Start Your Garden NOW!
February 13, 2012
Greetings, Enota Family!
Yes, it DOES seem early to be thinking about Spring planting, but now is actually the perfect time! Even though the temperature in the North Georgia Mountains is in the teens, it’ll be Spring “just around the corner. Planning and prepping your garden is just as important as the planting.
Here are ten things to do
for your garden NOW:
#1: Take a walk through the area where you plan to have your garden plot(s) this year. Take note of anything that needs attention before planting time… mold or fungus, insect infestation, fallen tree limbs, etc. Many of these problems can be addressed now; and, if they need to be cared for later, you will have notes as to what needs to be done prior to planting. Cleaning up the garden space now will also prevent garden pests later…
#2: If you haven’t already done so, plan your garden. Look through seed catalogs, sort through seeds you already have, and decide what you want to plant and where. Do the math now, and it will prevent problems later. DO the research to see how much room a grown plant will require, how much light it will need, where it would thrive in your garden… ( Many pests will winter-over in last years’ plants…)
#3: More math!!! Decide whether you want to begin early with seedlings started indoors and plan accordingly; determine which vegetable varieties you want to grow and what the appropriate planting time for each is. Be sure to buy seeds appropriate for your zone!
#4: Oh, my! Even more math! Next, lay out your garden plan on graph paper, noting how much space you will need for each species, and placing them in appropriate areas for the amount of sunlight they each require. (Remember, the sun is much higher above the horizon in the summer than during the winter.)
#5: Be realistic while you are still in the planning stage! How much can you and your family take care of? And, how much do you want to produce? If you plan on canning, freezing, or dehydrating, you will want to plant more than what your family can eat during the harvest season. But, if you don’t plan on preserving the extras, it’s a shame to end up throwing good produce in the compost heap!
#6: Winter is the perfect time to take care of fruit trees. Pruning is very beneficial and doing so while the trees are dormant is perfect timing. Late winter is also a good time to start spraying dormant oil on fruit trees and shrubs to manage winter pests
#7: As winter ends, certain steps should be taken to prepare the soil for spring. Preparing the soil in a garden will increase the growth of a crop or flower bed, and it can be done during the winter. Tasks that should have been done in the autumn include removal of weeds and dead crops. A layer of compost should have also be added. If these things were not done in the autumn, do them now; it’s not too late.
#8: Once the ground has begun to thaw, start digging up the garden beds and preparing the soil for planting. (Digging in wet , saturated soil is counterproductive, so do this chore during a dry spell.) Adding compost as you go, dig the garden beds about 8 to 12 inches deep.
#9: Mulch your garden after you’ve prepared the soil. Mulch helps to keep the temperature of your garden soil more constant. Mulch will keep new seedlings warm once you’re at the planting stage.
#10: Start seedlings. Although many vegetables can be directly planted outdoors, starting seeds indoors can be educational and might give you an earlier harvest. For children, preparing seeds for sprouting and watching them grow is an invaluable biology lesson. Some plants that do well when started inside include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, melons, spinach, squash, tomatoes, zucchini, and nearly any herb.
Remember, depending on your planting zone, some vegetable seeds can be planted outdoors in the late winter. Sowing them after the soil has been properly tilled and organic matter has been added is ideal. Crops such as asparagus, leeks, lettuce, peas, onions, and spinach can be sowed during this time.
Doing prep work now will
make your planting and
gardening more enjoyable
throughout the spring and
summer.
And for a hands-on organic gardening experience, book your reservation at Enota. We have organic vegetable gardens and herd gardens as well as various farm animals, including chickens, cows, goats, and rabbits to name a few… You can learn about organic farming while having a relaxing and restoring vacation! We’d love to see you soon.
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: www.enota.com
Wattle Fencing
January 6, 2012
Greetings, Enota Family!
A few days ago we mentioned wattle fencing in our posting about garden planning. Wattle fencing is such a great subject we decided it needed to be looked at a lot more closely… We hope this posting will be educational and entertaining.
HISTORY:
Wattle fences are definitely not a new idea! Beginning in the Bronze Age, (when knives, saws and hatchets came into use) Europeans began experimenting with wattle work, the art of weaving branches into walls, fences and roofs. Wattle fences are made by weaving flexible green sapling wood between upright posts. Wattle fences can be both strong and beautiful. They were originally used to contain domestic animals, orchards, and gardens.
Nowadays, wattle fences are a low-cost, easy-to-build, natural fence. Wattle weaving is a great way to build fences and other rustic garden accents using sustainable harvested wood. Material used for wattle weaving consists of green branches and saplings, preferably from fast-growing trees such as willows or alders. (But many people use any type of small branches or saplings, including oak, maple, fruit trees, dogwood, etc. – the branches need to be somewhat green so as to be flexible enough for weaving.)
Wattle fences are made by weaving flexible green sapling wood between upright posts. Green, freshly-cut wood is best, as it is the most bendable. The tighter you weave the wattle, the sturdier the fence will be. Even so, you will occasionally need to repair your wattle fence, replacing rotting sections.
HOW-TO:
The following is directions for building a one-foot tall decorative wattle fence. Such a fence might be used as a border around a flower garden or alongside a garden path. Of course, to make a taller fence, you would use taller rebar and it would require more branches…
Materials and tools needed for this project:
2 &1/2 foot pieces of #4 Rebar for staking (wooden stakes can be used, but will rot and need to be replaced periodically; rebar is long-lasting.)
3-foot or longer lengths of freshly-cut branches, 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter at the thick end, with leaves and branches removed.
Mallet, to pound rebar into the ground.
Handclippers and loppers to cut branches and remove leaves, etc.
Directions for assembling:
Lay out the rebar stakes every 1 &1/2 feet on straight sections; every foot for curved sections. Pound the rebar into the ground, leaving one foot above ground. Starting with the thicker branches, weave them into the stakes. Alternate branches, firmly pressing down to the ground each time you add another branch. Alternate the weave of each new row by starting it on the opposite side of the post from the last row. Also alternate the base ends of the branches with tip ends, since the thick bases give a tighter weave. Keep weaving until you reach the desired height (one foot, in this case).
Now you can weave in smaller thinner branches throughout your fence to fill in any gaps. Trim off any limbs sticking out. For extra stability, weave hemp string into the fence, securing it to the rebar posts. Hemp string is to wattle weaving what duck tape is to the home do-it-yourself person!
Towers and Trellises:
You can make a beautiful twig tower for growing any type of vining plant using only a half dozen 6-foot-long sections, a couple of wire hoops, and some grapevines, kudzu vines, honeysuckle, etc. For a beginner’s project , make a tower in a large soil-filled pot.
Stick the uprights as far down into the pot as they’ll go, at equal intervals, to hold the tower steady. Next, wire the top ends of the inside of the tower. Using pliable branches and wire, slip a small hoop inside the top section of the tower, and a larger one near the bottom. (The hoops and wires will “disappear” as you weave pieces of grapevine into the tower.
Your tower will be attractive and functional, serving as a support for any vine-type plant, whether it is morning glories or pole beans! And, this same type of tower can be built into the ground around your young tomato plants, providing support as they grow. No need to purchase those wire cages!
Use the Little Sticks
If you work with wattle, you’ll quickly accumulate lots of small sticks that you’ve trimmed from the ends of larger ones. Tie a bunch of these together with hemp string to create a roll-up twig mat and place it over freshly-planted containers to keep out birds and squirrels while the seeds are germinating. Or create craft projects… the only limitation is your imagination!
If you want more ideas, keep your eyes open when visiting country stores or antiques shacks. There you might see little wall shelf units, picture frames, door handles, wind chimes and even decorative window shutters made out of branches and sticks.
We hope you have enjoyed this posting and that you will give wattling a try! For another rustic experience, visit us here at Enota. Whether your group is a few people or a hundred, we can accommodate you. It is beautiful here year-round, there are many places to see and things to do, and you’ll be glad you visited!
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: www.enota.com
Vegetable Garden Planning 101
December 10, 2011
Hello, again, Enota Family!
It might seem a bit extreme to start talking about planning next year’s vegetable garden in early-mid December; but, this is actually the perfect time to start such a plan… Today we’re going to talk about planning a veggie garden – for beginners. We will, then, continue with more details for the next couple posts. Hope y’all will enjoy…
Garden Basics: If you are a
beginner vegetable gardener,
here are basics on how to plan
your vegetable garden: How
Big? Where? Which Veggies?
How Big?
An adequate beginner vegetable garden is 10×16 feet. We have listed below some ideas of what can be planted in a garden of this size. These suggestions are easy to grow for the garden newbie. A garden this size, planted as suggested below, can feed a family of four for one summer, with a little extra for canning or giving away.
Start small. And “plan big”. One of the common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want.
Where?
Vegetables love the sun. They require at least six hours of sunlight each day, preferably more. Some veggies need continuous sunlight in order to prosper and bear well. In the early spring, walk around your property to see where the snow melts first… this will indicate the spots where the best sunlight is.
Vegetables need good, well-drained soil. Most backyard soil is not-so- perfect and will need the help of sand or compost, or other enrichment. Check with your local nursery or county extension office about soil testing and soil enrichment.
Placement is everything. Vegetables need proper nutrition. For example, vegetables too close to a tree will lose its nutrients to the tree’s larger and well-established root system. But, a garden close to your house will help discourage wild animals from eating your plants and/or produce.
Vegetables need lots of water – a minimum of one inch per week. Obviously, if you don’t get any rain in any given week, you will need to water your vegetable garden.
One of the best resources for vegetable plant needs is seed catalogs. Study the catalogs, decide what will work for your needs, and order early!
Which Veggies?
If your vegetable garden is 10 x 16 feet, as mentioned at the beginning of this post, then you will want to make 11 rows, each 10 feet long. These rows can consist of the following easy-to-grow vegetables. Leave 2 feet between bush beans, 1/2 foot between bush beans and lettuce, and 1 foot between all of the rest. Your rows should run north and south to take full advantage
This is our suggested list of basic vegetables, in alphabetical order. Of course, if your family doesn’t like one of these vegetables, there’s no need in growing it! Add more of something you and your family like!
Or, plant flowers amidst your veggies for a happy and colorful garden. For example, marigolds are good to keep rabbits away, and are especially beneficial to tomato and bell pepper plants.
Beets
Bush Beans
Cabbage
Carrots
Chard
Lettuce – leaf or Bibb
Peppers – 6 plants
Radishes
Tomatoes – 5 plants, staked
Zucchini – plants
Some of these vegetables might yield more than one crop per season; beans, beets, cabbage, lettuce, and radishes are examples.
And, of course, if this garden is too big for your needs, make the rows shorter, thus making your garden plot smaller. Choose the size and items according to your household’s needs and abilities – and enjoy planning that garden!
Remember this: It’s better to be
proud of a small garden than to
be frustrated by a big one!
For a hands-on organic gardening experience, visit us here at Enota. You will learn about organic gardening and organic animals while enjoying the beauty and serenity of the North Georgia Mountains.
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: http://www.enota.com
And May All Your Christmases Be GREEN
December 7, 2011
Greetings, Enota Family.
Bing dreamt of a “White Christmas”; Elvis sang about having a” Blue Christmas”; how ’bout us having a nice green holiday? Today we will talk about some ways to make our gift giving greener. Perhaps you will be able to adapt all of them, perhaps only one; either way, you’ll be having a greener Christmas than last year, and every little bit helps in preserving and conserving our natural resources.
The only thing worse than having to politely pretend that the unwanted gift you just opened is “just what I wanted”, is to realize that the gift you gave to someone else has evoked that same polite “thank-you.” Over the years how many such gifts have ended up in the back corner of your closet gathering dust?
This year you can give cleaner, greener gifts that will bless the recipient while respecting the earth and the environment. By using some thoughtfulness and creativity people of every age can come up with really great green gifts!
Idea #1:
Make ”coupon books” or gift certificates for your loved ones. For example, give a coupon book for doing the dishes for Mom or mowing the yard for Dad, or – for a youngster – staying up an extra hour to watch TV, extra computer time, etc. The ideas are endless; just adapt this to your family’s likes and dislikes.
Make your coupons cute and creative and personalized to suit the giver as well as the recipient. This gift costs no money, but can be an absolute favorite!
Idea # 2:
Think of something your friend or family member would like to do, somewhere they’d like to go. These gifts take up absolutely no space, but can be a great gift. For example, buy Dad a few washes at the local car wash, or give passes to the zoo, the local skating rink… you get the idea. A nice massage comes to mind… or a restaurant gift certificate. Again, personalize this to meet your loved-ones’ needs.
Idea # 3:
Food is one of the least wasteful gifts you can give. After all, everybody has to eat! If you have a knack for baked goods or home-canned sauces or yummy chocolate fudge, give these as gifts. It certainly won’t end up in the corner of the closet!!! Another twist on this idea is to combine your food gift with a nice cutting board, pretty holiday plate, etc. Then, when the food is gone, your gift is remembered every time your loved one sees the special item that accompanied it.
Idea #4:
Create a gift basket. This could be food and kitchen items, bath items, or even a basket of green cleaning products. These gifts aren’t frivolous, but still make a nice, attractive, even exciting gift. Personalizing the basket for the intended recipient is, again, the key to making this a really great gift.
Idea #5:
If your friend or family member is an animal lover, give a gift for their pet. This could range from the very practical – such as a leash for Fido or a new bowl for Kitty – to the very silly – such as a pink tutu for Aunt Terri’s poodle!
Idea #6:
Handmade gifts: If you have a talent for knitting, painting, making birdhouses, you-name-it… This is the perfect gift to give your loved ones. Even if you don’t have an artistic or crafty bone in your body, you can buy handmade gifts from local artisans by going to Craft Fairs, local art shows, etc.
Idea # 7:
If none of these ideas appeals to you, you can still “give green”. Give a conservation-conscious gift such as a programmable thermostat, gardening products, or recycled/upcycled products. There are many such products available online.
What ever you decide to give, “wrap it green”! Wrap gifts in fabric, towels or linens. Or, make your own fabric gift bags, which can be reused many times. Or wrap gifts in newspaper, which really looks interesting when accented with ribbons or strings. The ”funny papers” are a whimsical touch for children’s gifts.
Native American Proverb:
“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents; it was loaned to you by your children.”
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: http://www.enota.com
December Fun in the NE Georgia Mountains
December 2, 2011
Greetings, Enota Family!
Today we’re going to talk about some of the interesting, educational, or just-plain-fun activities here in the North Georgia Mountains this month. All of these activities are within an hour or so of Enota Mountain Retreat. We hope you will come see us and enjoy some of the local Christmas flavor…
In Elberton, GA., ”Christmas Belles”, at the Elbert Theatre. It’s Christmas, and the Futrelle Sisters are not in a festive mood. A cranky Frankie is overdue with her second set of twins. Twink is in jail for burning down half the town. Honey Raye is trying to keep the church Christmas program from spiraling into chaos. And, Santa is passing a kidney stone!
This is one of the funniest Christmas shows you’ll ever see… Scheduled performances:
| 2/2 | 7:30p | Christmas Belles Performances |
| 12/3 | 7:30p | Christmas Belles Performances |
| 12/4 | 2:00p | Christmas Belles Performances |
| 12/9 | 7:30p | Christmas Belles Performances |
| 12/10 | 7:30p | Christmas Belles Performances |
| 12/11 | 2:00p | Christmas Belles Performances |
Call (706) 283-1049 for details.
Also in Elberton, GA is the “Revolutionary War Observance”, December 3rd at the Richard Russell State Park. This is an annual observance of the battle of Vanns Creek. Call (706) 283-1627 for details.
Dahlonega, GA: Chestatee Artists Holiday Show and Sale, December 3rd and 4th, at the YMCA in Dahlonega. Holiday gifts, including handmade jewelry, pottery, chain saw carvings, pressed flower art, and more. Call (706) 867-8059 for further details.
Blue Ridge GA.: Annual St Luke’s Christmas Bazaar, Dec 3rd, at Wetherburn Tavern, Blue Ridge, GA. Handmade baskets, woodwork, greeting cards, etc. Call (706) 632-8245.
Clarksville, GA: “1940′s Radio Hour”, At the Habersham Community Theatre in Clarksville, GA. This is a musical about the final holiday broadcast of a New York radio show. December 1 thru 4, 8 to 11 pm. Call (706) 839-1315 for further information.
In Helen, GA: Festival of Trees. Now through December 10th. Unicoi State Park, Helen. This tour features beautifully decorated trees throughout the lodge. Call (800) 573-9659, extension 300 for more information.
Tiger, GA: Annual Winter Wine Highway Tour, December 2 through 4. Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Tiger, GA. Visit the wineries, take a hayride, sip wine around a fire, and enjoy live music. For further information call (706) 782-8499
Ellijay, GA: Christmas Cookie Walk, December 16th and 17th. At Gilmer County Civic Center, Ellijay. Over twenty-thousand beautifully-decorated cookies. Silent auction, have lunch in the bistro. Call (706) 635-3672
In Canton, GA: December 10th and 11th. Christmas Concert at First United Methodist Church, Canton, GA. Presented by the Cherokee Chorale, conducted by Jenny Rawson and featuring ”Ceremony of Carols” by Benjamin Britten. For further information call (678) 439-8625.
At Vogel State Park: The Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 10th from 4 to 6:45 pm. Vogel State Park is located 11 miles south of Blairsville on Hwy 129/11. Starting at 4 o’clock there will be hayrides to carry guests from the Visitor’s Center to the ballfield. At 4:30 there will be three bonfires as well as caroling, hand-bells, ”Santa”, hot chocolate, cider, and cookies. The highlight of the evening is the lighting of the tree at 6pm. The tree is a live 35-foot blue Spruce.
There is no charge for this event, but visitors are asked to bring an unwrapped gift for a child 0 to 12 years of age. The Union County Sheriff’s Department will be distributing these toys to local children during the Christmas holidays.
Make some Christmas memories – Book a vacation cabin here at Enota and enjoy some of the above activities here in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains.
*** Enota Mountain Retreat is also hosting a Christmas celebration – we’ll tell you all about that next time!
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: http://www.enota.com
What to do With Thanksgiving Leftovers!
November 25, 2011
Hello, again, Enota Readers!
We hope you all had a safe and blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Of course today the question is, “What do I do with all these leftovers?” Although warmed up leftovers can be good, and a nice turkey sandwich with mayo and lettuce can be tasty, we think you will like some of these ideas even more!
Leftover Cranberry Sauce:
Cranberry Meatballs
48 frozen cooked meatballs
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
Bake the meatballs according to package directions . Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, ginger and pepper. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes until bubbly. Add meatballs to sauce and stir. Serve with toothpicks as a party snack. Kids love it!!!
Leftover Turkey:
Turkey Pizza
1 Boboli pizza crust
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1-1/2 cups shredded white cheese (Muenster, American, or Mozarella)
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1-1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, basil, thyme, pepper, and mustard. Stir in the turkey and spread crust with this mixture. Top with remaining ingredients in the order they are listed in this recipe. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. 6 servings
Leftover Mashed Potatoes:
Potato Pancake Crisps
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1 onion, finely minced
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Mix together mashed potatoes, beaten egg and onion in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper, mixing well.
Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a nonstick frying pan or cast iron skillet. Drop about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture each time into the frying pan, forming patties that are 4 inch circles 1/2″ thick. Cook until bottom is browned and crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the patty over and cook the second side until brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Either serve with ketchup or applesauce, depending on which taste you prefer.
Leftover Turkey AND Potatoes:
Shepherd’s Pie Redux
1 tablespoon butter
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped white or yellow onions
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 1/2 cups chopped or shredded roast turkey (white and/or dark meat)
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 cup green peas
4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square or two quart baking dish with the butter and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf , stirring to mix well. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until thick, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the meat and stir well to combine . Gradually add the stock and then the peas, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture is thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Transfer this meat mixture to the prepared dish; then, spoon the potatoes over the meat mixture, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the potatoes are crisp around the edges, about 25 minutes.
Leftover Sweet Potatoes:
Sweet Potato Wontons
2 Tbsp. butter
1 red bell pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. curry powder
1 cup chopped cooked sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp applesauce
24 wonton squares
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy skillet, and cook red pepper, onion and curry powder until tender. Stir in cooked sweet potatoes. Cool. Stir flour, sour cream, and applesauce into sweet potato mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush wonton squares with 2 Tbsp. melted butter and press each into miniature muffin cups. Spoon sweet potato mixture into the wonton shells and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 24 filled wontons
MORE Leftover Turkey!
Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole
3 cups cooked wild rice
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
16 oz. pkg. frozen french cut green beans, thawed
17 oz. jar alfredo sauce
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix rice, turkey, green beans and alfredo sauce in large bowl. Place in 12×8″ glass baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes – casserole will be bubbly at the edges and the bread crumbs will be browned.
We hope these recipes will help your family finish off the Thanksgiving leftovers in a most enjoyable fashion… You might even find that some of these recipes become year-round favorites!
Another year-round favorite is spending time at Enota. It is truly beautiful here in the North Georgia Mountains no matter what the season. And there is always lots to see and do. Book a vacation cabin, a motel room, or the conference center for a work or church group retreat. The beauty and relaxation of mountains, forest, and streams awaits you.
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: www.enota.com
Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
November 21, 2011
Greetings, Friends of Enota.
Today, as we rapidly approach Thanksgiving – and a month or so of high-fat, high-cal, high-sugar fetes – let’s think about trying some “substitution” recipes to decrease the fat, calories, and sugar. The following are recipes sure to please even the pickiest eater, yet be kinder to your waistline and general health:
Cran Apple Sauce
Use this in place of sugary
gelatin salads to decrease
your holiday sugar intake!
1/3 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
In a medium non-reactive saucepan, dissolve sugar into juice over a medium heat. Stir in cranberries, apple cider vinegar and chopped apples. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cranberries pop and sauce thickens.
Makes about 4 cups.
“Smashed” Red
Potatoes w Garlic
High on flavor, nutrition,
and good looks; yet low in
fat! Hooray!
2 pounds Red potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup fat -free sour cream
Chives, freshly chopped
Boil potatoes and garlic cloves in a large saucepan for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain and return to pan. Add milk and sour cream to potatoes and garlic. Mash with a potato masher until you have the desired consistency. Use a little more milk if you prefer thinner mashed potatoes. Stir in pepper; then, garnish with some chopped chives, as desired. Serves 6.
Best Green Beans
Sure to become a family
favorite, yet contains far less
fat and sodium than green
bean casserole!
2 slices turkey bacon, diced
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon lemon juice1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the bacon in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate; return the skillet with the reserved bacon grease/olive oil to the stove.
Cook the onion in the bacon/olive oil drippings until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the green beans and red pepper flakes; cook another 2 minutes. Pour the boiling water into the skillet and cover the skillet immediately; steam on low heat for about 15 minutes. Add the butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until the butter is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the beans to serve. Serves 6.
So, there you have it! Three great recipes… three great ideas for making healthy substitutions as part of your Thanksgiving feast. Even if you only use one of them, you’ll be a little bit healthier this holiday season.
We at Enota wish you a safe and blessed Thanksgiving. If you’re “in our neck of the woods”, come visit us during the holidays. We’d love to see you!
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Hwy 180, Hiawassee GA 30546
(706) 896- 9966 email: enota@enota.com
official web site: www.enota.com
Over the River and Thru the Woods…
November 18, 2011
To Enota Retreat we go!
Yes, Hello, again, Enota Readers! How ’bout giving Mom a break from Thanksgiving cooking and spending the long Thanksgiving weekend at Enota? Today we’ll talk about just some of the many activities and pleasures the entire family could enjoy…
Thanksgiving Feast:
Gather with us for a
traditional Thanksgiving
Feast, Thursday Nov 24th
at 2:00pm in the Dining
Hall. Menu will include at least:
Tender Roasted Turkey with Stuffing, Delicious Baked Ham, Tender Cooked Rice, Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Gravy, Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Beans, Corn, Field Peas, Home Made Macaroni & Cheese, Warm Rolls and Butter, Full Salad Bar, Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie and Pecan Pie, and more . . . !
Sit by the warm stone
fireplace and enjoy the
beautiful holiday
decorations.
The traditional parades and football will be playing on the TV in the lodge.
Reservations are required for the Thanksgiving Feast; we need to know how many to expect, so please RSVP to 706-896-9966 with the number of adults and children attending. You also are welcome to personalize the feast with dishes brought from home – If there is something your family traditionally enjoys for Thanksgiving, feel free to bring it! It can only add to the blessings everyone will surely experience!
$23.00- Adults (12 and over)
$11.00 – Children (3-11)
(no charge for children under the age of 3)
