Considering the fresh, heavy snow...

Make a snowman! This is something I've been wanting to do all winter, but for some reason my husband has decided he doesn't like the cold anymore. Go figure! (He works in a cooler and freezer all day, so I guess I can't blame him). Anyway, I haven't even seen any snowmen this year except for the one-foot tall snowman the neighbor made after the very first snow...have you all forgotten how to make them?? I would do it myself, but since Reno isn't much help at such things, you're going to have to do it for me.

Things You'll Need:
Spray Bottles
Mittens For Everyone
Scarves
Snowman Kits
Carrots
Food Coloring
Cameras
Film
Buckets
Cameras
Carrots

1. Shape a handful of snow into a ball. Continue adding more snow and packing the ball until it's too large to hold.

2. Place the ball on the snow in front of you and slowly roll it away from you. As more snow accumulates on the outside of your ball, pack the snow by pressing on it with your gloved hands.

3. Roll and pack the ball over and over until it is the size you want for the bottom of the snowman's body.

4. Repeat for the midsection and head. The bottom should be the biggest ball, and the top should be the smallest.

5. Pack some extra snow between the layers to make them stick together. Place sticks down the center where the sections meet if your snowman is having trouble standing erect.

6. Give the snowman a face. Use coal, rocks, buttons or anything dark and round for the eyes. A horizontal stick or twig will make a good mouth, and a carrot is fine for the pointy nose. If you don't have a carrot, a banana or a candy cane will do the job.

7. Cover the top of his head with an old plant for hair, or give him a knit hat to wear. Top hats will blow away unless secured.

8. Add arms, legs and other accessories. Push sticks into the sides of the middle section and hang old mittens on the ends, then place boots at the bottom for legs. Also consider adding items such as a shirt, a scarf or sunglasses.


**You can spray your snowman with colored water to add rosy cheeks.
**Your snowman's days are numbered, so take plenty of pictures.


Read more: How to Build a Snowman | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_9769_build-snowman.html#ixzz1Ecv1l2v4

Happy Valentine's Day from Reno!

Ice cream time!

Oh, how I wish I had an ice cream maker... Perhaps I can borrow the in-laws' sometime...? ;) Anyway, if by whatever means I manage to get one of these, this is what I would make.

Mint Chocolate-Chip Ice Cream!

Ingredients
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint oil
3 ounces chocolate-mint candies, coarsely chopped

Directions
Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add the peppermint oil and stir to combine. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until it reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker; add the chopped candies and process according to the manufacturers directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Recipe courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mint-chip-ice-cream-recipe/index.html

The Weekly

It should be a beautiful weekend, so come visit to see our new carpets and go biking! Here's a list of other things to do, in case those don't sound terribly interesting... ;)

Tapas Weekend at the Old Village Hall:
All plates $5.
Feb 18 & 19; 4:30
Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub
467 - 2962

Eagle Bluff: Becoming an Outdoors Family:
Get your family outside for some winter fun! This
weekend will provide families an opportunity to
play in the snow and learn lifelong outdoor
activities. Class options include: Snowshoeing;
Ice Fishing; Cross Country Skiing; Indoor Rock
Climbing; Treetops High Ropes Course and
more! This event is co-sponsored by the MN
DNR.
Feb 19 & 20
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
467 - 2437
$80 per person;
$300 for a family of four
$75 for each additional person

Eagle Bluff: Open Rock Climbing:
Climb the Wall this President's Day!
Eagle Bluff is opening the indoor climbing room to the public and
everyone over the age of 6 is invited! Harnesses,
helmets and belayers will be provided...just bring
your sneakers and a completed medical release
form. No reservations necessary! Youth under
the age of 18 must be accompanied by and adult.
Feb 21;10 am - 12pm
or
2 - 4 pm
$10 per person,
per session

One of our favorites...

Okay, so I have been struggling a bit lately in the cooking arena. Maybe it's the fact that I'm tired of washing dishes by hand (no dishwasher) or the fact that I now have to trip over 2 pets while in the kitchen. Or, it could be that I somehow got behind on Inn projects, homework, AND home activities. Also, I could be a little distraught over the fact that my first sourdough bread attempt did not work. At all. Regardless of this, MAtt and I did manage to cook one of our favorite meals the other day. We have also been grilling...hey, it's nice in Minnesota in February! How often does that happen?? Anyway, here it is--you should definitely try it if you like ethnic foods! (Dad...)

Chicken Tikki Masala

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken
2 limes
paprika, cumin, garam masala, and coriander to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finaly chopped
1-3 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated
2 green chilies (serrano peppers), finely chopped
4 1/2 oz plain yogurt
14 oz can chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1 bunch cilantro

Preparation:

First, cook the jasmine rice according to package directions. Add chopped cilantro and salt.
Cut the chicken into one-inch chunks and cook with in a large skillet. When nearly cooked, add the onion.
Blend garlic, serrano peppers, lime juice, seasonings, tomatoes, and ginger until mostly smooth. Add to cooked chicken along with yogurt and heavy cream. Simmer until thickened, or about 10 minutes.
Serve on top of the rice.

It's delicious! This recipe has been adapted from the book "Curry Cuisine."

The Weekly--Valentines Day!

Plenty to do this weekend, so make your last-minute reservations (...guys...) and come to Lanesboro for some fun! I know I shouldn't pick on the guys (hey, my husband surprised me with Valentines Day gifts a full week early!) but I have had a few callers recently... this being the case, Coffee street Inn is offering $15 off any of our single rooms for tomorrow (Friday) night!

Valentines Weekend Dinners:

Pedal Pushers
Sirloin Steak & Grilled Shrimp Dinner:
Includes a soup or salad
and dessert to share
Feb 12 – 14; 5 – 7:30 pm
Pedal Pushers Cafe
467 – 1050
$38 a couple

Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub:
Appetizer: Pistachio Crusted Slipper Lobster
with Truffle Vinaigrette, Smoked Beed Tenderloin
Carpaccio;
Soup/Salad: Black Bean and
Potatoe Soup, Organic Baby Greens with
Pistachio, Red Onion, Cucumber, Tomatoe and
Gorgonzola Dressed with Rasberry Dijon
Vinaigrette;
Entrees: Grilled Ribeye with Tuscan
Sauteed Mushrooms served with Gruyere
Scallion Potatoes, Sauteed Sea Bass with Mirin
Tamari Butter Sauce served with Pacific Rim
Risotto, Roasted Chicken Breast with Tetrazzini
Style Potatoe Noodles;
Desserts: Chocolate
Pate with Crème Anglaise and Raspberry Coulis,
Apple Almond and White Chocolate Tiramisu
Feb 11 – 14; 5 – 9 pm
Old Village Hall
467 – 2962
$33 a person
Wine Pairings
$20

Rhinos Pizza and Subs:
Enjoy Heart Shaped Pizza with your choice of Toppings
Through Feb 14
Rhinos Pizza and Subs
467 – 2200
$12.99

"Over the Back Fence" Community Variety Show:
The theme will
be 'New Beginnings,' hosted by Damon
Prestemon (who co-hosted the first show
seventeen years ago). Musical guest will be the
Elstad Church Choir, and cast members of the
Lanesboro Community Theater's 'The Cemetery
Club' will preview the play. Cast members will
include David Hennessey, Bethany & Robin
Krom, Heidi Dybing, Barb & Pete Keith, John
Black, and others.
Feb 11; 7:30 pm

Pre-show music
at 7 pm with
Tom Schramm
& Paul Schmidt
St. Mane Theatre
467 - 2446 $5

Valentine's Tea at the Victorian House
Feb 12
1 – 3 pm
Victorian House B&B
467 – 3457
$12

Commonweal Presents:
Story of Music,
Stories from Home - The Commonweal
Theatre Company welcomes internationally
acclaimed musician Lauren Pelon and award-
winning poet and essayist Gary Holthaus to the
Commonweal stage. “Story of Music, Stories
from Home” is an evening of music and poetry
offering exciting new and thought-provoking
perceptions of the natural world while celebrating
our own sense of place and community.
Feb 12; 7:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467 - 2525
$20

Chili-Glazed Pork with Sweet Potato Hash--Yum!

A few days ago, while perusing the vast world of Facebook, I stumbled upon a recipe which a high school friend had posted. Not yet having dinner plans for the evening, I decided to try it. I had never used the broiler of an oven before, but it was super easy and the food turned out great! I used 2 pork chops for the meat and spiced it up a little more with garlic, more chili powder than the recipe calls for, pepper, and some serrano pepper. Be sure to baste the meat with the maple syrup! Regular onions can be substituted for shallots, and I used regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. They turn out a bit more like hashbrowns, but adding some orange zest can help this.

Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1⁄4 pounds)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled
2 large shallots, chopped
1 5-ounce package baby spinach, chopped
hot sauce (optional)

Directions
Heat broiler. Place the pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 teaspoon of the oil, the chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Broil, turning occasionally and basting with the maple syrup twice, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with the coarse grating disk, grate the sweet potatoes.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7 to 9 minutes more. Add the spinach and cook, tossing, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Serve the pork and potatoes with the hot sauce, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chili-glazed-pork-with-sweet-potato-hash-00000000050940/index.html

The Month in Review-- January

Not too many guest notes last month, but they were good ones! Here's what guests said:

"We had an amazing time relaxing at your great establishment, checking out Avian Acres, Ava's Mohair and goats, Frank's spoons, celebrating our family Christmas and our mom's 60th birthday! Thanks for all the extra attention you gave, Kate! Our best to you!" --A family brought together from all over the country in our Cappuccino Suite and Java rooms, 1/30

"We have been here one night and found lots to do. Skiing 8-10 miles today, then breakfast at the Pastry Shoppe. Great! Very comfy room, intriguing little town-- we'll tell our friends!" --A couple in our Mocha room, 1/28

We also received a lovely card in the mail from some guests who stayed over Christmas! They were from Puerto Rico: here to experience the snow and winter activities and to shop. Here is what they said:
"Greeting from Puerto Rico! Thanks for your attention; your hotel is very nice and we enjoyed your town so much. Thank you for your kindness. If you ever come to Puerto Rico, please contact us! God bless you and your family!" --Juan, Nivea, and Chary Rodriguez. They stayed in our Double Espresso room for 4 nights over Christmas: went cross country skiing, antique shopping, and discovered many restaurants. Lucky them-- we got about 5 inches of snow while they stayed here!

I love hearing from our guests at Coffee Street Inn. We are always looking to improve the lodging experience for guests, and you can help! Let us know what we are doing right and also what you think could be altered. If you are a previous guest of ours, please post on TripAdvisor or comment on this post!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g43245-d618629-Reviews-Coffee_Street_Inn-Lanesboro_Minnesota.html

The Weekly

There is a lot to do this weekend! $5 plates at the Old Village Hall, sculptures and art at the gallery, ice fishing (I should tell my dad and brother, get them to come visit!), a Norwegian meal, a medicinal herb lecture, a candlelight ski (sounds SO fun, though probably very cold...), Dinner on the Bluff, and $1 books! I've got places to go this weekend! Though I will probably be pretty busy around here...guests seem to want to attend these things too ;)

Tapas Weekend:
All plates $5!!
Feb 4 - 6
Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub
467 - 2962

Art Reception: Mixed Media
Sculpture by Patty Carmody Smith:
Lanesboro Arts Center presents "Luminaries:
Figures, Birds, Spheres" Mixed Media Sculpture
by Patty Carmody Smith. Meet the artist at this
reception!
Feb 4; 6 – 8 pm
Lanesboro Arts Center
467 - 2446

Annual Ice Fishing Tourney:
3rd Annual - sponosored by the Root River Saloon.
Prizes awarded staring at 4 pm at Root River
Saloon. MN fishing license required! No shacks
or portables allowed. Bring your own beverages.
Food will be available for purchase. One line per
person.
Feb 5; 10:30 – 12
Registration
Lanesboro Bass Pond
467 - 3355
Adult Division:
$10 entry fee for age 21 and over
Kid's Division:
$5 entry fee

Norwegian Klub Meal:
Also serving chili & side pork.
Feb 5; 12 – till gone
Lanesboro American Legion

Herbal Medicine – Nature’s Pharmacy Class:
Bonnie Kreckow, a
clinical herbalist will give an introduction to herbal
medicine – Nature’s pharmacy. Bonnie has been
an herbal practitioner for 10 years and a student
of medicinal plants for 16 years. She loves
teaching herbal medicine to others and is the
founder of the MidAmerica Herbal Symposium.
Bonnie will explore the plants growing in your
yard, in the woods, along the creek bank and
explain their medicinal qualities. She will start out
with a little history and then get into the plants,
who they are, what they do, and how they do it.
These classes are taught by experienced and
entertaining professionals who will engage,
educate, and inspire participants to live local and
live well.
Feb 5th; 1 pm
Cottage House Inn
467 – 2944
Judy
$15
Payable at Class


From Pasture to Plate:
Andrew Bunge
from Twin Oak Farm and Christian Myrah from
Breezy Bluff Farm will discuss raising and caring
of pasture-raised lamb on the family farm. Will
feature local lamb, how to use a variety of cuts of
meat, recipes, and delicious samples. Following
the class will be Eagle Bluff’s February Dinner on
the Bluff, a delicious meal of local seasonal
foods. Call Eagle Bluff to register for the dinner
(467 – 2437). These classes are taught by
experienced and entertaining professionals who
will engage, educate, and inspire participants to
live local and live well.
Feb 5th; 3:30 pm
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
467 -2944
Judy
$20
Payable at Class

Whalan Candlelight Ski/Walk:
Ski by candle light during the 18th annual Whalan
Candle Light Ski, sponsored by the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources and the Village
of Whalan. For the seventeenth consecutive
year, the beautiful Root River Trail will be lined
with candles with bonfires at each end of the ski
trek. Soup supper and refreshments will be
available at the Whalan Village Hall. Skiers will
need a DNR Ski Pass, available from many
Lanesboro businesses, the Lanesboro Visitor
Center, or online at:
www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/skipass/index.html
Need to rent skis? Contact Cedar Valley Resort in Whalan
(507) 467-9000.
Feb 5; 5:30 pm
Whalan MN

Dinner on the Bluff:
Discovery Channel's
'River Warrior' Helps Clean America's Rivers" As
the founder of America's only "industrial strength"
river clean-up organization, Living Lands &
Waters Chad Pregracke tells a compelling and
funny story about growing up on the river and
how his river experiences led to his unique vision
to clean up the Mississippi River. Sponsored in
part by Hiawatha Valley RC&D-Driftless Area
Initiative and Fillmore County Soil & Water
Conservation District.
Feb 5; 5:30 pm
presentation followed by a buffet dinner
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
467 - 2437
$25

USED BOOK SALE
All used books will be
$1.00 or under. There is a great variety of
cookbooks, children's books, fiction and
more. Consignment books not included.
Fri: 10-6
Sat: 11-4
Wed: 10-6
Lanesboro Local Marketplace

Baking Successes for the Week

I LOVE trying new things-- baking, scrapbooking, new paint colors (as you may see pictures of soon...) or any outdoor activity. Since I already finished as much scrapbooking as I could with the pictures I had printed, new paint colors are in process, and outdoor activities are limited, that eaves baking. As long as I keep flour in the house and finish my homework in time, I am able to try almost any recipe.
I has been a difficult transition being in Lanesboro after living in the twin cities for a few years. I got used to a lot of different foods, most of which I cannot find without driving 40+ miles. Mall pretzels are one of these specialties. (Classy, I know.) Anyway, following is the recipe I used (the pretzels turned out great!) and also a recipe for a sourdough starter, which I began about 4 days ago.

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Note: The dough is pretty difficult to roll, and it helps to roll it some then grab the ends and move it like a jumprope. (hopefully that makes sense...) It helped a lot-- I remembered seeing employees at pretzel stores doing that.

Creating Your Sourdough Starter

The novel thing about sourdough baking is that it requires that you keep something alive in your fridge. I think of my starter as a pet, kept and fed so that Sandra and I will have all the bread we need. Sourdough "starter" is a batter of flour and water, filled with living yeast and bacteria. The yeast and bacteria form a stable symbiotic relationship, and (as long as you keep the starter fed) can live for centuries, a thriving colony of microorganisms. To make sourdough bread, you blend the starter with some flour and make dough. The yeast propogates, and leavens your bread. This is how you make your starter:

Select a container that your "pet" will live in. A wide-mouthed glass jar is best. I use a glass jar with a rubber and wireframe seal; you can find these for $2-$4 in any antique or junk shop. A small crock with a loose lid is also great; these can be bought in cheap sets for serving soup. You can also use a rubbermaid or tupperware container. I've begun starters using the plastic containers that take-out Chinese soup comes in, and then transferred them to jars later! A wide-mouthed mayonnaise or pickle jar will also do just fine. Metallic containers are a bad idea; some of them are reactive and can ruin your starter (for the same reason, avoid using metal utensils to stir your starter).

Blend a cup of warm water and a cup of flour, and pour it into the jar. That's the whole recipe! I use plain, unbleached bread flour most of the time, but I've had good results with all-purpose and whole-wheat flour, too. If you want, you can add a little commercial yeast to a starter to "boost" it. If you do this, sourdough snobs will look down their nose at you - but who cares about snobs? I personally find that (at least here where I live) no yeast "boost" is necessary, and I can make "real" sourdough with no trouble. But if you are having trouble, go ahead and cheat. I won't tell. Note that starter made with commercial yeast often produces a bread with less distinctive sour flavor than the real thing.

Every 24 Hours, Feed the Starter. You should keep the starter in a warm place; 70-80 degrees Farenheit. This allows the yeast already present in the flour (and in the air) to grow rapidly. Temperatures hotter than 100 degrees or so will kill it. You can take comfort from the fact that almost nothing else will do so. The way you feed the starter is to (A) throw away half of it and then (B) add a half-cup of flour and a half-cup of water. Do this every 24 hours. Within three or four days (it can take longer, a week or more, and it can happen more quickly) you should start getting lots of bubbles throughought, and a pleasant sour or beery smell. The starter may start to puff up, too. This is good. Here's the gist: When your starter develops a bubbly froth, it is done. You have succeeded.

Refrigerate the Starter. Keep the starter in your fridge, with a lid on it. Allow a little breathing space in the lid. If you're using a mayo or pickle jar, punch a hole in the lid with a nail, that kind of thing. Once the starter is chilled, it needs to be fed only once a week. Realistically, you can get away with less; it's important to remember that your starter is a colony of life-forms that are almost impossible to kill (except with extreme heat). Even starving them is difficult.

Recipes courtesy of:
http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm
and
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/mall-pretzels/Detail.aspx