Summertime!

Lauren, Stella, and Karl joined us for a picnic in the park. Stella loves exploring and eating leaves! And everyone else loves eating yummy grilled food.

Well, not so much running… she loves to pose-run for pictures, for some reason. In this case, the breeze in her hair helps the illusion.

Strange girl.

I devised a new picnic trick: I keep a picnic basket stocked with the basics (oil, herbed salt, mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, sharp knife, utensils/plates/cups) so we are ready at a moment’s notice to rush out to the park for a picnic. Along the way we pick up supplies at the store, and prepare everything at the park.

After chopping the veggies I shake them with oil and herbed salt in a plastic-cup-shaker like this (those are mushrooms), then kebab them on skewers. Yum!

You always make things so nice for us, darling! <3

I was able to protect the cherry tomatoes (they cook so quickly) by cupping mushrooms below and above them on the skewer and using onion slices between the mushrooms to hold it all in place. The other skewer with tomatoes has fake-chicken which cooks as quickly as they do. Zucchini sticks are also a grill favorite.

I grilled the peppers separately this time to control the cooking a little better. Usually they do ok with onion, too. Match that with a tortilla warmed on the grill, and a little salsa… hmmmmm …

She’s so pretty.