Yellowstone Microbrews

As I mentioned earlier this week, Shaun and I spent the last week traveling through Wyoming and Montana on a Yellowstone Park adventure with the Humiston side of the family. Breathtaking views, wildlife at every turn, and whitewater rafting dominated our week in Yellowstone, and if you have the means, I highly recommend making the trip.

But when you're distracted by views like this...

and this...

well let's just say that food isn't exactly at the forefront of one's mind...even for me. I know, how can that even be possible? But let's just say that there were a lot of car snacks.

It was, however, the land of the microbrews. Whether lagers or pale ales, the great states of Wyoming and Montana were not without their locally brewed favorites. One of our favorites was Moose Drool Brown Ale. Since I'm immediately wooed by a quirky name and had made it my mission to see this elusive animal during the trip, this was a must try and became one of our favorites of the week.

On our first night in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we dined at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, serving up burgers and beer. With a bison and elk burger in our tummies, we also sampled the local brew, appropriately deemed Million Dollar Cowboy Bar Beer.

And since I just had to be different, I ordered the Snake River Pale Ale, named for the local Snake River. While I always enjoy a taste test, I also realized that pale ales are just not for me as their spiciness overpowers the simple beer flavor.

Once we got into Gardiner, Montana, we picked up a Grand Teton Blonde Ale. And yes, that is a naked lady on the label. But it was the first organic beer I've ever tried!

And how could I pass up a lunchtime regional brew like Rainier, mountain freshly brewed and on special for a mere $1.

All of this is not to say that I didn't indulge in some local fare, just a little bit. With barbecue grub at every turn, could you blame me? My favorite dinner consisted of tender beef brisket, sweet potato fries and sweet baked beans. It was enough to do a body good...and sleepy.

Aside from microbrews, barbecue and some car snacks including cashews, granola bars and craisins, the food was plentiful but took a back seat. In addition to the amazing natural views, we were constantly being followed around by furry creatures like this...

and this...

Seeing them roam free was enough to make even a major carnivore like myself contemplate vegetarianism.

So there you have it. A little round up of our favorite microbrews in and around Yellowstone Park as well as some gratuitous footage from the trip since, hey, it's some pretty decent eye candy, isn't it? And speaking of gratuitous, check out this last one of Shaun and me by the Yellowstone River in Montana.

Not too shabby, huh? But what I really want to know is, have you traveled this summer? Have you sampled the local eats? It's always my mission to get a feel for what the locals frequently dine on!

*For some more microbrew fun, check out my Antigua roundup!

Dutch Pancakes at Linda's Pancakes

During our recent family trip to Aruba (where we celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary), indulgent foods were not in short supply, whether surf and turf at Madame Janette's or decadent, buttercreamy red velvet cake at Moka's. Oh and did I mention the gooey, cheesy bagel sandwiches at Dushi Bagel? Well today I'm adding another to the list. Its Linda's Pancakes, an outdoor eatery off of Palm Beach serving up pancakes of the Dutch variety. And since it's no secret that I'm a serious sucker for a good pancake, imagine my excitement over a full dinner plate sized super thin pancake that wasn't quite a crepe yet not quite the thick, fluffy American-style concoction that we've all come to know and love. Color me intrigued. With a multitude of options and one looking better than the next, I opted for a sweet and savory combination of brie, honey and walnuts atop a giant flapjack.

I know, brie? on a pancake? And the answer is yes, a million times yes! The creamy, salty nature of the brie drizzled with sweet honey and a bit of crunch with walnuts baked right into the pancake made this one dish that I was happy to try...and subsequently devour.

But if cheese and syrup just aren't your thing (did I mention that in addition to the honey I felt it compeltely necessary to add sugary sweet pancake syrup on top?), there were a boatload of other option, both sweet, savory and everything in between. Take, for example, this pineapple pancake served with a hefty coating of powdered sugar and a shot of rum. It's the island life after all!

If rum and breakfast just scream ick, Linda's also offers traditional, plain jane pancakes or dressed up fruit pancakes like this pineapple and strawberry covered version.

And while the brie-honey-walnut version was divine, I have to take a moment for Kim's bacon and apple pancake. While it looks simple, the apple slices and bacon pieces were baked right into the pancake itself, taking that whole sweet and savory thing to a new level. Oh, and I should tell you that I've never had a better helping of bacon as the crispy yet perfectly greasy version that was being stored inside.

So there it is...yet another breakfast option on my favorite island. I swear I don't eat like this when not vacationing...

Pineapple Carrot Bars

Before taking off on our Yellowstone adventure last week, Shaun and I attended a summer picnic at his parents place. To me, nothing quite beats a barbecue on a beautiful summer day and this was no exception. Part of my excitement for picnics (or of being invited anywhere for that matter) stems from choosing what to make for the occasion. Since I'm still honing my baking skills and feel as though one can never go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe*, I dug out her Pineapple Carrot Cake which I had seen her make years ago and have been longing for it ever since.

While she made hers into a decadent two-layer cake, I took a chance and thought that they might work as a more picnic and finger food friendly bar. And oh was I right.

While they are heartily filled with carrots, raisins and walnuts (no shortage of fiber here!), they also incorporate pineapple, which is a personal favorite and a fun summer twist on this heavy dish. The finished product was nothing short of mouth watering, and in fact, my own mom proclaimed them one of my best yet. Are you sold?

Pineapple Carrot Bars
*Adapted from Ina Garten, 2007
2 C granulated sugar
1 1/3 C canola or vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 C plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 C raisins
1 C chopped walnuts
1 lb carrots, grated (this was about 3 C grated carrots), plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup diced pineapple, plus extra for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour a 13x9 inch baking pan. While Ina recommends also adding parchment paper to also butter and flour, I went the peanut butter and jelly bar route by skipping this step. Luckily, I didn't have a repeat incident of depressing broken cake.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the sugar, oil and eggs together until the mixture is light yellow. In a separate mixing bowl, sift together 2 1/2 C flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Once this mixing bowl is empty, add the raisins and walnuts, mixing with the remaining 1 tbsp of flour (Note: coating the raisins and walnuts with flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Fold in the grated carrots and the diced pineapple Note: to make this super easy on myself, I used my food processor with the grater attachment for the carrots which got 'er done in a snap.

I also used Dole canned pineapple chunks which I cut in half before adding to the mixture.

Add this mixture to the batter and mix well.

Pour into baking pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares with a good seraded knife.

Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 C confectioners' sugar

Oh how I love a basic cream cheese frosting. Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Add the sugar one cup at a time, mixing until smooth and fluffy. With a knife or spatula, spread onto each bar. Garnish with shredded carrot and pineapple slice.

So there you have it - a round up of one of my favorite baking endeavors thus far. What do you think? What is your favorite picnic food or summer ingredient?

*For even more Ina fun, check out my twist on her Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars, Pink Coconut Cupcakes, Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, and Slow Cooker Beef Brisket.