Dove Creek Welcomes Back “The Lunch Box”.

The Lunch Box

330 US – 491

Dove Creek, CO., 81324

Phone: 970-512-0300

Hours of Operation: Mon – Sat, 8am to 8pm; Sun, 11am to 4pm

 

 

Patio Dining Area

1987, a year dedicated to Michael Jackson being “Bad”, Whitney Houston wanting to dance with somebody, “The Lost Boys” being found and staked, and most historically, Ronald Reagan’s visit to West Berlin, and his famous speech, imploring The USSR’s leader, Mikhail Gorbachev to open the Berlin Wall.  Sorry, cannot resist this side note, but I was a university exchange student in 1979, and we had a guided tour of East Berlin, inside the wall area, and a guard in a turret actually turned his machine gun in our direction.  It was a horrible place just to visit, so imagine trying to live in its confines.

Anyway, while the world was experiencing what I have mentioned, and so much more, Paul Davis, of Dove Creek, Colorado, opened up his small diner, called simply “The Lunch Box”.  Little did he know that it would become an iconic part of Dove Creek’s history.  In 1995, Shelly King purchased the diner, and decided expansion was surely needed. At that time, Highway 491 was known as Highway 666, aka The Haunted Highway, so interest in this brought many a visitor inside the, now, full-service restaurant.  Unfortunately, due to illness, Shelly needed to sell his beloved Lunch Box in 2007, which became The Dinner Bell, and eventually DC Rack Haus.

Grandpa Shelly King

 

In 2023, the restaurant was up for sale once again and fate had a hand in this.  Joshua Robinson, Shelly King’s grandson, had moved from California (born and raised, but his family does have deep New York metropolitan roots) to Monticello.  Fate was knocking at his door and Joshua answered quickly, purchasing in October and wanting a grand opening as soon as possible.  He did not anticipate how much work needed to be done, but November 20^th was the grand day.  This was not just taking on, and continuing, the legacy of grandpa Shelly, this was an act of love for family history.  At six years old, Shelly began teaching Joshua the food business by allowing him to flip burgers in Shelly’s food truck.  For 18 years, Joshua worked in the food industry, but wanted a restaurant of his own due to his grandpa’s influence.

I will be adding tidbits of history in the rest of this article, but I must get to the food; the absolutely most delicious menu items we tried out.  There are three menus: breakfast, lunch/dinner and children’s.  There is so much variety, but here are the favorites: Breakfast – Breakfast Burrito, Country Fried Steak with green chili, Hatch Breakfast Sandwich; Lunch/Dinner – Country Fried Steak (choice of creamy country gravy or green chili), Fried Chicken Sandwich, Patty Melt, Cheeseburger, Hatch Cheeseburger, Chef or Greek Salad.  Now this list is only of local favorites, but there is so much more!  Oh, make sure you are very hungry, and want to take home leftovers; the portions are huge and at very reasonable prices.  Shelly always taught, “Good food + Huge portions + Great prices = Customers continue to come back.”

 

Children's Menu

 

Breakfast Menu

 

 

Lunch-Dinner Menu, Page 2

Lunch-Dinner Menu, Page 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting The Lunch Box gave me a day off from cooking, so we purchased four dishes to feed us throughout lunch and dinner.  First is Roy’s favorite sandwich, the patty melt, but this was no ordinary patty melt, it was a double (yes, you can order a single).  Two all-beef patties, smothered in a rich and tangy Swiss and white American cheese blend, grilled onions between toasted marble rye bread.  A comfort food addict’s dream sandwich.

 

 

 

The country fried steak was so amazing, I actually woke up during the night craving another platter of it.  This is Angus beef, fresh not frozen, trimmed and cut down on premises.  The coating is so crunchy good, any bits that fall off are quickly picked up and devoured.  Several times it was, slap Roy’s hand, and “this is mine, get your own!”.  It comes with a serving of crispy outside, fluffy inside shoestring fries and green beans.  Oh, but not our average, just picked out of the garden beans.  No, these are Haricots Verts, a French style green bean which contains more vitamins of the B group, vitamins C and K and minerals such as magnesium, iron and manganese.  The country gravy is creamy, smooth with a hint of cracked black pepper, so as to not overwhelm.

 

Dirty Fries are loaded nachos, but using shoestring fries instead of standard tortilla chips.  The toppings are green chili, cowboy beans, green onions, cilantro, cheddar cheese and sour cream.  The pinto beans are purchased locally in Dove Creek and cooked up fresh in-house; pork shoulder is used for the green chili as it is more tender after roasting.  Let me tell you that a bowl of that green chili with pork, plus fry bread, would make a complete meal in itself.  However, while grandpa Shelly did make his own fry bread, that is not an option nowadays.  But hey, get some fluffy housemade biscuits instead!

 

 

 

 

Pork Green Chili and Country Gravy.

 

A huge condiment selection at every table.

 

But I digress, the Greek salad came loaded with Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, roasted chicken, red onions, pepperoncini, feta cheese and the creamiest, smoothest dressing.  Every bite was a new taste sensation due to the ingredient combinations the fork picked up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roy and I are so looking forward to going back and trying out many of the other menu items, like the burgers (1/4 lb. pounders).  One of the waitresses walked by carrying a cheeseburger plate; the burger was actually sitting out the sides of the bun and about an inch thick.  My eyes popped, and you know no one was doing a 1980’s, “Where’s the beef?”, yell.

 

Speaking of the wait staff, the second you walk in, you are greeted with a welcoming and friendly, “Come on in, and sit anywhere you like”.  Joshua opened up the building to make it roomier, airier and the sunlight allowed to brighten up every corner. We sat at the “Grandpa Shelly Memorial Table”, and felt honored, and yet also felt like he was there to make sure we were happy.  The staff are very attentive; depending on experience, they start at the bottom and are trained in every skill needed in a restaurant.  That way, there is always someone to step in when a staff member needs off.

 

So, if you want really good, I mean really good food, welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, a staff who cares about your needs, then you must go to The Lunch Box. If you want to hear more in-depth history, Joshua Robinson will not be shy about pulling up a chair and happily chat with you.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Saddlebags That Are Meant for Eating.

One of the best decisions we have made, about entertainment, is to get rid of DISH, and switch to using an Amazon Firestick.  Besides Prime, there are a slew of streaming options that are free for watching like Tubi and Plex.  Oh sure, you have to watch some ads, or pay for the privilege of ad-free (we do not), but they are mainly for products sold on Amazon.  Favorites can be added to lists, and watched any day, any time, at our convenience. 

While watching old episodes of “Man vs. Food”, on Prime, Adam Richman was at The Buff Restaurant of Boulder, Colorado. One of their specialty items was a breakfast called "Saddlebag Pancakes". Two giant pancakes, one with sausage, one with bacon; big deal you say? The meat was inside the pancakes, not on the side; every forkful was a mixture of meat and pancake without having to root around on the plate.

Not being able to travel to Boulder to try the place out, it was inevitable that I would try to create this dish.  The first thing was to decide what type of pancake to use, so I let my hubby choose and he wanted honey wheat. While the restaurant braised their eggs, I did a simple over easy which is Roy’s favorite egg style.  Oh, what is braising?  The eggs are roasted and steamed, over low heat, using oil and another liquid, such as broth or a flavored sauce.  Back to eggs over easy. When mixed with maple syrup, the runny egg yolks helped to create this rich, indulgent syrup for the meaty infused pancakes.

Saddlebag Pancakes with Eggs Over Easy.

 

Thick cut bacon was fried up till just crisp; a little remaining fat was needed for when it was cooking up in the pancake batter.  It would also crumble up into small pieces if too crisp, and bite sized pieces were required for this dish.  The sausages, however, were not the typical breakfast links you find in the supermarket.  Instead, I used an all pork, fresh sausage without the additional seasonings you would find in breakfast sausage.  We love this type as it cooks up in the pan bubbling, squeaking and hopping around; the flavor is awesome and fun to watch, and listen to, cooking. Reminded me so much of making the English dish "Bubble and Squeak", but that is for another article in the future.  An angle cut for the sausages gave more surface texture inside the pancakes. For the six-inch pancakes, three strips of bacon or three sausage links were used; but if you want both meats in your pancakes, then I would suggest just using two of each.

Fresh Pork Sausages without Seasonings.

 

So, let’s get started, first here is my recipe for Honey Wheat Pancakes and then the construction of the actual Saddlebags.

 

Honey Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 and ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal (ground to flour or use oat flour)

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

2 and ½ cups buttermilk

2 tsp. canola oil

1 egg

2 egg whites

2 Tbsp. honey

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients; slowly add to dry ingredient bowl, mixing together as added. Do not over mix batter; let rest 10 minutes while griddle (stove top or electric) heats up.

Lightly oil griddle before each batch if using nonstick appliance. Use a regular ladle (1 and ½ ladles per pancake) to portion out batter; using bottom of ladle to smooth out batter to a 6-inch circle. Each pancake will take 2-4 minutes per side depending on type of griddle used.

Makes 8 pancakes.

 To Make Saddlebag Pancakes:

 

The construction of the Saddlebags begins once the griddle is ready for the batter. Remember to have your bacon and sausage cut up and ready to go. First get the batter on the griddle for two pancakes.

 

 

 

 

 

Add bacon pieces to one pancake, sausage to the other. Depending on how your griddle browns up pancakes, you will know when to flip them over. Once flipped, leave them alone and just let the batter brown up as usual. Remove to a plate once done. 

 

 

 

It was that easy; now have your eggs going at the same time, so everything will be piping hot. Maple syrup goes best with these beauties, and eat enough of these saddlebags, your hips will develop their own.

Honey wheat pancakes not to your liking?  Buttermilk pancakes work just as well, and here is a recipe for that.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 and ¼ cups flour

1 egg

1and ¼ cups buttermilk

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ cup canola oil

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. butter

Preparation:

Preheat electric griddle, or stovetop griddle, to 300F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except butter, and do not over mix.  Melt the butter on the hot griddle; use a ladle to pour batter onto the griddle, forming 6-inch circles.

As the batter cooks, bubbles will appear and when the edges seem firm; flip over and cook other side.  Both sides will take 2-4 minutes each; and be golden brown.  Serve with favorite toppings or syrups.

Makes 6-8 pancakes.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Banger’s Bar and Pizza Keeps Upping Their Food Game.

 Banger’s Bar and Pizza

 315 US-491

Dove Creek, Colorado, 81324

Phone: (970) 677-2465

Hours of Operation:  Monday thru Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm; Closed Sunday.

 

In every home cook’s weekly developing of meals, there comes a time of, “I am not in the mood to cook!  I do not want to reheat leftovers, that is cooking!  I do not want to microwave anything, that is cooking!  I do not want to cook!”.  When I get like this, the go-to meal is likely a bowl of cereal, Cap n’ Crunch being, still, my utmost favorite. However, there happens to be another living in the home, and my idea of a go-to meal is not on his list.

Choice?  He can fend for himself, or he can garnish favor by calling for take-out.  After many years together (we are about to celebrate year number 21 this October), he knows what foods put me into my happy place.  Off in his Jeep he went, to Dove Creek, and Banger’s Bar and Pizza.  Their menu selections change occasionally, but still offer up the favorites that locals crave, and visitors to the area drool over.

 

While there is a selection of specialty pizzas, the create-your-own gives a wide choice on sauces, cheeses, meats and vegetables.  We both believe the Banger’s Sauce is killer good on top of that crispy crust pizza dough with an Italian cheese blend.  No, cheddar does NOT make it better!  We are talking pizza here, not a grilled cheese sandwich.  Anyway, I tend to lean towards extra sauce on my pizza as an addition, so we always end up doing a half and half.  I can have my “purist” pizza and Roy gets either a half of loaded pepperoni, or veggie, or both. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are also create-your-own calzones, again, with a variety of sauces, cheeses, meats and veggies.  Our go-to, every time, is Banger’s sauce (told you it was killer good), Italian cheese blend and meatballs.  Now the meatballs are not house made, but they use a brand that is close to homemade as it can get. 

 

 

 

Alright, one item that I have suggested, and still would love to see on the menu, is ricotta cheese.  First off, it is one of the basic ingredients for white pizza.  White pizza?  It is as the name suggests, simply a layer of ricotta cheese, covered in hot and gooey mozzarella only, or an Italian cheese blend, plus garlic.  No tomato sauce touches this pizza, and for those who happen to be allergic to tomatoes, or just do not like them, this is a pizza meant for them.

 

Is Banger’s only about the bar and pizza?  Oh no; they have a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes.  Weekly, owner Shelly Jean comes up with innovative specials to draw us in by our senses, mainly sight, smell and taste.  The sauces and dressings are mostly house made, and from experience, we can tell you that the buttermilk ranch dressing, and house bourbon sauce, are so good, you will be licking the plates.  Since I mentioned salad, Banger’s is definitely not chintzy when it comes to portions.  Side salads are larger than the average salad plate size, since they are loaded with cheese, veggies and croutons.

 

Oh, do not forget to order a basket of the house made potato chips; darker than usual potato chips and full of crunchy potato flavor.  You will find yourself ordering a bag to go.  

 

 

Since I did mention the house bourbon sauce, make sure to order wings (boneless or bone-in) and try out this sauce; you will not regret it.  The wings are meaty and have the perfect crunchy texture to hold onto any sauce they are drenched in.  Of course, if wings are not your thing, try one of the other appetizers listed on the menu.  

 

 

 

Wanting to get away from the home for a relaxing night out, and a great meal, definitely think Banger’s in Dove Creek.  The atmosphere is welcoming and laid back, no one rushes you to order, eat and get out, like many other places tend to do.  There are big screen televisions to watch sports, or another type of programming.  A gaming machine area to try your hand at, or even a small area with comfy cushioned seating to just sink into and forget that hard day you had.  Or, do not want to go out, but do not want to cook either, order take-out like we did!

Mary Cokenour

 

Delicious Ideas for Vegetable Surplus.

Here we are, almost to the end of August and Labor Day begins the month of September.  Farmers’ markets are laden with surpluses of homegrown vegetables, or baked goods, jams and jellies.  One of our friends dropped off several bags of yellow squash, zucchini and cucumbers which, of course, got me in a creative mood.  

 

Again, we do not have a lot of storage space in our small home, so while I froze shredded zucchini and yellow squash for dessert bread making, the rest was eaten.  First off was a refreshing cucumber salad which can be eaten by itself, or used to make those dainty, English style, cucumber sandwiches served with tea.

 

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers

½ cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. dried dill

¼ tsp. salt

Option: Adding diced or julienned red onion gives added crunch.

Preparation:

Cut ends off cucumbers (discard and put in composting bin), and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices.  Place in medium sized bowl, add mayonnaise, dill and salt; gently fold to not break up cucumber slices.

Makes 2 to 3 cups of salad, depending on how large cucumbers are.

Note: Remove the skin?  That is strictly up to you.  You can remove it all, or use a peeler to remove skin in waves to make it more decorative.

To make cucumber sandwiches, use square white or wheat bread, and cut off edges.  Spoon one layer of salad onto one slice of bread, top with other slice; press down slightly and cut into 4 triangles.  Let rest for about 5 minutes to make sure salad is adhering to the bread.

So, when you are having friends over for a tea party, serve these little sandwiches along with scones and fairy cakes.  Your guests will be quite impressed with your English flair for the fancy.

What about using vegetables in casserole making?  That is where some of the zucchini and yellow squash surplus comes in handy.  This is also where all-time favorite recipes are reinvented into something extraordinary.  Take, for example, Broccoli and Cheese casserole.  This recipe can be so simple by using butter and melted cheese only; to creating a creamy sauce that coats the tongue in a rich blanket of flavors.   While same old, same old is easy to do, try thinking, “Let’s try something different this time!”

 

Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

16 oz. chopped mushrooms

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. saltless seasoning mixture

3 medium sized zucchini, chopped

3 medium sized yellow squash, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup ranch dressing

2 eggs, beaten

12 oz. package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided in half

1 tsp. ground black pepper

6 oz. package French fried onion strips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet, medium heat, sauté' mushrooms in butter for five minutes. Add seasoning mixture, zucchini, yellow squash; mix together, sauté' for additional minute and remove from heat. While mushrooms are cooking, mix together, in a medium bowl, the mayonnaise, yogurt, ranch dressing, eggs, half the shredded cheese, black pepper and onion strips.

Into a large bowl, put in the vegetable mixture; add the wet mixture from the medium bowl and mix to coat the vegetables evenly. Spoon all into the casserole dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle remaining half of cheese evenly over top and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Want something without having to use dairy products?  Make a vegetable stir fry that is a kaleidoscope of colors, using exotic ingredients that will excite the taste buds.  This is a basic recipe and vegetables can be changed according to tastes, or availability.  Using a Wok is preferred, but if not available, a large nonstick skillet will do.

 

Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. sesame oil (if not available, use peanut)

1 small red onion, slivered

1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 small zucchini and yellow squash, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

1 cup snow peas (if not available, use sugar snap peas)

1 tsp. minced garlic

½ cup diced tomatoes

¼ cup each soy and hoisin sauces

½ tsp. ground ginger

Preparation:

In a Wok, or large nonstick skillet, heat oil on high.  Sauté onions and bell pepper till they just start to soften; about 5 minutes.  Add in zucchini, squash, peas; cook another 5 minutes before adding in garlic, tomatoes, sauces and ginger; mix together thoroughly.

Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings; can be served as is, or with rice or Asian noodles.

Want more protein in this meal, add cut up tofu, chicken, beef or pork while sauteing the onions and bell pepper, then add the rest of the ingredients to complete.  If using a seafood item, usually they cook better within the last five minutes of completion.

Have a vegetable surplus as summer slides into autumn, now you have some delicious options for your dining table.  …and here’s a novel idea, if you happen to have a lot of one type, and neighbors also have only one type, get together and have a cooking party.  It is a pleasant way of, not only learning new recipes, but getting to know each other in a unique way.

Mary Cokeour

One Bite Should Be All It Takes

 “Crash Goes the Hash”, 1944, featuring Moe, Larry and Curly aka The Three Stooges. Disguised as servants, the trio infiltrates a party at Mrs. Van Bustle's residence held in honor of a visiting prince.  The Stooges unintentionally disrupt the event by presenting hors d'œuvres that are deemed unappetizing, featuring dog biscuits accompanied by canned peas (told to serve canapés which does sound like can of peas), and a turkey housing a live parrot within its cavity.  While trying to carve the turkey, the parrot begins squawking and takes flight, still inside the turkey.

Hors d'œuvres and Canapés, most people today have no idea what these terms are referring to. 

The following definitions come from Wikipedia.

Hors d'œuvre in French literally means 'outside the work', that is "not part of the ordinary set of courses in a meal". In practice, it is a dish which stands on its own as a snack or supports the main course.  

A canapé (French: [kanape]) is a type of starter, a small, prepared, and often decorative food, consisting of a small piece of bread (sometimes toasted) or cracker, wrapped or topped with some savory food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.  

Ah, but there is a third term which relates and that is Amuse-bouche which is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre.  Amuse-bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons but are served free and according to the chef's selection alone. These are served both to prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse of the chef's style.  

Even though these three items do not like to be compared to an appetizer, considering how and when they are eaten, they do belong to that category.  According to Oxford Dictionary, an appetizer is a small dish of food or a drink taken before a meal or the main course of a meal to stimulate one's appetite.  Go back and reread the definitions and you will see that each one has a characteristic that fits the appetizer profile.

Way back in time, when the rich, famous, and organizations seeking patrons and donations had elegant dinner parties, it was not unusual to have waiters walking throughout.  They would hold trays of champagne, and platters of delectable, sweet and savory single bite foods that one could pop into the mouth, chew, swallow and accept another of a different type.  Two bites were deemed rude, and if a sauce was served, double dipping was a social Faux pas.  Posh weddings, depending on the locale, would have roaming waiters, but I remember many an Italian wedding with towers of one bite appetizers.  There would be so much offered to sample, that when dinner was finally served, many a meal was left untouched.

However, especially in America, more is more and these one bite appetizers grew into more than one mouthful.  The concept of the Amuse-bouche became a trend when celebrity chefs opened up restaurants and wanted to wow patrons that could afford it.  Chain restaurants provided cheaper, yet more plentiful, fare to patrons that brought families, held business luncheons/dinners, and offered catering.  Roy and myself are huge fans of ordering two or three appetizers and a salad to have as a complete meal.  We could share and enjoy different items, and still have room to split a dessert.

If you ever have the opportunity to travel to a state which has a Chinatown, such as New York, Philadelphia or San Francisco, make the attempt to find a Dim Sum restaurant.  The word dim sum comes from the Cantonese tim sam, "appetizer," or literally, "touch the heart."  This type of restaurant specializes in one bite appetizers that are steamed, pan fried, or deep fried, wrapped in dough or rice paper.  Examples are Har Gow – shrimp dumplings or Shumai – ground pork/vegetable mix.   If in the mood for Thai, try Kha Nom Jeeb which is very similar to Chinese Shumai.

Har Gow - Shrimp Dumplings

 

Kha Nom Jeeb - Thai Dumplings

At home, you have probably popped many a one bite appetizer in the mouth while watching sports or movies.  Maybe friends were over for card or board game night, so heating up mini quiches, pizza rolls, buffalo or barbecue sauced chicken bites, or mini pigs in a blanket (San Juan Record – June 21, 2023) did the trick.  Holiday time, small button mushrooms can be stuffed, baked, and quickly browned under the broiler for an oh so fancy, but easily made appetizer.  Essentially, these one bite foods can be easily eaten by using a toothpick or tiny “appetizer” fork which allows the fingers to stay relatively clean.  That’s important when playing card or board games for sure!

 

Mini Quiches

Mini Pigs in a Blanket

 

So, here we are in August, all grades of schooling will be going back soon, and there will be parties to celebrate anything from homecoming to pledging a fraternity or sorority.  Ball games will be aired, and nothing wets the appetite more, for subs, chili and beverages, than a plate of one bite treats.

 

 Crab Stuffed Mushrooms 

Ingredients:

24 white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms cleaned  

1 box (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

½ cup Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs

¼ cup finely diced red onion

¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup lump crab meat

¼ cup olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Remove stems from mushrooms, and finely dice.  Arrange mushrooms, cap side down inside a 9” x 13” baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together diced mushrooms stems, cream cheese, bread crumbs, red onions, red bell pepper, ground black pepper and crab meat.  Scoop about one teaspoon of the mixture into each mushroom; drizzle olive oil over mushrooms.  Bake for 20 minutes; turn on broiler for one minute to brown the tops lightly.

Makes 24.

Mary Cokenour