Last of the 2012 Antelope + Pink Ribbon Ride

I cooked up the last of my 2012 antelope on Friday before heading up to Togwotee for the Pink Ribbon Ride this weekend. It had been sitting in the fridge marinating all week long, and I knew I needed to use it, and some other leftovers on hand, before leaving home for two days. I had also been wanting to try out the Sundried Tomato Pesto I bought last week while at Wal-Mart. So Sundried Tomato Pesto Antelope Pasta was created on the fly and ended up being a quick and easy veggie and protein-filled pasta dish.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Antelope Pasta

Serves 2

1/2 lb antelope steaks (this was backstrap)
1/3 cup Italian dressing (I use Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian)
1 c. AP Flour
Garlic salt
Season salt
Black Pepper
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 cup uncooked Egg Noodles
2 Tbsp. yellow onion, diced
1 big handful fresh Spinach (or spinach mix- mine was mixed with arugula)
2 Tbsp. Italian Diced Tomatoes
1/4 cup Half and Half (I use fat-free)
1/4 cup heaping Sundried Tomato Pesto
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Marinade antelope in Italian dressing for 1-3 days in refrigerator.

When ready to cook, make the breading mixture for the steak by combining flour, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, a big shake of season salt, and a big shake of pepper in a shallow bowl or ziplock bag. Thoroughly coat each steak.

Heat a shallow layer of vegetable oil in a medium-sized frying pan so that it begins to sizzle and bubble. Lower heat slightly.

Drop each steak into the oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your steak. Do not overcook–take the meat out and make a cut into it if you are unsure if it is done, better to have to put it back in than to have tough, overcooked meat.

Lay steaks on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper.

Next, boil water according to package directions for the egg noodles.

Add in pasta and allow to boil until almost cooked, about 3/4 of the way done.

Then throw in a handful of spinach and the diced onion with the pasta and continue to cook.

When pasta is cooked, drain the water off and then add into the pot: Italian diced tomatoes, remaining 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, sundried tomato pesto, half and half, and half (2 Tbsp.) the parmesan cheese.

Cook pasta mixture another 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.

Divide pasta into two bowls and top each pasta bowl with one antelope steak. Drizzle the remaining sauce from the pasta over the steak and top with another Tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Last of the antelope ’til next year.

As I mentioned, I took Jade and left home Friday after work to spend the weekend with Joe up at Togwotee Mountain Lodge for the 6th Annual Pink Ribbon Riders Wyoming Snow Run.

We gathered at 8:30 am on Saturday to line out into our groups for the day. Each group is led by a Togwotee guide. I got to ride with a friend from Jackson and her husband, Joe, was our guide for the “B-Cup” Intermediate group. The B-Cups are the “middle” riding ability group– not just trail riding but no crazy hill-climbs either. We ended up meeting up with everyone else’s groups, including my Joe’s, at lunch. About 90 people made the 38-mile round-trip run from Togwotee to Brooks Lake Lodge for lunch, and then back, to support those in need fighting against breast cancer. It was a warm and beautiful day to ride, and despite the lack of snow this year, it was nice to be outside for most of the day and to ride for an even greater cause.

The Pink Ribbon Riders is a small non profit organization that provides direct financial assistance to both men and women diagnosed with breast cancer. Funds raised are distributed through an assistance program that is made available to both men and women breast cancer patients.

The Pink Ribbon Riders is a grass roots effort, and I always enjoy hearing the story of how it all started: the effort began in upstate New York when two women went out riding, and in honor of their mothers who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, they strapped on bras to the front of their sleds and took off for the day. While stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the trail, they returned to their sleds to find that their bras had been filled with dollar bills while they had been inside eating lunch. An idea was then born, and the Pink Ribbon Riders developed as a result. Each year the organization holds a snow run fundraising event and supports patients in: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Wyoming.

I encourage anyone who wants to support the cause and support those fighting breast cancer to sign up for the Pink Ribbon Ride. The ridiculously fantastic snowmobiling is just an added benefit of contributing to the cause. There were many beautiful panoramic views of the Absarokas and Tetons that I wanted to photograph, but was not able to do so while going 40 mph, so you will have to use your imagination. Pics from the day:

One of the many decorated sleds!

I stepped off my sled here to start it again after we took a break to get another lady un-stuck and sunk up to my waist…there’s definately more snow than meets the eye.

Pink ribbon on the ski= Pink Ribbon Rider! This is the 4th winter I have had my own sled, and I love my Polaris 600 RMK, and find it especially amusing that the new windshield Joe put on it says “GUIDE”. The decal won’t come off of this old windshield that used to be on a guide sled at Togwotee, and that’s perfectly fine with me. Yesterday I overhead a lady in a passing group that we met on the trail ask another lady why the Guide, being me of course, was in the middle of the group: “What’s that guide doing, why are they just waiting right there?” Priceless.