Time for some family picnic fun!
This post is sponsored by Nuffnang and Yoplait.
Mention France to Dad 101 or I and one of the first things we both think of is great food…and wine! I spent a wonderful week exploring Paris with a friend in 2005 and Dad 101 backpacked through much of Europe, including France in his twenties. Our travel experiences were all of the budget variety and we both agree that you couldn’t find a quicker, cheaper meal that reminds us of France then a crusty baguette, a block of cheese and freshly sliced cold meat. So when set the Yoplait challenge to enjoy a French themed picnic as a family (after all, Yoplait is French for yoghurt!), my first thought was baguette and Dad 101 agreed.
Into our picnic basket went a long, crusty baguette and a selection of cold meats and salads, perfect for mixing and matching to make-your-own yummy sandwich. Next into the basket were some simple Ham and Cheese Mini Quiches made by Immy and Dad 101, and a divine, home baked Peach and Yoghurt Cake for dessert. A tub of yoghurt (Yoplait, of course!) for the small girl and drinks (though no wine for this pregnant mama) and we were ready to head off on our picnic.
Make-Your-Own Baguette Filling Suggestions
- Roast chicken and/or beef
- A selection of your favourite deli meats – sliced ham, mortadella, turkey, etc
- Sliced salami (or your favourite spicy sausage)
- Prawns – cooked and peeled
- Sliced tomato, cucumber, lettuce
- A selection of your favourite cheeses
- Olives
- Sliced gherkin
- Pickle or relish
- Sliced hard boiled egg
- Your favourite crusty bread
Dad 101 goes with swiss cheese, sliced, fresh tomato and a selection of cold meat.
Ham and Cheese Mini Quiche Recipe
You will need:
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk
2 sheets of puff pastry
1 cup of tasty cheese, grated
3-4 slices shaved leg ham, finely sliced
To make:
- Preheat oven to 200˚C. Thoroughly grease a 12 serve muffin tray.
- Using an egg ring or similar, cut circles from pastry and line each muffin hole with a pastry round.
- Divide cheese and ham evenly into each pastry round.
- With a fork, lightly beat together the eggs and milk, add seasoning as desired.
- Spoon egg mixture into each pastry round, filling almost to the top.
- Bake until quiches are golden and pastry puffed, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Peach and Yoghurt Cake Recipe
You will need:
1 ½ cups self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup tinned peaches, cut into pieces
125gm butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup yoghurt – we used Yoplait Mango
To make:
- Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
- Sift flour into a mixing bowl, add sugar and coconut.
- Stir in butter and eggs.
- Fold through yoghurt and peaches.
- Bake 45-50 minutes.
- Serve with thickened cream or combine 2 ½ cups icing sugar, 40gms softened butter and 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water to make a simple icing glaze.
Yoplait yoghurt has been reformulated, with a fresh, new taste it’s 98% fat free and includes no artificial colours or flavours, just real fruit. And if they are anything like mine, your children will probably prefer their yoghurt straight from the tub to a yoghurt cake any day!
Time for a paddle before we head home.
I have such fond childhood memories of going on picnics with my family. It really is something that the 101 family must plan to do more of, especially given that a picnic is so easy to put together and there are so many interesting outdoor places to explore with children. Thanks for the reminder Yoplait and Nuffnang!
When was the last time you enjoyed a family picnic? Where do you like to go? And what do you pack in your picnic basket?
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
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