Blanca's Apple Pinwheels - Always Adding to our "Wheelhouse"

We are always trying out new things, with fantastic results the majority of the time, thanks in large part to our veteran employee and head cook, Blanca! She wanted to share with you her new creation, the RiverSong Apple Pinwheel.  

It started as a way to use up some apples and other ingredients we had laying around.  It ended up being the talk of the whole Inn for the rest of the day! 

While it may have been chilly outside, our guests (and our innkeepers) spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying these warm pastries filled with freshly baked apples and cinnamon.  

To create these warm treats, Blanca used a muffin tin, pastry dough (homemade or the frozen kind will work), apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, raw sugar (the course grain kind) and nutmeg. 

Place the squares of pastry dough in the muffin wells, feel free to pull and position the dough so you will be able to gather the corners later.  In goes the apples! Next sprinkle about a spoonful of flour and sugar into each pastry, this will combine with the juices of the apple to make a delicious filling.  Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon into each pastry as well.  

Next you'll grab each of the four corners of pastry dough, pull them together and roll/pinch them until they stay closed.  Like a young kid tying up the corners of their handkerchief with their trinkets inside and running away from home.  Maybe they were running here to RiverSong so they can eat these yummy treats?

Sprinkle with the raw sugar and nutmeg and place into a 350 degree oven until the pastry dough is a nice golden color.  Pop them out of the muffin tin, and eat them quick, before the BEARS get to them!!

What a wonderful afternoon pick me up for a chilly January day!

As always, thank you for reading our blog. May you always stay "Inn love with food"! Cheers!

A Blast From Our Past

Back in 2013, Gary had the honor of being published in the best selling cookbook Tasting Colorado: Favorite Recipes from the Centennial State, written by Michele Morris.  The beautiful picture that graces the front page is our very own "Cowboy Corn Cakes".  

These unusual pancakes are kicked up a notch by adding cornmeal, cayenne pepper, sweet corn, and green chiles.  Our cooks and innkeepers sometimes receive questioning looks when we serve savory breakfasts that lean on the side of spice.  But be not afraid, many times we will choose to cut the amount of green chile by half, and will also serve with cooling sides and garnishes such as fresh fruit and sour cream. 

Spice and Breakfast are not the most usual companions but here at Romantic RiverSong, we think "Why not?".  Savory breakfasts tend to be more balanced with healthy carbs, protein, and less sugar.  Adding a little heat to the best meal of the day can also bring some unexpected health benefits including lower blood pressure, heart health, and cancer prevention.  On a brisk winter morning, like today, it might help warm you up a bit too. Some of our other favorite spiced up breakfast dishes include Giddy Up Grits, Southwest Sweet Potato Hash, and Southwest Tofu Scramble.  

We'd love to hear your opinion on serving up a little spice for breakfast, please comment below!

And to learn more about this cookbook click here.  

Cowboy Corn Cakes

4 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

3 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels

1 cup green chiles, chopped

Beat the eggs and milk until blended; stir in butter.  Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne and slowly stir into the wet ingredients.  Fold in corn and green chiles.  

Scoop batter onto a greased griddle or skillet on medium heat.  Serve with Maple Syrup.  

**Note: make this recipe suit your desired spice level by adjusting the amount of green chiles and or omitting the cayenne**

As always, thank you for reading our blog. And may you always stay "Inn love with food". Cheers!

Our Food Philosophy

Gary, the owner of our beautiful inn, has always found a healthy, balanced diet to be vital to his life and young spirit. Here at Romantic RiverSong we like to start at the source with whole, unprocessed, and organic ingredients. Our Innkeepers and cooks use these ingredients to craft delicious, beautiful and balanced starter courses, entrees, and sides. To keep breakfast balanced, we like to keep breads and flour to a minimum, however whole grain or gluten free toast, paired with hommade jams and preserves, is always available upon request. We also belive in the power of a colorful plate.  Gary often describes our Innkeepers as "artists painting color into breakfast". We strive to include vibrant furits and vegetables to give our guests the extra boost of nutrition to go out and explore these beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Many people live day in and day out with major restrictions to what they can and cannot eat.  Gary himself must eat lactose and gluten free.  Where many restaurants and hotels find it a hassle to provide special menu options for people with dietary restrictions; our Innkeepers consider it a privilege!  We can create beautiful, healthy dishes, that meet your needs and will fuel your adventure.

As always, thank you for reading our blog. May you always stay "Inn love with Food"!  Cheers!