Deanna, I'd probably be tempted to make a pasta type of salad, like Orzo with roasted vegetables and feta, adding some shredded roasted chicken into the mix. Or a macaroni salad with fresh chopped vegetables and bacon or ham. It will be fun to see what the others say!

I like cold fried chicken at picnics along with Italian layered meat pies. I don't know what you call them but I layer all sorts of deli meats and cheeses along with olives and roasted red peppers, vinaigrette in a hollow bread round then weight the whole thing for a couple hours.
I'm sure someone will have an official recipe but it's perfect for picnics.
There are recipes that line springform pans with bread dough, then fill with the layers, make a twisty knot on top, bake, then weight.
I like all variations except the mayonnaise ones.

The first thing that I think of is chicken salad. I also think cold fried chicken is always good. What about ham?

Or would you like something a little more gourmet??

Nancy

OK, so nothing can be reheated...

I like the fried chicken idea, I love fried chicken and seldom make it or eat it. I also like cold barbecued chicken and Lars' Algerian chicken is nearly as good at room temperature as it is hot.

There is always "lunch meat", that could go into a cooler and then made into sandwiches when you get there. Cold meatloaf makes good sandwiches too. Meatballs could be kept warm in a thermos and then served on buns, if you were so inclined, as could things like fajita meat to go on tortillas or sloppy joe filling.

Good luck, at least the dessert sounds good and easy!

Annie

How about marinated, grilled, sliced, chilled steak served over an interesting mixed green salad? Supply several types of dressings and toppings like crumbled blue cheese, etc. Take the meat and greens separately and assemble there.

I love this for picnics. It's simple to make and holds well at room temp for a long time. And delicious.

Potatoes Fontecchio

From Silver Palate Good Times

8 Servings

Ingredients
5-1/2 pounds red new potatoes
2 or 3 gloves garlic, finely minced
1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 large bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
2 T course salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Directions: Preheat oven to 350.

Scrub potatoes and prick with fork. Place in shallow roasting pan and roast for 2 hours. Cut each potato in half.

Toss the potatoes with the garlic, oil, mint, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Pork or chicken or shrimp kabobs grilled on skewers are delicious served at room temperature. I serve a casual meal on a boat every Friday night during the summer. Also grilled sausages or kielbasa is fine served at room temp.
Fried chicken is the go to meal that others will bring in a pinch. All kinds of wraps, sliced diagonally are pretty and transport well.

Rice/ bean salad in a Italian dressing is also very good - that recipe was posted again a few weeks ago-if you want it I will post it.

I also have an incredibly delicious fruit salad that uses canned fruit that is a cook out staple - and people always want the recipe. So easy --I admit I am using the same jar of Tang for lots of years now!:) I keep these ingredients on hand. People fight over licking the bowl !!

Fruit Salad

1large can sliced peaches - drained
1 can chunk pineapple-drained
1 box frozen strawberries, thawed not drained
3 each bananas, sliced
1 small box instant vanilla pudding (do not make)
2 T Tang

Mix all ingredients - refrigerate at least 1 hour.

My first thought was felafel, but if you want meat...why not do meat!

If you grill a tri tip and bring it cold, you can cut thin slices when you get there. You may not get to eat any because it'll fly away off the table, but it's simple to make, simple to bring in an ice chest, simple to serve, and delicious.

Plllog beat me to it...but I was going to suggest a beef tenderloin roast.
With a good cooler, anything will keep cold for that long. Freeze ice in 2 liter bottles with a lid, or use water bottles and you are good to go.
And cold sliced grilled and sliced and served with some nice bread and a couple of sauces will indeed fly off the table.
As will a cold grilled pork tenderloin or a turkey breast.
Linda C

Most of my suggestions have been mentioned - pasta salad with chicken or shrimp or beef roast to slice thin and fried chicken would be my choices. You also might want to consider Mufuletta on a long baguette rather than a round if you a sharing with a lot of people or even a baked ham (spiral would be easy!) on the cheddar chipotle biscuits with a honey mustard or something like that.

Sounds like fun even if it is a little challenging!

A

Food doesn't have to be kept ice cold, it just has to be kept on either side (colder or hotter) of the danger zone.
It can be in the so called "danger zone" for quite some time, the local Foodsafe course says you have a significant amount of time in which to get it out of the danger zone. I can't exactly recall but its longish.

That isn't hard to do as other have pointed out.

A well stocked hardware store sells single use bbq grills, we often do kebobs with tri tip only slice it and thread them like sate meat, strips. Those cook real quickly. A selection of dips,oils, sprinkle stuff, crumbly cheeses and good bread...sort of a rustic version of carpaccio. (sp?)

And Cooks Ill and Mythbusters both proved that commercial mayo is actually a preservative for summer salads, not the contributor to the trots we all think.

And, lastly and anecdotal as all get out, if eating un-refrigerated food out on a hike or camping or picnic caused mayhem, well...I'd be dead.

My motto? Keep it clean, somewhat cool and consume.
Except beer, that has to be cold.

I'll ice the beer before the food.

I'll ice the beer before the food.

THAT cracked me up!!

Thank you all for the suggestions. I think my creativity is kicking back in!

Italian wraps (those processed, cured cold cuts can't possibly go bad...right??)
Marinated veggies or salad.

Salmon/cream cheese rolls.
Ham, cream cheese, pickle rolls
Antipasto platter

I like the roast idea (beef, pork or turkey works for me!)

Also the sandwich fillings kept warm in a thermos!

I just needed a jumpstart! I'll try to take pics when I finally settle on my menu!!

I actually considered popping into the last available grocery and picking up fried chicken........but figure lots of others will do that!! I LIKE to cook so would rather be a little more innovative than that. I have the day off before the picnic, so extra time available to create!!

Thank you all!
Deanna

I send my husband to work every day with a lunch in a small cooler with blue ice packs and he often brings home leftovers, still nicely chilled...and here in the CA central valley, where Summer temps often get into the triple digits his cooler is in his hot car for at least a solid 8 hours. If your ice does melt, don't forget that just about every convenience store, grocery store or liquor store on your route sells bagged ice.

I love cold grilled chicken for picnics. I always try to think of things that will suit any special dietary needs when I'm attending a party, and most people can eat grilled chicken whereas many try to avoid fried. (Not that I don't LOVE fried, myself! :D )

Something that is almost always lacking at pot-luck type affairs is vegetables. For a veggie fiend like me, this is a problem. Generally, somebody or other brings a green salad and sometimes someone brings a veggie & dip tray, but often these can be insipid stuff.

I love to bring a grilled vegetable medley, which is quite tasty served cold, drizzled with a bit of olive oil & sprinkled with a bit of Parmesan and fresh herbs. Lightly poached (just enough to take the raw off without losing the crunch) broccoli & cauliflower are very nice in a slightly sweet vinaigrette with a few toasted and crushed nuts.

Here are a couple of my recipes for salads that go over well at potlucks and are fine either cold or room temp:

Asian Noodle Salad
Dressing:

1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c sesame oil (Asian brand, not Indian...it should be dark in color and smell strongly of sesame)
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c sugar
salt to taste
1 T Asian chili sauce or red pepper oil
One bunch green onions-finely sliced...should be 6-8 onions)
4 T cilantro, chopped.
One pkg fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 14 oz)

You can use a variety of vegetables, meats, or seafood in this salad. I adore it with grilled vegetables like eggplant, asparagus, peppers & yellow squash, but blanched vegetables work very well too, like julienne carrots, bean sprouts, snow peas (slivered), cabbage and broccoli. I like to toss in some raw slices of mushroom, radish & cherry tomatoes. It's a great salad for using up leftover meats, or I like to quickly poach a couple handfuls of shrimp. Really, you can just have fun.

Anyway, in the morning, you cook the noodles, toss them in half the dressing and put them in the fridge.

Then, just before dinner, you toss in all your vegetables & meats, and then add the rest of the dressing to taste. Generally, I've put so much stuff in the salad that I just use it all. Serve it cold or room temp, and it should serve 4 as a main dish or 6 as a side.

Mixed Grain Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

A mixture of grainstry to use at least 3 kinds, of different colors. I use varying combinations of basmati rice, long grain brown rice*, barley, bulgar (tabuleh), quinoa, wild rice, millet, and sometimes, to lighten the texture, I add couscous.

Onions, celery, carrots-chopped

Green peas (frozen are fineif you have fresh, blanch them first)

Roasted butternut squash cubes**

Cranberry vinaigrette***

Chopped parsley & green onions

Chopped, toasted nuts (I like pecans or hazelnuts)

Cook grain selections separately, according to directions, but remember that they will absorb dressing and soften, so a bit al dente is better than over cooked.

Saute onions, celery, carrots until tender, but not too soft. Toss with grains, parsley, green onions and vinaigrette. Gently fold butternut squash cubes in.

*Short grain rices are too sticky for this dish, in my opinion.

**Roasted butternut squash. Peel squash. Cut into ½ inch cubes. toss in olive oil and roast in the oven, checking frequently until just cooked, but not mushy. If it doesnt brown at all, pass under a broiler after cooking just to brown the edges a bit.

***Cranberry vinaigrette. Make a basic vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine or champagne vinegar, garlic & onion powders, salt & pepper. Put the vinaigrette in a blender with about 3/4 Tablespoon dried cranberries per cup vinaigrette, and puree until smooth. Then, add about a quarter cup of dried cranberries for every cup vinaigrette, and pulse blender until cranberries are chopped, but not pureed. Let vinaigrette sit over night.

Before tossing the grain salad in the dressing, taste the vinaigrette for sweetness and add a bit of sugar if need be. It shouldnt be too tart or too sweet.

Sprinkle the toasted chopped nuts on top and garnish with sprigs of parsley, green onion tassels or carrot curls and a few whole dried cranberries.

My go to dish for picnics is Chicken Marbella. It can be served hot, warm or room temp.

Chicken Marbella

9 pound chicken - either whole birds quartered
-or a combo of thighs and breasts (If
-using breasts be sure not to
-overcook)
1 head garlic peeled and chopped
1/4 cup dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish olives
1/2 cup capers and a bit of the juice
6 Bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley -- chopped

Combine chicken garlic, oregano,salt,vinegar, oil, prunes, olives. capers and bay leaves. Marinate & refrigerate overnight.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large baking dishes. Spoon marinade over evenly. Sprinkle chicken evenly with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake in a for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350. Do not over cook.

Transfer chicken and prunes etc to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Pass the remaining sauce in a sauceboat.

If preparing a few days in advance refrigerate cooked chicken in the sauce and allow to come to room temp before reheating, just until warmed through.

If serving cold allow to come to room temp before serving.

Another favourite of mine is sol's Tomato Tart,

Tomato Tart Sol
1 2-15 plum tomatoes -- cored and cut into
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard *
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
2 large eggs
1/4 cup light cream
1 teaspoon salt
A few turns of freshly ground black
-pepper

Preheat oven to 375F. Put the tomato slices in a colander and place in the sink. Let them sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid. Spread the mustard evenly over the tart shell. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard and sprinkle the Herbes de Provence over the gruyere cheese.
Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in overlapping, concentric circles, covering the crust completely.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, whisk in the cream, salt and pepper. Pour this custard evenly over the tomatoes until it comes to about ¼ inch from the top edge of the crust. Bake for 1 hour, to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the custard is set.
Once Upon a Tart

Crust This makes two 9-inch tart shells.
2½ cups AP flour
3 tablespoons semolina flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons [1½ sticks] cold, unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cold solid shortening
Ice water
Preheat oven to 400°F. Put the flours and salt in food processor. Pulse a couple of times, just enough to integrate the ingredients.
Add the butter and shortening all at once and pulse until the mixture looks like moist crumbs and no chunks of butter or shortening remain.
Sprinkle ice water over the surface of the dough. Repeat with 3 more tablespoonsful. Pulse to just bring the dough together. The dough should be past crumbly, but holding together. Cut the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Press each half to form a disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Then roll out one disk to ¼" thick. Fit into your tart pan, and chill 30 minutes. Dock the bottom of the tart. Line it with parchment or foil, and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. Place tart shell on center rack in the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights from the pan. Return it to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes or until the tart is a light-golden brown. Remove from the oven and set on wire rack to cool.

Here's another main dish salad that could work for that type of event.

BLACK EYED PEA AND HAM SALAD (20 servings)

1 1/2 lbs. black-eyed peas
2 medium onions, peeled
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 3/4 lbs. smoked ham, cut into 1/4" cubes
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
Oil and vinegar dressing (below)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups diced seeded tomatoes

Soak peas over night or by quick-soak method; drain. Place peas, onions, carrots and garlic in a 6-qt. pot. Add water to cover by at least 2 inches and bring to boil. Lower heat immediately and simmer until peas are tender but not mushy, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside. Drain peas, discarding any visible shells.

Cut onions and carrots into fine dice. Mash or finely chop garlic. Mix these ingredients with the drained peas. Add the ham, parsley, hot pepper sauce and dressing and season with salt & pepper. Stir gently to distribute dressing. Refrigerate until well chilled, overnight if desired. When ready to serve, gently stir in diced tomatoes.

OIL AND VINEGAR DRESSING

1/2 cup good-quality olive oil
6 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbs. whole-grain prepared mustard
4 cloves garlic, halved
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped, or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. dried oregano

Mix all ingredients together with whisk and let garlic marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove garlic and pour over salad.

Chase, I cracked up when I read "9 pound chicken"!!

I just had this vision of one HUGE bird!
I understand the recipe (and it sounds delicious), but the vision was priceless!

I think I'll save tomato tortes for when I have "real" tomatoes from the garden!!

rachelellen, I'm kind of a veggie freak myself and I agree,there's never enough at potlucks! I WILL be taking some sort of veggie dish in addition to a meat one!

Deanna

One great picnic food that has been popular here for as long as I can remember is the Spanish Tortilla, or potato and onion omelette which has filled more picnic baskets that I can remember, being carried to the beach, to the countryside or to the office and eaten hours later, at room temperature with some chilled wine, olives, tomatoes and green salad.
It can be made and cut into wedges as a pie or served cut into squares. Or make two or three medium sized ones when there's a crowd.

SPANISH TORTILLA (Potato & Onion Omelette)

Ingredients for 4 servings:

3 medium potatoes
3 large eggs
1 onion
salt 1/2 teasp & pepper to taste
olive oil
Italian parsley, chopped (optional)

I use a 7-inch non-stick pan as it's easy to fill, making a nice high and rounded tortilla which is easy to flip over.

1. Slice potatoes lengthwise once, then slice both pieces thinly into half moons. Chop onions into 1/4 rings.

2. Coat the bottom of the pan with oil and when hot add potatoes. Keep turning so they do not burn or go brown.
When golden, remove from pan and set aside in large bowl.

NOTE: Some folks prefer to gently boil or steam the potatoes for 5 - 10 minutes rather than fry them. I've seen it done both ways and I also like to do this.

3. Put chopped onion in pan, if necessary add a little more oil and sauté until soft, without being dark brown. Remove from pan and add to potatoes in bowl.

4. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, add salt & pepper and chopped parsley, and pour over potato & onion mixture in bowl. Turn gently to coat all.

5. Add 2 TBS oil to pan and when hot, pour in the egg, potato and onion mixture. Run the edge of a sharp knife or spatula around the rim of the pan while the egg is
setting to loosen the edges. I also poke it several times in the middle to let some of the runny egg seep down to the pan. Don't let it get too dark or burn.

6. When the edges are set and the middle is still half runny hold a plate over the top and flip pan and all over on to the plate and gently slide it back into the pan.
Don't overcook as the centre should still be juicy.

7. Let cook a minute or two more on that side, then slide it out onto a plate.

8. Cut into wedges as a luncheon dish, or into small squares with toothpicks to be served on a buffet or as a tapa. Or keep it whole to take on a picnic.

The edges should be fat and firmly rounded. If you've never tried making one before, start with a small non-stick pan and when you're an expert move up to a larger pan. A small 7 inch pan will make a nice luncheon omelette for two.

SharonCb

Your mention of marinated veggies sent me searching for a recipe I've used for years. Yummy, easy to make, and good picnic food!

RICCARDOS MARINATED VEGETABLES

1 lb. vegetables--carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, celery or veggies of your choice.
4 small cloves garlic, lightly crushed with a heavy knife and peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. oregano
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Olive oil, enough to cover

Peel and cut vegetables and steam them until tender but quite firm because the marinade will continue to soften them. My notes are to steam celery/zucchini for 2 minutes and carrots/ cauliflower for 3 minutes. My favorite mix is equal amounts of cauliflower, carrots and celery.

Drain the vegetables and place in a deep ziplock container with a lid. Bury the garlic in the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add oregano, vinegar and 1 to 2" of olive oil. Refrigerate and allow vegetables to marinate at least overnight, turning the contained upside down occasionally to make sure all the vegetables are covered in oil. Remove the garlic after 24 hours. Serve at room temperature.

That sounds really good, beachlily!
Just my kind of side, veggie and vinegary!
I'm thinking very small button mushrooms would be good in there too.

Definitely a contender!

Deanna