Archive for the ‘Bed & Breakfasts’ Category

Spiced peach cobbler


2012
07.18

It’s peach season! I ate half of my entire peach crop in one setting. The squirrel ate the other one. So, these peaches are from the local orchard.  Just across the Mississippi River is Cobden Illinois, famous for their peaches.

The region if known for the wine trails. Cobden also grows some of the best apples and peaches. photo by PBH

Though it is an easy drive, we like to make our trip to the peach orchard a get away weekend.  We love staying at Makanda Inn B&B, 855 Old Lower Cobden Road, Makanda, Illinois 62958. Southern Illinois newest bed and breakfast located in the heart of the Shawnee Wine Trail.

Robin Sue of Big Red Kitchen says “This is my go-to Peach Cobbler recipe. It has never let me down. This dish is very moist, super fast to make, and wonderful served warm with vanilla ice cream, perfect for summer cook-outs.”

Miss Jean’s Peach Cobbler  Cooks and recipe collectors on Pinterest wil love her Big Red Kitchen boards.

So rich and buttery, just a bit of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream will do. photo by PBH

I made this recipe, except I added a touch of spice: ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg and the tiniest pinch of ground cloves.

This is my version of Miss Jean’s Peach Cobbler. It sounds like one of those great 70′s recipes we loved before we were told butter is bad. You know those kind of dump cakes that amazed us when they really worked?

Spiced Peach Cobbler

4 cups fresh peaches sliced and sweetened if necessary
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Set oven to 350. Put stick of butter in a 9×13 inch pan. Set pan in oven for a minute or until butter is melted. Remove from oven.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Mix combined dry ingredients with milk and sugar until smooth.
Pour batter over melted butter.
Put peaches and any juices on top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Let set at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

My recipe is adapted from Miss Jean’s Peach Cobbler

To read more about Makanda Inn go to Striped Pot: The Makanda Inn B&B Learn more about the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.

Salad Bowl


2012
07.04

Second season container plants

Patio planters are filled with salad greens and pansies. Expand your ideas about container gardens and planters. Grow leafy salad greens in full sun in spring and partial shade or shaded location in summer.

A living salad bowl at Southmoreland Urban Inn photo by PBH

I love the idea. Everything in this planter is edible. The mix of pansies and lettuce are a great idea. These flowers belong to the Inn Keepers at Southmoreland on the Plaza – an Urban Inn in Kansas City MO. 

frillly loose leaf lettuce can fill a container with color and texture.

It gave me the idea to add the beautiful textures and shapes of lettuce into my planter and hanging baskets. I know you’ve seen lush baskets of ornamental sweet potatoes.

Sometimes by the end of summer, most containers have a few blank spaces. Toss a little red lettuce or beautifully textured arugula in the container.

Grow late season crops tucked in anywhere. Put a few seeds in an empty garden row or an unused container. Fall is a good time for second season or cool season crops.

Once an ashtray, this patio furniture is now a mini container garden.

The bonus is you get a home grown salad. Some lettuces and radishes can take a light frost. The soil is already warmed by the summer sun and crops will germinate quickly. Keep soil moist to encourage germination. Share your combination planters with us. Leave a comment below.

Rethinking Coleas


2012
06.19

Alabama Sunset' is a popular and durable sun-tolerant coleus.

This coleus is on my friends back deck. She knows – because I just had to tell her — that coleus should be pinched back. I admit this trailing plant is very pretty and continuously blooming. Most long time gardeners would have rushed to this plant and made 2 dozen cuttings imediately.

Pinch Plants for Better Growth

It just occurred to me when I saw this plant, that we don’t have to follow the rules or even an experienced gardeners advice.

Relax. Be happy. It is OK to NOT follow the rules all the time. You don’t Have To pinch plants. If you don’t, this is what will happen.↑ (see above photo) That’s OK too.

 

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