The Perfect Holiday Office Party Picnic With A Twist!

Bella Breakdown

There is nothing like a good old-fashioned picnic, especially in sunny South Florida! For nearly every major holiday our small but mighty office group typically hosts a traditional picnic, but this year we decided to switch things up a bit. Ordinarily, we each bring in a dish to share with everyone, but this holiday season instead of making your typical picnic fare we thought it would be fun to take traditional recipes, put a little twist on them, and make the food together!

Caprese Stuffed Avocados

The first dish we made was Caprese Stuffed Avocados which were delicious and ridiculously easy to put together!

First, score the avocados and scoop out the flesh leaving a small border and set aside. Then, in a large bowl, toss the diced avocado with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, divide the salad among the avocados shell halves, and garnish with chopped basil and a squeeze of fresh lime juice! This dish was fun to make because it put a bright Floridian twist on a traditional Caprese salad and the vibrant color combo was just stunning!

Mojito Watermelon

The second dish we made put a simple (and totally delicious) spin on a traditional picnic food favorite, watermelon! Instead, of serving regular watermelon, we spiced it up by making a Mojito Watermelon side!

All you have to do is whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and serve over sliced watermelon with a hint of lime zest, mint, and sea salt. Psst… this one was our favorite dish of the day!

Drinks & Dessert

When it came down to our drink selection, we wanted something refreshing, light and bright, so we chose good old-fashioned iced tea and found a flavor that put a twist on the standard iced tea recipe. We opted for Lipton Green Tea Citrus flavored iced tea and we have to say it was the perfect complement to our meal and worked very well with the citrusy elements in both the Caprese Stuffed Avocados & Mojito Watermelon.

And of course, a meal would not be complete without dessert! With that being said, we chose to reimagine a traditional holiday favorite… homemade marshmallows! Instead of your average ‘mallow, we made Matcha Dusted Marshmallows! And this was the easiest recipe of all of them. Simply put a little matcha powder in a bowl, use a spoon to gently breakup any clumps and then use a sieve to lightly dust the matcha over the marshmallows and then serve. The earthyness of the matcha cuts the sweetness of the marshmallow to create a unique and delightful treat!
 
 
Switching things up this year by making our meal together and putting a twist on our traditional office picnic was a memory that we will never forget. We took a moment to detach from the busy world around us and have a little fun and that reminded all of us of the things that really matter, especially during the holidays; enjoying time with the people you care about and embracing the moments that truly matter.
 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton. The opinions and text are all mine.