A sheet, little sandwiches, veggies, and homemade blueberry muffins brought a little bit of sunshine to our winter routine.

Ava thought it was pretty cool to not have to sit at the table.  She cleaned her plate and then danced around the room singing, “we’re on a picnic … la la la la la”.  We might have to make this a regular thing.

Michael and I finally tied the knot on August 14th!  The ceremony and reception were held at my parent’s home in rural Ohio, which made for an intimate and idyllic setting.  I did all of the planning myself and with a little help from my mom warning everyone to just leave me alone, it all went off without a hitch.

All week the weather was beautiful and around 1pm on the day of the wedding, it started pouring rain!  We had to scramble to move some things around so they wouldn’t get soaked or blow away and the rain was tapering off by the start time of 4pm.  There were still a few sprinkles during the ceremony, but then the sun came out and made for a perfect evening.  Over the next week or so I will be posting little details of the ceremony and reception … maybe you can get some inspiration for your own country wedding.

This picture [via Project Wedding] was the inspiration for our picnic boxes, but we are using kraft paper colored boxes and the colorful striped bags pictured above.  We are also going to have little containers of salads stuffed inside and all of our packaging is eco-friendly.  Please pray it doesn’t rain!  XO

To make the sandwich … After coating chicken breasts with egg yolk, dip into a mixture of panko bread crumbs and crushed almonds.  Place into a hot skillet that has been drizzled with olive oil and cook on each side for about 7-10 minutes.  While it’s cooking, mash up half an avocado into 2 tbs of mayonnaise and a squirt of lemon juice.  Place chicken on croissant and add sliced red onion, fresh basil leaves, sliced avocado and the avocado mayo.  YUM.

To make the salad … Cut 4-6 red potatoes into bite sized chunks and boil for about 10 minutes [until tender].  Strain potatoes and place into bowl of ice water [to stop the cooking and help potatoes hold their shape] for about 30 seconds.  Remove potatoes and place on paper towels to absorb excess water and then put them in your salad bowl.  While potatoes are boiling, snap off the ends of some fresh greens beans and boil for about four minutes, then place them into ice water and leave them sit for a few [this will keep the color and texture crisp] before drying and adding to salad bowl.  Rinse and strain can of white beans and add to bowl.  Now, chop up some red onion or scallions, fresh flat leaf parsley and/or cilantro and toss that in with 1 tbs of garlic paste [optional].  Stir in 2-3 tbs of mayo, a squirt of dijon mustard, some lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  OR just drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  This salad can be served warm or cold!

Whether you are planning a picnic or not, these recipes are perfect for a warm summer’s day…

Chicken, Brie, & Pear Sandwich w/ Balsamic Onions

Click on Image for Recipe from Greedy Gourmet

Spinach & Strawberry Salad w/ Walnuts & Goat Cheese

Click on Image for Recipe from The Cosmic Cowgirl

Maple Snickerdoodles

Click on Image for Recipe from Little Spoon Eats

I L O V E picnics.  There is a certain charm to sitting down on a blanket, enjoying the food, the company, and the surroundings.  I keep a throw blanket in Ava’s stroller and a ‘picnic kit’ in the car for impromptu moments.  And don’t let the weather spoil your plans … an indoor picnic can be just as fun.  Toss a blanket on the living room floor and picnic with the kids or wait until they are asleep and set the mood with a few candles and a bottle of wine for a romantic dinner and movie night.   On Wednesday, I will be spotlighting some great picnic recipes, but first here are a few essentials for your own ‘picnic kit’.

This cute handmade bag from Banana Barrel, unzips to reveal a colorful padded quilt – just fold it up and go!

Add a touch of luxury to your next picnic with this gorgeous hand woven wool and mohair blanket by 40th Parallel … made with loving care on an eighty year old Draper Northrop Loom in Lancaster, PA.  [Click on image for their Etsy Store.]

Instead of the usual paper and plastic, try these disposable bamboo plates and utensils from bambu.  They also have a great selection of everyday wares.

This bright waterproof handwoven basket actually helps fight poverty!  It is a Fair Trade product, produced by Traidcraft … available at Oxfam.

Or throw all of your picnic needs into this hand woven tote, made in Morocco by a Fair Trade artisan cooperative.  Available from World of Good.

There, now you have the basics to have a good time … wherever your blanket lands!