Christmas Cookies

As the innkeeper at White Swan Inn, I bake numerous batches of cookies throughout the year. I make dozens and dozens of chocolate chip cookies annually. But when the holidays approach, I like to bake something even more special.

Everyone has a favorite Christmas cookie; a cookie that evokes memories of family traditions and childhood dreams. One of my favorites has to be Thumbprint Cookies (I've included the recipe) filled with either jam or buttercream icing. And cut-out sugar cookies are fun to decorate when there are helpers around. Of course, chocolate and peppermint are perennial favorite ingredients.

This season I have decided to try out some new recipes. Just made Red Velvet Cookies (pictured) , yeah kinda like the cake. Wonderful! And I have dough chilling for Viennese Crescents which will be dipped in chocolate once they are baked. Both recipes came via Allrecipes.com Cookie Countdown and TasteofHome.com Cookie Countdown.

A cookie tray filled with a variety of textures, flavors and colors is a holiday treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Search a re-sale shop for a unique plate or tray and combine with an assortment of holiday cookies and you have created just the right gift for a neighbor, co-worker, or special friends.

This holiday season, guests at White Swan Inn B&B will enjoy cookies with tea or hot chocolate following an afternoon of holiday shopping in downtown Whitehall and Montague.

Thumbprint Cookies

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
favorite flavor of jelly

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Work in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1-inch balls.

Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white; roll in nuts. Place one inch apart on an un-greased baking sheet; press thumb deeply into center of each. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack. Fill thumbprints with jelly.

Yield: approx 3 dozen cookies.

Honoring Veterans

On this Veterans Day, thank you to all US veterans and current military personnel. White Swan Inn B&B is proud to have hosted three rooms on November 10 as part of the national Thank You Veterans program.

What started in 2009 by the Gillum House Bed and Breakfast in Shinnstown, WV and the West Virginia Association of Bed and Breakfasts as a way to thank and honor veterans, grew to nearly 900 B&Bs and Inns around the country in 2010. The Thank You Veterans program hopefully will continue to grow in subsequent years.

At White Swan Inn, our guests included a Vietnam Marine Corps veteran, a 20 year career Navy vet and a young woman whose husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan. Jeff and Nancy from Paw Paw commented at breakfast what a difference there is currently on how vets are recognized and how returning vets were treated during the Vietnam era. Harry and Pam from Holton traveled around the world during his enlistment in the Navy. And Fallon, along with her mother Charlene, from California along with her one-year old son is currently staying with her family in Owosso while her Marine Corps husband is serving in Afghanistan.

Since breakfast is half the equation of a B&B, breakfast this Veterans Day morning included fresh strawberries and pineapple topped with lemon yogurt, a baked farmhouse omelet and an upside-down blueberry coffee cake capped off with lots of great conversation around the table. The perfect way to begin the day! Our first-time B&B guests commented on how relaxed they felt and truly enjoyed the night away.

White Swan Inn will definitely be part of the 2011 Thank You Veterans program.

Howmet Playhouse Concert - Red Sea Pedestrians

Looking for an affordable night out? First Friday Concerts at the Howmet Playhouse have returned for the winter season. First Friday of the month features cool music in an historic setting.
Tickets are only $10! Such a deal.

This month catch The Red Sea Pedestrians on from Kalamazoo. Original world roots music, blending Klezmer, Greek, Celtic, Gypsy, Jazz, and American Roots creating a high energy fusion for their own unique sound. November 5th at 7:30 pm, Howmet Playhouse, Mears Ave in Whitehall, Michigan.

Located directly across the street from Howmet Playhouse, award-winning White Swan Inn is pleased to support First Friday Concerts.

Pumpkins and Fall Harvest Time in Whitehall and Montague

Harvest time is the culmination of a successful summer growing season. Celebrating the efforts of the local farmers is a long-standing tradition. And what better way to celebrate than with a festival!

Fall Fest (Sept 25) in Whitehall features free hayrides, cider mill and farmers market, a variety of music entertainment, arts/crafts fair and food vendors. Also on the 25th, the 7th Annual Harvest Moon Classic Tournament (disc golf) takes place at the Whitehall Township course.

What started out as a Halloween prank has become a sanctioned event... annually 900-1000 pumpkins roll down the Dowling Street hill with ribbons for the winners of various age categories. Saturday, Oct 9th brings the PumpkinFest to Montague; host to the famous Pumpkin Roll on the Dowling Street hill along with a farmers market, pumpkin carving and painting, pumpkin seed spitting contest and of course pumpkin pies!

Combine a trip to the one of the area festivals with relaxing accommodations at White Swan Inn for your own fall celebration.

Pumpkin and Date Muffin
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups or grease 12 muffin cups.

Whisk together eggs, pumpkin and butter in a large bowl. Stir in dates.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the pumpkin mixture until just moistened.

Divide batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool on wire rack.

Yield: 12 muffins

Strawberry Season Signals the Start of Summer

For me, the start of summer is when the first strawberries appear at the local farm stands and the Farmer's Market. Sure, you can purchase strawberries in produce section at the grocery store all year long but the real strawberry taste comes from those lovely berries nestled in the wood berry boxes. Even better is the taste of sun-warmed strawberries right from the plants at a u-pick strawberry patch!

Just a short drive from White Swan Inn, Stu Scholl's farm in Montague is the place to go for u-pick strawberries. Or head early to the Montague Farmer's Market on Saturdays for freshly picked local strawberries. Wherever you find them, enjoy the fresh taste. The season is short and is meant to be savored!

At White Swan Inn, strawberries take center stage during their brief season. Served freshly sliced with a dollop of organic yogurt is heavenly. Mixed with other fresh fruits for a colorful presentation. Baked in a tasty muffin or nestled in a stuffed french toast. Balsamic vinegar enhances the strawberry flavor in a fresh spinach salad. Who can resist strawberry shortcake with fresh whipped cream! And, strawberry freezer jam is an easy way to enjoy that summer taste all year long. My mouth is watering as I am writing this blog!

Here's a recipe that was enjoyed by recent guests at White Swan Inn:

Strawberry Streusel Muffins

Muffins:
2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop strawberries and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in large bowl. In a small bowl, blend egg, yogurt, milk and butter. Stir into dry ingredients; batter will be thick. Gently stir in chopped strawberries. Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Sprinkle with topping.

For topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, almonds, cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture comes together in large crumbs.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Yield: 12 muffins.

Asparagus Time in Michigan

It's prime season for asparagus in Michigan. Just north of Whitehall in Oceana County is the largest concentration of asparagus farms in the state. In fact, Michigan ranks third in asparagus production in the nation. So, it's only natural that asparagus will be on the breakfast menu at White Swan Inn B&B during the growing season.

When the first asparagus stalks show up at the local farm markets in late spring, I am always excited to introduce this wonderful vegetable to my B&B guests. Occasionally, I will note that a guest seems to be unsure about trying a dish featuring asparagus. Usually it is due to the fact that they’ve never enjoyed really fresh asparagus or have only been served some that has been “cooked to death.”

Asparagus and Red Pepper Tart

½ (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crust, room temperature

1 Tbs. olive oil
½ lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut in one inch pieces
½ cup chopped red pepper
¼ cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried basil
2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, lightly sauté asparagus, red pepper and onion in olive oil, season with salt, pepper and basil. Unroll pie crust and place on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on pie crust within an inch of the edge. Spread cooked vegetable mix evenly on top of mozzarella. Top with feta cheese. Fold edge of pie crust over vegetable/cheese mix. The crust will not cover completely vegetable mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until dough is lightly browned.

Remove from oven, sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the crust and exposed vegetables and bake for 5 more minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 2-3

Vegan Breakfast Options

Vegan breakfast? No gluten or soy ingredients? No dairy or meat? No problem! White Swan Inn B&B is happy to accommodate special requests for breakfast options.

Recent guests enjoyed a delicious baked oatmeal and suggested that others might appreciate the recipe. This healthy alternative has no dairy, soy or wheat ingredients.

Vegan Baked Oatmeal

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups rice milk
1 13-15 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs milled flax seed
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup applesauce (homemade is best)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 3-qt baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup almonds. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining almonds.

Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Antiquing in Whitehall and Montague

Antiquing in the Whitehall and Montague area just keeps getting better. Several unique shops with all kinds of collections, one-of-a-kind finds, and items to bring back memories are clustered in the White Lake area of West Michigan.

Remember the "hokey pokey" from grade school days? Looking for the unexpected...? You'll find it and more at Colby's Hokey Pokey in downtown Whitehall, just a two block walk from White Swan Inn B&B. Incredible mix of new, used, re-invented and re-purposed furniture and decorative items creatively staged to reflect your personal style. www.colbyshokeypokey.com Hokey Pokey... That's what it's all about! Open daily 11am - 6 pm.

An incredible array of signed memorabilia is just a part of the vast collections displayed at Colby Street Shops, Art & Antiques in downtown Whitehall. Diversity is the name of the game: from Roy Rogers to Pamela Anderson to Abbot and Costello to Bon Jovi all with certificates. Located in downtown Whitehall and open 7days a week 11am - 6pm. www.colbystreetshops.com

Wild Flower Refinishers & Antique Shop features a retail showroom as well as professional restoration services. Located in Whitehall on Industrial Park Dr. Open Mon-Fri 8am - 4:30pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm. www.wildflowerrefinishers.com

Just across the bridge in Montague are more antique shops. Montague Antique Mall, M&W Antiques and Collectibles, and Wildflower 2 are well-established shops with a vast assortment of treasures! Also in Montague, Eleanor Ann and Red Geranium include a mix of antiques with new decorative accessories and gifts. Hours vary.

Antiques are just part of the charm in the twin towns of Whitehall and Montague. Stay for the weekend at White Swan Inn and experience the unique atmosphere of small-town living.

Girlfriend Getaway and Rejuvenating Retreat

Bring a girlfriend or come solo for a mid-winter retreat in Whitehall that combines relaxation with a touch of self-expression, exploration, food and fun.

Choice of dates: Wednesday, Feb. 24 or Saturday, Mar. 13

The day begins with a group welcoming ice-breaker followed by alternating sessions of personal writing, chair massage and a hands-on art project. Amherst Writing Program Instructor Jean Martinelli of North Muskegon will facilitate personal discovery through writing. Proprietor of Quiet Time Massage Joyce Brownell, certified massage therapist, will offer chair massage throughout the day. And to bring out your creative expressiveness, paint a bowl for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry annual fundraiser, Soup’s On Along the Lakeshore!

Of course, no getaway would be complete without food. Salad luncheon will be served at Quiet Time Massage. Once the day’s activities wrap up, adjourn to neighboring White Swan Inn B&B for a buffet dinner and pajama party. Overnight accommodations at White Swan Inn and breakfast are included in the registration.

Space is limited and reservations must be placed by either Feb. 22 for the Wed, February 24th event or by Mar. 11 for the Sat. March 13th event. Rate is $139 per person for this all-inclusive event. Each participant will also receive a goody bag with shopping incentives from select White Lake area businesses. Visit www.whiteswaninn.com for more information.

Whitehall, Michigan Sesquicentennial

Let the birthday celebration begin! Whitehall, Michigan has reached the 150 year milestone.

Beginning on Jan. 11, 2010 with a mayoral proclamation acknowledging the formal recording of the plat for the Village of Mears (now the city of Whitehall) on January 10, 1860, festivities will continue throughout the year. Each month of the year will feature unique Sesquicentennial events, lectures, workshops, exhibits, tours, parties and so much more.

Jan. 11 kick-off reception will be at the Nufer home on Mears Ave. The oldest residence in the city seems a fitting spot to begin the year-long celebration. On Feb. 3 will be a lecture on the Lewis House at the White Lake Community Library. The Lewis House is a stately historic home on Mears Ave with an interesting history.

White Swan Inn, another historic home on Mears Ave, welcomes you to experience history first-hand at a Sesquicentennial event. Come join the fun.