3 Course Picnic

Starters: Corn Chips with chunky avocado, tomato and peppered biltong dip
Mains: Sliced roast beef or smoked chicken bagel with gherkin, mustard and red onion relish served with potato salad
Dessert: Decadent, moist brownie with fresh strawberries

Chunky avo dip

Ingredients:

1 large ripe tomato
3 avocados, very ripe but not bruised
Juice of 1 large lime
Handful coriander, leaves and stalks chopped, plus a few leaves, roughly chopped, to serve
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 chilli, red or green, deseeded and finely chopped
Tortilla chips, to serve

Method:

Use a large knife to pulverise the tomato to a pulp on a board, then tip into a bowl. Halve and stone the avocados (saving the pit) and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the tomato.

Tip all the other ingredients into the bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Use a whisk to roughly combine everything together. If not serving straight away, place the pit in the guacamole (this helps to stop it from going brown), cover with cling film and chill until needed. Garnish with the coriander to your liking.

Serve with corn chips.

Pepper biltong dip

Ingredients:

100g biltong, finely chopped
100g cream cheese
50ml double cream
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp whole pepper corns, ground
1 Tbsp fresh parsley

Method:

Cream together all ingredients until smooth in a blender.

Serve with corn chips.

No-fuss delish bagel

Ingredients:

2 to 4 health bagels or sourdough ciabatta
Thin slices of roast beef/ roast chicken
8 to 10 slices of mature cheddar (preferably chargrilled)
Whole grain mustard
Danish feta
Rocket or mixed lettuce and tomato
Red onion relish (store bought is easiest)

Method:

Assemble in layers on ciabatta rolls or health bagels, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and cling wrap until time to eat.

Serve with potato salad

Potato salad

Ingredients:

8 small to medium red potatoes
4 large eggs boiled and chopped
1 small spring onion, finely chopped
½ cup French or Greek salad dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp celery salt or Aromat
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper

Method:

1. Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water – about 30-45 minutes or until tender (Do not peel –     cook with skins on).
2. Cook eggs in a pot of salted water until done – about 20 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes and eggs and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove skins from potatoes and shell the eggs.
4. Cut the potatoes into eighths and place in a large bowl. Chop the eggs and add them to the potatoes.
5. In a separate bowl combine the chopped/minced onion and gherkins and all remaining ingredients (except the potatoes and eggs).
6. Fold the dressing into the potatoes and eggs just to cover – don’t over mix.
7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to meld. Stir once more before serving.

Quick, easy, delicious brownies

Ingredients:

½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
¼ tsp baking powder
⅓ cup cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Mix oil and sugar until well blended.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; stir until just blended.
4. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
5. Stir dry ingredients into the oil/sugar mixture.
6. Pour into greased 9 x 9 square pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until sides just start to pull away from the pan.
8. Cool completely before cutting.

Note: I usually double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. If you double the recipe, the baking time will be slightly longer.

Dipped strawberries

Ingredients:

36 to 40 medium-large strawberries, rinsed and thoroughly dried
½ cup good quality semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate chips
2 tsp butter or neutral vegetable oil (such as canola)

Method:

Set up a double boiler or place a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. (Water should not touch bottom of bowl.) Add chocolate and butter and melt together, stirring frequently. When chocolate is almost melted, remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.

Dip ⅔ or ¾ of each strawberry into chocolate mixture and remove, allowing excess to drip off. If chocolate gets too stiff to use, place back over simmering water to re-melt.

Place dipped strawberries on baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper. Refrigerate uncovered for about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best if eaten within 8 hours but may be stored up to 24. Bring to room temperature before serving.