3 Basket-Worthy Recipes To Pack For Your Summer Picnic

Packing your own al-fresco meal? We’ve got three elevated picnic-friendly recipes—watermelon and feta salad, roasted veggie ciabatta sandwiches and blueberry mini tarts—that are delightful, delicious and, cooking wise, a walk (or picnic) in the park to whip up. —Matina Somlai

Watermelon and Feta Salad

• 4 cups watermelon, cubed
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup cucumber, sliced ½ inch and halved
• ½ cup feta, crumbled
• ¼ red onion, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Balsamic glaze, for garnish

In a large bowl, add watermelon, cucumber, mint, basil, and feta. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour on top on the watermelon salad and toss to combine. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and some flaky sea salt.

Roasted Veggie Ciabatta

Makes 4-6 sandwiches

• 1 ciabatta baguette
• 1 zuchinni
• 1 red pepper (or can use pre-roasted red peppers)
• ½ red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 4 tbsp pesto, homemade or store bought
• ½ cup hummus, homemade or store bought

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut vegetables lengthwise and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and roast for 15 minutes, until vegetables are softened and cooked through. Let cool. Cut baguette in half, and lightly toast both sides on the grill. Spread hummus on the bottom half, and pesto on the top half. Lay the arugula on top of the hummus, and drizzle some balsamic glaze on top. Lay the vegetables on top, and then the other side of the baguette. Wrap in saran wrap or wax paper until ready to eat.

Blueberry Mini Tarts

• 14 mini tart shells, frozen
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• Powdered sugar, for garnish
• Mint leaves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake tart shells for 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest to a boil, stirring often. Let simmer for a couple minutes before turning off the heat. Once removed from the oven, divide filling between tart shells. Cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and a little bit of fresh mint.

@thehappyfig