Treat your guests this fall to a wonderful dessert from the Innkeeper at the Okoboji Country Inn

Okoboji Country Inn

1704 Terrace Park Blvd. 

West Okoboji, IA.  51351

http://okobojicountryinn.com/rooms.html

(712) 332-2358

Iowa farm fresh strawberries!!!

We keep hearing and seeing the ads that Gettings Garden has strawberries ready, so Okoboji Country Inn Innkeeper, Donna Muilenburg wanted to share a great recipe utilizing this berry.

3 Layer Strawberry Dessert

1 cup flour                                                  1 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter                          4 T. cornstarch

1/3 cup chopped pecans                     pinch of salt

8oz. softened cream cheese               1 1/2 cup 7 Up (regular, not diet)

7/8 cup powdered sugar                     1/2 cup water

1 cup whipped topping                          1 (30z.) package wild strawberry jello

1 quart fresh strawberries (save a few for garnish)

Mix flour, butter and pecans and press into a 9×13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Don’t over bake.  Cool.  Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping.  Put this over crust.  Combine in pan, the sugar, cornstarch, salt, 7 Up, and water.  Cook until thickened.  Add 1 (3oz.) package wild strawberry jello.  Refrigerate until it gels.  Add about 1 quart fresh strawberries and spread over second layer.  Refrigerate and garnish with whipped topping and a strawberry on each piece when serving. 

This recipe is great because it gives you that fresh strawberry pie taste. 

This recipe is being prepared by Mary Nichols from the Hannah Marie Country Inn, Spencer, Iowa. You’ll find this recipe in our new cookbook titled: “Discover Iowa: Cooking with Wine, Meat and Other Iowa Products. Click here to buy an autographed copy.

This recipe is being prepared by Donna Muilenburg from the Okoboji Country Inn located in West Okoboji,  Iowa. You’ll find this recipe in our new cookbook titled: “Discover Iowa: Cooking with Wine, Meat and Other Iowa Products. Click here to buy an autographed copy.

Innkeeper Donna Muilenburg from the Okoboji Country Inn  wants to share her Brunch Casserole recipe.  This is one of several recipes that she submitted to the Discover Iowa: Cooking with Iowa Wines, Meats and Other Products.  This cookbook features original recipes from the Iowa Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Association members and many are guest favorites that have stayed in the various bed and breakfasts across Iowa over the years.

Brunch Casserole serves 8

1/2 loaf day old French bread, cubed

3 Tablespoons melted butter

1/3 pound Genoa salami jubine

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon black course pepper

6 green onions, diced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese

10 eggs

1/3 cup white wine

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a well greased 9″x13″ casserole dish, spread bread pieces over the bottom and drizzle with butter.  Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and salami pieces.  Beat together eggs, milk, wine, green onions, mustard and both peppers.  Beat until frothy.  Pour mixture over bread.  Cover casserole and refrigerate overnight.  Remove from refrigerator and let set for 30 minutes.  Bake, covered, for 1 hour at 325 degrees.  Uncover, spread with sour cream and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, until lightly brown.

This easy to prepare casserole was a favorite of Annabelle’s Tea Room luncheon guests for many years, as well as a family favorite.  We now serve it to our guests that stay in our bed and breakfast, the Okoboji Country Inn.  It is easy to prepare the day or night before an event or family get-together. Everyone will want seconds of this light, but hardy dish.

This is a great recipe to serve during the Holiday Season. Guests at the Garden and Galley Bed and Breakfast in Indianola, Iowa, rave about it. (www.gardenandgalley.com) Served with bacon or ham, it’s the perfect dish to serve a crowd.

Baked Cranberry Pumpkin French Toast
8 Ingredients Include:
12 slices sour dough bread cut into 1-inch cubes
1 - 8oz-cream cheese - cubed
1 - 16oz-pkg fresh or frozen cranberries
12 large eggs
2 C milk
2 C canned pumpkin
1 T. cinnamon
4 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 C. brown sugar
cinnamon-sugar for top of dish
can of Whipping cream
Crannberry sauce:
1 - 16oz -can cranberry sauce
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. water

*Method: Spray 1X15-inch cake pan with non stick cooking spray.
Arrange 1/2 bread cubes in bottom of pan. Top with cream cheese and brown sugar. Top this with cranberries. Arrange rest of bread on top of this.
Beat together eggs, milk pumpkin and spices. Pour over bread and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and press down so bread soaks up the egg mixture and refrigerate overnight.

*For sauce combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 min. (check after 25 min - if browning too quickly, cover with foil) Let stand 10 min. slice and top with whipped cream and serve with cranberry sauce.

Okoboji Bed and Breakfast News: Local Northwest Iowa Innkeepers could be the next Food Network stars!!!

Innkeepers Donna Muilenburg from the Okoboji Country Inn  and Mary Nichols from Hannah Marie Country Inn each showed cased one of their recipes that they submitted to the new Iowa Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Association cookbook, “Discover Iowa: Cooking with Iowa Wines, Meats and Other Iowa Products”.  Donna chose her Brunch Casserole which was a favorite of Annabelle’s Tea Room luncheon guests for many years, as well as a family favorite. This is not your typical egg dish, and is perfect to make when you have a lot of company and want to make a statement.  Donna also wanted to share this recipe with young cooks to demonstrate that you don’t have to be in the kitchen all day to make a wonderful and different entree that will please everyone.

The new cookbook will be available in time to pick up for Christmas gifts and is also sold at The Wash House  gift shop, which is located adjacent to the Okoboji Country Inn. 

“Discover Iowa: Cooking with Iowa Wines, Meats and other Iowa Products” takes readers on a culinary journey across every region in Iowa as innkeepers share their guest’s favorite recipes as well a number of heirloom recipes that have withstood time. Unique to the book are recipes from Iowa wineries, the Iowa Egg Council, the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and Make Mine Wine magazine.  Also found in the cookbook are easy to follow recipe notes, fun stories, comments for using the recipes, and cooking tips from the innkeepers as well as from Iowa wineries, the Iowa Egg Council, and the Bureau of Horticulture and Farmers Markets in Iowa.

More information about Okoboji Country Inn (1704 Terrace Park Blvd, West Okoboji, IA) can be found at http://www.okobojicountryinn.com or call (712) 332-2358.

Innkeeper Donna Muilenburg at the Okoboji Country Inn wanted to share a hearty beef stew recipe that she got over 50 years ago from her sister-in-law.  Jean has since passed, but Donna still remembers the day, that she helped her put this delicious stew together.  Enjoy!!!

Beef Stew

2 lbs. beef stew meat                               1 teaspoon salt

6 carrots, sliced                                        1 tablespoon sugar

3 medium potatoes, cubed                     3 tablespoons tapioca

3 stalks celery, sliced                              1 large can tomato sauce

1 large onion, diced

Mix all ingredients together, put in roaster pan and cover.  Bake at 250 degrees for 3 1/2 hours in oven.  Do not remove cover during baking. 

Serves 8.  Fresh baked bread is the perfect companion to this stew.

Fall is here and innkeeper Donna Muilenburg from the Okoboji Country Inn  has the perfect recipe for the chilly nights that are approaching Northwest Iowa.

Fall Vegetable Chili

1 Tbsp. olive oil                2 med. carrots, peeled & cut into pieces

2 med. parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces    1 med. onion, chopped

2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed & drained     4 tsp. chili powder

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes in juice               1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1.  In a 5 qt kettle, heat olive oil on medium-high until hot.  Add carrots, parsnips, and chopped onion, and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until all vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.

2.  On a large plate, with fork or potato masher, mash 1 cup drained beans.

3.  Stir chili powder into vegetables in kettle, cook 1 minute, stirring.  Add tomatoes with juice, whole and mashed beans, and two cups water; heat to boiling on high, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in cilantro to serve.

Nothing beats a good bowl of chili on a cool Northwest Iowa evening.  Sit back and enjoy and remember to take some time to check out our beautiful fall colors that this area has to offer.

Here is an outstanding banana bread recipe from innkeeper Donna Muilenburg at the Okoboji Country Inn.

Banana Bread Recipe

• 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups chopped pecans divided

Orange Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla, mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans. Transfer to two greased 8×4 inch x 2 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle with the remaining pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over loaves. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Place on wire racks to cool.

Enjoy this award winning banana bread. Our summer helper Katelyn, is in 4-H and entered this recipe in the Dickinson County Fair last week and won a blue ribbon. It was also selected to go to the Iowa State Fair and is on it’s way there now. Katelyn may decide to enter it in the Clay County Fair too. It may just be a triple award winner!!! Enjoy!!!