Home Made Thanksgiving Dinner with Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing and green beans

Savory Turkey Breast

For years I had a monthly subscription to a Betty Crocker magazine.  Usually it contained about 20 recipes, most representing the upcoming season.  I found this recipe in that magazine and have loved it from the first time I ate it.  What I like even more about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare ahead of time, then warm up in the oven prior to serving.

While I love serving a beautiful meal such as Thanksgiving Dinner, because we don’t get to see our families often, I prefer to spend time with my family while they are here for the day, not slaving over a hot oven all afternoon.  With some careful planning and preparing as much food in advance, which allows me to create some wonderful memories with my family by spending time with them and not in the kitchen.  Depending on the size group I need to feed I may need to make more than one turkey breast.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have leftovers to make sandwiches or your favorite casserole.  Hmmm, that reminds me of another recipe I found in the Betty Crocker magazine using leftover turkey & wild rice.  I’ll share that recipe at a later date.

Prep time:  15 min             Total: 8 hours, 15 min

10 servings

Ingredients:

6 ½ lb turkey breast                                  ½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion                               1 dried bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt                                           ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1. Save yourself some time with crockpot liners.  I use crockpot liners, clean up time goes much quicker and it’s easy to pour the turkey broth into a storage container if you like to use it for something else.  Line your 5-6 quart crockpot with one liner.
2. Remove gravy packet or extra parts from turkey breast. I rinse the gravy packet off and store in an airtight container until I am ready to make the gravy.  The gravy should keep in the fridge for 1 week.  Rinse the turkey off and place in the crockpot with liner.  Place the onion, celery and bay leaf inside the cavity of the turkey.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Add the chicken stock.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.
4. Take your turkey out of the crockpot. If serving right away, keep the turkey warm while you make the gravy.
5. If serving at a later date, let the turkey cool for about 15 minutes, then slice. I keep my turkey in a glass 9×13 baking dish that has a lid that seals.  Pour about 1 cup of the turkey broth over the turkey just before you put in the fridge or freezer.  The turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.  If you freeze it you will want to use it within 6 months.  See this article from Food52 for more information about freezing your lefovers.
6. Reheating your turkey is easy. If you have frozen your cooked turkey, you will want to pull it out of the freezer a couple of days in advance and let it thaw in the refrigerator.  Cover you glass baking dish with foil.  Preheat your oven to 350°  Heat in oven for 30-45 minutes until the turkey is hot.

Serve and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving and we hope to greet you soon as one of our guests!

I sit here just a couple of days after the July 4^th extended holiday break bemoaning the fact  it seems as if the summer is half over already.  We all have the same experience, the older we get the faster time flies by.  It did occur to me I may be approaching this situation all wrong, maybe I should consider the glass to be half full, so to speak.  You know, we still have half of the summer to go.  And what better place to have fun in the summer than Chippewa Falls!

A Day on the Water.  Chippewa Falls and the surrounding areas have so much to offer to those visiting on summer vacation.  When guests of Inn on Lake Wissota ask what there is to do in Chippewa Falls, it’s hard to know where to begin.  For outdoor enthusiasts I say it’s hard to ignore beautiful Lake Wissota and the bounty of activities is offers both residents in the area and visitors.

A group of friends fishing

• If you’re into fishing, Lake Wissota is known for musky, walleye, and bass. Of course there’s an abundance of pan fish to help out with your shore lunch.  With over 6,200 acres, there’s plenty of fishing to be done on the lake.  Duncan Creek runs right through the heart of the city of Chippewa Falls.  The local Rod & Gun club recently deposited 700 trout into the stream and is working with the DNR in hopes to get that stretch of the creek classified as a Class 1 brook trout stream.
• Maybe you’d prefer just paddling around the lake, or, down the Chippewa River. For a river float in a kayak, canoe or inner tube, Loopy’s Grill, Saloon & River Rentals will drop you off just below the dam in downtown Chippewa Falls then you can float to either Loopy’s and get out, or continue your float for a few more miles and they will pick you up.
  

  Tubing down the river

  Lake Wissota State Park rents canoes and kayaks.   Moon Bay is accessible from the park and offers a more manageable area to paddle than the main lake does.  Over on Little Lake Wissota at the SandBar & Grill you’ll find White’s Rentals Paddle Shop.  In addition to canoes and kayaks, they also rent paddle boards.

• For larger groups a Pontoon rental might be what you’re looking for. There are a couple of options for that, both located at the north end of Lake Wissota.  The Edge Pub & Eatery has pontoons available as does Inn on Lake Wissota.  What better way to spend time with friends or family than
• floating around on the lake, enjoying everything mother nature has to offer.

Biking.  Whether you’re an avid biker who relishes the challenge of putting on 40 or miles in a day, or just the recreational biker who enjoys the outdoors and getting some exercise, Chippewa Falls has several bike trails to choose from to fit your style.

• The Duncan Creek Parkway Trail is a five mile paved loop around the city. It’s a great way to get to know the city, just be aware the trail is shared with motor vehicles in some places. 
• The Duncan Creek trail connects with the Old Abe State Trail, which is a paved trail that runs from Chippewa Falls to Cornell. For nature lovers this trail is a must see, the trail winds through agricultural land, along the Chippewa River and along the shores of Lake Wissota.
• If you’re in need of renting bikes to explore the Chippewa Falls area, Spring Street Sports is located in downtown Chippewa Falls. Joe & Dave started the shop back in 1987 and have a variety of bikes to choose from.  If you’re already out on the north end of Lake Wissota and would like to take a ride on the trail up there, Inn on Lake Wissota has a few bikes for rent, give us a call.

Hiking.

• One of the many gems of Chippewa Falls is Irvine Park features 2 miles of walking trails. Free of charge to the public, this is a nice way to get out and enjoy some nature.  There’s plenty of playground equipment for the kids to burn off some energy.  They’ll also have fun watching the bears, white bison and elks.
• Don’t forget the Old Abe Trail for hiking, not just for biking, it is very pedestrian friendly.
• Lake Wissota State Park has several hiking trails for hiking depending on how far you’d like to go and what you want to see. The Beaver Creek Meadow trail is 1 mile long and the most scenic.  In addition to this the park offers 7 miles of additional hiking trails.

So, no matter what you like to do outdoors, Chippewa Falls is a great place to visit and explore.  Here at Inn on Lake Wissota we hope to greet you soon as one of our guests!

Are you hankering to go to a music festival this summer?  Let me tell you how you can get your groove on in the Chippewa Valley this summer.  The Chippewa Valley has an abundance of concerts and festival to offer this summer.  Here’s a list of just a few, you’re sure to find one to fit your style.

Blue Ox Music Festival.  The first music festival to kick off the season in the Chippewa Valley is scheduled for June 13-15, 2019 in Eau Claire.  With 3 stages, there will be plenty of opportunities to hear your favorite band play.  The Blue Ox is celebrating it’s fifth anniversary this year and will be providing quality performers to back up that longevity.  You’ll find long-time favorites such as Del McCoury, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Railroad Earth.  As in the past, Pert Near Sandstone will take the stage both Friday and Saturday nights.  Local favorites Charlie Parr and Them Coulee Boys are also scheduled to appear.

Northwoods Blues Festival.  June 21-22, 2019.  For a number of years this festival was held in Spooner, WI.  Due to the growth of the popularity of the festival they have moved to Chippewa Falls, and are excited to host this year’s festival in the brand new Chippewa Riverfront Park.  Some of the artists who will be perfomin are: Mark Cameron Band Bridget Kelly Band Howard “Guitar” Luedtke & Blue Max Joyann Parker Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers Lindsay BeaverJoanna Connor Band Scottie Miller Band Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues Bernard Allison Savoy Brown Kim Simmonds & P.K. Mayo.

Country Fest. June 27-29, 2019 in Cadott.  The largest Country Music and Camping Event in the U.S., they have been bringing quality talent to the Chippewa Valley since 1987 (that’s more than 30 years, folks!).  Some of this year’s headliners include Luke Bryan, Sugarland, and Little Big Town.  You won’t want to miss local favorites Dawn Marie (a native of Menomonie, WI), and Roadhouse 6 (ok, I guess we can consider the Twin Cities local-they’ll keep you dancing all night anyway).

Northern Wisconsin State Fair.  July 10-14, 2019.

Rock Fest.  July  18-20, 2019 in Cadott.  No, that’s not a typo.  Cadott, WI is home to both Country Fest and Rock Fest.  Even though Rock Fest hasn’t been around as long as Country Fest, they are hosting a their 26th festival, very respectable by anyone’s standards.  Headliner’s this year are Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch and Evanescence (one of my favorites).  You won’t want to miss one of Eau Claire’s hometown favorites, Stare Across.

Country Jam USA.  July 18-20, 2019 in Eau Claire.  It is unfortunate when 2 of the area’s best music festivals schedule the same dates for their celebrations, but there we have it.  This weekend in July will offer some of the best of the best for Rock Music and Country music right here in the Chippewa Valley.  So, you won’t want to miss this year’s headliners, Toby Keith, Jake Owen and Keith Urban.  We hope you have already purchased your tickets because this year’s runner up of The Voice, Chris Kroeze will be performing both Thursday and Friday nights.

OneFest. July 26-28, 2019 in Chippewa Falls.  OneFest is returning to the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds.  There is plenty of family entertainment with fun, new artists and activities on Friday night. Saturday will feature a variety of music, kids activities, speakers and more. Sunday will again be an amazing worship.

As we dream of the warmer weather that is sure to find it’s way to northern Wisconsin our thoughts turn to spending relaxing afternoons visiting local wineries, taking tours and sitting outdoors tasting the fruits of their labors.  We are here to tell you we have 3 of the best wineries to visit right here in Chippewa Falls.  Many of the guests who stay at Inn on Lake Wissota enjoy touring our wineries.  Each of the wineries approach wine making differently and have won awards for their craft.

River Bend Winery & Distillery

We’ll start with River Bend Winery & Distillery, just because it is the closest to the Inn.  Located about a 20 minute drive southwest of the Inn you will find the winery that Al & Donna opened in 2009.  Donna specializes in the wine making process and Al handles the mechanical side of the operation. They offer free wine tastings.  For those who are new to wine tasting they have an excellent staff to walk you through the process.  If you are curious about the wine making process they do offer tours for groups of 10 or more. Once you’ve decided which bottle of wine to purchase the staff can open it for you. Be sure to savor your new discovery out on the patio which overlooks the vineyard.  I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer afternoon, can you?  River Bend does a great job of bringing in a variety of events such as local musicians, food trucks, even a treasure hunt!  For more information on their event schedule check out their website, Events – River Bend Vineyard .

Autumn Harvest Winery

Next on the tour is Autumn Harvest Winery.  Located in the town of Lafayette, Chad & Jean are working hard to continue a family legacy of growing apples and making wine.  The first winery to open in the Chippewa Falls area, Chad & Jean purchased the winery in 2015. Since then they have continued to hone their craft of making award winning wines.  Using apples from their orchard, they make wine in small batches and do everything by hand.  They’ve even perfected an Apple Cider recipe that you just have to try.  Summer weekends at Autumn Harvest are a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, sitting outdoors soaking up the sunshine and the panoramic view of the apple orchards, not to mention sipping on their tasty wine! They do a great job of bringing in local musicians throughout the season, check out their events page on their website for more information: Autumn Harvest Events.

O’Neil Creek Winery

Make sure to save enough time to travel north to visit O’Neil Creek Winery located just west of Bloomer.  Joe & Dorinda opened the winery in 2009.  Joe is a retired law enforcement officer and was dabbling in making wine for friends and family.  The hobby grew so much it only made sense to open the winery.  Joe’s wines are made from fruits and vegetables he grows in his orchard and on the property.  Joe has perfected his recipes and has won numerous awards for a variety of his wines.  One thing that sets O’Neil Creek winery apart from the rest of the area wineries is his support of local artists by featuring a different one each month throughout the season.  Each artist displays their artwork in the wineshop for all customers to see and hopefully purchase, and they are featured on the website as well.  You will find a monthly event called Wine Women & Wednesdays which offers the ladies a chance for a night out in the middle of the week to enjoy some wine, live music.  If you’re hungry they partner with Fat Boy’s Family Restaurant in Bloomer, you just order at the winery & Fat Boy’s will deliver!

Role Playing Game

Last month we had the pleasure of hosting a group of folks from around the upper mid-west. They descended upon Inn on Lake Wissota for a weekend dedicated to Role-playing Games.  The event was initiated by our son who has been into RPG’s for almost 2 decades now.  He uses the pen name PK Sullivan when he is writing RPG blogs, designing games and contributing to RPG books. PK thought  why not host a Role-playing Game Retreat at a B&B?  They decided to rent out the entire place for a weekend.  What fun for 12 players to participate in a weekend of  role-playing games.

1. Plenty of room for several groups of 4

These folks were coming from 3 different states, so it was fun to watch them arrive.  Some had never met in person, which is a kick to think about.  The group of 12 broke into 3 groups of four and found separate areas in the B&B to play their particular RPG.  The dining room offers a large table, plenty of room for them to spread out with their game stuff with plenty of room for snacks and beverages.  Another group gathered in our common area, at a high top table near the fireplace.  The last group gathered in the Northwoods room, which is a suite that has a large sitting area with a couch and an overstuffed chair.  We put another chair in their so they could all sit comfortably around the coffee table.  Throughout the weekend they switched up groups, games and GM’s, which added to the experience.

2. The Bed & Breakfast is free of distractions

Once each one of those guests walked through the front door of the bed and breakfast they were able to leave behind their cares and concerns from their day-to-day lives.  There are no TV’s or computers in any of our common areas (unless a guest brings one from home).  The Northwoods room has a tv, but it is tucked away in an entertainment center that has doors.  Since they were the only guests staying at the B&B there were no disturbances from other guests coming and going during their games.  With 5 guestrooms there were plenty of restrooms available when they took a break.  We have a small fridge for complimentary bottled water and sodas, they brought their own adult beverages and snacks.

3. No meal prep or cleaning required

The onerous duty of planning meals, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was left up to me, the innkeeper.  Of course, we took into consideration any food allergies and dietary restrictions or diets the group had. The most difficult decisions they needed to make was what clothes to pack, which of their favorite snacks to bring, and what adult beverages they wanted stow in their cooler. Each morning we served breakfast in the dining room at 9:00 to the entire group. I was also able to get the kitchen & dining room cleaned up as quickly as possible so they could get back to the games.  Friday night they took a break to have pizzas delivered, then got right back to their RPG’s.  Saturday night they went to a local supper club so they could get out and about a bit and have a change of scenery.

4.  Offseason rates make it affordable for the entire group

The winter months up here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin can be rather quiet, so when I have an opportunity to book out the entire place for 2 nights, I will certainly give a good deal to the group.  The housekeeper doesn’t mind either, she gets Saturday off!  This seemed like the perfect win-win situation for everyone.  They got an inexpensive weekend away playing games and I was able to have a full house!  For those who are interested in hosting a Role Playing Game in their own home, RoleplayingTips.com has more good information for you to build on.

We sure enjoyed having these folks stay with us.  While I have been aware of Role Playing Games for many years, I was able to gain a better understanding of how they are actually played.  We would welcome PK’s group back anytime.  Maybe sometime when the weather is nicer and games can be played outside on the deck or in the yard near the lake.  If you have a group of friends you like to RPG with, give us a call when you’re ready to host your own retreat here at Inn on Lake Wissota.