A Caribbean {Floating} Island Picnic on the Pontoon

I’m joining The Novel Bakers for Picnic Week!

I had some end of summer fun on our Caribbean {Floating} Island,

our pontoon boat, docked instead of floating, for this Caribbean Picnic!

A hula table skirt swag, tropical floral bunting, paper lanterns and

flamingos set the stage for a Caribbean Island Picnic.

A picnic caddy holds the essentials including sunscreen and sunglasses. . .

And some fruit infused water will keep you hydrated for your day in the sun.

Colorful striped melamine plates and flatware are carefree and make for easy island picnicking. . .

And we’re enjoying Caribbean Cold Rice Salad,

good chilled or served at room temperature,

recipe courtesy of Picnic by Dee Dee Stovel.

Picnic by DeeDee Stovel:

 Picnics are fun, casual, and somehow the food just tastes better in a beautiful outdoor setting.

In PICNIC, DeeDee Stovel offers 29 picnic event ideas with more than 125 recipes – packable repasts from an informal Berry Picking Picnic to an elegant Music Festival Picnic. Although PICNIC includes all of the traditional fare, the recipes for the soups, entrées, salads, and desserts are all a cut above the ordinary.

And when lazy summer days turn chilly, enjoy a Sports Booster Picnic, a Fall Foliage in New England Picnic, and an Après-Ski Picnic. Wine and beer selections accompany each menu. Plus picnic lore, packing to go, the perfect picnic basket, rainy day alternatives, and much more. It’s an all-American feast!

*Caribbean* Cold Rice Salad, Serves 8 (I made half a recipe)

Ingredients

6 cups cooked brown rice

¾ cup dried currants (I soaked in hot water to plump for 10 minutes, then drained)

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped (I soaked it in pineapple juice prior to assembling to prevent it from oxidizing)

1 medium purple onion, chopped (I used less)

1 medium green bell pepper seeded and chopped (I used half orange, half yellow bell pepper for color instead)

¼ cup capers

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Dressing

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I substituted Dijon mustard)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup vegetable oil (I used extra light olive oil)

In a large bowl, mix together rice, currants, almonds, apple, onion, pepper, capers, and ginger.

 Place all ingredients except oil in *blender and to make dressing and blend. With machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil until mixture is creamy. *If using Dijon mustard instead of dry, you can add dressing ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously.

Print Recipe

Carribean Cold Rice Salad

An easy and delicious cold rice salad and picnic side for summer.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

chill time 2 hours2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Carribean

Keyword: almonds, apple, cold salad, currants, curry, picnic side, wild rice

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 6 cups cooked brown rice
• ¾ cup dried currants I soaked in hot water to plump for 10 minutes, then drained
• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1 Granny Smith apple chopped
• 1 medium purple onion chopped (I used less)
• 1 medium green bell pepper seeded and chopped I used half orange, half yellow bell pepper for color instead
• ¼ cup capers
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Dressing

• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard I substituted Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¾ cup vegetable oil I used extra light olive oil

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together rice, currants, almonds, apple, onion, pepper, capers, and ginger.
• Make dressing by placing all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor until blended. With machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil until mixture is creamy.
• Pour dressing over salad and chill for a minimum of 2 hours. Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Soak chopped apple in pineapple juice for 10 minutes then drain prior to assembling salad to prevent it from turning brown/oxidizing.

 Caribbean Island Shrimp Kabobs

Caribbean Island Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined large raw shrimp

*Wooden or metal skewers

*If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for 30 minutes before assembling the kabobs.

Whisk together all ingredients in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; add shrimp. Cover  or seal, and chill 30 minutes. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove shrimp from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto skewers.

Grill shrimp, 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Meanwhile, bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; drizzle over grilled shrimp.

Print Recipe

Caribbean Island Shrimp Kabobs

Enjoy a taste of the tropics with grilled citrus marinated shrimp for a summer picnic side.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

marinating time 30 minutes30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Carribean

Keyword: citrus, grill, kabobs, picnic side, shrimp, summer

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Wooden or metal skewers
• Grill or grill pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined large raw shrimp
• *Wooden or metal skewers

Instructions

• Whisk together all ingredients in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; add shrimp. Cover or seal, and chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove shrimp from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto skewers.
• Grill shrimp, 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Meanwhile, bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; drizzle over grilled shrimp.

Notes

*If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before assembling the kabobs.

Tropical Fruit Salad with Toasted Coconut inspiration is from

 Picnics & Tailgates: Good Food for the Great Outdoors

(Williams-Sonoma Outdoors)

I didn’t use tropical fruit other than pineapple but the magic ingredient in the salad is the toasted coconut. Toast it on a baking sheet at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes, watch carefully since happens quickly!

You can find a printable recipe from Williams-Sonoma, here.

“A picnic is more than eating a meal, it’s a pleasurable state of mind.”

~ DeeDee Stovel, Picnic

Caribbean {Floating} Island Picnic Details:

Melamine Plates, Tablecloth, Placemats / Kohl’s

Hula Leaf Placemats & Tray / Pottery Barn, several years ago

Napkins / Target

Embossed Fruit Beverage Dispenser/ Pfaltzgraff

Glasses / HomeGoods, several years ago

Galvanized Bottle/Picnic Caddy, Pottery Barn

Flatware / World Market/ a year ago

Flamingo, Hula Table Skirt Swag, Floral Bunting & Paper Lanterns / Hobby Lobby

Disclaimer: The Captain of the Caribbean does not condone nor approve of

frolicking flamingos, tropical bunting or hula skirt swags on his vessel.

He did however approve of the menu :)

As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bring your appetite and your virtual picnic basket and visit Jain, Michael Lee and Linda for Picnic Week.

Jain, a quiet life

Michael Lee, Rattlebridge Farm

Linda, More Fun Less Laundry

Thank you for your visit, sharing with:

 Metamorphosis Monday