Best Beach-side Picnic

This menu is a versatile option between a beach party with friends or a romantic sea-side (or sea-side faux setting) picnic.  The dishes here appeal to all palates and create a sophisticated twist on beach food favorites.  Enjoy!

On the Menu

1st Course - Starters: Deviled Eggs & Tropical Fruit Salad 

2nd Course - Main Dish: Sea Dogs

3rd Course - Side Dishes: Broccoli Cheese Salad & Crab Stuffed Cheesy Garlic Bread

4th Course - Recommended Dessert: Coconut Lemon Loaf 

Recommended Libation: Sassy Pineapple Margarita or champagne, depending on the mood!

1st Course - Starters: Deviled Eggs & Tropical Fruit Salad

These starters are a fun way to kick off any meal, using both a traditional appetizer like Deviled Eggs, and click here to learn the way to make perfectly hard boiled eggs (easy to peel & delicious).  

Deviled Eggs Ingredients - makes 6 servings
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
3/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp of yellow mustard
1 tsp. paprika

1. Take peeled hard boiled eggs, and cut in half length-wise.
2. Scoop out the yolks of each half and place into a mixing bowl.  Place empty egg white halves onto serving dish.
3. Add in mayonnaise, onion and mustard with egg yolks and mix together well, breaking up the yolks to make a lumpy (small lumps) mixture.
4. Transfer egg yolk/ mayonnaise to to a piping bag, or simply use a spoon to fill each egg white half with approximately a 1/2-3/4 tbsp. amount of egg yolk/ mayonnaise mixture.  
5. Sprinkle each egg with paprika and serve. 

The Tropical Fruit Salad makes a unique introduction because of its blend of flavors and ingredient and is part of my Summer Salads Series.

Tropical Fruit Salad Ingredients

2 cups pineapple chunks

1 can mandarin oranges

1 kiwi, peeled & sliced

1 banana, peeled & sliced

1/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1-2 splashes of chardonnay/ or favorite white wine (or if you want to make alcohol-free, use nectar of guava juice)

1. Drain the mandarin oranges from the juice in the can.
2. Mix oranges with all other pieces of fruit.
3. Toss in splashes of wine or guava nectar.
4. Sprinkle and mix in shredded coconut and serve.

2nd Course - Main Dish: Sea Dogs

Everyone knows that hot dogs and shrimp po' boys are both favorites when it comes to beach food.  Combining them makes this an almost elegant entree and yet a childhood favorite.

Sea Dogs Ingredients - Makes 2-3 servings

1 package of "hoagie-style" buns

1 package hot dogs (I prefer Johnsonville Cheddar Dogs, somewhat thicker than the average hot dog)

lettuce

2 cups shrimp, cooked, de-veined and peeled with tail-off

1 cup olive oil mayonnaise

2/3 cup of hot & spicy mayonnaise

1-2 celery stalks sliced

1/4 cup red onion minced

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

Additional/ optional hot dog dressings: ketchup, mustard, fresh dill, shredded cheese (Swiss cheese is the best  with the shrimp mixture), etc.

1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. Cook hot dog for desired time (approximately 3-5 minutes across all sides; until you have grill marks, until skin bursts, etc.)
3. Mix shrimp, both mayonnaise, celery, onion and seasonings until shrimp and veggies are well coated.
4. Prepare hoagie buns by laying lettuce in the inside.
5. Butterfly cut cooked hot dogs length-wise and lay on top of lettuce beds on hoagie buns (If you have larger buns, smaller hot dogs, you may want to use two hot dogs per servings).
6. Spoon shrimp mixture over the top of hot dogs and add any additional desired toppings.

3rd Course - Side Dishes: Broccoli Cheese Salad & Crab Stuffed Garlic Cheesy Bread

My Broccoli Cheese Salad is also part my Summer Salad Series; a yummy and healthier variation of Ruby Tuesday's salad bar broccoli salad.  

Crab Stuffed Cheesy Garlic Bread Ingredients

1 loaf garlic bread ( I personally use pre-garlic buttered loaves, but a plain is fine also)

1 package of imitation-crab

1/2 cup hot spicy  mayonnaise

1/4 cup yellow onion, minced

2 cups shredded, low-fat mozzarella cheese

Optional:

2 tbsp. of jalapenos, minced, if you life it extra spicy, like I do!

1. Preheat bread to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix mayonnaise, onion, crab and (jalapenos if desired).
3. Spread crab mixture evenly over bread halves.
4. Generously cover with shredded cheese.
5. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted (or even crusting on top of cheese and bread edges, which I prefer - it may be an additional 8-10 minutes)
6. Slice in pieces and enjoy!