My first year at Auburn University is coming to a close and I can feel summer coming. (The pollen tickling my nose is a nice clue.) I am craving BBQ and a giant swimming pool! And if you have learned anything about me, you know I solve all my problems with food. I have the perfect summer time blues picnic menu, and it is for all you college girls that are broke from the spring break spree and busy with finals right around the corner. Take an afternoon to spend with your friends before going your separate ways, and chill out in the afternoon sunshine!
The Summer Time Blues Picnic Menu
BBQ Sandwiches
Roasted Broccoli
Cherry Limeades
(me and my BF made these!)
Find a few friends that have a ridiculous amount of money left on their Tiger Dining Card. (I know there are plenty of you that do, and don’t worry, your tiger dining money is going to a good cause.) Go to the Tiger Dining website to check out some of the random foods they offer. They have a selection of smoked meats, and the BBQ sauce to go with it. So, the first thing on the menu is easy BBQ sandwiches.
What you’ll need:
A large Ziploc bag
Aluminum foil
Tiger Dining Beef Brisket or Pulled Pork (pre-smoked)
-it comes in a huge portion, so save some for later
-we used about 3lbs
A can of Coke or Diet Coke
9 oz BBQ sauce
-we used Carolina style sauce
Hot slaw, if you would like
A loaf of thick sliced bread
Paper towels
Let the frozen brisket thaw out for a day, then unwrap it, place it in the plastic bag, and pour the coke over it. Make sure the bag is sealed, and allow the brisket to marinate for a couple of hours, flipping it every half hour or so. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and wrap the brisket in a few large pieces of aluminum foil. Pour some of the juices over it to keep it moist. Allow it to cook for about 45 minutes or until thoroughly reheated (remember, it is pre-smoked). Thirty minutes in, pour half of the BBQ sauce over it, and save the other half to heat and put on the sandwich. When ready, carefully pull the brisket apart or shred it. Place a nice mound of it between two slices of bread, along with more BBQ sauce and hot slaw. If you have no plate, that’s okay, you can wrap the sandwich in a paper towel to get in the true picnic spirit!
The C-store at the Village has fresh vegetables trimmed and sliced, so find another friend with a ridiculous amount of extra Tiger Dining money to buy some broccoli for your picnic!
What you’ll need:
Aluminum foil
A large Ziploc bag
About 1 pound of broccoli -trimmed and chopped
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Juice from half a lemon, about 1 Tbsp
Kosher salt
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
–you can use garlic salt
Black pepper
A handful of Parmesan cheese, or to taste
Preheat the oven to 425, and place the broccoli in the bag along with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Make sure the bag is sealed, and shake it until the broccoli is covered. Pour it onto the aluminum foil in one layer. Bake it for about 16-20 minutes, or until the broccoli is browned. Sprinkle it with the pepper and cheese. Serve it on the aluminum foil. Just bring an extra piece of foil to cover it if you are going outside.
Yes, you will need another friend with a ridiculous amount of money left on her Tiger Dining card, because the Tiger Dining website is offering 24 packs of 20 ounce Coke, diet coke, Sprite, and Dasani. That is exactly what you will need to complete your picnic! Use them to make Shirley temples, freshly squeezed lemon water, coke and lime (literally a lime squeezed in a coke, non-alcoholic), and cherry limeades.
Cherry Limeade
(One serving)
What you’ll need:
A plastic cup
-preferably clear to see the pretty drink
12 oz Sprite
(If you buy the ones from Tiger Dining, about half the bottle)
3 lime wedges
(About half a lime)
¼ cup cherry juice
Pour the Sprite over ice or make sure it is extremely cold. Squeeze the limes in the Sprite, and leave the wedges for extra flavor. Mix in the cherry juice, and add a maraschino cherry on top!
Now enjoy the weather and relax!