Recipe for Cheddar Bay Biscuits

When was the last time you visited Red Lobster where you enjoyed the overwhelming experience of eating a scrumptious cheddar bay biscuit? This morning our guests enjoyed these homemade biscuits that were served with a creamy sausage gravy.  The biscuit recipe came to us from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes so we thought we would share with our guests. Every plate was returned to the kitchen free of any crumbs telling us that this entree was good to the last drop!

CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (for breakfast you could leave this out)
4 T. (1/4 stick) cold butter
3/4 cup cold whole milk
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top after biscuits are removed from the oven
Mix together all of the ingredients below
2 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter using a pastry cutter or large fork
     Mix just enough to incorporate the Bisquick. Butter chunks should be about the size of peas.
3. Stir in cheddar cheese and garlic.
4.  Add milk and mix with hands until just combined. Don't over mix.
5. Drop about 1/4 cup of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. An ice cream scoop works great.
6. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn brown.
7. After removing biscuits from oven, brush tops with the melted butter mixture.

Yield about 8- 10 biscuits, depending on size you want. Happy eating!

Hidden Hotel Fees

A new investigation has found that the hotel industry is starting to follow the airline industry into adding on fees for more profit. Some of the FEES cited in the report are:

• $10.00 - $15.00 per day WIFI fee and some are charging per each device.
• $25.00 and up per day resort fee ( looked at a resort last year and the resort fee was $200.00!)
• $10.00 and up charge to use exercise facility
• $12.00 and up charge for using the coffee maker in your room
• $15.00 - $25.00 parking fee to park your own car
• Of course we all know there is a mini bar fee for each item taken, but now a fee when you move an item! That will set off a sensor and automatically charge your room! 
• If the hotel has a spa, there is a fee
• Then there are the pool towel fees, 
• watch your luggage fees, 
• late and early check-in fees
• room cleaning fees (for the maids to come in and straighten your room daily)
• energy surcharge fees  
• telephone fees
• turn down service fee
• concierge fee
• bellhop service fee 
• and of course there is always the sales tax and bed tax added on at the end.

The fees are popping up and many times guests do not hear about them until they go to check out. Sometimes the fee list will be in very fine print at the bottom of your check-in paper. And who wants to take the time to do that!

So our advice - The better way to stay could very well be to stay in a small, quaint bed & breakfast. Here at Hallauer House our mini refrigerator bar is FREE. Our WIFI is FREE. Parking is FREE. Use of pool is FREE. Pool towels are FREE. Late or early check-in is FREE. Use of the exercise and rec room is FREE. Use of Asian Spa is FREE. Daily room straightening is FREE. Use of telephone is FREE. Luggage watch is FREE. Gas, electric, and water are FREE. Use of the 'resort' is FREE. Coffee and tea are FREE, even Keurig coffee!  Concierge service is FREE. Bellhop service is FREE. And no extra charges for taxes. In other words, the price you see is the price you pay.

So try the B & B experience and see for yourself that it is the better way to stay.

Recipe - Cream Scones

A recent guest has requested our recipe for the Cream Scones that we served at breakfast so I thought I would share it with everyone on the Blog!  So here goes!

3 cups of  bread flour
1/2 cup of sugar
2 T. baking powder (yes, that is tablespoons!)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups heavy cream (very cold)

Amount below is based on baking all 12 scones. If you bake less, then adjust the milk and sugar accordingly.
2 T. milk
3 T. coarse sugar (may use regular sugar)

1. Cut two 10 inch circles of waxed paper.


2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together into a mixing bowl.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
4. Add the cream to the flour mixture and stir by hand just until the batter is evenly moistened. ( I do use a good stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on very low speed just until cream is incorporated.)
5. Place the dough onto one of the 10 inch wax paper circles and press out dough to the edges.
 
6. Cover the dough with the second paper circle.
7. Place dough on flat surface that can go into freezer.
8. Freeze until very firm, at least 12 hours.
9. Thaw dough for 5 minutes at room temperature.
10. Place on a cutting board and cut into 12 wedges. 
11. Now you can bake the number of scones that you need and freeze the rest for later.
12. Place scones on GREASED baking sheet about 2 inches apart. They will spread.
13. Brush with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.
14. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
15. Serve with Devonshire Cream and jam. (We do make fresh, homemade Hallauer Devonshire Cream!)
And  now grab some coffee or tea, sit back, and ENJOY!

Fantastic Celeveland Museum of Art

By being members of Positively Cleveland, we were given the opportunity to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art at an after hours networking event. The evening was a chance for everyone in the tourism industry to get to see the new and improved museum that was over 3 years in renovation.

Three years ago the Cleveland Museum of Art, home to over 900 works in 20 galleries, spanning 300 years of art history from the height of the Baroque age in 17th-century Europe to the rise of industrial cities in early 20th-century America, closed its permanent-collection galleries to start a massive expansion and renovation. Then on June 29,2012, the museum opened the doors to grand, newly renovated galleries on the main level of its original neoclassical white marble home, known as the 1916 building. The two new wings rose to stand on each side the 1916 building and the 1971 education facility which were all joined by a huge indoor atrium.

The museum now has a new Gallery One educational center, which includes a 40-foot-long interactive display wall, said by the museum to be the largest in any U.S. art museum. It was like a touch Wikipedia! Touch a picture and the art comes to life right in front of you! The museum has also unveiled ArtLens, its free new mobile application for the Apple iPad, which visitors can use along with the “Collection Wall” in the Gallery to customize their own individual  tours. You can borrow an IPad to take with you on the tour so you have all information about any and all art that you want to see. Now I only hope they will develop an Android app!

The evening was fabulous, the Museum is fabulous, and we highly recommend that you make some vacation plans to come to Northeast Ohio, stay awhile, and visit ALL of our fabulous museums. Below are just a few of the pictures of the new atrium.

Visiting the Cleveland Art Museum collections is FREE but there could be a charge for viewing Special Collections. Hours are 10:00 to 5:00 except on Wednesdays and Fridays when hours are extended to 9:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays. Enjoy the pictures that I took but do come and see the Museum up close and personal. You won't be disappointed! And also located in University Circle is the Contemporary Art Museum, Natural History Museum, the Crawford Auto Museum, and Severance Hall. And Hallauer House B & B is located just 40 minutes from the Museum, an easy drive on the Interstates.