I am feeling very optimistic about the weather this summer, in fact it has become a bit of an obsession as I plan to enjoy lots of picnics, hanging out in the sunshine. We have so many gorgeous gardens and parks that are open to the public in Ireland, so while you can get to enjoy the beautiful plants and trees, the children can run around getting lots of fresh air and a good appetite. A picnic is something that seems like a bit of hard work when putting it all together, but when you are out in the open air and hungry, you'll be so glad you have gone to any kind of effort at all.

Whether it is just a homemade biscuit and a cup of tea, or the full shebang, a picnic is always the most welcome treat when spending the day outdoors. When I went on a school exchange to Barcelona, about a million years ago, we would always have a tortilla as part of a picnic for the beach, as my exchangee's mother used to say that once you had a tortilla in the bag, you would never go hungry. Oats, dried fruit and seeds are all great too; my mum always has a pack of dried apricots with her when she plays golf to keep the blood sugars up and hunger at bay, and oat biscuits like flapjacks or something similar are a healthy way to enjoy something sweet but will also keep you going till you get home.

TORTILLA

A classic Spanish omelette which is often brought to the beach to picnic on for lunch. Delicious eaten hot, straight out of the oven too. This recipe can be changed to suit your taste and also on what you have in the fridge. Add asparagus, roasted cubes of butternut squash or halved cherry tomatoes instead of (or as well as) the bacon. Add chopped herbs if you like, or use crumbled feta or even blue cheese if you wish. The Spanish will usually fry the potatoes with the onions in their Tortilla, but if you prefer you can use boiled new potatoes.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
325g / 12oz new potatoes, sliced half cm thick
6 rashers, smoked or unsmoked, sliced (optional)
8 eggs
110g / 4oz grated cheese, such as Glebe Brethan from Co Louth, or gruyere

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan (non-stick or otherwise), add the onion and potatoes and fry for about 8 minutes, turning the vegetables frequently until tender and a little bit golden. Add the bacon and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese. Pour in the egg and cheese mixture and leave to cook over a fairly low heat for 8-10 minutes until set and golden underneath but not set on top.

At this stage the Spanish normally invert the tortilla on to a plate and return the pan to the heat with a tiny bit more oil, before sliding the tortilla back into the pan, uncooked side down, and cooking for 5 minutes until set all through. I normally just pop it into a moderate oven or under a grill to cook the top.

When cooked, serve either immediately or allow to cool (not in the fridge or it will go rubbery) and cut into wedges to serve at your picnic, on its own or with some bread and salad.

Note – this is a great recipe to make using up leftover boiled new potatoes, so if they are already cooked add them in with the bacon.

PORK AND EGG PIE

This is a slight variation of a Gordon Ramsey recipe. When I made it I used, instead of the 1 litre terrine, a 20cm round spring form cake tin, but you could also use a plain loaf tin. A pork pie is definitely best eaten outdoors, with some chutney on the side – and if you're not driving, a cold beer.

Ingredients
6 eggs
375g / 13oz minced pork
225g / 8oz pork sausage meat
150g / 5oz cooked ham
1 tbsp chopped thyme or sage
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

For the pastry
110g / 4oz lard or butter
450g / 1lb flour
1 tsp salt
50ml / 2fl oz milk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then pop in the eggs and boil them for 8 minutes. Cool in cold water, peel and set aside. Place the minced pork, sausage meat, cooked ham, chopped herbs and the chopped onion into a large bowl. Season generously and mix well until completely combined. Take about 1 tsp of the mixture and fry in a pan. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, and chopped herbs if necessary.

Melt a few tablespoons of lard or butter and brush a 1 litre terrine dish with an even layer of the melted fat, then dust with flour. To make the pastry, place the flour in a bowl with the salt. Put the lard, or butter and milk into a saucepan with 150ml / 5fl oz of water, then heat until the lard or butter has completely melted. Pour into the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Tip onto the surface and knead until it all comes together.

Cut a piece of baking parchment, or greaseproof paper to fit the bottom and long sides of the terrine dish with some hanging over the edge (or just the base of the round tin). Take about two-thirds of the pastry dough and shape it into a rectangle roughly the width and length of the dish. Lay the dough into the terrine and, using your fingers, press it into the bottom, the corners and up the sides of the dish until it comes to the top and hangs over the rim a little. If using a round tin, roll it on a floured surface, into a large disc, then line the base and the sides of the tin.

Take half the meat mixture and pat it into a shape that will fit the terrine dish, then lay it in. Use your fingers to make a trench down the middle of the meat. Trim the tops and bottoms off the eggs, lay them, in a row, along the trench, then season with salt and pepper. Trimming the eggs like this ensures that each slice of pie will contain both egg white and yolk. If using a round tin, I don't bother to trim the eggs, just arrange them evenly.

Take the rest of the meat mixture, pat it out to a rectangle that will fit over the eggs, and press it over the top. Brush the overhang of the pastry with the beaten egg, then roll out the rest of the pastry to fit over the pie.

Pinch edges together to fix the top. Brush the top generously with beaten egg and pierce three holes along the top, to allow the steam to escape. Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 180°C then continue to cook for another hour until cooked. Test to see if the pie is cooked by inserting a metal skewer into the centre for 10 seconds. If it is too hot to place on the inside of your wrist then the pie is cooked, if not cook for a further 10 minutes, then test again. Leave to cool. Carefully use the sides of the paper to pull the pie out of the dish. If sides aren't brown enough, return it to the oven on a baking tray at 200°C until golden brown. Cool, then chill in the fridge. Cut into slices or wedges to serve.

OAT, RASPBERRY AND ALMOND BARS

These are great, rather like a posh flapjack. They will keep for up to a few days in an airtight box. You can use frozen raspberries if you wish, though sit them on kitchen paper while they thaw, to soak up the excess moisture.

Makes 12
225g / 8oz flour
225g / 8oz porridge oats
275g / 10oz butter, cut into cubes
175g / 6oz light brown sugar, such as light muscovado
Finely grated zest of 1 small or half a medium lemon
110g / 4oz almonds, chopped roughly
225g / 8oz raspberries

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 23cm / 9inch square cake tin with parchment or greaseproof paper. Place the flour, oats and butter into a mixing bowl and use your fingers to rub in the butter to make coarse crumbs. Mix in the sugar, lemon zest and three-quarters of the chopped almonds using your hands, then press the mixture together well so it forms large sticky clumps.

Drop about two thirds of the oat mixture into the base of the tin, spread it out and press down very lightly. Don't pack it too firmly. Scatter the raspberries on top, sprinkle the rest of the oat mixture over, then the remaining almonds and press everything down lightly.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes until pale golden on top. Cut into 12 bars with a knife while still warm, then leave to cool in the tin before removing.