Sunshiney day...Picnic Fare and more...

A lovely day outside today here.
Hope that all of your day is going well, and you are enjoying a sunny outlook and a sunshiney countenance is upon your face today.

Let's see what is new today...

Oh, I got a new "servant" today (as my friend Elizabeth over at "Elizabeth's Clothesline" would call it...I always do chuckle when I read her writings about making her "servants"go to work... a.k.a. the washing machine and dryer and other household appliances that make work simpler for us housewives)
...anyhow..my hubby bought me a new vacuum cleaner.
A fancy smancy thing too compared to any vacuum cleaner I have ever owned.

I have tiled floors so I had been using a simple little $30 special from Kmart for quite a while..one of those teeny little bright yellow things..nothing fancy at all. Anyhow last week while vacuuming..I was thinking how nice it would be to have one of those types with the air purifying filters and the allergen catcher type thing..oh shoot I don't know all the fancy words for them..but a better one that had an attachment and would get up the dust in hard to reach areas lots better. So there I was thinking about wanting one..and lo and behold the next day my husband says to me.."how would you like a new vacuum cleaner?" and I said well, I had been thinking about one lately..and well..I dunno as they are kind of expensive and the one I have ..well..it works..but it would be nice to have a better one"..but I leave that up to you" So he said "well, since you had been thinking of it, and here I have found one without knowing that you had been thinking of it..well, then I'm going to go ahead and get it for you then"
So he ordered a nice vaccum that has a lifetime hepa filter in it...and a long hose attachment so that I can reach up and dust off the ceiling fans and valances, etc.
Coool! :0)

See that picnic basket in the upper left?
Well..it is there because I want to start sharing with you all some recipes that would be good "picnic fare".Things that can easily be packed in a tupperware container and taken on a quick picnic day out. (If taking a hot dish along or an item that requires refrigeration..remember to take along a cooler full of ice to provide proper storage for the item and do not leave an item out in the heat. Picnic items should be refrigerated as soon as possible after serving for safety purposes..so bringing along a cooler full of ice is a good idea for carrying the items that may be left over..back home...remember safe food precautions..always better to be safe than sorry.Items like mayonaisse should never ever be left in the heat)

First up is :

Best Macaroni Bake

16 oz. pkg macaroni
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs well beaten
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 cup American cheese
1/3 cup diced green peppers
1 tsp. minced onion
1/4 cup melted butter

Cook macaroni in boiling (salted) water for 7 minutes.Drain, add remaining ingredients, mix lightly, season to taste.Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees)for 45 minutes.Serves 6

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Salads are also a nice item to take along on a picnic.
You can chop your lettuce or use a pre prepared mixture and add items like shredded carrots, celery slices, or chopped apples and nuts and raisins.
Put into small single serve tupperware containers and into the cooler to keep cold. Take along your favorite bottle of dressing in the cooler too.

Wines can be taken along..don't forget the corksrew to open the bottle.
And the wine glasses.

Items like apple slices, bananas, baby carrots, celery sticks, trail mixes, granola bars, crackers, cheese, olives, pickles, cubed deli meats.

These items can all pack very easily into small containers and pack very easily also into a small ice cooler.

Remember to take a blanket to spread on the ground.And a cup and drinks and utensils and plates.

And always remember to clean up after yourself.

Most of all..take along someone you love or like..and enjoy spending time together in the great outdoors..just enjoying each others company..and enjoying nature.

It's a great way to "reconnect" with a spouse or with your children.
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Fruit Salad
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1 tub of cool whip
1 large can of fruit cocktail,drained well,cold
1 large apple cored and cut into small chunks,cold
1 large banana sliced
1 small can drained mandarin oranges,cold
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all together well.Enjoy! A nice cool, refreshing fruit blend.(fresh sliced strawberries can be added also if you wish)

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Have a great afternoon!
~The Garden Goose~