Covid-19 is bringing changes into my life that I would never have dreamed of last year. I discover that home quarantine isn’t such a bad thing—my list of need to do’s is finally getting half done and the list of want to do’s is getting bigger and bigger.  My days are always full. However, the one thing I do miss is picnics and country drives.

Planning a Mini Family Reunion Picnic

When the state parks were granted a reprieve and reopened to the public—reservations only—my daughter and I both jumped at the opportunity to plan a picnic, meet in the middle, and have a mini mother-daughter-father-son-in-law reunion.  Our state park of choice was Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway – Nails Creek Unit on the south side of the lake. A park unknown to either of us but almost equal driving distance for both of us.

The small cooler placed in the trunk, and the picnic basket on the back seat of my cute red convertible, Michael looks at me and says, “Is that all? This isn’t like one of your normal picnics.”

I smile. “My new motto is less is more—at least for a while.”

Pre-prepped. Precooked. Simple. Tasty. Made with ingredients I have on hand, and only a single fork needed for each of us.  For me, this is a miracle.

We back out of our driveway, leaving the safety and shelter of our home, pointing the nose of our car east, toward Heather and Brendan.

Somerville State Park

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Rocky Point

According to my daughter and her husband, the trip from Houston is beautiful—full of wildflowers, country roads and charming towns.  The drive from Wimberley is heavy with highways—albeit country highways—and a dearth of flowers. Our plans are to meet at the picnic area, because according to the map I checked at home, there is only one available at Nails Creek—Rocky Point. However, upon driving into the park, we are given a choice of turning either right or left to enjoy our repast. We drive toward Rocky Point, miss it and circle back. 

Picnic tables are abundant and empty. Families fish and play near the water. The vistas are wide. The sky, blue. The sun, warm. The breeze, gentle. Birds soar. Blooming white thistles border the area.  All that is missing are Brendan and Heather. 

I receive a text, “No service 😬 but we are here.”

She doesn’t see my reply. We sit and wait. Michael chooses a double-wide table in the sun for added warmth and for social distancing—even with our daughter and her husband—a picnic six feet apart.

Heather and Brendan finally arrive, paddle boards attached to the roof of their car. It is strange to see them exit the car and not be able to run toward my daughter and give her a hug. 

She tells me, “I don’t want to be the one that kills you.”

This horrible virus. Unseen. Unknown. Silent carriers. Not sure who is safe. Who isn’t? We can only hold our breath, be careful, and keep our distance till a cure or vaccine is found.

Picnic Hill

Our adult children have been waiting for us at the other picnic area. Heather is torn. She loves the birds and the flowers that surround us, but Picnic Hill has trees and a dock, which equates to ease of launching their paddle boards. The trees and the dock win.

Upon on our arrival at Picnic Hill, I can see why Heather was charmed. This area is cozier, friendlier—not windswept prairie. The gentle breeze has become a brisk wind and we walk from table to table trying to determine which is the most sheltered. Michael forgets he is dealing with two females and follows us, toting the heavy picnic basket up and down hills, till finally he stops. He stands and waits for us to make up our minds. Brendan just shakes his head.

A sunny table at the bottom of the hill wins.

This is such a lovely spot to have our reunion—Mother nature surrounding us with all of her gifts: wind, water, sun, blue sky, white cotton clouds, leafy trees, green grass, with the occasional bird soaring overhead. Honestly, we should do this more often, even when social distancing is no longer required, and outdoors in the sun is not safer than inside a house. The food tastes better. The conversation is relaxed.

There is joy even in this time of medical turmoil. For awhile we forget, until it is time to say goodbye, and we still can’t hug.

A Simple Picnic for Four

Alsatian Onion & Bacon Tart

My Riff on a Classic French Carrot Salad

Coconut-Pecan Dream Bars

Alsatian Bacon and Onion Tart

6 Servings

This tart can be baked the day before, thoroughly cooled, then loosely wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and rewarm in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. This tart is delicious served warm, and is equally good served at room temperature for a picnic.

For pastry

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes -frozen for at least 30-60 minutes
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch cubes and frozen for at least 30-60 minutes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For filling

• 10-ounces thick sliced bacon, cut crosswise into lardons
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease, reserved
• 2 pounds small to medium sized onions, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced lengthwise (follow the vertical lines of the onion)
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 – 6 ounces coarsely shredded gruyere cheese

• 1 11-inch tart pan (1 ¼ inches deep) with a removable bottom
• Non-stick spray

Make pastry:

Tip: Spray your tart pan lightly with a non-stick spray such as Pam.  With all of the butter in the dough you may think this is an unnecessary step, but I have found it is better to be safe than sorry—nothing is worse than cutting your tart and having your crust stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse once or twice to combine. Add butter and shortening and pulse until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (pea-size) lumps of butter. Drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons (no more than 5 tablespoons) ice water and pulse in processor until incorporated. See photo below.

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Do not overwork or the pastry will be tough.

Turn out pastry mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4-6 portions, then with heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather the dough together with pastry scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round and fit into tart pan, you should have ½ -inch overhang once the dough is placed in the tart pan, then fold overhang over pastry and press against side to reinforce edge. Lightly prick the bottom of the dough with a fork (be careful where you place your fork, you do not want to form a perforated line) and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to one day if covered with plastic wrap.

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While dough is chilling, place one oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Line chilled shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until pastry is set and pale golden along rim, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer shell to a rack. (Leave oven on.)

Tip: Dough can be chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 1 day. Let disk stand at room temperature 20 minutes before rolling out.

Prepare filling while shell bakes:

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Cook the onions in the bacon fat with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover surface of onions with a round of parchment or wax paper and continue to cook, lifting parchment to stir frequently, until onions are very soft and pale golden, about 20 minutes.

Tip: Place a large strainer over a bowl and scrape onions into strainer to drain of excess liquid.

Cool at least 10 minutes before adding to egg mixture.

Whisk together heavy cream, eggs, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then stir in drained onions. Set aside.

Fill and bake tart:

Scatter cheese evenly over the bottom of the tart, and place in the oven just until melted, 2-3 minutes. This helps to seal the crust and keep it from becoming soggy. Scatter bacon evenly on top of melted cheese.

Using a large slotted spoon, spatula, or slotted skimmer scoop the onion mixture from the bowl, and arrange the creamy onions evenly over the bacon.  Pour the liquid remaining in the bowl evenly over the onions.

Tip: This aids in evenly dividing the onions, making sure some of the cream mixture adheres to each piece and it also keeps the cream from going directly to the bottom of the tart—another way to keep the bottom of the crust from becoming soggy.

Bake until filling is set and top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Charlotte’s Riff on a Classic French Carrot Salad

4-6 Servings

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated on the smallest hole of your grater or food processor
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1½ tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ well rounded teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion, soaked in ice water at least 15 minutes
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1 large navel orange, skin and white pith removed, segments supremed, and each segment cut into thirds.

In a salad bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, oils, salt, pepper, and onion. Add the carrots, oranges, and mint, tossing well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Immediately before serving toss in orange pieces. Garnish with additional mint.

Tip: To supreme an orange, start with a very sharp knife, then slice off the peel and pith in sections, following the shape of the sphere.

When this is done, set the fruit on its side. For each segment of the orange, cut toward the center, along a membrane, the do the same thin on the other side of the orange segment along the adjacent membrane until the cuts meet. Release the segment.

Coconut-Pecan Dream Bars

Makes approximately 36 bars

These cookies are nothing short of heavenly, I could eat a pan of them all by myself. Actually, I couldn’t—they are very rich.  But if I could…

Crust

• ½ cup butter, warm room temperature
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

For Filling

• 3 eggs
• 1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups packaged flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cream butter in mixing bowl.  Gradually add ½ cup brown sugar; continue creaming until light and fluffy.  Stir in 1½ cups flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press firmly into bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan lightly sprayed with a non-stick spray, such as Pam.  Bake at 350˚F for 15 minutes.

Beat eggs until foamy.  Gradually add remaining brown sugar; beat until thick.  Blend in ¼ cup flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt.  Stir in coconut and nuts.  Spread over partially baked crust.  Bake at 350˚F. for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Do not overbake! Cool. Cut into bars.

Tip: For ease of cutting, line a 9 x 13-inch pan with aluminum foil, and spray lightly with Pam.  When the cookies are totally cool, lift the aluminum foil from the pan and place on a flat surface. Peel off the sides of the foil and slice into bars or tiny bite-sized squares using a very sharp knife sprayed with Pam. You may need to wipe it clean occasionally.