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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Banana Bread!


Ok, so this isn't one of those healthy recipes I promised you...but it is sure delicious!







INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
Yield: Makes one loaf.

Recipe courtesy of : http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/

The Weekly

A little light on the activities this weekend, but if the weather holds there will be plenty to do! I've been walking a lot and have been shocked to see the trails completely empty...c'mon, it's sweatshirt weather out there! At least for you native Minnesotans... anyway, the shops around town had their lights on today and I'm hopeful that they'll be open tomorrow! (that includes the ice cream shop...)

Commonweal Apprentice Company Presents:
Metamorphoses: Our apprentices showcase
their talents with their own feature production of
METAMORPHOSES by Mary Zimmerman. This
Tony-nominated adaptation of the epic poem by
Ovid explores the concept, possibilities, and
consequences of change.
March 31,April 1, 2; 7:30 pm
April 3; 1:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525 $15

Old Barn Resort Karoke Joe:
Old Barn Resort Restaurant & Bar
opening for the season
April 1 at 3 pm. Karaoke Joe from 8 pm
- midnight.Check out our new menu!
Old Barn Resort
467-2152

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Spring Cleaning!


It's that time again--just when it starts to warm up, we all realize how much work we need to do indoors! Here's what we're working on at Coffee street Inn...

**Flipping mattresses
**Cleaning toilet plungers and all garbage cans (the best way to do this is to fill a bathtub with hot water and bleach, then soak your plungers and garbage cans for awhile. Eventually, they become clean enough to safely rinse and dry ;)
**Defrosting fridges and freezers, cleaning ice trays (ice should always appear clear!)
**Throwing out stained towels (a big thank you to those guests who did not use their towels for muddy shoes, dogs, or bikes last year :P)
**Touching up paint in all the rooms...some of it was chipped off when we got new carpets (you should come see all the changes-- I'll give you a tour!!
**Washing all comforters, pillow shams, and bedskirts (don't worrym we do this much more often than seasonally!)
**Shampooing carpets
**Polishing wood floors
**Taking down window treatments, washing, and IRONING (I HATE ironing...)
**Checking all smoke alarms, change lightbulbs
**Dusting all light fixtures
**Running vinegar or lemon juice through coffee pots
**Cleaning windows inside and out
**Using CLR to remove buildup from shower heads and sinks
**Washing the washing machine! Put 2 cups of white vinegar in the machine and run a stain cycle, or let it soak then run a regular cycle
**Getting rid of lost-and-found or mismatched items
**Tuning up our bikes for summer...
**Airing out and sealing our tent for summer...
**Creating a new calendar for 2011 to place in room binders (for all of you to use when you visit!)
**Thinking of new package deals (let me know what you'd like to see!)
**Trying out a few new recipes for summer! This includes use of the grill...
**Bringing the grill back outside, filling the propane tank, and cleaning the grill!
**Re-evaluating a budget for the year
**Packing up old, outdated files to make room for new ones!

Overall, this is exciting stuff! ...Or maybe I'm just an obsessive-compulsive neat freak? Either way, these are a few of the things I've been working on for myself and for the Inn. Post a few of your spring cleaning tips or tricks!

Here's a note from the Mayo Clinic about spring cleaning your diet:
"When you're spring cleaning your home, go one step further and spring clean your diet. Replace the not-so-great food choices you may have been making this winter with some fresh, tasty, and nutrient packed spring-season options.
Delicious and nutritious spring-season options include:
Apricots
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cherries
Collard Greens
Green Beans
Green Onions
Honeydew Melon
Leeks
Lettuce
Mangoes
Mushrooms
Onions
Peas
Pineapple
Radishes
Rhubarb
Spinach
Strawberries"

I have been really good about this as of late! My persuasive sister convinced me--yes, me!!-- to give up sweets for lent. I started a week late but have now gone 2 WEEKS without sweets! Tea has replaced hot chocolate as my afternoon and nightly drink, and I now eat carrots and green beans as a snack. Watch for some healthy recipes involving the foods mentioned in this post!!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Weekly

Commonweal Apprentice Company Presents:
Metamorphoses: Our apprentices showcase
their talents with their own feature production of
METAMORPHOSES by Mary Zimmerman. This
Tony-nominated adaptation of the epic poem by
Ovid explores the concept, possibilities, and
consequences of change.
March 24, 25, 26, 31; 7:30 pm
March 27; 1:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525 $15

Old Village Hall Spring Wine Dinner
March 25 & 26; 6:30 pm
Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub
467-2962
$55

Lanesboro Barn Dance:
Live music and calling for square area and big circle
dances plus polka, waltz, and schottische. No Partner
needed. All Dances taught. Bring Friends.
March 26; 8 pm
Sons of Norway Hall
$7

Art of Cuisine Benefit Dinner for Lanesboro Arts Center:
with chef Stephen Larson, this
scrumptious four-course dinner will benefit arts
programming at Lanesboro Arts Center. Sealed
bid auction complements the evening.
March 27; 6:30 pm
Quarter/Quarter
Harmony, MN 467-2446 $65

Monday, March 21, 2011

Sourdough Bread: Take 2!


Ok--so over the course of the past 2 months or so I have been keeping a sourdough starter. I was spurred onto the idea after looking over another Innkeeper's website and seeing that she had kept one for 10 years! I had no idea such a thing existed (Yes, I do occasionally feel as if I've been living under a rock) and was shocked to find that this "starter" thing can be used for french toast, pancakes, and other breads! I have not tried the former yet, as I am still trying to get my starter just right. For my first attempt at homemade sourdough bread, a few weeks after I began the starter, I used this recipe:

2 Cups of sponge (proofed starter)
3 Cups of unbleached flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil or softened margarine
4 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt

Baked at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes after allowing 3 hours to rise.

My dough didn't rise! Sourdough bread made with a starter is not supposed to need yeast...so I decided I needed to feed the starter more often than once per week. Even though it didn't rise, I baked it anyway. It yielded two huge loaves which were very good but a pretty sweet for my taste. More like Amish friendship bread, perhaps? (I don't know...have to try that too!)

Currently baking is this simple recipe:

3 cups (375g) of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60g) of prepared starter
Up to 1-1/2 cups (325ml) of water (see text)
1 teaspoon (5ml) of salt
OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon (15ml) of butter.

It needs to bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

The dough did rise this time! I was very excited. And it looks to be turning out great! I will let you know for sure later...

Starters are a great, easy way to start making your own bread. They ay take a little getting used to, but when made at home bread loaves will be cheaper and healthier. And you can make them however you want! So start experimenting today...it's fun and a great addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Recipes courtesy of http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm
and
http://www.joejaworski.com/bread/bread2.htm

Friday, March 18, 2011

Finally... a recipe!


This is a pretty quick and simple recipe that Matt and I like to make. It's adapted from a Tiawanese cookbook, so enjoy!

Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
Cabbage (rolled and sliced)
carrots (grated)
mushrooms (finely chopped)
green onions
Chicken, pork, or shrimp
rice paper (tortilla-shaped rice sheets)

Directions:
This is very easy...simply cook your meat of choice and chop it into small pieces. Combine all the vegetables and green onions in a bowl. The rice aper needs to be soaked for about 10 seconds in order to soften, so find a pan with a lip or a deep plate and pour in some warm water. After swishing the rice paper around in the water, remove it and place on a separate plate to fill. Top it with the meat and vegetable like you would if it was a soft-shelled taco. Roll just like a tortilla, and let it sit for about a minute for the rice paper to dry. It's done!

Sauce: (If you want to try it!)
Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, ginger
--I never really measure out the ingredients, so you can experiment and season to taste.

*Rice noodles are a good addition to the spring rolls!

The Weekly

Bean Bag Tournament:
Sponsored by the Lanesboro Lions.
Money prizes for the top teams
based on the number of participants. Food and
beer/pop available for purchase.
March 19
11:30 am
Registration
12 pm Start
Lanesboro Community Hall
467-3722
$30 team

Eagle Bluff: Discover Maple Syruping:
Have you ever thought about making your own maple
syrup? This seminar is a great introduction to the
process of bringing homemade syrup to your
table. Ages 10 and up
March 19
3 – 5 pm
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
467-2437 $10

Smelt Fry:
All you can eat. Carry outs available.
March 19
5 pm - gone
American Legion Post 40

Commonweal Apprentice Company Presents:
Metamorphoses: Our apprentices showcase
their talents with their own feature production of
METAMORPHOSES by Mary Zimmerman. This
Tony-nominated adaptation of the epic poem by
Ovid explores the concept, possibilities, and
consequences of change.
March 24
7:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525
$15

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Weekly

Italian Fest: All Italian, All Weekend!
March 11 & 12
Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub
467-2962

"Over the Back Fence" Community Variety Show:
The theme of "Over the Back Fence"
this month is 'Stormy Weather.' Featuring local
talent as well as musical guest John Smith, a
much-traveled and much-loved singer &
songwriter from Wisconsin. Show re-broadcast
on Sunday nine days later on KFIL 103.1fm.
March 11; 7:30 – 9
St. Mane Theatre
467-2446
$5

Songwriting Workshop with JohnSmith:
You will be encouraged to cultivate your own
unique voice as songwriters. Beginers welcome!
You do not even need to play a musical
instrument. JohnSmith will explore the technical
'nuts and bolts' of songwriting--verse, chorus,
bridge, melody, rhythm, rhymes, etc. Through
visualization exercises, group performances, and
personal demonstrations, we will coax and
cultivate each person's inner muse. While
creating a safe and supportive workshop climate,
we will be giving and receiving constructive
feedback as a group. JohnSmith will assist
individuals with experimenting and incorporating
this feedback into works, bridging inspiration and
craft. If there is interest, we may incorporate
issues involved with recording and live
performances. Feel free to bring samples of
songs/poems that inspire you. Bring an open
heart and a curious mind. You are also
encouraged to bring a simple recording device.
March 12; 10 am – 2 pm
St. Mane Theatre 467-2446
Fee is $20-$40
"whatever you can afford!"

Victorian House Green Tea
March 12; 1 – 3 pm
Victorian House B&B and Events
467-3457

Concert: John Smith:
John Smith performing
really excellent, upbeat, touching folk music:
vocals and guitar. "...What you should know
about JohnSmith is that he is the real deal. A
singer/songwriter who has found his voice and
his place and will take you there through his
music. I think it speaks for itself, directly from his
heart to yours. I promise you will be moved,"
says one of the most consistent writers of quality songs that I know.” Lydia Hutchinson, Editor,
March 12; 7:30 pm
Historic St. Mane Theatre
467-2446
$12/ $10 LAC Members

St. Patrick's Church Dinner:
The menu includes:
Chicken Breast Supreme, Dressing,
Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Peas & Yellow Squash,
Pistachio Salad, Coleslaw, Dinner Rolls, Dessert,
Coffee & Milk.
March 13; 11 am – 1:30 pm
St. Patrick’s Church Hall
Carryouts available,
467- 2480
$9 Adults/
$4 children (5-10)
Free 4 and under

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

You Might Be and Innkeeper If...

A fun email I received today from a lodging group member... enjoy!

You might be an innkeeper if...

If you have a 1.5 million dollar home and you live in ten thousand dollars of it...

If it's been six months since you opened a new roll of toilet paper for yourself... and you're happy about that...

If you tend to refer to folks by their room names instead of their given names...

If you make eggs every day, but you eat corn flakes...

If you've ever contemplated a piece of bacon on somebody else's plate, wondering if it's been touched...

If your partner can Name That Story as soon as you start it...

If people usually ask what you used to do... before you retired...

If all your free time falls between noon and three...

If you've ever found a pair of underwear in bed and it never even crossed your mind that they might be yours...

If finding someone else's lace panties isn't grounds for divorce...

If you're regularly asked to predict the weather three months in advance (and you don't have a fortune-teller sign out front)...

Jacuzzi rooms? If your water usage exceeds that of a small nation...

If you have an oversized whirlpool bathtub with a sign next to it that says, "Please reuse your towel to conserve water."

If your husband brings home flowers once a week, and they're not for you...

If your best washcloths have been used as makeup removers, carwash cloths, shoe shiners, and to clean the dog's feet...

If your house is pristine, but your bedroom is stacked to the ceiling... "Don't put that there! Put it in my room."

If you've ever washed chocolate out of your pillow cases...

If stain removal is actually interesting...

If there are written instructions anywhere in your rooms (and you don't have teenagers)...

If you consistently vacuum your way backwards out of a room...

If people pay you to put your picture in their scrapbooks...

If, when you're out for dinner, you order dessert and then find yourself figuring out how to duplicate it for a breakfast course...

If you have named or numbered your bedrooms...

If your house has a theme...

If pictures of your bedrooms are displayed on the internet (and there is no "X" in your domain name)...

If the recycling guy thinks you have an orange juice addiction...

If there are five copies of every magazine in your house...

If you have ever given instructions to anyone about how to use any plumbing fixture in your bathroom... and all your kids are potty-trained...

If you find yourself explaining, once a week, what a grit is, you might be a Southern innkeeper...

If you've ever had to give directions and you're used to 'talking them in' and you're not an air traffic controller...

If you have a backup bedspread...

If you have seven coffee pots...

If yours is the only house on the block where Sysco stops...

If people pay to sleep in your bed and your profession isn't THAT old...

If you can make three varieties of stuffed French toast in your sleep with one hand tied behind your back...

If your new Neptune is more exciting than your new car...

If you have a clue what a mangle is, and there is one in your bedroom...

If your favorite fantasies are about competent kitchen help and a good laundry service...

If "No Vacancy" can prevent your mother-in-law from visiting...

If people spend their honeymoons with you... you'd BETTER be an innkeeper...

And finally, things you don't want to hear:
I didn't know it would get stuck.
Was it expensive?
Is that price for a week?
Do you take rottweilers? How many?
I think that was already broken.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Great Recipe Substitutions!


Every once in awhile I start making a recipe without checking to make sure I have all the ingredients. Or, I do try to stop at the grocery store in Fountain, MN but realize it closes at 5:30. (Yes, 5:30p.m. Who does that?? No wonder their vegetables are always a bit shriveled...) Anyway, I have found a lot of ingredient substitutions through the internet, and I just wanted to share a few with you!

1. Buttermilk--How many people keep this in their fridge? To make a substitute cup of buttermilk, pour just under one cup of milk and then add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir the mixture and let it stand for 5 minutes, then it's ready to use!

2. Brown sugar--I discovered this one last night as I started making chocolate chunk cookies. I stopped at the store, but it was already 5:45 (imagine that...people cook around dinner-time). SO... it turns out that you can use regular sugar combined with 1-2 tablespoons of molasses. The cookies turned out great! I actually am starting to think that perhaps the substitution was part of my great-grandmother's secret cookie recipe...

3. Chocolate chips (puppy chow only)-- This one courtesy of my sister. If you don't have more chocolate, simply use extra peanut butter in its place! Yum...

4. Half-and-half-- There are a number of different substitutions that will work for this ingredient. For one cup of half-and-half combine: 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine, 3 tablespoons oil plus milk to equal one cup, or use 1 cup evaporated milk.

5. Sour cream-- Now this one I just found...it sounds a bit gross but I'm sure it works fine! 3 tablespoons butter plus 7/8 cup sour milk, OR 7/8 cup buttermilk plus 3 tablespoons butter.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Brewing some Java....


So, I am not a coffee addict, but I definitely enjoy it once and a while. I like to water it down good with lots of sugar.. My favorite mix involves hot chocolate, caramel, and french vanilla creamer. However, my husband is a bit more differentiating when it comes to coffee beans. I just like to smell them. Anyway, here are a few tips for brewing great coffee!

Clean Up:
Clean your equipment regularly! Here at the Inn, I clean the coffeemakers by running vinegar through them. (And then cleansing them multiple times with hot water to get rid of the smell/taste...) Another great cleaning mixture is baking soda and water. Use the ratio one part baking soda to four parts warm water. If left uncleaned, coffee oil residue can build up and leave a bitter taste.

Use the Right Water:
Chlorine-free, filtered or distilled water is best. Regular tap water can cause calcium and mineral buildup on your equipment.

Grind Regularly:
Grinding your own beans daily is best to ensue the freshest smell and taste. Work on the coarseness of your grind, as a grind that's too fine will trap water and taste bitter. A grind that's too coarse tends to make weak coffee. Try to match your grind to your brewing method and filter type.

Know Your Strength:
The general rule for making coffee is one tablespoon of grounds for every six ounces of water. This may differ as you try new beans, so experiment!

Store Wisely:
Beans should be kept in an airtight container and never in the fridge. The freezer should b used only as a last resort.

Information found in "The Nest" magazine. Check them out at thenest.com!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Weekly

World Day of Prayer:
St. Patrick's Church is
hosting the World Day of Prayer this year. The
program is written by the women of Chile. They
ask the question, "How many loaves have you?"
Everyone is welcome!
March 4
9 am St. Patrick’s

Tapas Weekend at the Old Village Hall:
All plates $5.
March 4 & 5
4:30 pm - 9
Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub
467 - 2962

Lanesboro Community Theatre Presents
“The Cemetery Club” by Ivan Menchell – a
heart-filled comedy about three widows who meet
monthly for tea and a trip to their husband’s
gravesites. Their tidy little threesome is
unexpectedly disrupted when an eligible
gentlemen innocently appears. Director Barbara
Benson Keith adds, "It's a funny script and I know
people are going to love the show. It's got heart."
Tickets at the door or in advance at the
Lanesboro Art Center. More at this production is
made possible in cooperation with the
Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc,
through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature
March 4 & 5; 7 pm
March 6; 2 pm
St. Mane Theatre
$10 adults/
$8 students and seniors


Lanesboro High School Senior Class Fund Raiser:
All you can eat Brunch. Cost: $10 adult
$6 12 years old and under, preschool free. Egg
bake, blueberry, pecan, chocolate chip or plain
pancakes, ham, bacon, sausage, fruit, coffee,
milk & orange juice.
March 6; 9 am – 1 pm
$10 adult/
$6 12 and Under