Kentucky Derby 2012: How the Innkeeper sees it.....so far

      This year's Kentucky Derby festival started with a bang as always. Thunder Over Louisville started off the festivities a couple of weeks ago. If you like outdoor activities like marathons, balloon races, river boat races, and parades, you would be right in your element here in the "ville" as many locals refer to it, during this time.

    At the Inn, we have had a flurry of activities: guests coming and going from all over the country, new recipes being tried out, and the  redressing of some of our rooms. It's been a while since I had some of my antique pieces recovered. But I went ahead and redid two wing-back chairs and a lounge chair and ottoman, in our second floor suite.

     In august, we booked three rooms for the Derby. I decided that was enough because, after 17 Kentucky Derby celebrations, I knew how work intensive it would be. But, honestly, this year seemed easier and more relaxed than in the past. John, my regular assistant was there to help me and Chandra who has worked for me on and off for the past three years came in to give some extra assistance.

     We have changed our activities at our Inn over the years. Originally, we put on a Bar-B-Q for my guests on Thursday evening when they arrived. (I always have between six and ten guests.) But after years of dodging the rain on Thursdays, we switched to an indoor Cocktail Party. We also do a Champagne brunch on Derby morning, with Mimosas and a beautiful buffet.

     We really go all out at the both events, but the Cocktail Party is special. We serve: Brie wrapped in Puff Pastry or Filo. We used Filo this year and it was delicious. In fact, I still have a little in the frig that I secretly stowed away to eat tomorrow. I love it! We also served Curried Meatballs in an awesome sauce, Artichoke Dip, fresh Marinated Mozzarella, Boursin cheese dip with Tuscan Toast and crudites, fresh shrimp, and Derby Pie. Yum.Everything was made from scratch, except the Derby pie and shrimp. And, of course, we serve Mint Juleps. The guests loved everything. And so did the help (me, John, and Chandra.

 Brie Wrapped in Phyllo with Brown Sugar and Pecans

Phyllo wrapped Brie

Ingredients

1 round of Brie (6 or 8 inch)

Brown sugar

Whole pecans

I package Phyllo dough sheets (most super markets carry this)

Instructions

Take top off of chilled brie cheese. Sprinkle evenly with nuts and brown sugar. Place in 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes, until sugar is melted and Phyllo is brown. Serve with small chunks of French bread, toasted bread, or crackers. Garnish with red and green grapes.

Phyllo-Wrapped Brie with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
4 medium onions, cut into thin wedges (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (filberts) or walnuts
8 sheets (17x12 inches) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
2 4 1/2 ounces rounds Brie or camembert cheese
1/4 cup apricot spreadable fruit
Baguette-style French bread slices, pear and/or apple wedges, or assorted crackers

Instructions
1. Melt the 1 tablespoon margarine or butter in a large saucepan. Add onion. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 15 minutes or until onion is tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle sugar over onion. Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes more or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in hazelnuts or walnuts. Cool.
2. Work with one sheet of phyllo at a time, keeping remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap until needed. Lightly brush one sheet of phyllo dough with some of the 1/4 cup melted margarine or butter. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet, and brush with margarine or butter. Repeat with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing with margarine or butter. Cut a 12-inch circle from the stack; discard trimmings.
3. Slice one round of Brie or camembert in half horizontally. Place bottom half in center of phyllo stack. Spread with 1 tablespoon of the apricot spreadable fruit; top with one-fourth of the caramelized onion-hazelnut mixture. Top with other half of Brie, 1 tablespoon spreadable fruit, and another one-fourth of onion-hazelnut mixture. Wrap phyllo up and over filling, pleating phyllo as needed to cover and slightly twisting phyllo on top. Brush phyllo with margarine or butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo, margarine, Brie, spreadable fruit, and onion-hazelnut mixture.
4. Place one wrapped Brie round in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan or two rounds in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with bread, fruit wedges, or crackers. Makes 12 servings.

   

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Be careful what you eat

While I was checking out the news on the internet this morning, I came across this video. According to the foods that are shown and discussed, I guess I should be dead by now because eight out of the ten shown are my favorite foods.

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To Die For Gourmet Vegetarian Pizza

This pizza was developed by a very close friend, another inn keeper, and myself a few years back. She's a wonderful cook and has taught me a lot. I hope I've done the same for her. Anyhow,  one summer my granddaughter came to visit me with her little girlfriend. My innkeeper friend, we'll call her Donna,  invited us all out to her bed and breakfast, in the country, for lunch.

We arrived early afternoon and Donna showed the 10-year-olds around her inn before they wandered outside to check out her dog, cat, and the swimming pool.  I was curious about what we were having for lunch, so Donna told me about the wonderful recipe for pizza she got from her daughter. Both Donna and I are very much into healthy cooking and eating so combining a bowl full of veggies, cheese, and a whole wheat crust seemed like a great idea. The girls wouldn't realize they were eating Spinach and whole wheat with all that cheese.

Donna had cut up some vegetables and caramelized the onions. She put the cheeses in little bowls and set out a Boboli whole wheat crust. She is so organized! Then she asked me to assemble the whole thing.
Following are the ingredients and method we used to produce that  fabulous bit of heaven. We all gobbled it down like we hadn't eaten in weeks. It was so good.

After that wonderful summer day, at Donna's, she and I got together and re-did the ingredients and method for making this delicious pizza, made some changes and printed out a recipe card so we'd be able to duplicate it. I've printed the recipe below so all of you can enjoy it.

 RECIPE

 1 Boboli whole wheat pizza crust

*1 tub Boursin cream cheese

Place pizza crust  in a pizza stone (preferably) or a metal pizza pan. Spread the Boursin cheese over the crust, using a flexible spatula. Top with the following ingredients in order:

Sliced fresh mushrooms

Sliced (thinly) red peppers

Sliced (thinly) fresh tomatoes

*1 med. onion (caramelized)

Chopped fresh basil

Chopped fresh oregano

Shredded Asiago cheese

Grated Parmesean cheese

Roasted garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

Bake in a preheated oven at the designated temperature and length of time on the Boboli package, or until crust is lightly browned and cheeses are thoroughly melted. Slice into eight pieces, serve immediately and enjoy!

*Note: Alternative to Boursin cheese: J.L. Kraft "Spreadable Cheese" (Parmesean, Asiago & Romano with Garlic and Herb flavor)

*Note: To caramel onion, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a ten- or twelve-inch skillet. Slice the onion as thinly as possible and add to heated olive oil. Stir until onion is caramel in color and glazed. It should taste sweet.

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It Wasn't A Dream

It Wasn't A Dream

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Louisville, KY voted one of best cities for family visits

ABC City Guides for Kids Names Top 7 Family Destinations  

Press Release:  Newswire

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 20, 2012

 PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring Break is around the corner and ABC City Guides for Kids has released its annual Top 7 Family Destinations list. According to Family Travel expert, Matthew Rosenberger, 2012 will be another strong year for family travel.

1. Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz History Center  and the Carnegie Science Center are world class.  Ride the Duquesne Incline for the best view of Kidsburgh and the city's 3 Rivers.  Visit Primanti Bros., the Strip District and Andy Warhol Museum.
2. Atlantic City, NJ – So much more than casinos here, visit the Absecon Lighthouse,  Historic Gardner's Basin, Steel Pier and Ripley Museum, then enjoy salt water taffy on America's first Boardwalk or at the beach.   Visit Tony's for great pizza and the other White House for a submarine sandwich.
3. Times Square, New York – See the Gazillion Bubble Show on Broadway, ride the Giant Ferris Wheel inside Toys "R" Us, and visit the Hershey and M&M super stores.  At the end of the day, grab a seat on the red steps in Father Duffy Square and soak in the sights and sounds of the Crossroads of the World.
4. Chicago, IL – Plan a summer visit during the Taste of Chicago Festival.  Schedule plenty of time for Museum Campus, Navy Pier and the Art Institute. Lincoln Park Zoo, Lake Michigan and Wrigley Field are mandatory stops.  Wind down with a stroll on Michigan Avenue.
5. Philadelphia, PA – Start at the Rocky statue then race to the top of the Art Museum steps and plan a city sculpture scavenger hunt.  Stop by the Franklin Institute and Mummers Museum then grab "one wit" at Geno's or Pat's in South Philly before heading to a Phillies game.
6. Louisville, KY— The Louisville Slugger Museum may have the best "factory" tour in the country.  Visit Churchill Downs, Ali Museum, and Louisville Stoneware factory and gallery.  Kids will want to eat every meal at Lynn's Paradise Cafe.
7. Washington, DC – The Smithsonian Museums, International Spy Museum and Newseum will be bustling all year. Plan a visit during the National Cherry Blossom Festival and catch a Nats game too.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/556304#ixzz1kU7GQlEm

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Valentine's Day at the Inn

Valentine's Day at most bed and breakfasts is usually very busy. They fill up with couples looking for a romantic get-away to celebrate the day or week-end with someone they love. The Inns offer Sweetheart Packages, Spa Packages and the like. They fill the rooms with red roses, champagne and chocolates. We, at the Aleksander House, http://www.aleksanderhouse.com/ like to serve a special sweetheart's breakfast of Belgium Waffles with fresh strawberries and real whipped cream. Strawberries and chocolate seem to be very popular on Valentine's Day, so many of the Innkeepers make chocolate-covered strawberries. They're really not difficult to make. Here are a couple of recipes:

Recipes for Chocolate Covered Strawberries

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves
DIRECTIONS
Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
Turn berries upside down. Insert pick in Styrofoam for chocolate to cool.

Recipe from: Armida Cooks
Since it's Valentine's Day today, I figured I'll re-post this oldie-but goodie recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries. If you want to impress your cutie pie, these strawberries are so easy to make.
Whenever I go to a fancy Sunday brunch, there are two things that I first look out for: the champagne and the chocolate covered strawberries. The recipe below is fool proof and delicious. Just make sure your strawberries are super dry before you dip them in the chocolate. Oh my gawd, I'm having cravings just writing this!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening, such a vegetable Crisco (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)*
12 large fresh strawberries, with stems, rinsed and patted dry

DIRECTIONS
Prepare cookie sheet by placing wax paper on bottom of it.
Place chocolate chips and shortening in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1-1/2 minutes or just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred; cool slightly.
Holding strawberry by top, dip 2/3 of each berry into chocolate mixture; shake gently to remove excess. Place on prepared tray.
Refrigerate until coating is firm, about 30 minutes. Store, covered, in refrigerator.
*Butter, margarine and spreads contain water which may prevent chocolate from melting properly; oil may prevent chocolate from forming a coating.

*Chcek out our Valentine's packages. They are available now through the end of February.

Starting today (01/01/12): Eat Healthy in the New Year

Well, I did it...not a good thing, but a bad thing..... to my cholesterol. I made a really stupid mistake. After taking a two hour ultrasound test to determine the amount of plaque in my arteries, I found out I had zero plaque. I was surprised, amazed,  and very happy. But instead of focusing on the fact that my cholesterol was only 190, I focused on the "no plaque" diagnosis and decided I could eat all the fat, including saturated, I wanted. Yeah....I know, as I said...stupid! I love dairy, so I just went nuts eating all ice cream, cheese, sour cream, etc. I wanted. And not the low-fat kind.

The result, a year later, was a rise of 30 points in my cholesterol. I can't believe I did this to myself. I didn't gain a lot of weight, only around seven pounds, but the increased  cholesterol has me and my doctor worried enough that I've made a New Year's resolution to get it down. My doctor says it's not high enough to put me on medication, so he evidently trusts me to do what I can with diet and exercise. I really know what to do; I've done it before, but I scouted around the intenet to find a few reminders and some new ideas just to get me back on the right track.

So here's my plan:  Diet wise, of course I have to stop eating all that Ben and Jerry's ice cream...that's a given. In addition, I'm going back to low fat dairy in general and cutting out processed foods, including cookies and crackers. One exception is rice cakes...no cholesterol there. Here's one thing I haven't tried before: Cheerios for breakfast every morning, with walnuts and dried cranberries. They say it works; I'll let you know if it works for me.

Now, for the exercise. I know for a fact regular exercise lowers cholesterol. So yesterday, I trekked over to the YMCA, where I have a membership I haven't used in months, and checked out what's available for seniors. First thing was the weight room. In October and November, I was in physical therapy and worked on my quads and ham strings. It really strengthened me and I lost some weight to boot. Anyhow, I'm going to work on the same machines at the Y. I lost some of that strength, because I didn't continue exercising after I was released from PT, so I need to get that back right away. In addition to the weight machines, I plan on using the treadmill. It's a machine that I can handle pretty well so I think it will be helpful. Finally, I will take a "sit-down" free weights class for seniors twice a week, for upper body strength.

Now, besides lowering my cholesterol and gaining back some strength, I want to lose some weight. I have stage 4 arthritis, which is essentially bone on bone. So, strengthening those muscles around the knee and losing weight will help alleviate the pain.

Good plan...right? Well, I just hope I can stick to it. It'll be hard when the business picks up again after January. But right now I'm pretty motivated and if I can get myself hooked on this program, like I was on PT, I think I can muddle through. Anyhow, at my age, it's super important to maintain my health and strength.....Pray for me.

I found this video and I will be posting more ideas as I find them.




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