picnic Archives - Mummy Mishaps

Sausage Pizza Roll Pinwheels

These savoury Sausage Pizza Roll Pinwheels are perfect for taking on picnics, serving at parties or adding to lunch boxes.

I love going on a picnic. I think this is because it is something I did a lot growing up with my family. It was a way of spending some quality time together with my parents and grandparents, and it always involved a walk in the woods or some park beforehand, to help us work up an appetite. My Mum always packed enough food so that we would never be left feeling hungry!

In Uncategorised

Picnic Tips for National Picnic Week, 2015 with Higgidy

Jenny PaulinJune 16June 162 Comments

This week is National Picnic Week and the boys and I have already managed to eat outdoors a few times this year, aswell as last Sunday at our nearby National Trust property, Arlington Court. I LOVE taking my boys on a picnic. It brings back such fond memories of my childhood because we had a lot of picnics, and it was always a great excuse to spend quality time together as a family and with our extended family as well.

In Cupcakes, Food

Cakes, Cakes and More Cake Recipes Perfect For Sharing With Friends This Summer

Jenny PaulinJuly 215 Comments

With the beautiful weather we have been experiencing these last couple of weeks, it has been perfect for picnics and eating outside generally. Lots of opportunities to try out some picnic recipes this summer – as we are actually having one this year!

The week before last it was my turn to cook some cakes for the toddler playgroup that I take Jenson to every Monday morning, and with the weather being so lovely it was decided that we would eat the cakes outside at the local park. I love an excuse to get busy and do some summer baking – it was just a shame that the day I spent in the kitchen creating my cakes, was one of the hottest of the year so far!

Still, bake away I did and I came up with a selection of cakes which I felt would appeal to the mums, dads, grandparents and staff who attend the play group. Inspired by looking through the summer recipes from bakingmad.com I made the following cakes.

Makes 16

Ingredients:

175g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

200g unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

16 cherries, stone removed and chopped

100g Silver Spoon marzipan, chopped into small pieces

8 squares of white chocolate cut in half

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180oC / 16o c (fan)

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft

Add the eggs and beat well

Fold in the flour and cocoa powder

Stir in the cherries, marzipan

Divide between the cake cases

Add a chunk of chocolate to each cake and push down

Bake for 20-25 minutes

Makes 9

75g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

100g unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

2 kitkat fingers crushed

100g cream cheese

100g chocolate spread

5 kit kat fingers, broken in half

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180oC / 16o c (fan)

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft

Add the eggs and beat well

Fold in the flour and cocoa powder

Stir in the crushed kit kats

Divide between the cake cases

Bake for 20-25 minutes

Beat the cream cheese and chocolate spread together

Place into a piping bag and toop each cupcake once they are cooled completely

Top with half a kitkat for decoration

Makes 9

75g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

100g unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

100g cream cheese

100g chocolate spread

Silver Spoon Choco Beans

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180oC / 16o c (fan)

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft

Add the eggs and beat well

Fold in the flour and cocoa powder

Divide between the cake cases

Bake for 20-25 minutes

Beat the cream cheese and chocolate spread together

Place into a piping bag and top each cupcake once they are cooled completely

Top with the Choco Beans for decoration

Ingredients:

200g self raising flour

200g unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

Strawberry jam

Tub of ready made vanilla buttercream

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180oC / 16o c (fan)

Grease and line 2 x 8 inch cake tins

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft

Add the eggs and beat well

Fold in the flour

Divide between the cake tins

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked right through

Once cool sandwich the two sponges with the buttercream and jam

Great for eating outdoors (and indoors) and perfcet for sharing with friends outside in the sunshine

I was sent the following products from bakingmad.com for the purpose of this post

The recipes used, however, are my own.

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Thank you xx

In Food, Reviews

Higgidy Balsamic Onion and Mature Cheddar Quiche (A Review)

Jenny PaulinJune 16August 191 Comment

I love having a picnic and this week (17th – 23rd June, 2013) is National Picnic Week. With it being Father’s Day today I had planned for the boys and I to treat Daddy to a picnic lunch before he left for his week long course. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas and with it raining non stop all day there was no way we would be able to dine outdoors afterall.

To co-incide with a week of celebrating eating al fresco Higgidy, the makers of hand finished pies and quiches, have just launched their brand new limited edition Balsamic Onion & Mature Cheddar Quiche. I had planned to take some quiche out on our picnic as it is perfect for taking outside to eat as it can be eaten straight from the packet along side some potato salad, green salad and dressing. However, in the end I heated this yummy sounding quiche in the oven for 25 minutes and served our picnic at the table instead.

The quiche is sooo good! The balsamic onion chutney adds a sweetness to the palette which is unsual in a quiche but I liked it. Combined with the buttery pastry, the egg custard filling and cripsy cheese and onion crumbed topping really does make for a delicous picnic treat! It tasted just like homemade to be honest, which is what Higgidy strive to do with their range of pies and quiches.

It was a shame it rained and our al fresco picnic had to be cancelled but it was not a shame I got to try this delcious quiche – it really is very tasty and unlike any other quiche I have bought before. I cannot wait to try the Higgidy Smoked Bacon and Mature Cheddar Quiche which I have in my fridge, and fingers crossed I will be able to eat that one outside!

Higgidy Balsamic Onion and Mature Cheddar Quiche is available from Sainsburys priced at £3.79.
For a limited time only from 17th June, 2013 Higgidy are giving away 2,000 little picnic cool bags to allow you to keep your individual picnic pie fresh. Perfect for lunch times at work or for a picnic in the park, or even in the car if it is raining (I did this a lot as a child!). Please visit http://www.higgidy.co.uk for further information on how to recieve your special bag.

(You can also follow Higgidy on twitter @higgidy and facebook www.facebook.com/higgidy)

I was sent vouchers to buy some quiche for the purpose of this review. All opinions and comments made about the quiche are my own and honest.

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Thank you xx

In Country Kids, Family, My Boys

First Picnic Of The Year (Country Kids)

Jenny PaulinApril 5September 1022 Comments

Our boiler packed in on Wednesday and to say it has been very cold in our house would be an understatement. Plus no heating also means no hot water!! We are desperate to get a new boiler fitted! Therefore, Daddy sorted the problem out today by having to drive across the county to find a part our boiler required, the boys and I went out into the garden where it was far warmer than it was indoors.

It was so lovely to feel some warm sunshine on our faces because it has been bitterly cold the last couple of weeks. I decided to have a picnic in the garden at lunchtime – an excuse to use my new picnic blanket no less! – and so we could stay outside in the fresh air. As well as the boys having a picnic, some cuddly toy friends joined us for some luncheon too.

Jenson was a bit of a fidget and wouldn’t sit still and eat his food or drink his drink! I don’t mind too much about table manners when eating al fresco.

We had some ‘tea’ too of course in our fancy plastic-wear

And here is Burton being a little tea pot short and stout!

Burton picked me a daisy too and while I tried to remember the words to Daisy Daisy (and failed miserably – but luckily the boys are not familiar with the song so they weren’t any the wiser!), he put it in my hair

Being sunny I said the boys could have an ice lolly – what a treat!!! And a sticky mess – not so bad outside though.

Although trying to walk along the wobbly and uneven stone wall is not a good idea when you are eating your ice lolly! Luckily, he didn’t hurt himself.

The three picnic-teers!

(I dont know why I am pulling such a silly smiley face! )

My handsome boys – love them to bits

Our impromptu picnic cheered us all up today, it was just lovely to eat outside again. It made me dream of warmer days and hopefully many more picnics to come this year and to be enjoyed.

And the good news is that by the time we went indoors the heating was fixed – yaaaaay!!