Lake Calhoun Spring Walk

Saturday March 17th, brought us an - only in Minnesota - kind of walk.  An unseasonably warm day - one of several - brought us out in our spring, and in one case, summer clothes.  We started out on the north side of the lake and at 10AM, the morning breeze blowing across the ice had us shivering in our shoes.

By the time we made it to the south side of the lake, the breeze was gone and the sun was very warm.

Wise Acre Eatery

For lunch we tried Wise Acres on Nicollet.  It's a trendy, lovely restaurant specializing in slow cooked meals featuring meats and produce from the farm of the Tangletown Nursery just across the street.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a slow service restaurant as well.  Not really their fault.  They were still staffed for a typical winter crowd, but the beautiful summer weather brought out just about everyone in South Minneapolis to try out their patio for lunch.  We found a table, but waited more than 1/2 an hour for someone to take our order.  Luckily, we had, as always, lots to talk about and will undoubtedly try it again on a less crowded day.

December Hike At Como Park

I'm very tardy with these photos.  My apologies.
We had a lovely hike on December 17th with fair weather and clear trails for our meander around Como Park.  Luckily we had some good guides and I saw a part of the park I'd never visited before even though I live quite close by!  We also braved the heat of the Conservatory and enjoyed the December poinsetta show.
This was our annual holiday brunch hike, so we all gathered at Karen's afterword for some wonderful food and companionship.

Thanks Jean for the photos.  Hmm, I see that most of these photos were taken inside.  Maybe we braved the heat a little more than we braved the cold!

Camp du Nord

Our Group at Camp Du Nord minus Jeanne

Same group with Jeanne (minus me)

Fall Colors on Burntside Lake

Inside Our Cabin

It was our annual fall long weekend of hiking.  This year we tried out Camp du Nord, on the North Arm of Burntside Lake.  I want to go again!
The weather was beautiful, the fall colors were gorgeous and our cabin was roomy and cozy at the same time.
We hiked Friday and Saturday and the trails were beautiful - let's see, that's twice for that word, but it is just the way it was.

Good food, too, of course and I will be happy if Bea shares her recipe for salad dressing and that apple topping for the ice cream.  I know I have to travel to North Carolina to get the ingredients for the sweet potato pancakes, so maybe I can just request that Deb bring them next year too.

Jean was our guide, with a 33 year history of family camping at Camp du Nord.  I definitely want to bring my grandsons here next summer if I can get a good draw from the lottery system.

The Saturday night sauna was a highlight.  There is just something so very special and unforgetable about cooling off in a cold lake in the lantern lit dark after the hot sauna with the stars shining brightly above and a huge crescent of orange harvest moon sitting on the horizon.

View from the Sauna

Nature Woman

More photos here:   Camp du Nord

Carpenter Nature Center

Beautiful day for a hike today.  We headed down to the St. Croix River and walked pretty much all of the trails at the Carpenter Nature Center.  What a lovely place.  The parking area is surrounded by perennial gardens.  The old farm house, tall and straight and everlasting in stone is there as well as a nature center complete with many varieties of turtles and raptors.  The trails cover savanna, woods and even slightly overgrown railroad bed along the river.  We finished our walk at a beautiful overlook of the the river from high on a hill where we rightfully enjoyed a rest.  The butterflies were active today.

Lunch was at Muddy Waters in Prescott - on the deck - with a nice view of the river.

Thanks Deb for most of these photos.

All six of us, thanks to a little help from Photoshop

The old farmhouse across a field of prairie flowers and grasses

View of the St. Croix from the trail

The little beach

Resting at the Viewpoint

Visiting along the trail

Arboretum - June 2011

Went to the Arboretum last Saturday and the rain held off until we were paying our checks at an outdoor restaurant on Minnetonka…

February - Stone Arch Bridge

Pretty nice weather for February in Minnesota.  Six of us managed to get out for a walk.  I had suggested the Stone Arch Bridge since I don't get there often and think it's so cool!  Then when we got there I found out that two of our small group work only a few blocks away so this location was nothing unusual for them.  Still, we had a nice, brisk walk during which the breeze picked up. Our noses were cold and we were ready for the inside when we made it to the Red Stag for lunch.

Hikers on the Stone Arch Bridge

Michelle Graciously Posing Before the Beer Sign

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

•  
  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.)