Category: Food

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Trippy Food–Prairie Style

Remember last year’s Trippy Food–NYC Style? Well, this is the travel food prairie version.

Seemed like after driving on the lone highway, dry and dusty for miles and miles–we couldn’t help ourselves.  Whenever we saw an ice cream place the car automatically just swerved in…

all by it’s self.

Ok, I found a picture of one piece of the Asiago Bread from the Farmer’s Market…

and one teensy weensy corner of the Streusel Cake to show you. Neither of them lasted very long.

Of course the Peanut Spread and the Blueberry jam are like some kind of food of the Gods.

Yeah, so I checked and they DO eat them on Mt. Olympus. So there.

Ever heard of Taco Joe’s? Wunderbar. The thing on the right is a crunchy taco wrapped in a cheesy flour tortilla and then grilled like a burrito. I know–kind of a brain twist. But it was so good. And the crunchy taters came with everything. I’m all about crunch.

Wasn’t kidding about the ice cream stuff. I don’t even know where this was, but heck, it’s ice cream–how could you go wrong?

This was actually complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn where we stayed–cheese omelets and biscuits. Lovely.

Dairy Queen should really be in some hall of fame somewhere because it’s the absolute best ice cream in the kingdom. {sigh}

Very, yummy…very cinnamony cinnamon roll also from the hotel breakfast.

Twist cone…no words are needed.

Chicken Alfredo from a Roadside Steakhouse in South Dakota. Look at all that cheese. Dang.

Nothing beats the homemade roast beef and potatoes we whipped up on Sunday from our own little hotel room.

I heard that.

Oh, yes we did.

When you need the comfort and the taste of home doesn’t everyone call Pizza Hut? Hmmmm?  I’d like to just pluck that little piece on the left right through the computer screen.

I think I’ve figured out why they need all the trains around there. It’s for the busloads of ice cream that my family can eat in 5 days. It’s a disorder…

probably won’t be fixing it.

Roadside Steakhouse, SD. Three cheers for any joint that will whip up a grilled cheese for a two-year-old at a moment’s notice…

and bring out ribs like these on the same tray. One fell out of my slippery fingers and I swear I nearly cracked my head on the table trying to get it back.

No, I didn’t eat it…but I cried about it.

At the tail end McDonald’s really hit the spot. Really. Hey, I sincerely like McDonalds…nearly everyone can find something they love.

Thank Heavens somebody figured out the idea of food for us humans to eat.

It’s such a good idea.

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Mexican Summer Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

https://graciousrain.com/wp-content/uploads/1-salad.jpg

And here, my friends, we have the most illustrious Mexican Summer Salad–or Bajio Salad–as it’s known at our place. It’s truly just a glorified–reeally glorified taco salad–like the grown-ups make. The key ingredient here is the dressing—we’ll get to that later. We serve ours up buffet style where all the ingredients that you could ever want or imagine that you could ever want are in individual bowls just waiting for you to choose them. There are many ways to do it, but since it’s my blog, I’ll tell you the only true and correct way…how I do it. Being Queen has it’s privileges you know.

1) Start with a warmed flour tortilla and sprinkle lettuce all over it.

2) Next add seasoned, shredded chicken, beef or pork.

3) Spoon on black beans, refried beans or Mexican rice.

4) Add shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives and bite sized tortilla strips.

5) Top with the Magical Cilantro Ranch dressing—See below.

Try to be dainty now, and it’ll be hard. There’s something about this salad that tends to bring out starving wolf-like behavior. Go slow and no one will notice that low growl coming from your side of the table.

Magical Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet of ranch dressing mix
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
3 tbsp chipotle peppers
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until thoroughly blended.
Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

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Watermelon Granita

Oooohh–if you didn’t love us before today, it’s gonna happen now. Here is our lovely first attempt at Italian Ice, and what better flavor to start with than watermelon.

Dang.

The official name for this sweet thing is Watermelon Granita, and I must say–it’s positively the perfect thing for those hot August days, while gliding on a porch swing, or floating in the hammock…

either way.

Positively blissful I tell you.

You may even decide to throw a garden party…just because you can.

And so you should.

Watermelon Granita

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups water
6 cups cubed watermelon

Directions:

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set it aside while you work on the melon. This part is fun. Cut the middle out of a watermelon unless that will make someone really mad. In that case–just cut out enough chunks to measure about 6 cups. Now, drop about 1/3 of the pieces in the blender at a time and pulse on low. We don’t want to grind up any seeds.

Pour it into a strainer and press out the juice. Discard all the pulp and seeds. Once you’ve finished you should have about 3 cups of beautiful, sparkling watermelon juice. Now, transfer it into an 8-in. square dish and stir in the hot sugar syrup. Let it cool to about room temperature then set it in the freezer for about an hour. Take it out and stir it into pieces with a fork. Now re-freeze for about 2-3 hours longer or until completely frozen, stirring every 30 minutes or so with a fork or metal spatula. Stir again just before spooning into dessert dishes. It should make about 8 luscious servings.

Make this…you’ll thank me.

I swear.

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Bruschetta

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a pretty little Italian appetizer that whips together in about 5 minutes tops and tastes all marvelous and fancy like you’re channeling Julia Child or something. And it’s quite likely you have the ingredients right there in your kitchen this very minute.

Lucky you…

Ingredients:

1 baguette French bread, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

——–
5 or 6 ripe Roma tomatoes diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp. dried, minced onion

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped–or 1/4 tsp dried Basil instead

3/4 cup  Mozzarella cheese, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Brush baguette slices with olive oil and toast in the oven on 350 for about 6-8 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients gently,  in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve on toasted bread.

Close your eyes and pretend you are in a beautiful Italian villa with someone you love…

who is very handsome.

Works for me.

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Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

If you have a glorious weakness for chocolate, and if you love the creamy flavor of malt, AND if you have any respect whatsoever for that fact that it is National Milk Chocolate Day…and how could you not?…then, my friends, these sweet little morsels are liable to just flip you around backwards in all their chocolaty loveliness. Pretty sure I ate them…all…by…myself. I suppose I should be ashamed. I’ll work on that…soon.

Milk Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1- 1/2    cups Bisquick® mix
3/4    cup sugar
1/3    cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4    c malted milk powder–plain or chocolate
2/3    cup milk
1/4    cup vegetable oil
1    teaspoon vanilla
2    eggs

Frosting
2    tablespoons malted milk powder–plain or chocolate
2    tablespoons milk
2    cups powdered sugar
1    tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1/4    cup butter, softened

1.    Heat oven to 357 F. Line 16 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon evenly into muffin cups.
2.    Bake about 15 minutes. Immediately remove from pan. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3.    In medium bowl, stir together malted milk powder and milk; let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining frosting ingredients; beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread frosting over cupcakes.

Happy National Milk Chocolate Day!

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes
 
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Ingredients
  • 1- ½ cups Bisquick® mix
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • ¼ c malted milk powder--plain or chocolate
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 357 F. Line 16 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon evenly into muffin cups.
  2. Bake about 15 minutes. Immediately remove from pan. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  3. In medium bowl, stir together malted milk powder and milk; let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining frosting ingredients; beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread frosting over cupcakes.
Notes
Frosting 2 tablespoons malted milk powder--plain or chocolate 2 tablespoons milk 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa ¼ cup butter, softened