Life as the Innkeeper at the Aleksander House in "Old Louisville" Kentucky.......recipes and articles about food, healthy eating, special diets, kitchens, restaurants, travel and activities in Kentucky.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in vegetable oil. Add buttermilk and stir just until blended.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough into a 15x8-inch rectangle. Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan lightly.
Spread butter over the dough. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over butter. Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut the roll into 1 1/2-inch slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up, in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour milk over the top, if desired. Serve hot.
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Deviled eggs are a great appetizer to serve at almost any type of party. They also complement hot dogs and hamburgers that have been prepared on a grill. Deviled eggs can be made a variety of ways, but if you are looking for the perfect deviled egg to make for a barbecue, you should consider using bacon. Things you'll need
Eggs
Bacon
Mustard
Mayo
Paprika
Serving dish
Knife
Bowl
Pot
Water
Instructions
1. Fill a pot with water and insert a dozen eggs. This will make 24 deviled eggs. 2 Turn your stove to high heat and place your pot of eggs on the burner. Wait until the water begins to boil before timing your eggs. Once the water boils, cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
3 Rinse the eggs under cold water and remove the shells.
4 Cut your eggs in half with a sharp knife. Make sure you cut them lengthwise.
5 Remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. Place the whites on a serving dish.
6 Add 1/2 cup of mayo and 2 tsp. of mustard to the egg yolks.
7 Crush five slices of bacon into bits, and add them to the mixture.
8 Mix the ingredients in the bowl until they are smooth.
9 Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites.
10 Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Only sprinkle enough paprika to add color to your egg.
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Louisville has a lot to offer visitors. We have exceptional restaurants, wonderful museums, and beautiful scenery. Within an hour away from the city. are charming little towns, B&Bs and lots of history. There are events going on all year round, but some of the best are in the spring and summer. We have lots of outdoor festivals, garden walks, and Victorian house tours; Shakepeare, blues, jazz and country music festivals. The list goes on and on, but I think that most would agree that the highlight of the year is the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs; colts and geldingsfillies 121 pounds (55 kg) who can carry 126 pounds (57 kg), The race, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws around 155,000 fans.
Are you good enough to pick the Derby or Oaks winner now? Place a Kentucky Derby Future Wager or Kentucky Oaks Future Wager and get early odds that could be much more attractive than race day odds. Bet on your favorite now, cash in when the race is run!
The Kentucky Derby is one of the crown jewels of the elusive Triple Crown which includes the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes.For over 125 years the Kentucky Derby has been everyone's race - from the dapper men and beautiful women, all in hats and sipping on frosty mint juleps, to the laid-back infield crowd who picnic on fried chicken and toss around Frisbees. They're all there to witness the world's premier horse-racing event. "Riders up" booms the paddock judge. The trainers give a leg up to the riders and send them out through the tunnel and onto the world's most famous track as the University of Louisville band strikes up Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home". In addition to the race itself, a number of traditions have played a large role in the Derby atmosphere. The Mint Julep, an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint and sugar, is the traditional beverage of the race. Burgoo, typically a thick stew of lamb and vegetables is served from iron pots sometimes 10 feet in diameter. Legal gambling on the race is done through parimutuel betting at the track. The Infield, a spectator area inside the track, offers low general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race. Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party.
By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract the rich and famous. Elegant women appear in long dresses, big hats, and carrying fancy umbrellas. As the horses are paraded before the grandstands, "My Old Kentucky Home" is played by the University of Louisville marching band while the crowd stands and sings along. The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses," because a garland of red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. The tradition is as a result of New York socialite E. Berry Wall presenting roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs president, Col. M. Lewis Clark. This gesture is believed to have eventually led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to roses being draped on the Derby winner. The governor of Kentucky awards the garland and the trophy. If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a comment
Lauren Braun Costello -- chef, author and food stylist -- shows busy moms how to make meals using ingredients they already have in their pantries, solving their unique cooking challenges. In this episode, Lauren shows Jennifer C., a mother of two and a PR professional, how to make an easy and healthy snack for her son using currants. Her recipe? Chewy granola bars.
To begin, Lauren mixes together her dry ingredients in a bowl: quick oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, salt, currants and chopped apricots. Feel free to be creative with this part -- you can also add coconut, nuts or other dried fruit.
Next, Lauren moves on to the wet ingredients. (These are mixed in a seperate bowl to ensure they're well-mixed before being combined with the dry ingredients.) The combination of honey and maple syrup makes things sticky and sweet, while vegetable oil contributes necessary fat. Vanilla extract lends a heady perfume to the bars.
She pours the wet ingredients into the dry, then mixes until all of the oats are saturated. When the granola is ready, Lauren lines a baking pan with parchment paper (this will keep the bars from sticking) and presses the granola into the pan. After baking, cut into bars and you're ready to eat.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9" x 13" pan with wax or parchment paper. Stir together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, currants, apricots, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl, being sure to break up any clumps of sugar or dried fruit. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, mix the honey, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven and lift the wax or parchment paper from the pan. Let the granola slab cool for 5 minutes before removing the paper and cutting into bars. Cool completely before eating or wrapping.
Granola bars are so popular that they pack the isles in every grocery store. They are actually very easy to make homemade. The proper mix of oats, seasoning, sweetness, and dried fruit is all you need. Currants are even better than raisins for granola bars because they are half the size with just as much flavor. The result is a pleasing texture in every bite for a deliciously chewy granola bar.
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"Timothy’s is long gone now, even the building it occupied demolished, but in its day, the East Broadway restaurant had panache and a loyal following for its back room upscale menu as well as its bar menu. The latter featured meatloaf sandwiches and what became the restaurant’s signature dish, white chili. We have many variations from other restaurants in the archives, but this is the one people most often request" (Courier-Journal recipes, Louisville, Kentucky, November 11, 2009).
When I first moved to Louisville, I found this little restaurant named Timothy's. I was looking for a place close by where I could go with a friend or by myself and have a great salad or steaming bowl of comforting soup. Louisville is a big restaurant town with wonderful local places serving interesting and delicious local food. We have a culinary arts school here that's third in the nation and tums out chefs and future restauranteurs who become very competitive. Many remain in Louisville and work as chefs or go into business for themselves. The city really benefits by all the competition as they try to make their restaurants the best in town.
Timothy's is no longer there...sitting by itself on the corner of Broadway and Court St. Painted grey with black and white awnings. it was a wonderfully eccentric eatery, opened by Tim Barnes in the early 1980s. They served continental style food and frequently displayed a "now sauteing" neon sign in the front window. Most Louisvillians will remember it and, although I wasn't introduced to it until I moved here almost 16 years ago, I still remember going there with friends to savor some of their awesome "White Chili".
The original Timothy's had a front room with booth seating and a bar, and a more formal if idiosyncratically decorated back room. The menu in the front room focused on comfort foods, such as meatloaf sandwiches, with a more upscale menu in the back. ..."The white chili was devised by Timothy's original chef as a trendy variation on a familiar, comforting dish. Its trendiness may have intrigued diners to try it, but its satisfying richness, with just a hint of spicy heat, has kept it popular through the years" (Bon Appetit, 1991).
In March of 1991, Bon Appetit did an article on Timothy's and published the White Chili recipe. I was ecstatic when I found it and have been making it ever since. When Tim died in the late 1990s, the restaurant closed and reopened in Indiana in 2003. They still have his chili.
Last year, I spent the Christmas holidays in the southwest visiting my daughter and her live-in love. They have a great house with 4 cats in Austin Texas. I had a wonderful week of Christmas, zoning out on food, wine, and card playing. We all three love to cook, so instead of going out to eat, we spent every night cooking for each other. I cooked two nights and guess what I made for them...and their friends? Yep! White Chile. And they all loved it! So I've decided to share the recipe with you ..........just go easy of the hot stuff. My mouth is still smarting!
Saute chicken in heavy large saucepan. until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, remove skin, & cut into cubes. Heat oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves, and cayenne pepper and saute 2 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1/2 hour. Add chicken and 1 cup cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts. Continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add sherry 5 minutes before finished cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro. (recipe edited by Aleksander House Bed and Breakfast)
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Stick to your New Year’s resolutions without a pricey gym membership, fancy equipment, expensive classes or other budget-busters. Rest assured, you can stand pat in your resolutions throughout the year without spending a bundle. Here are the most popular New Years resolutions, along with tips on following them when you’re on a tight budget.
Exercise more: Instead of buying an expensive gym membership, put on a pair of sneakers and walk! Walk in the park, walk in town, walk in the city. Borrow a neighbor's dog and walk. Park your car at the far edge of the parking lot and walk. Forgo the elevator and walk the stairs. If you think about it, you’ll find lots of ways to work more walking into your day. Eat healthy foods: Pursuing a healthy eating program can easily bring down your food costs because healthy eating starts with fresh produce and basic ingredients that don’t cost a lot. See Healthy Eating, for Less for tips, hints and ideas for healthy eating for the budget-minded. Stop smoking: Instead of expensive medical programs, hypnosis and/or nicotine patches, check out the many free programs and websites that can help you kick the habit. Start with the Centers for Disease Control How to Quit Smoking page: www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit Take up a hobby or learn a craft: You don’t necessarily need to invest money in materials, books and classes to take up a hobby—why don’t you revisit a pastime that you used to love? Go on and find those knitting needles, or retrieve the roller blades from the back of the closet, or dust off the stamp collection. You just might fall in love again. Read more: Instead of breaking the bank at the bookstore, visit your local library and check out a new book every week. Most libraries also have magazines for perusing, along with computers with fast internet connections and lots of helpful advice for finding what you need online. Learn something new: There’s no need to enroll in expensive college classes if you are looking to expand your horizons and learn something new. Look into “auditing” a class at your local university or community college. Many schools will allow you to sit in on classes (and participate!) without paying tuition (and without earning credits—but you just want to learn, right?). You can also inquire at your local library, community center or book store about free or low-cost classes or reading groups covering a huge variety of topics. Take a vacation: Instead of flying or driving to faraway destinations and spending your hard-earned money on a motel and meals out, take a “staycation.” Stay at home during your time off, but make a commitment to sightsee, visit museums and generally get to know your hometown all over again. *Visit a Louisville bed and breakfastWe are not far from Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, and St Louis. Although a little longer drive, it's easy to get here from Nashville and Georgia. And, of course Kentuckians, for the most part, have an doable week-end getaway spot to come to. The bed and breakfasts all have Valentine's Packages to satisfy your romantic mood. Do come and visit us, but call ahead.
And of course, there are lots of popular resolutions that don’t cost a cent to begin with. You don’t need a lot of money to pursue these resolutions:
• Cook more
• Get organized
• Spend more time with family and friends
• Help others or volunteer
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Eating organic on a budget is a good thing. So eating roadkill makes perfect sense – it’s all about using what’s available. It has an even lower environmental footprint than being a conventional vegetarian who buys groceries at the market, plus, it’s free.
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In West Virginia, no one used to argue with the notion that there “ain’t nothing better” than finding a fresh-killed animal on the side of the road. The dirty work already done, all folks had to do was throw that critter in a pot and get ready for some groundroots grub. But times have changed and so have most of our tastes and sensibilities. Despite the fact that the rest of the country has given up on RoadKill and gone onto to more domestic pasteurs, there are still those who prefer their possum hot off the pavement instead of the grill.
.So, where can you find hundreds of visitors whooping it up over a big bowl of Rattlesnake stew or Biscuits and Groundhog gravy? You guessed it: at the West Virginia Road Kill Cook-off in Marlington, WV. Every September about 10,000 people from all over the country come to the gathering.
All dishes featured in the festival must have animals commonly found dead on the side of the road…such as deer, squirrels and snakes as their main ingredient.
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Yum! Possum stew
Poking fun at the state’s hillbilly image, Marlinton began the Roadkill Cook-Off ( see Video)13 years ago as a way to draw visitors to their scenic, historic town. “It brings a lot of people out,” notes chef and president of the county commission, Joel Callison. “Roadkill happens here every day…” In past years’ crowds have sampled dishes like Pothole Possum Stew, Fricasseed Wabbit Gumbo and Smeared Hog with Squirrel Gravy. The RoadKill Cook-Off is so popular that it fills all the motels and hotels in the county when it takes place on the last Saturday in September”, said David Cain, who runs the event and samples all the dishes.
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Cain explains: “The animal one cooks must be one that is commonly found dead on the side of the road (possum, beaver, raccoon, snake, deer, etc.), but the animals must not actually come from the side of the road. That’s part of the official rules.” Does anybody actually ever check? If you plan to cook, you need to bring all of your own equipment. As far as what to cook, the sky is the limit. Grilling, chilling, baking, flaking, flipping , dipping, whatever.
What will you be up against? Try Stewed Blood with Moose Balls on the Half Shell or Stir-Tired Possum. The competition is tough. But the winner can go away $300, which to most who enter means they don’t have to scoop up animals from the highway for the rest of the month.
So, do the popularity of festivals like the RoadKill Cook-Off mean more Americans will become open to the idea of foraging for food? Probably not – it’s all about the novelty factor for most. But it’s an intriguing idea.
How about a big bowl of Pothole Possom Stew?
Ingredients
One possum, skinned, pieced
Couple of onions, potatos, other veggies, chopped
1 can of mushroom soup
2 cans of beef gravy
1 can of water
Tbsp each of pepper and salt
Instructions
Boil the possum meat in a large pot of water
with a half cup of salt for about half a day.
Pour the water out and add all the stuff to it.
ring to a boil, then simmer covered 4 to 8 hrs.
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This beautiful, coffee-table cookbook, sponsered by the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky, features a collection of recipes from the Premier Bed and Breakfasts located in the cities, towns, and villages of Kentucky.
The Aleksander House is featured in the cookbook with several wonderful breakfast recipes, which are served at the Inn on a regular basis.
The new cookbook is filled with delicious gourmet recipes and beautiful photographs of prepared dishes, featured Inns, and extraordinary landscapes of Kentucky. It may be purchased at the Aleksander House.
I am a writer, educator, musician, and ex-small business owner, living and writing in Vermont I am passionate about writing, women's issues, the arts, and life in general. I love to blog.
Contact Nancy
alekhouse@aol.com
A charming, 1882, european-style, Victorian bed and breakfast in historic "Old Louisville" Kentucky, completely restored and catering to business and leisure travelers
Breakfast at the Aleksander House
Pears poached in White Zinfindel
Recipes
From time to time we'll add a new recipe. They are either Aleksander House recipes, recipes from the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky new cookbook (which I edited and to which I contributed writing and styling ideas) or favorite recipes from friends and family.
Baked Sweet Potato Shoestrings
recipe by Karina'Kitchen
Sweet Potato Shoestrings
We bake our shoestring potatoes instead of deep-frying them because after a certain age your tummy starts to protest too much fat. But don't worry. These fries are still crispy and delicious (compliments of Karina's Kitchen).
Ingredients 1 sweet potato per person Light olive oil or organic canola oil, as needed ground cumin, thyme, black pepper, red pepper, cinnamon* For serving:Sea saltChampagne or rice vinegar
Instructions Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into long thin shoestrings. Toss them into a bowl and drizzle with light olive oil; stirring lightly to coat.Generously season them.
My seasoning mix is equal shakes of: cumin, thyme and black pepper; and a little bit of hot red pepper and cinnamon.
Throw them on a baking sheet. Spread evenly- in one layer, if possible.Bake in the upper portion of your oven for about 20 to 30 minutes- until they are tender and sizzling and crispy around the edges.
Season with sea salt immediately. (Adding salt after they roast keeps them crisper.) Serve with a sprinkle of champagne vinegar (at the table) or scarf them down plain.
Delicious Gluten-Free Muffins
1 C. Authentic Foods Pancake & Baking Mix* 1/2 C sugar 1 TBL sugar 1/8 tsp Xanthan gum (optional) 1/8 tsp allspice 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 TBL corn or canola oil 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 egg or 2 egg whites 1/4 C cream 2 TBL water 1/2 C. raisins and/or nuts paper muffin cups
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. place paper muffin cups into muffin tin, spray with baking oil, & set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients. In a small bowl, beat together remaining wet ingredients. Add to dry ingredients, and stil until smooth. Add raisins and/or nuts. Divide batter into 6 muffin cups andBake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Muffins should be golden.Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in centercomes out clean.
* may substitute any reputable gluten-free baking mix
Spinach-Mushroom Quiche
Ingredients 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 TBL olive oil 1TBL butter 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded) 1/2 cup Mexican cheeses (shredded) 1 cup Swiss cheese (shredded 1 cup chiffonade of fresh spinach 1 tsp basil (dried or fresh, minced) 1/2 tsp dill (dried or fresh, minced) 1/4 tsp Cayene pepper 1/2 tsp garlic salt fresh cracked pepper (to taste) 1 pie crust 5 eggs 1 cup half & half 1/2 cup sour creme grated parmesean (to taste)
Instructions(Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees)
Saute mushrooms in olive oil and butter until browned and slightly crisp. Set aside.
Line a quiche pan with pie crust. Crimp around edges. Combine cheeses, spinach, and seasonings and press into pie shell. Distribute sauteed mushrooms across top of cheese mixture.
Process eggs, half & half, and sour creme together in blender, until smooth. Pour over cheese mixture. Fill to top. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and grated parmesean. Bake 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees. Top should be lightly browned.
Timothy's White Chili
Yield: 6 servings
2-3 8 oz. cans Great Northern Beans 2 LB chicken breasts 1 ½ tsp. oregano 1TBL Olive oil ¼tsp grnd cloves 2 med Onions, chopped ¼ tsp Cayenne 4 Garlic cloves, minced 6 C. Chicken stock or broth 8 oz. Chopped mild green chilies 2tsp. Grnd cumin 3 C. Monterey Jack; grated 1/2 C. Sherry
Saute chicken in heavy large saucepan. until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, remove skin, & cut into cubes. Heat oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves, and cayenne pepper and saute 2 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1/2 hour. Add chicken and 1 cup cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts. Continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour. Add sherry 5 minutes before finished cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro. (recipe edited by Aleksander House)
German Baked Apple Pancake (serves 2)
Glazed Apples 2 TBL butter 3 med-lg Grannie Smith apples, cored & sliced 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar Confectioners' sugar Maple syrup (optional)
Batter 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup whole milk 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute apples in 2 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Continue sauteing until just soft. Keep warm. Mix eggs, milk, flour, vanilla and salt is an electric blender.Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter is a large heavy frying pan (preferably iron). Heat for a minute or two on a burner on the stove top. Pour batter into hot pan and place in hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and slide pancake on to a plate. Pour sauteed apple over the pancake evenly and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup.
Gateau of Crepes
Serves 6
Ingredients: FOR THE BECHAMEL 1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for sheet 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1 1/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (4 ounces) Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE ASSEMBLY 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon) 5 ounces baby spinach (about 6 cups) Pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 lemon, for squeezing 12 small Basic Crepes
Directions: Make the Bechamel: Place onion and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and cook until onion is translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Gruyere, and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat, add nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble: Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Let cool slightly. Squeeze out any excess liquid, and coarsely chop.
Finish Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Reserve 2 tablespoons bechamel. Mix remaining bechamel and spinach in a medium bowl. Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Place 1 crepe on center of sheet, and top with 3 tablespoons spinach mixture. Repeat with remaining crepes and spinach mixture, ending with a crepe. Spread reserved bechamel on top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until cheese melts and turns golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer gateau de crepes to a platter. Cut into wedges, and serve warm.
The Derby is frequently referred to as "
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Nancy Hinchliff
