Plan a Mother’s Day picnic with these simple, easy to pack and delicious recipes!
Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich with Pesto
Ingredients (for Schnitzel)
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (halved horizontally to form thinner steaks, see note 1)
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp regular table salt, plus extra for seasoning
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 75 g (½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 180 g (3 cups) panko breadcrumbs
- Oil, for cooking
Directions (for Schnitzel)
- Prepare the schnitzels – Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Use your hands to ensure they are coated evenly (do not skip this step if oven-baking; this is what ensures your schnitzels remain juicy during the cooking process).
- Set up your “crumbing station”: spread the flour out on a large piece of baking paper, spread the panko breadcrumbs out on a separate large piece of baking (parchment) paper and have the whisked egg ready in a large shallow bowl (see note 2 about the breadcrumbs if baking).
- Coat the chicken, piece by piece, in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture, then press into the breadcrumbs, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Repeat with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture and breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the crumbed chicken to a plate.
- Choose your cooking method – Follow the instructions below for your preferred cooking method.
- Deep frying – Heat approximately 600 ml (20½ fl oz) of a high smoke-point oil (such as canola/rapeseed oil, vegetable oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil) over medium–high heat in a large, heavy-based, deep frying pan. Deep-frying requires the oil to be at least 1.5 cm (½ inch) deep and covering the base of the pan (to ensure the chicken is cooked evenly with a golden coating all over).
- Cook the chicken in batches for 8–12 minutes or until golden brown, turning regularly. Do not overcrowd the pan; the chicken pieces shouldn’t be touching each other.
- Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Shallow frying – Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) of olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
- Cook the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Cooking using this method will result in an equally crispy crumb as when deep-frying, but the golden coating may be less even (there may be spots that are darker than others).
- Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Ingredients (for sandwich)
- 4 long sourdough rolls, or baguette sections halved lengthways
- 4 tbsp basil pesto, storebought or homemade
- 4 cooked chicken schnitzels
- 2 large tomatoes, finely sliced
- 200 g (7 oz) fresh mozzarella, finely sliced
- Sea salt flakes
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 90 g (2 cups) rocket (arugula)
- 4 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise
Directions (for sandwich)
- Toast the rolls – Preheat the oven grill (broiler) to high. Place the rolls cut-side up on a baking tray. Toast under the grill for 1–2 minutes until golden and slightly crisp.
- Assemble the rolls – Spread the pesto on the base of each roll. Top with a chicken schnitzel, followed by the sliced tomato and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish and serve – Top the cheese with rocket, spread the mayo on the top half of each roll, then place it on top of the sandwich. Press down gently, slice in half, and serve immediately, or pack up for your picnic
Pasta Salad with Cucumber
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Penne pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 medium cucumbers (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 1 medium white onion (thinly sliced)
- 1- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
Directions
Instructions
- Cook the Penne pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water. Lightly coat the pasta with olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- While the pasta cooks, slice the cucumbers and onion. Once cooled, put the pasta in a large bowl and add sliced vegetables.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad and stir to coat. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Refrigerate leftovers.
S’mores Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup crushed graham crackers (about 4 crackers)
- ½ cup marshmallow creme
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Cream together butter and sugar. Then gently beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in baking soda , salt, flour, and crushed graham crackers until dough forms.
- Press 3/4 of the dough into the baking dish. Then, gently spread the marshmallow creme over the top and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Gently press the remaining dough on top of the bar mixture. There should be some marshmallow creme and chocolate chips visible.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
