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Welcome to the Morning Star B&B Newsletter
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Greetings!
Happy 2013! I can hardly believe that it is a new year once again. How did 2012 pass so quickly? How did December pass so quickly? We had a wonderful Christmas. My mother came to visit and we had a group of friends over for a very merry brunch on Christmas day. Though the month flew past, it was a month of happy beginnings. For those of you who remember my helper Nicole, Nicole graduated and is pursuing her career in food science. Best wishes to her! And just a few days ago, we had young military couple get married at the B&B. Best wishes to Heather and Joe, too!! (At right, a photo of the cake I made for their wedding.)
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 Life of Pi Here is something that you don't often hear me say (or see me write): "If you haven't already, go see this movie." With any luck, you can find someplace where it is still showing. Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, is one of the rare instances in which a movie does justice to the book upon which it is based. Critics are comparing it to Avatar, but I thought that Life of Pi was so much better both because I enjoyed the story more and also because the digital effects were so much more believable. In case you aren't familiar with the story, I don't want to give too much away; but Life of Pi is the fantastical, yet moving story of a young man stranded in a life boat with a Bengal tiger and their struggle for survival. Written by Yann Martel, Life of Pi was first published in 2001. I believe that my book club read it in 2002 and I know that we highly enjoyed it. I never would have thought that it could so successfully have been made into a movie. |
 Robert Day It sometimes takes me a while to get to my readers' book recommendations. Forgive me. I do my best and appreciate your suggestions. Please keep them coming! Anyhow, a few years ago, Jay from Kansas told me that his favorite book is Speaking French in Kansas by Robert Day. I put a little effort into finding the book, but it was out of print and I had a number of other books on my to-read list, and so I filed the suggestion away in the back of my brain for another day. Well, lo and behold, Robert Day stayed with us recently while in town to give a reading at the Strecker Nelson Gallery; and so I went. Day was reading selections from his latest book, Where I Am Now. They were very entertaining. I am very glad to have finally made an acquaintance with this author and his stories. The winner of numerous awards, Day writes with humor and an ability to make characters seem vividly real. |
 Hot Artichoke Dip
perfect for entertaining
* 1 1/2 c. chopped marinated artichoke hearts (about 14 oz. jar)
* 1 c. mayonnaise
* 1 c. fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Any of the Following, Optional:
*1/4 c. sundried tomatoes with garlic in olive oil
*1 small can green chiles, drained and chopped
*1/2 c. chopped red onion
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, drain artichoke hearts. Chop and mix together with the remaining ingredients.
3. Scoop dip into a 1-quart baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with warm French bread, pita bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
Note: If you have any leftover dip, it is wonderful tossed with hot pasta or served as a pizza topping.
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As always, thank you for reading The Morning Star Update. We here at the Bed and Breakfast wish you and yours a healthy and happy new year! Come see us soon!
Sincerely,
Laurie Pieper
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Sugar Pearl Wedding Cake
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Since we specialize in small weddings here at The Morning Star, we also specialize in small wedding cakes. This one, inspired by a photo of a cake for about 150 people that the bride found on the internet, was a triple layer white butter cake with real vanilla butter cream. It is decorated with sugar pearls - edible, but hard - and fresh roses.
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Dates to Remember
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