It's a Picnic, Blogger CLUE!

Don't you just love picnics?  I have loved them since I was a little girl.  I remember going to the park for my dad's company picnic.  There was so much to do and so much to eat...hamburgers, hot dogs, deep pit barbecue, beans, salad, drinks....great fun!  Then there was the picnic with friends where I met my husband...I can still remember what I wore...can't remember a thing about what we ate but it must have been good.  I don't think I was focused on the food at that picnic.  You see, picnics are fun!

That is why I was so excited for this month's Blogger CLUE post.  Bet you can't guess the theme...yep, picnic food!  I was assigned Debra's blog, Eliot's Eats.  Debra made it hard this month because I found so many things that could be taken on a picnic.  Since I was having trouble narrowing it down, I decided that since picnics of my past were so much fun, I would have a retro picnic on the patio.

I decided to make a standard, Barbecue Baked Beans.  I found a recipe for Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce and Tony Roma's Carolina Honeys, either would be perfect for the beans.  And then, what could be more retro than a recipe that Debra said was from Betty Crocker's Party Book published in 1960?  For some reason, the picture of the Chickenburger-in-a-Basket made me think of a lobster roll.  I couldn't get it out of my mind so it had to come on the picnic but, alas....no lobster for me....just chicken.

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce

adapted from Eliot's Eats

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp Sriracha

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the minced garlic for one minute.  Be careful not to burn it.

Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan.  Whisk to combine.  

Heat the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low and simmer uncovered.  Simmer for 45-60 minutes.  When the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat.

Store the sauce in the refrigerator until ready to use.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans

adapted from Eliot's Eats

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp (reserve the bacon grease)
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 28-oz can of Pork and Beans, fat removed
1 15-oz can black beans, drain and rinse
1/2 cup Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove it from the pan to paper towels to drain.  Crumble.

Add the onion to the bacon grease and saute until soft.  Remove the onion from the pan and drain.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce and Worcestershire Sauce. Whisk.  Stir in the beans, bacon and onion.

Place the mixture into a baking dish and bake 45-60 minutes.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

The beans were delicious.  We loved them both served hot and served cold.  Don't know why I love cold homemade baked beans but I do.  They went great with my sandwich at lunch the next day. This is a keeper recipe.  Terry couldn't get enough of them.

Now for my Lobster  Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket!  Debra says that these are ooey-gooey goodness.  I can't tell you how much I was fixating on this recipe and I do not know exactly why....I just knew that I had to make it.  Saying that, I had to shake my head...recipe adjustments ahead.  I remember my mom always spreading butter on the bread when she made a sandwich.  I cannot do it. "smile"

Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket

adapted from Eliot's Eats

Preheat oven:  350° F.
Serves 4

2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp sweet pickles relish
1 chicken breast, poached and diced or shredded (I used some rotisserie chicken.)
1 green onion, sliced
1 Tbsp diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 oz. Third less fat cream cheese
Dash of Sriracha sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

4 soft rolls

Mix all of the ingredients together.  Season with salt and pepper.

Split and butter the buns, if desired.  Fill the buns with the chicken mixture.  Wrap the rolls in foil.

Heat the rolls in the oven for 15 minutes.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Both of us had to chuckle when we took our first bite....it sent us back a few years.  If I said it tasted soooo retro, you would understand.  I would actually make these again only with an updated recipe.  I would first omit or cut in half the cream cheese and then increase the pickle or pickle relish and the red pepper.  I would probably also add some green onion.  I think that is it...I can hardly wait for the next picnic so I can make those great Barbecue Baked Beans and yes, the Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket!

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