December Hike and Potluck

For our December outing, we took an easy hike around Como Lake at Como Park.  The fresh snow was beautiful and the path wide and freshly plowed.  A beautiful day for a winter hike.  But the real reason for the day was our annual potluck.  We held it at Karen's this year and all got to admire her newly remodeled fireside room.  Wow!  Lovely stone fireplace in the corner, recessed lighting, speakers in the ceiling.  It is calm and cozy.  The food, of course, was great.  To compensate for the lack of photos, I'm including some recipes from our lunch.  Karen - where is your soup recipe!

Bea brought the chocolate cake and a compote of mixed berries as a topping.

Bitter Chocolate Cake (Gourmet Magazine, early 90’s)

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 12-18 servings

Dessert: nearly flour-less, fudgy and rich

Equipment: 9-inch Springform pan, heavy-duty aluminum foil, larger pan to make water-bath, eg broiler pan

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  Recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

6 oz semisweet chocolate (200 gm), chopped

3 oz unsweetened chocolate (100 gm), chopped 

1.25 cup sugar

4 extra-large eggs

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Fruit or lightly sweetened whipped cream

FIRST     Preheat oven to 325°.  Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan.  

Sprinkle bottom and sides with sugar, tap out the excess.  Wrap heavy-duty foil around the outside of the pan.
 
NEXT     Combine 1 cup butter and both chocolates in top of double boiler.  

Melt over simmering water and stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and let chocolate-butter mixture cool.

NEXT     Whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl to blend.  Stir in flour.  Stir in warm chocolate mixture.

FINALLY     Pour batter into cake pan.  Place cake pan into larger pan and pour boiling water up ½ inch up side of springform.  

Bake cake until top is firm and toothpick inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour.  

Remove cake from water bath and cool completely on rack. Transfer cake to platter, release pan sides.  

Cut into wedges and serve with fruit or whipped cream.  

Stephanie brought the nice, hot cranberry tea.  Perfect after being out in the cold.

Hot Cranberry Tea

Stephanie Michel

3 tea bags (Lipton or other black tea; can be decaf)

5 cups of warm water

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons mulling spices or cider mate (found in bulk at co-op store)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 quart cranberry juice or flavored cranberry juice (I used cranberry pomegranate)

3 cups hot water

Let tea bags steep in warm water for 30 minutes. Remove tea bags and add sugar; stir until dissolved. Put mulling spices in a tea ball or small cloth bag; add to tea. Stir in lemon juice, cranberry juice and hot water.

Makes 12-15 cups

Note: I have a strainer ball to contain the spices while brewing or you could use a small cloth bag as well. These are also found at your local co-op.

Christy (me) Brought a pomegranate and walnut salad. I don't remember where the recipe came from - maybe the internet.

Green Leaf Lettuce, Pomegranate and Almond Salad (serves 8)

2 T. fresh lime juice

1 1/2 t. sugar

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

5 T olive oil

Two heads leaf lettuce (romaine works too)

2 bunches watercress (optional)

Seeds from 1 large pomegranate

3/4 cup sliced almonds or walnuts, toasted

1. Whisk together lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper until sugar and salt are dissolved, then add oil in a steady stream, whisking until combined.

2.  Combine lettuce, watercress and half of  pomegranate seeds in a large serving bowl.  Toss with just enough dressing to coat, then sprinkle with almonds and remaining pomegranate seeds.

(To get seeds out of a pomegranate, score it then put in in a bowl full of water.  Pull the pomegranate apart and loosen the seeds.  The skin and membrane of the pomegranate will float to the top and any excess juice will be in the water and not on your kitchen counter.)

Lake Maria State Park

A lovely early fall hike in a beautiful woods at Lake Maria State Park.  We followed the Big Woods Trail for about 2 1/2 hours through open prairie ablaze with prairie grasses and flowers in bloom.

 

 

The sumac is red now and just complements the yellows and purples of the flowers and the gold of the grasses.

From there we hiked through a mixed maple forest - not many changing leaves yet, but the forest is open enough that we could see through to the little ponds and lakes as we passed them.  They added a lot of light and color to the walk.

Our hike also included an oak forest and Lake Maria itself where,if you wanted to, you can rent a canoe or hike on the board walk.  If you are into camping, all of the campsites at the park are hike in sites and some take quite a bit of walking, but the quiet space by yourself would be worth it.

Following our tradition, we enjoyed a great lunch together.  This time in Monticello at the Corner Cafe where we toasted Margaret, the previous keeper of this blog who was that very day setting out to teach English in Azerbeijan with the Peace Corp.

Margaret, we'll miss you.  But we expect you to have a wonderful experience to share with us when you return.  Safe travels!

Hiking and Packing - August 21, 2010

Dorothy, Deb, Bea, and Michelle savor their choices

Another overcast and steamy August morning for a trek around Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis for 10 of us. Then a cool Italian lunch at Amore Victore on Lake street - right across the street from that snotty French Barbette. Followed by dishes and books to pack at my place. Those who stayed on reaped the benefits of raiding my liquor cabinet so that's the only picture for today's hike. Time to turn over the reins to another hiker/blogger as I leave for the Peace Corps in Azerbaijan.

July 17, 2010 - Caponi Art Park, Eagan, MN

Neither heat nor humidity can stop hikers - only slow us down a bit and thank goodness for meandering, shaded trails. First time visit to a secluded semi-private park aka sculpture garden created by local artist/teacher Anthony Caponi in the city of Eagan. Joined by Michele for a picnic lunch plus several rounds of photos from grandmas Christy and DeAnn. Here's a couple photos plus a link at the bottom to more photos at my picasa site.

  July 2010 Hike at Caponi Art Park

June 2010 - Taliesin, Spring Green WI

Words cannot express what a wonderful weekend in Wisconsin. I created 2 separate photo albums in Picassa of the photos I took - one for the Amish-style B&B in Cashton and the other of photos I took during the tour of Taliesin. So I'll add just one photo from Friday night in Cashton and a photo taken Sunday at a short stop in Wabasha to inquire about a kimono for Bea!

Taliesin photos

Countryside B&B photos

June19, 2010 - Big Rivers Regional Trail, Dakota County MN

Three veterans plus newby Mel of the biking group hiked along this former railroad bed. Not easy to find, but well traveled by mucho bikers. Started near Hwy 13 and 35E and headed toward Mendota Bridge. Here are a couple photos as proof and hike was followed by fine dining at Axel's.

April 17th, 2010 - Lake Rebecca, Hennepin County, MN

A first-time hiking spot thanks to DeAnn's new hiking book of close-in places. And didn't we forget a site map on another hike? What map would show us those hills anyway! Three strikes and we'll need a search party! Thank goodness for the sun to find our way North and time for lunch!

And glad I remembered Delano's mainstreet, but first time for us all at the Three Crows for live music with lunch along the Crow River. Was that Jimmy Crack Corn - and I don't care?

First of the season: requisite tick check.

Wow to the 25 years long restoration of trumpeter swans at Lake Rebecca!

'Tis I in my new Twins hat; photo taken by Deb H.

March 20th, 2010 - Lake Phalen, St. Paul MN

Can't believe I only took one photo - outside Swede Hollow Cafe at that. Too windy to pull out my camera and click with my mittens on! Brisk and sunny and I heard my first red wing blackbirds of the year!

Minnehaha Falls and Park - February 20th, 2010

Mounds of icy snow and an overcast sky would not deter hikers this day. No, it's the street names and parking restrictions that kept us from converging on the Godfrey House meeting site. Once we spotted each other we welcomed newcomer Sherry Berson who lives nearby and works at Trane in White Bear Lake.

Here's a photo taken above the Falls which shows the Minnehaha Creek trail we've hiked in the past.

This time we followed the west side of the creek before it meets the Mighty Mississippi - mostly single-file over ungroomed trails. Woe to us if we expect to walk/hike over perfect paths!
Along the way we spotted dogs being driving in cars for a Saturday morning romp in a nearby off-leash area; and also came upon this lovely and lonely totem marking a sacred area.

And here's the requisite wild-life photo of a bird apparently awaiting the April opening of Sea Salt.

Hikers, unlike birds, are choosy about lunch so the Town Talk Diner on Lake Street was picked over Chatterbox and nearby Cap'ns. It was observed to be a popular spot for people who like to eat.

Another stimulating mealtime together with some discussion about traveling to Taliesin near Madison in May. Phalen Park has been nominated for our March hiking location with details to follow.

National Wildlife Refuge, MN - January 16, 2010

We like this place in spite of the steep slope going down to the trail. I tried out my new gaiters and sticks (I mean poles) that were definitely needed.

I wasn't thinking sunglasses which everyone else realized were the order of the day. And when I pick a place for hiking, do I ever check to see if the building is closed for renovation? It was.

Seven of us got in a good trek then "tailgated" with Peanut Blossom cookies.

A short drive to the MOA for lunch at Twin City Grill, another favorite spot.

We can keep this location on our list for close-in hikes. And think about getting there via the new LRT station at American Blvd, making this a 1/2 mile hike/bike from the train.