Sunday Brunch Bumped WAY UP!

I’m pretty sure I’ve shared with everyone that my husband and I love our Sunday Brunch.  99.9% of the time it’s at home with me cooking.  One of the food forums that I participate in has a challenge each month with a different theme; this month it’s Brunch, HA!  😀   I racked my brain for something to enter when this Sunday I found myself making this:

Scratch made Buttermilk Pancakes stuffed with homemade Chunky Apple Sauce, topped with Caramel Sauce, chopped Pecans and a dollop of whipped Cream.

Turkey Piggys in a Blanket, with a drizzle of warmed homemade Blackberry Jam.

I make Chunky Apple Sauce all the time for my Mom … and the jam, well, the last time we went to see my  Mother, we brought back a MESS of fresh Blackberries … Oh my gravy all over my two scoops rice (that’s OMG! In my world), they’re both so good!

What an amazing Sunday Brunch.  Did I mention that we shared these two plates …

Our Great Western Adventure ~ September 2013 ~ Installment #7 ~ This Is What We’ve Been Waiting For!

Leaving Jackson, we headed north towards Yellowstone National Park. There, we stayed in West Yellowstone Montana for four nights. I’m glad that we had a `fridge and a micro. We had stopped at the local ‘mega-market’ and found some healthful choices for lunches/picnics while spending our days in the park.

We would start out each day (this hotel didn’t offer free breakfast) with a yogurt, a piece of fruit and a low fat granola bar each morning and were in the park no later than 8am. It seemed that the route through the West Gate of Yellowstone was a particularly busy locale to view wild life at that time of the day.

Our first afternoon’s luncheon was alongside Yellowstone Lake at a beautiful picnic area. As I turned my back to reach for something or another in preparing our meal, we were joined by several rather large birds, who insisted that we share with them. Oh, so this is why they have signage everywhere telling you that feeding the wildlife is considered animal cruelty. They no longer forage in the wild, just at your table and they were a little aggressive.  We were told this is what happens when animals in the wild figure out humans have food that they can either steal or you actually give them.

We tried dinner one night at the restaurant connect to our hotel, meh. When we looked at their dessert offerings, we decided to pass. There must be something else around these parts.

YUP!

Outpost Restaurant around the corner.

My better half had a Butterscotch Sundae (when was the last time you saw that?) and I had the special for the week, Triple chocolate cake with a side of Huckleberry ice cream.

In fact, we went back to the Outpost for breakfast our last day and had sugar cured ham and the best hash browns I’ve had in a while.

On our last night in town, we had the Turkey as well as Baked chicken dinner plates; of course dessert too!

And what’s a trip to America’s first National Park without going to Old Faithful and the Old Faithful Inn?

For lunch we ordered Bison and Pheasant sausage with sauerkraut cooked in Apple cider, mash, and the best mustard on the side!

Now that was an adventure of a lifetime, yet another check mark off the bucket list!

Our Great Western Adventure ~ September 2013 ~ Installment #6 ~Wagon’s HO!

ON WARD!

To, Jackson Wyoming, loved it! So beautiful, a little on the tourist-y side, but all in all we really enjoyed our time there.

We stayed at Cowboy Village Resort.

In a one room log cabin with a kitchenette, YIPEE!! AND  we had a picnic table, plastic lawn chairs and a charcoal grill out front, loving this!

My first stop? A grocery store. I found the Jackson Whole Grocer not far from where we were staying.

Nice grass fed beef, so I got us a cowboy steak, some outstanding fresh local veg and a bag of Match Light! Light`er up boys!

I also bought a bunch of other foods for breakfast and picnic lunches when we went into Grand Tetons National Park. One morning I made us bacon and eggs, I think most of our neighbors were jealous, when I went out to pack up the car for the days outings, this young couple in the next cabin asked if they could come over tonight for dinner.  😀

We took the dirt road (wrong way, but we made it) to Teton Village on the recommendation of a friend, and took the Aerial Tramway after 4pm for cocktails, the ride was free and gorgeous!

One of our days here in Jackson was a really rainy-foggy day and you couldn’t see the mountains, so we decided to amble around the town square and have early supper. Another friend had highly suggested that we go to Local.

My husband ordered the local grass fed beef, Cheeseburger while I wanted to try their handcrafted charcuterie … duck prosciutto, paté and a nice piece of havarti, MAN! What a great meal, in Wyoming!

Earlier we’d had lunch at Bubba’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant, smoked turkey breast with two sides, corn and beans, YUM!

Then it was back to the cabin to relax on our front porch, watch the storm pass by and chat with our neighbors and their dogs, what a great place!

Olde World Bagels And Market Is No More

This is a sad day.  I was on Face Book last night and saw a post by Olde World Bagels, thanking folks and that they were on to new adventures, WHAT?!  You’re closing? NOOOOOOO!   DH felt that we’d be able to get one more visit in later in the week before they closed, rather than facing a Sunday Rush, but I thought differently.   I got up early this morning and figured I call over there first and ask what their hours were going to be for Monday; I was told that today is their last day; they will no longer be open.  WHAT?!!!  I’ve NEVER gotten dressed and went out the door so fast before.

This is our last dozen Olde World Bagels, ever.  (SSHHH! Don’t tell DH but I hide 6 of them in the deep freeze for later)

Thank you Gina for the best Bagels we’ve ever had and probably will again.

Aloha and all the best in the future to you and your family.

Sweet Potato Café In Prescott Arizona

We had another early appointment and as our reward, we took each other out to breakfast.  This place has been on my “to try” list ever since we moved to the area… Sweet Potato Café.

I like to look at a menu online prior to going to a new restaurant, so I know what I’d like to eat and make a suggestion to my husband as to what I think he would enjoy.

As you can see, DH attacked his plate prior to the photo op … HA!

For my DH, it was the Got To Have It Skillet:

2 eggs (soft scrambled please) and Potatoes with Bell Peppers, Onions, Sausage, Bacon, diced Ham, hold the diced Tomato please, and Cheese; choice of one: Sweet Potato Bread, Toast, 1 Biscuit & Gravy or 2 Cakes (Pancakes that is, Buttermilk or Sweet Potato).

For myself it was the Steak Skillet:

2 eggs (once again soft scrambled), Mushrooms, Onions, and Cheese, also with choice of one: Sweet Potato Bread, Toast, 1 Biscuit & Gravy or 2 Cakes.

DH chose the grilled Sweet Potato Bread and I chose Whole Wheat Toast.  Coffee and OJ were also on the table.  It was very plentiful and delicious!  We’ll need to go back again to try out some of the other wonderful dishes.

Start Your Aloha Friday Off Right

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not have the quintessential meal from Hawaii,

… and Diamond Head in the background!

Spam®, Eggs and Rice

but kick it over the top with a glass of Guava Juice; then Aloha Shoyu and Furikake for your Rice

ALOHA!

 

Litehouse Instantly Fresh Salad Herb Blend

On my most recent venture to my favorite green grocery, I was poking around and saw this.

Litehouse Instantly Fresh Salad Herb Blend

Mrs. Dear Friend buys this brand of herb blends, but I had never tried it before, so I figured why not.

I was thinking as I was driving home that this would be terrific with eggs; let’s try this in an Omelette.

I’ve had these cool Norpro Silicone 4” Egg Rings for some time now, but haven’t used them until now.

Wouldn’t it be great to have some Green Eggs and Ham Sandwiches?

This is the simplest breakfast to make.  I scrambled 2 eggs in a cup and stirred in about a teaspoon (give or take) of the Salad Herb Blend.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low.  I melted some Butter into the rings and made sure that they were well greased all along the insides.  Next, pour the egg mixture into the ring and allow to set-up; remove the ring and flip the Omelette over to finish cooking.

I toasted an English muffin, topped it with some shredded cheese to melt faster; added some fried Ham slices and then lastly our perfectly round Omelette.

MMM, Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes With Melted Butter And Real Maple Syrup

I think that Pancakes are simply a vehicle in which to shovel as much melted Butter and Real  Maple Syrup into you mouth as possible…

Eat more Pancakes!

Sunday Brunch Out At The Lone Spur Café

DH and I don’t go out to breakfast very often, but we started talking about The Lone Spur Café and how we hadn’t been there for breakfast in a really long time.  So, let’s go!

I’ll go first.  This is my favorite breakfast/Sunday Brunch item of all times!  This is the Cowboy Benedict.  You’ll get 2 Biscuits topped with a generously thick slice of Smoked Ham, two Basted Eggs, Country Gravy (don’t let that throw ya though, it’s the best Sausage Gravy I’ve ever flipped a lip over!) along with a side of either Country Potatoes or Hash browns.  I had the half order with Hash browns and I wound up taking most the Potatoes home.

DH enjoyed the Ham Steak & Eggs.  This a nice sized hunk-o-Smoked Ham, 2 Eggs (although that looks more like THREE Eggs to me) cooked to order and your choice of Country Potatoes or Hash browns.  DH had the “regular sized order” with the Country Potatoes and scrambled, but you can get a larger “Cowboy size”.

We were both stuffed to the gills, so we went across the street to the Court House Square to walk it off. Ya gotta love small towns!

Happy Sunday!

Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

I made Waffles for Sunday Brunch again, but just a few too many.  That’s alright, I simply freeze the leftovers for later, as in later that night for dessert.

My DH grew up eating Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches at various locations back East.  They use Neapolitan Ice Cream in a brick.  Remember those square blocks of Ice Cream in cardboard containers?  Yup, cut those into slices and place between 2 toasted Waffles, dust with Powdered Sugar and you’ve got a childhood memory in your hand.

Oops, I forgot the Powdered Sugar

I have a heck of a time finding that kind of Ice Cream any more, but we do love Tillamook, any flavor will do really.  This fine Sunday evening, it was Marionberry Pie, oh my gravy all over my two scoops rice (that’s OMG! in my world).

DELICIOUS!!