Debbie Nix
For the Alamogordo News

What a forgotten treat a summer picnic is as well as being such a simple but deeply intimate gesture of care and love. Not just for sweethearts, but also a sweet surprise for your favorite lunch mate when one on one time comes at such a premium.

The formula for a picnic is so quite simple. First and foremost, portability. Choices that are easy to pack, not bulky and will not require a lot of on-site assembly. Think pre-assembled handheld wraps, salad bowls and my personal favorite, deli chicken salad stuffed pita pockets. Any kind of sandwich travels best if the wrap, bread slice or pita pockets is first generously buttered, then add mayonnaise or mustard. This keeps the sandwich from getting soggy. And, no matter what I use to stuff my sandwich with, I always add pepperoncini pepper rings for that bit of zing. Use a paper towel to blot the moisture from the peppers before adding.

A deli potato or macaroni salad is an easy grab and go addition. My go to pick is the new red potato mayonnaise-based option then I add a generous sprinkle or two of dill to take it up a notch. The addition of big juicy red seedless grapes and a crisp sliced Granny Smith apple rounds out our light summer picnic.

If you really want to impress the taste buds, the addition of my girlfriend Leanne’s banana nut chocolate chip bread really shows how much you care. A special gourmet touch of whipped cream cheese to spread on your pre-sliced bread makes it unforgettable. It’s moist, fresh and sturdy enough to pack for a portable picnic meal.

A few things to pack from a picnic pro: Plates, forks, a knife for cutting and one for spreading, small cutting board, trash sack, salt, pepper, cloth napkins for that special touch, a large tablecloth or quilt. Frozen freezer packs to keep things chilled in an insulated carrier. Wine glasses, corkscrew and my personal picnic favorite, Noisy Water Tighty Whitey crisp white wine, and last but not least, a playlist ready to set the mood.

Leanne’s Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Bread

*Cream together:

1/2 C. Butter

1/4 C. Shortening

11/2 C. Sugar

2 Lg. Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

*Add:

4-6 Smashed ripe bananas

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 C. Flour

1/2 C. Buttermilk

*Fold in:

1 C. Mini semi sweet chocolate chips

1 C. Chopped walnuts

Pour into lightly greased loaf pan or tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour until tender to the touch. Don’t over-bake. Freezes well.

For holiday bread: Add 1/2 cup each of green and red minced candied cherries

Debbie Nix, longtime Ruidoso resident,

Lifecoach@zianet.com