I am forever jotting down recipe ideas from dishes that I taste at restaurants or friend's homes, but this is the first recipe that was inspired by a food truck. This summer, my niece's beautiful country wedding was catered by a food truck. In his mobile, cramped kitchen, the chef managed to take ordinary foods […]
A Steamboat Legend - Remembering Elaine Gay
In the winter of 2016 our community lost a local treasure in the passing of Elaine Gay. She saw an amazing amount of change in her 98 years in the Yampa Valley and will be greatly missed. She was also the grandmother of two of my Extension colleagues, Todd Hagenbuch, county Extension director and agriculture […]
Sarvisberry Cobbler
Sarvis berries were likely the most important berry crop of Native Americans living in the Yampa Valley. The berries were both easy to gather and versatile. According to Edible & Medicinal Plant of the Southern Rockies by Mary O'Brien and Karen Vail, sarvis berries provided nutritional value all winter long, but also had medicinal uses. […]
Baked Breakfast Apples
Warm and sweet with a hint of cinnamon, these apples are a family favorite. We've made Baked Breakfast Apples with every type of apple and they always taste great but the texture will vary. Top them with your favorite low-fat yogurt and granola and it feels like your eating apple pie for breakfast...but it's so […]
Snow for Seven Days in a Row--Time to Dig Out the Slow Cooker
The best part of living in The Boat is the snowy landscapes. If you're like me, you'd prefer to be experiencing the beauty and not stuck indoors making dinner. It's days like this that are perfect for digging out the slow cooker and letting it do the cooking. The best part of slow cooker (or Crock […]
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Okay, I'm officially tired of the snow. Steamboat has received several feet of snow in the past week and it looks like we are due for 1-3 inches for several more days. Time to dust off the slow cooker and make some soup. Snowy days provide the perfect time for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup. […]
Sweet Potatoes for Thanksgiving - Too Many Choices
My assignment for this years Thanksgiving is sweet potatoes. It sounds simple enough, but then the questions start coming…should it be sweet potatoes or yams, savory or sweet, chunky or smooth? This year I am determined to offer up more than an orange backdrop for a mound of mini marshmallows, but I need your help. […]
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sour Cherries
This unique combination of pear, apple, sweet potatoes and dried sour cherries is perfect for Thanksgiving or any other cold winter night. I prefer to use Garnet sweet potatoes because their deep orange flesh is naturally moist and sweet. They caramelize beautifully when roasted. This unique combination of pear, apple, sweet potatoes and dried sour […]
Life in the Boat - It's Launch Time!
Does the world need another lifestyle and food blog...probably not. Nevertheless, I've explored the idea for the past year and it's finally time to toss aside the dock lines and set sail with this Steamboat Springs food blog. For many of you reading this first official post, you're probably wondering why someone with a full-time […]
Spinach Yogurt Dip
Plain Greek yogurt makes this version of Spinach Dip much healthier, yet every bit as tasty. The trick with this dip is to make it several hours before you plan on serving it, which will allow the flavors to snuggle a bit. Prepare this dip several hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. […]
Light Key Lime Pie
In search of the best key lime pie You could call it souvenir eating. Our tendency to order Key Lime Pie whenever we're traveling and we see it on the menu. We're looking for the tang of lime without the heaviness of a cheesecake. Sometimes we're successful, but usually we return home and I make […]