Fall Harvest Picnic Planner

Here’s everything you need to host a fabulous outdoor fête—with a few surprises!

You’re invited to the social event of the season: a fall feast, right in your own backyard! If your local climate allows, make it a fall harvest picnic.

How much fun would it be to invite guests to enjoy nature’s bounty and beauty under the harvest moon or late-summer sun? We asked veteran photo stylist/producer Sunday Hendrickson (sundayhendrickson.com) to share the photos and details of her most memorable—and magnificent—festive fall feast assignments with you.

The seasonal soirée was to take place at a ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The homeowner, Sidney Dye, owns First Fig Culinary Adventures, a catering business.

According to Sunday, “Sidney’s styling theme was, ‘Let’s picnic outdoors with gourmet recipes—and invite all the critters too: Hershel, the pygmy goat, and Chester, the miniature donkey.’ She wanted it to be held in a welcoming spot where all the guests would want to linger, and not too far from the kitchen so that the food would stay warm.”

Sunday and Sidney decided on a rustic plot of land on the ranch. “It was a simple, fenced-in grassy area where the critters could graze,” Sunday says. “We wanted it to feel eclectic and casual, not proper and ‘matchy-matchy.’”

Sunday’s Soirée Style

Sunday’s creative spirit was filled with excitement and bursting with fresh ideas. The ambiance she envisioned for the alfresco setting was “rustic and a mix-up of everything ‘fall,’” she says.

Color was the foundation for the rest of Sunday’s styling choices. Her party palette consisted of fall colors: oranges, rusts, browns, mustards and burgundies.

Textures (including layering textures) and patterns were important to the overall ambiance as well. To add support and enhance the rustic scenery, Sunday used a wide range of textures, including rough-and-ready wood surfaces, unpolished copper, pewter, galvanized buckets, nappy linens and weathered wicker.

“I also used throws and quilts to soften the utilitarian look of the cyclone fence,” she says.

Patterns (including mixing and matching patterns) that fit the fall fête were plaids and paisleys in deep, rich tones.

“To include nature in the design, we used berry twigs as cider stirrers and piles of gourds and pumpkins straight from the garden patch,” Sunday notes.

Nature also played a leading role in the party’s lighting.

“We chose the dappled light under a tree so there was no harsh sun or dreary, deep shadows,” she says.

To make sure the guests had plenty of comfortable seating while dining, Sunday considered the setting as an outdoor room.

“I brought in furniture from the interior of Sidney’s home, such as the upholstered chairs, to make it as comfortable as being indoors,” she says. “I also brought out a pine table and chairs from the kitchen.”

Sunday also made a point of keeping the tableware for the outdoor party in the spirit of the rustic setting: No paper cups, plates or plastic utensils were seen at this stylish picnic.

“We used forks and spoons that had been placed in old Ball jars,” she says. “I raided the local antiques market for quilts, old tins and buckets, and weathered forks and spoons.”

Last, but not least, were the food elements. Again, Mother Nature was the “head chef” for the event.

“The menu consisted of warm, hearty food made from everything available at that time of year—apples, mushrooms, figs, pomegranates, pumpkins and blood oranges,” Sunday explains.

While the event was outstanding in every way, Sunday says her favorite part was making it so inviting that even the critters wanted to join in.

“We simply opened the barn doors, and they ran over to join in the excitement; and, as you can see, they couldn’t resist partaking,” she says. “We had to keep chasing the hens and roosters off the photo-shoot set!”

Sunday offers her best tip for hosting your first outdoor fall feast: “You can’t plan it all out ahead of time,” she says. “Gather more props than you think you’ll need, and then gradually place them into your setup. Only then can you see which ones look the best.” 

Menu for a  Fall Harvest Feast

Here, Sunday Hendrickson shares her favorite seasonal recipes that were served at the ranch picnic:

Wild Mushroom and Herb Crostini

Makes 20–24 crostini

To save time, make the mushrooms and crostini a day ahead and assemble them at the last minute. You can also substitute fontina for goat cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 onions, yellow and/or red, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 baguette, cut on the diagonal, into 20–24 pieces
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, clamshell and/or cremini). Alternatively, you can use porcini, morel or chanterelle (2 to 4 varieties). Cut larger mushrooms into thick slices.
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 12.5 oz. goat cheese, softened
• Lemon zest
• Red pepper flakes
• 20–24 small thyme sprigs

Instructions

1. Add olive oil to a heated sauté pan. Add sliced onions and caramelize them over medium heat until they’re golden brown—about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove them from the heat and set aside.
2. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Place them on baking sheets and broil until they’re lightly toasted. Turn and repeat. Set them aside to cool.
3. Heat butter and olive oil in a sauté pan. Sauté the garlic and shallots over medium heat until they’re translucent.
4. Add the mushrooms to the garlic and shallot mixture. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat until they’re wilted. Add the white wine and reduce the heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook the mushrooms until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
5. Place the goat cheese in a bowl and stir it until it’s creamy. Add the lemon zest and red pepper flakes.
6. Spread the goat cheese mixture on the baguette toasts. Carefully pile on the sautéed mushrooms. Top them with caramelized onions and then garnish them with fresh thyme sprigs.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad With Goat Cheese

Makes 6–8 servings

If you can’t find persimmons, ordinary oranges or even blood oranges are festive alternatives. Just remember to trim between the sections so there are no white membranes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pepitas
• 1 pomegranate, cut and seeded
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 persimmons, peeled and cut into slices
• 3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Pomegranate vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Toast the pepitas in a small sauté pan for 5 minutes or until they’re fragrant. Stir them about halfway through to keep them from burning.
2. To seed the pomegranate, slice off the stem end and place the cut side on the board to stabilize it. Use a paring knife to cut a circle, angling it in around the “crown” of the pomegranate, cutting it out. Use your knife to cut along the outside ridges of the pomegranate. Then use your fingers to gently pry open the pomegranate. Working over a bowl, use your fingers to pull the seeds away from the peel and membranes.
3. Place the spinach in a salad bowl. Arrange the pepitas, pomegranate seeds, persimmons and goat cheese on the spinach. Drizzle everything with pomegranate vinaigrette (recipe follows).

Pomegranate Vinagrette

• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Juice from one lemon
• 1 Tbsp. honey (or more to taste)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Whisk together the pomegranate molasses, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until everything is emulsified.

Classic Risotto with Butternut Squash

Makes 6–8 servings

Ingredients for Butternut Squash

• 1 butternut squash
• Olive oil (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Chili powder (to taste)

Instructions for Roasting the Butternut Squash

Peel and core a medium-sized butternut squash. Cut it into cubes and then dice them to a medium size. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. Roast the squash in a preheated, 375° (F) oven until tender for about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the squash to basic risotto (recipe follows).

Risotto takes on autumn appeal with roasted chunks of caramelized butternut squash—crunchy on the outside and velvety smooth on the inside.

Basic Risotto Ingredients

• 6 cups stock or broth or 3 cups of canned, low-sodium chicken broth mixed with 3 cups of water
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 cups arborio or other short-
• to medium-grain rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Italian parsley, chopped
• Parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions

1. Pour the chicken stock or broth mixture into a medium saucepan and bring it to a slow simmer. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft (about 8 minutes). Don’t let the onion or garlic brown.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring until the rice is hot (about 2 minutes). Add the wine and simmer, stirring until it is absorbed.
3. Ladle the hot stock into the rice mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring often and adding more liquid only when the previous addition has been absorbed. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. It should take about 20 minutes for the rice to become creamy and al dente. You might not need all the liquid.
4. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the risotto among warm bowls. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and shaved Parmesan.

Apple Rum Raisin Clafouti

Makes 6–8 servings

Cleverly presented in a beautiful copper skillet on a basket “pedestal,” clafouti is a rustic European dessert that is super-simple to make.

Ingredients

• 5 medium-sized apples
• 1¼ cups whole milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup golden raisins, soaked in rum
• Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Peel and slice the apples into ¼-inch-thick slices. Set them aside.
2. In a blender or stand mixer, combine the milk, eggs, flour, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla and salt until everything is frothy. Generously butter a 9-inch, ovenproof pan (cast iron or copper works well). Set the pan on the stovetop over low heat and pour enough batter to form a ¼-inch layer across the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat when the batter is set.
3. Arrange the apple slices creatively on the surface of the smooth batter layer. Add rum raisins to the remaining batter. Pour the batter carefully on top of the apples. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar evenly on top. Place in a 375º (F) oven to bake until it is puffed and golden.
4. The clafouti will deflate significantly when it cools. Sprinkle it with confectioner’s sugar and serve it lukewarm—or even cold—for a delicious snack or breakfast the next day.