Colorado Hospitality

People say there's nothing like Southern hospitality. With a host of family members living in the South, I'd tend to agree. However, I think more should be said for Colorado hospitality. Mike, Emily, and I just enjoyed a long weekend visiting Aunt Katie and Uncle Scott out in Colorado Springs, and boy, did we have a great time! Those westerners know how to have fun! They live far enough out in the country to enjoy their horses, dogs, and lots of land to run around on, but close enough to have fun in the city too. The weekend was the perfect balance of city life and country life!

Upon arrival, Katie and Scott immediately swept us off to the Golden Bee at the Broadmoor for a night of drinks, good music, and fun. The bar specializes in nightly piano sing-alongs and yard-long beers. There's nothing like an excessively large beer to get you singing, right? It was an absolute blast and the start of a very fun and busy weekend.

During our time in Colorado...

Mike played cowboy for the day- he helped Scott and Sam haul the winter's supply of hay and rode a horse for the first time- ever!!

We visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It's an amazing zoo cut into the side of a mountain. Emily made special friends with the giraffes because she had a handful of Ry-Krisps to feed them.

We visited the top of Pike's Peak to check out the view and to enjoy a few of their light and airy high-altitude donuts. Yum!

We cooked! Are you surprised at all? Katie and Scott invited a good friend over to enjoy some fantastic wine brought back from a recent trip to Napa, a lively debate on agricultural practices, and a delicious dinner. Scott grilled some ribeyes, Emily and I made cheesecake brownies with raspberry sauce, and Katie made this fantastic tomato pie. It is the perfect side dish- simple to make, super flavorful, and relying on fresh, seasonal ingredients. She was kind enough to share the family recipe, passed on to her from our fabulous southern cousins. Thanks Beal girls- this one's a keeper!

Tomato Pie

Ingredients:
1 deep dish pie shell
4-5 tomatoes, sliced and drained on paper towels
Basil leaves, to taste
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Directions:
-Prebake pie shell at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
-Layer tomatoes, basil, and spices in the pie crust.
-Mix cheese and mayo together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Spread cheese mixture over the top of the pie.
-Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
-Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.