Cooking with Donna event at the 2010 University of Okoboji Winter Games.

Okoboji Country Inn Innkeeper, Donna Muilenburg kept the crowd inside Annabelle’s Tea Room entertained this year at her Cooking With Donna demonstration and tasting during the 2010 University of Okoboji Winter Games.  For her second cooking show, Donna chose recipes from the cookbook 9×13 The Pan that Can!  This cookbook showcases recipes of comfort foods that everyone grew up with.  Donna chose four interesting and easy to make recipes for her cooking show which included chicken broccoli strata, salted peanut bars, lasagna blanca and ended with the very popular root beer float cake. 

The cookbook is available for purchase at The Wash House  gift shop.  It makes the perfect gift for beginning cooks, busy working moms with hungry children to feed, or even retired cooks who love to read cookbooks.   Next year’s Cooking With Donna is almost filled up, call (712) 332-2358 if you want to be added to the list of attendees.

Memorial Day has always been much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. In the Iowa Great Lakes area has many important events to remind all of us of those who died serving our country.
Uncover the interesting history of the holiday we now call Memorial Day. Discover little-known facts about America’s Wars.

Many of the visitors to the area over Memorial Day will enjoy fishing the various lakes in the area. Spirit Lake is the largest in the area and it contains over 40 species of fish, 13 of which are typically caught. A fishery for the lake provides significant populations of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskie, crappie, and bluegill.

There are a variety of lodging selections for visitors this year. The bed and breakfast inns of the Iowa Great Lakes offer a variety of accommodation chocies.

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

At Gin’s Inn, located in Templeton, Iowa, guests select from four exquisitely decorated guest rooms. Rooms are tastefully decorated with heirlooms and a touch of whimsy to create a special atmosphere and the modern comforts of home.

View photos of all four bedrooms online at: http://www.ginsinn.com/rooms.htm

All rooms have air conditioning and an individually controlled heater thermostat.

Spencer, Iowa ~ The Clay County Fair has come a long way since it grew out of a series of homestead era fairs, agricultural society expositions, a state high-wheel-bicycle meet, a trotting association and community barbecues and picnics — held in Spencer in 1871, only five years after pioneer settlers drove their covered wagons from Wisconsin to Spencer Grove. For entertainment this first fair ran races with horses and riders from Sioux Rapids, Peterson and Emmetsburg. Today, the Clay County fair is the largest county fair in the state of Iowa. It has the second largest agricultural exposition in North America. Bringing in over 310,000 visitors a year, the Clay County Fair is one of the largest county fairs in the USA.

If you plan to visit the fair this year, you will want to consider lodging at one of these fine northwest Iowa bed and breakfast establishments — and, be sure to visit their booth in the Ag Building’s basement during the run of the fair:

Join the fun and attend the University of Okoboji Marathon competitions.

If you are going to be in the Iowa Great Lakes this weekend for the annual U of O Marathon and need lodging accommodations, the Okoboji Country Inn has just two rooms left.  Our historic bed and breakfast is the perfect place to relax and recharge.  We are located right in the heart of the Lakes area but also offer a very peaceful and tranquil setting for a great weekend getaway.  Call (712) 332-2358 or book online at http://okobojicountryinn.com/rooms.html.

Bird watching is amazing at InnSpiration B&B this spring. Viewing the birds from a distance is best so bring binoculars or your long zoom lens, as most birds will usually will fly away when you get too close.

The majority of NW Iowa birds begin their nesting season in early spring. Male and female birds form pairs for nesting on the basis of courtship behaviors. Many birds sing as a means both of declaring their territory to rival males and to solicit the attention of arriving females.

InnSpiration B&B is a birder’s paradise in the spring.  With the woods and water, songbirds, ducks, geese, and hawks are in abundance.

Linn Grove, Iowa  is located on the Inkpaduta Canoe Trail, a 131-mile-long historical river trail, so the spring birding activities can easily be enjoyed from a canoe. Take a timeless birdwatching trip on the Little Sioux River during your stay at InnSpriation B&B. Rooms available starting from $65.00.

InnSpiration Bed and Breakfast
1790 510th Street
Linn Grove, IA 51033
USA
Phone:     +1-712-296-4966
Cellular:     +1-712-390-4966

www.innspirationbandb.com

Plan to spend this Valentine’s at the Okoboji Country Inn bed and breakfast.  Treat the one you love to something special this February at the Okoboji Country Inn  Choose from our luxurious two-room suite or one of our five pampering guest rooms .  During the month of February chocolate truffles and roses will be in your room waiting for you.  Guests to the Okoboji Country Inn are treated to wine and a cheese platter upon their arrival to our historical bed and breakfast.  For more information check out our website at www.okobojicountryinn.com or call 712 332-2358.  Be sure to mention the February special when booking your room.  Valid until February 28, 2009. 

Share the gift of a getaway this holiday season.  Have a loved one or friend who is hard to buy for???  The Okoboji Country Inn has the perfect solution this holiday season.  Purchase a gift certificate for a getaway at the Okoboji Country Inn.  Save 10% on gift certificate purchases from now until December 31, 2008.  If you have enjoyed a great B & B experience in the past, then your friends and family will cherish a gift to spend a fun getaway at the Okoboji Country Inn.  Click on www.okobojicountryinn.com for more information or call (712) 332-2358. 

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.