For the second event in my Quarantine Halloween series, I invited one of my friends over for a socially distanced pumpkin picnic in my backyard. I set up two blankets in a corner of my yard by my raised bed garden with my pumpkin vines in between us. I made a lovely fall soup & salad menu for lunch, plus delicious pumpkin cookies. Here’s how I did it, recipes and all!

The Food

Even though this was in my own backyard, I wanted food that would be easy for all of you to pack up and take on a picnic. I decided on soup and salad: pumpkin soup transported in a portable coffee pot, a delicious autumn salad packed in to-go cups (I normally use mason jars but mine are in the fridge with hot fudge in them), and pumpkin cookies that wouldn’t crumble or break in transit.

Menu
Butternut Squash Feta Salad
Pumpkin Soup
Baguette, Grapes
Pookies, aka Pumpkin Cookies

Butternut Squash Feta Salad

I’m a sucker for butternut squash salad in the fall. I really could eat it every day! This version has mixed greens, roasted butternut squash, salty Feta cheese, toasted pecans, and my favorite maple vinaigrette. It’s an amazing combination. Get the recipe here.

Pumpkin Soup

I’m so proud of this recipe! This pumpkin soup is amazing. It’s fun to make, it’s full of flavor, and it has a luscious consistency. I used a leftover pie pumpkin from my Harvest Festival tic-tac-toe game to make this soup. It’s good for you, it makes the house smell amazing, and I felt incredibly energized after eating this for lunch three days in a row. The best part? It’s actually better day two – so make it the day ahead for easy entertaining. Get the recipe here.

Pookies, aka Pumpkin Cookies 

I’ve been baking these cookies since high school but they’ve never before appeared on The Rose Table! These fabulous fall morsels are full of chocolate chips. You won’t even believe how soft they are. They’re almost more like muffins that look like cookies. They’ll definitely get you in the mood for fall! Get the recipe here.

The Drink

We had pumpkin tea with honey at this picnic. I had a thermos of hot water, tea bags, and adorable little individual honey packets.

The Blankets 

Normally my friends picnic on my picnic blanket but since we were social distancing, I set up two picnic blankets with lanterns, pumpkins, and picnic baskets. My blanket had my Draper James woven tote bag, a cute Pick-Your-Own-Pumpkin Sign, fairytale pumpkins, a white lantern, potted mums, and a large tray for the food.

My friend’s blanket had my classic picnic basket, white lanterns, orange and white pumpkins, my white silk peonies from Mint Julep, a basket of squash, and a tray. Both blankets had cream napkins and my favorite branch forks.

I used my dreamy new pumpkin plates and mugs for the “table” setting with the trays serving as a way to stabilize the plates. This is my new favorite picnic hack! I get so stressed out that my drink is going to fall over but it was safe and sound on the tray.