One of the earliest parts of the original U.S. Highway System, Route 66 (aka the Main Street of America or the Mother Road) was established in 1926 and stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, winding through eight states along the way. I mapped out an itinerary of must-see destinations, restaurants, and quirky stops.

Battered & Fried In Springfield, Illinois

The Cozy Dog Drive In is the self-proclaimed home of the “original hot dog on a stick.” More than 70 years later, Cozy’s corn dogs are still dipped and fried to order. At home, I translated these into bite-size dogs.

Mini Corn Dog Bites

You’ll need 24 wooden crafts sticks for these corn dogs. The width doesn’t matter. We had good luck with thin, regular, and wide crafts sticks ($3, Michaels). Start to Finish: 40 min.

8 hot dogs1¼ cups yellow cornmeal1 cup all-purpose flour2 Tbsp. sugar½ tsp. baking powder½ tsp. baking sodaVegetable oil1 large egg, lightly beaten1¼ cups buttermilk

*Tip: Batter will thicken while standing. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of buttermilk or water to thin batter if necessary. Per Corn Dog 119 cal, 7 g fat (2 g sat fat), 16 mg chol, 258 mg sodium, 11 g carb, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 4 g pro

Scooped Up In St. Louis

Even in cold weather, you’ll see fans queue up outside Ted Drewes Frozen Custard shops, including the stand that opened in 1941 along Route 66. The stands are so ubiquitous in the STL metro that you can even get a fix at the zoo and ballpark. Frozen custard is like a thick soft serve; extra egg yolks add body and a rich, velvety texture. Do like they do at Ted Drewes shops and top yours with any combo of sauces, nuts, cookies, fruit, and/or candy.

Vanilla Frozen Custard

Hands-on time: 25 min. Total time: 8 hr. 45 min., includes freezing

4 egg yolks½ cup sugar2 cups heavy cream1 cup whole milk1 Tbsp. vanilla

Each serving 303 cal, 25 g fat (15 g sat fat), 163 mg chol, 69 mg sodium, 16 g carb, 16 g sugars, 4 g pro

Hot Off The Grill In El Reno, Oklahoma

There’s certainly no shortage of burgers along Route 66, but if you stop for only one along the way, make it a cheeseburger at Robert’s Grill. At the oldest burger dive in Oklahoma (est. 1926), the grillmaster piles shaved raw onions onto quarter-pound patties. He lets the burger sizzle on the griddle for a few minutes before flipping it so the onions are on the heat. A firm press with a spatula smashes the onions into the griddle to caramelize and frizzle under the burger. Tangy yellow mustard slaw comes on the side. My version uses a similar griddle technique, and I serve the slaw right on top.

Griddled Onion Cheeseburger

Hands-on Time: 15 min. Total time: 1 hr. 15 min.

1 14-oz. pkg. shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw mix)½ cup yellow mustard6 Tbsp. mayonnaise2 Tbsp. sugar½ tsp. celery seeds1 lb. ground beef (80% lean)½ small white onion4 slices American cheese4 potato hamburger buns, splitKetchup, mustard, and/or dill pickle slices (optional)

Per burger 731 cal, 49 g fat (16 g sat fat), 116 mg chol, 1,319 mg sodium, 40 g carb, 5 g fiber, 15 g sugars, 32 g pro

Sauced & Smothered In Albuquerque

My husband and I had a rule rolling into New Mexico: Every meal we ate had to include green chiles, the culinary trademark of the state. At Frontier Restaurant, a 300-seat spot close to the University of New Mexico, a house-made green chile stew studded with pork and potatoes smothers the enchiladas.

Green Chile Enchiladas

Casey’s green chile stew recipe makes 8 cups. You’ll need only 3 cups for each batch of enchiladas, but it’s worth making a full batch to serve the extra with nachos, tacos, or smothered burritos, or eat it by the bowlful. Hands-on time: 30 min. Total time: 1 hr. 20 min.

2 Tbsp. olive oil2 cups finely chopped yellow onion4 cloves garlic, minced1 lb. ground pork4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice4 4-oz. cans diced Hatch green chiles (mild or hot), or four 4 oz. cans diced green chiles plus 1 fresh serrano chile, minced2 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal½ cup minced white onion8 8-inch flour or corn tortillas3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (12 oz.)

Per enchilada 592 cal, 32 g fat (13 g sat fat), 82 mg chol, 1,249 mg sodium, 46 g carb, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugars, 28 g pro *Tip: Store leftover green chile stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan over medium 8 minutes or until heated through.

Tart & Refreshing In Arizona

It seemed like prickly pear was on every drink menu in the Southwest. The fruit of the opuntia (prickly pear cactus) tastes similar to kiwi or melon and is often made into an electric-pink syrup used in all sorts of drinks. My Prickly Pear Limeade starts with lots of lime juice (naturally) and easily transitions into a shortcut margarita.

Prickly Pear Limeade

Hands-on time: 5 min. Total time: 35 min.

½ cup fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes) 3 Tbsp. Lime Simple Syrup* 2 Tbsp. prickly pear syrup (Casey recommends Cheri’s Desert Harvest) 1¼ cups water or plain seltzer

Stir all ingredients together in a small pitcher. Serve over ice. Serves 2. Each serving 126 cal, 6 mg sodium, 32 g carb, 28 g sugars

Prickly Pear Margaritas

Pour 2 tsp. kosher salt onto a plate. Wet rims of two cocktail glasses with lime wedges; dip rims in salt. Fill glasses with ice. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add 3 oz. tequila, 1 oz. Cointreau or other orange liqueur, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup Lime Simple Syrup*, and 1 oz. prickly pear syrup. Shake until cold. Strain into glasses. Serves 2. Each serving 274 cal, 566 mg sodium, 39 g carb, 32 g sugars *Lime Simple Syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 1 Tbsp. lime zest. Cover; steep 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar; chill. Store, refrigerated, up to 1 month. Makes 1½ cups.