From the Recipe Box: Cranberry Blog

Welcome to my first blog post. It seems appropriate that I release it now, as we come upon the one year anniversary of the start of the restoration of the Stone House.  
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I know most of you will agree with me that 2020 has been some kind of a year.  However, as I walk through the halls and rooms of the Stone House, I am reminded of all the things that we have accomplished in this past year, the strangest of times. 

Dan and I started taking on limited guests in June and now every weekend the house is booked with three rooms fully open and operational. Our list of little things is long but hard to tackle with guests underfoot. So for now we do what we can, and we wait for slower times. Our main focus is to spoil our guests, and from the feedback, we seem to be doing a great job of that. 

We are always on hand to greet our guests and show them around on arrival. I love hearing from them that the pictures that they have seen on social media or our website do not do the house justice. It truly needs to be seen and experienced first hand.  

From all the little details that we have put into the rooms, the amenities, as well as the common areas, we truly have curated a space that encourages one to relax, enjoy, and create memories with their loved ones. So often life gets in the way of doing just that, but here at The Inns at 8th and Main, we give our guests the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of a few days away from the real world - a place to reconnect with those who matter most.

A favorite of ours has become breakfast. Together, Dan and I prepare simple foods that warm not only the palate but the heart too. We set the table in fine old linens and dishes of yesterday’s past, and we pamper our guests by serving them and encouraging them to savor these morning minutes.  

Full breakfast gatherings are a rarity in today’s modern world, but here at the Inn it’s a reminder that a nice morning meal can set the tone for a beautiful day.  It’s also an experience that is long remembered after one departs and these savored memories brings guests back to the Inn, and usually with an additional friend.

If you ask any of the guests that have stayed with us this past year, I am pretty confident that they will agree that it is a grand experience here at the Inn and that no matter where you live, near or far, you will not want to miss an opportunity to stay at the Inns at 8th and Main.  

Here is a little breakfast recipe that we tried out this past weekend, and with the holiday season upon us, cranberries are in abundance. Remember, you can always freeze a bag or two and have these delectable Orange Cranberry Muffins year-round.

From the Recipe Box at the Inns of 8th & Main
​ Amy S. Smith, Innkeeper
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Orange Cranberry Muffins
12 Regular Sized or 6 Bakery Sized Muffins

Topping
¼ c Sugar (I use Turbinado Sugar)
Grated Zest of ½ of an Orange

Muffins
2 ½ c All-Purpose Flour
2 ½ tsp of Baking Powder
1 tsp of Salt
1 c plus 2 TBSP of Sugar 
2 large Eggs
4 TBSP of Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
¼ c Vegetable Oil
1 c Buttermilk (I do the old Apple Cider Vinegar trick)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½  tsp Almond Extract
Grated Zest of ½ Orange
I also squeeze ½ of Orange into the mix
1 ½ c Fresh Cranberries, divided

For the topping, stir the sugar and orange zest together until fragrant. Set aside. 

Spray muffin tins and/or use paper liners (I do not use liners and we use the bakery size pans).

Mix all dry ingredients together, then mix wet ingredients and combine Fold in 1 cup cranberries.  Do not over mix.  

Fill muffin cups halfway full. I use all the batter for 6 large muffins Press remaining cranberries into the top of each muffin and sprinkle with orange/sugar topping. 

Bake 16-17 minutes at 425 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Larger muffins take a few minutes more.  Sometimes I may even turn on the broiler to brown  and crisp up the tops a little more, but be careful.  

Note: this recipe can be easily swapped out with blueberries and lemon zest.  Another favorite variation I enjoy is blueberries and rhubarb.  I always have these ingredients in the freezer and ready to go.

The smell of these muffins coming out of the oven always remind me of the holidays. I hope you enjoy these as much as my family and guests do. It seems that when I whip up a batch of these, it draws both to the table. 

- Innkeeper Amy