Passion Leads to the Wilds of Maine!

. . a freshly blended fruit smoothie, homemade carrot ginger juice, a broiled grapefruit bubbling with brown sugar and warmed Maine blueberries..... or chilled cantaloupe and peach soup with. . . lemon zest and raspberries.

And, perhaps followed by. . .

. . . Spicy Maine Crab Cake.... Eggs Benedict served with caramelized pears and sweet potato-banana mash...... or Custard-like French toast smothered with pan-sautéed bananas, golden pineapple; toasted coconut aside crisp bacon and fresh fruit.

Ok! You had me at hello...........................Safe to say we may be "eating" our way through Maine! Yet, another discovery in which The Maine House is placing on their travel list for 2011!


Imagine....motoring around the countryside of Maine and slowly visions of sparkling water appear in the distance and then the scent of pine wafts its way through open car windows. We turn around the bend and an expansive view appears. Blair Hill Inn majestically comes into view showing off the extensive lawn and beckons us to turn into the historical drive and make our way up to this most impressive lakeside home. 

Lyman Blair, a young socialite from a very wealthy family of Chicago, visited Moosehead Lake with friends in the late 1800's. Legend has it that he had his best night's sleep ever on a hillside overlooking the lake.

With his family fortune Lyman Blair purchased the entire hillside. Lyman took great care in building his home strategically centered on the hill atop 20 foot high stone walls, centering the views of Moosehead Lake from nearly every window. Mr. Blair bred cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and fancy roosters on the slopes of his hillside from 1891 until his death in 1946.

Dan and Ruth McLaughlin had thriving corporate careers in Chicago when they saw an ad in Preservation Magazine featuring the property of Blair Hill. They flew out to Maine to research the property and seemed to almost instantly know, they were to be the next innkeepers. So with two young children in tow, Dan and Ruth left the corporate world behind and headed east in the summer of 1997.

Dan and Ruth, and their good friend, Larry Lewis, a carpenter by trade, began work restoring Blair Hill and the surrounding grounds into the refined and polished haven it is today. The Inn features eight guest suites, living and dining rooms and family quarters. The couple serve as innkeepers, in addition to Dan lending his talents from his love of cooking bountiful breakfasts with fresh, seasonal New England foods, while Ruth's eye for beauty prepares the tablescapes. Lunch and dinner menus are prepared by Chef Jack Neal who is a master at reinterpreting classic dishes such as lobster fritters and wood grilled scallops with inspired new combinations of spices and sides that make them new again. 




Optimism, Inspiration and a passion! You have to love this....staying excited, refreshed and happy....those feelings pass along to others as an intangible energy!

New England Oatmeal Brulee with Cinnamon Cream
Cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 T. real maple syrup
1 t. cinnamon
Oatmeal
4 cups water
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 -1/4 cup sugar
fruit if desired (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups)
Butter flavored cooking spray


In a small saucepan, bring the cream and cinnamon to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the syrup and cinnamon. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add the oatmeal and salt; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the cinnamon cream and nutmeg. cover and let stand for 2 minutes.


Grease 4 10- inch or 6 mini ramekins with the cooking spray. Add fruit if desired (raspberries, bananas, etc.) Spoon oatmeal over the top; sprinkle with sugar. Place on baking sheet. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 7-9 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve with remaining cinnamon cream.

Dan and Ruth

“If we’ve learned anything,” says Ruth

 “we’ve learned that staying true to yourself in everything you do

 makes the difference more than anything else.”

Good for the Soul!

There is something intimate....and universal about that round, steaming bowl of soup placed before us! It warms us when we are cold, cools us when we are hot and comforts us when we are sick.

Growing up, it seemed that Mother just knew how to make all kinds of soup..some better than others.

 She always bought her soup bones from the butcher at The Sunflower or Jitney- Jungle....this was the indispendable ingredient that made a darn good soup!


Her masterspieces included fresh vegetables, such as beans, corn and root vegetables. I mean, think back about your own Mother's or Grandmother's recipes. Doesn't it evoke warm memories?

Vintage Soup Tureen

 The aroma of chicken soup simmering with an abundance of celery, onions, carrots and parsnips! Whether served in a crockery bowl or in a delicate double-handled soup bowl on a damask tablecloth, laid with silver spoons...we savor the tastes and the aromas!

Estelle's Chicken and Dumpling Soup

2 1/2lbs to 3 lbs. of chicken pieces
4 cups of chicken broth
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 cup of peas, frozen or fresh
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
Dumplings:
2 cups baking mix (Bisquick or Pioneer)
1/2 cup milk

In a large skillet, sauté chicken pieces in olive oil until brown on both sides, about 3 — 4 minutes on each side.

Put all ingredients except the biscuits in a 6-qt. Crock Pot or slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 4 to  5 hours. While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, prepare the dumplings. Mix the baking mix and milk together and form into 1-inch balls.

Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot. Take out all leftover bones and skin and discard. Cut the large pieces of chicken meat into bite-size pieces.

Put chicken pieces back into the Crock-Pot and drop in the biscuit dough balls. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Serve in bowls with a biscuit or two for each person.

Estelle's "BIG POT" VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

3 lbs. ground beef

6 beef bouillon cubes

1 lg. can tomato juice

2 med. onions, diced

1 can diced stewed tomatoes

1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (16 oz.) can cut green beans

1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn

1 (16 oz.) can sliced carrots

1 (16 oz.) can sliced new potatoes

1 (16 oz.) can butter beans

1 tsp. garlic powder

Brown ground beef with onions. In a large pot add all ingredients. DO NOT DRAIN VEGETABLES. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer.

“When she goes about her kitchen duties, chopping, carving, mixing, whisking,
 she moves with the grace and precision of a ballet dancer,
her fingers plying the food with the dexterity of a croupier.” Craig Claiborne

Shepherding, Shearing and Spinning!

The Maine House is hosting Afternoon Tea as we learn  how a passion from a young girl,  grew and developed into a vibrant resource!

I, myself,  have always had a passion for sheep. My aunt and uncle in Ohio raised sheep for a short time and perhaps this is what first gave me an awareness of their beauty. From time to time, I research sheep and have framed beautiful pictures of sheep throughout my home. Recently, I came across someone else who seemed to have a love for sheep and thought how interesting it was to learn about the manner in which her passion became .....

"Esther's Place!"

Natasha Lehrer's  inspiration came from the legacy of the agrarian lifestyle (1.pro-farmer: promoting the interests of farmers, especially by seeking a more equitable basis of land ownership 2. of rural life: dominated by or relating to farming or rural life 3. of land: relating to land, especially its ownership and cultivation)
 surrounding her home on the Midwestern prairie.  Natasha had moved with her parents as a teenager from Chicago to the small village of Big Rock, Illinois. Although not anticipating the awakening of her entrepreneurial spirit, she settled into rural life and after a while,  she considered raising sheep. One kind soul gave her a spinning wheel and fatefully the Lehrer house, recently purchased, came with a loom. Natasha taught herself the trade of shepherding after purchasing one mother ewe and a lamb.

In the fall of 2005, at the age of 19, Natasha won a USDA grant for single-use agriculture. She then purchased a large and rambling Victorian home and "Esther's Place" was born! Natasha connected the two worlds of farming and fiber arts and began teaching weaving and spinning classes, as her sheep grazed the pastures surrounding her new home!

Natasha has created a life of shearing, spinning and shepherding to produce man-made fibers from her shop and retreat center.


We pay tribute to Natasha Lehrer,  as she strives to preserve the process of her passion; raising Cheviot sheep and supporting local farmers. This is a house where Natasha's vision rings true...a place where all are warmly welcomed to learn, laugh, linger and be inspired.

Blissful Vanilla Bean Cake

3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole vanilla bean, split
2 sticks, plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup milk
5 egg whites
1 Tbsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of 3 8" pans. Line each with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend well. With the tip of a small knife, scrape out the seeds from inside the vanilla bean into the bowl. Add the butter and 1 cup of milk and mix to blend. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the vanilla extract and the remaining 1/3 cup of milk. Add this to the batter in 2 to 3 additions, scraping down the bowl well and mixing only to incorporate. Divide among your pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks. Remove the paper and cool completely, about an hour.

Blissful White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened (Do Not Substitute)
2 cups confectioners' sugar
6 ounces white chocolate , melted and cooled
3 to 5 tablespoons whipping cream

In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners sugar at low speed until fluffy. Add in melted and cooled white chocolate and whipping cream (start with 3 tablespoons and add in more to achieve desired consistency). Beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula.

Estelle's Friendship Tea (from my original Bell's Best)
1 18- ounce jar of Tang
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup of Lemonade Mix
1/2 cup instant tea
1 3- ounce package of Apricot Jello
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
Boiling water

Combine first 7 ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir very well. Pour and store in an air tight container. To serve, place 1 1/2 tablespoon of mix into a teacup and add 1 cup of boiling water.

"Winter...A lingering season,

is a time to gather golden moments,

 embark on a sentimental journey

and enjoy every idle hour."

 John Boswell

Hot Suppa!

It is Winter in the Village.........brrrrrrrrrrrr...........
The Maine House is warm, and cooking up some comfort food. The darlings have flown south for the winter months. We shall be warm and toasty by the fire with the aromas of chili on the stove and cornbread in the oven. Please come join us for a winter comfort food dinner!

For chili lovers, behold your season and please pass the crackers and the cornbread! Every family has their own personal family favorites...Estelle's loves all the comments that make THEIR FAMILY FAVORITES the best recipe ever!!!!!


Nothing says welcome on a cold winter night more than the fragrance of a pot of chili simmering on the stove. While the chili flavoring remains a universal, other ingredients vary from ground beef to chunks of white meat chicken, beans or no beans, and, in most recipes, some form of tomatoes.


A call to Max Bauman, son of  " The News" ever-so-popular "Farm and Fancy" columnist, Jane Bauman, produced Jane's recipe, along with anecdotes. (See Max's comments enclosed in parentheses.)

"This recipe was printed on the blank side of a Christmas card," Max wrote. "Mom dated the recipe Jan. 1, 1994." His mother always liked to date everything that she wrote down, including her recipes (and she sometimes noted what she was doing at the time and what the weather was like).  At the top of the recipe card, she printed, "Matt and Max said this was the best chili I ever made. So, since I made changes from the old recipe, I had better copy it (during the Rose Bowl parade) before I forget it." She used a large, heavy cast aluminum cooking pot with a perfect fitting lid!


This chili just has lots of flavor without being hot (of course Matt added hot sauce to his bowl). I've never used poblano chiles before but I really loved its mild taste. For the corn we used MN sweet corn that I had frozen when it was in season last year. Really, it had the most incredible sweetness & crispness that played well with the other more savory seasonings.You can serve this chili with any of your favorite toppings. Matt liked it with some mild grated cheese, like Monterey Jack. I liked it with a scoop of plain yogurt (my substitute for sour cream) because it added just a touch of tartness.


Very VERY good! This soup was so easy to make and wonderful with some crusty warm bread. Perfect weeknight dinner! The fresh cilantro added the perfect touch.

Turkey Black Bean and Corn Chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups  Chicken Broth
1 cup Chunky Salsa
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained


Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder. Cook until turkey is well browned, stirring frequently to break up meat. Stir the broth, salsa, sugar, beans and corn into the saucepan. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Stir the chili occasionally while cooking.

Chicken and Black Bean Corn Chili
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
4 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Cumin, Ground
1 teaspoon  Garlic Powder
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) great Northern beans, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt


 Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
 Heat small nonstick skillet on medium heat 2 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and garlic; toast 30 seconds or until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add to chicken mixture.
 Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes.

Miss Judy called me the other day and said, "Miss Connie brought me her version of chili and let me tell you, I will have to send you her recipe....it is one of the most delicious chili's I have ever tasted. It has black beans in it which I really don't care for, but I am definitely making her recipe this weekend!" Connie is this precious and feisty silver fox who lives with her kitty, Dorothy and her adopted love bug, Molly, who is her greyhound puppy in Florida.

Connie's Black Bean & Corn Chili
1 to 1 1/2 lb ground sirloin (cook and drain)
 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles (drain)
1 cup diced celery (saute in oil and drain)
1 cup diced onion (saute in oil and drain)
 1 small pkg frozen corn
 1 can tomato bisque soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can black beans (drain)
 Add 1 cup of water ; cook till heated through.
Stir occasionally. Add 1 pkg chili seasoning mix.

"Winter is the time for comfort,

 for good food and warmth,

 for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:

it is the time for home." Edith Sitwell

Lemon Tree...Very Pretty!

The Maine House is planning "The Garden"....Adding a Meyer Lemon Tree sounds like a beautiful idea...

The Meyer lemon (Citrus × meyeri) is a citrus fruit native to China thought to be a cross between a true lemon and either a mandarin or common orange. It was introduced to the United States in 1908  by the agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China. By the mid 1940s the Meyer lemon had become widely grown in California. However, at that time it was discovered that a majority of the Meyer lemon trees being cloned were symptomless carriers of the Citrus tristeza virus, a virus which had killed millions of citrus trees all over the world and rendered other millions useless for production. After this finding, most of the Meyer lemon trees in the United States were destroyed to save other citrus trees.

The Meyer lemon is commonly grown in China potted as an ornamental. It became popular as a food item in the United States after being rediscovered by chefs such as Alice Waters at Chez Panisse during the California Cuisine revolution. Popularity further climbed when Martha Stewart began featuring them in her recipes.
Meyer lemon trees are around 6 to 10 feet (2–3 meters) tall at maturity, though they can be pruned smaller. Their leaves are dark green and shiny. The flowers are white with a purple base and fragrant.

The fruit is yellow and rounder than a true lemon. The skin is fragrant and thin, colored a deep yellow with a slight orange tint when ripe. Meyer lemon fruits have a sweeter, less acidic flavor than the more common lemon Lisbon or Eureka grocery store varieties. The pulp is a dark yellow and contains up to 10 seeds per fruit.


Meyer lemons are reasonably hardy, but grow well in a warm climate. They are also fairly vigorous. A tree grown from seed usually begins fruiting in four years. While trees produce fruit throughout the year, the majority of the crop is ready in winter.Trees require adequate water, but less in the winter. For maximum yield, they should be fertilized during growing periods.
Meyer lemons are popular as ornamental plants due to their compact size, hardiness and productivity. They are highly decorative and suitable for container growing.


 Check out these space saving ideas that create a beautiful and bountiful garden.
Train a dwarf lemon tree against your fence for fruit, color and fragrance.

Dwarf and compact Meyer lemons are ideal for a "mini orchard." Mix these prolific "fruiters" directly in the mixed border. Try to accompany them with lavender and ornamental grasses for a low water, aromatic garden.


Yes, there is room in your yard for fruit trees.

 Look for varieties labeled, “dwarf,” “compact,” “espaliered,” and “patio size.”

Baking with Meyer Lemons................

Lemon Lime Buttermilk Pie
Pastry for 1 crust pie
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
3 beaten eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Juice from one lemon and one lime (about 1/3 cup total)
Zest from one lemon
Zest from one lime
About 1/2 tsp finely grated ginger if desired
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Fit the pastry into a 9″ pie pan.Combine sugar, nutmeg, ginger, citrus zest, and salt in a bowl; mix well.
Add the melted butter and stir until blended. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk, juice, and vanilla. Pour into crust and bake for 10 minutes.Turn heat down to 325 and bake for 30 -35 minutes longer. Cool before slicing. Top with fresh whipped cream and a small lemon and lime slice!

Dorothy Lacefield's delicious lemon pie won Best of Show at the State Fair of Texas and tied for the title of Oprah and Gayle King's "Best of the Best."

Lemon Mousse Pie
Crust:
3/4 cup toasted almonds , ground
6 Tbsp. butter , melted
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. grated lemon peel


Lemon Curd:
1 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks , lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup butter , cubed
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 bars (4 ounces each) white chocolate , chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese , softened


Lemon Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. butter , cut up
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon peel


To make crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. In a medium mixing bowl, combine almonds, crumbs, butter and lemon peel. Press evenly on bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake at 350° degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.


To make lemon curd: Bring sugar, lemon peel and juice to a boil in a heavy 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1/4 hot juice mixture into egg yolks; add egg yolk mixture to remaining hot juice mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, at least 10 or 12 minutes (mixture will be pudding-like in thickness). Add butter, in 6 batches, whisking constantly until butter melts and mixture is well blended after each addition. Remove from heat and pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming); chill 3 hours. Make about 1 1/3 cups.


Microwave white chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl at high for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals.


Beat softened cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and beat until blended, stopping to scrape down sides. Add lemon curd and beat until blended.


Beat heavy cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into lemon mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared crust, mounding mixture in center of crust. Chill 3 hours.


To make lemon topping: Combine sugar, butter and lemon juice in top of double boiler. Set over pan of simmering water and stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Beat egg, yolk and lemon peel in bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk warm butter mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to double boiler and cook over simmering water until topping is thick, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes; do not boil. Transfer topping to bowl, whisking to smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of topping and chill until cold.


Remove pie from refrigerator. Spread with Lemon Topping. Chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream, lemon wedges and crumb topping!

A little garden in which to walk, and immensity in which to dream. 

With Sincere Appreciation...

I would like to extend my sincere "thank you" for taking time to read The Maine House blog! I have been pleasantly surprised and most delighted in hearing from you all! Like so many others, this has provided a creative outlet for me to share my love of beautiful things, the love and learning of gardening, and sharing the best of our family recipes and home cooking!


Many of you have sent messages letting me know how much you have enjoyed reading these postings and how a particular recipe, beautiful picture, as expressed to me from darling Gabriele..... or a history fact....well.....inspired you. That was my goal and it delighted my heart to learn this.






I have made new friends along this path.....my new friend Patricia, who I continue to learn from and laugh with on her own blog, my long-time friend, Janis, who is probably the "best-spirited" and most kind- hearted person I have known, and my friend Vicki who now has a love for transferware!


Isn't it funny how this method of "connection" has developed each of us to learn not only about each other, but our own self as well.....


Happy Blogging and Many Blessings.....
Estelle's at The Maine House

Believe, Wish, Inspire, Relax... Always!

The Maine House is beginning a new year.....it is our blessing and our gift! Places to go and promises to keep. I prefer thinking of this term, a promise to ourselves, as opposed to a resolution. Endless are the possibilities of our lives.
And so...we.....believe!

The village is laden with snow. How beautiful and peaceful snow appears as it falls gently from the heavens. Yet, once weeks old and scattered about, the loveliness fades and extends feelings of coldness and bleakness.

And so...we.....wish!

We savor winter's sweet sentiments of a warm evening meal while the promise of spring perfumes the air. Tucked within a candlelit dining nook and sheltered from the cold, a wistful tableau of nostalgia and romance will embrace us with the fragrance of our flowers, paying tribute to our garden and restoring new life.

And so...we are .....inspired!

Our thoughts turn to a longing for spring

 and fresh beginnings.

The garden!

Yes, that is where we want to be.

And so....we.....relax!

"If I had a single flower for every time I think of you,

I could walk forever in my garden"

Claudia Ghandi

And so.....we.....know.....Always!

Blessings from
The Maine House
 January 1, 2011