Have you been to Wally’s in Pontiac? Are you traveling to Chicago to see the relatives for turkey day? Then I recommend you stop at our new favorite rest room, gas and snack break. Positioned between Chicago and Springfield, Wally’s is pushing the boundaries of what a family-friendly travel center can be through cleanliness, convenience and food options to enhance the road trip experience. At 30,000 square-feet, Wally’s also provides plenty of space for social distancing.
For on-the-go families, Wally’s has diverse and elevated food offerings, including a freshly popped popcorn bar (the first thing you smell when you enter), a beef jerky bar and a carving station for hot, fresh food. Many “grab ‘n go” options including sandwiches, (we often share one) fruit and desserts. On the beverage side, there is a gourmet coffee bar, plus a wall of fountain drinks with more than 60 flavors and 12 slushy options. As an FYI, there is no seating at Wally’s so we nosh in the car.
Wally’s features extraordinary Intelligentsia coffee. Chicagoans Doug Zell and Emily Mange in 1995 just wanted freshly roasted coffee when they started Intelligentsia. After moving from San Francisco to Chicago, they found that great tasting coffee in their new city was surprisingly elusive. They began building Intelligentsia Direct Trade nearly 20 years ago to identify and source the world’s best coffees. They travel tirelessly to the communities where their coffees are grown to build lasting relationships. A major reason the coffee tastes so good is that it is brewed on our hometown Springfield, Illinois BUNN infusion coffee makers. Congrats to BUNN for winning a 2021 best product award for their fast cup, bean-to-cup machine. We have been fortunate to travel all over the world and feel great pride when we see BUNN beverage equipment where we stay or dine.
I was surprised to find another favorite brand of mine: David’s. Founder David Liederman opened the first David’s Cookies shop in Manhattan and now they are international. Look for their tasty treats.
Wally’s gas prices between here and Chicago are always the lowest. Last week it was 10 cents less than Springfield and 40 cents less than Chicago. There is never a wait with 76 covered fueling stations plus multiple electric vehicle charging stations.
Carol is especially enamored with their bathrooms. They are large, spacious, super clean, state- of-the-art (soap, water and air dryer all together at the hand sink) and there’s a full time “facility manager” in each location.
Thanksgiving is one of our favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Even better is that our daughter and her husband now do all the cooking. We bring the wine and pie.
“May your stuffing be tasty, your turkey plump, your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.” Carol and I wish everyone a festive and safe holiday. My thanks to Andy Strom form Wally’s and Scott Mazzini from BUNN for their assistance in writing this article.
Wondering what to do with the leftover turkey and mashed potatoes? Make this easy and tasty leftover turkey casserole.
Ingredients For Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Casserole
- 2 cups turkey, cubed, leftover from Thanksgiving
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp butter, unsalted for dotting top
- paprika, sweet mild, to taste
Directions
Sauté vegetables in butter and olive oil until tender but not brown. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Stir in cooked cubed turkey. Place in casserole dish.
Top with mashed potatoes. Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika. If you have leftover sweet potatoes, they are great mixed with the mashed potatoes and spread over the top.
Bake, uncovered at 350 for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are browned and casserole is heated through.
Share & enjoy! Travel Safe!
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Baking/Pastry, and Value-Added Local Food, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.