Come along and join me for a spring picnic in the greenhouse! Enjoy a beloved childhood dessert and the heavenly scents of lilac all around.

Many of you know we have been experiencing a very cold, wet and windy spring this year! I was thrilled to be invited to join some blogger friends to share a few ideas for outdoor dining. As the days approaching my post being due grew fewer though, I started to panic. I knew I wouldn’t be able to pull an idea together with our moody, windy weather! No matter, I decided to go to the greenhouse and set up a little spring picnic instead. My heart loves to be in this quiet, peaceful place.

Hope you enjoy these spring images in one of my very favorite hang-out spots! Gardening and planting bring me such peace. The greenhouse has become a sacred experience for me; I feel it is one of the few places I really feel settled and content. I am thrilled to be sharing a fun childhood favorite recipe, too!

tips for outdoor dining/entertaining

One of the quickest ways to create a special atmosphere for outdoor dining and entertaining is to add plants! I love grabbing a few pretty hanging baskets from the local nursery or grocery store. This year I have been really drawn to shades of lavender, plum and white.

If faux plants work best for you, might I suggest these gorgeous boxwood topiaries that I found for my porch. They are 0 maintenance but add a great pop of color!

Another tip I want to share is to KEEP IT CASUAL! I love to create an unstructured, imperfect table that allows guests to feel laid back and relaxed. It’s fun to use THIS SCARF instead of a table cloth as it gives a really lightweight, elegantly messy look.

I also LOVE adding faux flowers and textures like throw blankets and woven baskets. I’ll link my favorite for plants and inside the house here!

I’ve been loving these sweet blush glasses and these small scalloped dishes. I typically try to use white dishes when I am entertaining, and then add a pop of color with a cup, napkin or a centerpiece.

It’s good to keep in mind that fun food makes outdoor dining and entertaining light-hearted! For our little spring picnic in the greenhouse I made a batch of a childhood favorite: Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars. Let me share the recipe with you! Do you remember this?

You might also love this blackberry lemonade this spring and summer! So delish.

Pink Lemonade freezer Bars

This fun childhood dessert is tart and creamy with a delicious buttery bite from the crispy Ritz cracker crust.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

120 (about 3 sleeves) Ritz crackers Crushed in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted
1 12 oz can pink lemonade concentrate Thawed to liquid
1 14 oz can Sweetened condensed milk I like Eagle Brand
1 16 oz Cool whip topping (thawed enough to fold and mix).
1-2 drops of red food coloring to enhance pink (OPTIONAL)

Instructions

Line a 9×13 pan with pam spray or line with parchment paper.
In a blender or food processor, crush crackers and add butter and powdered sugar. Mix well and press 3/4 of crumb mixture in the bottom of your pan.
Combine pink lemonade concentrate and sweetened condensed milk until mixed well. Fold in cool whip. Add a couple of drops of food coloring if desired.
Pour mixture over crust, and sprinkle a few additional crumbs on top of dessert. Cover with foil or plastic wrap.
Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight. Slice and serve. Store extra's in the freezer for a couple of weeks if desired.
This is a great dessert to make a day ahead!