What's On the Side: Easy Coleslaw for a Crowd

The arrival of the summer season calls for picnics, barbecues, and cookouts. And you can't have a cookout without coleslaw. This recipe for Easy Coleslaw is a real crowdpleaser.

The arrival of Memorial Day means that summer is (unofficially) here. This fact can also be verified by the quantity of out-of-state license plates now seen throughout town.

Truth be told, we kind of missed spring this year up here in the Northwoods. We went straight from the depths of winter (and ice-covered lakes) into the heat of summer. And by heat of summer, I mean record-breaking high temperatures. There's a good chance I might melt before the heat breaks. TBD.

But I have to admit I love a good summertime cookout and eating al fresco. (Particularly if my chair is in the shade, ha ha.) And a cookout wouldn't be a cookout without a little coleslaw on the side. This recipe is super-easy, very tasty (the aleppo pepper gives it the tiniest amount of heat), and makes enough to feed a crowd. What's not to like about that?

Easy Coleslaw for a Crowd
makes 12 servings

For the dressing: 
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use fat-free)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or you can use plain freshly-ground black pepper)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 16-ounce packages of prepackaged coleslaw mix

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well-blended. If necessary, season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add the coleslaw mix to a large serving bowl. Stir in the dressing as desired; toss to coat. Use more or less dressing depending on how you like your coleslaw; you can refrigerate extra dressing for up to a week. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

What I'm Bringing to the Picnic: Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice Treats

Think crispy rice treats are boring? They don't have to be! These treats get a sophisticated makeover with the sweet and savory flavor combination of browned butter and miso.

We are well into June and summer is just a few short weeks away. And that means it's picnic season!

When it comes to picnics, my favorite meals to pack are simple ones. Give me a loaf of crusty bread (don't forget a knife!, although rusticly-torn bread also adds a little bit of charm), some cheese, and freshly sliced tomatoes, and I'm a happy girl indeed.

But if you know me at all, you know that I am a big fan of dessert. Nothing bums me out more than a special meal that doesn't end with some sort of sweet treat. (Perhaps I should schedule a sugar intervention? Hmmm ... Nah.)

Now, I don't expect (or even most times want) something elaborate. Heck, even just a delicious morsel of chocolate often does just fine. But for a picnic, finger-friendly bars are the way to go. These Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice treats definitely check all the boxes. They are sweet, of course, but also have a deepened flavor from the nuttiness of the browned butter and umami savoriness from the miso. While they might be a little fancier than the recipe straight from the cereal box, they are just as easy to make.

And let me tell you, they are deliciously addictive. You will be the star of the picnic or potluck if you bring these to the table.

Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice Treats (printer-friendly version)
makes twelve 2-inch squares

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white or yellow miso
1 10-ounce package mini marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal

1. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking as the butter begins to foam, then turn clear and golden, and then light brown bits start to form on the bottom and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. (I like to gently swirl the pot by hand to help the butter brown evenly.)
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and miso paste. The mixture will foam slightly on the addition of the liquids.
4. Then stir in the mini marshmallows and continue stirring until completely melted. If the mixture is not hot enough to melt the marshmallows, turn the heat on low and stir until the mixture is smooth.
5. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the crispy rice cereal. Once evenly coated, quickly spread the mixture into the prepped cake pan, using a spatula to press it evenly into the pan. Let cool completely before cutting into bars with a sharp knife. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

What's For Dinner: Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata

This Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata is a crowd-pleaser and perfect for sharing at a weekend brunch or summertime picnic. 

Our hens are laying eggs like whoa lately. As in more than a dozen a day. As in, I have a fridge full of eggs and plenty more waiting in queue on our countertop.

Basically, we need to eat a lot of eggs. Quiches and frittatas are an easy way to use up a bunch of eggs in one go, and make for easy-to-reheat leftovers. Plus, the flavor combinations are endless, which means we don't have to eat the same thing day in and day out. (Not that we eat quiche every day, but we probably do eat it at least once a week.)

This frittata recipe features diced cooked ham, broccoli, and cheddar cheese along with the aforementioned eggs. To make it slightly healthier, for about half of the eggs I just use egg whites. Our dogs get to snack on the extra yolks, or I'll pop them in the freezer for later use in a different recipe. (Custard, anyone?)

Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup small diced cooked ham
5 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup 1% milk
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
pinch ground oregano
1/2 cup shredded aged white cheddar
Hungarian paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- or 10-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and saute until softened and the onion is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli and continue cooking until the broccoli turns bright green and is just tender, about 2-3 minutes more.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and milk. Stir in the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. 

4. Spread the cooked vegetables onto the bottom of the prepped pie dish. Then carefully pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture. Spread the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle with Hungarian paprika.

5. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the center of the frittata has just set. 

6. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

What I'm Ready For: Picnic Season

Oh, how I love three-day weekends. (Have I ever mentioned that my preferred work-week would be Tuesday-Thursday from 10a to 2p? Yeah ... I'll keep on dreaming about that one.) And the arrival of Memorial Day this weekend indicates that Picnic Season is upon us. Of course, where you live, picnic season may have already long been underway. However, up here in the Northwoods, spring has only just sprung. And while we may have had temperatures in the mid-80s earlier this week, last night we were under a frost/freeze warning. So, yeah, summer isn't quite here yet. But, even if the daily temperatures are in the mid-60s, as long as the sun is shining, I think there's no reason why you couldn't break out the picnic basket and a big ol' blanket, and set out for an afternoon adventure with food in tow. (And if the weather isn't accommodating, just unfurl that blanket inside and share a picnic indoors!) Below are some of my favorite options for picnicking from my blog archives.

Dad's Famous Potato Salad

Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Asian Cole Slaw

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Black Bean Vindaloo Burgers

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Strawberry Hand Pies

Blueberry-Blackberry Crumble

Lemonade

Strawberry-Basil Rum Soda

Sangria

What's For Dinner: Mountain Picnic

Since our days in the mountains are soon going to come to an end, it makes sense to live it up now as much as possible. We decided that one way to enjoy our surroundings would be to head up to the mountains for an evening sunset picnic. Since D had some hot dog buns leftover from his bachelor weekend while I was away in the Big City a week ago, I decided that we might as well grill up some hot dogs for our picnic meal. We also brought up some of the curried tofu and avocado dip and pita chips to eat as an appetizer.

I can't remember the last time I had a hot dog -- and to be honest, I still don't have a desire to eat a "real" one. So, I opted to have a tofu dog:

While waiting for the coals to heat up, we enjoyed a glass (or two) of Frontera cabernet sauvignon. The plastic glasses are part of a picnic backpack set we received as a wedding gift.

As the resident grillmaster, D was in charge of manning the grill:

After our dog dinner, it was time for dessert. This time I (wo)manned the grill and toasted up the marshmallows. The coals were the perfect temperature for roasting marshmallows -- I managed to toast the marshmallows to an even brown all around -- and no marshmallow flambe -- a miraculous feat!

D eating his s'more -- I made his with Hershey's chocolate (which he requested); I made mine with Safeway milk chocolate (really delish; I can't stand the taste of Hershey's chocolate, even if it's the traditional chocolate bar for a s'more).

Though it was a little nippy at 10,000+ feet (hence all the layers!), the scenery (and company) definitely made up for any chills. We're really lucky to have a mountain range located just a short drive from town!