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. 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 into Boise, which means all your ski gear is free!
Once we arrived in McCall, we took in a quick view of Payette Lake before heading to our friend’s 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 goggles AND glasses look the 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 best 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 bumpy, but we still had a blast!
The highlight of our snowmobiling adventure was stopping halfway 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 home!
Day 5: On our last day in McCall, we did a little shopping downtown and stopped for a seriously delicious burger (complete with a 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 return one day!
EAT
- We ate most of our meals in our friend’s fabulous parents’ gorgeous home, where we were fortunate enough to stay. Still, we ate a few meals 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 the 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 browsed around included Granite Mountain Nature Gallery, The McCall Store, and the McCall Candy Company. Because what’s a vacation with kids without a trip to the local candy joint?!! Oh, and if you need 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 gorgeous rustic scenery. You may even want to stay the night in one of the cabins for rent!
This is just the tip of the iceberg of all McCall offers. My family and I will be heading back there one day, both in the winter and in the summer. P.S. If you plan a trip to McCall in the summer, you’ll definitely want to add a side trip to 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 have to head on over to visit my friends 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
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???
