December 10, 2012
Happenings at the Inn December 2012
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December 2, 2012
Orange Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting
Heat oven to 350 F.
1 Navel orange, unpeeled and quartered
2 Cups All-purpose flour
2 Cups Sugar
2 Tsp Baking powder
2 Tsp Baking soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
2 Tsp Ground nutmeg
1 ¼ Cups Vegetable oil
4 Eggs
2 Cups Grated carrot
½ Cup Chopped walnuts
½ Cup Raisins
Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add quartered orange, and process until pureed, stopping once to scrape down sides. Set orange puree aside. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add orange puree, oil, and eggs; mix well. Stir in carrot walnuts, and raisins. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan. Frost top of cake with cream cheese icing. Cover and store in refrigerator. Yield: 1 10-inch cake
Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing
8 Oz Cream cheese, softened
½ Cup Butter, softened
2 Tbl Honey
½ Tsp Vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Add honey and vanilla, and beat until blended. Yield: 1 cup frosting
Waterfall Walks in Winter
One of the best reasons to hike to winter waterfalls is because there’s more water flowing at that time of year. You get better views of the falls and better photos in winter because the trees have dropped their leaves. So, get your hiking boots on and try some of these treks when you are at Buckhorn in the next few months.
Hen Wallow Falls is 4.5 roundtrip. Take the Gabes Mountain Trail out of the Cosby Campground. Keep going and you will see some amazing old-growth forest.
Rainbow Falls is 5.5 miles roundtrip. The trailhead is located on the Cherokee Orchard Road at the back of Gatlinburg.
Laurel Falls is 2.5 miles roundtrip. It’s the only trail to a waterfall that is paved. The trailhead is on Little River Road 3.9 miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Winter Special Events
Annual Wildlife Week January 12-19
An entire week of nature programming including hikes, seminars, and workshops about the wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other regions of the United States. Music Road Hotel & Convention Center.
http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events_winterfest_wilderness.aspx
Winter Heritage Festival February 1-2
A celebration of the human history, natural beauty, and cultural history of the Smokies. There will be fascinating speakers, musicians and experts on the Smokies. www.smokymountains.org
Saddle Up! February 24-27
This celebration of the American West features cowboy singers, musicians and poets. The award-winning Stories & Strings program returns. Register to experience three other concerts, a chuck wagon cook-off, and The Cowboy Dance. Finish out the event with Cowboy Church on Sunday.
1-800-251-9100
Mountain Quiltfest March 12-16
Each year Quiltfest welcomes over 20,000 visitors from around the country. Quilting enthusiasts bring their work to compete in a world-renown, multi-category quilt show. http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events_quiltfest.aspx
Great Things To Do in the Smokies
The Smoky Mountains is bursting with activities for everyone to enjoy. Complete your stay at Buckhorn Inn by experiencing the mountains in your favorite way. Plan your day by clicking on any of the unique activities below.
View the mountains from high in the trees on a zipline.
Take the challenge on the ropes course.
Ride the chair lift to see the view from 1,800 feet high.
Paddle your way through the river.
Enjoy the mountains with a guide.
Drive through Cades Cove, a “living museum” full of beauty and history.
Climb and rappel from the rocks.
Bicycle through the Cades Cove Loop.
Ace your way through the lush golf courses.
Fly fish your way through the waterways.
Explore under the Smokies in the caverns.
Stand at the highest point of the Appalachian Trail.
Visit the Arts and Crafts Community in Gatlinburg.
See a show at the Smoky Mountain Opry.
Holiday Cranberry Noel Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups flour
¾ cup dried cranberries, chopped in food processor
½ cup pecans, chopped in food processor
¾ cup shredded coconut
Method
Combine butter and sugar and mix for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla extract to butter mixture. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Slowly add flour mixture to butter. Make three dough logs and wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Store in fridge overnight. Remove plastic from dough log and cut ¼ inch cookies. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Decorate with melted white chocolate chips as follows:
Place 2 cups of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening for every 2 cups of chips. Heat on medium power in the microwave (50 percent) for 30 seconds. Stir chips and shortening until completely melted and smooth. The melted chocolate will retain its chip shape until stirred. Continue heating on medium powder (50 percent) for additional 30-second intervals. Repeat process until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. We put the chocolate in a squeeze bottle to decorate the cookies.
Gatlinburg Weather
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