Our Recipes: Part 5

Lake Pointe Inn Best Ever Cherry Muffins

1 3/4 cup flour
2 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 tbs baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp almond extract

1 well beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 bag frozen dark cherries

Combine dry ingredients thuroghly. Combine liquid ingredients thuroghly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in liquids and stir until just combined. Fill muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 25 mins(less if small muffins).

While still hot, roll in melted butter then in sugar. If you have butter left over, make a hole in the top of each muffin and pour butter over top.


...Betcha can't eat just one!

Swallow Falls State Park

If you have been reading this blog, you may know by now that Garrett County has many state parks to boast. In my opinion, Swallow Falls State Park has the most beautiful scenery. This park is a snapshot of everything we have to offer here in Garrett County. The waters, rapids, boulders, and forrest make up a park that is one of a kind. The park contains Maryland's highest waterfall, Muddy Creek Falls, a crashing 53-foot waterfall along with its relative waterfall, Swallow Falls. Camping has long been a tradition at the state park boasting visitors in the early 20th century of, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, who often came to camp near Muddy Creek Falls. Now the park has 65 camping sites for people wanting to experience the great outdoors. If you are looking for swimming, this is also a place to be! During low water flow parts of the season, there are a few calmer pools to swim and play in. there are also a couple of areas deep enough to jump into. Though you do need to take caution for at times the water can be dangerous, the water is cool and refreshing. Last, but not least, for you photographers out there, pay a visit in the Autumn. The foliage will take your breath away. Swallow Falls is a namecreated by early tourists for the Rhaeadr Ewynnol, (English: Foaming Waterfall), a waterfall in Wales.

Deep Creek Lake, McHenry, and Oakland

The lake was born in the late 20's when a dam was built to generate electricity for the area through the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company. Around the lake soon grew a community that has grown significantly in the last 20 years. Once a very well kept secret, the Deep Creek Lake area has become a regular recreation area for those living in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Deep Creek Lake is the largest inland body of water in the state of Maryland and is home to a wide variety of freshwater fish and aquatic birds. It covers approximately 3,900 acres (16 km²) and has 69 miles (111 km) of shoreline. Like all lakes in Maryland, it is man-made. McHenry is a small community located in Garrett County, Maryland on the northern most shore of Deep Creek Lake. Located on the outskirts of McHenry is the Garrett County Airport, Wisp Ski Resort, and Golf Club at Wisp. Oakland is a community just outside of the lake area that has history in its own. The National Historic Trust designated Oakland as a National Main Street Community in 1998, with its old victorian houses and a queen anne style railway station that has a small museum on the history of the B&O Railroad.

Our Recipies: Part 4

With summer about to start, and fruit more than plentiful, you might get bored of just eating plain ole pears. well there is a great recipe for that! Introducing butterscotch bakes pears, a perfect way to mix it up and still eat your fruit.


BUTTERSCOTCH BAKED PEARS

12 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium ripe but firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved lengthwise
6 Tbls (3/4 stick) of unsalted butter
¼ cup (packed_ golden brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbls Scotch
½ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using melon baLler or small spoon, scoop out core from each pear half.  Melt butter in large ovenproof skillet over medium heat.  Whisk in brown sugar and salt.  Arrange pears, cut side down, in skillet in single layer. Spoon some of sugar mixture over pears. Place skillet in oven.  Bake until pears are tender, basting once with syrup, about 30 minutes.  Transfer pears, cut side up to large shallow bowl, leaving syrup in skillet.   Mix Scotch and vanilla extract into syrup. Using oven mitts as aid, place hot skillet over medium high heat (mixture may ignite) Cook until syrup is reduced by half, whisking often, about 2 minutes.  Spoon syrup over pears and serve.

Spring in Full Force

     Spring has officially landed in Garrett County! With the summer season just around the corner, many businesses and residents are preparing for a fun filled summer. The Bear Project for the deep creek lake state park is making a huge impact on what they hope will bring a new canopy. The bears are one by one moving into their new "foster homes" where they will be found until November. So this summer and fall, when you visit, why not go on a bear hunt? Join in the fun by picking up a Bear Trail Guide at each of the sponsor locations, the Discovery Center, Visitor Center in McHenry and other locations.   Those that find all 20 bears, verified by the participating sponsors, will be eligible for a grande prize drawing of a carved bear! We will have our very own and he will be serving lemonade to thirsty searching parties!
     In other news, the state parks are opening for longer days and more visitors, both local and beyond. Six State parks are located in Garrett County. All offer picnic, and fishing areas, while all but Casselman River State Park have hiking paths. Mountain bike paths, swimming areas, and boat launches and rentals are available at Deep Creek, Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks. Rental cabins are available at Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks. Big Run, Deep Creek, Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks all offer canoeing, while campsites may be found at Big Run, Deep Creek, New Germany, and Swallow Falls State Parks. Nature is a thing some people often overlook. But, when you are here, you stop to take a look around. And what you see, it truly one of a kind.

Rapids

As spring moves into full swing, there is one thing that can be seen almost everywhere. rafting, kayaking and canoeing. garrett county boasts some of the best world class rapids and a center of man made river channel complete with rapids where championships, trials and world class athletes practice. it is the world's only mountaintop whitewater course, and can be enjoyed by beginners, families and paddling enthusiasts. ASCI hosts national and international caliber events, as well as races, competitions and festivals for children and developing athletes. Along with the man made river there is rock climbing for all levels of expierence. For early and late season rafting when asci isn’t open, there is the Youghiogheny River. A tribuitary to the Monongahela River, the Youghiogheny is popular for whitewater kayaking and rafting. A few sections of the river, varying in difficulty, are available on a predictable basis for whitewater recreation: Top Yough, near Swallow Falls State Park (Class IV-V), Upper Yough, from Sang Run to Friendsville, Maryland (Class IV-V), Middle Yough, from Confluence, Pennsylvania to Ohiopyle (Class II). There is also Lower Yough, which runs through Ohiopyle State Park from Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania to Bruner Run (Class III-IV). For a begginers class on rafting to a challenge for even the most expierenced white water rafter, we have something to offer you.

Leo Beachy

Not many people know how much history this county has. a man by the name of Leo Beachy, a school teacher in 1874, began to take photographs to express the natural beauty here in western maryland. he had a severe illness, but that didnt stop him from seeing the wonders of our world. in 1927 at his death, thousands upon thousands of his photographic plates were destroyed. now only 2887 reman. these are held by the garrett county historical society in oakland, maryland. Their website holds an archive of all of his plates. There may be almost 2900, but only a select few have been printed. His pictures span the years of 1905 to 1927, and feature everything from portraits to striking landscape photography. Many people call his work and amazing display of photography and are very proud this man hails from our area. He has many books and a documentary that was on public television. Be sure to look out, and look through his eyes when you visit. You might be surprised at what you find.