When the weather gets warmer, everyone wants to get outside—especially to dine alfresco. So spread a blanket on the grass, set out some simple, delicious food and refreshing drinks, and enjoy the sunshine! In Picnics, you’ll find everything you need to put together a beautiful outdoor meal: easy recipes for spring and summer, tips on what to pack (and how to pack it), and even themed menus for truly special feasts.

Fresh, tasty picnic ideas include:

• Easy, enticing starters like Smoked Salmon with Caper Sour Cream and Black Bread, Mini Crab Cakes with Wasabi Mayonnaise, and Coriander Peanut Sauce with Crudités

• Neat-to-eat wraps and sandwiches, including Chilled Meat Loaf Sandwiches with Spicy Ketchup, Grilled Chicken and Swiss with Pesto on Sourdough, and Vegetarian Pita Pockets with Hummus, Marinated Eggplant, and Baby Greens

• Refreshing salads such as Red Potato Salad with Bacon and Fresh Herbs, Minty Cucumber Salad, and Sesame-Glazed Shrimp Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

• Savory dips and spreads like Tangy Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Sweet-and-Hot Mango Chutney, plus the breads that go with them, including Parmesan Cheese Twists, Garlic-Rosemary Focaccia, and Cheddar Corn Bread with Green Chilies

• Portable classic desserts such as Chocolate-Dunked Coconut Macaroons, Strawberry-Almond Scones, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

From an all-American Fourth of July picnic to the perfect beach party or poolside snack, Picnics simplifies all the details so you can relax and have fun!

Robin Vietta-Miller's Picnics: Easy Recipes For The Best Alfresco Foods arrives just in time for summer and the warm weather, offering picnic fare with a twist: new ideas and dashes of innovation. Packed with enticing color photos Picnics holds such dishes as Chilled Meat Loaf Sandwiches with Spicy Ketchup, Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches with Almond Mayonnaise, Smoked Salmon and Black Bread and more.