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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 21, 2014 | 6 A picnic in the park can bring a family together Healthy Fam HealthyFam founder, chef and restaurateur Spotlight "Connected to your Community" pand, including ourselves. Fond memories Do I look back on those days with fondness? Of course I do. Could I replicate those days? Maybe, but very rarely would I have the time. Being together as a family and enjoying the summer, is what I miss the most. What better way than a simple outdoor picnic to bring us together. Today, I have featured two recipes that are easy to make and exciting to eat. I hope these recipes will inspire you to take a blanket, pack a picnic basket and spend a few hours hanging out with your family and friends at a local park. Muffaletta sandwich The sandwich originated from Central Grocery in New Orleans. Ingredients: · 1 cup chopped giardiniera (pickled Italian vegetables) plus a tbsp. of liquid from the jar · 2 tbsp. drained capers, plus 2 tsp. of liquid from the jar; or 1/4 cup sliced black olives · 2 1/2 tsp. minced garlic · 1 tsp. dried oregano · 1 tsp. dried parsley · A pinch of dried thyme · A pinch of crushed red pepper · 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil · 1 large loaf of Calabrese or Italian bread · 200g sliced capocollo or prosciutto · 200g of Genoa salami · 200g sliced mortadella · 150g sliced mild provolone cheese · 150g sliced fresh mozzarella Method: 1. In a medium bowl, stir the giardiniera, capers or olives and their respective liquids. Add the garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme and crushed red pepper. Stir in the olive oil and let the mixture stand for one hour. 2. Open the Calabrese bread on a work surface and remove some of the interior. Spoon the olive oil on both sides of the bread and spread evenly. Arrange the mozzarella slices on the bottom half of the bread, then top with Julia Hanna O n a recent bright and beautiful Saturday afternoon, while driving to my home, I spotted a family picnicking at a small local park. They had spread a blanket out on the grass and were busy unloading their picnic basket, while the children played on the swings. I was struck by how the impact of that image was able to catapult me back to a much simpler time. I grew up on Rosethorn Avenue in the St. Clair and Dufferin area of Toronto. Summer Sunday picnics were grand and much anticipated events. Boyd Park in Vaughan was one of our favorite destinations, and as a child it felt like we were driving to a far off land. No ordinary picnics These were no ordinary picnics, as the preparation began mid-week. The women would food shop on Wednesday and the preparation would begin on Thursday for a feast to be savored on Sunday. The menu would typically include a light lunch that would start with a homemade lasagna, followed by breaded veal cutlets, roasted potatoes and marinated red peppers. After that light lunch, the women cleaned (gladly, this is not the case today) and the men would play bocce while the kids swam. Mid-afternoon, espresso was made in a macchinetta on the barbecue and served with hazelnut biscotti, watermelon and cantaloupe. By 6:30 p.m., believe it or not, the women were cooking again. The barbecue was lit, the steaks were grilled and served alongside sautéed rapini and a tossed green salad with a simple oil and vinegar dressing. The evening went on to feature the men playing cards and the women nally having an opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved break. Then the clean-up began, packing everything up seemed like an impossible mission. Everything seemed to have t going there, but coming back everything seemed to ex- Muffaletta sandwiches, at left, originated from Central Grocery in New Orleans, while, at right, lemon and pistachio cannolis are light and refreshing treats for a picnic lunch. | photo by Shane Azam the capocollo, salami and mortadella. Top with the giardiniera mixture and arrange the provolone slices on the top half of the bread, covering completely. Close the sandwich and cover tightly in plastic wrap. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and no more than two hours. Cut the sandwich into eight pieces. Lemon and pistachio cannoli Ingredients: · 400g ricotta · 150g mascarpone · 150g Greek-style yogurt · 150g icing sugar, sifted · Zest of two lemons and juice of one · 75g pistachios, finely chopped · Icing sugar to serve · Pre-made cannoli shells -- available at your grocery store Method: 1. Mix ricotta, mascarpone, and Greek yoghurt in a bowl. Zest lemon and add lemon juice to your lling. 2. Gradually sift in icing sugar. 3. Mix well and add nely chopped pistachios. 4. Chill mixture. 5. Pipe or spoon filling into your cannoli shells. HealthyFam is a non-pro t organization that teaches people the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, staying active and connecting with family around the dinner table. Based in Oakville, HealthyFam was founded by chef and restaurateur Julia Hanna, with help from Longo's. It includes the Kids Culinary Community, Family Culinary Community, and Seniors Culinary Community. NEIL OLIVER Vice­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Volume 52 | Number 100 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor