Blog - Yelton Manor Boutique Hotel B&B

Light and Lazy Lasagna

January 30, 2016 by Elaine

This is a simple recipe that makes it easy to feed a crowd or make enough to have leftovers all week. Meatless and very light (uses wontons instead of noodles), this recipe will become a family favorite!

Basic recipe for 4 stacks, then multiply by the amount you are making (I have made X5 here):

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

12 wontons

Homemade tomato sauce

Mix the cheeses in a bowl. Preheat over to 400.

Butter baking dishes and coat with sauce. Blanch the wontons individually, dipping them with perforated spatula in hot water, lift out and lay on towels to dry. Lay one layer of wontons in dishes. Top each wonton with a dollop of cheese mixture, flatten cheese to edges. Top with 2nd wonton. Top with another layer of cheese mixture. Top with final wonton and a dollop of sauce.

Bake for 15 minutes or so. These are perfectly nice reheated in the microwave the next day. These also freeze easily after baking and reheat nicely weeks later. Easy, light, delicious!

Dilly Garlic Beans

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July 10, 2015 by Elaine

Hands down, this is everyone’s favorite pickle. Make yourself some!

Get green and yellow beans, absolutely dew-drop fresh from the Farmer’s Market or directly from your favorite local farmer. Organic garlic. Fresh dill flowers. And lovely, long red chile peppers called Arbol chiles.

For 4 pint jars (multiply as you wish):

2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup pickling salt

4 garlic cloves (or more to taste)

dill flower seed heads

Arbol chiles

Washing the beans and dill.

Cleaning and preparing the garlic cloves. Choose your biggest and most attractive cloves.

Prepare a boiling water bath and sterilize your jars, caps and screw tops. Wash and trim the beans. Combine the vinegar, water and salt and bring the brine to a boil. Pack jars tightly without bruising the beans, into sterilized jars into which you have place dill flowers heads, 2-4 cloves of garlic and 1-2 arbor chiles. Slowly pour the hot brine over the beans. wipe the rims, add the rings/screw tops and process in water bath for 5 minutes. Let these pickles cure for two weeks at least before eating.

Is this a mess? Yes. Does it take some time? Yes. Put some music on, pour a glass of wine, perhaps, and enjoy the fun of perfect food prep and the gift of excellent nutrition for your family!

Yelton Manor B&B Mocha Refrigerator Oats

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May 24, 2015 by Elaine

Our oatmeal/chia “breakfast pudding” is wildly popular with choices of organic blueberries, raspberries or blackberries….so this week I invented MOCHA! Pinterest recipes generally called for instant espresso powder and cocoa powder, but I wanted ours to feature premium Manor Blend coffee and organic chocolate. After some experimentation, here it is…and it’s FLYING off the buffet to great acclaim! Make some!

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/8 cup organic chia seeds

1 cup Organic Greek Vanilla Yogurt

3/4 cup 2% milk

1/3 cup cold coffee

3 tsp. organic chocolate syrup Mix, put in jars and cover, refrigerate overnight and enjoy. Keep 3 days easily, a week if you must. Grab and go, a healthy treat!

Yelton Manor Bed & Breakfast Refrigerator Oats

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May 2, 2015 by Elaine

No Cook Refrigerator Oats are a healthy and delicious way to “Grab and Go” into your morning, or take them to work for lunch or a snack. You can make up a batch and they keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days. Use fresh or frozen fruit, your choice. We use small mason jars with the plastic lids available at Amazon.com.

There are many recipes to make these, check online and at Pinterest for recipe varieties. We at YMBB have standardized on this recipe:

Simple!

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats (not instant, not steel cut)

1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (your choice to use plain or fruited)

1/8 cup Chia seeds

1 1/3 cup 2% milk (can use whole/skim milk almond milk, soy or coconut milk, your choice)

Combine ingredients well in a bowl. Use a whisk to be certain that the oatmeal isn’t at all clumped, which will make your yogurt pudding pasty. Then simply layer in jars with organic berries, fruit, chocolate, etc.

Refrigerate overnight and they are ready to eat!

Nutrient Rich and Yummy Vegetable Soup

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January 2, 2015 by Elaine

I have adapted this fabulous soup from a recipe in Cooking Light Magazine. Their recipe calls for store bought veggie stock, perfect for convenience but I heartily recommend making a much improved base by using my own veggie stock recipe. This is a big batch, so plan on a party, share some with friends or put some in the freezer for another day.

2 T olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper to taste

8 cups Veggie Broth (see the quick, no cook version here)

3 cups (16 oz) Yukon gold potatoes, diced

8 cups chopped Rainbow chard, chopped, tender veins only

2 cans unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes (varied colors is nice!)

In a large soup pan, heat oil over medium heat and saute the onions for 6 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper, about 1 minute. Stir in the stock and potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in chard and beans, simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes. Check for salt and add accordingly.

To take it over the moon, top with a perfect poached or fried egg, perhaps some homemade garlic croutons.

No Cook Veggie Soup Stock

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January 2, 2015 by Elaine

I have previously shared my favorite recipe for veggie stock here. It’s intensely delicious, with deep herb and garlic flavors, but it also takes about 4 hours to make and, ideally, must be used to make soup right away. Perfect for a long, winter weekend in the kitchen but….wouldn’t it be great if homemade stock was available at a moment’s notice? Of course you can choose to buy a good brand of canned/boxed organic broth, but if you are a freak for homemade, here’s the answer.

Cook’s Magazine (I’m an addict) published this in the 2-15 issue, and I just had to try it. Their claim: “This broth has it all: easy preparation, minimal waste, convenient storage, and, best of all, fresh, balanced vegetable flavor.”

It’s made in the food processor, raw and then frozen, for scooping out by the tablespoon whenever you need veggie stock. It chooses celery root instead of celery for “mild, complex celery flavor without bitterness/sourness”, dried minced onion gives it “depth” and tomato paste makes it “savory”. The soy sauce is for the “umami”.

Would it be as flavorful as my long-cooking veggie stock? I had to know! So I made them both and put it to the test.

I know this seems like a salty recipe but once diluted it’s actually perfect. Salt also depresses the freezing point and the concentrate never freezes solid, making it perfectly scoopable from the freezer as needed.

I recommend using a digital scale for the best balance of flavors in this recipe. Kosher salt aids in grinding the vegetables.

Into the Cuisinart with it! Do I still need to remind you that all root vegetables should be certified “Organic”?

2 leeks, white and green parts, chopped and washed, 5 ounces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 3 ounces

1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 3 ounces

1/2 cup/1/2 ounce) parsley leaves

3 T dried minced onion

2 T kosher salt

1 1/2 T tomato paste

2 T soy sauce

Process the leeks, celery root, parsley, minced onion and salt, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently, until the paste is as fine as possible, 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste for 1 minute, scraping sides frequently. Add soy sauce and process another minute. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and tap firmly on the counter to remove air bubbles. Press a piece of parchment paper flush against the surface and cover. Keeps in the freezer for 6 months.

Here is what it looks like when it’s finished. The nearly 2 cups of base makes 28 cups of broth!

Reconstitute by adding 1 tablespoon of this base to 1 cup of boiling water. Strain though cheesecloth if you want a particle free broth, but it’s not necessary.

Here’s a cup of my standard stock, on the left, next to the reconstituted base on the right. The flavors were similar but certainly not the same. The regular stock will still be my favorite for gourmet times and broth dependent soups. But for everyday convenience, like risottos, pastas, sauces or quick soup for two….this freezer option is a winner!!!!

Minted Cranberry Coriander Chutney

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November 9, 2014 by Elaine

Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast”s afternoon “Beach Break” snack buffet features this wonderful, savory/sweet chutney, perfect on a cracker with a smear of cream cheese! Cranberries come into season over the winter holidays, of course, so that’s when I preserve it for enjoying later in the summer. I also give it away for holiday gifts!

Before we became Vegetarians we loved this chutney as a side to pork roast!

I triple this batch when I make it and there is no decrease in quality. Gather together in a big pot:

4 cups cranberries

2 cups orange juice

1 cup apple cider

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

12 fresh mint leaves

1 T ground coriander

Cook about an hour and 1/2, stirring frequently, until berries are popped and chutney is reduced and thick. Cool, discard cinnamon sticks.

Keeps a week in the fridge or process 15 minutes in hot water bath for canning/preserving.

#best #food #bedandbreakfast #SouthHaven #Michigan #YeltonManorBB

Succulents for The Garden

October 30, 2014 by Elaine

In fall of 2014 and in the spring of 2015 we are fashioning an all new garden experience at YMBB. The traditional English cottage-style perennial flower borders of the last 25 years have been dug up and carried away by 100s of guests and friends. We are landscaping the new garden to be water-wise and drought tolerant, with the natural, unfussy look of lakefront dunes. The new garden includes gorgeous perennial grasses and native flora. We also set nearly 30 huge boulders all over the property for interest and beauty. The deck is triple the original size with over-sized Adirondack loungers, tables and umbrellas and a fun Adirondack glider for two. We will still grow all our own herbs for the kitchen and there are are always decorative pots too.

Featured in the pots are these amazing succulent plants. This was my first year growing and decorating with them and they are now my new *obsession*!

Aren’t they cool?

These succulents are not winter hardy here in the North. So I brought them inside to a bright, cool porch to spend the winter months. In the meantime, I am propagating them in order to have a huger display next year. These plants propagate by separating new plants that grow at their base, or by setting a cutting or even a single leaf into soil.

Wish me luck and check back to see if I had a successful winter protection and growing season!

Milkweed and The Monarch Butterfly

September 26, 2014 by Elaine

The Monarch Butterfly! Our garden at YMBB has been attracting these beauties for nearly 30 years during their migration along the lakefront. Sadly though, this elegant creature has been disappearing because of the destruction of habitat along the migration route. Decades ago we enjoyed visits from thousands upon thousands of them, now we are overjoyed when we see but a few. Happily, in more recent years, their numbers are increasing! Why? Because many dedicated people are planting a portion of their property with MILKWEED!

“The King of Butterflies”, read all about Monarchs!

Common Milkweed is the singular food of The Monarch butterfly. It is also a valuable food source for many other insects and bees.

Each autumn I collect the seeds from my own milkweed and mail them out to anyone and everyone who wants to start a milkweed patch. Here is the info sent with the packets:

DIY: A Milkweed Tutorial

If you want seeds I will mail them to you. Simply send me an email to elaine@yeltonmanor.com asking for milkweed seeds, send me your name and full mailing address. Here’s the info:

Enclosed are your milkweed seeds from my garden. Thank you for being a participant in the support of The Monarch Butterfly. Milkweed is the singular food of The Monarch, and also food to many other nectar seeking birds and insects including hummingbirds and bees. The plant is tall and NOT unattractive, with huge snowball shaped balls of extremely fragrant flower clusters in summer. Most happily, you will enjoy ringing the dinner bell for the life cycle of The Monarch butterfly. Read about it here: http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/05/raising-caterpillars.html

This is another nice site: http://www.ourhabitatgarden.org/creatures/milkweed-growing.html

To plant your milkweed seeds, prepare a garden bed in good sunlight with light soil and excellent drainage. Seeds like a period of 70 degrees to successfully germinate, with light watering every morning for a week or two. Thin out the bed as needed for growth. Then just let them grow on their own. Learn more here: http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/prop.htm

As for propagating/transplanting existing milkweed, it’s not complicated, just has to be done the right way . Milkweed is tap-rooted. Anything tap-rooted is hard to transplant because you have to get ALL of the taproot. These tap roots can go as deep as 2′ into the ground.

As I read on this forum: “I would wait until you have some seedlings coming up around the mother plants and dig those, get them while they are small and move them. The larger ones just die away, or wait until you have seed pods and scatter the seed where you want them. They’ll come up next year in the location you want them to be in.” And then this cool idea:

“I have cut mine back from the top at a leaf joint and put them in water. Most make roots and you can plant them. It takes a couple of weeks, but it is well worth doubling your planting that way.” !!!! http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg070606158901.html

If you sow in fall, sow them now. If you plan to sow in the spring, you need to put the seeds in the refrigerator, a process called “cold stratification”. This tricks them into thinking they survived the winter Check out more on this topic at http://www.monarchlab.org/Lab/Rearing/Finding/FindingMilkweed.aspx

Milkweed is not a dangerous plant, per se, to grow and handle. But there are some precautions. Be wary if you have latex sensibilities. Also, the sap can cause itchy irritation to skin and burning to eyes if rubbed into them, so be cautious. See further cautions here:

http://www.livemonarch.com/growinginstructions.htm

If you have a huge success your first year of growing, it’s possible the caterpillars will destroy your crop! Hooray, it’s perennial and will come back bigger and better. Keep pruning and it will keep throwing out new shoots. Enjoy the fine dining of the beautiful caterpillars and just wait for the arrival of the butterflies!

Collect seeds of your own to pay it forward; let’s give The Monarchs ever-expanding habitat! We’ve come so close to losing them, but they are returning!!! Read about how and when to collect, dry and save seeds (this is my favorite site because of the photos:

http://npsot.org/wp/story/2014/5885/

Love to you and good luck with your milkweed! Elaine

Crunchy Garlic Dill Pickles

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July 30, 2014 by Elaine

Yelton Manor B&B’s daily “Beach Break” snacks always include our best home canned pickles! OH what a happy day when the organic farmers at South Haven’s Farm Market bring in Kirby pickling cukes, fresh with the morning dew still on them, and lovely dill! I am always excited to make these absolutely delicious, crunchy, zesty dill pickles.

This recipe is adapted from a great little preserving book called “Food in Jars” by Marisa Mcclellan. She teaches the secret that to keep these pickles firm and crunchy, not soggy, you must trim the blossom end of the Kirby cucumber. Our pickles are always crunchy now that we know this handy trick!!

I make huge batches (multiply by 4-6) but the original recipe is as follows: 2 cups apple cider vinegar, 3 tsp pickling salt, 8 organic garlic cloves, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 4 tsp. dill seed, 2 tsp black peppercorns, 1 pint pickling cucumbers.

Of course, wash and dry your lovely fresh cucumbers. *KISS!*

Prepare a boiling water bath and all your regular canning tools. I use wide mouth pints and quarts.

Sterilize all your jars and utensils, either in your water bath pot or simply by washing through a hot dishwasher cycle.

I like to use heads of fresh dill, straight from the garden. Dill seed is a perfect substitute if you wish. Don’t use the fronds of dill weed as they will make your brine murky after processing.

Combine the vinegar with equal parts water and the salt. Bring to a boil.

Trim the garlic, the cukes and the dill seed heads. Per pint, add 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, the flower heads or 1 tsp. dill seed, 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns.

Pack the cukes firmly into the jars. Don’t damage them but do try to wedge them nicely in.

Slowly pour the hot brine over the cukes, into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Tap out bubbles, wipe rims, seal and add rings.

If you get small cucumbers it’s nice to be able to keep them whole. But if you must slice them into spears, pay close attention to the 5 minute processing time so that they do not get flimsy.

Process for just 5 minutes in a hot water bath.

Let cure at least a week before eating.

Use up within the year.

Share and ENJOY!!! #best #food #bedandbreakfast #SouthHaven #Michigan