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