Spring Picnic

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After what seemed an exceedingly long winter, Texoma Living! decided to celebrate spring with a picnic. The time, the menu, and the guests came together in a perfect location for an outing to be remembered.

It sounds simple, but like all the Texoma Living! food features, it takes a lot of back stage preparation to pull it off.

Chef Robert Aranson of Kelly Square Catering and TL editor Edward Southerland came up with the menu. Associate Editor Brenda Hantsche rounded up the guests and reached out to Sherman realtor Jo Carolyn Hicks to find the perfect location and with Kelly Square Catering manager Christy Auten, made it all come together. Photographer Jacki Lee did the site survey and took the stunning pictures that put you in the scene. To top things off, the perfect picnic needed the perfect accessory, and what could fit that role better than Tim McGraw’s 1961 Thunderbird convertible?

AshLee and Keith Carpenter

The Guests

Keith and AshLee Carpenter
Keith is the regional manager for Pure Saftey, a business software company. AshLee is a homemaker, treasurer of her PTA, and a community volunteer. The Carpenters live in Pottsboro and have a seven-year-old daughter, KyLee.

Casey and Jana Carr
Casey is an agent for the Farm Bureau Insurance Company in Sherman and Denison. Jana is an administrative assistant at Texoma Millwright & Welding in Colbert, Oklahoma. The Carrs live in Sherman.

Reggie and Stephany Smith
Reggie is an attorney with an office in Sherman. Stephany is a homemaker. The Smiths live in Van Alstyne.

The Menu

Click on a Menu Item to see the recipe

• Gazpacho
• Sweet Potato & Poblano Salad with Honey & Rosemary
• Chipotle Deviled Eggs
• Broccoli Slaw
• Rustic Roast Chicken & Baby Swiss Sandwiches with Rosemary & Garlic
• Brown Sugar Cake with Caramel Icing
• Lemonade

Credits

• Menu Consultant & Food Preparation: Executive Chef Robert Aranson
• Menu Consultant & Editor-in-Chief: Edward Southerland
• Associate Editor & Production Manager: Brenda Hantsche
• Photographer: Jacki Lee for jimmages
• Catering Manager & Production Designer: Christy Auten, Kelly Square Catering
• Location Manager: Jo Carolyn Hicks
• Thunderbird Wrangler: Tim McGraw