Monday, January 25, 2010

Korner Kottage Missing in Action

Where has Korner Kottage Krunch been for the month of January? Not to rub it in or anything, but we've been basking in the glow of family and sunshine in balmy Florida for the whole month. We've been recharging our batteries and storing up energy for the busy months ahead so we can truly be the nuturing inn keepers our guests expect when they stay with us at the bed and breakfast in Suttons Bay, Michigan.

Every January we seem to extend our stay in Florida to additional weeks. This year's trip was extended to a full fledged month. I hope the relatives don't think we have over stayed our visit. The ideal situation for us is we have two places to stay so it helps spread out the duration. We also spend a couple days with friends in Naples to give the family a mid~week break.

The weather has been cooler than normal but who can complain of sun and 60's in January. Honestly, when we first arrived we thought we were still in Michigan with freezing temperatures. We had to wear our fleece for a few days. I hope our disappointment was not too obvious. Afterall we had just spent 2 long 10-12 hour days traveling by car to achieve.... not much change in the temperature. Much to our joy the cold snap didn't last long though and soon the fleece were replaced by sandals. Such is the coyness of January weather in Florida.

Now as our departure date looms closer, our remaining days left in the warm weather become more precious. We try to take advantage of every opportunity to play outside, soaking up the Vitamin D and walking the beaches in summer wear...casting aside all the heavy winter gear that greets us as we make our way back to Suttons Bay. Today's weather in Venice is 70's sunny. If the weatherman's predictions are correct, we will return to 20 degrees by the end of this week in Northern Michigan.

Are we ready to leave family and warmth behind for another year? Not really, but it's time to get back to reality. We have a month's worth of mail waiting to be opened, bills to be paid, shopping to be done all in perparation for the weekend guests that will be arriving when we get back. Not to mention....do I still have some Christmas decorations that need to be taken down? Oh my...we've been gone a very long time. But we are returning refreshed, relaxed, restored and energized with memories to last us until next January.

Award winning Michigan Baked Oatmeal

Thank you Jodi for bringing this oatmeal recipe to my attention. I can't help but think that our awesome KORNER KOTTAGE KRUNCH HOME MADE GOURMET GRANOLA would be an awesome addition as a topping to this recipe. Trying to get myself to like to eat OATMEAL...


Michigan Baked Oatmeal
Diane Nemitz of Ludington won first place in the breakfast category with this company-ready dessert with a delicious bread-pudding consistency at Friske Orchards' 6th annual cherry recipe contest.
Associated Recipes: Brunch at the Cottage, Comfort Food, Fresh Fruit Desserts, Ski Weekend Breakfasts
Category: Breakfast and Brunch, Sauces
By: Diane Nemitz of Ludington, Mich.

Diane Nemitz of Ludington won first place in the breakfast category with this company-ready breakfast with a delicious bread-pudding consistency at Friske Orchards' 6th annual cherry recipe contest.



Ingredients
For baked oatmeal:



•1 cup old fashioned oats
•1/4 teaspoon almond extract
•2 cups milk
•1/4 cup sliced almonds
•1/4 cup dried cherries
•1/4 cup chunky applesauce
•1 tablespoon brown sugar
For cherry sauce:



•1 quart frozen tart red cherries
•1/2 cup sugar
•1 teaspoon grated orange rind
•1/8 teaspoon almond extract
•1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water


Preparation
For oatmeal:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix all ingredients together into a greased oven proof 1 1/2 quart dish. Sprinkle additional almonds on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with cherry sauce and additional milk or cream if desired.

For cherry sauce:

Place cherries in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until juices are released. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until sauce had thickened. Serve warm.

Serves 2 generously, 4 as part of a bigger breakfast. May be easily doubled. Increase baking time to 45 minutes and keep an eye on it.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Year Traditions

As 2010 is upon us at our Bed and Breakfast in Suttons Bay, it is a time of reflection of our many guests who have passed through our doors. It certainly is a magical experience having those chance encounters of "arriving as strangers but leaviing as friends" even after the briefest of stays. It takes a certain amount of trust on both parts , guest and inn keeper to make this a successful experience . But when you are lucky....it just all seems to work beautifully. It is an honor to touch the lives of some many people in one year's time. Thank you to all who have passed through our doors. You have enriched our lives in countless ways. We hope you will return and we welcome the new guests who walk through in 2010.

Looking for good luck in 2010? We started this New Year off with a southern tradition of eating Black~eyed Peas Hoppin' John. Our neighbors introduced us to this tradition by inviting us to enjoy this wonderful home cooked, traditional meal on New Year's Day this year. This tradition claims it will bring you good luck in the year ahead if actually eaten on New Year's Day. Some purist even go a step further I'm told, by actually eating it right at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. With many focused on the negative things to come...I think anything to ensure a little additional good luck in the year ahead is definitely worth trying. And this is such a deliciously spicy bean dish with black~eyed peas, andouille sausage, onions, spices and rice.....why not. It certainly can't hurt to give it a try.

Here's Emeril Lagasse"s Hoppin' John recipe for you to try. I do believe it is very close to the recipe we were served.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large ham hock or andouille sausage
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound black~eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 quart chicken stock
Bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
salt, black pepper, cayenne to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
3 cups steamed white rive

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in pot, add the ham hock or sausage and sear on all four sides for 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic and cook another 4 minutes. Add the black~eyed peas, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy and tender, stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice (we just mixed it altogether. Corn bread goes wonderfully with this dish as well.

Give it a try and let me know if it brings you good luck....or if this is already a tradition in your household, I would welcome your comments regarding eating and luck for the new year.

Another new tradition that I am hoping will bring me good health as well as luck in the new year, is making myself eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning for breakfast. My all time dislike of any cooked cereal goes way back to my youth and being persuaded to at least try some. It is all about the texture of the oatmeal I believe that bothers me. However, I bit the bullet and have started eating the oatmeal and actually am finding it not as unappetizing as my memory registers. Of course, this time around I am adding a few other goodies to top the oatmeal like some local pure maple syrup sugar (just a few sprinkles) and some of our wonderful home made Korner Kottage Krunch granola. Absolutely anything takes better when our Krunch granola is added as a topping.

So here's hoping for a healthy, lucky and prosperous New Year to all.