Nothing beats the comfort, warmth, and taste of good home cooking, especially in the winter months. Take a treasured recipe, and add to that some local, fresh ingredients, and you have recipes that will quickly become favorites any time of the year. And no one knows local and fresh like our innkeepers! Are you ready to bake up some cherry topped german pancakes? For good measure, we've also included pumpkin bread, a favorite among the recipes that will certainly keep you warm and cozy this season – think of it as dessert at breakfast!

Cherry Topped German Pancakes

Recipe by Westphal Mansion Inn, Hartford:

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
5 eggs
1 ¼ cup flour
1 ¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sugar
Dash of salt
Canned fruit pie filling (warmed) or soft baked apple slices work great too!
Cool whip/for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet on the center rack in a preheated oven or use 6/ one serving mini baking dishes and place them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, mix ingredients 1-7 in a bowl and beat with mixer until blended. Remove hot bakeware from oven after 3 min. Spray the hot skillet or 6 individual baking dishes with cooking spray. Pour batter into the hot/sprayed pans. Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes for the skillet and 15-20 min. for the 6 mini baking pans. Cut into wedges or serve single portion baking dish ones. Sprinkle with powder sugar and top with warmed can cherries or any kind of warmed fruit; top with whip cream.

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe by Eagle Centre House B&B, Eagle:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup raisins, (optional)
1/2 cup nuts, (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and water. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix to combine. Add the oil/water mixture and stir to incorporate. Fold in the raisins and nuts and pour into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes away clean.

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

There is no place like your warm, cozy home in your favorite easy chair in the dead of winter, right? But let's face it, too much time inside can make you stir-crazy. Cabin-fever usually sets in just about now, even for the most hearty Wisconsinites. When your efforts to beat those winter blah's at home have been exhausted by finishing that good book, putting the last piece of the puzzle together, or completing that home-improvement project, then we have some terrific remedies to help cure those winter blues. We have winter activities!

Wisconsin does have some beautiful, picture-perfect winter days. You know the kind... when the sparkle of the sun shines on the newly fallen white snow, making everything look like magic glitter. We feel the best way to beat the winter doldrums is to get outside and enjoy this winter snow globe. We have perfect suggestions on where to go and what to do to enjoy some memorable winter activities. Whether the tried and true sledding (Spoiler alert: You don’t have to be a kid to indulge in this one) and skiing or a new winter activity like fat-tire biking or snowshoeing. A Wisconsin B&B getaway is just the ticket... staying at home and having to shovel is not what we have in mind when we say, go out and experience the Wisconsin winter wonderland! 

         Apple Tree Lane B&B, Waupaca                                                                 Crystal River Inn, Waupaca

With a resort community like Waupaca, located in Central Wisconsin, there are plenty of winter sports for you to enjoy in and around the city.  Among the favorites, is  cross country skiing, snowshoeing , or fat tire biking on the many trails throughout Hartman Creek State Park. Just north of Waupaca, in Iola, you will find 6.5 KM of lighted trails at the Iola Winter Sports Complex, which also features ski jumping and Nordic Combined. Nearby, in Wild Rose, Nordic Mountain has fantastic tubing hills and downhill skiing! You can ask any Waupaca innkeeper for ideas and recommendations to suit what you're looking for when it comes to getting out and about this winter. The innkeepers at Apple Tree Lane B&B, Crystal River Inn, and Green Fountain Inn are the experts in Waupaca.

Eagle Centre House, Eagle

Eagle Centre House B&B in Eagle is located very near the Southern Kettle Moraine Forest and Lapham Peak, which has miles of snow shoe and cross country ski trails as well as snowmobile trails in the area. The many lakes scattered around make for great ice fishing spots. About 20 minutes away from the inn is Alpine Valley Ski Resort in East Troy. Don't forget to also check out the sledding hill right on the property of the Eagle Centre House B&B!  After a day of chilly winter activities, head back to the inn where the wood burning stoves add heat, ambiance, and romance in the "tap" room and the ladies parlor.

Hidden Serenity B&B, West Bend

Speaking of the Kettle Moraine, Hidden Serenity B&B in West Bend is located adjacent to the Northern Kettle Moraine, which offers incredible cross country skiing, snow shoeing and down-hill skiing. Just 10 minutes away from the inn, you'll also find Sunburst - a fun, family-orientated ski, snowboard, and tubing area located north of Milwaukee. Sunburst offers 77 acres of pure winter fun with skiing, snowboarding, and the world's largest tubing park with over 40 runs. They offer 12 runs with the longest being 2,600 feet. Or, tap into your inner child and build a snowman, or two or three or...!

Stewart Inn, Wausau

The top skiing resort in Wisconsin is just five miles from the Stewart Inn, located in Wausau. Granite Peak offers 75 runs, a 700-foot mountain, two high speed lifts, and skiing mid-November through early April. They also offer groomed cross country skiing trails (9 mile recreation and Sylvan Hills) and tubing. After a day on the hills, relax in style with a nightly wine & cheese reception and a gourmet breakfast the next day, all included with every stay at Stewart Inn!

Don't forget, you can always find a list of more member inns that participate in or offer Snow Sports experiences under the "Area Experiences" tab of our website.

After a day of winter activities, you will look forward to heading back to your warm and welcoming Inn and enjoying a hot chocolate or glass of wine, asking the innkeeper for expert recommendations of the best restaurants and evening activities and then knowing your luxurious accommodations will be waiting for you upon your return. And, don't forget, you won't have to shovel!

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

    The open road, a kaleidoscope of colors, mild temperatures, and an escape from the real world. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Bikes and B&Bs pair so nicely this time of year. Oh, and by bikes, we mean both bicycles and motorcycles. We have lots of fall getaway ideas for fans of two wheels. Wisconsin’s Harley-Davidson just celebrated its 115^th anniversary with a huge bash in Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend, and it was a “wow” for motorcycle fans. Wisconsin is also a peddler’s dream and here’s the evidence: Trek Bicycles is tops with tons of cyclists – the company is headquartered in Waterloo. Wyatt Bicycles in La Crosse manufactures high-end aluminum adventure bikes – think mountain bikes and fat bikes. Based in Madison, one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, Pacific Cycle is the parent company of Schwinn and Mongoose. Waterford Precision Cycles and Gunnar Cycles are both in Waterford. And there’s Sotherland Custom Bicycles in Whitewater. So with that biking tutorial out of the way, here are free-wheeling ideas for those of you with fall wanderlust. Best Inns to Ride a Motorcycle To: For those that love the city, Hotel Ruby Marie in Madison is located across from the majestic Lake Monona, where the cool lake breeze will greet you on a ride. Hotel Ruby Marie is also within a short distance from Capitol Square, where you can sight-see around the beautiful Wisconsin State Capitol building. For those that love to trek outside of the city limits, Sheer Memories B&B in Muscoda sits on the rolling hills that overlook the beautiful valley of the Lower Wisconsin River. Perfect for fall color peeping! [caption id="attachment_1983" align="alignleft" width="282"] Justin Trails Resort in Sparta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2620" align="alignright" width="287"] Pedal'rs Inn in Wales[/caption]                 B&Bs with Covered Spots to Store Your Motorcycle: Nestled in a quiet, peaceful coulee, Justin Trails Resort in Sparta, WI offers guests a relaxed country getaway in the heart of the Wisconsin Driftless Region. They also offer their garage space for bicycles and motorcycles as part of their services. Sparta is often dubbed as the "Bicycling Capital of America" and is nearby to the famous Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Inns with Best Proximity to Top State Bike Trails: Located just outside of Elkhorn, WI and across the road from sparkling Lauderdale Lakes, you'll find Ye Old Manor House and the nearby 19 mile White River State Trail. This scenic trail follows a former rail corridor and passes by numerous bridges, scenic vistas, quaint towns, farmlands and wetlands. Then there are the guests at Pedal'rs Inn in Wales, WI, who have access to the miles of connecting paved trails throughout the surrounding areas. Nearby to Pedal'rs Inn, the 52 mile Glacial Drumlin State Trail offers easy connections to Madison and Milwaukee. [caption id="attachment_2606" align="alignleft" width="294"] Motorcycling in Kettle Moraine State Forest[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2648" align="alignright" width="271"] Greenway House B&B in Green Lake[/caption]               B&Bs to Pair for Inn-to-Inn Bike Trips: Green Lake, WI is an area with numerous and wonderfully scenic trails for all levels of bicycle riders, so why not take a ride to stop & stay at Green Lake's beautiful inns? Angel Inn offers a breathtaking lake front view, so rent Tri-cycles, Cruisers, or a Tandem from them for a leisurely cruise. You can also follow the new bike path nearby to the Green Lake Conference Center. Miller's Daughter Bed & Breakfast has several trails located near the inn, including the 12 mile Mascoutin Valley State Trail which runs along the old Milwaukee railroad bed. Greenway House is a historic retreat in the heart of Green Lake and ideal for some downtown biking while McConnell Inn offers their knowledge of the many scenic back-country roads and nearby trails that are perfect for biking or motorcycling. [caption id="attachment_1280" align="aligncenter" width="370"] Owner of Eagle Centre House B&B & his Harley[/caption] Inns Where the Owners are Big Bicyclists Themselves: Eagle Centre House B&B in Eagle WI, where the owners and family love to ride the hills and rural roads of the Southern Kettle Moraine. The inn is located 3 miles from the forest headquarters. At Eagle Centre House, you are welcome to walk their 20 acres of kettles and moraines crested with towering oaks and lush with an abundance of native prairie plants and wildlife.

Take A Ride!

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?