Hailey, Idaho: A Birthday Getaway

Birthdays, for some, after the age of 18 are just another day in the year.  Not for us! We like to celebrate for the week, or maybe more!  This year for Abbie’s birthday we went to Hailey, Idaho for the weekend.  We stayed at our favorite bed and breakfast, The Spruce Inn. When we venture to the Wood River Valley we always like to visit The Wicked Spud for their $5 lunch special, a made to order cheese burger and fries.  Don’t forget Happy Hour at the Sun Valley Brewery; pints for around $3.  The stout is always a good choice.  This trip we gave the restaurant Fresshies a second chance.  The first visit, last year, was a miss.  The dinner we had this trip was great.  The place was packed, typically a good indication.  Our selections were the steamers off the appetizer menu, which were served in a flavorful broth with a baguette, the house made mac and cheese, and Cindy went with the chicken chili. Everything was delicious.

When we are visiting different towns one of our favorite things to do is to check out the grocery stores.  It may sound strange but we do it wherever we go and this area is packed with wonderful ones.  The newest one in this area, to us, is Roxy’s Market  in Ketchum.  This market has a great wine and beer selection, tons of deli items and a wide variety of organic products. We also like the Atkinson’s stores.  We purchased some wine, cheeses and organic salami for an afternoon spread to enjoy on the balcony.

The trip would not have been complete without a prime rib dinner at the Pioneer Saloon, where the service and food are always top notch.  Overall, the birthday trip was perfect and only a mere two hours away from home.

Breathtaking View from our Balcony

Hailey on Dwellable

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, and more pumpkin

If you thought that pumpkins were only good for carving you were way off. Pumpkin puree makes the perfect ingredient for a variety of dishes (both savory and sweet). We had never made anything from an actual edible pumpkin so this year we thought we would experiment with  several new pumpkin recipes. First, if you decide to make your own pumpkin puree you need to make sure you get the right type of pumpkin. Some common names you might see are Pick-A-Pie, Baby Bear or Sugar pumpkin. These small varieties weigh 4-6 pounds and will yield 1 ½ - 2 cups of pumpkin puree. To make pumpkin puree you prepare it the same way you would a squash. Cut the pumpkin in half, clean out the seeds and place on a baking sheet.They have to bake at 350* for about 1 ½ to 2 hours or until soft.

The first pumpkin creation we tried was pumpkin pasta and it was delicious. The pumpkin recipe we used was this, but you can find several variations online. Since we don't all love sage we substituted for basil and it turned our really well.   

We then decided to get a little more traditional with a simple pumpkin pie recipe. Unfortunately, the actual pie was gone before any pictures could be taken. As many of you know, nothing can make or break a pie faster than the crust. However, this really is the prefect pie crust and super easy.

Next came pumpkin ice cream. Not too sweet and a hint of spice served with a ginger snap. Once again, there are so many recipes to pick from. We picked this one.

Finally, our pumpkin extravaganza came to a slow down. While we still have so many pumpkin recipes to try we decide to take a little break from pumpkin. Not before we make homemade pumpkin scones with spiced glaze though. Recipe here. They went perfect with morning coffee.

For a little extra flavor, a dash of real maple syrup was add to the spiced glaze.

In the future we have pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting, and so much more. That's all the pumpkin for now though!

A Fall Dinner Party in the Mountains

In the Kitchen



We found ourselves in Atlanta, Idaho this fall.  There was a chill in the air, the colors of autumn were all around, and we received an invitation to an impromptu dinner party at the Quartz Street Cookhouse.  The invite came from our good friends Frank Brooks and Jack Penix who were just off the dusty trail.



Potatoes on the Wood Fire Stove



On the menu: pork chops straight from the grill, freshly sautéed cinnamon apples, boiled potatoes, copious bottles of wine, good friends, and fresh out of the oven cookies!

 

The Chefs






Dishes

 

The Guests

A good meal, lively conversation, and a warm fire.  A very nice way to spend a fall evening!

Final Days of Fall

With the time change and the days getting shorter it is important to soak in the last moments of sunshine. There are few moments more enjoyable than looking at the changing of the leaves. Before the holiday season goes into full swing take a break, grab a drink, and make a fall snack…apples are in season right now and pair nicely with cheese. Relax!

                                      

Abandoned apple orchards and wild apple trees can be fun to find and pick heirloom apple varieties. They are much smaller than what you find in the grocery store and are often misshapen and oddly colored. Don't let that fool you though. These apples have some of the sweetest flavors and are perfectly crisp.  

                                      

These heirloom apples, that would have just gone to waste, paired perfectly with Spoon Tongue beer from a local brewery and truffle and salt cheese from Ballard Family Dairy.