Archive for March, 2010

Ah, the Smell of Home Baking

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Stirring it up!  Our guests tell us they love waking up to the tantalizing smells of home baking and freshly brewed coffee. The following recipe is one of our morning “wake-up smells”.

Quick Honey Oatmeal Muffins

Getting ready to bake

Getting ready to bake

400′F         12-18 min           =12 muffins

In a large bowl combine:

  • 2/3 c. milk
  • 1/3 c. vegetable oil or applesauce
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 c. honey or slightly less maple syrup

In another bowl mix together:

  • 1 1/2 c. quaker oats (not instant)
  • 1 c. all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/3 c. brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. raisins
  • 1/2 c. chopped nuts

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, stirring until just blended.

Spoon into a muffin tin lined with cupcake papers. Bake and enjoy.

You can use raisins, chopped dried fruit or fresh cranberries, dates, pecans, almonds – use your imagination just remember that the more dried fruit you use, the more liquid is absorbed from the mix so don’t get carried away.

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Dishing It Out! My first stove was a wooden orange crate complete with painted-on burners, wooden spool knobs, and a heavy cardboard oven door kept closed with a twist knob. I graduated from that directly to cooking with the real thing… no Easy Bake Oven for this kiddo! My mom encouraged my cooking skills and my dad encouraged creative interpretation of  recipes. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like to cook.

Guests often ask for recipes so from time-to-time I will post some of our guest favorites on the blog. I don’t claim any of the recipes as my originals as they are from my stash of over 45 years of collecting recipes from family, friends, magazines, cookbooks, and various internet sites. Bon Appetite!

Using Mac OSX Preview to manipulate PDFs

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

The Mac OSX Snow Leopard Preview application does more than just open image files. It is also a much more flexible way to look at PDFs than using Adobe Reader.

This short video shows a couple of tricks that are easy to do to manipulate a PDF, or create a new PDF document from 2 or more existing ones. You may want to view it at 720p by clicking the up arrow beside the default 360 (that will appear when you play), and in full screen by clicking on the four arrows at the bottom right of the video window.

Preview can also be used to adjust images to a precise size, overlay text on an image, rotate it and so on. Experiment! And the best thing is that Preview is already installed in your Applications folder!

By the way you will note my desktop photos changing in the background. The photos are West Hill House (of course!) and places we have visited during our stay in France.

Mint – great restaurant experience

Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Chef Illyan at work

Chef Illyan at work

Mint Restaurant in the heart of Waitsfield’s Historic District offers the Mad River Valley a vegetarian alternative with a primary focus on natural, organic whole foods and ingredients. The restaurant opened in November 2009 and we at last had the opportunity of a free evening to try it out for ourselves, after getting rave reviews from our many guests who have dined there.

We concur with our guests: Mint is an experience not to be missed. The menu choices prepared by chef and co-owner Illyan are varied and interesting, and have an international flair. While vegetarians will recognize some of the choices, many are original creations and can be thoroughly enjoyed by diners more used to meat based entrees. The flavors are often surprising and delightful. Co-owner Savitri has integrated the amazing and varied tea selection from her former tea room across the laneway, and provides knowledgeable guidance to match teas with your meal. Also available are a small wine and beer list at reasonable prices.

Make it a point to visit Mint during your next stay at West Hill House. Open Wednesday to Sundays year round for dinner. Price for a 3-course dinner for 2 including a glass of wine each will be about $75.

LogMeIn – Remote Access to your Mac

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

LogMeInSo you have a desktop Mac and a MacBook for when you are traveling. You suddenly realize the file you need is on your desktop Mac at home. You are a MobileMe subscriber so you try “Back-to-my-Mac” – and as usual it does NOT work. Why? Because “Back-to-my-Mac” is VERY dependent on the router settings both at your home and where you are trying to access from. Largely out-with your control.

Don’t give up. LogMeIn is the answer. You set it up on your home computer and you can then access your home files – and run apps on your home computer remotely if you wish – in a secure, password protected session from any browser on any computer anywhere. Just like that! And it’s free to try! The earlier versions had a few issues, but I have been using the current version for a few weeks and it works beautifully. Your troubles are over! Enjoy…

Girlfriends’ Getaway Special

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Girlfriends at American Flatbread for dinner Flatbread

Out for dinner at American Flatbread

No meals to cook, no dishes to wash, no beds to make, no housework to do!! Our Girlfriends’ Getaway means you do the relaxing and we do the work.

Come browse our artisans’ shops, be pampered with an “in house” massage, check out the local sites, catch up on your current craft project, or relax in a comfortable chair with your latest book and in the evenings enjoy meals out at any number of great local restaurants. Our rooms are well appointed and very comfortable.

There are lots of Things to do nearby. Whether you come in the winter and take part in the local outdoor activities or enjoy looking at winter from our three large common areas, or you are here in the summer, hiking, kayaking, biking or relaxing in our gorgeous perennial flower garden, you are sure to have a wonderful time.

Come before May 13th and get 33% off a stay of 3 nights or more AND we will cook you a table d’hôte dinner one evening at no extra charge!

New Elopement Packages

Sunday, March 21st, 2010
Kathy & Lorand Elopement at West HIll House

Kathy & Lorand Elopement at West Hill House

Elopements have come a long way since Romeo & Juliet! Today the term is used to refer to a well planned but smaller wedding – usually just the couple or with a few friends and family.

We have made a speciality of working with couples to help them plan their perfect celebration.

To make things even easier we have now designed two all-inclusive packages, our Just the two-of-us and Diamond Elopement packages.

You can also add a few Friends & Family to either package.

We continue to offer wedding celebrations for up to 30 guests year round and up to 80 guests in the warmer months – May to October.

West Hill House is now a member of the Diamond Collection

Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Diamond Collection Badge

Diamond Collection

West Hill House has joined the BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection, a distinction reserved for premier inns offering extensive amenities and top-rated guest reviews. Launched in October, 2009, the Diamond Collection was introduced to help travelers streamline their search for the country’s best inns.

To qualify and maintain membership in the Diamond Collection, B&Bs and inns must pass a comprehensive professional inspection measuring the property’s quality, service, hospitality, accommodations, food, amenities, and more. To qualify for membership, Diamond Collection properties all maintain top guest ratings and reviews on BedandBreakfast.com and offer a professional reservation experience, including extensive property photos and online reservations. Additionally, Diamond Collection members provide the amenities that today’s travelers require, including private baths, free Internet service, luxury appointments and amenities, professional staffing, and flexible check-in/out times.

We appreciate this recognition of the quality experience we provide for our guests. If you haven’t already stayed with us, please come and check it out for yourself!

Maple Sugaring Snowshoe Tour

Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Maple Syrup time

Maple Syrup time

West Hill House is teaming with Clearwater Sports to offer an invigorating snowshoe tour through a beautiful Beech, Hemlock and Maple forest to learn what a real Sugarbush is (no not the ski area). What a great combination of snowshoeing and maple sugaring! You will be guided from the beginning of the sugaring operation at the tap lines and work your way down the hill to the final destination – The Sugaring Shack. There you will learn about the final steps required to change sap into Maple Syrup. (Can you believe it takes 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup)

Enjoy a sample of the day’s fresh product and learn about the different grades of syrup from this important Vermont industry. You will appreciate your waffles and pancakes all that much more with the knowledge gained from this fun and educational tour. Maple Syrup will be available to buy after the tour – or back at West Hill House.

Available daily 3:00- 5:30PM and must be reserved ahead – subject to availability. $55 per person

Special offer: Stay with us 3 nights during the sugaring season and we will INCLUDE this great outing for two at no extra charge. (Can’t be combined with any other offer.)

Spring Skiing in Vermont

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Spring at Sugarbush

Spring at Sugarbush

As spring approaches, there is no better time to head to Sugarbush. The skiing is still great, and there are lots of special spring activities including barbeques, local bands, and ton of events. March is looking so good — you’d BETTER BE HERE! (Photo from Sugarbush website – click to link.)

Don’t miss out on any of these March Madness events:

•  “Broadway Rocks II” Cabaret – Friday, March 19

•  Sugaring Time Festival – Saturday, March 20

•  43rd Annual Pond Skimming – Saturday, March 27

•  12th Annual Spring Mogul Competition – Sunday, March 28

•  Hot Dog Race – Sunday, March 28

•  32nd Annual Sugarbush Adventure Games – Saturday and Sunday, April 10-11

Click here for the complete events calendar, which also includes the latest event videos.

And of course we have our special spring prices in effect here at West HIll House.

So come and check it all out! Operators are standing by! (A.k.a Peter & Susan)

OSX Leopard’s “Secret” scanning app!

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Image Capture OSX App Screen Shot

Image Capture

Tip of the day. If you are running OSX Snow Leopard and have an all-in-one print/scan/fax/copy machine, like for example the excellent Canon MX850, you have a very flexible document scanner at your disposal.  A tiny little app is in your Application Folder called “Image Capture”. Open it and all compatible devices connected by USB, Bluetooth or your wired/wireless network will show up.

The real power of this app is that if your all-in-one supports it you can remotely capture as a PDF a bunch of sheet fed pages, INCLUDING auto duplex.

The app is not that fancy, but it is a real powerhouse, simple to use, and best of all it’s already installed and ready to go!  Much simpler than trying to install 3rd party apps to do the same thing. Give it a try!

Peter a.k.a. Mr Mac