How to Prepare a Brunch or Breakfast Picnic

Have you ever attended an early morning breakfast picnic? I bet not! These recipes are the perfect choice for an outdoor food gathering held earlier in the day than a traditional lunch or supper picnic. Start your day off right by enjoying a delicious early meal outside before the temperature gets too warm and the flies and ants are still sleeping!

I shared these recipes in the early summer of 1990 with readers of my recipe newsletter, Homemaker Headlines. Food blogs weren't being published yet and most people did not have computers. Although much time has passed since then, homemakers still enjoy collecting recipes and most families find joy in gathering together for a picnic ... no matter what time of the day.

If you have not eaten grits before, I think you are in for an unexpected surprise.

Keeping with the breakfast theme, these muffins feature the flavors of bananas and oatmeal. Serve with honey butter for a delicious flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 medium bananas, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

Cream together butter and brown sugar.

Mix together egg and buttermilk. Add to the brown sugar mixture.

Mix together oats, flour, baking powder, salt and allspice. Add to brown sugar mixture.

Add bananas next and mix in lightly.

Spoon into paper lined muffin pan, filling almost full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Note: If you prefer, you can substitute fresh peaches for the bananas.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, sliced and dipped in lemon juice
• 1 can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 can fruit cocktail, drained (reserve juice)
• 1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup seedless grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup honey
• pinch of ginger
• 1 can ginger ale

Mix all of the fruit together in a large bowl with a sealing lid. Take care when mixing fruit not to bruise it.

Mix together honey and the pinch of ginger. Pour over fruit. Mix lightly.

Refrigerate fruit overnight. Also put can of ginger ale in the refrigerator so it will be cold when you reach the picnic site.

NOTE: Put reserved juice from the can of fruit cocktail in an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. You will use it in the punch recipe below for extra flavor.

When you reach the picnic site and you are ready to serve the Fruit Compote, pour ginger ale over fruit.

Round out your menu with a tasty beverage choice. Of course, you will also want to take along a thermos of hot coffee!

Ingredients:

• 1 large can unsweetened orange juice
• 1 large can unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 quart bottle 7-Up

Mix juices together and refrigerate overnight. If the picnic site is a far distance from home, freeze juices (don't freeze the 7-Up). The next morning, add the ice cubes made from the juice in the Fruit Compote recipe above. When you arrive at the picnic location, add 7-Up before serving.

Whether you enjoy these dishes at a traditional breakfast or brunch served at home, or outdoors while enjoying nature, they will give you a jump start on a beautiful day. And, don't forget to take time to stop and smell the flowers!