Picnics aren’t just about what’s on the menu – they’re all about the vibe! From waterproof blankets and wicker baskets to cozy cushions and cheeky games, we’ve rounded up the must‑have essentials for the ultimate alfresco adventure. 

Waterproof picnic blanket 

A picnic blanket isn’t just a backdrop – it’s the stage for your entire feast. Choose a picnic blanket large enough to accommodate all your food and picnic-goers. Make sure to get one with waterproof lining to avoid sitting on a damp blanket. For extra comfort (and bonus Instagram vibes), try a BYOC – bring your own cushions. Not only does it make lounging more cosy, but it also adds a cute touch that looks great in photos! 

Wicker basket and cooler bag 

While a wicker basket is perfect for carrying your picnic plates, cups and cutlery (and let’s face it, it gives the perfect picnic aesthetic), a cooler bag is the best way to transport your food and keep your perishables at the right temperature. 

Picnic plates, cutlery and napkins 

When it comes to picnic gear, think light and easy to pack. Opt for stackable plates and bowls, a trusty knife and a cutting board perfect for slicing cheese, bread and fruit. Don’t forget napkins: cloth ones are chic and washable, while paper napkins keep things simple. 

Flasks and water bottles 

What’s a picnic without something tasty to sip on? Reusable water bottles and insulated flasks are your ultimate picnic sidekicks – keeping you hydrated and your drinks at just the right temperature. They’re also the perfect home for that homemade lemonade, staying crisp and chilled until it’s time to pour. 

Containers 

Containers in all sizes may be the real MVP of your picnic packing list. Bring along a few reusable, lightweight airtight containers to pack your tasty picnic sandwiches, quiches or that dreamy pasta salad. 

Fun and games 

Sure, the food may be the star – but it’s the fun that keeps the picnic alive. Pack a deck of cards or dive into the endless laughs (and occasional feuds) of the 30 Seconds board game. After all, food, drinks + great company + plenty of fun = picnic perfection. 

Words: Gaynor Siljeur

Photography: Freepik

The post Essential pieces to pack for your picnic appeared first on MyKitchen.

Ready to up your picnic game? From beautiful BLT sandwiches to avocado, bacon and feta pizza rolls, pack these lovely light meals the next time you decide to dine al fresco.  

Mushroom quiche 

Serves 6 // Preparation time 30 minutes // Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients 

For the crust 

1 cup rye flour
½ cup wheat flour
1 tsp salt
8 Tbsp butter, chilled
4 Tbsp chilled water  

For the filling  

4 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, finely chopped
250g white button mushrooms
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp fresh thyme, plus extra sprigs
2 Tbsp flour  

Method  

For the crust 

1. Mix together the flours and salt.
2. Chop the butter into small pieces and use your fingers to rub it into the flour mixture, until it resembles fine crumbs.
3. Gradually add the water and knead gently until the dough comes together.
4. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line 6 ramekins.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 5 mm thick.
7. Cut rounds from the dough and press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp.

For the filling 

1. Lower oven temperature to 180°C.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a pan over medium and fry the leeks until soft. Remove from the pan.
3. Heat the remaining oil and brown the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, thyme and flour until smooth. Season.
5. Divide the leeks between each crust and fill each one with the egg mixture. Top with mushrooms and a few sprigs of extra thyme.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed up and golden.

Recipes & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen  

Avocado, biltong and feta pizza cones 

Makes 6 // Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients 

6 medium tortilla wraps
¾ cup tomato puree
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 cups grated mozzarella
1¼ cups sliced biltong
1¼ cups baby tomatoes, halved
1½ wheels feta, crumbled
½ avocado, chopped
¼ cup basil 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Shape six large pieces of foil into cones.
2. Brush both sides of each tortilla wrap with olive oil. Fold 5 cm of the bottom upwards to create a straight side. Then wrap around foil cones with the folded side at the bottom.
3. Close the bottom and secure the overlap with toothpicks to prevent it from unrolling.
4. Turn a muffin tray upside-down and arrange the cones in the spaces between the cups to prevent them from moving.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown and holding their shape. Allow to cool.
6. Mix the tomato puree and dried herbs together.
7. Remove the foil from the tortilla cones and spread the tomato puree on the inside of each one. Layer with cheese, biltong, tomatoes, feta and more tomato puree until they are filled, leaving space for the avo.
8. Return the pizza cones to the muffin tray and bake for 5–6 minutes, until hot and the cheese is melted.
9. Top with avocado and fresh basil, and serve.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za 

Salad jar with smoked chicken and rice noodles 

Makes 1 // Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients 

For the sauce 

1 garlic clove, grated
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
1½ tbsp sugar
½ lime, juiced
½ red chilli, thinly sliced 

To serve 

1 cup rice noodles, cooked
½ cucumber, ribboned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned using a peeler
1 smoked chicken breast, shredded
Handful fresh coriander 

Method 

For the sauce 

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

To serve 

1. Layer the jar, starting with rice noodles, followed by vegetables, chicken, herbs and seasoning, and dress with sauce.

Tip: If you aren’t a fan of rice noodles, simply swap them out for your favourite grain instead. 

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za  

Loaded BLT and chip sandwich with aioli 

 Serves 4 // Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients  

For the aioli 

½ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp cayenne pepper 

For the sandwich 

8 slices bread
8 lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
16 slices streaky bacon, fried
2 cups salted potato chips
2 gherkins, thinly sliced 

Method 

For the aioli 

1. Combine all ingredients, mix well and set aside.

For the sandwich 

1. Lightly toast bread slices in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Spread some aioli onto each slice and layer lettuce, tomato, bacon, chips and gherkins on top. Season and sandwich closed.

Recipe: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za 

The post 4 delicious light meals to pack in your picnic basket appeared first on MyKitchen.

Whether you’re heading to the beach or having a picnic in the park, try out these easy recipes to impress your friends with a delicious al fresco feast.  

Grape ‘sangria’ (non-alcoholic)  

Serves 6–8 // Time 15 minutes 

Ingredients

1 bottle (750ml) white grape juice
1 bottle (750ml) sparkling water
¼ cup sugar
1 nectarine, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, shaved into thin strips using a vegetable peeler
1 cup green grapes, frozen
1 cup soda water
Handful fresh mint  

Method 

1. Mix grape juice, sparkling water and sugar together in a large serving jug.
2. Add nectarine, cucumber, frozen grapes and chilled soda water.
3. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Chicken, corn and chive mini quiches 

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
2 sheets shortcrust pastry
125 g roast chicken, shredded
125 g can corn, drained
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
¼ cup white Cheddar, grated  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-hole mini muffin tin. 
2. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a jug and season.
3. Gently unroll the pastry and cut out 12 discs using a 7 cm round cookie cutter. Press the discs into pan holes. Divide the chicken, corn and chives between pastry cases. Top with the egg mixture and sprinkle over the cheese.
4. Bake for 25 min or until quiches are set and the pastry is browned lightly.

Summer salad in-a-jar 

Serves 6  

Ingredients

1 packet (500g) diced pumpkin
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and milled pepper
2 cups (500ml) risoni pasta (orzo), cooked
½ cup salad dressing
1 punnet (200g) baby tomatoes, halved
1 packet (200g) pitted olives, drained
2 packets (50g each) sliced beef biltong
1/3 cup feta or goat’s cheese, crumbled
½ packet (50g) cashew nuts, toasted
¼ cup toasted seeds of choice
½ packet (150g) spinach leaves 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Clean two 1L jars with screw-on lids. 
3. Toss pumpkin and oil in a roasting pan and season. Roast for 20-30 minutes until tender and caramelised. 
4. Toss pasta and dressing together and spoon into jars. 
5. Divide cooked pumpkin, tomatoes and olives between both jars. 
6. Layer biltong slices on top. Add feta, cashew nuts and seeds. 
7. Layer spinach leaves on top, allowing for a 10cm gap at the top. 
8. Screw on lids and refrigerate until needed. Shake before serving.

Falafel sliders with mango atchar-tahini sauce 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 1 hour 30 minutes 

Ingredients

For the mango atchar-tahini sauce 

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup mango atchar
1 Tbsp tahini
Zest and juice of 1 lemon 

For the falafel sliders 

2 × 400 g can chickpeas, drained
½ cup flour
¼ cup chopped coriander
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1½ Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Salt and black pepper
Vegetable oil, to fry
8 mini pitas 

Method

For the mango atchar-tahini sauce 

1. Place all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth.

For the falafel sliders 

1. Place all ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together but still has a grainy texture. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
   2. Roll the mixture into balls and then flatten into patties the size of the pitas.
   3. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry patties in batches until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel.
   4. Warm the pitas in the oven for 5 minutes.
   5. Fill pitas with mango atchar-tahini sauce, a falafel patty, red-onion pickle, and mint or coriander. 

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Honey and paprika steak wraps 

Serves 2 // Total Time 10-15 min 

Ingredients 

For The Steak 

1 Tbsp olive oil 
Salt and black pepper
1 sirloin or porterhouse steak 
1 tsp smoked or regular paprika 
2 Tbsp honey or golden syrup
1 clove garlic, chopped 
2 Tbsp butter 
1 juiced lemon 

For Serving 

2 beetroot or regular wheat wraps 
2 Tbsp hummus, mayonnaise or pesto 
½ red, yellow or green pepper, sliced and cooked
Lettuce, shredded small handful
¼ red or green cabbage, shredded  

Method 

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
2. In a bowl, season the steak and add the paprika, garlic and half the honey. Toss to coat evenly.
3. For a medium-rare steak, fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
4. Add the butter to the pan a minute before the end of cooking. Allow it to melt and add the lemon juice.
5. Use a spoon to baste the steak with the melted butter. Set aside the steak to cool completely before slicing.
6. To assemble, spread hummus on the wraps and layer the peppers, lettuce and red cabbage.
7. Top it with sliced steak and fold wraps to enclose the ingredients. Serve hot or cold.

Top Tip
Always remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. This allows it to come to room temperature. The muscle fibres will relax and as a result the steak will cook more evenly and be more tender. 

Also read: Steak and chimichurri salad 

The post 5 yummy recipes for your next picnic appeared first on MyKitchen.

Spring is on our doorstep and we can’t wait to take our picnic basket out of storage to enjoy an outdoor feast in plush greenery and sunlight. Make sure to use these great packing tips for your next al fresco meal: 

Keep the menu simple 

Choose foods that can sit outside for a while and make your menu straightforward. Who says simple has to be boring? “Any time you’re trying to overdo it at a picnic, you’re heading in the wrong direction,” says Wendy Weston, founder of Perfect Picnic New York City. Foods like sandwiches, quiches and pizzas are easy to pack, transport and eat anywhere – hot or cold.  

Impress your friends with these delicious chicken, corn and chive mini quiches! 

@allydavina_ugc Easy was to give your picnic the cute vibe#sandwiche#picnic#togo#kitchen#fresh#fyp ♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version – sped up 8282

Pack for comfort 

You’ll spend most of your day lounging with your loved ones, so why not make it as comfortable as possible? Throw in a generously sized picnic blanket, preferably lined and thick. Depending on how far you have to lug your items from the car, pack some camping chairs, a small fold-out table and cushions (your back will thank you later). 

Don’t forget the entertainment 

Pack activities for an entertaining afternoon. A board game is small enough to take with you – just make sure it’s suitable for a large group of people (the 30 Seconds board game is always a winner). You can also take a Bluetooth speaker for music or think of fun lawn games to get everyone up and moving. 

Use a cooler box instead of a wicker basket for food 

Wicker baskets may give you that traditional picnic aesthetic (for that perfect Instagram-worthy picture you plan to snap), but it’s not great at keeping your food and drinks safe from the heat. Pack your food in a cooler box instead to control the temperature. A great tip is to freeze water bottles and pack them to keep your drinks extra chilled. Added bonus? You’ll have cold water to drink as it defrosts.    

Cut back on waste with reusable containers 

Ditch the single-use plastic containers and pack and transport your food in reusable containers. You’ll cut back on trash, they’ll fit neatly into the cooler box and will be easy to pack and unpack. 

Take utensils 

Do you really need to take a bottle opener? Is it necessary to take a butter knife and a breadknife and a serving spoon? Yes! It depends on the food and drinks you are packing. Remember, you are outside. So, pack the items you’ll need to open, serve and eat. 

Make this refreshing ice tea – perfect for the whole family. 

Also read: Snack planning for your next road trip 

 Photography: Pexels

The post 6 tips to pack your picnic basket like a pro appeared first on MyKitchen.

Wrap up these avocado, biltong and feta pizza cones in tinfoil to create the perfect picnic snack with its own container. You’ll also have no washing up to do when you get home.

MAKES 6 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
6 medium tortilla wraps
¾ cup tomato puree
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 cups grated mozzarella
1¼ cups sliced biltong
1¼ cups baby tomatoes, halved
1½ wheels feta, crumbled
½ avocado, chopped
¼ cup basil

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Shape six large pieces of foil into cones.
2. Brush both sides of each tortilla wrap with olive oil. Fold cm of the bottom upwards to create a straight side. Then wrap around foil cones with the folded side at the bottom.
3. Close the bottom and secure the overlap with toothpicks to prevent it from unrolling.
4. Turn a muffin tray upsidedown and arrange the cones in the spaces between the cups to prevent them from moving.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown and holding their shape. Allow to cool.
6. Mix the tomato puree and dried herbs together.
7. Remove the foil from the tortilla cones and spread the tomato puree on the inside of each one. Layer with cheese, biltong, tomatoes, feta and more tomato puree until they are filled, leaving space for the avo.
8. Return the pizza cones to the muffin tray and bake for 5–6 minutes, until hot and the cheese is melted.
9. Top with avocado and fresh basil, and serve.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

A picnic wouldn’t be complete without some hearty sandwiches, and this caprese loaf is perfect!

The post Avocado, biltong and feta pizza cones appeared first on MyKitchen.

We used edible flowers to make these rose petal, almond and poppy seed doughnuts come to life for the perfect picnic treats.

MAKES 16 doughnuts + doughnut holes // COOKING TIME 1 hour, plus 2–3 hours rising time

INGREDIENTS
For the poppy seed doughnuts
4 tbsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
¾ cup lukewarm water
4 cups flour, sifted
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp salt
100 g butter, softened and cut into cubes
Oil for frying
For the icing
2¼ cups icing sugar, sifted
4 tbsp milk
2 drops pink food colouring
To serve
3 tbsp edible dried rose petals
⅓  cup flaked almonds

METHOD
For the poppy seed doughnuts
1. Place the sugar, yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes until foamy and bubbling on top.
2. Add the flour, eggs and poppy seeds and knead well using the dough-hook attachment. After 5 minutes, add the salt.
3. Slowly add the butter and knead until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.
4. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to rest for 1–2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough and roll out into a thick rectangle. Cut circles out, using a smaller cutter for the ‘hole’.
6. Place the doughnuts on a flour-dusted surface. Allow to prove for a further hour.
7. When the doughnuts have doubled in size, heat a large pot of oil over medium-high heat.
8. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown and cooked, about 1–2 minutes a side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.
For the icing
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large, shallow container.
To serve
1. Allow the doughnuts to cool completely before dipping the top of each one into the icing and transferring on to a plate.
2. Top with rose petals and almond flakes and set aside until the icing hardens.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

Lavender Camembert terrine will make a lovely addition to your picnic spread.

The post Rose petal, almond and poppy seed doughnuts appeared first on MyKitchen.