Connecting You To A Summer Adventure!

The Maine House is headed out  for a few days in Boston. We have planned a walking tour for one afternoon taking in key sites in Bean Town! If you ever decide to head for New England, this is a perfect time of year to escape that southern heat index. Boston offers so many historic sites and you will never run out of great places to eat, whether it is grabbing lunch at Santarpio's or savoring the fine Italian cuisine at Antonio's. The Divine Miss M and I love to tour historic homes, so these will be well worth the walk! Happy vacationing!

PAUL REVERE  HOUSE , CIRCA 1680

This is Boston's oldest and most famous house which is located in the North Square. The home has been restored to reflect both the 17th century lifestyle of it's first owner and Paul Revere in the revolutionary era.

OTIS HOUSE MUSEUM, CIRCA 1796

This home is located on Cambridge Street in  Boston. It was built by Charles Bulfinch for the wealthy congressman and lawyer, Harrison Gray Otis and his wife Sally. The interior reflects high-style Federal design. When you tour their home you will hear fascinating details of the lives of the Otis family. As you continue your walking tour, you will be able to see the changes over time in the Beacon Hill and West End neighborhoods.

NICHOLS HOUSE, CIRCA 1804

The Nichols House can be found on Mount Vernon Street. It is an intimate home attributed to Charles Bulfinch. The home's authentic interiors reflect the evolving tasted of the 19th and early 20th centuries of Boston. The museum in the former home of Rose Standish Nichols, who was a  landscape designer, suffragist and pacifist.

PRESCOTT HOUSE, CIRCA 1808

This magnificent home is located on Beacon Street. It is a Federal style townhome designed by Asher Benjamin and overlooks Boston Common. The townhome is furnished throughout with antique objects, paintings and furniture. This home also features a faithfully restored bedchamber, along with a study of famed historian, William Prescott and reflects a most gracious 19th century home, complete with a fine costume collection.

GIBSON HOUSE, CIRCA 1859

A few blocks down on Beacon Street, you will find a wonderfully preserved Victorian townhouse occupied by three generations of a prominent Boston family. It features original late 19th century interiors and intact servant's area.

Estelle's has the menu for dinner prepared in advance as we

 motor back from Massachusetts.

It promises to be an amazing day!

Tri-Colored Stuffed Peppers

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground turkey

2 slices white bread, cut into cubes

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves, plus 6 to 8 whole leaves, for frying

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

A few dashes hot sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon oil

Vegetable oil, for frying

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove core and seeds from peppers. Slice into 1 inch rings and place on nonstick baking sheet. You should get about 3 rings per pepper. In a large bowl mix together beef, turkey, bread, 1/2 cup of the tomatoes, garlic, egg, onion, chopped sage, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Press meatloaf mixture evenly into pepper rings. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Saute meatloaf rings on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add remaining tomatoes to skillet and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1-inch vegetable oil until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 325 degrees F. Drop sage leaves into oil and fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish meatloaf rings with fried sage leaves.

Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

6 green bell peppers

salt to taste

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup

water as needed

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper, and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.