Prize-Winning Cranberry Cornbread!!

Chris’ Buffalo Chili, made with fresh ground North Carolina Buffalo was awesome, but my Cranberry Cornbread won the prize!!! Here’s the recipe:1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal (not mix)
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup buttermilk
6 oz grated extra sharp cheddar
1 cup corn
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped sauteed onions
1/3 cup minced green peppers
2 tsp minced jalapenos

Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Combine cornmeal & bisquick and add, alternating with buttermilk. Add cheese and remaining ingredients, mixing until blended. Pour into greased 9X13 non-stick baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sorry, this is not one of my healthier recipes but it’s wonderful for a special occasion. See the May 2009 post for my Apple-Oatmeal Bread made with whole wheat flour & dried cranberries – still delicious but better for you!!!

Other March Events:

Saturday March 26
Winter Barn Dance at The Bascom
Celebrating a great Highlands Tradition
$5 at the door, food & beverages for purchase
(828) 526-4949

ALL WEEKENDS THROUGH APRIL:
Enjoy your 2nd night at HALF PRICE
Or, your 3rd night FREE at
Colonial Pines Inn
(828) 526-2060

Also, book your 2011 reservations NOW
at 2010 prices!!!

A Lovely Gift!

A beautiful original painting by Nancy Burleson now brightens a formerly dark corner near our “Piano-Top Gift Shop.” A gift from Barbara & Bob Higgs, long-time guests from Jackson TN, it depicts a still life with flowers and features a pretty maple leaf bottle (like the ones we sell) full of delicious Vermont Maple Syrup. Even more special, it was painted by Barbara’s dear friend Nancy, a Jackson local artist. Barbara had given Nancy a bottle of syrup and Nancy responded as she can do best – with a painting!What a thoughtful and touching gift, Barbara & Bob – and Nancy, too!
We will treasure it, and now there will always be a little of you here at Colonial Pines Inn.
Thank You So Much!

Happy New Year!

It was a beautiful White Christmas in Highlands, but today the New Year’s rain is washing it all away. The locals say the woolly worms are predicting a snowy season, so keep in touch if you want to come see the mountains in white, go snow tubing or (if cold temperatures continue) ice skate on Harris Lake. Miss Rebecca’s Cottage, near the lake, is open every day of the winter, and the Inn is open weekends.

If you look carefully in this photo, you can see our beautiful (frozen) Thanksgiving pumpkin covered with snow & circled by a wreath.

My New Year’s resolution is to put the Inn on Facebook. Wish me luck keeping up with it all and please visit Colonial Pines Inn on Facebook to check on my progress.

A heartfelt thanks to all our guests for making it a great 2010.
We wish for you and your family all things peaceful and joyous in 2011!

Please join us January through March
for Second Night Half Price
and plan ahead to get the best choice of rooms for Summer & Fall
at Colonial Pines Inn.
Donna & Chris Alley
Innkeepers Since 1984

(866) 526-2060 Toll Free

Cranberry-Chocolate Hello Dollies

If you’ve had breakfast at Colonial Pines Inn, you’ve probably had cranberries in one form or another: Cranberry-Pecan French Toast, White Grape & Cranberry Juice, Passion & Cranberry Juice, Cranberry-Pumpkin Bread, Lemon-Cranberry Bread, or Baked Apples with Cranberry Centers. We love them for their color, their taste, and their nutrition. Here they’re paired with chocolate for a twist on an old favorite bar recipe:CRANBERRY-CHOCOLATE DOLLIES

1-1/8 cup almond flour
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Combine almond flour, sugar & melted butter. Press into the bottom of an 8″X8″ baking pan. Layer with the chocolate, cranberries, coconut, and pecans. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 16 squares.

SEE HIGHLANDS TWINKLE
with December Discounts
(Second Night Half Price)
at
Colonial Pines Inn B&B
(828) 526-2060
(866) 526-2060 Toll Free

We wish you & your family peace, joy,
and a trip to the mountains!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
from
Donna & Chris Alley
Innkeepers Since 1984

A Trio of New Berry Preserves

“BLACKBERRY JALAPENO”
A twist on hot pepper jelly, made with local blackberries.”PLUM-KISSED PEAR”
Prettiest jam color you’ve ever seen.

“BERRY SUITE”
All the summer berries: strawberries, raspberries & blueberries,
plus cranberries for an unusually bright flavor.

As you can see, I’ve been busy in the kitchen since things slowed down after an especially busy summer season. Thanks to everyone who visited for making it a great come-back year here in Highlands! We’re still offering the Mon/Tues discounts in September, and October bookings are looking good, so please call ahead for all stays during Leaf Season.

And we don’t roll up the sidewalks in November & December either, so check out special events like Highlands Culinary Weekend (Nov 12/13), the Christmas Tree Lighting (Nov 27), and Highlands Christmas Parade (Dec 4). There’s nothing like a twinkly small-town holiday celebration to lift your spirits and we hope you will join us during this fun and festive time of year!
http://www.colonialpinesinn.com
(828) 526-2060
(866)526-2060 Toll-Free

 

Stay without A/C?? No Way!!

Do you dream of beating the heat by coming to the mountains to stay in a hotel room with the A/C blasting? Probably not, and it’s certainly not necessary here in Highlands. This photo was taken at high noon today on our porch, and nights are always in the 60s (and sometimes 50s) in July. In fact, the average July low is 57 degrees, according to the statistics. What keeps it so cool here? Well, the elevation is one thing – 4000′ makes a big difference – and the rainfall is another. Highlands is in a temperate rainforest with 80-100 inches of rain a year. Moist air hits the cool mountains bringing cooling showers almost every afternoon.

That rainfall accounts for the lush flora seen all over the area. This is a true plant-lovers paradise and especially enjoyable when you stay off Main Street at a place like Colonial Pines, surrounded by two beautiful acres of shade trees and July’s blooming day lilies. A recent visitor to Highlands wrote about her surprise at having no A/C: “Fans were all we needed to stay cool. In fact, we turned them off at night!” Clean mountain air, open windows and evening breezes are one reason to visit the mountains and one reason to stay at Colonial Pines Inn. Join us this Summer to see for yourself. Arrive Monday or Tuesday for Third-Night-Half-Price. (828) 526-2060

Synchronous Fireflies

What a treat around 10pm this week! Just happened to look out on a dark little corner of the property in back of the Inn to see fireflies all lighting up at once. There were several really bright flashes, then a short period of complete darkness, then more flashing. Chris & and I walked out in the middle of them and enjoyed the enchanting show.Synchronous Fireflies, Photinus carolinus, were identified in the 1990s in the Smokies where they draw crowds in June, but I didn’t know they were in Highlands, too. Colonial Pines is just far enough away from the lights of Main Street that a dark patch of English Ivy on the back of the building provided a perfect backdrop for their mating ritual – and pure magic for us!

 

Mention the FIREFLIES when making reservations, and your second night will be at half price on any stay through June 22, 2010 (new reservations only). Maybe you’ll see them, too!

(866) 526-2060 Toll-Free

Fall In Love….

…with the REAL Highlands! Before there were fancy hotels, fine dining, boutique shopping, spas, and a multitude of special events, there were still plenty of reasons to fall in love with Highlands. Pristine mountain air and a natural setting like the one shown above will take your breath away and calm your soul for a weekend, a season, or a lifetime.

Give your wallet a break, too, when you take advantage of “Second Night Half Price” by arriving on Monday or Tuesday, excluding holidays and October. This offer does not apply to The Bargain Basement, which is always discounted to $90 per night.

The amazing spot pictured above is right in town at Highlands Nature Center (across from Miss Rebecca’s Cottage, our three bedroom rental house) and is one of many special locations throughout our beautiful mountain area. Come to Highlands and find your favorite place for relaxing and renewing – compliments of Mother Nature!

Cabin Fever, Kitchen Ceiling & Cookies!

Ever wonder what Innkeepers do in the off-season? You can see from the previously posted snow photos that we spent a lot of time indoors this winter, resulting in a new kitchen ceiling! The lighting alone makes a huge difference and it’s nice to have the old acoustical tile gone, new trim around the cabinet tops, and a higher ceiling that follows the line of the porch roof. Come see it when you’re here! It’s giving us a “lift” and inspiring new recipes like this chewy & delicious cookie made with whole wheat flour:

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN CEILING COOKIES

2 sticks butter, softened

1 c. dk. brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups coconut

12 oz. dark chocolate chips

1 c. sliced almonds

8 oz toffee bits

1 c. craisins

1 1/2 tsp vanilla ext.

1 1/2 tsp almond ext.

Preheat overn to 350. Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs & beat well. Add all other ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake about 10-11 minutes until slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Makes about 8 dozen. Batter can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen until needed.

WE’RE BAKING THEM THIS WEEKEND – COME HELP YOURSELF!

A Snowy Miss Rebecca’s Cottage

We recently returned from a Caribbean vacation to a winter wonderland and the snowiest season in many years! Experience YOUR perfect winter getaway at Miss Rebecca’s Cottage where you’ll have plenty of space and privacy to cozy up by your own fireside. Miss Rebecca’s is open all year and is appropriate for couples or families. CALL FOR A SPECIAL OFF-SEASON QUOTE OR LAST MINUTE DISCOUNT! Secluded in -town next to Sunset Rocks Trail just outside the business district, it’s an easy walk to shopping & dining. See interior photos at www.colonialpinesinn.com/rebecca.html

Innsitters Diane & Bob from Destin FL snapped these photos – the prettiest I’ve seen of snow with Carolina blue skies. Here’s the Episcopal Church on Main Street – 1/3 mile from Miss Rebecca’s and 1/2 mile from the Inn.

The Museum of American Cut Glass is in a picturesque log cabin around the corner from the Inn on Chestnut Street. Call us at 828.526.2060 or 866.526.2060 (toll-free) or email sleeptight@colonialpinesinn.com