Locally Sourced Summer Picnic Recipes by Pinemelon

Photo courtesy of Pinemelon

It’s officially picnic season, and Pinemelon – Denver’s local-first online grocer – offers three picnic-friendly recipes built around Colorado producers. All of the ingredients can be ordered through Pinemelon and delivered to your doorstep within hours, to encourage impromptu picnicking any day of the week. No grocery store or farmers market trip is required to whip up one of these easy but flavor-packed dishes, each of which could be the star of any picnic spread.

Pinemelon wants to make it easy for people to shop, support and eat local. Its team understands how accessing and supporting local farmers, ranchers and food producers isn’t always within reach, so they created a farmers market experience in an app. Now, it’s possible to support the local food system as part of your everyday routine – just add Colorado-made items to your next grocery order (or picnic plan!).

Italian Pasta Salad

• 8 oz Pastificio Campanelle
• 1/2 head of Kilt Farms organic green leaf tropicana lettuce
• Il Porcellino Finocchiona Salumi
• 2 tbsp Gotham Greens pesto
• 1/2 c. Mountain Girl Pickles – pickled garlic 
• 1 c. Rocky Mountain Fresh cherry tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Follow directions on the Pastificio box and boil your pasta in salted water until al dente. Strain and let cool. Option to drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. 
2. Slice lettuce, tomatoes, salumi and garlic into bite-sized pieces. 
3. Add your ingredients to the cooled pasta and lightly toss. 
4. Add in the pesto and lightly toss again until all is incorporated. Add cracked pepper and pinch of salt.
5. Refrigerate and serve in a large bowl. Be sure to pack a serving spoon, small cups and forks.

Cheesecake Parfaits 

• 8 oz Five Freedoms Dairy – ricotta
• 8 oz Five Freedoms Dairy – greek yogurt
• 8 oz Fruit Gravy – strawberry rhubarb compote 
• 2-3 Gnarly Mountain Cookies – horchata flavor
• 2 tbs Highland Honey – creamed honey 

1. Combine your ricotta and greek yogurt in a bowl with honey. Set aside. 
2. Crush cookies into small crumbs to act as your crust layers. 
3. In small ramekins or glasses, add a layer of cookie crumbles first, followed by the ricotta mixture and then compote. 
4. Continue layering beginning with the cookie crumbles until you are near the top and end with jam. 
5. Let sit in the fridge until it’s time for your picnic! Don’t forget the spoons.

Charcuterie Tart

• 1 Hinman Pie Dough or Shell
• 6 oz. Fox Fungi – mushroom confit
• 3 oz. Ullrs Garden arugula
• 2 oz. Kelly Jean’s Microgreens – Broccoli
• 3 oz. Prosciutto 
• 4 oz. Goat cheese 
• 1 Egg
• Balsamic vinegar to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. On a baking sheet, flatten out your Hinman pie dough until it looks like a pie crust and lays down on the sheet pan fully. Curl in the edges to make a border. Alternatively, grab a pre-shaped pie shell. 
3. Cover the crust in egg wash and bake until golden brown. 
4. Remove from oven and let cool. 
5. Spread a layer of mushroom confit and goat cheese. Put back in the oven until the cheese has melted.
6. Remove from oven and finish with prosciutto, arugula and microgreens.
7. Drizzle with balsamic and serve! Eat with your hands, but keep napkins handy.