Posted by Sandy Johnson on Fri, Dec 30, 2011 @ 06:30 PM
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!
Here is that recipe I promised :)
Chocolate Candy Cane Thumbprints
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening
crushed peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine sugar, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and cocoa until well mixed. Shape dough into 1" balls and place 1" apart on cookie sheet. Press thumb into middle of cookie to create an indentation. Bake 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Put chocolate chips and shortening in top part of a double boiler and mix well until melted. Fill indentation with melted chocolate and sprinkle crushed peppermint on top.
Eat with caution. Highly addictive and delicious :)
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Fri, Dec 30, 2011 @ 09:58 AM
My KitchenAid mini food processor and Vita-Mix both died on me this week! Yikes! What will I do without my morning smoothies? Thankfully, they are both still under warranty. KitchenAid is sending me a new one (with a new 1 year warranty) and a pre-paid return label for the old one. Vita-Mix is sending a pre-paid label to return it for repair...it's four and a half years old. How refreshing to experience such great customer service!! And just for everyone's info, both companies produce products made in the USA!
So three cheers for KitchenAid and Vita-Mix and make sure you register your new appliances!!
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Thu, Dec 29, 2011 @ 10:15 AM
For those of you who received the email this morning, please accept my apologies. My account was hacked and a mass email was sent out. Please rest assured that everything has been taken care of. I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!
~Sandy
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Mon, Dec 05, 2011 @ 03:28 PM
I had the pleasure of baking for a interfaith "Nativity Walk" this past weekend. What a wonderful way to invite the spirit of the Christmas season and bring the community together as Christians. Members of the congregations came to walk through the hall that was decorated with the families' Nativities. It was night full of fellowship, tasty treats, and the spirit.
I must admit, my ego swelled a little. It felt awfully nice to hear the many compliments on my thumbprint cookies! They sure are beautiful. Someone even said, "They don't make cookies like this anymore!" I had so many people request the recipe that I must share it here as well.
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 C. BUTTER
1/2 C. BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
2 EGGS, SEPARATED
1 TSP. VANILLA
2 C. FLOUR
1/2 TSP. SALT
1 1/2 C. FINELY CHOPPED NUTS
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. MIX BUTTER, BROWN SUGAR, EGG YOLKS AND VANILLA THOROUGHLY IN MIXING BOWL. WORK IN FLOUR AND SALT UNTIL INCORPORATED. BEAT EGG WHITES SLIGHTLY IN SEPARATE BOWL. ROLL DOUGH INTO ONE INCH BALLS. DIP IN EGG WHITES AND ROLL IN CHOPPED NUTS TO COVER. PLACE ON PARCHMENT LINED COOKIE SHEET ONE INCH APART. PRESS THUMB IN CENTER OF COOKIE AND BAKE FOR 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL LIGHTLY BROWNED. REMOVE FROM OVEN AND LET COOL COMPLETELY. FILL COOKIES WITH PRESERVES OF YOUR CHOICE. THE RASPBERRY FILLING RECIPE FOLLOWS.
RASPBERRY FILLING
3 1/2 C. RASPBERRIES, FROZEN OR FRESH
1 C. WATER
2 TBSP. LEMON JUICE
1 1/4 C. SUGAR
1/3 C. CORNSTARCH
PLACE RASPBERRIES AND WATER IN SAUCEPAN AND HEAT OVER MEDIUM HEAT FOR 5 MINUTES. ADD LEMON JUICE AND STIR. MIX SUGAR AND CORNSTARCH TOGETHER AND ADD TO RASPBERRY MIXTURE IN SAUCEPAN. COOK UNTIL MIXTURE BOILS, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. BOIL FOR 2 MINUTES OR UNTIL MIXTURE THICKENS. LET COOL BEFORE FILLING COOKIES.
Happy Baking!
I also made some chocolate chip cookies, I figured I might as well while I'm at it. Who wouldn't?
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Mon, Nov 28, 2011 @ 02:19 PM
I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. I did. My family came up for a visit. They bought along pie, so I let them in. I really wanted to post some pictures of the food, but after spending all day in the kitchen, I couldn't wait to eat, I ran to the table and that's all I remember. It was delicious.
Some things I am thankful for
~Our new roof is nearly finished...
~My job! I'm so happy to have this Bed and Breakfast. I really feel blessed here. I'm glad to finally be able to do something I love. And I do love it.
~All the wonderful guests I've had, from literally, all around the world.
~Hand dipped (by ME) chocolate candies. Looks like that class at the Culinary Institute is paying off!
I'm so thankful for them that I can't stop eating them.
~And of course, my family!
~OH! And let's not forget, HEAT, HOT WATER, and ELECTRICITY!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Tue, Nov 15, 2011 @ 07:22 PM
One of my favorite things about Fall is the flavors associated with the season. I've been busy in my kitchen this week baking all sorts of goodies like this, Apple Kuchen, a recipe passed down from my mother who taught me how to bake. My guests loved it with breakfast.
My grandkids and I endulged later that evening with a side of ice cream.
Then I made these Pumpkin Walnut Cookies. They are fabulous!
Want to make the cookies? Here's the recipe: Pumpkin Cookies. The Kuchen, sorry, that's my mom's!
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Thu, Nov 03, 2011 @ 08:39 PM
Happy Halloween!
Halloween marks the beginning of our off season. What does that mean for you? Better availability, no 2 night minimum, and lower room rates. If you're looking for an inexpensive getaway, why not spend a weekend at the Hilltop House Bed & Breakfast and enjoy some of the great activities here in the Hudson Valley.
Meet some of the local farmers and artisans at the Amenia Farmers Market. It's here every other Saturday and is a quick walk down the road, but with all the great food, produce, baked goods, and hand crafted gifts, you may want to bring the car.
Many of the historic sites decorate for the holiday and give tours in December. Visit Dutchess Tourism for a complete list of these homes. One of the mansions, Locust Grove, does a Twilight Holiday Tour by candlelight and ends with a 4-course dinner featuring recreated recipes from the home's archives. Just want the tour? It's every Saturday in December and the week after Christmas. Want the dinner too? It's December 3 beginning at 5:30. (Locust Grove Calendar of Events)
Maybe you want to check out 'A Dinner to Die For' murder-mystery at Charlotte's which is about 7 miles from us. Reserve your table for November 12th at 6:30 to enjoy Murder Cafe's production of this comedy which has received rave reviews.
Are you a food enthusiast? Want to explore a new cuisine? Or bake? The Culinary Institue offers a variety of classes. I attended the Chocolate and Confections class. It was awesome and delicious! Here's a list of their offerings, Day Classes.
This is just a small handful of the things here. Be sure that whatever you do, you'll be returning to Hilltop House for a relaxing evening with fresh baked cookies and rich, homemade hot chocolate. Then, after a comfortable, cozy night's sleep, be prepared to wake up to a delicious country breakfast that's sure to please.
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Fri, Oct 28, 2011 @ 08:01 PM
Hilltop House Bed and Breakfast proudly supports our local farmers. Some of the local sources for our country breakfasts include:
McEnroe Organic Farm just a few miles away in Millerton, NY, is where we get the coffee and sausage. Among meats and fresh produce, you'll also find local honey, fresh jams, pies and other baked goods, soup, and a deli. Stop by for lunch and enjoy the view. There's room in our fridge for anything you pick up. Did you know, Frommer's named Millerton one of the coolest small towns in the USA?!
Harney & Sons, also located in Millerton, is where we get much of our tea.
Adams Fairacre Farms is where we go to buy the freshest produce and the fresh cut flowers around the house. I absolutely love shopping there. Not only will you find specialty foods from different regions of the world and all kinds of cheeses (including an espresso crusted cheese that is to die for) but they also have a gourmet chocolate shop featuring chocolate from around the world as well as some local candy makers. Does a diet need anything besides fruit and chocolate? Not mine!
The eggs come from one of my neighbors a few houses down. If you've never had farm fresh eggs, you're missing out. What a difference!
Ronnybrook Farm Dairy produces the milk and cream we use. It comes in glass bottles! They also make yogurt, ice cream, butter, and cheeses.
I love my town and my neighbors. I'm thrilled to drive around and see cows in the pastures freely grazing where they belong. I'm happy to support good farming practices. I encourage you to visit these sites and learn about your food. The food is pure and it doesn't get any better.
Posted by Sandy Johnson on Thu, Oct 20, 2011 @ 10:38 AM
It's fall and gorgeous here in the Hudson Valley. The leaves are turning but falling fast. To celebrate the season, we've decorated the porch with mums, pumpkins, and gourds from Daisi Hill Farm just a few miles away in Millerton.
Then we made a quick stop at BJs to stock up on Candy for Halloween. I hope we have enough!
Are you ready? Can't wait to see everyone's costumes!
Posted by Andrew Ciccone on Wed, Aug 17, 2011 @ 07:00 PM
Plan your wine weekend early this fall, celebrate the bounty of the scenic Hudson Valley.
The Millbrook and Clinton Wineries are just down the road. Spend the day shopping in nearby Millerton, home to internationally aclaimed Harney & Sons Fine Teas, great antique shops and excellent dinning. Just across the street from the charming tea store is Gilmore Glassworks, exquisite fine art glass scultpure and original stemware.
Every Saturday many nearby town host Farmer’s Markets, or if you like pick your own. McEnroe Organic Farm provides first-hand know-how about organic farming and composting. Tour the expansive 700 acre working farm, then sample McEnroe's gourmet delicacies at the full-service market!
You’ve got to enjoy our locally made artisanal cheeses from The Amazing Real Live Food Company (based in nearby Pine Plains - www.amazingreallive.com) from the Victualers at the McEnroe Market. The Chaseholm Farm Creamery is a small cheesemaking operation and the home of the Amazing Real Live Food Co. Chaseholm is a family run dairy farm that manages a 50-head milking herd of registered Holsteins. It is from the beautiful milk of these cows that produces probiotic cheeses and fine, artisanal cheeses (Fresh Herbed Farmer’s Cheese, Queso Blancos, Chaseholm Camembert, Moonlight Chaource, and Stella Vallis Tomme.
The Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle will stay with you all day, transporting you to the various locations and bringing you back to the Wassaic Station for the return trip home.
Reservations for the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle are required in advance by calling 800-445-3131. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance and confirmed before you purchase a train ticket. Shuttle seats are limited, so you must have a reservation.
Once you've made your reservation, purchase your rail and shuttle ticket any Metro-North station with a ticket office, at all full-service ticket machines (except Beacon Station). Tickets and shuttle reservations are non-refundable.
Some activities, such as wine tasting, require an additional fee. For more information about these itinerary stops and other agricultural and culinary destinations throughout Dutchess County, please visitwww.farmfresh.dutchesstourism.com.