The Same 'ole Same 'ole has always worked for me (and I have had many approval of past boyfriends!)

For my Generic Pasta Salad, I combine the most colorful cooked pasta with tons of fresh vegtables (tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and if I am daring grapes)
with a slab of mayonnaise and balsalmic vinegar.

Potato salad is made in much the same way except you have to boil the potatoes, refrigerate them, add boiled eggs and sweet pickles with a slab of mayonnaise and some seasoned salt and onions.

My fried chicken doesn't have anything on Southern women's fried chicken, but it holds its own.

Take some non seasoned thawed chicken breast, leg, thigh, whatever (I really like the boneless skinless breast strips) dip it in the thickest buttermilk you can find and then dip it in a flour, salt, garlic salt mixture, then dip it in the buttermilk again, and then the flour and then the buttermilk and then the flour until you are holding a freshly powdered pile of goo.

Fry in oil hot enough to sizzle, but not hot enough to burn your house down. The batter should turn a stunning gold while your chicken will be completely cooked.

For a picnic, I have always opted for chicken strips and lots of choices of dipping sauces. Barbeque, honey, honey-mustard, ketchup. This chicken is dee-vine with potato salad and a bit of homeade root beer.
Happy Picnicing