one of my favorite seasons. Plenty of people going outside and enjoying the cool breeze, the changing leaves, the different scents. It's a time to enjoy the cool air after a hot summer and take advantage of the warmth before winter. This is also my favorite time of year to go out on picnics. That means yummy portable food.

Now that I've been working for a catering company for over a year I've accumulated recipes that can be easily transported. And because a lot of people have been watching their weight and eating better lately, I've come up with a few extra recipes that are form fitting but still extra yummy! These are initially meant for lunch, so the portions are small.

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper
Heirloom Sandwiches
Vegetable Garden Salad
Tabouli and Pita Chips
Boysenberry Muffins

~Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper~
This is actually a very simple recipe that doesn't take much to prepare, the prep work is a bit extensive but it is well worth it.
Start off by marinating chicken breasts in Italian Dressing, don't worry it's just for looks... I'll explain soon. Start up a grill, or you can use a grill grate on a stovetop. Put the red pepper on the grill. Once one side is charred flip it so the other side is exposed to the flame. When the entire pepper is charred put it in a bowl and put saran wrap over it. Clean the grate and make sure it's hot. Place the chicken on the grate. You'll know the grate is hot enough because you will hear a loud sizzle. You're leaving it on the grate long enough to add grill marks but not cook the actual chicken. This is what the italian dressing is for. The oil in the dressing burns quicker than the chicken will. You can grill mark one side or both, it's up to you. Don't move the chicken around, it will make uneven marks. Once you have adequate marks put the chicken on a sheet pan and finish it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. It should only take a few minutes to reach an internal temperature of 165. You can find this out usually by poking the chicken, if the juice is clear it's usually done or you can cut the breast in half, if it's not pink inside it's done.
The best way to handle the pepper that I have experienced is by running cold water from the faucet and wipe the skin off while you're under the water. The pepper is usually very hot so it's tough to handle. The reason we put it in a bowl and wrap is is because the steam that comes off the pepper will rehydrate the charred skin and make it easier to wipe off. Slice the pepper into thin slivers.
Now to put together the sandwich. Place a chicken breast on a bulkie roll or similar type of bread, top with a couple slivers of pepper, and provolone cheese. To make it easier you can cut the sandwich and half and wrap each half in aluminum foil or sandwich baggy.

~Heirloom Sandwiches~
I actually modified this recipe from my favorite bakery. It's a vegan bakery and they use tons of soy products. A few of my friends can't eat soy so I modified it for them. This is also a VERY easy recipe and can be modified even more.
I personally use honey wheat english muffins, but the bakery that originally does this uses whole wheat. I thin the honey wheat add a small bit of sweetness to the slightly tart tomatoes.
Well start off by slicing an english muffin, whether honey wheat or whole wheat, in half. Add a couple slices of heirloom tomatoes (I've grilled them before but it's optional). Make sure the slices are slightly thicker than normal since they are the main part of the sandwich, about 3/4 of an inch thick. Top with baby spinach, crushed black pepper, and a couple drops of balsamic vinegar or olive oil. You can cut it in half and wrap it the same way as the chicken sandwich.

~Vegetable Garden Salad~
I actually learned this recipe from my work. We use it a lot during bridal showers, baby showers, tea parties. It seems to go very well with female based events.
You can use just about any kind of vegetable, we use 5 different kinds, usually whatever we have on hand but I've come up with a base recipe.
You'll want to slice zucchini and summer squash into circles about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, then cut them into quarters and put them into a bowl. Next chop green peppers into small bite sized pieces, a bit bigger than diced. Do the same thing with red onion and mix them in. I've replaced red onion with red peppers (I have a good friend that's allergic to onions). The last vegetable is usually cherry tomatoes. I often slice them in half and throw them in the bowl. Mix in shredded mozzarella cheese and italian dressing. Careful not to add too much dressing as the vegetables tend to leach out water as they sit, you want just enough to coat the vegetables. This is completely portable if you put it in a small Tupperware container. I use black bowls with clear lids, but I'm also feeding 25-300 people at a time.

~Tabouli and Pita Chips~
Most people do not know what Tabouli is so let me explain. It resembles Tahini, which is an indian style dip, like a chunky hummus. Tabouli has a lot of herbs mixed into it so it's very aromatic. It's not very hard to make and can impress anybody who doesn't know what it is.
You'll want to get Bulgar Wheat, about 1 cup. I normally splurg and go to Whole Foods because it is kind of hard to find. Soak the bulgar wheat in fresh hot water for about an hour. Drain it and squeeze dry with a pepper towel. Combine it in a bowl with chopped parsley, chopped mint, chopped green onions, olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and chill for 1 hour.
Making pita chips is actually very easy. I discovered it more out of boredom and necessity. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut soft taco shells or flour tortilla's into triangles, about chip size. Place on a sheet pan and salt lightly. Bake until they are slightly brown and crispy.
You can also fry them in oil and flavor them with different spices. I've personally done citrus chipotle, cayenne, and chili.

~Boysenberry Muffins~
Again a recipe that was discovered by sheer boredom. I have a bunch of basic baking recipes (cake, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, etc) that you can just add flavors to. I had left over boysenberry syrup, for those who don't know boysenberry is a deep purple color and tastes like a cross between blackberries and blueberries, so I added it to the mix.
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Mix 3/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 egg in a separate bowl. Mix the two together in a mixing bowl. Be careful not to over mix, the muffins will become tough and chewy if you do. Very slowly add 1 oz of melted butter or shortening to the batter. Add it slowly because the heated butter can curdle the milk. Carefully fold in 1/4 cup boysenberry syrup. The batter should be a greyish color, sometimes it comes out purple depending on how much syrup you put in. Place liners in a cupcake pan and spoon batter in until it is 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick in and extract it without any batter sticking to the toothpick. Let them cool before you peel the paper off.

Add a few assortments of items to a backpack or other container means you can have a nice picnic with somebody. This will also ensure you have plenty of energy to go play out in the woods somewhere.