Genesee Country Inn

A Bed and Breakfast near Rochester, New York

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Apples and Bread! What a combination!

applefritterbread13logoI love apples! My local apple farm, McPherson’s, has a great selection of juicy, sweet apples that are perfect for eating or for cooking.  As I was scouring the web for something different, I found this recipe on The Baking Chocolatess, and it was perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. It was easy and delicious!You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen.

For the bread, you will need the following ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all -purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 apples, peeled and chopped, mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.  Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.  In a medium size bowl, beat butter and white sugar together until smooth and creamy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time until blended.  Add vanilla extract.  Add flour and baking powder to mixture and stir until blended. Mix milk into batter until smooth.  Pour half the batter into the loaf pan; add half the apple mixture, and half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Pour remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apples and brown sugar. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream together until well mixed. Drizzle glaze over cooled bread.  Yum!!

 

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Something Special for breakfast: Mahnomin Porridge!

Every so often I find something really special that I enjoy making and eating. This porridge is just that! I was at an arts and crafts fair where this vendor had prepackaged ingredients for this dish. I liked what I saw, so I bought. Once I made it, I couldn’t believe the flavors or the texture.  Just what I like:  wild rice and fruit.  Yum!  I figured I could make it again from scratch . It’s different than oatmeal, hearty and very tasty. I love this dish!  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Mahnomin Porridge

Ingredients
1 cup of wild rice
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup of heavy cream

Directions
Rinse the wild rice. Boil 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Add the rinsed wild rice. Reduce heat to medium. Cover the simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Drain excess liquid. Add the hazelnuts, blueberries, cranberries, and maple syrup. Continue to cook over medium-high heat for an additional 3 minutes. Add heavy cream, and stirring continually, heat through for about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Brittle Is Not Just For The Holidays

Sweet, crunchy, and delectable

Sweet, crunchy, and delectably good!

One of the best things about the holidays is the recipes we make usually only once a year. This year, I sifted through my mom’s recipes that she would make each year for Christmas, and I pulled those few tried and true that I know my family enjoys…Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies, Bachelor Buttons, Thumbprints, and Butter Balls. Last year I made brittle. It was such a hit that I decided to make it again for the holidays.

I love peanut brittle, but cashew brittle is FANTASTIC! The recipe is simple. The trick (there is always a trick) is in the cooking. Use a candy thermometer. It really is critical for the sugar to get to the hard crack stage in order for the brittle to harden correctly. So don’t rush the boiling part. You need to give the sugar time to do its thing.

CASHEW BRITTLE

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2 cups of cashews
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make it easy to break the brittle into smaller pieces.
Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a full boil .Add butter. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 20 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 280°F (soft crack stage).Stir in cashews. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 300°F (hard crack stage). Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.Pour mixture immediately onto prepared sheets. Spread evenly to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cool completely.Break into pieces. Store in container with tight-fitting lid. It will last for quite a while if no one finds it first and eats it all!

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June is Bustin’ Out All Over!!!

Behind the Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast near Rochester NY

What better time to visit the Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast but in June!  Not only is the weather beautiful, but the location is perfect.  The Gardens are finally in bloom.  Rhubarb is plentiful and the herbs are growing in gorgeous clusters.  The fountain is up and running and the flowers are planted in pots gracing the entrance to the Inn.  The new azalea bushes are flourishing around the Gazebo giving it more color.  The view of the Old Mill Pond is breath-taking as deer and other wildlife enjoy Spring Creek and the grounds.  The Mallards are nesting and the Blue Heron are back on the creek.  Spring is definitely in the air.  June promises to be perfect!

How about a visit to the Genesee Country Village and Museum?  Noted at the third largest living museum in the country, the events are exciting and fun!

Interested in Equestrian competition?  Then the Hunter Derby, held on June 6 and 7, is for you. True to its origins, the derby features National and International level competitions for horse and rider.  These courses are similar to what a rider would find in the field such as hedges, banks, gates and logs layered on a natural terrain.  This challenging event is not to be missed.

The War of 1812 and Jane Austen Weekend is always an annual favorite. On June 13 and 14, the historic village is alive with re-enactors portraying soldiers, merchants, doctors, housewives, and shopkeepers.  The Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast is filled with many of these re-enactors.  Breakfast at the Inn is always interesting, but with these guests, breakfast is exciting! The weekend is filled with activities as guests are catapulted back into a harrowing time.  Fashion is a highlight throughout the weekend as performances by musicians and a Jane Austen fashion show is presented.

Join the celebration of the history, culture, traditions of the Scots and Irish would settle the areas of Caledonia and Mumford.  The Celtic Fair held on Saturday, June 27, promises to be one to remember!  These are a few of the many performers who will be at the Fair:

 

The Fairport Canal Days with be held on June 5, 6 and 7 in the quaint village of Fairport, only 35 minutes from the Inn. This festival is one of the most popular arts festivals in New York State!  There are over 200 artisans, food vendors, and great live music throughout the weekend. This year Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses will perform.

Need more music?  The Rochester Jazz Festival is held in downtown Rochester from June 19-27. The list of musicians is remarkable!  Jennifer Hudson! Diana Krall!  Herb Alpert and Lani Hall!  Just to mention a few.

This June promises to be spectacular.  Don’t miss out!  There is still room at the Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast.  Make your reservation today to spend a night or two  so you won’t miss out on a fun-filled and memorable June!


 

 

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Jackson is a Star!

Jackson, the resident Great Dane at the Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast, will be on The Incredible Dr. Pol this Saturday, October 4, 2014, at 9:00 PM on National Geographic Wild. 

Jackson’s story begins in Michigan where Jackson and another Great Dane were running free for 2 ½ months.  A local farmer managed to catch both dogs with food and kept them in a kennel.   The dogs had been scavaging for food and severely underweight.   Both dogs had their tails chopped off and it was not done by a vet.  Jackson was in pain with his tail bone exposed and oozing.

The farmer took the dogs to Dr. Pol to be checked out and hopefully find a new home for the younger Great Dane since he decided to keep the older dog.  Dr. Pol thought the tails had been chopped off because they were going to be used for fighting.  Great Danes are truly gentle giants, so they would be used as bait dogs to rile up the fighting dogs.  The next step would be chopping off the ears.  Fortunately, the dogs escaped.

Dr. Pol gave both dogs a clean bill of health and vaccinated the dogs.  Immediately, the Danes went up for adoption.  We traveled to Michigan to adopt the younger dog and bring him back to New York.  By the time we arrived, Jackson’s weight was up from 100 pounds to 132.

Before returning to New York, we asked Dr. Pol if he could do anything to correct the damage that was done to Jackson’s tail and reduce the pain. The response was that he would try, but wasn’t sure if there was enough skin to cover the exposed bone.  Because of the uniqueness of the surgery, it was video-taped for the television show, The Incredible Dr. Pol.  While in surgery, Dr. Pol used a wire saw to remove the rough edges of the bone and have a smooth surface to pull the remaining skin over the bone that was exposed.

The drive home was exciting. It was evident that Jackson had adopted us.  Within one week, Jackson was up to 138 pounds.  Within a month, Jackson’s tail was totally healed and his weight was 160 pounds.

Today, Jackson makes his home in Mumford at the Genesee Country Inn Bed and Breakfast.  He will make his television debut on Saturday, October 4th at 9:00 PM on National Geographic Wild.

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Bread Always Smells So Good!

No matter how I feel, baking bread always makes me feel good.  Getting my hands into the mix and feeling the dough has such a relaxing affect on me.  I love to smell the bread as it bakes.  It fills the house with love and caring.  When I was growing up, my family owned Benny’s Grill and Lounge in Buffalo, New York. Grandma and Auntie Arlene spent there time working in the kitchen preparing delectable mortals of homemade foods for our patrons to enjoy.  The kitchen filled with the delicious smells of breads baking in the ovens,  freshly cut French fries frying on the grill, and homemade Czarnina simmering on top of the stove.  My grandma made the best Czarnina in Buffalo!  Patrons came from all over the city just to eat Grandma’s duck soup. She sold it by the bowl with or in a quart mason jar for those who wanted to take out.  Shen would wrap the jar is newspaper to keep it warm and put it Ina brown paper bag. Grandma said it was so good because she bought her duck’s blood fresh from the Broadway Market.  Who could argue with that?

I suppose this is where I got my love of cooking and good foods.  One of my favorite recipes is for Cranberry Nut Bread.  While I lived in New England, I lived next to a cranberry bog and had access to fresh cranberries.  This recipe is virtually foolproof.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Nut Bread

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 3/4 orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 1 cup cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Add all dry ingredients Ina medium size bowl. Mix in egg, orange juice, and butter.  Mix thoroughly. Fold in cranberries and nuts.  Put dough into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Cool.

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Shouldn’t This Hurt?

The ride to at the hospital, which should have taken only 20 minutes, took over an hour because of the winter storm.  Snow was flying causing whiteouts and icy roads.

When they finally reached the emergency room at Strong Memorial Hospital, they were greeted by a nurse that provided a wheel chair and a warm pillow.  Boy! Did that feel good!  While her husband filled our paperwork, she was whisked away to the trauma unit.

“Shouldn’t this hurt?” she asked the nurse.

“Oh, honey, it will. Now, let’s see what this arm looks like.  I think we will have to cut off your sweater and shirt, so we can take care of you. “

Once Nurse cut up the sleeves and through the neckline, the sweater was removed and an IV inserted into her arm.  This was going to be the start of a very long evening, which began with several x-rays to access damage.  It was determined that the ulna bone was broken and both the ulna and radial bone were fractured. Not good.  The wrist will need to be set first, and then the arm and wrist would have to be put into a full arm splint for a week before a decision can be made if surgery will be required.

This is not fun…

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I Think It’s Broken

She knew it was broken as soon as she felt herself go down and hit the ice.  Her feet were straight out in front of her and her upper arm hurt.  As she rolled onto her side to get up, she realized her fingers weren’t working properly.  In fact, they were not working at all.  She slipped off her glove to see her fingers crimped into an awkward pose and her wrist bent into a swan’s neck.  That was not good.

With no one around to help, she stood up, picked up her bag, which held her eggs and mail, and with her arm held straight up, began walking home. It was only two blocks back to the Inn.  RJ wouldn’t hear the cell phone anyway, since he was blowing out the driveway.  The snow was accumulating quickly, and the storm gathering strength.

She walked one block before crossing the street and headed toward the Inn and her husband.  He saw her, turned off the snowblower and shrugged his shoulders as to question what was wrong.  There was snow on the knee and her arm was held up in an unnatural position.

She called out, “I think I broke my arm!”

“What? I can’t hear you! he called back.

“I think I broke my arm!” she called back as she continued walking toward her husband.

As he reached her, he took the bag from her hand and said, “I couldn’t hear what you said.”

“I said I think I broke my arm.”

“Are you sure?”

She showed him her hand and pushed up her coat sleeve just a bit to expose her deformed wrist. The snow was accumulating on the street and getting slipperier.  She gripped sleeve of his coat as they continued down the street.  When she reached the driveway, she stopped.  The slope terrified her.  Another fall could really do more damage than what was already there.  But her husband held her fast, walking her carefully to a more even spot.

“I have to get you to the hospital.”

“Okay.  We need to let the dogs out before we go because I don’t know when we will be getting back.  And I need to call Cheryl to come to the Inn.  We have guests checking in.”

“I need to get you to the hospital!”

“Okay, but the oil company is on the way and we have to let them into the Inn so they can start up the furnace.”

“Cheryl can do that.”

“I don’t remember if I left the door open…”

“It’s okay.  Now get in the car.”

As the car crept up the driveway over the newly fallen snow, the oil company truck was parked in front of the Inn.

“Stop! Park the car!  Let them in so they can start up the furnace!

As he pulled into the parking lot, Cheryl and her husband arrived in the midst of an oil truck, service men, snow storm, and a broken arm.

“Go to the hospital.  I got this.” Cheryl is calm and ready to take care of everything.

RJ got into the car.  She was finally on her way to the hospital.

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March 30 and Snow…Really?

It has been a while since I had a “Sisters’ Day.”  With over a foot of snow on the ground in Mumford, I started out for Buffalo for, hopefully, an enjoyable afternoon with the sister at the Spring Arts and Crafts Show in Hamburg, New York.  The Agricultural Center on the Hamburg Fairgrounds was transformed into a series of unique, creative shops full of handmade goods and foods.  Samples of cheeses, sausages, jams and preserves, wines, desserts, dips, and candies. No lunch for us! Unnecessary! I did pick up Rita’s Ragin’ Cajun Soup Mix from Healthy Sisters and Spinach pasta and Tomato Burgundy Sauce from The Pasta Peddler for this evening’s dinner.So although Mumford/Rochester was pretty much buried, Buffalo was is good shape and driving easy. They had about a third of the snow we had at home. But the roads were good and better when I came home later in the afternoon.

With guests checked in on my return, it was time to bake for morning breakfast. So I decided on Blueberry Muffins, a wonderful recipe with excellent flavor. Enjoy the recipe.

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 salt
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg lightly scrambled
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup blueberries

Put all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add milk, lemon, egg, and oil.  Mix completely. Fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin pan paper cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool.  Makes 12 muffins.

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A Time to Write

I’m back finally after a long hiatus and ready to write.  I have so many projects just waiting to be put down on paper…screen… oh, you know what I mean. Since I broke my wrist in February, the weeks have gone by so slowly. Bu t now I am well on my way to recovery.  I am in the home stretch and finishing my physical therapy, which will give me back all my mobility.  I was very fortunate not to have surgery to repair any damage.  The human body is remarkable in it’s ability to heal itself.  I am so glad that I am healthy and the recovery quick.

I am so ready for our busy season at  the Inn to begin.  I’ve been working on several new recipes and Richard has been my guinea pig.  I’ve had a couple of good ones and a couple of not so good ones. One I’ve tried that I liked was Eggs in Ham Cups. I have to come up with a better name, but in the meantime, this will have to do.

You line a cupcake pan with a ham slice.  No greasing of the pan is necessary.  Add cheese and vegetables, then top with an egg. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 7-8 minutes. Serve and enjoy. Easy as can be and delicious!

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