Picnic Fare for #Blogger CLUE

With all the hubbub with #HotSummerEats recently and with C.L.U.E. reveal day hot on its heels, we’ve been pretty busy around Eliot’s Eats.   There have definitely been some good eats around here.

On to June’s C.L.U.E. reveal.  Cook, Learn, Undertake and EAT (also known as the C.L.U.E. Society) is a similar to the board game of CLUE.   It involves secrecy, fun, challenge and cooperation with the other game playing members. But don’t be alarmed, there are no murders in our society.   

I was elated for my pairing for June:   Cooking on the Ranch.  I have followed Lea Ann’s blog for a long time, even before C.L.U.E.   And, I was also excited for this  month’s theme:  Picnic Foods.

Some of our most romantic dates have been on picnics.   Let’s see if I can summarize.   There was the great picnic at Shakespeare on the Lawn at Philbrook in 1992.   We even took my best friend along even though we had only been dating a few months.   Then, there was another most romantic picnic (back at Philbrook) for a movie on the lawn event where The Hubs presented me with the best gift ever.   (There was a lot going on in our lives that summer of 2007 and I may share more about this special evening at some point.)   Most recently was our evening at Guthrie Green listening to Sam Baker, et al.    Some of these picnics have included store bought or restaurant items, but the most special al fresco dining found homemade treats in our picnic basket.

I scored big as I perused Lea Ann’s site.  Our picnics tend to be composed of appetizers and finger foods so these three recipes got packed into my basket immediately.

Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread
Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
Spanish Deviled Eggs

Lea Ann’s Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread
based on Bev’s Homemade Pimento Cheese Spread

1 C. shredded White Tillamook Cheddar  (I could not find white cheddar and substituted Monterrey Jack cheese which worked well.)
1 C. shredded Sharp Yellow Tillamook Cheddar
3-4 slices of jarred roasted Piquillo peppers (or 2 roasted Italian Bullhorn red peppers peeled and chopped)
1 small jar pimentos, drained (or 1 roasted pimento, peeled and chopped)
½ – ¾ c. mayonnaise
2 – 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, choppped
A shake of salt and pepper.
few shakes of dried onion

Mix all ingredients together.

Serving options:

• Serve on classic white bread for sandwiches.
• Serve with crackers as a dip.
• Serve on top of grilled burgers for a new twist on a cheeseburger.
• Or, even better yet, stuff it into a burger before grilling.

Thank you Lea Ann for a great classic recipe with just the right amount of smoky heat.

For Lea Ann’s Spanish Deviled Eggs, I cut down the size of the recipe to make a picnic for just two.

Spanish Deviled Eggs for Two
For the original recipe for a dozen eggs, click here.

3 eggs
1 oz. Spanish chorizo*
3/4 t. cilantro
1 T. jarred roasted Piquillo peppers, chopped
1/4 t. sherry vinegar
2 1/4 t. mayonnaise
1 1/2 t. cold water
Hard boil eggs. Slice eggs lengthwise, remove yolks and place yolks in a medium bowl.

Arrange egg white halves in your favorite Deviled Egg serving bowl.

To prepare filling, cook chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until crisp.

Meanwhile add cilantro, red pepper, vinegar, mayo, mustard and water to yolks. Mash. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Scoop filling into egg whites. Sprinkle with warm chorizo and cilantro.

I could not find any Spanish chorizo (which is cured).   I substituted 1 large slice of Italian salami that I chopped and cooked until crisp.  Add some basil on top and I think you could call these Italian eggs.

Finally, her Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus is another keeper.

Not only did we take this on our C.L.U.E. picnic, but I also rolled up the leftovers with some kale in a dried tomato wrap.   This creation could also be on our menu the next time we picnic.   For Lea Ann’s recipe, for Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus, click here.

Disclaimer, this was not an extravagant picnic at Philbrook or Guthrie Green.   Rather it was a relaxing mid-afternoon interlude on our patio.  Rest assured, however, the next time we need to pack the basket up, we will be taking along these items.

Check back here on July 8 for the next C.L.U.E Assignment where the theme is Summer BBQ and Grilling.  I can’t wait.

Have a great week!

• (Almost) Nancy’s Chopped Salad w/ Oregano Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef
• Apple Chips by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Barbecue Chicken Salad w/ Smoky Barbecue Vinaigrette by Kate from Kate’s Kitchen
• California Quinoa Greek Salad;by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Carrot Cake Cookies by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Chicken Salad w/ Peanut Dressing by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Chicken Waldorf Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Duck with Pear Wraps + Limeade with Chia Seeds by Kelli from Kelli’s Kitchen
• Fried Apple Pies by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Green Bean & Corn Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Loaded Baked Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Date Cookies by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Olive Sables by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Puff Pastry Antipasto Squares by Anna from annaDishes
• Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread by Debra from Eliot’s Eats
• Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans + Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Thomas Keller’s Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kim from Liv Life
• Tuscan Bean Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Watermelon Feta Salad by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• White Bean, Bacon and Rosemary Salad by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva