Golden Hills- Mt. Carmel, Utah

Pie #14

Across the street from the Thunderbird Cafe was the Golden Hills restaurant. They advertised pie in their window so we thought we would give them a chance. We came from a packed restaurant to an empty one. That should have been a clue. We should have just turned around and walked out. But I was there. They saw me...I was committed. So we ordered the Banana Cream pie to-go. Not impressed. Banana pudding with some banana slices and A LOT of whipped cream. It was too much sweetness and I wasn't particularly fond of it. I wouldn't recommend it and I wouldn't go back. 

"ho-made" pies in Mt. Carmel, Utah

Pie #12-13

Have you heard of the Thunderbird Restaurant in Mt. Carmel, Utah? It is home of the "Ho-Made" pies. The legend (and history) has it that the restaurant was opened back in the '40's when metals were scarce due to World War II. Scarcity of supplies and the desire to make it sound more welcoming, the founder shortened "home-made" to "ho-made". The present-day connotation of "ho" and the buxom cartoon lady wasn't added until later but they certainly didn't miss a chance to capitalize on the new meaning. We had some lunch while we were there and then took the pie slices to-go. The Apple Pie with Rum Sauce and the Strawberry Rhubarb were recommended. The pictures below don't do the flavors justice. We heated up the pies and sauce at home and they were delicious! The crust was flaky and light. The point was yummy! 

Bryce Canyon Pines- Bryce, Utah

Pie #10-11

 Just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, is a little restaurant with lots of motorcycles parked outside. It the perfect place for travelers to stop and have a bite to eat and a delicious treat. The place was packed with a huge family reunion so we just sauntered up to the bar to get a couple of slices to-go. We asked the waiter for his recommendations and he said we couldn't pass up the Strawberry Banana and the Lemon Raspberry. I was getting a little full of pie and I hadn't had anything savory to counter-balance the sweet. I opted to just take a bite of the pies and save the rest for later. The best part of a pie is the point. I fight for the point. I much prefer the filling to the crust and Zane prefers the crust. We make a good team...and I always get the point. Win-win! These pies were pretty good. Nothing spectacular. I wouldn't go out of my way to have them again. But if you are in the area and you need a fun treat, Enjoy!!

Burr Trail Grill- Boulder, Utah

Pie #8-9

We continued our Utah pie road trip and headed south to Boulder, Utah. It is a small town on the Utah Scenic Highway 12 about 27 miles northeast of Escalante. This town wasn't originally on our route but it was recommended to us and I am so glad we stopped. It was my favorite pie of the trip. The  Burr Trail Grill is a hip, upbeat environment that specializes in locally sourced ingredients, gourmet burgers, and homemade pies. We were looking for a savory snack to offset our sugar intake but they were out of the fried green tomatoes. We opted to go straight for the pies. The Ginger Berry and the Cherry Spice were divine! It's definitely worth the trip and I will be going back again in the future. Hopefully, the fried green tomatoes will be available, too. 

Ginger Berry pie (amazing crust!!)

Cherry Spice (it left a sweet/hot aftertaste that was so good!)

Pie Road Trip 2016

Pie #4-7

It was an epic Saturday! I live in the beautiful state of Utah and surprisingly, we have some amazingly delicious pies. My incredible husband suggested we go on a pie road trip to the some small towns to try out the highly recommended options. It was well worth the trip.

We started out at 7am and headed south. Our first stop was Bicknell, Utah, about 3 hours from Salt Lake City and not far from the entrance into Capitol Reef National Park. Bicknell has a famous restaurant called the Sunglow Cafe. They are famous for their unusual pie selections which include Pickle Pie and Pinto Bean Pie. After having breakfast, we chose the pie sampler. It included the pickle pie, the pinto bean pie, the buttermilk pie, and the delicious oatmeal pie. They were all good but the oatmeal pie was my favorite. It tasted just like an oatmeal cookie. 

The other pies are worth it! So delicious! I recommend everyone get a taste of the famous pies at the Sunglow Cafe. You won't be disappointed.  

Three years later...

It's been over 3 years since I met Zane and went on our epic first date. We had an unknown road ahead for us but I think we have done a pretty good job. Look at these kids...they love and support each other in a way that has surprised me. Blending families is difficult but we have been truly blessed with amazing kids. We have graduated 3 from high school, we are sending one off on an LDS mission and sending another on a humanitarian trip to Kenya.  We have 5 drivers, high insurance rates, a new bicycle rider, lots of first dates, concerts, plays, a 2500-mile family road-trip in a 15-passenger van, senior trips to Palmyra and Boston, and countless other experiences with this family of ours. It has been an awesome 3 years and I'm excited to see what other adventures are ahead for us. 

Pie with purpose...

Pie #3-

This triple-berry pie made my list for this year. It was really good but the best part about it was the purpose behind it. I purchased it through an online auction for one of my old mission companions. She has twin girls just two weeks older than Jalyn. We lived in Texas at the same time when our girls were born and I have watched them grow up through pictures and sporadic play dates. Her girls are in need of some neurological testing and they had a bake sale to help raise funds. I wish I could have contributed more but any pie with that kind of story will make my list and it makes the pie even more delicious.