A PICNIC

Nice weather and a friend's birthday inspired a simple picnic to celebrate. We tried to do-it-up-in-style for the occasion.


A mix of homemade and choice store-bought elements plus monogrammed takeout containers* and a festive oilcloth made this easy to pull together, but still special.


THE MENU
Green salad with Girard's Light Champagne Vinaigrette
Pesto with pasta, potatoes and peas
Steve's Mom's Brownies (adapted from an ex boyfriend's mom's amazing recipe, see below)
Dry Soda (our favorite local, delicious and low-cal non-alcoholic beverage)

STEVE'S MOMS' BROWNIES
Melt together, stirring a few times:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 sticks unsalted butter

In a large, separate bowl, beat together:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

After the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit, add it to the eggs and sugar mixture. Then, stir in:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Optional: Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (our fave).

Heat oven to 325. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until knife/toothpick comes out clean. Cool and eat.

Yum.

*We just asked our neighborhood restaurant for a few takeout containers and they were gracious enough to give them to us, but we think you can buy at Cash & Carry.