New Year’s Weekend Getaway

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Ring in the New Year with a getaway to Lanesboro, MN the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.

The Old Village Hall Restaurant is featuring a lovely dinner all weekend including:
Appetizers: Sautéed Mussels in an Orange Gin Chile Cream Sauce,
Seasoned Lamb Chops with Irish Whiskey Cherry Sauce
Entrées: Monkfish Scaloppini,
Dry Aged New York Strip,
Roasted Organic Chicken Breast on a Bed of Fettuccini
Desserts: Almond Cake and Apricot Ice Cream,
Baked Alaska with Hazelnut Brittle,
Chocolate Tart with Fresh Marshmallow Praline Sauce and Crème Anglaise

Call (507) 467-2962 to Reserve Seating (Advance Reservations Recommended)

The snow has made the hills, valleys, and streams in our corner of Minnesota into a winter wonderland.

Amish Farm in the Country

Amish Farm in the Country

The Root River State Trail is groomed for cross country skiing.  Weather has been great the past 2 weeks to maintain good skiing conditions.  There are plenty of places to snow shoe as well.

Root River

Root River

Relax, recover from the holiday rush with a quiet getaway to the Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B.  We’ll start your day with a just-baked loaf of bread delivered to your room followed by a hearty breakfast.

Then you can head outdoors or curl up with a book next to one of our electric fireplaces.  Give us a call at 800 697-9902 to make a reservation.

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Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride Winter Wonderland

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

We’ve got a fresh pack of snow in Lanesboro, MN.   The countryside looks like a winter wonderland!  Downtown Lanesboro is decorated for Christmas.

Downtown Lanesboro Decked out for Christmals

Downtown Lanesboro Decked out for Christmas

Restaurants, Bed and Breakfasts, and the Cornucopia Art Center have their welcome mat ready for you to create your personal winter getaway.

Cuddle together in the crisp winter air and listen to the music of brass bells as the sleigh runners cut through the snow!

webDanielsonSleigh

Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride

Your horse drawn sleigh ride begins in scenic Duschee Creek valley near Lanesboro.  Heavy lap blankets will keep you cozy as you glide through the fields and into the woods. From there the horses know their way home.  Back in town a steaming cup of hot cocoa or cider awaits you!

The Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B is your perfect winter getaway destination.  Two of our spacious suites have electric fireplaces where you can curl up with a good book and enjoy the peace and quiet.

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Minnesota Tundra Swan Migration

Posted on November 25, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Last week we took a day off and observed the  Tundra Swan migration near Brownsville, MN.  Brownsville, MN is located 10 miles south of LaCrescent, MN on MN state hwy 26.  The US Fish and Wildlife Services has created an overlook just south of Brownsville on the Mississippi River where the swans and migrating ducks can be seen by the thousands.

A Swan Family Feud

A Swan Family Feud

The swans are graceful birds with over a 7 foot wing span!  The swans migrate from their summer habitat near the Arctic Circle to their winter habitat in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.

The interpreters at the overlook told us that the swans fly non-stop from the Arctic Circle to the Mississippi River where they refuel for the next leg of the migration.  They remain in Brownsville until the colder temperatures and reduced feeding habitat pushes them on.  They may stop in Lake Erie for another refueling stop making their way to Chesapeake Bay.

Migrating Swans

Migrating Swans

The photos really don’t do the experience justice.  There are places where the sand bars are white with birds.  It looks more like snow in the distance!

We have had a warm November so the swans may be around for a few more weeks.  The viewing area is about an hour drive from Lanesboro.

Lanesboro is dressed for Christmas with new downtown decorations.  Take in The 1940′s Radio Hour at the Commonweal Theatre and stay with us at the Hillcrest Hide-Away.  We’re ready for  Christmas too  including Carol’s extensive Santa collection.

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Girls Getaway Weekend Vacation

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Last weekend we hosted a group of sisters and their daughters for a girls getaway weekend.  They left their husbands and kids at home and filled our home with laughter and fun.  Friday night they shared a pot luck spread of snacks (including a marvelous trout pate’ spread) and wine in our living room.

Breakfast for Sisters/Daughters group

Breakfast for Sisters/Daughters group

Saturday morning they gathered for breakfast (after munching on home made bread of course).   There was no need for gentle background music.  There were at least three simultaneous conversations most of the time.

Then they ventured off to the farmers market, shopping downtown and enjoying their time together.

We often host groups of ladies who vacation together.  It is always interesting to hear how they are connected and how much they enjoy traveling together.

Plan your next girls getaway with us at the Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B.  Hunting season is coming.  You deer hunting widows need time away too.  While the hunters are shivering on those deer stands, you can cozy up with book next to a fireplace at our inn.

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Minnesota Theatre November Opening

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

The Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, Minnesota announces the opening and production of their 100th show: “A Midnight Dreary” by Scott Dixon, October 31st – November 15th, with previews on October 29th and 30th.

Commonweal Theatre

Commonweal Theatre

From his hospital bed, Edgar Allan Poe – the first Master of the Macabre – wanders through a feverish dream mixing scenes from his life and works. But is he simply lost in a labyrinth of his own making, or being given a last chance to set things right?

 Hal Cropp, the theater company’s artistic director, directs the show. “This telling of Poe’s life,” says Cropp, “centers around the ghosts that ‘haunt’ us, and what it is about our lives that will echo on after we’ve gone. And the questions are raised in a manner that infuses the story with the beauty of Poe’s poetry and the titillation that accompanies his most famous stories.”
 
The Commonweal Theatre will offer preview performances on October 29th and 30th at 7:30 p.m. All preview tickets are $15.  All performances are in the new theater located at 208 Parkway Avenue North in downtown Lanesboro.  Ticket prices are $25.  Tickets are available at 800-657-7025 or 507-467-2525 or by email at tickets@commonwealtheatre.org. For more information and online reservations, visit www.commonwealtheatre.org.

 Make your visit to Lanesboro complete by reserving a stay at the Hillcrest Hide-Away Bed and Breakfast.  Awaken to the aroma of freshly baked bread delivered to your room – followed by a hearty breakfast in our dining room.   Visit Lanesboro, the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.

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Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Italian Strata

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Today we served a new recipe for the main breakfast entree at our bed and breakfast.  The recipe is Carol’s creation and she calls it an Italian Egg Strata.  With Italian Sausage as a main ingredient, it is a good way to wake up the taste buds for breakfast.  Fresh ingredients from our garden include tomatoes, peppers, parsley, and basil.

Our guests offered rave reviews for its flavor and how light and fluffy it is.  The dish is prepared the night before, so all the flavors have a chance to merge  before baking.  This dish would be a perfect recipe to serve your next brunch gathering allowing you time to enjoy your guests while breakfast is making in the oven.

You can make this recipe at home, or you could enjoy it when you visit our bed and breakfast in SouthEast Minnesota’s Bluff Country.  Fall colors are beginning to peak and our valley offers wonderful vistas to view the meadows, hardwoods, rivers and wildlife. 

Italian Egg Strata -
Created by Carol at Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B  Lanesboro, MN

1 (1 pound) loaf of Italian or French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound Italian sausage, browned
½ cup canned roasted red pepper (or fresh peppers), chopped
½ cup diced sun dried (or fresh) tomato
3 Tablespoons fresh basil, cut fine
4 green onions, thinly sliced, tops and bulbs
1 cup    grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 cups grated tomato and basil Monterey jack cheese
12 large eggs
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup mozzarella cheese 

Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish.  Spread 1/2 of the bread on the bottom.  Combine the browned sausage, red pepper, green onions, ½ cup parmesan cheese and fresh mushrooms.  Layer on top of bread.  Spread the jack cheese on top of this mixture.  Layer remaining bread on top. 
Whip eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper, then pour over the whole strata.  Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.  Put in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. 

 In the morning, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Bake for about 40 minutes until eggs are set.  Sprinkle parsley over the top and cover lightly with mozzarella cheese.  Return to oven until cheese melts.  Remove from oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

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MN B&B Melon Sorbet

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Melon season is upon us and often we have extra on hand.  Our local farmers markets in Southeast MN have melon too.  Here is a good way to save melons for serving later in the season.  I found this melon sorbet recipe online and served it for breakfast at our B&B last week.  It is a good way to start breakfast with a refreshing treat.

Melon Sorbet

A tidbit of orange flavor really gives the melon (whichever melon you choose–watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon) a kick.

1-1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
5 cups cubed,  watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon  
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice

Syrup

In a medium saucepan combine water and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill until cold.

Place orange juice and orange peel in the blender and whip until orange peel is dissolved.

In a large mixing bowl combine melon, orange peel, orange juice and chilled sugar mixture. Place one-third to one-half of the melon mixture in a blender or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping and scraping sides as necessary. Place pureed mixture in another bowl. Repeat with remaining melon mixture.

Freeze in an ice-cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions. (Or pour the mixture into a 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Freeze about 3 hours or until frozen around the edges. Spoon into a large chilled bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, but not melted. Return to pan. Cover and freeze several hours or overnight.)

To serve, let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Scoop into dessert dishes. Makes 8 servings

To learn more about our B&B, visit www.hillcresthideaway.com

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Minnesota Fall Color Get Away

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Labor Day has come and gone.  Cool, crisp nights are upon us and the first maples are starting to show their fall colors. 

Root River Valley Fall Colors

Root River Valley Fall Colors

South East Minnesota beckons you with vistas and valleys, hardwood forests, and plentiful wild life.

 

 

 

 

Rolling fields awaiting harvest

Rolling fields awaiting harvest

Farms form a patchwork quilt of crops awaiting harvest on the rolling country side.   The Amish dry their corn the old fashioned way with rows of corn shocks standing tall to catch the fall breezes.

 

 

Root River Bike Trail

Root River Bike Trail

Lanesboro, Minnesota and the Root River Trail offer an excellent venue for enjoying the fall colors.  Freshly fallen leaves crunch under your bike tires as you ride under the fall canopy bordered by bluffs on one side and the Root River on the other.

After an enjoyable day of biking, savor dinner in one of Lanesboro’s fine restaurants and then take in an evening at the Commonweal Theatre.  The theatre features 2 plays this fall season: “The Odd Couple” and “The Rainmaker”.  Shows are performed Thursday through Monday each week.

Lanesboro has lodging options suitable to any taste from  hotels, to inns, and bed and breakfasts.  Your bed and breakfasts hosts are there to help you get the most out of your stay.  Make Lanesboro your destination for your fall color get away.  Visit our web site at www.hillcresthideaway.com for more details.

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Lanesboro Farmers Market – the harvest is in

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Lanesboro has a lovely farmers market that operates on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday mornings.

Lanesboro Farmers Market

Lanesboro Farmers Market

Local growers bring their produce – vegetables, mushrooms, organic meats, eggs, honey, cut flowers, herbs, apples, etc.  On Saturdays, local bakers share their baked goods and a nursery sells flowers that are in bloom.

It has been a cool summer and

Farmers market produce

Farmers market produce

 the tomatoes are beginning to produce.  Garlic, eggplant, cabbage, potatoes, onions, leeks, cucumbers are just samples of what is in season.  Soon the September raspberries will be available.

Amish wares sold at the farmers market

Amish wares sold at the farmers market

On Saturdays, Amish families sell baked goods, vegetables, baskets, quilts and some furniture.  There is something for everyone at the Lanesboro Farmers market.  Lanesboro has many lodging options for you when you come to town.   From inns to bed and breakfasts to hotels.  All of them are owned by small business owners.  You’ll find no franchise hotels in Lanesboro.  Lanesboro was recently designated the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.  Make your plans now for your next visit.

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Lanesboro B&B Landscape Labyrinth Update

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Marvin Eggert

Our July 1st blog entry provided the first glimpse of our landscape labryinth.  Now that we are near the end of August, many of the flowers are  in full bloom:

Labyrinth in bloom
Labyrinth in bloom

Paprika Yarrow, Coneflower, Blue Cornflower, Black Eyed Susan, Russian Sage and Bee Balm adorn the labyrinth pathways.  The Hybiscus has buds and should be blooming soon. 

Our B&B guests have enjoyed watching the finches bathe in the fountain and walking the path.  The crunch – crunch sound of the gravel under their feet marks their path from the entrance through the pergola to the fountain in the center.
The deer have been nibbling on the day lilies.  Fortunately, they were done blooming.  Tomorrow I treat them with repellant again. 
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