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A Salad with Heft

By Fran Hill

We all have that friend who loves food but doesn’t really care to cook. These friends are lovely people and have many strengths, but the kitchen just isn’t their realm. Occasionally, one may venture into domestication, and that is when things like Oreo Salad happen.

I would like it entered into the record that I have nothing against Oreo Salad. I have never prepared the concoction of pudding, whipped topping and cookies, nor have I ever eaten it. But, as a South Dakota native, I am very aware of this Midwestern version of a so-called salad (and its cousin, the Snicker Salad). I don’t think that any South Dakota salad bar, buffet or potluck would be complete without at least one bowl of creamy sweetness. If my friend made Oreo Salad for me, I would appreciate the thoughtfulness and effort and would savor every sugary bite.

However, when it came time to return the favor, I would add a little color to the meal. I like winter salads with heft. Roasted Broccoli and Lentil Salad includes a smoky tahini and red pepper dressing that is so good you may be tempted to drink it straight from the jar. Shredded carrots add crunch, parsley has freshness, pistachios lend slight sweetness and feta is bright and salty. While it may lack the pure indulgence of Oreo Salad and require a few more kitchen skills, Roasted Broccoli and Lentil Salad fortifies and fully pleases our palates.

The freshness and saltiness of Roasted Broccoli and Lentil Salad complements that South Dakota mainstay: Oreo Salad.

Roasted Broccoli and Lentil Salad

(adapted from Food52)

2 cups black lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 yellow onion, peeled and halved

2 bay leaves

2 heads broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets

kosher salt

olive oil

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

2 ounces feta, cut into small cubes (or crumbled)

1/3 cup pistachios, chopped

Tahini and Red Pepper Dressing

1 roasted red pepper, seeded (jarred or freshly roasted and peeled)

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Add lentils, onion and bay leaves to a saucepan and cover with at least an inch of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and discard the onion and bay leaves.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange broccoli florets on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss to thoroughly coat. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until broccoli is charred, but still retains some texture.

To make the dressing, blend all the ingredients until smooth. (I do this in a mason jar with my wand blender to avoid excess dirty dishes, but a blender or food processor would also work well for the task.) Add more water, if needed to thin the dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste after blended.

To assemble the salad, toss the warm (drained) lentils and shredded carrots with the tahini dressing. Fold in the roasted broccoli, parsley and feta. Just before serving stir in pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. (Serves 4-6)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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A Delicious Start to 2020

By Fran Hill

There are so many traditions surrounding New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Fancy meals out, snacks on the sofa, oyster stew, Chinese food, pizza, movies, board games, heated pitch tournaments, watching the ball drop, house parties, joining friends at the local watering hole, kisses at midnight, toasts of champagne, Hoppin’ John, resolutions, hikes, jammie day and Alka Seltzer. Everyone has their own way of celebrating the passing of Father Time and the birth of a new year.

Personally, I don’t have any set-in-stone traditions. We have hosted parties and gone out with friends; eaten fancy meals and grazed on snacks; counted down and slept through midnight. Our celebration, or lack thereof, is subject to whatever strikes our fancy, and of course, in South Dakota, the weather.

We chose to see 2019 out with an array of snacks on the coffee table, a couple of movies, and going to bed early. It has been a rough year, and the last winter storm of 2019 was a doozy that wore us out. We didn’t even open the bottle of champagne … until I got ready to make Champagne Chicken on New Year’s Day.

I guess Champagne Chicken could be considered semi-traditional for us. Gleaned from some long forgotten online source, I first made this dish back in the early 2000s when I had champagne (or some kind of sparkling wine) leftover from toasting the New Year. For a while, it became my go-to recipe for a special occasion dish. The tang that the wine imparts to the cream makes the sauce stand out from the usual herbed, sauced chicken. It is delicious over angel hair pasta, but I initially always served it with rice and asparagus on the side.

Champagne Chicken on New Year’s Day was a deliciously hopeful start to my 2020.

Leftover bubbly is a sparking addition to Champagne Chicken.

Champagne Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1⁄3 cup flour

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 cup butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups champagne

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped VERY finely

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Using a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/4-inch thickness.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, 1-2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. In batches of 2, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess and place in the hot butter/oil mixture. Cook, flipping once, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate and continue with remaining chicken.

Add the champagne to the butter mixture and scrape any browned bits from the skillet. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to cook for about 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Again, remove the chicken from the pan and whisk the cream and rosemary into the champagne. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer lightly until sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with sauce.

To serve, nestle the chicken over a bed of pasta or rice and ladle sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley. (Serves 4)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Rosy Radishes for the Holidays

By Fran Hill

Early in December, I conducted an unofficial poll, and it seems that in my little area of South Dakota, prime rib is the Christmas dinner of choice. Beef is king, and everyone drools over a thick and juicy slab of perfectly prepared prime on their plate.

While my own holiday menu is still unconfirmed, I am also leaning toward, if not prime rib, at least a roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce. Why buck the delicious local beef trend?

To round out the meal, I am considering something green … perhaps green beans or Brussels sprouts, twice baked potatoes (I often make some loaded with crab and cheese), and it’s always fun to add one unexpected side.

Honey Roasted Radishes are perfect with any roasted meal, be it chicken, pork or beef. While raw radishes are known for their peppery bite, roasting these little orbs until lightly browned tames this spiciness. Tossing with honey and fresh rosemary adds more flavor dimension and creates a side dish worthy of a place at the holiday table.

Roasting radishes removes the spiciness and creates a delicious complement for a Christmas meal.

Honey Roasted Radishes

2 bunches radishes, cleaned and trimmed, larger ones halved or quartered

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 generous pinch of kosher salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Toss radishes with olive oil, salt, rosemary and honey.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly and don’t burn.

Radishes are done when exterior is crispy and interior soft.

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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A New Thanksgiving Dessert

By Fran Hill

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and in case you don’t have your menu finalized, I am here to offer yet another dessert option for your meal of gratitude.

Many years ago, my husband introduced me to the concept of a little something salty with the sweet. We can’t enjoy an evening bowl of ice cream without pulling a bag of chips, or at least a sleeve of saltines from the pantry. There is science behind the fact that salt enhances other flavors, but I am not going to attempt to explain that. I am just going to tell you that it tastes good.

Enter Salted Nut Pie. This rich and gooey pecan pie-ish filling is flavored with warm spices and the addition of salted mixed nuts. It is rich and decadent, but there is also just a hint of a salty finish to cut the sweetness. Served with cinnamon ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, Salted Nut Pie is a delicious ending for the Thanksgiving meal.

Polish off your Thanksgiving meal with a nut pie that’s both salty and sweet.

Salted Nut Pie

(adapted from Real Simple)

1 1/4 cups flour

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup ice water

3 eggs

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups salted roasted mixed nuts

flaked salt (optional)

Pulse the flour, butter and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add 1/3 cup ice water. Pulse until the dough is still crumbly but holds together when squeezed.

Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.

Decoratively crimp the edge with a fork or your thumb.

Freeze the piecrust until firm, 30 to 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat the eggs with the brown sugar, corn syrup, spices, and vanilla.

Stir in the nuts.

Scrape the filling into the piecrust and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until the pie is mostly set but still slightly wobbly in the center, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let cool completely.

If desired, sprinkle with a little flaked salt just before serving. (Serves 8)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Wall Drug Wanderlust

By Fran Hill

I can’t remember ever having a Wall Drug doughnut. As a kid, we often stopped at this iconic West River tourist destination on our trips to the Black Hills. I very well could have sampled a doughnut along with my cup of free ice water. However, I was a child with finicky eating habits, and food didn’t hit my radar. I was probably entranced with some brightly colored T-shirt or flashy trinket that my parents refused to purchase for me. I have had my picture taken with a concrete saloon girl, but don’t remember any doughnuts.

As an adult, it has been several years since I have made a trip across the Badlands and passed Wall Drug. When I do venture west, my schedule is usually rushed and not doughnut-stop friendly. I need to amend this. How can I consider myself a connoisseur of South Dakota foods without having a few Wall Drug doughnuts under my belt?

Until I get a chance to head west on a doughnut quest, I am going to have to make doughnuts in my own kitchen. The Wall Drug cake doughnuts are fried and served either plain or frosted with chocolate, maple or vanilla glaze. At home, I am not going to compete with these classics. Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar are as simple as baking muffins. Autumn is the perfect time to lean into apple cider as an ingredient, and warm spices are perfectly cozy for a crisp fall day. Let’s just hope I don’t get too cozy and forget my wanderlust for the Wall Drug doughnut.

Apple Cider Doughnuts are a fine substitute for Wall Drug’s famous cake doughnuts.

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

(Adapted from Food Network)

For doughnuts:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup apple cider

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

For dipping:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat doughnut pans with nonstick baking spray. (I use 2 six-cavity doughnut pans and bake my doughnuts like muffins, but some recommend 4 pans and after filling the first 2 pans, clamping the other 2 empty pans over the batter to form a mold for the doughnuts.)

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the cider, buttermilk and vanilla.

With a stand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on high until light and fluffy. (Walk away and make a cup of coffee here. Let that butter and sugar cream to be REALLY fluffy.)

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add one-third of the flour mixture and then half of the cider mixture. Continue alternating between the two until the batter is just combined. Remove bowl from the stand mixer and give the batter a few folds with a rubber spatula to make sure the ingredients are well distributed.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large zip-close bag with a corner snipped off (don’t snip the end until AFTER the bag is filled with batter), and pipe into two of the doughnut pans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should spring back when gently touched.

Turn the doughnuts out onto a cooling rack; immediately brush with melted butter, then dip in the cinnamon sugar. (I have skipped the melted butter and just immediately rolled the warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar with great success.) Yield: 1 dozen doughnuts.

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Guiltless Comfort

By Fran Hill

We are entering the season of creamy casseroles, cheesy pastas, rich, slow-cooked meats and everything that makes you want stretchy pants after dinner. As the temperature dips, we seek comfort in hearty meals.

However, dinner doesn’t have to put you into a food coma. There is something about the balance of something crisp and fresh on the plate that elevates a basic meal. I love the contrast of textures and the tangy, bright flavor of Apple Cider Salad alongside almost everything I am craving this fall.

Made up of simple, readily available ingredients, Apple Cider Salad is far more than just a “responsibility vegetable.” This salad is something that I want on my plate and find myself planning a meal around. It pairs well with everything from a baked egg dish for breakfast or brunch, to meatloaf to Tortellini with Corn and Bacon. I am even considering it for my Thanksgiving menu.

This season, I hope to reach for those stretchy pants simply because they are warm and cozy as I find balance with fresh and light Apple Cider Salad on my plate.

Apple Cider Salad provides flavors you love without the holiday calories.

Apple Cider Salad

2 heads torn romaine

1 large red apple, chopped

1 large green apple, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup apple cider or juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

In a salad bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk the cider, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper; gradually whisk in oil. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat. (Serves 6)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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The Garden’s Last Hurrah

By Fran Hill

I spent much of yesterday picking the last of the peppers, digging carrots, pulling beets and cutting fragrant bouquets of herbs in preparation for forecasted snow. My social media feed was full of other gardeners frantically salvaging their last harvests. Tomatoes, zucchini, beans and squash were all piled into buckets and boxes ahead of South Dakota’s first winter weather.

We hoped the meteorologists were wrong. We wished that the cold would stay away and not end our growing season. Those hopes and wishes were dashed when we awoke this morning to much of the western part of South Dakota covered in at least some snow. At my house, we had a 4 a.m. thunderstorm with rolling, freight train thunder that dumped hail and sleet and made the ground white, followed by more drizzly rain, and a light skiff of snow. My garden is done.

Snow in October does encourage baking. I am going to take the last of those summer zucchinis and my garden-fresh carrots and bake some veggie loaded muffins. When I baked these Carrot Zucchini Muffins last month, Hubs declared them to be delicious as his favorite carrot cake. I am glad to be able to still enjoy the bounty of my now frozen garden with some baking to warm up a cold day.

Warm carrot zucchini muffins are a good remedy for the early winter blues.

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely shredded carrots

1/2 cup unpeeled finely shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 6 paper muffin cups.

Beat together granulated sugar and brown sugar, canola oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

Add carrots and zucchini to flour mixture, folding batter until just combined.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups filling each cup nearly full.

Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20-24 minutes.

Cool in muffin pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins in an airtight container. (Yield: 6 muffins)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Zucchini Season

By Fran Hill

Fresh from the garden zucchini is back in season. I love it. One of my favorite summer meals is a plate of lightly floured and seasoned zucchini that has been fried until golden and served alongside a steaming, buttered ear of sweet corn, sliced tomatoes, and a creamy cucumber salad. Bonus points for every one of those vegetables being harvested from the backyard garden that day.

I have friends that can’t get enough of my Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake and devour pans of Spiced Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sliced zucchini is delicious in a tossed salad or added to a veggie tray. Occasionally, I even add shredded zucchini to my meatballs for a lighter summer fare. The possibilities with zucchini are endless.

Kung Pao is one of our favorite local take-out options, and when I stumbled upon a Zucchini Noodle Kung Pao recipe, I knew I had to try it. The spicy sauce is a perfect complement to the ever-adaptable zucchini and creates a dish that is absolutely in the running as a family favorite.

Zucchini Noodle Kung Pao

(Adapted from SkinnyTaste)

Spicy sauce gives zucchini and other summer vegetables a flavorful kick in Zucchini Noodle Kung Pao. Photo by Fran Hill.

2 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 red onion, sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup roasted cashews
2 tablespoons green onions, sliced

Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon Sambal Oelek Red Chili Paste, or more to taste. This has some kick.
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Using a spiralizer, cut the zucchini into long spaghetti-like noodles.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, hoisin, water, red chili paste, sugar and cornstarch; set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add the red onion and bell pepper and briefly sautÈ, until vegetables are tender crisp. Add the sesame oil, garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or less. Set aside the sautÈed vegetables.

Pour soy sauce mixture into the pan and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened and bubbling. Return the chicken, onions and peppers to the hot sauce and stir to coat; simmer briefly in the sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the zucchini noodles to coat with sauce and heat through. (Basically, you don’t want to cook the thinly sliced zucchini unless you are a fan of mush.) Top with cashews and green onions. (Serves 2)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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A Helpful Smile

By Fran Hill

I do a lot of grocery shopping. My husband and I keep well-stocked pantries and freezers in our home, but there always seems to be that one item that a new (or even old) recipe requires that I don’t seem to have. Of course, when I hit the store, I seldom purchase just that one item. I am more comfortable roaming the aisles of a grocery store than I am shopping a mall. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I stepped foot in a mall.

I don’t limit my grocery shopping to local shops. Whether traveling for work or pleasure, I am always at the ready for a stop with collapsible coolers in my car. Heading to Chamberlain for the day? Got to stop at the grocery store that stocks those perfect Persian cucumbers from Happy Hydros in Pukwana. In a town with a HyVee? It’s a mandatory stop, as is County Fair in Mitchell. Even tiny small-town grocery stores intrigue me with their narrow, overflowing aisles and sometimes unique inventories.

During all of this grocery shopping, one seemingly odd thing often happens to me. I will be toodling down the aisles with my cart or swinging my basket (on days that I try to limit my purchases to just what is on the list), and someone will stop me. Strangers approach me and ask for help. I kid you not. More often than not, while I am filling my need for peanut butter or looking over lettuce for the freshest head, someone will ask me if I know where the hummus is located or if I know which aisle has hot sauce. Sometimes I get asked how I prepare my brussels sprouts, or if I think the store-baked bread is worth the purchase. Once I was asked to help find the raisins.

As a fairly solitary person, at first this was jarring. Do I look like a grocery store employee? Does my reflexive midwestern nice smile just make me seem approachable? Is it my overflowing cart that gives me away as a grocery store junkie that might have the knowledge they seek? What makes them ask me where to find the popcorn?

I don’t know why random people approach me in the grocery store, but to locate the farro for today’s salad recipe, you might need to seek your own source of information. I have found farro in various stores across the region in various aisles. Sometimes it is with the pasta; sometimes, with the beans and rice; sometimes, in a specialty aisle with other grains. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent location for a store that carries farro to stock it. You might need to ask. And if it is me that you stumble upon, I may not be the best help…but I will try. It seems to be my destiny when in a grocery store.


Farro and Asparagus Salad

(adapted from Food52)

Farro can be hard to hunt down in a grocery store, but the ancient grain makes a hearty salad when partnered with asparagus. Photo by Fran Hill.

This is a hearty salad best served at room temperature for optimum flavors. It works on its own as a complete meal, or compliments virtually any grilled protein to fill up your plate and your tummy.

1 pound asparagus (thin to average stalks are best suited to this recipe)
olive oil
1 cup pearled farro
kosher salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Cut the tips from the asparagus, and after trimming woody ends, slice the stalks into 1/4-inch coins.

In a heavy pot, heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the farro and stir to coat the grains. Toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly colored, about 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and add about 3 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until farro is al dente. Drain.

While the farro is cooking, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil with the butter and red pepper flakes in a skillet. Allow the pepper flakes to bloom and flavor the oil, then add the asparagus to sautÈ briefly. (You may need to do this in batches to achieve tender-crisp asparagus. If the pan is too crowded, the asparagus will steam instead of sautÈ.)

Add the drained farro to the asparagus. Dress with the lemon juice and a couple tablespoons of olive oil, tossing to coat.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes and then add pistachios and feta. Stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Serves 4)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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RASDak Treats

By Fran Hill

Summer is here! I had planned to share another amazing salad with you this week. However, my last post was a salad, and while I don’t believe you can ever have too many great salad recipes in your arsenal, variety is the spice of life. So I checked my calendar to see what else was of note and decided that RASDak making a pit stop here in Colome was absolutely noteworthy.

RASDak, or Ride Across South Dakota, is an annual bicycle tour that allows riders to enjoy the beautiful scenery and hospitality of South Dakota. This year’s route began on June 2 in Custer. Other host communities include Hot Springs, Red Cloud, Martin, Mission, Gregory, Wagner and Yankton. Along the way, numerous other small towns and organizations, like my home of Colome, open their parks and even just the hatches of their cars along the road to provide pit stops with homemade goodies and other refreshments to fuel the cyclists‘ rides.

Last month, the Colome Area Farmers Market sent out a call for volunteers to donate baked goods, jerky, beverages and other snacks for the lush, shaded rest stop in the Colome City Park. I knew immediately that I wanted to make my Midlife Crisis Blondies for the crew. The name is not a reflection of the cyclists but comes from a time in my own life when I baked multiple pans of these decadent treats and added a purple streak to my hair. My past also includes dabbles with cycling events. Those experiences educated me on the crazy amount of energy consumed when cycling long distances. Soft, sweet cookie bars dotted with not only semi-sweet chocolate chips but also butterscotch and white chocolate hit the mark for quick and easy fuel.

If you happen to be in Colome, or anywhere along the RASDak route, please be mindful of appropriately sharing the road with the cyclists, and feel free to check out the hospitality of the South Dakotans that make this event possible. You might even be able to snag a delicious Midlife Crisis Blondie without pedaling a single mile.

Soft and sweet Midlife Crisis Blondies might be the motivation cyclists need to pedal those last few miles into Colome.

Midlife Crisis Blondies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter bar, milk chocolate would be good.)

1-1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

1-1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a 17×12 (half sheet) pan with parchment paper and coat any surface not covered by the paper (edges) with cooking spray.

Beat the softened butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and extract and combine well.

Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda and salt.

Add the chips to the batter.

Spread in the prepared pan. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE.

Cool in pan completely before cutting. (2 dozen BIG bars, or 4 dozen smaller)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.