Lunch On The Lawn

An Annual Croquet Match Offers Sporting Ideas For Spring Picnics

* Chilled grilled asparagus spears

* Crab balls

* Deviled eggs

* Stuffed grape leaves

* Quiche

* Cheese straws

* Hummus, tapenade and pita

* Cheese, hard salami, fruit and crudites

* Lots of strawberries

* Miniature cheesecakes

* Champagne

sparkling blue & gold

(makes 1 drink)

2 to 3 ounces blueberry-pomegranate juice

2 to 3 ounces champagne or sparkling water

1 slice pineapple

Mix juice with champagne and garnish with pineapple.

Courtesy of Carolyn Kammeier of Annapolis

Per drink (not including garnish): : 49 calories, 0 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 18 milligrams sodium

one-egg cake

(serves 12)

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray and very lightly flour a round cake pan.

Cream sugar and shortening. Add each subsequent ingredient separately and mix lightly. Pour batter into the pan and bake for about 35 minutes. Let cool, level and frost.

Note: This recipe makes one round cake but can double easily for two, and can be stacked up to 4 layers. Serve with pureed fruit or fresh strawberries, if you like.

Courtesy of Annastasia Kezar of Belmar

Per slice (without frosting): : 147 calories, 2 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 119 milligrams sodium

beef tenderloin on baguette rounds with creamy horseradish sauce

(serves 15 as a main dish, 30 to 40 as an appetizer)

1 filet of beef, about 5 pounds

butter to spread over beef (about 4 tablespoons)

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cold plain yogurt

1/4 cup loosely packed, freshly grated horseradish

2 French baguettes, about 10 ounces each

Remove meat from refrigerator about 1 hour before using. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove surplus fat and skin and spread beef generously with butter.

Place on a rack in a greased roasting pan in the oven. Do not cover or baste. Reduce the heat immediately to 400 degrees and bake 30 minutes. A filet is usually cooked rare when the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Season with salt and pepper to taste when done. Allow to cool and then slice thickly into pieces about the size of a silver dollar.

For horseradish sauce: : Combine the yogurt and the horseradish. Stir to blend and chill.

At the picnic, slice the baguettes into rounds and top each with a slice of tenderloin and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish sauce. Serve on a tray.

Courtesy of Casey Pingle of Annapolis. Tenderloin recipe adapted from "Joy of Cooking," by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker; horseradish sauce from "Craig Claiborne's Gourmet Diet," by Craig Claiborne with Pierre Franey

Per small sandwich (based on 40 servings): : 124 calories, 11 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 116 milligrams sodium