"It's a long, long while from May to December. But the days grow short when you reach September. When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame, one hasn't got time for the waiting game." Like a broken record, Kurt Weill's haunting "September Song" lyrics are replaying in my head. My friend Alesia called asking me to meet her and Aleyn for an impromptu "Carpe Diem!" picnic by the lake. My house is a wreck, I have work piled up, and the worst part is it would be my turn to bring the picnic! But the relentless lyrics of the Siren's song coax otherwise..."these precious golden days, as they grow so few..."

Alesia has mastered the art of "Le Picnic". She has this charming picnic basket collection and recipes perfectly adapted to al fresco, on-the-ground cuisine. I've always wanted to make Alesia a special little picnic but this last minute invite gave me little time to cook, much less shop.

Like a squirrel's nest, I always store bits and pieces of leftover veggies in the salad crisper in my fridge. I diced, then combined them with softened Zingerman's goat cheese stretched with cream cheese. Frisée greens were leftovers from Wednesday's dinnerFeed. I rolled up my concoction in Flatout, a locally produced flatbread. Seasonal Michigan peaches and cherry tomatoes off the vine were popped into the hamper and voila, "Le Picnic", short notice.

We're so lucky to live in Ann Arbor, our surrounding areas have such a wealth of charming, waterside areas to picnic. Our park system is replete with pastoral settings for your next September picnic. Maybe I'll have more time to create a feast for our next picnic but Alecia and Aleyn were quite content with the simplicity of the local goodies.

Yield: 4 flatbread sandwich halves Time: 15 minutes Cost: $6.50

Ingredients

2 pieces Flatout flat bread (wheat or garden spinach)

 Several pieces frisee, romaine or other leaf lettuce


 8 tablespoons goat or cream cheese, softened (or a combination of both cheeses) 2 heaping cups diced, crunchy vegetables and herbs ( I used peppers, cucumbers, red onion, carrot, basil and tomato)

Directions

1.

Combine goat or cream cheese with diced vegetables. Spread cheese mixture across entire Flatout. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. 2. Place lettuce in center of mixture, roll up tightly; cut in half wraps or 1” pinwheels.