Located on the Hamilton/Tipton county line near Atlanta, Indiana is Lisa’s Pie Shop. It is a tradition for me to stop in on my way to Nappanee to visit my college friend, Jay Heckaman. This trip was for his daughter, Kaitlyn’s wedding.

There are Blue Ribbons covering the walls from all of the prizes their pies have earned.

You have to purchase the entire pie 🥧 so I settled for a cinnamon roll with cream cheese icing.

The bottom of this sweet creation had a brown sugary stickiness to it that was delectable! I ate it while driving and had the cream cheese icing smeared on my face as well as my sweatshirt.

The inner circles were also very tasty.

Azteca Mexican Restaurant in Brownstown is a solid spot for us to dine. Friday was All Saints Day and Grandparents Day at Lutheran Central School. There was basketball 🏀 practice after school and then I met Heidi and Sophie for dinner. I was the first one there so I started with a XX Amber and a frosty mug and wound up with this beautiful experience.

It was delicious! The ice in top just set it off! Somewhere in that clump of ice is a lime that truly adds to the fun.

The last two visits I have had the Monterrey 🐓 Chicken. The rice and beans are good, however, the 🍄 mushrooms of this dish make the meal!!!

And the way they can put a brown spot on the liquid cheese 🧀 is incredible.

Heidi and I get home from NOT seeing Elton John (He called in sick for the concert.) and we are unloading from an overnight road trip (Stream Cliff, Christmas gift shopping, Apple Buzz at the Oaken Barrel, Big Joe chairs for the Lutheran Central reading nook, etc) and Nina let’s us know that lunch is ready.

Chili soup and peanut butter pie is the menu.

I add shredded cheese 🧀 and Bugles. (It would usually be corn chips) Here in southern Indiana , pasta is part of the chili recipe. Spaghetti today and some times it may be macaroni. It jut depends on what is in the cabinet.

The 🥜 peanut butter pie was outstanding! The powdered sugar/peanut butter crumbles on top is the meringue had a sweet crunch to it and sets this pie apart from any others. Of course it was baked this morning so it was fresh!

I’ll probably have dinner at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Soup Supper so this foodie thing just seems to go on forever. I tweaked my back last week and I do have intentions of jumping onto the exercise band wagon soon to off set all of these delicious calories.

Apple Buzz 🍎 🐝 is a seasonal beverage served each fall at the Oaken Barrel Restaurant and Brewery in Greenwood. Their motto is:

” We brew it. We drink it. We sell what is left.”

The first time I had one there was a line 25 people deep just to but a case.

To show what a team player Heidi is, they were sold out of bottles to go so the only way to enjoy one was to drink a pint in the bar. 🍺

Just look how thick this brew is. All the apples used for Apple Buzz come from Adrian Orchard on the south side of Indianapolis. When they run out of cider from Adrian, they stop brewing Apple Buzz.

Heidi and I were on our way to see Elton John in concert. (Bucket list item for Heidi) Ten minutes after checking into hotel, we find out Elton is ill and no concert tonight. Oh well, just some quality time with my lovely wife and dinner in Greenwood.

Twigs and Sprigs Restaurant is located in Commiskey, Indiana at Stream Cliff Farm and Winery. It was our last stop on the Southeast Indiana Wine 🍷 Trail.

The spinach and artichoke dip with the freshly toasted French bread 🥖 was outstanding!

The triple grilled cheese on sourdough with 🥓 bacon and 🥑 avocado with a 🥗 salad and herb chips hit the spot.

Heidi and debated if there was room for the blackberry cobbler and ice cream and fortunately, the answer was “Yes.” We shared it and both left satisfied with the decision.

It is a cozy little spot with several opportunities; from wine tasting and lunch to the herb shop and beautiful flowers. We also highly recommend the wine tour. We received two wine glasses and a wine bottle tote bag being dedicated to the tour.

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Sunday night dinner is a tradition with the Hackman family. Nina creates a masterpiece and any child, grandchild , etc. that can make it will be well fed.

Before Heidi and I were married I volunteered to bring mashed potatoes 🥔 to Thanksgiving for her family. I put three or four containers of Bob Evans mashed potatoes in a crock pot and topped it with some salt and pepper and a stick of butter and they were a hit. Compliment after compliment was thrown my way throughout the dinner. I just smiled and said “Thank You.”

After a while Heidi couldn’t take it anymore. She said ” My goodness. They are Bob Evans mashed potatoes. Quit telling him how good they are.” Bob Evans has been a staple with us ever since.

Tonight Nina fixed this delicious Salisbury Steak (glorified hamburger she called it) and Bob Evans mashed potatoes. Her gravy was simply beef broth, onions and mushrooms 🍄 and thickened up with corn starch. Just look at that 🍄 mushroom hanging on the the edge of that piece of meat!

I was like warm about something Heidi fixed for dinner one night and she stated, ” I bet if my Mom fixed it you would try it!” Of course I would. Because whatever Nina Hackman fixes for dinner is golden.

The best news is that this picture is tomorrow’s lunch.

Barry grows and picks them and Nina bakes them. It is a wonderful combination for me!

These Golden Delicious apples 🍏 are grown in Barry Melloncamp’s yard. They aren’t beautiful, but they bake up pretty darn good when his sister, Nina Hackman, puts them in a pie. These apples have never been outside of Grassy Fork Township. Harvested, baked and consumed by the family.

The top crust was sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and made the crust. It was shell-like and crunchy and it made me 😊 happy.

Although a big scoop if ice cream 🍨 would have knocked it out of the park, this pie stands alone!

We visited Liam’s friend Dravin Guthrie at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis who had a tumor removed from his brain a week or so ago. Talk about an uplifting experience ! This young man’s attitude is very positive. His Dad, David and his step-Dad D.J. Are both linemen for Jackson County REMC. The Tuesday after Labor Day, I believe every RRMC bucket truck in the county was at Brownstown Central High School for a prayer vigil to show support for Dravin. The community support for Dravin from Austin, Crothersville and Seymout High Schools has been wonderful.

After our visit with Dravin and his parents, we took their recommendation and went to City BBQ. We had the brisket, ribs and chicken as well as the corn bread and Mac and cheese.

They were just taking out a brisket as I was waiting for my plate and I watched them prepare my food. It was extremely fresh!

The meat was tender and they had their own home made sauces to choose from.

My favorite item was the cornbread. I put three pats of butter on it and after it melted it took three packs of pure 🍯 honey and I washed it down with a Cheerwine Cherry 🍒 Cola.

Good Stuff!

This is two side pieces and the ultimate corner there on the right. That corner is the Right Bower of all trump ♦️ cards when it comes to brownies!!! It has chewy towards the middle and crunchy on the edges and it is fantastic!!!

“Oh, it’s just a brownie mix with extra chocolate chips, pecans and marshmallows.” Whatever my mother-in-law touches turns out golden. (Except for those stuffed peppers. I’m just not going there.)

Nina cooks for her family every Sunday evening and it is the highlight of my dining week.

If you saw the title and understood, then you are from Seymour, Indiana and have eaten at the Pizza Palace. My brothers and I have enjoyed this pizza since the 70’s. It was originally associated with Pizza King and the products are very similar.

My go to is sausage, pepperoni and 🍄 mushrooms. I can’t help but eat the whole square when I get started.

They have added a craft brew bar in their big dining room that is lined with televisions.

This was my fave, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy. Next Thursday they are featuring Oktoberfest beers and since Heidi told me about it, I think she wants me to attend.

I did order a deluxe just because Heidi likes them.