Redeemed Riders Overnight Chick Ride

2016 Photo by Donna Stephens
Info meeting at Cracker Barrel

I know I haven't posted in awhile because my life has gotten crazy busy!
Good news is.............I got to ride my motorcycle this week. One ride was to Sullivan, MO for dinner and an informational meeting of all the gals going on the overnight "Redeemed Riders Chick Ride."

That's right, I am going on an overnighter with the girls!
Dinner at Cracker Barrel was a prequel for some Redeemed Rider sister time.  About fifteen of us converged at the restaurant to talk about our destination and routes to Mountain View, Arkansas.

Are you getting a vision of "Wild Hogs - The Chick Version?" 
Well, not everyone is riding a motorcycle. Riding a bike isn't a requirement to go on our ride. Cars containing some of my sisters will be following the bikes. And we hope that being chased by a biker gang isn't going to be part of our story. lol...lol  

Anyway, I indulged my love of southern food at Cracker Barrel.
Fried okra is one of my favorite side dishes. My momma has raised okra in her garden every year of my life. Bet you didn't know that the Missouri Ozarks includes some southern cooking did you? Anyway, I was perfectly happy with my fried okra, fried chicken livers, cheese grits, and hot buttered biscuits. My mouth is happy just remembering what I ate. lol...lol

Now where was I, oh the meeting.
 There are going to be two groups heading for Arkansas, an experienced rider group and a not so experienced rider group. I am riding with the first group and looking forward to an all-day, scenic ride with a lunch stop in Ava, MO. THEN, I get to eat Mexican food in Mountain View for supper. Oh yeah!

As usual, we talked ALOT. 
In fact, the sun had just about disappeared to the west when I rode out of the Cracker Barrel parking lot on my Harley and started my evening ride home.

2014 Chick Ride - Coming home from the CMA Women's Conference in Springfield, MO

2013 Chick Ride to Women of Faith Conference in Kansas City, MO

Blogger and biker Sallee Bonham riding down the highway in 2011

Chick ride to Hardy, Arkansas in 2008? 

1. 
   

BVHD Ladies Ride to The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery

Happy ladies warming up at the Blue Owl Restaurant, Kimmswick, MO

The porch thermometer was reading 48°F and I was wearing two layers of clothing plus my winter riding gear as I prepared to leave on my bike Saturday morning. 
I waited as long as I could, but I knew if I was going to meet my two friends at the Mobil station in Leasburg on time, it was time to ride. Yes, it was cold, but my gear would keep me warm. As I rode out of the driveway, excitement filled me.

The sun kept playing hiding-go-seek with the clouds all the way to Leaseburg. 
Man, oh man, was it ever good to listen to my rumbling bike, to feel the wind tugging at me, and to feel my black leather gear absorb heat during the brief spells of sunlight.

I was the first rider at the Mobil station.
As I pulled up to the gas pump and shut Revelation off, a man asked me if I knew the woman who rode a Harley and had spikes on her helmet. lol...lol That would be my friend D. Anyway I said yes and told him she would be arriving shortly.

Pumping gas was interrupted twice by other guys wanting to know how many miles were on my bike, what model it was, etc. D's arrival on her purple Heritage and then R's arrival on her Roadglide stopped the questions.

After fueling, we fired up the bikes and headed for I-44 East. 
We were going to the Bourbeuse Valley Harley Davidson dealership in Union, MO for the Ladies Ride to Kimmswick, MO. Honestly, I didn't know anything about Kimmswick. I just wanted to go for a ride with my friends and meet some new ladies who ride their own bikes.

To make a long story a little shorter, I am skipping to our arrival in Kimmswick.
The owner of The Purple Pickle Gift Shop had reserved parking for us and we all backed our bikes into a long row beside her shop. Chilled from the ride, the decision was made to eat at The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery first so everyone could warm up. What a great decision this turned out to be!

The arrow is pointing to my bike, Revelation.

Unbeknown to me, The Blue Owl Restaurant is famous. Here is an excerpt from their "Our Story" tab at theblueowl.com :

Jamie and Bobby Deen brought their Food Network Show "Road Tasted," to The Blue Owl in 2006 and featured our Famous Levee High Apple Pie® with Caramel Pecan Topping... In 2007, Paula Deen's staff invited me as a guest to "Paula's Party," a show filmed in Savannah, Georgia...Also, in 2010, The Travel Channel featured us on a show called Pie Paradise!.  In 2011, The Blue Owl Levee High Apple Pie® was chosen as One of Oprah's Favorite Things  in O Magazine and by OWN, The Oprah Network. 

After eating a slice of Warm Chicken Salad Pie and Snicker Pie, I can vouch for their flaky, tender pie crust whether is is under a savory or a dessert pie.
The Warm Chicken Salad Pie was full of chicken and veggies, plus water chestnuts that gave a crunchy texture to the poultry pie. Snickers Pie is going to be my new favorite pie. Who doesn't want to eat creamy chocolate filling and chopped Snickers bars?
Guess where I am riding to on a nice warm day? Yep, I am going on a pie ride AND all my friends have already said they are going, too.

Click Here  Blue Owl Snickers Bar Pie Recipe

Out of the Kitchen Traveling

Bill and I dressed to ride our motorcycles. 

Busy, busy, busy! This describes my summer vacation this year. Bill and I rode our motorcycles to the Spring River Rally in Hardy, Arkansas and the Kentucky Bike Rally in Sturgis, Kentucky. Two weeks separated the two trips. 

During my two weeks at home, I spent more time mowing grass than in the kitchen cooking! The Fourth of July holiday and Gasconade Valley Baptist Association Children's Camp has also taken up a portion of this two week break. 

Kid Land Art created by my nature class at Gasconade Valley Baptist Association Children's Camp.

Bill and I returned home three days ago after camping for four days in Sturgis, Kentucky. Upper ninety degree temperatures kept us seeking shade under the Christian Motorcyclists Association hospitality tent during the day. 

Christian Motorcyclists Association hospitality tent in Sturgis, KY

I am looking forward to spending some time in my kitchen this week. In fact, I just took a pan of brownies out of the oven! Yum, time to eat a piece of homemade happiness on a plate!

Packing Food to Travel in a Motorcycle Trailer

Summer time is motorcycle riding time! Bill and I spend one weekend a month camping beginning in May and ending in August. Normally, we eat at a restaurant,or food truck once during a three or four day camping trip. However, many times coffee is not available in the morning and I do not function without my coffee! Therefore, we travel with a two burner camp stove, a nine cup coffee pot, and a few groceries. 

Bill and I stopped at Grand Gulf State Park in Thayer, Missouri to admire the scenery and to stretch our legs See the cooler? . 

 Grocery List From Home

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 pound of  bacon, put into a quart zip top bag and frozen.
• 2 pork cutlets, frozen or other frozen meat. 
• 4-5 large potatoes
• breakfast cereal
• ground coffee

Packing Food to Travel 

A motorcycle trailer doesn't have shocks. Everything in it, or on it must be cushioned. To get eggs from point A to point B, this is how I pack them:

1. I pack the eggs into an egg carrier. Next, it goes into the bottom of an insulated lunch cooler to further cushion the eggs. 
2. Then the frozen bacon, frozen cutlets, and stick of butter are loaded into the lunch cooler. 
3. The lunch cooler sits in the large cooler.

Kitchen Bag

We have a very large duffel bag that is almost as long as our trailer is wide. All of the kitchen supplies/cooking gear fit into. This is where I carry cereal and raw potatoes, too. 

Last year I borrowed an idea from Pinterest and bought a shoe organizer to use as a camp kitchen organizer. Click here to see picture and article.

I keep dish soap, scrubber sponge, salt, pepper, meat tenderizer, sugar, creamer, coffee grounds, trash bags, wet wipes, sunscreen, medicine, tent patches, twine, nylon rope, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. in each pocket. Then, I roll the organizer and place it into one end of the duffel bag. The coffee pot, skillet, plates, hot pads, matches, long lighter, collapsible water container, etc. go into this duffel bag 

Packing Items for Motorcycle Trailer Travel

1. Coffee - 1/3 cup packed into a zip top snack bag = 1 nine cup pot of coffee.  This is my formula for figuring out how much coffee to take. Plus, I add a couple of extra bags because my perking coffee pot will attract campers who do not have any coffee at their camp. lol...lol Once the snack bags are packed, I pack three bags into a zip top sandwich bag, just in case a snack bag opens up, the coffee is still contained in a bag. Yes, I learned this by having it happen! Plus, the sandwich bag will fit into a pocket in the kitchen organizer. 
2. Potatoes - Pack into a gallon, zip top freezer bag
3. Cereal- I pack the cereal into a plastic storage bowl with a lid. This prevents the cereal from being crushed to small pieces. Instead of bowls, I use nesting, plastic storage containers to eat cereal out of. 
4. Kitchen utensils: potato peeler, paring knife, short spatula etc.  Pack into a gallon, zip top freezer bag, let the air out of the bag, and roll tightly. 

Packing the Cooler   

• Two days before leaving, I fill two gallon zip top bags 2/3rds full of water and place the bags into the freezer. Each bag will yield a block of ice that weighs about six and a half pounds. These blocks will last in the cooler for at least four days. 

• While traveling, we only keep the two gallon bags of block ice, three - one liter bottles of water, three -  20 oz. bottles of soda, 1 small bag of ice cubes from the store, and the insulated lunch cooler in the large cooler. This is necessary to prevent too much weight from being placed on the trailer tongue at the ball hitch. 

The Grand Gulf has turned into small lake due to the copious amounts of rain Missouri has received  this year, 2015. 

Arriving at Our Campsite
Bill and I set up our tent as soon as we get to our destination camp site. We unload the kitchen bag, set up the air bed, and unload the cooler, chairs, and two, resin folding tables. However, we still have a short trip to make with me still pulling the trailer. We go shopping! Yep, we buy the rest of our water, soda, a half gallon of milk, ice, cheese, meat, and snacks at the local grocery store. Then it is time to go back to camp, completely fill the cooler, and unhitch the motorcycle trailer that is now going to be my portable storage for a camp kitchen. 

Bill's HD Roadglide parked beside our tent. Bill carries the tent on the back seat of his bike. 

Cooking at Camp

• You may have noticed that I have never mentioned cooking oil in my list of groceries. I do not use it. I use butter and bacon grease. However, if you absolutely must have oil, only carry a small quantity and keep it bagged up in a zip top bag. A little oil goes a long ways if it spills. I do not care to take a chance on it spilling inside the motorcycle trailer.  
• I carry one medium size camp skillet and cook all of our meals in the one skillet.  
• For breakfast, I cook bacon first, and place the cooked bacon on our two plates. (Put a paper towel over the plates to keep flying critters off of your food!) Next, I  add butter,if necessary, and  fry the potatoes. When the potatoes are done, I remove them from the skillet and divide them between the two plates. Now it is time to scramble, or fry the eggs!
• For dinner, I use 2-3 Tbsp. of butter to cook the potatoes and fry the meat in the skillet. Nothing tastes better after a long day outdoors than food cooked on a camp stove. 

The first thing I do when we are camping - get the coffee ready to perk! 

Daybreak on the Spring River at Griffin Park in Hardy, Arkansas.

Biker Bear Cake for 75th Birthday

Completed cake at my parents house. 

My mom called me two weeks ago and asked if I would make my dad's 75th birthday cake. There is only one answer to that question - YES! My parents ride a 2007 HD Road King and my dad collects bears. This cake was a natural for his birthday. #bikerbear

Hand rolled fondant lettering, a first for me. 

Cake Firsts

• Hand rolling fondant into narrow strings for forming letters, eyebrows, mouth
• Making sunglasses or goggles out of fondant
• Making mini-fondant rolled ribbon roses

Fondant leaves.

I loved how well the bear's face turned out. 

Bear's Face

• Sunglass Lens - cut out two circles with the wide end of a 1M tip. Then, the wide end of a cake decorator tip was gently pressed into the center  to make the "frame" detail.
• I used the wide end of a decorater tip to cut the nose  circle and a cookie cutter for the pale circle.
• The "do rag" was 1/3 of a fondant circle that I shaped to the cake pan.(dust your cake pan with confectioners sugar first) Then I put the cake pan  with the shaped fondant "do rag" into the freezer for a couple of minutes to harden the fondant "do rag". Next step was to remove the fondant piece from the cake pan and place it on the cake. 

Three quarter view

I make my own fondant. 

You will find the basic recipe and the chocolate fondant variation here:

Sallee's Butter Cream Fondant

Remember that it is better too much fondant than not enough.

Cake Pans

1 Teddy bear mini-cake             9" tall x 4" head-7" bottom x 1" - 1.25" deep
2  Square cakes                          9" x 2"

The pans were greased with shortening and dusted with flour. 

The Basic Cake

• I used two, extra moist, devil's food chocolate cake mixes, 16.25 oz.box. I followed the box directions EXCEPT for the amount of vegetable oil.
• I like to replace 1/2 of the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce. This change will lower the fat content of the cake, plus make a moister cake
• All three cakes were baked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 38-40 minutes. The three pans fit on the same rack in my oven.

Cake Base

Two, 9"x 2" square cakes. The cakes were leveled and coated with a base coat of butter cream frosting. I did not drape the entire base with fondant, just topped the layers with a fondant square.

The sides were frosted with tinted, butter cream frosting using a 1M tip. Red, orange, and tan were the three colors I chose to use.

The orange was made by blending yellow and red liquid food dye; 20 drops yellow to 4 drops red. 

 

The mini bear cake was placed so that the base formed a diamond. 

SalleeShares - Food Network Star Week 9

#foodnetworkstar 

The Big Apple, New York City. I have never been to New York and can understand the excitement of the five finalists. I would be gawking and chattering like a chipmunk. To walk down the halls of the Food Network offices would be so scary-marvelous.

Woohoo! I am celebrating. Last week's Bonham Business prediction is in perfect alignment with the decision made by the Food Network Star (FNS) mentors. Butcher Babe Loreal Gavin went home.

A bit of advice for Loreal: Practice talking and teaching about food. Then, try again.You can do it Loreal. Your point of view was made for television. Yes, I am trying to encourage Loreal. After all, we both ride motorcycles and biker chicks need to hang together. 

Week 9 was about two challenges.

1. Visit a Chelsea Market business and learn about a summer staple. THEN, give a live camera presentation to the mentors who were back at Food Network HQ. No redoes here.

2. Solve a food problem for one of Rachael Ray's viewers. Rachael Ray is my cookin' shero! I know, I'm corny, but I love Rachael Ray. 

Challenge 1
I disagreed with the mentors decision on who did the best job. Luca has star power, a 1000 watt smile, and charisma. He did a great job and handled Bobby Flay's question well. Luca's smile shone through that camera lens and engaged the judges and viewers. However, the mentors couldn't hear me and picked Nicole Gaffney.

Nicole pulled everything together and did a great job. Remember, last week I did say that if she would quit trying so hard and RELAX, we would see a more polished Nicole. We did see the professional, friendly and capable Nicole, finally.

The Bottom Three
Cowboy Lenny just wasn't connecting with the yogurt, or the camera.
Texas gal Sarah started out well with the Santa Clause melon, but forgot to taste it.
Butcher Babe Loreal did not volunteer any information about why viewers should shop for meat at a butcher shop, her POV.


Challenge 2

• Nicole's advantage for winning Challenge 1: assign the family food problems to the other finalists.This challenge should have been fairly easy; if you used some common sense. Unfortunately, "common sense is so rare that it oughta be a super power!" Yes, it is a T-shirt slogan, but I really like saying it. Nicole put siracha sauce on a plate for children to eat. The youngest boy promptly spit out the spicy spoonful of food his mom fed him. Not what you want to see happen on national TV.

• Luca  did well, but unfortunately for him - the kids saw him put the cauliflower in the food processor. You cannot let the kids see the veggies!  Giada also pointed this out to the other mentors.

• Loreal made an involved dish of asparagus stuffed chicken breast for a family that wanted quick, budget friendly food for on the go.

• Sarah made sure everyone knew that she had cooked Loreal's dish for her own husband on Valentine's Day because the dish is special. Catty comments will not make you the next Food Network Star, Sarah. The mentors were clear that Sarah had not connected with the family, or the audience. 

• Lenny ripped his jeans during his cooking demo, OMG! However, he hid it well and continued with his cooking. Thumbs up to Lenny. None of the mentors realized  he had a wardrobe malfunction until he told them. Personally, I would have kept that info to myself. 

Who Will Go Home? - Week 10

Out of the final four, Lenny, Sarah, Nicole, and Luca, I predict that.....I am nervous to make this prediction...Sarah Penrod will be the finalist to go home next week.

My decision is based upon the fact that Sarah missed the mark on both of the challenges.

1. During the first challenge, she should have known to taste the Santa Clause melon before talking about it. Taking a bite out of half a melon to answer Bobby Flay's question," What does it taste like?" was a beginner's mistake. 
2. Yes, I did not like Sarah's catty behavior. BUT, as a mom, she should have been able to connect with the single mom and children.  

The Motorcycles Are Out of the Garage!

Mid-Missouri is having a heat wave! Finally, we can get the motorcycles out of the garage! Last Saturday, Bill and I rode with about twenty-five or thirty of our Christian Motorcyclists Association brothers and sisters. Our group consisted of eighteen motorcycles and trikes, plus one car. 

Your red headed blogger and hubby Bill (on my right) getting ready to pray before  we start our trip.
The Arcadia Valley eatery, Baylee Jo's BBQ and Seafood, is our lunch destination.

Leaving Belgrade, MO. See the car? I am slightly below and to the right of the car. Bill is directly ahead of me. The blue motorcycle in the bottom left corner belongs to my parents. Yep, my folks are in their seventies and riding a motorcycle.

Riding down the highway,  headed for the junction of Old Route C and Hwy. 21 South. We are between Potosi, MO and Caledonia, MO.

What a gorgeous trip! Now you know that I temporarily deserted my cooking and baking endeavors in favor of traveling the open road. However, I will resume posting in a week. Yesterday, I went shopping for the ingredients to make a Chocolate Turtle Cake. Look for my next post after Mother's Day.

Fractured into Faithful, my Poetry Ebook

Whoopee! Yahoo! Fractured into Faithful by Sallee Bonham (me),  is now a Kindle ebook at Amazon.com. Hours of writing, revising, organizing, and editing are finally over and the end product is for sale world wide! Poetry and short stories taken from the peaks and valleys of my journey through life. Click on the link and sample Chapter 1.

 

Our Favorite Motorcycle Pit Stops: Rolla, MO to Chandler, OK

A year ago, Bill and I started traveling this route on our motorcycles once or twice a year. I want to share our favorite stops along Interstate 44 from Rolla, MO to Chandler, OK. 

Our General Criteria

Our criteria is not listed in any certain order or priority.

• Cleanliness
• Within 1 mile of the highway 
• Fuel and food are both available
• Good food for $10 or under
• Premium fuel (93-91 octane) is available
• Fuel and food  are within one city block of each other
• Ease of access when arriving or departing the business
• Ease of access when departing or entering Interstate 44, Will Rodgers Turnpike, and Turner Turnpike
• Friendly staff

 From East to West

• Rolla, MO     

Fuel: Moto Mart    

Food: Los Cazadores

 

Moto Mart has a large parking lot with adequate parking close to the building and at the pumps. I've stopped here many times. Immediately behind Moto Mart, you will find Los Cazadores.

I think this is the best Mexican food in the area. You can get a platter full of piping hot food for $6-$12. Urbanspoon.com users have established a 91% rating for Los Cazadores. 

• Lebanon, MO

Fuel: Lebanon Eagle Stop, 2545 Granite Lane

Food: Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Granite Lane

Eagle Stop is busy, but it also has 93 octane, premium fuel. The lot is good sized; it is easy to enter and exit.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit is next door and has it's own large parking lot. This is a franchised chain with a standardized menu. For dessert,patrons can help themselves to soft serve ice cream. I love the Route 66 antique, collectible, car theme at Dickey's.

• Sarcoxie, MO

Fuel and Food: Kum n Go with an attached Subway

We have stopped here on three separate occasions while traveling west. The restrooms are for a single occupant. However we still like to stop here.

• Joplin, MO

 Fuel and Food: Petro Stopping Center
Iron Skillet Restaurant, Blimpie, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Caribou Coffee

This is a great place to stop because it offers several dining options with lots of seating.

• Vinita, OK

Fuel: NO
Food: Clanton's Cafe

Fuel someplace else. We found 10% ethanol at the two stations we tried. Plus, there is limited availability for 91 octane, crowded gas pumps, AND it was difficult to enter and exit the two stations we have been to.

Clanton's Cafe is a Route 66 landmark that has been featured on Food Network. Great place to eat. The bathrooms are the original, one occupant facilities. Cute signs adorn the walls in the women's bathroom and make for entertaining reading.

• Big Cabin, OK 

Fuel and Food: Big Cabin Travel Plaza with The Cherokee Restaurant

Bill and I enjoy stopping at this truck stop. The staff in the restaurant are friendly, the service is excellent, and an ATM is available. Be careful leaving the parking lot because this is a popular stop with truck drivers too.

• Claremore, OK

Fuel: Quiktrip Convenience Store #66
Food: fruit, baked goods, typical convenience store

This is a brief fuel stop for us. A Motel 8 is located about two blocks west of the convenience store.

• Tulsa, OK

Fuel: Quiktrip
Food: Hardrock Hotel and Casino

Quiktrip is a national chain with standardized regulations for each store. Hardrock Hotel is a great place to stop, but the cost for lunch and dinner is in the $10 to $20 range.

You can detour around Tulsa if necessary by getting off at this exit, going back east about two miles and entering the Creek Turnpike. Our experience with the first, unmanned toll booth on the Creek Turnpike wasn't stellar. No change machine was available so make sure you have quarters, nickels, and dimes. The turnpike was very nice though.

• Stroud, OK

Fuel: On Cue Express
Food: Rock Cafe

We usually need a full tank of gas when we arrive at the Stroud exit and this station is very close to the turnpike exit. At this point in our trip, I like to take old Route 66 from Stroud to Chandler. Honestly, I've had enough high speed travel on the turnpike this far into our 400 mile trip.

The Rock Cafe is a nationally known, Route 66 diner. This diner has been featured in newspapers, magazines, and television.

• Chandler, OK    

Fuel: Limited Choice
Food: Route 66/OK 66 has a variety of restaurants

We do not normally eat or fuel in Chandler because it is within twelve miles of our destination. However, the food link will take you to a list of local restaurants along Route 66 that I have passed on our trips.

Note:

I'm sure some of you may have noticed that Springfield, MO is not on this list. Traffic is heavy in this area due to tourism, hospitals, colleges, and events. Gas prices tend to be higher in the Springfield area. Bill and I prefer to stop before or after Springfield when we are traveling west.


 

Greetings From Oklahoma -Updated 6.25.2013

Motorcycle Ministry Trip

Bill and I are on a motorcycle ministry trip this week. We stopped in Vinita, OK at Clanton's Cafe for a second chance to sample the best homestyle cooking I've had in a long time. This time I sampled the chicken fried steak. Bill was absolutely correct in describing it as "the best I ever ate".

 Our Camp Site

We are camping in this hot,humid weather. However, the campground is wooded. Our tent is in between two trees along a hilltop that receives a breeze most of the time. Below is a picture of our "portable palace"



Two motorcycles and one trailer
equals
The Bonham's Portable Palace

The Route Home

Bill and I packed up our camp Sunday, June 23rd, and rode east for home on Route 66 from Chandler, OK to Bristow, OK. After that we just rode the Will Rodgers Turnpike/Interstate 44 to the Missouri border. I-44 to Rolla, MO was an easy ride with the traffic streaming east at a good rate. Normally, we only stop for gas and lunch, but this trip home wasn't normal. Bill was feeling achy Saturday night, and Sunday morning he continued to feel ill. Thanks to fever reducer/pain relief tablets, he was able to ride his motorcycle. However, we were stopping  about every sixty miles so he could sit in air conditioning and rest. Thankfully, we arrived home safe and dry.