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Lisa Dearen's avatar

So fun to read about all the food you experienced! Also curious about the oatmeal pie, I’ll let you know if I try it.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Lisa! Good to hear from you again. Please let me know if you do try it. We enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it will ever replace pecan pie—nor should it!

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Marg Moon's avatar

Hi Ruth, another great issue, but I agree that all that fatty food can be overwhelming on a road trip. I often long for a nice salad. I like looking at the cream pies, but don't think I would ever make one. Not because of the calories, just too creamy for me.

The oatmeal pie is so interesting and reminds me of our Australian Anzac biscuits. I'm sure you are familiar with them, they are also a low cost treat that travels well. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in this recipe for Anzac cake. I haven't made it but it looks delicious https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/recipes/helen-gohs-anzac-cake-20210419-h1vady.html

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

I haven’t made a cream pie either, Marg! The Anzac biscuits would undoubtedly be good to pack on our next road trip, whenever that is. I’ve never made them, but I just looked up a recipe and saw that the ingredients are rather close to those in the filling for the oatmeal pie—only with coconut and Lyle’s Golden Syrup, something I remember my Scottish mother kept in the pantry. As for an Anzac cake, I’d like to try that too! Unfortunately it seems you need a subscription to the Sydney Morning Herald to get the recipe!

Thanks as always for your kind comments and great ideas!😘

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Marg Moon's avatar

Sorry about the link Ruth. I will send you a new one. Yes, I thought about your Scottish mother when I read about the oatmeal pie.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Marg! I’m sure I can google a recipe for Anzac cake, so no worries about sending one. For now, I think I’ll have a bowl of oatmeal!🥣

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Clarice Dankers's avatar

I have no idea how you and Jeff can eat such food without gaining gazillions of pounds! (Lucky you.) I only have to look at a picture of such fare, and I immediately gain 5 pounds...

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Oh no, Clarice, we definitely came home carrying some extra pounds around our middles! I’ve been making a lot of salads lately, with fruit for dessert. Fattening, unhealthy food is a hazard of the open road, especially in smaller towns in the middle of this country. . Each time we take a road trip, I swear I’ll do better, pack a cooler with healthy snacks, etc., but then my resolve crumbles in the face of cream pies, chocolate shakes and baskets of fries. It all tastes pretty good going down though!😉

Thanks again for the comments and the share.

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Joe Blachman's avatar

Found a couple of videos by Rock Cafe about their Oatmeal Pie:

https://www.facebook.com/Rockcaferoute66/videos/friday-facts-our-poor-mans-pecan-pie-started-out-as-a-special-dessert-we-would-m/296137758754242/

https://www.facebook.com/Rockcaferoute66/videos/poor-mans-pecan-pie-nutfree/1647531428632170/

Looks awesome and easy to make. She clearly mentions pancake syrup and any kind of oats. My mother-in-law likes Pecan Pie, so I might just have to make this for a family gathering and tell them all just to try it! Looks like it is begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a partner.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Hey, Joe, thanks for finding the Rock Cafe videos! They’re just perfect! I may add links to my piece—with a credit to you, of course—as they include new info, like the possibility of using a variety of oats, pancake syrup (not corn syrup) and sugars, and warming the pie up if you refrigerate it. The vanilla ice cream is really essential, I’ve found, though whipped cream will do in a pinch. Thanks for your sleuthing, Joe! Please let me know if you make the pie and what your family has to say about it if you do.

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jeanmann's avatar

This is one of the most mouthwatering, visual posts I’ve seen! I’ve never even heard of oatmeal pie let alone tried it! I’ll have to put it on the list! ❤️

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Jean! I’d never heard of it either, but I’ll be making it again, you can be sure!💕

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jeanmann's avatar

That’s a rousing endorsement!

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Amie McGraham's avatar

Thanks for sharing your recipe development process & OMG the Texas waffle!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Wasn’t that waffle something? I actually want to try making that pie again, with even less sugar—but I need more samplers! I wonder how many times you make recipes you share. I’ll wager several! Thanks for commenting, Amie!

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Mark Dolan's avatar

Been away for a while. Nursing an eye infection so reading is sparse. What a fun trip. Love Ted Drewes! All of the food challenges are so odd to me. I wonder if this is peculiarly American? The oatmeal pie recipe sounds like what a country doctor might use to test glucose tolerance. The 72 oz steak reminds me of the movie classic "The Great Outdoors" starring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

We loved Ted Drewes too, though I ordered some strange combination with mint that wasn’t quite to my taste, but the vanilla cone and “Root 66” concrete were great. Ha ha on that oatmeal pie. It is pretty sweet. I haven’t seen that film, but I can picture the scenario. Over-the-top eating sounds like a perfect plot point for a John Hughes film. Thanks for your comment, Mark—and guard those eyes. Hoping you heal quickly and completely.❤️‍🩹

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Mark Dolan's avatar

Always a kind and thoughtful comment. Off to meet an old friend who I knew since my early 20s. A fine Jewish couple that met in Minnesota -- a merger of Boston and St Louis. The inspiration to experience Ted Drewes came from her. They are visiting from Boston. I recommend the movie but if not up for it here's the excerpt. Our son's still remember the movie pretty well. If you take the time to watch it you will be captured by "the old 96er". My eye is improving but still still stuck on Audible for a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_215iQ7KDs

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

OMG—that 96-oz steak! I thought 72 ounces was colossal! I think we passed that Paul Bunyan figure —or several like it on the 66 trip. Definitely want to see the movie. We need laughs these days!

Old friends are the best. Have fun, Mark!

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Mark Dolan's avatar

Paul Bunyan is a Minnesota thing :) The movie is set in either Northern WI or MN -- kinda similar feel. There's a wonderful string of resort towns in and around Bemidji MN -- enjoy

https://www.bemidji.org/

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

One day we’ll have to check them out!🤗

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Marco & Sabrina's avatar

Antacids all round! Seriously too much of a good thing, Ruth!

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Marco & Sabrina's avatar

We recommend a regime of Santa Monica Mountains hikes as a supplement!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Excellent idea! Wish you guys could join me!🤗

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

No kidding! I love the open road, but we’re happily binging on salads right now! Thanks for the comment and the restack!

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Kate McDermott's avatar

Oh my gosh, Ruth! Thank you for the RICO Pie mention and your version of oatmeal pie sounds great!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

I’m definitely making it for my next summer get-together. I’m sure it’ll be a hit!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Kate! I’m eager to try the RICO pie. That mix of coconut, oatmeal and ice cream sounds delicious!

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Kate McDermott's avatar

As crazy as it sounds, it’s a really good one!

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Betty Williams's avatar

What a special road trip! That oatmeal pie looks cozy and delicious 😋

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Betty!

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Crowden Satz's avatar

Eat a 72 oz steak? Why would anyone WANT to do it, free or not? That's an absurd amount of meat to eat unless you're descended from boa constrictors and not crazy apes. Sheesh. And I'm curious what that whitish parallelepiped is that's on top of the slice of pie at the top of your post. A bar of soap ...? ;-)

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

No, it’s not soap, Crowden—I can vouch for this because we ate it! It’s not a familiar sight these days, but I have a memory of eating squares of ice cream at summer camp when I was a kid. As for 72-ounce steak, consuming such a thing seems suicidal to me, but so does eating 83 Nathan’s hotdogs in a single sitting, apparently a world record. Crazy people do crazy things. (That obviously applies to more than food!)

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Judy Graham's avatar

I thought I was posting on the newest blog. Oops.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

You did, Judy!💕

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Leslie's avatar

Seriously, who orders salad at Steak and Shake?! Sounds like a really fun food trip. The custard would have been a highlight for me. 😊 Thanks for sharing.

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Yeah, that’s exactly what Jeff said, but we all have our blind spots! I agree with you—theres nothing compared to a great frozen custard cone or concrete. Ted Drewe’s is pretty great, but our favorite is Nielsen’s (in Utah and Nevada). https://www.nielsensfrozencustard.net

Thanks so much for your comment, Leslie!

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Sally Showalter's avatar

I think Cheever's Cafe is the only one for me. What a food trip!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Thanks, Sally! It was pretty special.

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Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

All looks heart-stopping good, Ruth, haha!

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

“Heart-stopping” says it all, Jeanine! It’s going to be non-stop salads for the foreseeable future! 😜

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Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Funny!

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Jolene Handy's avatar

All of this, but that Texas shaped waffle is wow! xx

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Ruth Stroud's avatar

Isn’t that waffle something? Didn’t come across any shaped like Illinois, Kansas or any of the other states along Route 66. Thanks for the comment and the restack, Jolene.

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Jolene Handy's avatar

xx

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