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A summer picnic

[SLIDESHOW] Try these recipes, gather up a few friends, and head out into the sunshine

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath. 

 

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath.

 

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath.

 

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath.

 

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath.

 

Photos and styling by Caitlin McGrath; styling, words, and recipes by Manda McGrath.

Manda McGrath is a (mostly) stay-at-home mama in Bergen, where she chases her three little boys around and consumes as much coffee as possible. She shares recipes, crafts, and snippets of life at themerrythought.com

 

Shortbread crust:

  • 1⁄2 c. brown sugar, packed
  •  2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1⁄4 c. all purpose flour

Apple filling:

  • 8 c. apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

  • 1⁄4 c. flour

  • 1⁄2 c. sugar

Topping:

• 1 c. brown sugar

• 1⁄2 c. sugar

• 1 1⁄2 c.flour

• 2 tsp. cinnamon • 1 tsp. salt

• 2/3 c. butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350o F. Line a 9×13 pan with foil, spray with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until combined (dough will be crumbly). Press dough even- ly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until dough is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and set aside; maintain oven tempera- ture.

While crust is baking, prepare the apples and topping.

In a medium bowl, combine apples, flour, and sugar. Mix until apples are thoroughly coated and arrange on baked crust.

In a medium bowl, mix together first five ingredients for the topping. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Spread topping evenly over apples. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until topping is golden, and apple mixture is bubbly. 

 
  • 3 cucumbers

  • 8 oz. crumbled feta cheese, room temperature

  • 3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1⁄4 c. roasted red peppers, finely diced

  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. dill weed

  • juice from half a lemon

  • salt and pepper to taste

    Thinly slice the cucumbers lengthwise on a mandoline slicer. (You can use a vegetable peeler if you do not have a mandoline slicer.) Lay the cucumbers on top of paper towels to drain while you prepare the filling.

    Add feta to a food processor and pulse until small crumbs remain.Add in cream cheese and puree 4–5 minutes, scraping down the sides when necessary, until feta is super creamy.

    Place the feta mixture into a medium bowl and add in the remaining ingre- dients. Stir well to combine. Place 1–2 teaspoons of mixture at one end of a cucumber strip and roll up. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining strips. If not serving immediately, chill until ready to serve.

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