Tia’s Picnic Spread
Bacon Pecan Pie
Serves 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 5 minutes (plus cooling time)
Salad in a Jar with Jam Dressing
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Picnic Sandwich Sub
Serves: 8 to 10
Prep: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Bacon Pecan Pie
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp reserved bacon fat, melted
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger
4-5 strips cooked chopped bacon
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
Salad in a Jar
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsps any jam or preservative
1 tbsp mustard, dijon or spicy brown
1 tsp honey
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb cooked pasta
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 persian cucumbers, cut to cubes
Shredded carrrots
Cooked brocccoli florets
Arugula or spinach
Bocconcini- mozzeralla balls
Peas
Sub Sandwich
Spread:
1 cup Mayo
2 tbsp premade Pesto
Sandwich:
Large French bread loaf
Sliced turkey
Sliced ham
Sliced salami
American cheese
Ice berg lettuce
Beefsteak tomatoes
Pickles
Red onions
Salt
Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bacon Pecan Pie
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs slightly then add the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, bacon fat, cornstarch, and ground ginger. Cornstarch will dissolve, just need to whisk it until all combined. Add the pecans in an even layer in the pie crust. Pour the maple sauce over the top of the pecans, making sure that it get all in the bottom.
Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the top of the pie is puffed up. At 25 minutes, loosly cover with foil to prevent the nuts from burning. Remove and cool until room temperature.
Slice and serve with fresh whip cream.
Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile while pasta is cooking, In a heavy saucepan on medium high heat, add oil and butter. Toss in shrimp and saute for 5- 7 minutes until cooked. Remove to plate. Add more butter and oil. When melted add onions, sauté for 3-4 minute. Add tomato paste , salt and pepper, stir and cook for a few minute. Pasta should be cooking in the boiling water. Use 1 cup of pasta water (can use regular water too) and whisk into skillet with tomato sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer. Drain pasta add to skillet toss with sauce, add 2 cups of arugula and stir until witlted. Toss in shrimp, plate and top with parmesan cheese and serve.
Salad in a Jar
In small bowl, whisk vinegar, jam, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. While whisking stream oil until oil is fully incorporated. Store unused dressing in jar in the refrigerator.
Begin adding ingredients to jar until filled to 3/4th full. Pour 3-4 tbsp of dressing in the jar. Secure lid to jar. Shake to mix ingredients. Store any uneaten pasta salad in the refrigerated.
Sub Sandwich
In a small bowl, mix mayo and pesto together. Set aside.
Slice the french bread in half, lengthwise, so you have two equal pieces. Scoop out the some of the center bread in the from the top piece. Spread sauce on bottom piece, layer turkey slices on the bottom overlapping slightly. Top with ham slices then salami. Finish with cheese slices again slightly overlapping. Sprinkle lettuce over cheese and top with sliced tomato. Season with salt and pepper. This is the time to add toppings, like pickles, red onions. Spread more sauce on the top bread and place on top.
Stab skewers into the top of the sandwich every 2-3inches. Slice sandwich in between the skewers. Serve with a side of your favorite chips.
Tips on building great sandwiches:
Great subs start with great bread. Want soft in the inside and a bit crunchy on the inside.
Dry off sliced tomatoes, or pickles before putting on sandwiches.
Dry sandwiches are tough to eat. Using sauce and moist meats and toppings, helps not only flavor the sandwich but carry the flavor. Sauce with a fat content, like mayo carries flavors throughout the sandwich.
Season vegetables with salt, like the tomatoes and lettuce.
