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40 Perfect Side Dishes for Summer Picnics

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A few weeks ago I shared a collection of Over 30 Delicious Recipes for Easy Picnic Food with you, just in time for National Picnic Day.

With summer warming up, we’re already in summer picnic mode and couldn’t be happier about that! Not only are picnics a great way to enjoy the outdoors, they are a fun way to enjoy family time most months out of the year. Which means the more picnic food options we have, the better! So today I figured you could use 40 Perfect Picnic Sides to add to your picnic menu options. Enjoy!

 Quick Dips and Spreads for Crackers and Fruits and Veggies, Oh my!

  1. Pesto Bruschetta Spread
  2. Sun Dried Tomato Artichoke Hummus
  3. White Bean and Garlic Hummus
  4. Roasted Garlic Hummus
  5. 7 Layer Dip (In little jars)
  6. Guacamole for Chips
  7. Homemade Salsa
  8. Fusion Dip for Veggies
  9. Tomato Basil Dip for Crackers
  10. Honey Peanut Butter dip
  11. Cream Cheese Trio Appetizers for crackers

Appetizers & Snacks & Tasty Little Treats

  1. Hard Boiled Eggs
  2. Huli Huli Bacon Chicken Bites
  3. Almost Homemade Pickles
  4. Kale Chips
  5. Sweet Heat Slow Cooker Chex Mix
  6. Country Bob’s Tangy Chex Mix

A few More Traditional Picnic Favorites

  1. Chicken Salad
  2. Potato Salad
  3. Baked Beans

Pasta & Grain Salads for Light Summer Dining

  1. Perfect Pasta Salad + Tips and Tricks
  2. Another version of Pasta Salad
  3. Broccoli Tomato Tortellini Salad
  4. Bacon Tomato Ranch Pasta Salad
  5. Wild Rice Salad

Veggies Salads for those who prefer Healthy Picnicking

  1. Asian Broccoli Salad
  2. Ranch Veggie Salad
  3. Tomato Artichoke Heart Salad
  4. Summer Corn Salad
  5. Orange Red Onion Salad
  6. Cucumbers and Onions
  7. Cucumber Tomato Salad
  8. Green bean and Tomato Salad
  9. Creamy Italian Herb Cucumbers & Tomatoes

Slaws for Days

  1. Hawaiian Coleslaw
  2. Quick Coleslaw
  3. Tomato Jalapeno Slaw

Fruit Salads as sweet as dessert

  1. Easy Apple Salad
  2. Easy Fruit Salad
  3. Sliced Apples (with a no-browning trick!)
  4. Wild Watermelon

So how about you? Do you have a favorite side dish that you always have to make for picnics? I would love to hear what it is in the comments below. And in the meantime … Happy Picnicking!

More Picnicking Resources

 

Ingredient Spotlight: Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries

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Are fresh berries in season at your farmer’s market?  Or maybe even in your own backyard?

I haven’t picked fresh blackberries very many times in my life, but one time stands out as special.  I was with my mom and my oldest daughter, who was just a baby.  We had been visiting with my great-aunt Denny and my cousin Vick.  Both of them were elderly, but still spry.

Aunt Denny decided we should go out to an old family cemetery in Estill County, KY.  I remember she was wearing a house dress and she added a sun bonnet before we went outside.  A real sun bonnet, like in the olden days.  She was in her late 80s or early 90s at the time and this was 20 years ago.  Even so, it was long past the time when people donned sun bonnets, but it seemed fitting for her.

In the cemetery, among the old stones marking graves of great-grandparents and other family members, were blackberry brambles.  We picked enough to make a small cobbler for dessert that night.  That was one of the best desserts I’ve ever eaten, simply because of the story and the people.

Here’s the recipe we used to make the cobbler, along with a few others:   [Read more…] about Ingredient Spotlight: Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries