Although dining out for Friday lunch is a time-honored and highly anticipated tradition here at Page One, the more recent tradition of the occasional potluck is no less satisfying. In fact, these in-office events have become a kind of competition where each team seeks to one-up the group before in terms of their food theme and overall deliciousness. This Friday was not a disappointment.

Outside-in… a Picnic themed potluck at Page One Web Solutions.

To celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, we decided on a “picnic” theme for lunch. The menu:

Red Snapper Hot Dogs – At first, Elise was grief-sticken that her steamed dogs had mostly split open into twisted mutations of their former selves, but then I pointed out that they had inadvertently been outfitted with perfect Wickles relish canyons/mustard trenches. Combined with toasted split-top buns, they were the perfect accent to this seasonal spread.

Fried Chicken – Nice and crispy on the outside, warm and juicy on the inside– exactly how fried chicken should be.

Buffalo Chicken Dip – Not too spicy, not too runny, and chock full of chicken, this was tied with the cheese pie (mentioned below) for favorite dish of the day. Served with a huge tray of toasted baguette.

Cheese Pie – Neither quiche nor pizza, this curious dish hangs in culinary limbo, waiting for the day it can atone for its past sins and graduate to either of the heavenly foods I just compared it to. Despite its status in food purgatory, it was much beloved by all who devoured it. Cheesy. Herby. Yes.

The full spread.

Deviled Eggs – Another crowd favorite, thanks to my secret recipe. Well, perhaps not so secret after sharing it with a couple of Marketing peeps…

Pasta Salad – Macaroni, veggies, cubes of cheese, and slices of salami/pepperoni. It doesn’t get better than this for a warm spring day. I found myself grabbing leftovers for much of the following week, as a dish like this only gets better the longer it sits and marinates.

Quinoa Salad – I missed out on this dish– which is unfortunate, as I love quinoa in all forms– but I am told that it was quite delish.

Noodle Dish – Full of flavor and seasoning, this was a jaunty surprise alongside the more standard picnic-y faire.

Veggie Salad – ‘Nuff said.

Brownies – Baked in the oven, crispy on the edges while still gooey inside, I found myself desperately craving a glass of milk to pair with these rich, chocolatey treats.

Wine – There were both red and white varieties available– Lucky 7 Cabernet and Bogle Chardonnay– and both were divine beverage additions to the usual seltzer/beer/soda options.

Brutus looks hungry.

Of course, no eat-in meal would be complete without watching a handful of our current favorite YouTube videos. Laughter was in abundance as we viewed everything from Jimmy Fallon lip-sync battles to dogs who don’t want to take baths. All in all, it was a fine company picnic… even if we didn’t step outside once.

– Jeremy

SOME WORDS USED BY OUR TEAM TO DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE:
Picnic-tastic
Tasty
Family
Tummy-plosion
Pic-Nice
Filling
Spring-a-riffic
Picnificent

Shamus’ Buff-Chick Dip
1 Package (16oz) of Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup of Ranch Salad Dressing
1/2 Cup of Buffalo Sauce
Meat from one Rotisserie Chicken
1 Package shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
One
PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

Two
COMBINE Ranch and Cream Cream in medium sauce pan. When blended smooth, add Buffalo Sauce. Set aside.

Three
MIX Chicken and Shredded Cheese in a 1-quart baking dish.

Four
POUR Cream Cheese/ Buffalo Sauce mixture on top of chicken. Mix well.

Five
BAKE 20 min. covered with tin foil; stir. Remove foil and continue cooking until top is browned and bubbly. Serve with sliced baguette, crackers and/or vegetables.