June 18th (every year) is International Picnic Day

Did you know that the French are credited with the creation of modern day picnics? After the French Revolution, royal parks were finally opened to the public for the first time and picnics became a popular activity. By the early 1800’s, the British were joining in on this great activity with an official Picnic Society. When polled recently, 55% of young Americans said having a picnic was their favorite warm-weather activity. Whether it has been awhile for you or you enjoy picnics often, International Picnic Day is a great excuse to get out and in on the fun of the great outdoors.

We are very fortunate to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with amazing weather and a multitude of great places to explore and enjoy. For Christmas this year my husband gave me, “Urban Trails Spokane And Coeur D’ Alene” written by Rich Landers and David Taylor. It is a book packed full of great information, easy to reference maps and 50 routes ranging from close-in city parks to wide open spaces slightly farther afield. It even includes a wildflower ID guide! My plan for this Friday, International Picnic Day, is to pack an amazing picnic and discover a trail new to us from this comprehensive guide.
Come and join us, if you’re in the neighborhood!

The powerful sound of the ocean waves crashing to shore is mesmerizing.

Few things make my soul dance and spirit sing like kicking along a warm sandy beach with tropical breezes blowing through my hair.

A favorite meditation spot, Nishinomiya-Tsutakawa Japanese Garden In Manito Park, Spokane, Washington

A Favorite WARM WEATHER Activity

June 18th is International Picnic Day and a wonderful excuse to visit a park to commune with nature. By doing so, you could lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, improve your mood, increase your energy level and gain an over all sense of well-being. (You will even sleep better!)

Beautiful summer weather offers the perfect opportunity to spend time in the woods or to visit your favorite parks. Research shows that spending time in nature, (even just five minutes in green spaces), has very real and quantifiable health benefits. It can ease depression, improve your outlook, improve your focus and strengthen your immune system. Whether you take a short walk, a day hike or pack up and head to your favorite camping spot, time spent outdoors is like a prescription with no negative side effects, and it’s FREE!

One of my most fond memories growing up was our annual trip to Waterton International Peace Park for the Billingsley Family Reunion. We always stayed in this fantastic lodge which was situated right on the Waterton Lake shore where we skipped countless rocks. The deer would come right up to you! A couple of years ago, my husband, David, took me back to this magical place. It was just as enchanting as I remembered it to be. (A word of caution for those of you who don’t live or spend time around wildlife. A wild animal doesn’t need to have teeth or claws to be dangerous. I once observed a visitor hand feeding the deer on the lawn at the lodge. A few minutes later, I watched that same visitor badly hurt when one of the deer she was feeding kicked her. Nature is unpredictable so be careful).

Enjoy the great outdoors with a picnic! Here are a few of my favorite recipes that pack well and serve a nice crowd.

Oriental Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, grilled and shredded (May use rotisserie chicken boned and cut into small pieces)
1 bunch of celery, sliced
2 cans sliced water chestnuts
2 cups raw whole almonds, lightly toasted
2 pkg. Oriental Flavor Top Ramen, (break up noodles)
1 bottle Italian dressing, (I use Paul Newman vinegar and oil)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a sealable bowl place shredded chicken on the bottom, followed by almonds, celery and water chestnuts.
Add the broken ramen noodles and sprinkle the dry Top Ramen flavor packets over the top.
Pour 1/2 of the bottle of dressing, toss the salad, cover and set in the refrigerator for a couple hours.
When ready to serve, pour remaining salad dressing over top and give salad one last gentle toss.

Cowboy Caviar

This is a recipe from my friend, Ellen Hoffman. It is served with tortilla chip scoops. This is delicious and disappears quickly!

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can shoe peg corn, (short stubby size)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drain and rinse
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1-2 small or 1 large avocado, diced
2 cloves minced garlic

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic in a medium bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine.
Serve with chips

Pressed Picnic Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf Italian bread
3/4 cup purchased pesto
3/4 cup jarred sweet-hot peppers. such as Peppadew or banana, sliced
4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 ounces sliced salami
2 ounces sliced prosciutto
1 small yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 small green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally. Use your fingers to carefully pull or scrape out the inside of each half of the loaf, leaving about1/2 inch of bread. Spread half of the pesto over the cut side of each half.
Top the bottom half of the loaf of bread with Prosciutto, fresh sliced peppers, Provolone cheese, salami, sliced green bell pepper, sweet-hot peppers and finally, Kalamata olives.
Top with the upper half of the loaf. Wrap the loaf tightly first in plastic wrap, then in foil. Place the wrapped loaf on a baking sheet, then top with a second baking sheet. Place the whole arrangement in the refrigerator, then top with something very heavy, such as a cast iron skillet.
Let sit in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, unwrap and slice.

Just having pictures of nature where you can see them regularly can give you a healthful boost. With that in mind, here is a short (2 minute) virtual nature walk ENJOY!

“Researchers are amassing a body of evidence, proving what we all know to be true: nature is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits. Below you’ll find hundreds of free research studies, news articles, and case studies, organized by adult and children health topics:

ADULTS

Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Asthma & Respiratory Disorders
Cognition
Depression
General Health
Heart Health
Hospital Recovery
Obesity
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Stress
Stroke
Type II Diabetes
Well-Being

CHILDREN

ADD/ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Cognition
Depression
General Health
Nature Deficit Disorder
Obesity
Stress
Type II Diabetes
Well-Being“
—-http://www.health.com/mind-body/health-benefits-of-nature

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Classic S'mores and Variations

This is a 'recipe' everyone knows, but you can't have summer and not make them at least once!

Course Dessert

Keyword Chocolate, Graham crackers, Marshmallows, S'mores

Ingredients

2 graham crackers
2 large marshmallows
1 1.55 oz HERSHEY'S milk chocolate bar

Instructions

Break graham crackers in half. Break chocolate bar in half; center one section on each of 2 graham cracker halves. Top each with a fir toasted marshmallow or top each with marshmallow and place on paper towel. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) in 10 second intervals until marshmallow puffs.
Top each with another graham cracker half; press gently.
Let stand 1 minute to soften chocolate. Serve immediately.

PEANUTTY S'MORE: Substitute REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS for the chocolate bar, proceed as above

CHOCOLATE BANANA S'MORE: Place slices of banana on top of chocolate bar, proceed as above

CHOCO-CHERRY S'MORE: Cut two maraschino cherries into slices; place on top of chocolate bar, proceed as above

CHOCO-BERRY S'MORE: Place slices of strawberries on top of chocolate bar; proceed as above.

RASPBERRY S'MORE: Spread thin layer of seedless red raspberry preserves on graham crack

TRY MAKING A S'MORES DIP: Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange Reese's Peanut Butter cups in an even layer in a cast iron skillet, (or any of the other variations listed above). Top with an even layer of marshmallows and bake for 8-10 minutes until the marshmallows are toasted. Transfer dip from oven to table and serve immediately with graham crackers for dipping.

Red, White and Blue Summer Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 medium seedless watermelon, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes, about 9 cups
1/2 pound feta cheese, small dice
1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

INSTRUCTIONS

Place blueberries and feta into a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco together.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Sprinkle mint over the salad and serve.

Until next time,
enjoy Entertaining An Idea
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Another successful day on the river for Eleanor Andersen.

PARKING an idea