Line Camp Steak House; Another Monticello, Utah Secret.

Line Camp Steak House

7980 Route 191
Monticello, Utah, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-2351

Website: http://www.canyonlandsbestkeptsecret.com/









Hidden on Peter's Hill, nine miles north from the town of Monticello, is the entrance to Roughlock RV Park which includes the Line Camp Steak House and Runnin' Iron Inn.  The entrance is found simply by catching sight of the large white sign, and huge wooden fence post gate.  As you travel the unpaved road upward, the scenery around you is of high rock walls and trees of pinon, cedar and oak.  At the parking lot, a road goes off to the left for the RV, camping and cabin area; the restaurant and inn are directly in front of you.

The owners of this hidden location are Bob Musselman and his wife, who were not there the evening we dined in; we were greeted by a lovely lady named Kim, who also doubled as our waitress.   Reservations are preferred, but walk-in are very welcome; we were seated and wished a "Happy Anniversary", since I did mention it was our anniversary dinner when I made the reservation.  There were two other couples dining there; we chatted with the nearby couple and they definitely loved the meal they had just eaten; a good sign.  The interior of the restaurant is Old West and hunting trophies of the local mule deer and elk populations watch over the diners.  There is a small bar area; the restaurant will obtain their Utah state liquor license this month (October 2013).  The tables are beautifully set which, with the interior decor, helps define the cuisine served, "Old West Fine Dining".

We began the meal with the only appetizer offered, Shrimp Cocktail; and since Utah is a landlocked state where fresh seafood is unavailable, I wondered how the shrimp would fare.  Unfortunately, not well, as while they were five large shrimp, they were over chilled and chewy; the cocktail sauce (not house made) was spicy with horseradish and delicious with the lettuce underneath though.  My big suggestion to the owner is forget about this type of appetizer; come up, instead, with a signature dish that represent the Line Camp itself, and the surrounding area.  Salad is part of the meal experience and it was a plateful!  Crisp lettuce topped with green bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, tomato, black olives, croutons and a half of the Line Camp's house made Deviled Eggs which have a nice surprise...a horseradish kick to the taste buds.  We both had the house made Buttermilk Ranch dressing; this dressing is so good, you want to lick the plate after you finish the salad ingredients!




While eating our salads, we were served the Special Line Camp Beans in little brown pots and the Garlic Toast.  The beans are purchased locally, cooked al dente and sit in a broth; nothing special, that is until you pair them with the Garlic Toast.  Thick sliced, similar to Italian bread with garlic, butter and herbs; whether you put the beans on the bread to make an Old West version of English "beans on toast", or just use the bread to soak up the broth; it was a good pairing.









Hubby's main meal was the Filet Mignon wrapped in Bacon; purchased locally the meat was perfectly cooked (medium-rare), so, so tender and generously large for the cut; the bacon was lightly crisped, and had melted into the meat which added even more flavor.  The chef, Sandy, offered sauteed mushrooms which were a nice touch, but the meat was fantastic with or without the mushrooms.

I had the Salmon in an Orange-Maple Glaze with Pecans; the salmon, even though shipped into Utah, was perfectly cooked - flaked perfectly, tender and moist.  The syrup, used to glaze the salmon, was in a small bowl with the salmon over top, so the fish was not saturated and could be easily dipped instead; the pecans gave a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the syrup.  I have to go on about the syrup though; when I dipped my spoon in to get a taste of it alone, my reaction was, "Oh my, that is wicked!"  This item would be perfect on French toast, ice cream, used to sweeten hot tea, or used to make a hot toddy for a cold winter's night.

Both meals came with Roughlock Potatoes; tender, red skinned potatoes with onions and bacon in a simple sauce...use that garlic toast to sop up every bit!



Overall we were quite happy with our meal and walked out with smiles on our faces and full bellies.  The portions you receive are quite generous and, like other diners, we walked out carrying a small carton with leftovers.  The service was very good, the atmosphere is welcoming and comforting, the food is very good; and you can stay at the Inn in one of the several bedrooms named after "brothel ladies" like The Shady Lady, Miss Kitty or Miss  Bella.

The Line Camp Steak House is perfect for any special occasion dinner, like our anniversary; or even group events such as a holiday party, reunions, wedding receptions or company event.  With the tourist season nearly at an end, the local populace of Monticello would be foolish not to utilize this "best kept secret", right at their own front door, for the holiday party season.

Mary Cokenour

What's the Big Deal Over Pretzel Buns?

Pretzel buns, seems like everyone and their mother is offering some type of sandwich encased in a pretzel bun. Sonic is taunting sports fans by insinuating that the hotdogs sold at games aren't good enough anymore; that a pretzel bun makes the experience better. The idea of putting a hotdog inside a pretzel is no bright idea; Auntie Anne's, the famous soft pretzel maker, has had it on their menu for years! The chain restaurant, Chili's, is offering up burgers on pretzel buns, as is the fast food chain, Wendy's; again, not a novel idea. So, why is this newest food fad hitting the consumer scene so hard?  I've no exact clue, but I'm figuring it's boredom and when the big food chains push an item, most folks are sheeple.  No, seriously, in my many years of food adventuring, a novel idea at a unknown, family owned dining establishment are tried out by, you guessed it, the adventurous.  Most diners are comfortable with what they know and that's it; but if a name brand, chain eatery says "Eat this!", well they jump on it.  Simple fact.

Food magazines have jumped on the pretzel bun wagon as well; Food Network Magazine has had two large articles printed about making pretzels, and what you can do with them bun wise, twice since the fad began.  Even the supermarkets and Walmart are selling packages of store made, or shipped in from a factory made, pretzel buns in their bakery department.  One thing I am happy about though, I miss the warm, soft pretzels I used to get at the farmers' markets in Pennsylvania.  Oh sure, you can buy those frozen ones and either warm them in the oven, or microwave them, but in my opinion, the store can keep them.  When I buy the pretzel buns, I warm them up a little and put spicy brown mustard over them, just like I used to do with those pretzels in PA.  Now that is a snack!!!


Anyway, if you need to jump on the pretzel bun bandwagon, let me give you something simple you can make right at home.  That is if you can find pretzel buns in your store, or have the baking skills to make them yourself.  Instead of using simple hotdogs though, I'm going all out and using Johnsonville brats; they're all good, but I used beer brats for this demonstration.  Ok, I know there are plenty of guys out there now going...beer, brats, pretzels buns...I love this woman!  Sorry guys, I'm happily married, but thanks for the compliments.








Starting out with simplistic, Beer Brat on a Pretzel Bun with Spicy Brown Mustard.  Hmmm, next time I'm going to add some heated up sauerkraut; bet that would be awesome!










Sonic has their hotdogs, I've got...Beer Brat on a Pretzel Bun with melted Cheddar Cheese and Crumbled Bacon.  Yeah, I was in a rush when I did this, so next time I'm wrapping up the brats in the bacon, then roasting them.  Of course I'll still put the crumbled bacon on the melted cheese; you can never have too much bacon.








Last, but definitely not least...Beer Brat on a Pretzel Bun with sautéed Peppers and Onions.  Want a little kick, do what I did and use chile peppers instead of bell peppers. 








There you go, a great brat eating experience using the pretzel bun fad; all in the privacy of your own home.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Macaroni and Cheese That Even Paula Deen Would Envy.

Even though I make a mean Macaroni and Cheese, I'm always trying to improve my own dishes. Most of the time it's to impress my husband, Roy, who is a hard working man and a most excellent husband indeed. To surprise him after a long stint at work, I decided to make one of his all time favorites, Beef Brisket, but what side to go with it was the question. Something that would complement the beef, mix well with the spices of the rub and the barbecue sauce I added onto the meat afterwards, something rich and satisfying; nothing else would do, but homemade macaroni and cheese.

Now I named this version of my mac n' cheese "Heart Attack Mac n' Cheese" for a very good reason; anyone who tried it out said, "Eat this mac n' cheese everyday, and you'll end up having a heart attack!"  Oh they loved it for sure, but once they learned what the ingredients were, out came the statement.  I used a friend as a guinea pig, who shared some with her son; she asked if there was anyway she could get more.  I considered that request a great complement in itself, so of course gave her another container full.  The amount you get from the recipe I'm going to post is enough to share with lots of folks.  By the way, I break a rule on making the Roux by not using equal parts fat with flour, but once you taste this, forgiveness is easily given.  One more thing, as I'm making the sauce I'm also cooking up the elbow macaroni; that way it all comes together piping hot and fresh.

Ready for a heart attack?

Heart Attack Mac n' Cheese

 

Ingredients:

16 Tbsp salted butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1 tsp paprika
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 cups shredded, extra sharp Cheddar cheese
6 cups cooked large elbow macaroni

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat (make sure to watch and not let burn or brown); begin whisking in the flour until well incorporated.  Continue whisking for five minutes as the roux begins to turn a golden color.  Add in the black pepper, sea salt, paprika, heavy cream and milk; bring to a boil. 





Immediately add in the Monterey Jack cheese and begin whisking until smooth; add in the goat cheese, whisk until smooth; repeat with the Cheddar cheese, but one cup at a time.

If you took my advice and cooked the macaroni while making the sauce, drain it, but put it back into the pot it was cooked in.  Once you begin adding the cheese sauce, the heat from the pot will keep it from clotting around the drained pasta.

 

 

 

Mix it all together gently; you don't want to smash or break apart the macaroni.  Now serve it up and enjoy; and we found out that even eaten cold, it was delectable!  Servings?  Good question and I'm going to estimate 12 to 16; while I could only eat a half cup before going into "this is so good!!!" shock, Roy was able to eat a whole cup full and still want more.


I made fried chicken a couple of days later, and you guessed it, this was a perfect side dish.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Making a Creamy Soup Creamy Without the Cream.

So I was talking on the phone with my sister/friend from New York, Ellie, when she told me that her daughter (who I consider a niece), Donna, had made Potato Leek Soup; that was funny to me because I'd had a craving for that very soup recently. Donna had decided to go on the Weight Watchers program; to make that soup you did not need the butter or heavy cream. What the heck I thought, might as well try it out and see how good it can be. First I printed out a copy of the Weight Watchers recipe, then I compared it to my Potato Leek Soup recipe; pretty similar in nature.

Anyway, I cooked up a pot of the soup using the Weight Watchers recipe, but added crushed, dried thyme instead of using the chives as they suggested. Wow, I was pretty amazed at how good it came out; not as creamy, but it was still thick and rich tasting; the thyme added a pleasant savory flavor. Serving it to my hubby, he too was amazed at how good this non-dairy version was; he equated the texture to cream of wheat, but still enjoyed it...two bowls worth in one sitting.  Ellie suggested that I mix in a little low fat or fat free sour cream if I missed the dairy; tried it and didn't care for it at all.

So I'm posting the Weight Watchers recipe with a big thumbs up from Roy and myself; two people who thought they couldn't go without their butter and cream in a favorite soup.  Note: I added a couple of preparation steps, such as how to clean and cut up the leeks.

Dairyless Potato Leek Soup

Weight Watchers Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

64 oz canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
8 medium uncooked potatoes, peeled 
3 medium uncooked leeks, cleaned 
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp chives, minced (optional)

Preparation:

To clean the leeks, slice them lengthwise and then cut into one inch pieces. 

Put the pieces into a large colander, rinse with cold water until you can no longer see any dirt; separate the pieces as you rinse them.  Let them stand a few minutes to allow excess water to drain out.

Peel the potatoes and cut them one inch in size; they will cook together more uniformly with the leeks.  Yukon Gold potatoes are yellow in coloring and have a buttery taste; perfect for a soup that usually has butter in it, but is now being cooked without it.

Combine the broth, potatoes, leeks, pepper and herb, if using any, in a large stock pot or Dutch oven; bring to a boil on high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and let cool slightly.






Puree at least 2 cups or up to all of the potatoes and leeks (depending on the texture you want), with 1–2 cups of the broth in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender; pour the mixture back into the remaining soup, stir, and reheat. Serve hot, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold; hot or cold, garnish with the minced chives, if using.

Yields 1 and 1/2 cups per serving.

This soup can be completely or partially pureed and served hot or cold. It can be refrigerated for up to three days, but not frozen.

Try both recipes and see which one you prefer, or perhaps you'll enjoy both.  I find the Weight Watchers recipe more convenient, since heavy cream is not a staple in my home.  Judge for yourself.

Mary Cokenour

No Rehab for Brownie Brittle Addiction.

Sheila G's Brownie Brittle

Website: http://browniebrittle.com/

Hello, my name is Mary and I am addicted to Brownie Brittle.  It all started when I saw an advertisement on Facebook; yes, that evil Facebook drew me to this villainous snack.  I tried finding it at the local City Market locations, even at Walmart, but no luck.  Then I happened to be at Sam's Club in Farmington, New Mexico and there is was in the snack aisle; large bags of Brownie Brittle (Chocolate Chip) and I purchased two.  I am a sad case, as I was going to give the second bag to someone else to try, but I kept it; yes, I kept it and ate it all myself.











Brownie Brittle, how can I describe this delectable snack?  Imagine a rich, deep chocolate brownie, sliced into 1/8 inch thickness.   Then baked to a light, airy crispness that can be enjoyed by crunching onto it, or letting it just melt into chocolaty goodness.  The crispy squares are 4 inch by 4 inch; 6 of them are only 21 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of fat.  No, I wouldn't push these as nutritious, but they are so wonderfully good, who cares!  As to the amount to eat, I have to admit, as addicted as I am, that two goes a long way in satisfaction.  Brownie Brittle is very delicate, so can break apart, or crumble easily; makes a great topping for pudding or ice cream.  I don't know who Sheila G. Mains is, but I would hug her till she popped for creating Brownie Brittle.

Just yesterday I stopped at Safeway in Cortez, Colorado and in their baked goods aisle I found....Brownie Brittle!  Smaller sized bags than the ones at Sam's Club, but in different flavors such as Salted Caramel and Toffee Crunch.  I love this addiction!!!

Redemption; I purchased extra to give to that friend.  I may be a Brownie Brittle addict, but I still have a conscience.  Become addicted too, it's so good.

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

Wrap, Wrap, Wrap; Wrap it up, I'll Take it.

Notice how the fast food giants like Burger King and McDonalds are now offering a variety of wraps. Wraps are basically another form of the sandwich; another form of a convenient, on the go, can be held with one hand, type of meal. They can be made at home, with the exact ingredients you want, and you can have it your way. This is going to be a simple blog post about making chicken wraps, since this is the type of protein mainly pushed by those giants.

The nice thing about wraps is that you can have many textures inside the bread component (usually a tortilla), so your taste buds and hunger are fulfilled.  If you choose grilled chicken, crisp vegetables give you the crunch; but if you choose fried chicken, then softer veggies provide a balance; like I said, have it your way.

When I fry up chicken strips (sliced up boneless, skinless chicken breasts) or chicken tenderloins, the coating I use depends on either what is see in the pantry first (Italian flavored bread crumbs or Panko), or how much crunch I want in the final product. For chicken wraps, it has to be ultra crunchy, so I'm going to be using Panko. (Link to recipe)



I'll be giving you an idea for three wraps: All American, California and Mexican.  All three will have chopped lettuce and diced tomatoes, and that's as basic as I'm getting with those vegetables.  While I'll tell you what I put in these versions of wraps, your version can be what I suggest, or anything your heart desires.  In the photo is a general idea of what goes into making a wrap, besides the proteins and vegetables; some type of shredded or grated cheese, a sauce which offers moisture, flavor and smooth texture, and the wrap.  Although I used a 10 inch flour tortilla for each, a flavored tortilla such as spinach or red bell pepper can work just as well.  For the chicken strips I recommend only two, since the tenderloins or tenderloin sized strips are on the large size.  You're also going to notice that I do not put amounts for most of the ingredients since it all depends on how much the maker of the wrap wants inside.  A lot of decision making pressure, I know, but I'm sure you can handle it.

All American

California

Mexican

All American Chicken Wrap

Ingredients:

chopped lettuce
diced tomatoes
honey mustard dressing/sauce
2 chicken strips
4 slices crisp bacon
cheese

California

Ingredients:

chopped lettuce
diced tomatoes
green goddess dressing (if you can't find this, use cucumber dressing)
2 chicken strips
4 slices avocado

Instead of lettuce and tomatoes, my hubby prefers bean sprouts and peeled, sliced cucumbers.



Mexican

Ingredients:

chopped lettuce
diced tomatoes
spicy ranch dressing
cheese
2 chicken strips
jalapeno slices

Preparation:

Lie the tortilla on a flat surface.  Place a layer of lettuce and diced tomatoes first to create a barrier; the crisp chicken won't poke holes through the tortilla.  When putting down dressings/sauces, use  a bottle with a nozzle to control the flow; in a right to left (or vice versa) motion, draw a line over the lettuce, tomatoes, and onto the exposed tortilla surface also (helps hold the cheese in place).  Put down the chicken strips and whatever other toppings desired.

Fold the bottom end of the tortilla over the fillings, but not so tight against them that the tortilla will begin to break.  Fold over one side, tucking in the corner piece that will be sticking out from the folded bottom.  Now depending on how much you've put in as filling, you can either roll the tortilla to close up the other side; or fold the other side over to finish enclosing the ingredients (tuck in that other bottom corner). 

Now open your mouth wide and enjoy!

Mary Cokenour