Chef Amanda Freitag is known for her work as a judge on "Chopped," her appearances on "Iron Chef America" and "The Next Iron Chef," and creating the all-American experience that is New York City's renowned Empire Diner, having served as its previous executive chef.
Freitag found comfort cooking in her kitchen from a young age and has amassed scores of easy hacks to prep, pack and plan a perfect picnic basket.
She dropped by "GMA3" recently to unpack her basket, and everything inside it -- think orzo pasta salad, pickled veggies galore, satiating sandwiches and cool cucumber mint lemonade.
Check out her picnic staples below, and try making them at home for your next outing.
MORE: Impress your summer dinner guests with chef Angie Mar's orange blossom crepe and caramel recipe
Chef Amanda Freitag's Perfect Picnic Basket
Orzo "Pasta" Salad
Makes: 3 cups (4 servings)
Ingredients
2 cups cooked orzo
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Mediterranean lemon AF spice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting pasta water
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
Cook the orzo in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and cool to room temperature.
Peel and dice the red onion. Chop the olives, parsley, oregano and basil. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Use your clean hands or a two large spoons to gingerly mix.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Place the pasta salad in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.
Serve alongside burgers and grilled meats at an outdoor barbecue or top with a protein for a quick lunch or dinner.
Muffaletta Slides with Giardiniera
Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 cups white balsamic vinegar
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1-2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fennel seed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 head cauliflower
2 large carrots
3-4 celery ribs
1 red bell pepper
3-4 garlic cloves
2 Fresno peppers
1 pack original Hawaiian sweet rolls
1/2 pound salami
1/2 pound ham (I like prosciutto cotto)
1/2 pound mortadella
1/2 pound provolone
Directions for giardiniera
Trim and cut the cauliflower into florets and set aside.
Peel the carrots and slice into 1-inch thick rounds.
Cut the celery ribs into roughly a 1-inch dice.
Trim and seed Fresno and bell peppers. Cut into large 1-inch dice.
In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegars, sugar, bay leaves, fennel seed and salt, stir well to combine and bring up to a boil over medium heat.
Once the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture has boiled, turn the heat off and add the prepped vegetables to the pot.
Once the liquid has cooled, transfer the vegetables and the pickling liquid into a suitably sized mason jar or any tightly sealed container, ensuring that the pickling liquid covers the vegetables.
Place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before eating.
Directions for the sandwiches
Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half without separating them and lift off the top.
Build the layers of meat and cheese, alternating twice.
Top the last layer (ending with cheese) with the olive and giardiniera salad.
Place the top layer of bread back over and skewer each section and cut to serve.
Tip: Mix 1 cup finely chopped giardiniera with 1 cup finely chopped black and green olive mix, 1 tablespoon "Jersey Italian" AF Spice, and 2 tablespoons giardiniera pickle liquid for a muffuletta sandwich spread.
Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Ingredients
1 cup English cucumber, medium dice
1 cup mint leaves
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
2 cups water
1/4 cup agave syrup
Directions
Blend all ingredients together in a blender and strain through a fine sieve.
Pour over ice and garnish with a cucumber slice and a mint leaf.
