Lunch Box Chronicles Day One Hundred Twenty-Seven (Country Inns, Bears, Dogs, and Really Nice People)

CALL and SPEAK to a REALLY NICE PERSON!   800-444-9245

You know a place has to be good,  really good when your nine year old remembers the favorite place she visited when she was a whopping 7.

Olivia told me exactly where she wanted to go on vacation.  “For a really special vacation,  I want to go back to that place where there are really nice people, a dog named Teddy Bear, a game room, a pool and Jacuzzi, a movie room, and a really great breakfast and it is right near Story Land.”

Now, this might sound like one of those all inclusive glitzy resorts, but really it is just home away from home – a great big house with everything you would want in your own house, and an extra set of parents to boot – Linnea and Rod are super hosts.  When you call, you will speak with one of them – some really nice people!!!

If you are looking for the perfect safe and comfortable place to bring your kids, I highly recommend the Old Field House Country Inn in Intervale, NH. One visit and you will be hooked.   The living room is a perfect place for the adults to relax and share stories, while the kids gallivant in the floor below between  the game and movie rooms.   Soon, all guests become friends, playing games together, eating together, sharing stories, playing with the resident dog – Teddy Bear,  and ooohing and awwwing the resident black bear – now duly named Teddy Dog.

THE OLD FIELD HOUSE COUNTRY INN, INTERVALE NH

Olivia and I love this place.   We visited 2 years ago,  brought some of our Spelt Right bagels to share, and enjoyed all that the Old Field House Inn had to offer.  We were surprised when we returned two years later that Rod and Linnea remembered Olivia (who could forget?), and our Spelt Right bagels and story, and asked us about our entrepreneurial adventures over the past two years.  It was like visiting old friends and catching up.   Pretty remarkable!

So, if you want to get away from the stresses of being home, but have the feeling like you are home AND you would like to meet a bear named DOG and a dog named BEAR, we highly recommend a trek to a place slightly off the beaten path.  As Longfellow recommended, take the road less traveled....

TEDDY DOG - THE RESIDENT BLACK BEAR CUB AT THE  OLD FIELD HOUSE INN

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Sixty-Five (Chipotle chicken Shish-Kabobers)

Tonight Beth was doing a full-tilt demo at Bow Street Market in Freeport (ME) and Emma was hard at work doing a demo at the Hingham (MA) Whole Foods, so I got down to work on the evening meal for the other two.  The kids were packing the makings for s'mores (all-natural marshmellows, organic Swiss chocolate and gluten-free graham crackers) and were anxious to eat dinner and get on with the backyard fire.  Here's what we made:

Ingredients:
3/4 lb boneless chicken breast cut to bite-size
3-4 all natural chipotle chorizo chicken sausages, cut to bite-size
8 oz of giant steak-cut mushrooms cut in half
1 large green pepper cut to bite-size
1 large Vidalia onion cut to bite-size
handfull of fresh parsley, chopped
juice of 2 limes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to taste
Sea Salt
Pepper

Cut up the chicken breast and marinate in lime, EVOO, parsley, salt & pepper.
Skewer the marinated chicken, sausages, green pepper, mushrooms and onions.
Throw onto hot grill until done.  It was a beautiful night and we ate on the back deck.

Note: I grilled several of the steak mushrooms and onions separately and sprinkled over the top of the plate. I also kept the chicken breast separate from the sausages.  You, of course, can do it anyway you like, add other great ingredients to the mix and/or season with your favorite sauce.

Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with fresh cucumbers and local tomatoes. If I had been on the ball, I would have made some easy pita bread with Spelt Right pizza dough.  This meal is easy to store and reheat.

 P.S. When Beth got home (we managed to save her some), she was surprised that I served what she thought were hotdog shiskabobs.  Maybe she wasn't too far off, but chipotle chorizo chicken sausages sure sound cooler.  I added a side salad of our very own garden lettuce and the remaining tomato and cucumber.  On to the s'mores!

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Nine (Olive, Goat Cheese Tarts)

We're giving you two options today. A fitayer or a Spelt Right sesame bagel. We did not have enough room in our bellies to sample the fitayers because we just returned from the Associated Buyers Table Top Show and have been nibbling all day.

First Taste: Great for a Light Dinner. Ingredients: One Sesame Mucho spelt bagel, Silver Goat Chevre Goat Cheese, Sliced Avocado, and Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade Spread (warned you about the TJ addiction). Directions: Toast Bagel to Desired Crispness or Softness (I love the versatility of Spelt Right bagels), spread on Goat Cheese, spread tapenade over goat cheese, place slices of avocado on tapenade. Enjoy!!! Yum, yum, and yum. I give this a personal two thumbs up.

Second Taste: Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade Fitaya. Ingredients and Directions: One Spelt Right pizza dough, double in size. Divide dough into six equal balls. Stretch or roll to about 1/4 thick. Spread on goat cheese first and then tapenade. Shape into triangles. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. UNRATED. We were just too full to try this one! We'll let you know tomorrow.

Thank Goodness for Appreciative Customers from a small passionate business

Starting a business based upon passion and a mission to make a small positive impact on this world has its ups and downs. But, sometimes, appreciative emails, positive Face Book posts, and enthusiastic customers and stores make it all seem worthwhile.
This weekend provided a wealth of good karma for Spelt Right www.speltrightbaking.com

This email was from Brooke at Whole Foods in Portland, Maine "I wanted to let you know about our sandwich team members using your spelt dough in our chocolate fest we had Friday. The sandwich was a hit." As stated by the Demo Coordinator, "A shout out to Rob in Prep Foods and his team for having a medley of Valentine offerings dotted throughout his case…and did you see that Chocolate Fest Heart Shaped Sandwich(OMG).. it was such a show stopper..(butternut squash, goat cheese, pecans, honey, chocolate) sandwiched between 2 heart shaped pieces of [Spelt Right]spelt bread!"

And, on how Spelt Right products not only taste good, but make people feel great, read the comments from Erin in Maine, and Diana in New Hampshire,

From Erin who recently had knee surgery.... "I have been doing the no-wheat thing all week and my knees are definitely doing better! eating lots of spelt bagels!"

From Diana who is a new convert to Spelt Right products "I bought Sesame (my fave!) bagels for the week [from Hannaford]. My favorite thing about Spelt Right Bagels is that they don't cause the heart burn that traditional bagels cause in me. I love, love, love the sesame! Thank you for making this product! Now, I really want pizza dough.."

Well, thank you Brooke, Erin, and Diana. I needed the boost this week!