Idaho Love | Roasted Potatoes w/ Brussel’s Sprouts & Cauliflower + 5 Perfect Days in McCall

I was compensated by the Idaho Potato Commission to create this recipe for Roasted Idaho® Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts and Purple Cauliflower. As always, my thoughts and opinions shared here are 100% my own. In addition, I did not receive any compensation for my trip to McCall, Idaho, as it was a personal trip.

Have you ever been to Idaho? Maybe. Maybe not. Have you ever eaten a potato from Idaho? More than likely. And, I bet it was absolutely delicious!

Lucky me, I’ve had the pleasure of doing both the past couple of weeks, and I thought it would be fun to share some of my photos from my recent family ski trip to McCall, Idaho, along with a super healthy and delicious recipe I recently created for the Idaho Potato Commission in honor of National Nutrition Month: Roasted Idaho® Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts.

I’ll share the recipe with you in a minute, but first let’s talk about McCall, because, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the loveliest towns I’ve visited, and the picture perfect setting for my ideal vacation-one filled with both relaxation AND adventure!

5 Perfect Days In McCall, Idaho…

Day 1: It’s an easy, gorgeous (~2 hour) drive from Boise to McCall on the Payette River Scenic Byway. Note to skiers: Southwest flies in to Boise, which means all your ski gear fliss free!

Once we arrived in McCall, we took in a quick view of Payette Lake before heading to our friends’ house. Note the 2 kids on the pier. Yep. Those would be mine. Nope, that lake was not completely frozen over. Was I a little bit worried they might fall in? Yep!

Day 2: Ski day #1 at Brundage Resort near McCall. Blue skies. Skiing with family and friends. Not much else tops that! P.S. See that fab skier in the middle photo? That’s my former ski racing husband, Mr. Spicy. I think I’m a decent enough skier, but he puts me to shame 🙂 P.P.S. Raise your hand if you think I need to lose the googles AND glasses look next time I ski. Thought so!

No respectable ski resort would NOT have a bra tree, don’t you think???

Day 3: Day #2 of skiing at Brundage. Picture perfect “bluebird” ski day.

This might just be the bet aprés ski ever. Custom built ice bar at the bottom of the mountain. Fire pit. Sunshine. Free drinks with ski tune up. Enough said.

Day 4: We took the day off from skiing to sleep in, be lazy, then go for a 44 mile snowmobile drive. The roads were a little bit super bumpy, but we still had blast!

The highlight of our snowmobiling adventure was stopping half-way at Burgdorf Hot Springs. The main pool, fed by the natural hot springs, is around 99° F, and the two smaller pools are a steamy 110° F and 113° F respectively. I’d love to come back here sometime and stay in one of the rustic cabins. This is a must do in a beautiful natural setting, and a great way to prepare your muscles for the bumpy ride back home!

Day 5: On our last day in McCall we did a little shopping downtown, and stopped for a seriously delicious burger (complete with gluten-free bun for me!) at My Father’s Place, before hitting the road back to Boise.

And, the perfect ending to the perfect trip…stopping off to stretch our legs, and throw some rocks into the Payette River!

[Tweet “Looking 4 adventure and a little R and R? You’ll love the vibe in gorgeous McCall! #travel #idaho “]

Where to Eat and Drink, and What to Do in McCall, Idaho

SKI

• Brundage Mountain. My family and I loved the down-to-earth vibe at Brundage, not to mention the super affordable lift ticket prices (at least as skiing goes)! Although the locals kept apologizing for the lack of snow, we had a blast skiing the “Best Snow in Idaho™, and will definitely be going back again one day!

EAT

• We ate most of our meals in our friend’s fabulous parents’ gorgeous home where we were fortunate enough to stay, but we did eat a few meals out at some fun spots in town including Lardo’s Grill & Saloon (delicious Idaho potatoes!) and My Father’s Place (mentioned above).

DRINK

• Even if you don’t ski, cocktails or mocktails, apres ski style at Brundage Mountain (as pictured above) are a must! We also enjoyed pre-dinner drinks on our one night out in town, at the ritzy Shore Lodge in downtown McCall.

SHOP

• Although I didn’t do a lot of shopping, I did pick up some pretty pottery made by local artists at Gallery Fifty-Five. Some other fun stores we browed around in included Granite Mountain Nature Gallery, The McCall Store, and, of course, the McCall Candy Company. Because, what’s a vacation with kids, without a trip to the local candy joint?!! Oh, and if you are in need of ski equipment (I finally got a pair of new ski boots after my last pair fell apart, literally, 2 years ago) or rentals, Home Town Sports is the place to go!

PLAY

• Head to Cheap Thrills for snowmobile rentals in the winter, and (water sport rentals in the summer). Make sure to go to Burgdorf Hot Springs via snowmobile (or car in the summer) to soak in the natural hot springs, and take the the gorgeous rustic scenery. You may even want to stay the night in one of the cabins for rent!

This is just a tip of the iceberg of all the McCall has to offer. My family and I will most definitely be heading back there one day, both again in the winter, as well as in the summer. P.S. If you plan a trip to McCall in the summer, you’ll definitely want to add on a side trip to go whitewater rafting on the Salmon River. Just sayin’.

And, now for those Roasted Idaho® Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts I lured you in with…

Well, you’ll just have to head on over to visit my friend’s at The Idaho Potato Commission, and check out the recipe. I think you’re going to love it! Link to recipe–>Roasted Idaho® Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts {Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan option if goat cheese omitted}

Have you ever been to Idaho? What about McCall? Been on any ski trips this year? have you tried purple cauliflower before?  What’s your favorite way to eat Idaho® potatoes???