Rock Crawling Over a Sandwich.

 Moab’s annual Jeep Safari will be April 1 – April 9, and this year two more trails have been added.  This time the safari will be traveling deeper into San Juan County as Hole in the Rock and Hotel Rock will be explored.  Usually, the guided trails do not go further than the Cameo Cliffs, but that does not keep free wheeling jeepers from exploring the county.  So, with the guided tours heading through the towns of Monticello and Blanding, this would be a good way to get some attention towards the local restaurants and shops.  Get out there with advertising props, and entice those jeepers to come on in, instead of rushing back to Moab.  Just a suggestion of course.

I know one meal that entices my hubby is a patty melt and cheese fries, and we do not even have to be out exploring in the jeep.  Unfortunately, finding a restaurant that serves them up is slim to none (hint, hint), and I hate seeing the disappointment on his face.  Solution?  You guessed it, learn to make them myself. 

My hubby, Roy, LOVES patty melts!!!

 

The origin of the patty melt is debated whether it was created in the 1940s or 1950s, but the credit goes to the same restaurant owner, Tiny Naylor.  Tiny Naylor owned a chain of Biffs Drive-Ins and Tiny Naylor Coffee Shop restaurants in California, and added the patty melt to the menus.  Now, one thing you have to remember, the patty melt is not ever to be referred to as a hamburger; it is a sandwich.  Why?  Even though it is based upon the American classic, a cheeseburger, it is not served on a bun, cold or toasted, but cooked like a grilled cheese sandwich.  The traditional recipe has a ground beef patty topped with either American, Swiss or cheddar cheese and grilled onions on rye bread, pan fried in butter.  When I make mine, it is in a cast iron skillet which ensures even cooking, good flavor and a crisp texture to the rye bread.  I also amp up the flavor of the grilled onions with a little balsamic vinegar.

 

The Classic Patty Melt (my way)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, cut into slivers

2 Tbsp butter

dash of salt and pepper

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 (1/4 lb. each) hamburger patties (80% lean)

8 slices marbled Rye bread

4 Tbsp butter, softened

8 slices Swiss cheese

Preparation:

Melt two tablespoons butter in skillet on medium-high heat; add onions, salt, pepper and vinegar; mix and let cook for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring. Once the onions are browned, remove to small bowl and add the patties into the same skillet; cook each side for 6 minutes. Remove to plate to rest.

Liberally smear softened butter onto one side of each slice of Rye bread; place butter side down in skillet. Depending on size of skillet, you may have to do each sandwich individually. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each slice of bread; let cook for two minutes. On one slice of bread, place a hamburger patty and a layer of onions. Flip over the other slice of bread on top of the other, press down with a spatula for one minute. Flip sandwich over in skillet, press down with spatula again for an additional minute. Remove to plate, slice sandwich in half and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Now you know I have to play with my food, so instead of ground beef patties, how about some thinly sliced London broil? 

 

London Broil Melt

Ingredients:

 2 slices of sandwich bread, toasted

3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese (Sargento is the best!)

 8 thin slices of rare London Broil

1/2 cup sautéed mushroom/onion mix

Preparation:

(This is a layering preparation.)

Preheat oven to 350F; line small baking pan with aluminum foil.

 

Toasted Bread

Cheese Slice

4 London Broil Slices

Cheese Slice

4 London Broil Slices

Spread out 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture

Cheese Slice

Toasted Bread

Place entire sandwich inside baking pan; place in oven for five minutes to allow cheese to melt thoroughly.  Remove sandwich to plate, cut in half and enjoy.

Makes one sandwich.

These sandwiches can get to be rather thick, so pretend your mouth is a jeep, open wide, and rock crawl all over it.  Tilting your head back and forth is optional.

Now wait, not done yet, those cheese fries have to be a side dish.  Did you think I would leave you hanging?

When Roy and I lived in Pennsylvania, one restaurant we enjoyed eating at was the Lone Star Cafe.  It was a chain restaurant, but had great steaks, giant baked sweet potatoes that needed their own dinner plate to be served on, and amazing appetizers.  The Cheese Fries was the best thing ever; seasoned steak fries smothered in melted cheese and crispy bacon bits; served with a Southwestern Ranch sauce.  Heart attack on a plate and we did not care.  Then one day we discovered that the restaurant had closed; we knew a couple of the waiters who said they had reported to work, only to find a sign on the door saying it was closed for business.  Talk about a shocker!

Poor Roy, I think he was the most disappointed of both of us, so I decided to come up with a copycat recipe.  Took me a while to get it right, but I did it; and making the sauce was super easy.  While shopping for groceries, I discovered that Hidden Valley Ranch had a Southwestern Ranch dressing.  I purchased a bottle and discovered it was exactly what was served with the cheese fries.  However, it was not always available at the supermarkets, so I learned to make my own by mixing regular Ranch dressing, not the buttermilk type, with Cholula sauce.

 

Copycat Recipe for Lone Star Cheese Fries

Ingredients:

peanut or canola oil

1 (16 oz.) bag seasoned steak fries, frozen

1 (8 oz.) bag shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese mix

1 cup real bacon pieces

Hidden Valley Ranch Southwestern Ranch Dressing, or mix Regular Ranch Dressing (not Buttermilk) with Cholula sauce till desired flavor and heat is achieved.

Preparation:

Fill a large skillet halfway with peanut oil, heat on high till a drop of cold-water sizzles in pan. Fry the frozen fries one third of a bag at a time; use a slotted spoon to put the fries into the hot oil. Caution: the oil will sizzle and pop from the cold fries. Let cook for 4 minutes, drain on paper towels and repeat till all the fries are done.

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer one third of the fries into the dish, spread one third of the cheese and bacon pieces over them; repeat two more times. Bake for 15 minutes; serve with sauce while hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Have fun jeepers, and make sure to dine in San Juan County restaurants!

Mary Cokenour

Patty Melt Goes Upscale

My hubby loves patty melts, and when it comes to the Classic Patty Melt; well he says I outdo everyone.  When I make my recipes, there's one thing I really enjoy doing; outdoing myself!

Let me introduce you to the London Broil Melt; thinly sliced rare London Broil, sharp cheddar, sautéed mushrooms and onions; layered together into a perfect marriage between toasted bread.

 

London Broil Melt

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2 slices of sandwich bread, toasted

3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese (Sargento is the best!)

 8 thin slices of rare London Broil
1/2 cup sautéed mushroom/onion mix

Preparation:

This is a layering preparation.

Preheat oven to 350F; line small baking pan with aluminum foil.

Toasted Bread
Cheese Slice
4 London Broil Slices
Cheese Slice
4 London Broil Slices
Spread out 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture
Cheese Slice
Toasted Bread

Cheese on Toast

Meat and Cheese

Meat, Mushroom/Onion Mix

Place entire sandwich inside baking pan; place in oven for five minutes to allow cheese to melt thoroughly.  Remove sandwich to plate, cut in half and enjoy.

Makes one sandwich.

Note:  While my hubby enjoys a multi-grain bread, I go for potato bread; so, use what appeals to your taste buds.

Mary Cokenour

Gotta have Fry Bread at Goulding's.

Goulding’s Stagecoach Dining Room

1000 Main St
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536

(435) 727-3231

Website: http://www.gouldings.com/dining-room/







Recently I was in Monument Valley, on a group tour, and it included Goulding's (dining room, lodge, museum, supermarket, RV park, campgrounds, and much, much more); I'm going to concentrate on the Dining Room.  The guide explained that the building first started out as a movie prop when John Ford began making movies down in Monument Valley.  It then became the mess hall for the movie crews; the cook would prepare the food, ring the bell (still displayed out front) and everyone would come in and eat family style.  When tourists began staying at the Lodge, they would eat there; but the Health Department visited one day and stated it was unsafe.  The Gouldings tore down the old building and rebuilt a more modern structure with windows that look out upon Monument Valley.  Current management of the Dining Room is Scott and Alexa Laws who have years of restaurant experience under their belts; no wonder the place is clean, the servers and greeters polite and knowledgeable, and the food is great.

After being seated at a booth or table, you'll notice that each table includes a beautiful Native American jug for the water.  There are menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner; we were there to enjoy lunch and, most especially, fry bread.  Fry Bread is an unleavened bread that is slightly crispy on the outside and pillow soft on the inside.  Alone, as a side, or with toppings, it is a "cannot miss out on this" item when visiting the Southwest.








My husband had the Patty Melt which he stated was almost...almost, as good as mine.  The marbled bread was toasted nicely, the burger was thick and perfectly cooked, melted cheese and onions.  The only difference is that it had less cheese and onions than I put on, and he could live with that.  The fries were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside with the usual Utah fry sauce served on the side.





Now Goulding's best seller is the Navajo Taco and I could see why from the platters served to other nearby diners. However, when I spied the Rez Bah' on the menu, I knew I had to try it out; it is huge by the way.  A choice of roast beef, ham, grilled chicken breast or 2 hamburger patties on fry bread with roasted green chilies, tomato, lettuce and onion; extra fry sauce for a condiment.  This had to be one of the best sandwiches I've ever experienced; the fry bread was perfect, absolutely perfect (it's still on my mind!).  The heat of the chilies, sweet of the tomato and crunch of the lettuce enhanced the flavor of the chicken.  The fry sauce was unnecessary, and I took out the raw onion as it detracted from the other flavors.  My hubby though enjoyed the onion on it; he ate the other half of it later on and hid the empty box, so I wouldn't know...I knew.



Whether you're staying at the Goulding's Lodge, touring Monument Valley or just passing through; when you're hungry, satisfy that hunger at the Stagecoach Dining Room.

Mary Cokenour

Moab Grill New to Moab.

Moab Grill

540 South Main (next to Big Horn Lodge)
Moab, Utah, 84535

(435) 259-4848

Website: N/A


The former location of Smithy's Golden Steakhouse is now occupied by the Moab Grill. Open daily from 6am to 10pm, this new restaurant offers an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu; comfort food diner meets grill with fine flavor. Acting as consultants for the Grill are Scott and Alexa Laws, the former owners of the Lamplight Restaurant of Monticello, Utah.


Three of us went there for dinner (specials featured every night), were greeted immediately by the hostess, seated and introduced to our waiter, John. We started off the meal with Roasted Potato Skins appetizer; sadly, it was a disappointing start to our meal. While there was a definite taste of potato and green onion, the flavors of bacon and cheese were completely lost. Not even the addition of salt and sour cream gave any improvement to this appetizer.


Meals come with a choice of cup of soup, side salad or fries. On Fridays, New England Clam Chowder is the soup of the day. While nicely seasoned, loaded with clams and potatoes, the soup itself was very thin. Alexa, however, noticed this quickly and remarked that it was thicker and that the cook must have thinned it out. She was going to make sure it was done properly from now on. My husband's side salad was larger than the usual side salads in most restaurants; leafy greens with slices of red onion and tomato; very fresh tasting.



The Buffalo Ribeye was perfectly cooked and well seasoned; the yam came with a delicious cinnamon butter which was absolutely delicious also with the side of Texas Toast. The macaroni and cheese was gooey with several cheeses, however needed a little more salt and some black pepper for flavoring.



The Roast Turkey platter was thinly sliced REAL roasted turkey, not that cold cut mess many restaurants serve. The gravy was rich with turkey flavor, mashed potatoes creamy and smooth and the Mexicali corn was a vibrant touch.



The Patty Melt is a classic with a medium cooked burger, grilled onions, Swiss cheese on Texas Toast. The side chosen was thick, skin on, fries, just crisped on the outside and deliciously fluffy on the inside.



Although we were comfortable after our meal, we could not resist taking home a slice of Alexa's Chocolate Cake. $8.95 might sound pricey, but the slice of cake is huge, equaling two slices anywhere else. Alexa's cake is the same that she was famous for at the Lamplight; and if you're looking for a cake for a special occasion, or just to splurge on, consider getting one of these.

We would definitely give Moab Grill another go; especially breakfast where we have heard they make a killer French Toast coated with crushed frosted flakes. With the Laws as consultants, and if the owners seriously listen to them, this could become one of the bright spots in Moab.

Mary Cokenour

This is Dedicated to the One I Love.

When Roy and I lived in Pennsylvania, one restaurant we enjoyed eating at was the LoneStar Cafe.  It was a chain restaurant, but that had great steaks, baked sweet potatoes that needed their own dinner plate to be served on, and amazing appetizers.  The Cheese Fries was the best thing ever; seasoned steak fries smothered in melted cheese and crispy bacon bits; served with a Southwestern Ranch sauce.  Heart attack on a plate and we didn't care.  Then one day we discovered that the restaurant had closed; we knew a couple of the waiters who said they had reported to work, only to find a sign on the door saying it was closed for business.  Talk about a shocker!

Poor Roy, I think he was the most disappointed of both of us, so I decided to come up with a copycat recipe.  Took me a while to get it right, but I did it; and making the sauce was super easy.  While shopping for groceries, I discovered that Hidden Valley Ranch had a Southwestern Ranch dressing.  I purchased a  bottle and discovered it was exactly what was served with the cheese fries.  However, it wasn't always available at the supermarkets, so I learned to make my own by mixing regular Ranch dressing, not the buttermilk type, with Cholula sauce.

Copycat Recipe for LoneStar Cheese Fries

Ingredients:

peanut or canola oil
1 (16 oz) bag seasoned steak fries, frozen
1 (8 oz) bag shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese mix
1 cup real bacon pieces
Hidden Valley Ranch Southwestern Ranch Dressing, or mix Regular Ranch Dressing (not Buttermilk) with Cholula sauce till desired flavor and heat is achieved.

Preparation:

Fill a large skillet halfway with peanut oil, heat on high till a drop of cold water sizzles in pan. Fry the frozen fries one third of a bag at a time; use a slotted spoon to put the fries into the hot oil. Caution: the oil will sizzle and pop from the cold fries. Let cook for 4 minutes, drain on paper towels and repeat till all the fries are done.

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2 qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer one third of the fries into the dish, spread one third of the cheese and bacon pieces over them; repeat two more times. Bake for 15 minutes; serve with sauce while hot.

Makes 4 servings.

But I'm not finished yet, another one of Roy's joys is the Patty Melt; a diner classic that is rarely found in diners anymore. This is a grill top special - grilled onions, hamburger, rye bread with melted Swiss cheese. I make mine in a cast iron skillet which ensures even cooking, good flavor and a crisp texture to the rye bread.

The Classic Patty Melt

Ingredients:

1 large onion, cut into slivers
2 Tbsp butter
dash of salt and pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 (1/4 lb each)hamburger patties (80% lean)
8 slices marbled Rye bread
4 Tbsp butter, softened
8 slices Swiss cheese

Preparation:

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in skillet on medium-high heat; add onions, salt, pepper and vinegar; mix and let cook for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring. Once the onions are browned, remove to small bowl and add the patties into the same skillet; cook each side for 6 minutes. Remove to plate to rest.

Liberally smear softened butter onto one side of each slice of Rye bread; place butter side down in skillet. Depending on size of skillet, you may have to do each sandwich individually. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each slice of bread; let cook for 2 minutes. On one slice of bread, place a hamburger patty and a layer of onions. Flip over the other slice of bread on top of the other, press down with a spatula for one minute. Flip sandwich over in skillet, press down with spatula again for an additional minute. Remove to plate, slice sandwich in half and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

So there you go Roy; a meal just for you cause I love you so very much.

Mary Cokenour

Burgers and Slickrock; now that's a combo meal.

Milt's Stop and Eat

356 Millcreek Drive
Moab, UT, 84535

(435) 259-7424

Website: http://www.miltsstopandeat.com/

Established in 1954, Milt's is the place to go for great fast food. Now when I say fast I'm not talking about what is served at the typical fast food places like McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's. I'm talking about really good food that is made to order, so yeah, you might have to wait a good 15-20 minutes for your order. It's worth it though, unless you enjoy reheated burgers from a microwave, or that's been sitting under a heat lamp. If that's your type of meal, then Milt's is not the place for you.

Milt's is not a big place; there are a few seats available inside, but most orders are placed at the window near the back of the place. Once your order is placed and paid for, you wait; there are some tables and benches underneath the trees, but they'll be packed with diners. Most folks take their food and go elsewhere; like the park or one of the many trails.

We indulged in "Milt's Melt", two beef patties with onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese all grilled together between two slices of rye bread. A side of fries with fry sauce (a must to have when visiting Utah), and vanilla milk shakes. Delicious awesomeness!!!

Milt's can satisfy anyone's indulgence; and if visiting Moab, you have to make this place a must visit.

Which comes to the Slickrock part of this post's title; Sand Flats (435) 259-2444; this recreational area is beautiful, and a must see. There are biking and ATV trails, camp sites, and many places for hiking and climbing. From Milt's, just go down to Center Street, hook a right and just keep going till you arrive at the entry booth. A pass for the day is only $5.00; and it's a great place to have a picnic lunch with your food from Milt's.