Lanesboro Inn Tour!

This will be the SECOND year Lanesboro has hosted an "Inn Tour," and it is definitely going to be exciting! I have my own tickets, since I've been walking by all the big bed and breakfasts and other Inns all summer, just dying to go inside. This is my chance! Maybe Coffee Street Inn will be on the tour next year...? No one knows for sure!

Check out the link, and book with Coffee Street Inn this weekend!

http://www.lanesboro.com/inn-tour/index.php

Garlic Thyme bread

I made this bread last night and it was delicious! I made a few changed though: see them at the bottom.

Ingredients:
1 package dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 -1 1/2 cup white flour
cornmeal, for dusting

Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine yeast and water, and allow to stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until foamy.
2. Stir in oil, salt, garlic, thyme, and whole wheat flour.
3. Add white flour 1/4 cup at a time, as needed, until a stiff manageable dough is formed.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled.6(For even more garlicky flavour, after the dough has risen once, punch it down and place in refrigerator for 1 to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature, and then proceed with the following directions.)

Preheat oven to 450° and dust a baking sheet with cornmeal.
7. If desired, work a bit of parmesan-reggiano into the dough at this point with some olive oil for extra flavour.
8. Form the dough into a round, place on prepared cooking sheet, cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.
9. Brush lightly with cold water, bake for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400° and continue baking for 20-30 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

My changes:
I didn't have any whole wheat flour on hand, so I used regular flour for all of it. I did end up needing about 2 more cups of flour than the recipe called for in order to make a solid dough. Since Matt and I keep a thyme plant in the house, I used about double what the recipe called for. I also used 7 garlic cloves. I didn't want to wait the three days for the bread to be ready, so I baked it at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. It turned out perfectly! I oiled the cooking sheet and lightly dusted it with flour instead of cornmeal. I also skipped brushing the rounds with cold water.

Original recipe brought to you by food.com

A day in the life...

Whew, I have been busy! I suspect you have too, what with family and friends and pets and cleaning and cooking and crazy weather... we Minnesotans never seem to catch a break! I have been doing such a variety of tasks lately, I thought it might be fun to share a bit with you. At any point, I have a very long running task list to which I am continually both added items and crossing them off. I do somewhat enjoy this, so I write out every little task, no matter how little time it will take. Here is this task list which was completed last week:

Sweep dirt out of garage (apparently the bottom of a bag of dirt was already ripped at the time I tried moving it)
Organize garage (grill, car stuff, chairs, bags, ice bite, bikes, coolers, etc)
Cushions off of swinging chair and into bags, then to the garage (hopefully on a dry day...hard to find this time of year!)
Cover swinging chair (and watch it blow across the patio in the huge gusts on Tuesday!)
Clean Java
Empty Suite dishwasher
Run self-clean on Suite oven
Replace Suite kitchen light bulbs (4 out of the five suddenly stopped working
Cut down all outside plants (...am I doing this right??)
Cover air conditioning units
Clean stairwell into basement (Geez, these spiders reclaimed their territory fast!)
Wash jeep
Iron Espresso 2 comforter, Espresso 3 sheets (Ironing takes forever! The college student in me tried putting them in the dryer for awhile...it always worked with my clothes!)
Make Espresso 2 bed
Label all mattresses (Winter/Summer mattress flip!)
Upper office cabinet inventory (3rd time this year)
Wash kitchen floor in house
Wash stairs and bedroom (in house Reno's dog hair is everywhere!)
Steam clean area rug from the Suite (fix steam vac??)
Replace flood light at the back of the house (1st try-- new bulb was already broken. 2nd try-- apparently florescent light bulbs don't work so well in the freezing cold? 3rd try-- works for now...)
Replace furnace filters
Put a nail in the basement stairwell for large shovel
Get ice bite and shovels ready! (Too bad we didn't need it last weekend...)
Fix window shade in house (3rd time! I need Matt for this...)
Put window screen in Suite back on (Another Matt project...isn't he great? :)
Find an exam proctor
Accounting, Intro to Business, and Global Citizenship reading and homework
Call Riverside on the Root, the Old Village Hall, and Tours and Treasures
Call about carpeting (inconclusive as of yet)
Finish all loads of laundry (our dryer was out of commission for 4 days)
Clean Latte
Email Sam about Thanksgiving hours
Pick up brochures from Prana Massage (get a free massage?? No dice..)


...And that's it :) Time to start a new list! Fortunately, there is plenty to be done. Repainting, getting carpeting installed, dusting and other deep cleaning, and daily maintenance. Winter will surely leave me no shortage of daily tasks!

Cinnamon Popcorn!

Cinnamon Popcorn for the Holidays! (courtesy of a friend's friend :)

Cinnamon Popcorn

8 quarts freshly popped corn
1 cup sugar
1 cup cinnamon imperials
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 250*. In saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon imperials, light corn syrup, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and baking soda; mix well. Pour over popped corn and mix well. Place in large roasting pan or on two cookie sheets and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

The Weekly

8th Annual Community Complimentary Thanksgiving Dinner:
The menu: Turkey,
dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry
sauce, pumpkin pie or apple pie, milk, and
coffee. Open to everyone. Come and enjoy a
Thanksgiving Dinner and fellowship at no cost.
Freewill donations will go to the Preston Food
Shelf. East Fillmore County Chapter of Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans will once again
supplement the donations received from the food
shelf.
Nov 25
11 am – 1 pm; FREE!
Lanesboro United Methodist Church


THIS WEEK AT THE COMMONWEAL THEATRE COMPANY

Little Women – adapted by the
Commonweal Theatre Company. From
Luisa May Alcott’s beloved classic, sisters
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy find strength through
each other, daring to dream, falling in love,
and spreading their wings in this
heartwarming coming of age story that spans
generations.

Nov 18, 19
7:30 pm
(Previews) $15

Nov 20
7:30 pm $25

Nov 21
1:30 pm $25

Lanesboro Holiday Open House!

A full Weekend of activities coming right up... I'm excited!!

Illumination of Lanesboro's downtown for the Holidays

Refreshments and special promotions in downtown stores

Commonweal presents: Little Women (see next post for times)

Lanesboro Library Book Fair!
Thursday 3-8, Friday 3-6, Saturday 9-2

Amish Community Tours

Marshmallow Roast at the Feed Mill
Saturday from 1-3pm

Fish Fry at the American Legion
Saturday 5pm until gone!

Norwegian Meatball Dinner at Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Sunday 12-6

Holiday Open House Wine Dinner at Riverside on the Root!
Saturday, November 20
$70 per person
See riversideontheroot.com for the full menu!

Old Barn Resort end-of-season party
All weekend!
Specials and karaoke

Bluff Country Holiday Fests!

LOTS going on this weekend! Lanesboro and Harmony are having their Holiday Fests. I have coupons all over the place, and several fliers with specials stores are offering!

In Harmony, look for these events:

Amish Tours by van
A $4 showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1!
A chili supper at the Legion
Needlework displays
Woodcarving demonstrations
Free hot chocolate!
...and LOTS more :)

In Lanesboro, look for:

deals at all the shops in town!
"Little Women" showing at the Commonweal Theatre
"Amish Experience" Holiday open house
A meatball supper
A fish fry
A party at the Old Barn Resort


We still have a few openings for this weekend, so stop in for a great room and homemade pumpkin pie!

Last Review...from Micah and Sarah!

The month in review-- October (A little late!)

October was the perfect month for a visit to Lanesboro! The weather was AWESOME, restaurant specials were great, and there were fewer visitors with whom to share the trail and shops. Make a note for next year...
Anyway, here is what our guests had to say!


"Thank you for a great visit-- friendly service from the moment of check-in! This is our second time staying here-- once again, a fabulous place to stay. Close to downtown, clean rooms, comfortable beds, and quiet too. The garden is so pretty. Love it here" ---A couple from Ham Lake, MN staying in our Java room, 10/10/2010

"We enjoyed a wonderful four days here at the Coffee Street Inn and on the Root River Bike Trail. How lovely to have had such beautiful, sunny, warm October weather. This is a beautiful part of Minnesota and we hope to return in the future. Your room was very cozy and friendly." --A couple from Oak Park, IL staying in our Latte room, 10/12

"First time in Lanesboro. Beautiful town, great sunny weather and good food at Pedal Pushers. Enjoyed biking on the trail. Your room was cozy and comfortable. Deck and flower garden were a delight! Thank you!" --A couple from Cottage Grove, MN staying in our Latte room, 10/14

"What a fantastic weekend! The weather warmed up just for us and we had a great time exploring the town and the trails, and soaking up the local culture at the Commonweal Theatre. Great food and great coffee...seriously haven't had a bad cup since we got here! Thanks for a cozy place to stay, we'll be back!" --Two friends from the twin cities, MN in our Latte room, 10/31

"A good time was had by all. Good trails and good food--Kari's and Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro and great pie in Whalan. The room was cozy with the five of us but very doable (we weren't in the room much-- on the trail!). 55 miles for us amateurs and 75 for the one avid biker. Thanks!" --A family including grandparents, parents, and a granddaughter in our Double Espresso room, 10/11

"Such a quaint lovely town! 1st time in the area, love it! The Inn was so clean and I loved the bathtub. Enjoyed the trail and best steak in town at Riverside on the Root. Plan on a bike trip next spring." --A woman from White Deer Lake, MN, 10/31

"Wow! what a wonderful stay. The accommodations were perfect for the six of us-- parents, kids, and grandparents. Weather was fantastic for shopping on Friday...supper here and games at the table until late into the night. We'll be back!" --A family from Sleepy Eye, MN and Savage, MN, 10/23

There is one more review.. from some friends of Matt and I--Micah and Sarah Bloom. They came here for their "babymoon" which is somewhat like a honeymoon, but more of a getaway before the birth of their 4th child. We had a great time visiting, jamming (Micah and Matt on guitar, me attempting to fiddle on my violin, and Sarah handing music). We had a great dinner at Pedal Pushers, and we learned all about the wonders of making lip balms at a shop in town. They even got out biking! Anyway, Micah drew an awesome picture in the little notebook and just typing his comments on here does not do it justice. So I'm going to scan in the page for you all to see! Next post...

A few photos from fall...


Family over Labor Day Weekend


An old car at the antique gas station in Whalan


A dog that rarely gets tried...Reno!


A beautiful sunset...around 5:15 thanks to Daylight Savings

Wild game recipes...in honor of deer season!

Here are a few recipes for that deer you shot this season! Courtesy of:

Dave Belanger
Taxidermist with:
West Michigan Taxidermy, Inc.
Coopersville, Michigan 49404
Phone 1-616-837-9094

Ingredients:
1 cup of Soysauce
1 cup of Pineapple Juice
1 clove of minced or chopped Garlic
1/2 chopped onion
Lowrey's Seasoning to taste
White Pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix the Soy Sauce and Pineapple Juice thoroughly together, adding the Lowrey's and White Pepper.
If you have an injector, wrap Steaks or Back Straps in Plastic Wrap and inject meat with the mixture. The plastic wrap will prevent making a mess over your wife's clean counters.
Once this is complete, add the garlic and onions into your marinade.
Unwrap the meat out of the plastic, and place into a 1/2" container with a lid. We have the Tilia Food saver container and love to use it, as it will force the marinade into the meat much quicker.
Otherwise, use a lidded container. Add the meat and pour the remaining marinade over top of your venison.
Put the lid on and set in the refrigerator over night for best results.
The next day, fire up the grill. Let it heat up to a high heat.
Once to temperature, throw them Bad Boys on the grill for about 2 minutes per side, depending on how thick a cut. I prefer a 1-1/2" cut of meat.


Easy Venison Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1-2# of trimmed and cubed Venison
1 whole Onion
1 clove of crushed Garlic
2 cups of fresh Sliced mushrooms..or more if you'd like.
2 TBS of Olive Oil
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste.
2 Cans of Golden Mushroom Soup
1 cup of sour Cream
Egg Noodles

Directions:
Heat frying pan
Add your Olive Oil and let it come to heat.
Now, add your Venison, Garlic, Mushrooms and Onions and brown for about 2 minutes
Add your Mushroom soup and sour cream and stir thoroughly while adding salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a low boil.
Turn heat to low, and allow to simmer for at least 1/2 hour with a lid on. Stir every so often.
Boil Noodles and Strain.
Ladle your stroganoff over noodles


Mmmm that stroganoff sounds great! Now, if only I had a dad, brother, or husband that could get a deer this season... ;)

The Weekly

Still plenty to do this weekend: bikes may be out, but arts are definitely in! Come out to the Commonweal Theatre for a GREAT show and plan on the following family activities.

Kids Create- Family Art Activity:
Lanesboro Arts Center hosts a Kids Create!
Family Art Activity: "Food is Art" with Sara
Decker, Peggy Hanson & Frank Wright. All ages
welcome.
Nov 13
1 – 3 pm St. Mane Theatre 467-2446 FREE

Literary Reading: Emilio DeGrazia reads
from "Walking on Air in a Field of Greens"
- Lanesboro Arts Center hosts Winona writer
Emilio DeGrazia for a reading from his new book
"Walking on Air in a Field of Greens" in the
Galleries. The book is in the form of a series of
tales and reflections on the author's deep-seeded
roots in southern Italy, with titles such as "The
Taste of Feathers," "The Trip Back Home,"
"Bread," "Aria," and "The Warrior and His Bride."
Nov 13
3:30 – 4:30 pm Lanesboro Arts Center 467-2446 FREE

Book Fair at the Lanesboro Public Library:
Come to our book fair, check out our
super selections! Reading saves the day... Thur,
Nov 18th 3 - 8 pm; Fri, Nov 19th 3 - 6 pm; Sat,
Nov 20 9 am - 2 pm.
Nov 18 – 20 Lanesboro Public Library 467-2649

Old Barn Resort End of the Season Party
and Full Beaver Moon: Old Barn Resort End
of the Season Party. Food & dink specials all
weekend. Karaoke Joe on Sat, Nov 20 from 8 pm
- 12 am.
Nov 18 – 20 Old Barn Resort

THIS WEEK AT THE COMMONWEAL
THEATRE COMPANY

Little Women – adapted by the
Commonweal Theatre Company. From
Luisa May Alcott’s beloved classic, sisters
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy find strength through
each other, daring to dream, falling in love,
and spreading their wings in this
heartwarming coming of age story that spans
generations.

Nov 12, 13, 18
7:30 pm

Nov 14
1:30 pm

Commonweal Theatre $15

Regional:
Studio Art Class - Paper Making & Card
Making: Paper Making & Greeting Card Class
with Doris Morken; 6 - 8 pm
Nov 8 & 11
6 – 8 pm Bluff Country Artists Gallery
Spring Grove
5074982787 $5