Picnic Tips Everything you carry wi th you to your picnic has to be carried back, so pack judiciously. • Serve foods that taste good at room temperature (many foods taste just as delicious at room temperature as they do hot). • Those plastic quart-containers from the deli can tip over and leak. It's a good idea to wrap the entire container in plas- tic wrap to avoid spills and messes. • Those same quart containers filled yield about 6-8 side dishes and about 2- 4 entrees. • Write down your entire menu (down to the condiments) and check-off each item as you pack it. It's not always easy to run back for things like mustard and salad dressing. • Disposable dishes and silverware take the burden off the clean-up crew and are lightweight to boot • A flannel-backed tablecloth is perfect for laying on the ground or over a table. They're inexpensive and you can use them all summer. or extra virgin) • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil • 1/4 cup soy sauce • 1/3 cup sugar Put all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well to corn- bine. Adjust seasonings to taste. The rea- son the recipe begins with "start with" is that vinegars and soy sauces differ in po- tency. The sauce should be sweet and tangy. Salad: Shred thin: • Napa or Chinese cabbage (1 large head will feed about 8 people as a large side salad) Crunchy Topping: • 4 packages ramen noodles, (square packages are about 25c each). Leave uncooked and crush the noodles (discard the flavor packet) • 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds • 1/2 cup sesame seeds • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil Combine crushed noodles, almonds and seeds. Toss with oil. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until browned. Toss salad with dressing to your taste. You can pack the salad at this time. Add some crunchy topping just before serving and toss well. Sprinkle more crunchies on top and serve. Variations: Add 1/2 to 2 cups of sliced scallions, pea pods, red pepper slivers, shredded carrots, water chestnuts, etc. PEANUT BUTTER AND SESAME SAUCE PASTA SALAD • 2/3 pound pasta shape, cooked al dente and rinsed with cold water • 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips • 1 cup scallions, sliced into 1/2" pieces Combine ingredients and toss with peanut-butter sauce to taste. Serve re- maining sauce on the side or with the grilled turkey kebabs. • Pack your basket or bag of dishes and serving utensils ahead of time and leave only the food as a last-minute packing detail. • Delegate the preparation of meal el- ements to others — it makes carrying and cooking less of an ordeal. • Luggage carriers (the kind with wheels and elastic straps) make it easy to transport ... everything. • Some coolers now come with at- tached wheels (a good invest- ment). • Bring hot and cold drinks in in- sulated containers. • Ice or gel packs keep foods cool when transporting. • Some foods (like breads, brown- ies or cookies and juice boxes) can be frozen ahead of time. They'll keep other foods cool and be thawed by the time you eat. Complete preparation is a key to planning a successful picnic. Peanut Sauce • 2 cloves garlic • 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root • 1/2 cup peanut butter • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce • 1/4 cup sugar • 2 Tbsp. Tabasco or other red pepper sauce Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add water if the mixture is too thick. GRILLED TURKEY KEBABS • 1 pound turkey tenders, cut into chunks • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce • • • • 2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup honey 4 skewers Preheat grill and prepare marinade. Combine juice, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce and gin- ger in a small bowl. Add turkey chunks and toss well to cover. Let marinate for 15 minutes. Combine 1/4 cup of soy sauce and hon- ey in a small bowl. Thread turkey on skewers. Brush the grill lightly with olive oil. Grill kebabs for about 7 - 10 minutes, brushing lightly with soy/honey mixture. Serve at room tem- perature. Makes four kebabs.