Top Tip... To start your best best picnic lunch ideas

• Prepare your best picnic lunch ideas from these easy recipes the day before, or some, even days before, if possible.
• Then have the food ready to pack into the picnic basket on the morning of the picnic.
• This takes away the pressure and stress and that last minute panic! 

Enjoy the latest picnic recipes and valuable hints...

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Scroll through these ideas, with recipes, below....

• Short crust pastry for pies… or you can use bought pastry.
• Egg and bacon pie... a family favorite from Eileen.
• An extra tasty egg and bacon pie with asparagus.
  
• Cold meats… ham, beef, lamb, pork, or chicken and how to use them.
• Then roast beef… with garlic and mustard, on crunchy fresh bread... ooh mouth watering.
• Roast lamb… with rosemary and garlic... so sophisticated and yum.
• Roast Pork with… crunchy crackling.
• Chicken with lemon and basil... so versatile and can be used in many recipes.
• Simple Quiche … with variations.
  
• Jenny’s Brussels sprouts bake... so easy and adaptable, there are other options if you don't like Brussels sprouts.
• Easy tomato tart recipe.

           Other Helpful quick links...

• A last minute quiche with your add on bits... when time is short.
• Great salad recipes... simple to do and so refreshing and moreish to compliment these lunch ideas.
• Picnic dessert ideas
• Picnic sandwiches
• Salads for picnics
• Easy appetizers

Egg and Bacon Pie... the basic recipe with a little Dill added... this is optional.

Egg and Bacon Pie… this is Eileen's original old recipe from her best picnic lunch ideas.

This is delicious both hot and cold and will serve approximately 6-8 people when used for one of your lunch ideas.

      You Will Need...

• Purchased good short crust pastry, or make your own... see above 
• 4-6 rashers of good smoky bacon 
• 6-8 large whole eggs 
• Salt and pepper 
• An extra egg yolk and teaspoon of water… for glaze

To Put Together...

• Grease, then line 20cm (8”) baking tin approximately 7-10cm (3-4”)  deep.                                                  
• Chill pastry and roll out on lightly floured board… you will need 2/3 of the pastry for bottom and sides… make sure the bottom isn’t pierced... to prevent mixture leaking under pie crust.
• Lay pastry over flan dish and ease into dish, pushing into corners.
• Roll rolling pin over top to trim edge.
• Cut rind off bacon, cut into 3 or 4 pieces and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel to absorb excess fat, then spread on pastry.
• Break eggs into pie case leaving eggs whole… be careful not to pierce yolks.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Either cover with remaining rolled out pastry, sealing edges brushed with milk glaze… or just leave open.
• If topping with pastry, brush with egg yolk and water glaze.
• If you are leaving pastry off the top, seal and cover with tin foil... removing for last 5-10 min until eggs are just set.
  
• Bake in mod-hot oven 190 C (375F) for 10-15min then lower temp to moderate 175 C (350F) for 30 min until top is golden brown… or eggs are set if baked without pastry top.

 Optional extras, really worth adding... to make best picnic lunch ideas

Handful of pitted olives, semi dried tomatoes, crumbled Feta cheese and chopped parsley and other herbs like dill, or fresh oregano, to add to this pie....

just sprinkle between the eggs as you prepare, before baking.

This mixture can also be made into small individual egg and bacon pies...
Like this little egg and bacon pie

This little egg and bacon pie has had dill, grated cheese and a cherry tomato added.

      A Really Tasty Egg and Bacon Pie using the basic recipe, but adding extra ingredients.

This delicious egg and bacon pie was made by adding a few tasty ingredients to the basic recipe above.

• Place some of the crispy bacon across the base, then place uncooked asparagus along the base, over the bacon.
• Sprinkle a layer of tasty cheese including a few chunky bits of Feta.
• Scatter a few semi-dried tomatoes and olives (no stones)
• Make a layer of eggs... carefully placed to keep yolks intact.
• Add more bacon and asparagus if you have it.
• Pepper and salt to taste and a sprinkle of parsley and basil.
  
• A scatter of cheese
  
• Place pastry across the top.
• Baste with milk or egg yolk and place in your mod-hot oven.
  
• Bake in mod-hot oven 190 C (375F) for 10-15min then lower temp to moderate 175 C (350F) for 30 min until top is golden brown

To serve with pie...

Chop about a cup of cherry tomatoes and torn basil with a few lengths of  thinly sliced red onion... scatter around the pie.

In another bowl, smash avocado ( 2 large or 4 small) with the juice of a lemon... stir in with a fork.P and S to taste.

Add torn basil, chunky bits of Feta and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts, roasted in honey ( or roasted walnuts) ... fold in carefully.

Add a good dollop of avocado and a spoonful of tomatoes, with a slice of pie... really YUM!

Chicken with Lemon, Basil and Tarragon, then tossed in Avocado… so delicious!

For these best picnic lunch ideas using a really tasty chicken, you will need...

• 4-6 Chicken fillets, or a whole chicken
• 1 good sized lemon
• ½ Bunch fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon dried Tarragon
• 2 tablespoons currants, or dried blueberries
• Splash of olive oil
  
• Pepper and Salt
• 1 big clove of garlic

  Method

• Cut any fat from the chicken
  
• Place chicken in a casserole dish
• Chop basil and sprinkle over chicken with… Tarragon
• Crushed garlic
• Zest from lemon
• Currants or dried blueberries
• Squeezed lemon juice
• Add olive oil... pour over ingredients
• Cover with a lid or tin foil
  
• Cook in 190-200C (375-400F) oven 45-60 minutes
• Can be eaten hot, but is equally delicious cold
• Cut into thick slices and pour juices over

You will find this is even tastier if left overnight...

 Then just before serving...

Smash an avocado in a bowl with juice of a lemon and pepper and salt... toss chicken in this until well covered.
  This is delicious cold with salads... or on thick crunchy bread...yum!

3 cups of vegetables of your choice... We have used Brussels Sprouts, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, beans and other favorites in this one. Even herbs, including basil, oregano, parsley and fresh thyme. A touch of rosemary, mint, or dill etc would be tasty too... use your favorites!

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 rashers of bacon cut into chunks
  
• 1 good teaspoon each, of mustard and horseradish
• 1 cup coarsely grated tasty matured cheese... save a tablespoon to sprinkle over
• 3/4 cup self raising flour (I have used Gluten Free and that was good too)
• 5 medium eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

   Method

• Lightly grease quiche tin or dish
  
• Gently fry bacon and drain on kitchen paper
• Combine… chopped Brussels Sprouts and other vegetables and onion
  
• In a large bowl, lightly whisk eggs, milk and stir in cheese, mustard and horseradish until just combined

• If you are making half into a gluten free bake... divide the mixture into two amounts and then add different flours to each... keep separate and add half the vegetables to each mixture. 
  

• Fold through Brussels sprouts, vegetable mixture and pour into greased quiche dish
• Sometimes you will have enough mixture to make a couple of muffins as well... just cook for less time.
  
• Save a tablespoon of cheese to sprinkle over the top.
  
• Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180C… until a knife inserted into the center comes out cleanly... don't over cook.
  
• Allow to stand for 20 minutes before slicing
• It's great hot, warm, or cold!
  

   Serves 6-8 people for one of the best picnic lunch ideas

And here they are, Brussels Sprout, Vegetable Bakes, just out of the oven

One gluten free... Yum!

TOP TIP... I saw this amazingly helpful tip recently and wanted to share it.

• When making pies or a bake, cut a length of silver foil... or baking paper... fold in three, length wise and place across the bottom of the buttered dish... butter this too.
  
• Take foil up the sides and over the edge. Leave long enough for you to use foil ends as handles.
• Sometimes you will need more than one band if it is a big pie.
• Pour the mixture, or place the pastry over the foil and cook as usual.
• When you are ready to remove the pie, or bake... just lift it carefully with the foil band and place on your plate.
  
• If you can remove the foil easily, do so. If not, just tuck it under out of sight.
• You will still need to cut/ease around the edge of the dish to free the pie... and you will find it easier to move when still warm before the base goes hard and sticks.

Now best picnic lunch ideas should have an
Easy Tomato Tart Recipe to really impress!

To make this for best picnic lunch ideas...

You will need...

• A whole packet of good puff pastry
• 3-4 tablespoons of tomato chutney... or tomato paste
  
• Thick slices of big tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes cut in halves... enough tomatoes to cover the pastry
  
• 2 small jars of Anchovies… or slices of lightly grilled pancetta if you prefer
  
• A sprinkle of chili flakes
• Pepper and Salt
  
• A drizzle of garlic olive oil
• Bunch fresh basil leaves
• Shaved Parmesan
• Olives... optional

          Method

• Thaw a whole packet of good puff pastry and lay it out on a baking tray. Roll the edges inwards about an inch/or 3cm
• Divide pastry into two if you would like two smaller tarts... or a whole lot of smaller squares of pastry for individual tarts.
  
• Cover and chill for 30 min
  
• Brush a little milk or egg onto the rolled edge.
  
• Prick the center of the pastry, crumple grease proof paper and fill with dried beans, or rice, to weigh down when cooking.
  
• Follow the instructions on the packet to blind bake it... until just lightly colored... approximately 10-15 min
  
• Take the pastry out of the oven, remove paper and weights... put back in oven for 2-3 min to finish light cooking.

• Let pastry cool a little.
• Spread tomato chutney over the pastry... just roughly spread.
• Place sliced tomatoes evenly over this. You will see that I have used cherry tomatoes, (We had so many on the bush in the veggie patch) but big tomatoes are fine to use.
• Divide Anchovies and place them in rows across the tart... then across the tart the other way to make a pattern.
• Drizzle with a little garlic olive oil and a small amount of chilies
• Cook in oven for 25-30min until tomatoes are cooked
• Remove from oven and let cool. It can be eaten hot or cool.

To serve...

Scatter with Basil leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Add olives (if you wish), with the basil leaves in a pattern, before serving.

This is really tasty both hot and cold.

Slice into squares or long rectangles.

ENJOY!

Enjoy the latest picnic recipes and valuable hints...

Join our FREE "Picnic Chatter"

Let’s chat picnics.