Enjoy family time again with picnic perfection in the garden
We are fast approaching the summer holiday when the children break up from school and need entertaining in a calm but stimulating environment. If you are staying at home during the holidays, there’s still plenty you can do in the garden with the children which will build self-confidence, along with a sense of accomplishment.
Nature can be both entertaining and educational and the break is the perfect time for exploring the great outdoors and having a family garden picnic. What’s more, the kids will love to help prepare the picnic and there is nothing better than using the freshest ingredients, straight from your backyard or neighbourhood. Homegrown produce is not only tastier but healthier so join us as we take a look at tasty food and treats you can make with the children for the perfect family picnic.
Pizza Party
Growing a pizza garden is a great way to get children to grow their food by planting and eating their vegetables and herbs. What’s more, it is easy to do and all you need is a large container to plant together for a tasty and nutritious homegrown treat. Our Indoor & Outdoor Herb Planter is ideal for this, perfect for zesty herbs or juicy tomatoes.
Plant your tomatoes first from April to May and harvest from August. Pizza herbs to grow in your kitchen garden include oregano, thyme and basil. These are essential for Italian dishes and can be grown from seeds or as young plants.
For the dough, you will need:
2 teaspoons of dried yeast
½ teaspoon of sugar
250ml of warm water
500g of plain flour
1 teaspoon of salt
For the sauce, you will need:
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and cubed
Pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
5 fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
½ teaspoon of thyme
Toppings - grated cheese, mozzarella or whatever you desire!
Place in the Gardenesque Gas Pizza Oven for six minutes and enjoy!
Go Kamado with sweet treats
Why not use your fruits and veggies for your BBQ and create some sheer indulgence with cakes, crumbles or even cookies that every member of the family will love. Most children love to help with baking and it's a great way to spend the summer days. Don’t forget, they will be entertained as well as enthusiastically getting hands-on and helping with the stirring, kneading, and scooping into baking pans.
Our Portable Kamado Ceramic Grill Barbecue is capable of all types of cooking from grilling steaks to baking a cake! With fruit harvests starting in mid to late summer, why not try our scrumptious Apple and Raspberry Cake, made with the freshest ingredients grown by hand?
You will need:
2 apples, cored and sliced
½ cup of raspberries
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ cup of milk
100g of butter
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Preheat your Kamado Barbecue to 180c and prepare your baking tin with oil or grease with margarine. Slice the raspberries and mix with the lemon juice.
Mix the milk, butter, eggs, flour, baking powder and vanilla extract until thick. Transfer your mix into the baking tin and top with sliced apples and the raspberry mix. Place in your Kamado for approximately 45 minutes before leaving to cool and tucking in!
Homemade ice cream and lollies
What better way to cool down in the summer months than with ice cream or healthy homemade lollies? Both are pretty much a staple for the family and our homemade recipes are super easy to make. It is also a great way to use seasonal summer fruits and ensure your children have one of their five a day. Our favourite flavour is either with fresh gooseberries or strawberries but this can be done with any fruit you can harvest.
For the ice cream, you will need:
1 400g tin of condensed milk
600g whipped cream
1 tablespoon each of sugar, honey and lemon juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of strawberries or gooseberries
Chop your fruit into small pieces and mix with sugar, honey, and lemon juice, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Add the whipped cream to a bowl and beat the cream to soft peaks then add the condensed milk and vanilla extract, before finally stirring in the fruit mixture. Pour the ice cream into a freezable container. Freeze until solid (about 3-4 hours or overnight) and enjoy.
For the lollies, you will need:
250g of strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
100g plain yoghurt
100ml apple juice
Lolly moulds
Mix in a blender, pour into lolly moulds and freeze overnight for flavoursome fruit lollies that are bursting with vitamins and minerals.
Setting the atmosphere
Our Cream Sun Shade Canopy is a stylish way to shelter from the sun’s rays. The canopy, also available in green is an ideal option to relax on alfresco on your own, in the company of your family or with your friends. Why not try wrapping the canopy with our Solar Edison String Lights for cosiness, turning them into an area to serve food, or even creating a chill-out area for the family to play outdoor games.
For a real picnic vibe during the day, spread blankets and cushions around the garden for people to sit on which will add a sociable touch to your lawn, or even use as a decorative teepee-like tent for children to enjoy playing under.
One of the things that children will love doing this summer is toasting marshmallows around a fire.
Another simple but tasty treat that could rival toasted marshmallows is sliced cinnamon and toffee apples, ideal for summer but can be enjoyed at Halloween and beyond! Quick and easy to do, all you need is a covered fire pit such as our Hoole Kynance Steel Fire Pit With Lid or Steel Portable Round Fire Pit With Spark Guard Lid.
Gently roast your apple slices over the hot coals, then dip them in a tray of soft brown sugar until it is covered. Roast again until the sugar melts then remove from heat and allow the sugar to harden. Sprinkle some cinnamon over your slices and tuck in.
