Are You ready for Romance?

It’s that time again. The time when many of us start thinking about what to do on Valentine’s day for that very special person in our lives. We’ve done the flowers and chocolates, bought his or her favorite thing and taken them out to dinner. If you’ve run out of options, we have a great suggestion for you.

Why not spend the night or the week-end in a beautiful bed and breakfast in historic  Louisville, Kentucky? Our inns are welcoming, with distinct atmosphere and amenities, and delicious gourmet breakfasts. Our innkeepers know what makes their guests happy and comfortable. Great attention to detail is given when furnishing and decorating their guest rooms.

Belgian Waffle

Scrambled eggs

Each and every one is focused on making your morning breakfast a delight. You won’t be disappointed when you sample the delicious Belgium waffles, pancakes, or French toast prepared in ways that might include fresh fruit, tantalizing sauces, and authentic maple or other flavored syrups. If you prefer, our innkeepers, many of whom are chefs, can prepare astonishing omelets, and other vegetable and egg dishes, accompanied with Kentucky ham, sausage, or bacon.  Muffins, scones, home-made granolas, and other individual specialties of a particular inn may also part of your morning meal.  And don’t forget the fresh ground, gourmet coffees…Europeans blends, French Roasts, Columbian, Hawaiian, Jamaican, etc.

 
In addition, our innkeepers will help you find interesting things to see and do in the city and
nearby. Louisville has amazing local restaurants with every kind of cuisine you can think of. And our museums, theaters, and cultural attractions are first class. Not to mention world famous Churchill Downs which hosts the Kentucky Derby drawing thousands of international guests.
You won’t regret choosing our bed and breakfasts and our wonderful city to delight that special someone. I can guarantee it will be a visit you will not easily forget.
 
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Caramel Apple Crumble

This is a fabulous recipe from How Sweet It Is


serves 4-6
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 large apples, cut into chunks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
topping
2/3 cup oats
2/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toss apple chunks with salt and cinnamon.
In the bottom of your slow-cooker [mine is 7 quarts], mix brown and granulated sugars, then spread evenly to cover. Layer apples on top, keeping them in a single layer as much as possible, then adding the rest of top.
Mix the crumble topping together in a bowl, using your fingers to distribute the butter evenly and thoroughly and clump it together. Sprinkle it over top of the apples. Cook apples on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours. Turn off heat, unplug, and let sit, covered, for one hour. During this time the caramel will thicken a bit more. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Note: this “caramel” sauce is not your typical thick and gooey caramel – it does thicken in the crockpot once cooled.

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Keeping food fresh longer

27 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last As Long As Possible

by Peggy Wang at BuzzFeed Food

If you love cooking but are tortured by the cruel, limited shelf life of fresh foods, these tips are for you.

 

 

1. Onions stored in pantyhose will last as long as 8 months.

Put onions in pantyhose, and tie knots between onion. Plus it makes a freaky wall art installation!

Source: seriouseats.com

2. Freeze green onions in a plastic bottle.

Make sure the green onions are completely dry before storing or they'll get freezer burn.

Source: lunchinabox.net

3. Get an ethylene gas absorber for the fridge.

A set of 3 costs $16. These little pods absorb the ethylene emitted by fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh up to 3x longer. Here's a handy list of ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive foods.

Source: savvysugar.com

4. Store delicate herbs like flowers, then cover with plastic, secure with a rubberband, and refrigerate.

This is the best way to keep delicate herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro, and chives fresh the longest.

keep reading.....

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Be careful what you put in your refrigerator

Tomatoes:
OK, a tomato is technically a fruit, but taste-wise, it’s closer to a vegetable. The fridge is not the ideal place to store tomatoes. Store them there and your perfect tomatoes turn into a mealy disappointment. They’ll still be good for cooking, but not the best for eating fresh. Instead store them on your counter (not in direct sunlight) and enjoy them when they’re ripe.

Basil:

Tomatoes and basil go well together on your plate and it turns out they have similar needs in the storage department too. Basil will do best if it’s stored on your counter and treated as you would fresh cut-flowers. A fresh bunch of basil can be stored for a week or two in a cup of water (change it every day or two) away from direct sunlight. Covering it loosely with a plastic bag will help keep it moist (but make sure the bag has an opening to allow for some fresh air to seep in).

Potatoes:

Potatoes like cool, not cold temperatures. They do best at around 45 degrees F, which is about 10 degrees warmer than the average refrigerator. Most of us don’t have a root cellar (a cool, dark place to store root vegetables like potatoes), so keeping them in a paper bag in a coolish spot (like a pantry) is best. Why paper? It’s more breathable then plastic so potatoes won’t succumb to rot as easily.

Onions:

Onions don’t come out of the ground with that protective papery skin. To develop and keep that dry outer layer, they need to be "cured" and kept in a dry environment like a pantry, which is not as damp as the refrigerator. Also, lack of air circulation will cause onions to spoil, as will storing them near potatoes, which give off moisture and gas that can cause onions to spoil quickly.
 
Avocados:
Avocados don’t start to ripen until after they’re picked from the tree. If you’re buying a rock-hard avocado, don’t store it in your refrigerator, as it slows the ripening process. On the other hand, if you have a perfectly ripe avocado that you’re not ready to use, storing it in the refrigerator may work to your advantage by prolonging your window of opportunity to use it before it becomes overripe.

( Courtesy of Kitchen Daily:  Eating Well article by: Hilary Meyer)


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New Bridge for Louisville and Indiana over the Ohio River

"The new eastern bridge is getting a new look. With Indiana’s approval, the companies in charge of designing and building the span rejected the style that a committee of elected and community leaders selected more than six years ago.Instead of the needle-like towers originally proposed to support cables carrying the bridge deck, the cables now connect to two bulkier arches above the road.

Indiana finalized its contract last week. Construction on both portions of the project is expected to start later this summer.Building the eastern span and the roads leading to it would cost roughly $763 million, down from what Indiana officials said was an earlier estimate of about $987 million. Indiana’s section would be essentially done by Nov. 1, 2016, about eight months ahead of the required completion date.

Kentucky has selected Walsh Construction to build the downtown span, the roads leading to it on both sides of the river and reconstruct the Spaghetti Junction interchange near downtown.Walsh’s completion date of Dec. 10, 2016, is more than 11/2 years earlier than Kentucky’s requirement of June 30, 2018." (courtesy of the Courier- Journal, Louisville, KY, Jan., 2013)
Read full article.....

  

Comments are welcomed

Is Louisville the next Portland?

Take a look at where I live, own and operate my bed and breakfast in Old  Louisville, Kentucky. 

According to an article sent to me  by Robert Wessels owner and innkeeper at Central Park Bed and Breakfast in Old Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky was named the top U.S. destination for 2013, following travel publisher Lonely Planet's discussions among its group of U.S. editors and authors. Robert Reid from Lonely Planet remarked, "While they tend to debate entries into each year's Top 10 list, everyone agreed on Louisville."

Reid goes on to say  "While many horse lovers descend upon this Southern town the first Saturday in May to witness the Kentucky Derby, also known as the "greatest two minutes in sports, there's more to Louisville than one horse race."

"With its hip bourbon scene (including micro-distilleries), fine dining and emerging East Market District, also known as NuLu, Louisville may just be the new Portland, Oregon." Reid said. "Consider exploring the city via the Urban Bourbon Trail for a powerful introduction to Kentucky's famous spirit."

The rest of Lonely Planet's Top 10 destinations: Fairbanks, Alaska (2); San Juan Islands, Washington (3), Philadelphia (4); American Samoa (5); E astern Sierra, California (6); northern Maine (7); Twin Cities, Minnesota (8); Verde Valley, Arizona (9); and Glacier National Park, Montana (10)





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Yaaaay, Christmas Cookies

Nothin'gets me in the Christmas mood quicker than making Christmas cookies. I love the smell, the fun of creating different kinds and shape, and of course I love eating them.

I found this link today to 77 cookie recipes. Needless to say, I had to check it out. It's a Southern Living Magazine site and it also has Christmas dessert recipes. Thought you might like to get in the Christmas spirit too. Love Chunky Chocolate Gobs!.......Yum.



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