Letters from Linda is releasing today.
![](https://www.linda-joyce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Spring-Picnic-at-the-Park.jpg)
This is the place to leave your comment to be entered to win the APRIL GIVEAWAY. The rules are in the April newsletter sent out later today.
If you’re a newsletter subscriber, you know what to do.
If you aren’t and want to join in the fun, then subscribe AND send me an email.
Then, I’ll send you the April newsletter.
Otherwise, you’ll be waiting until May because the April newsletter will have been sent–you won’t want to wait. I don’t want you to wait.
So sign up here on my website and send me an email NOW.
Plus, you’ll discover about the sale, the trip, and falling in love.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My basket would have ham sandwiches, potato salad, fresh veggies, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and a nice bottle of rose.
Shirley,
Ham sandwiches are my thing. Anything with chocolate…I’ll get in line.
The “got me running” thing on your menu was the bottle of rose.
What time and where?
Smiles,
Linda
Not sure when we can do it–Ohio weather is so unpredictable. Yesterday it struggled to get to 61 and today it was 71 at 10:30 AM and is 81 as of noon and still there at 4 PM!
My ideal 4th of July picnic menu:
-My Grandma Betts’ Super Crunchy Fried Chicken
-A BBQ with all kinds of goodies:
Brisket, Hebrew National Hotdogs, sausages – both the kind you get at Trader Joe’s as well as the Fieldroast ones – especially the Italian & Mexican ones, my Black & Bleu Burgers and Jack Cheese & Green Chili Burgers, Pork Ribs, corn on the cobb – organic white – non GMO (with different toppings), dragon wheels (foil wrapped packages or potatoes, carrots, pork cubes, and onions with seasoning), skewers of veggies, skewers of fruit
-with all the requisite condiments for burgers and hotdogs – as well as buns, pita, lettuce, and other wraps
-Fruit Salad made with grilled peaches, pineapples, watermelons, fresh mint, and feta
-2 kinds of potato salad – 1 creamy and 1 vinaigrette – I like to decorate the creamy one with borage or another edible flower
-pasta salad with sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, artichokes, feta & parma, peppers, garbonzo beans, and etc
-A big green salad with purple grapes, broccoli, good ranch, and sunflower seeds
-coleslaw
-my sesame almond ramen & cabbage salad both with and without chicken
-my cold coconut (made with the milk) quinoa salad with limes and avocados
-A huge crudite platter with veggies, stuffed veggies like celery & Cucumber, dips & pepper jelly, and also cheeses, meats, marinated mushrooms, pickled veggies (spicy green beans, lime radishes, and the like), and etc.
-Bruschetta with the traditional tomatoes, basil, EVOO, Balsamic, and crispified slivers of garlic but also a topping made with grilled local corn (see above specification), dill, Greek Yogurt, and Dungeness Crab – as well as one made from grilled marinated mushrooms with lots of herbs and a bed of microgreens – or a lovely tapenade of olives
-Deviled eggs (in a carrier with ice packs under them)
-really good pb&j’s with homemade jams, and good fresh ground almond & cashew butters on thick brown nutty bread
-grilled cheese made with good bread and real cheeses but also any or all of: tomatoes/avocados/onion garlic jam
(obviously some of these are more kiddie or the kid in an adult oriented)
-Lemonade & Iced Tea (sweet tea and non-sweet for those so inclined plus possibly with variations like pitchers of rosemary honey lemonade or hibiscus and fruit juice tea)
-Finishing off with S’Mores made with my homemade marshmallows (some flavored), and really good chocolate
+grilled apples. On the BBQ, in foil packs with everyone making them up from ingredients like real butter, cheddar, sour cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and other spices, honey, real caramel, and etc
-Also get someone to bring a snow cone or shaved ice thingy
Basically, food for a huge crowd, plenty for people who go meat free, and options for my friends and relatives with gluten and other food sensitivities. I would encourage people to bring their favorite picnic items potluck style as well.
There would be a pile of receptacles for people to grab leftovers, and we would use reusable plastic-ware and have reusable straws (I just got like 30 of them free).
I want a full day of grazing available, with plenty of ice chests and platters sitting on top of ice. Covers for everything. Plus a ton of games and fun available so people can come and go or come and stay.
Vanessa,
I’m coming to your place for the 4th of July!
Smiles,
Linda
That would be awesome!
We would have hamburgers, potato salad, watermelon, ice tea, home made ice cream and oodles of family fun.
Anna,
You have the best ingredient: oodles of family fun!
Smiles,
Linda
P.S. I’ll help churn the ice cream.
We always have something bar b q every year. Lol This year it’s smoked pulled pork bar b q sandwiches. (we have a green mountain grill bought used works awesome.) pork and beans with brown sugar and bar b q sauce along with onions in them. Homemade macaroni salad (family recipe). Deviled eggs. Strawberry jello with peaches. Pineapple upside down cake with ice cream. After everyone gets full we adults crush ice and make strawberry daiquiris . Kids get popsicles. Lol at least 10 adults and 15 or more kids every year and growing.
Melissa,
What a great menu! Pineapple upside down cake is one of my favorites!
Smiles,
Linda
Hot dogs, burgers, mac or potato salad (probably both!!!), chips, veggies, dips, pickles, fruit salad, lots of drinks, and of course a red, white, and blue dessert!! (or chocolate lush, if I feel the urge to make that instead!!)…..and sparklers!!
Christine,
I’m intrigued. What is a red, white, and blue dessert? An more importantly, what’s a chocolate lush?
Smile,
Linda
Fried chicken , potato salad, Cole slaw, homemade pickles, rolls, sweet tea and fried apple pies for desert
Rachelle,
Homemade pickles–sweet or dill or? I love sweet pickles. You had me at fried chicken!
Smiles,
Linda
We would have macaroni salad, potato salad, a selection of sandwiches (Turkey, ham, P&J, Beef). Fried chicken, a selection of chips, apple pie & peach pie with whipped cream.
Jane,
Your menu sounds yummy! And of course, since I now live in Georgia, I’m partial to peach pie. In Fireworks in Jubilee, I have a Peach Pecan Pie that I created after four fails. You might like it.
Smiles,
Linda
BBQ ribs, potato salad, barbecue beans, fresh sliced tomatoes and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert.
We’d have steak, potato salad ,macaroni salad,relish tray,corn on the cob and watermelon.Coffee and pop.
Nancy,
Yummy menu. And pop… where here in Georgia we say Coke.
Smiles,
Linda
Woohoo, I like food that I can’t get at!! Virtual food
It would have fried chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, chocolate chip cookies, and lemonade .
Lori R.
Fried chicken–tell me where to get in line. And lemonade. I LOVE lemonade.
Smiles,
Linda
We would have hot dogs, hamburgers, and all of the trimmings. And, a big, juicy watermelon for dessert.
Linda Kish,
I think watermelon is THE 4th of July dessert. I love making a basket out of one and filling with fruit.
Smiles,
Linda
Looking forward to it
Great, can’t wait
I would love to have a picnic basket filled with fruit and baked goods like bread, cake, cookies and pies!
Kate,
You’ll have to join me in hunting down those serving fried chicken. We can barter some of your baked goods for some chicken.
Smiles,
Linda