Beach Picnic: Chicken, Soup, Dessert

It's Foodie Friday, hosted by the delightful and gracious Michael Lee of Designs by Gollum. Thank you for joining me for a beach picnic.  When you pack your picnic basket and head to the beach this summer, skip the standard sandwiches and whet your appetite with some seaside sensations! Because it can be served cold as well as warm, Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken is a hearty take-along entree that's great for get-togethers all season long. Beat the summer heat with a cold soup such as Shrimp Gazpacho, featuring the fresh flavors of shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers and more. When having fun in the sun, it's best to skip chocolate desserts that can melt. Instead, make a batch of crowd-pleasing Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars.

These recipes all can be found and came from Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2004,  all photos by Taste of Home.

Oven Fried Chicken
Marinate chicken in lemonade for a delicious and refreshing meal.
4-6 ServingsPrep: 20 min. + marinating Bake: 50 min.

Ingredients
1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Refrigerate 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate for basting. Pour remaining concentrate into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.
Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until juices run clear, basting with reserved lemonade concentrate every 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Yield: 4-6 servings.
Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2004, p214

Shrimp Gazpacho
This refreshing tomato-based soup features shrimp, cucumber and avocados.
12 ServingsPrep: 10 min. + chilling

Ingredients
6 cups spicy hot V8 juice
2 cups cold water
1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
2 medium ripe avocados, diced
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Directions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve cold. Yield: 12 servings (about 3 quarts).

Editor's Note:This recipe is best served the same day it's made.
Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 128 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 57 mg cholesterol, 551 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 10 g protein.
Shrimp Gazpacho published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2004, p215

Almond Coconut Lemon Bars
Give traditional lemon bars a tasty twist with the addition of almonds and coconut.
36-48 ServingsPrep: 10 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup blanched almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

FILLING:
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, almonds and lemon peel; cover and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter; pulse just until mixture is crumbly. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, coconut, lemon juice, flour, lemon peel and baking powder; pour over the hot crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Yield: 3-4 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 bar (calculated without confectioners' sugar) equals 86 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2004, p214

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