| Packing up a picnic is the perfect way to spend any day or weekend. Either dine on a screened porch or drive to a location where no cicadas are screeching and dive-bombing. But planning a picnic can be kind of like packing rations for an army on the move; you have to be ready for anything. Weather can always be a toss-up. To be on the safe side, pack everything as if storms could be in the forecast. As long as shelter is provided, the rest is simply securing things so they don't blow away. One smart hostess said she always brings four bricks wrapped in white freezer paper: "They have never failed to come in handy." Convincing people to get together to eat good food is easy. The hard part is making sure to follow the Picnicker's Rule (based on the Boy Scout admonition): Leave your picnic area cleaner than you found it. This means picking up trash, safely disposing of grill ashes, cleaning up tables and concrete pads. Cicadas aren't snackers, but ants are. Any time there's good food to be had; ants are the first to hit the buffet line. The University of Illinois Extension Service explains that individual ants discover your picnic bounty and return to the nest, leaving a scent trail that allows other ants to find their way to your food. What starts as a couple of ants soon turns into hundreds. Reduce ant problems by keeping food covered until it is time to eat, then re-covering it and cleaning up any waste quickly. "If an ant is found near the food, either squash it or carry it several yards away so other ants do not find out about your picnic," according to the service. As for flies, there is only one answer: Keep food covered as much as possible and keep on swatting. And the truth is that more flies are sure to show up at a July Fourth picnic than for a Memorial Day occasion. Here are tips for making it a food-safe picnic: • Pack two coolers, one for drinks and the other for prepared foods. (If raw meat or chicken will be cooked at the picnic site, it should have its own cooler). Keeping drinks in a separate cooler prevents constant opening and closing of the box, which can keep foods from staying well chilled. • All foods should be thoroughly chilled before adding them to the cooler. This keeps ice frozen longer and foods at a constant, safe temperature. • Keep coolers with food in the air-conditioned car instead of the hot trunk. When you arrive at the picnic site, place coolers in the shade and keep lids closed to maintain safe temperatures. Keep foods inside the coolers until cooking or serving time. • Follow food-safetyguidelines by keeping cold foods cold (below 45 degrees F) and hot foods hot (above 140 degrees). Pack an instant-read thermometer to check food temperatures. • Don't leave perishable foods out on the picnic table for more than two hours, and not more than an hour if temperatures are 90 degrees or above. • Use clean plates for cooked foods from the grill. Never place grilled meat or poultry on a plate that has had raw meat or poultry on it. • Make sure raw meat and poultry is carefully sealed before adding it to a cooler to prevent meat juices from contaminating other foods. Marinate meat and/or poultry in doubled up heavy-duty zip bags. • Put leftovers back in the cooler as soon as possible. Replenish ice if it melts. Keep leftovers only if there is still ice in the cooler when you get home. • Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling food or use a liquid hand sanitizer. Use disposable cutting boards and clean utensils with warm, soapy water after each use. The accompanying recipes for main picnic dishes, such as chicken that tastes good served cold, and tradition sides, such as red potato salad, may help make your Memorial Day outing really memorable: Superb Fruit Salad 1 cup sour cream
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lime juice
3 thinly sliced, unpeeled apples
2 cups seedless green or red grapes
2 sliced bananas
1 (16-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
2 cups cantaloupe, cut up
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
Yield: 10-12 servings To make dressing, combine sour cream and yogurt. Mix well. Blend in honey and lime juice. (A grating of nutmeg is optional.) To make salad, combine first five fruits with a little of the dressing; garnish with kiwi slices. Serve remaining dressing separately. Italian Pasta Salad 2 pounds cooked, drained pasta shapes (shells or rotelli), rinsed with cold water
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 jar stuffed green olives, drained, sliced
1 jar gardenia salad (often on the pickle aisle), drained
4 carrots, peeled and shredded
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
Optional: Bits or thin strips of salami or pepperoni
One bottle Italian salad dressing of your choice In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, thoroughly drained, with the quartered artichoke hearts (may be marinated or canned plain ones), the sliced olives, gardenia salad, carrots and celery (both may be gathered at a supermarket salad bar). Toss well with just enough Italian dressing to moisten. Cover and chill up to 4 hours. When ready to serve, toss again, adding more dressing as necessary. Do not chill overnight or all the dressing will be absorbed as the pasta softens and breaks down. (Best served at room temperature.) Cold Grilled Chicken 1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon sweet paprika (not hot)
2 garlic cloves
6 chickens, split in half
1/2 cup cooking oil
Yield: 16 servings The day before the picnic: Combine the soy sauce, sherry, paprika and garlic; reserve ¼ cup and keep chilled. Pour remaining marinade over the chicken halves in heavy plastic bags that re-seal. Let stand in the fridge for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard marinade. Brush each piece with oil. Grill, bone side to the heat, for about 10 minutes. Brush with the reserved marinade and grill for about 5 more minutes. Turn and brush with marinade and grill about 10 more minutes or until fully cooked. Cool the chicken thoroughly in the fridge before packing to take along on the picnic. Red Potato Salad 3 pounds red potatoes (not Idahos or russet baking potatoes)
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
3 large celery ribs, sliced
4 bacon strips, fried and crumbled
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 (8-oz.) bottle ranch dressing
Yield: 10 servings In a large pot of boiling water, cook the unpeeled potatoes until tender. Cool completely but do not peel if the red skins are tender. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and place in large mixing bowl. Salt lightly and add freshly milled white pepper, if desired. Add onion, celery, bacon, black olives and dill relish. Lightly mix the ingredients. Add dressing and toss lightly to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Grilled Corn with Hotlips Chili Butter 4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Pinch ground red pepper
6 ears fresh corn, husked
Yield: 6 servings Preheat outdoor grill. In a small bowl, combine butter, cilantro, salt, chili powder, sugar and ground red pepper. Brush corn lightly with mixture; grill, turning occasionally, until some kernels turn golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove, brush with remaining chili butter. | 
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