How can you not stop when you see a sign like this?

As I was cruising down Interstate 5 south of Portland, heading for the California border, I pulled off at Exit 148 in the hamlet of Rice Hill and into the driveway of K&R Drive Inn. It’s an old-time joint that’s been serving up burgers and ice cream since 1970.

Hoping for taste of summer, despite the wintery chill and intermittently heavy rain, I ordered a mini cup of blackberry ice cream. Their ice cream comes from Umpqua Dairy, based a little further south in Roseburg, Oregon.

It’s creamy and tasty enough, but it wasn’t berry enough to conjure up August (and I’m afraid that the bright fresh flavors of Vancouver’s Bella Gelateria have spoiled me forever!).

Maybe I should have had the deep-fried pickles…

About the “Hit the Road Hungry” Road Trip
I’m doing a solo road trip from Vancouver to Los Angeles, working with a company called Hit The Road that pairs people who want to take road trips with people who need their cars moved. I’m delivering a forest green 1998 Honda Civic for its owners who are moving from British Columbia to southern California, and I’m eating my way down the west coast.

The previous posts in this series are:
When Plans for Pie Go Awry
Taco Craving
Pok Pok in Portland
Living The Serious Coffee Lifestyle in Portland
Bites By Bike, with Portland’s Pedal Bike Tours
Taste of Korea: A Taste of the Food Cart Scene in Portland

I hope you’ll continue to follow along as I “Hit the Road Hungry!”

Tasty Travels!

Carolyn

Do you have favorite road trip snacks?

I’m packing for my Hit The Road Hungry trip from Vancouver to Los Angeles, and while you can bet that I’m going to stop frequently to eat along the way, I’m taking a bag of snacks, too.

Here are a few of my favorite on-the-go snacks:

Nuts: Good source of protein, stays fresh for a while, not messy to eat in the car. Roasted almonds travel quite well.

Dried fruit: Apricots, raisins, and cranberries are all good for quick energy, but I especially love dates. They can be sticky, though, so don’t forget to pack the hand wipes.

Fresh fruit: Refreshing—and a good balance to the sweets you might be stopping to eat en route. Apples and grapes are easy to eat in the car, and in summer, I can’t pass up cherries. Just remember that if you’re crossing an international border—as I will be—that transporting fresh fruit is generally not allowed.

Muffins: Small home-baked muffins give your day a little sweetness, and they work for either breakfast or snacks. When I was a kid, my mom frequently made fresh muffins on Sunday mornings, and this simple recipe is still one of my favorites.

And even if you’re not about to hit the road, these muffins are an excellent treat to enjoy at home in your own cozy bed!

Mom’s Sunday Morning Cinnamon Muffins

If you like a strong cinnamon flavor, use the full two teaspoons. I like to add nuts and dried cranberries or raisins, but the rest of my family likes them plain. They’re good either way!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 – 2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil
1 egg
2/3 – 1 cup milk or water
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter (or spray with vegetable spray) a muffin tin.


2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until just blended or add oil and gently mix. Add egg and 2/3 cup milk, stirring until ingredients are just blended. If the batter is too thick to blend, add a small amount more milk. Stir in nuts and dried fruit, if using.


3. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.


4. Cool slightly on a rack and enjoy!

Makes 12 small muffins

OK, gotta go pack! If you’ve got other suggestions for favorite road trip snacks, please leave a comment and share your tips.

Tasty Travels!

Carolyn

I am such a sucker for a malasada. Why? Well, I would never eat something like this at home. It’s way too sugary and calorie-filled for me to give in to temptation. BUT, when in Hawaii, well, all bets are off.

I mean, it’s a vacation spot, right? All adherence to good eating habits can go out the window, right? (Please nod yes.)

On our way across the top of Hawaii Island, we stopped at Tex Drive In for a malasada (or 2). Malasadas, most famous on Oahu at Leonard’s, are similar to filled donuts. At Tex’s, there are a variety of fillings to choose from including Bavarian cream (above), chocolate, mango, strawberry and more.

Thank goodness they don’t display the calorie count for these. I ate 2 of them. I could probably have eaten 3.

If you find yourself taking a drive just east of Waimea, stop in for a bit of authentic Hawaii. Here’s where to find them:

Tex Drive In
45-690 Pakalana St Hwy 19
Honokaa, HI 96727

Life’s Short, Eat Well!