The Inn at Stony Creek offers 3 "Winter Packages" and 2 Relaxation Workshops

To all of our valued Guests:

Winter is upon us and Warwick has not been exempt from snow this year! The ground has been snow covered since Dec 26th. We have been enjoying the slower season by creating some new breakfast dishes for our menu and doing some maintenance and small painting projects at the Inn. We are excited about all the changes that will be happening this year at the Inn. Specifically our new check-in office and expanded dining area in our tavern.

Joe and I have come up with 3 new Winter Packages to entice our previous guests and newcomers to get off their couch and come to enjoy what Warwick has to offer in Winter!

Visit the Wineries to warm your spirit, dine at any of our 12 fine restaurants, Ski or tube at 3 ski areas all within 15 minutes of the village, or enjoy music/dancing at 3 of Warwicks restaurants/clubs! You can also just enjoy the peace and serenity of the inn relaxing by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, or browse our extensive video collection and watch a movie! Whatever your wish for a winter getaway is, we'll make it happen, just ask. The following packages are sure to entice you to make a visit:

WINTER COUPON SPECIAL -

Book any night and use a 10% discount coupon towards your room balance.

A FREE NIGHT SPECIAL -

All guests staying two nights or more can enjoy an additional night for free. Whether you stay 3 nights for the price of 2 or 4 nights for the price of 3, you receive a great deal! Please call for availability and details.

WELCOME BACK SPECIAL - Reserve a room for two nights and enjoy a $50 credit. Apply your $50 towards an Artisian Cheese and Meat board, a box of handmade chocolate covered strawberries, a large seasonal bouquet, or you may apply your $50 towards your room balance.

*Winter Break specials may be applied to any guest stay between February 1st and April 30 and are not available from Feb 12th-14 and Feb 18 - 21st. Offers cannot be combined with any other discounts, packages or gift certificates.

Hope we get to see you this winter to catch up on things,

Happy Winter to you all!

Bill and Joe

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year everyone. I hope your holidays were wonderful and that the new year brings you nothing but health, wealth, and peace.

We are getting ready for a big year here at the Inn. We are working on the addition, to get it finished for the upcoming season. The electric is in and the staircases are done. The next things are the duct work and insulation and then its smooth sailing from then on. The addition will include our living quarters, an office and reception area for the guests and two new guest rooms. More info to come as well as pictures of the progress.

Bill and I are getting ready to put in our order for more chickens this year. We are ordering at least 25 more chickens as well as 10 ducks. Just don't say that the Inn at Stony Creek is for the birds. :) We will be expanding our breakfast menus to include many more egg dishes as well as new muffins and breads to utilize all these fresh eggs.

We have also been mapping out the garden for this year's planting season. We are going to be growing many more vegetables to be used in our breakfasts for the guests. So far we've decided on tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and squash and all sorts of fresh herbs, all organic of course.

Our next big weekend will be Valentine's Day. I am already getting the recipes out and planning to make some heart shaped linzer tarts for the guests. And we will also be serving heart shaped pancakes with fresh strawberries as well as fried eggs that are also heart shaped.

2011 will also bring some new events to the Inn. We are toying with the idea of specials such as drive-in nights, which would include a night's stay, tickets to the drive-in and snacks and drinks to take with you. Another plan is to provide a dinner for guests who have rented the whole inn and choose to have dinner here in lieu of going to an outside restaurant. We of course have other extras such as chocolate covered strawberries, flowers, massages, etc. More information will post here in future blogs.

As far as whats going on in the area; on February 12-14, Greenwood Lake will be host to their Annual Winter Carnival sponsored by the Breezy Point Inn. All kinds of activities and contests and plenty of food and drink. Check online for more information.

On February 13, Pennings will sponsor their Sweetheart Barn Dance from 7-11pm. $10 adults and $5 for children. Come enjoy and old fashioned hoe down. Food and drink will be available to purchase. Call 845 986-1059 for further details.

Also on February 13, Florida, NY will be having their grand opening of an indoor Farmer's Market from 11am to 4pm. Food, live music, chocolates, flowers, and all kinds of Valentine's gifts will be available. Call 845 651-1170 to get more information.

And don't miss the annual Valentine's Day party at the Eclectic Eye on Railroad Ave. George will be on hand as usual as host. Call for details.

Ok folks, time for my monthly recipe. I wondered what to start the year off with, and I decided that a tasty muffin recipe that can be served at any time during the year would fit any season.

The Inn at Stony Creek Sweet Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 2/3 cups of unbleached flour

2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease muffin tin or use muffin papers

Beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and sour cream.

In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just blended.

Fold in your favorite ingredient. ( I do it according to season) berries, bananas, applesauce or nuts or any combination of ingredients, 1 cup of whatever you choose.

Don't overmix or muffins will be tough.

Spoon batter into the prepared pans or cups and fill 2/3 full.

Sprinkle some raw sugar over the muffins and bake for about 20 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for about 5 min. Turn onto a rack.

Best served warm.

Hope you enjoy the recipe and remember they taste best when served at the Inn at Stony Creek. (smile)

Well folks, Bill and I wish you again a very Happy New Year and we hope that you will come visit us year. God Bless you all.

Merry Christmas Etc.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwaanza and a joyous season no matter which holiday you are celebrating. Here at the Inn at Stony Creek, Bill and I are getting the place decorated and ready for the upcoming season. The roses are pruned to the ground, and the mums are long gone. And all the pumpkins have made their last pie. We've given Thanks and survived Black Friday. Now its time to break out the holly and the evergreens and get ready to chop down the tree.

This year Bill and I are as always celebrating with our families. I have already started baking my perennial Christmas cookies and Bill is in charge of the outside lights. I think I got the best of the deal because I am at least keeping warm. Can you believe how cold its gotten and so fast?

Well, a good hot cup of mulled cider and some warm cookies from the oven really helps.

Here in Warwick and the surrounding towns, we are all getting into the holiday spirit. The next two weekends on the 11th and 18th, there is a Christmas Carol sing-a-long at the Bellvale Community Center in Chester. Its a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of holday shopping. Friends and family are all welcome. Call 845 572-3400 for more info. Light refreshments will be served.

Also in Warwick, there will be horse and buggy rides and Santa on the Railroad Green on the weekends. Call 845 986-2720 to get further information.

On December 19th, there will be a Ski with Santa at Mount Peter Ski and Ride. To get details, call 845 986-4940.

And of course, there are all the Christmas and Christmas Eve services at all the local places of worship. Check your yellow pages for details.

Ok. Enough with the activities. I racked my brains to decide which cookie recipe I was going to post on this blog. I decided it had to be a favorite at the Inn and a favorite of mine and Bill's because you are all favorites of ours. So I have decided to give you my recipe for Chocolate Pixies. Now I should tell you that I usually make two batches of these because they go like crazy. So here goes.

Chocolate Pixies

1/4 cup butter

4-1oz. squares of unsweetened baking chocolate

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

confectioners sugar

In a 1 qt. saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat for about 8-10 min. Cool.

In a large bowl combine cool melted chocolate and 1 cup flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder and salt. Beat at med. speed, scrape bowl often until mixed well about 2-3 min.

Stir in remaining 1 cup of flour and nuts .

Cover and refrigerate three hours to overnight until dough if firm and easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape rounded teaspoons of dough into 1" balls and roll in confectioners sugar. Place about 2" apart on a greased or parchment covered cookies sheet.

Bake 12-15 min. or until firm.

Makes about 4 doz.

Well, my friends, I am sure you want to run right into the kitchen and start baking. Thats what I will be doing tonight and over the next two weeks. I freeze a good part of the cookies that can be frozen and then save the delicate ones for just before Christmas. Then I mad scramble baked 2 days before. Oh well, it only comes once a year.

Bill and I hope you have a wonderful holiday full of happiness and good health and that you get everything your heart desires. So from us at The Inn at Stony Creek...............

Happy Holidays

The Holiday Season Comes to Warwick

Hello everyone. Joe here with November's news from Warwick and the Inn at Stony Creek. We have been so busy during this Fall foliage season and we've met so many new people and most important, we have made so many new friends.

Harvest time is just about over in the Hudson Valley and the farmer's markets have all closed for the upcoming winter. But there is still lots to do in the area.

On November 20-21 &December 4-5 there is a Wine Trail event. Visit 11 wineries, receive a grapevine wreath and ornament and sample great food and wine. For reservations call 845 988-9292.

On November 21st there are also two other great events happening in the Warwick area. First in Sugar Loaf, NY there will be a Festival of Trees from 10am to 3 pm, where you can see one of a kind decorated trees and perhaps purchase a special gift for a special someone. There will be caroling and activities for the kids and even a visit from Santa. Call 845 469-2287 for more information. Then also on that day in the Village of Warwick we will be celebrating "Home for the Holidays" from noon to 5pm. The Warwick Merchants Guild will be sponsoring an open house. All the stores will have specials. There will be music, refreshments, decorations for season, etc. Then at 2pm the Paramount Players will be performing scenes from Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol" on the railroad green.

Maybe the title of this post should be "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas". :)

Well, even though it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, we still have Thanksgiving to look forward to and I have found a great recipe to share with you. It is very easy and a great dessert to end your dinner with. Hope you enjoy it.

Pumpkin Dessert Squares

Base
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup softened (not melted)butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Filling
1 cup sugar
1 15 oz can of pumpkin (not filling)
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
3 eggs

Topping
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup of softened butter
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 13 x 9 pan.

In med bowl mix 1 1/2 cups of bisquick and 1/2 cup of pecans. Using pastry blender or fork cut in 1/2 cup of butter until crumbly. Using floured fingers, pat into bottom of pan. Bake 10 min.

In a lg. bowl beat filling ingredients with a wire whisk until smooth. Set aside.

In a med bowl mix 1 cup of bisquick and 1/2 brown sugar. Using pastry blender or fork cut in 1/4 cup of butter until crumbly. Mix in pecans.

Pour filling over hot partially baked base. Sprinkle with topping mix over filling.

Bale 50-55 min or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 30 min before cutting into squares.

Serve with whipped cream. Store leftovers (if there are any) in fridge.

Just made this for our open house and not one was left.

Well folks that is all for now. My next post will be my Christmas entry and I will have some big news to tell you about plans at the Inn.

Bill and I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and we look forward to hearing from you all this holiday season.

Best wishes to you all.

Hi everyone. Joe here, on a beautiful fall day in Warwick. It has been a while since I posted on this blog. We have had a very busy season. And I have some sad news to report. Bill's mom passed away last month. Bill spent some time in Florida making arrangements with his sister, Carol and preparing to bring his dad up north. I know you join me in sending your condolences.

Lots went on since last I posted. I performed my first wedding ceremony at the Inn. My friends Joe and MaryEllen had their reception here and asked me to marry them. I became an officiant for the Universal Life Church and can now perform marriages in the state of New York. Very exciting time for me and you can find out more when we update our wedding section on our website.

As you already probably know, Warwick is a whirlwind of activity during the month of October.

Apple Fest was a resounding success as it is every year, drawing upwards of 30,000 visitors to Warwick. Also this past weekend Sugar Loaf had their Fall Festival which is smaller than Apple Fest but just as inviting.

For the rest of the month, there are all sorts of things to do in the area. Apple picking and pumpkin picking are in full swing. Heaven Hill Farm has their haunted hay ride which is very exciting and scary. The farmers market is still on every Sunday in downtown Warwick from 10am to 2 pm. It boasts all kinds of produce and goods from the Hudson Valley. Florida, NY also has a farmer's market every Tuesday from 11:30am to 5:30pm.

Well, since it is apple season in the area, I thought I would ask Bill if I could share his delicious apple crisp recipe with you. It is absolutely delicious and very easy to make.

So here it is.

Ingredients

4 large apples, peeled and sliced

1 cup sugar

nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

4 tablespoons water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle apples with nutmeg, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar; add water.

Place in a 9 inch square baking dish. Cream butter and remaining sugar. Add flour and mix well. Pat this mixture over apples and bake 30-45 minutes. Serves 6.

Delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.

I guarantee you will enjoy this great dessert.

Sorry I was away from the blog for so long but I won't be again. I will be back before the end of the month and then again in November and December. I have lots of recipes and things to tell you about. Oh and by the way, the addition is progessing nicely and will have lots of pics to show you in the coming months.

Thanks for being such loyal readers and from Bill and Joe at the Inn at Stony Creek, Happy Autumn and a Happy, scary Halloween.

August in Warwick; A great place to visit.

Is it really August already? Seems like the summer is just flying by. Bill and I are having a busy summer, meeting lots of new guests and making lots of new friends. Our garden is in full bloom and the chickens are providing us with many a great egg dish. The temperature has finally gotten to a comfortable level and our guests are enjoying all that the Warwick outdoors has to offer.

In August, our neighboring town of Florida, will host their 11th annual Family Fun Fest. There is a host of vendors, food, music and amusements for all. Take it from me. It is a great fun day and not to be missed. Call (845) 651-6000 for more information.

Then on August 14th, Greenwood Lake will have their Decorated Boat Parade on the lake. There will be spectacular examples of floating crafts that will be sure to inspire your laughter, amazement and bewilderment. Don't forget your cameras.

Warwick will be presenting their first ever Annual Jazz Festival from August 26-29. Various venues in the village, such as Dautaj Restaurant, The Tuscan Cafe and Conquito are just some of the places you can view jazz musicians at their finest. Call the town for more information and times.

Oh and don't forget the farmer's market every Sunday from 9am to 1pm in town. You can find everything fresh and delicious grown right here in the Hudson Valley.

We will be hosting our 2nd wedding of the season this month. It will be an outdoor affair for friends of ours and I will be the officiant for the ceremony. Our outdoor events are usually limited to 60 guests but always turn out wonderfully for everyone involved.

I have promised a few of our guests that I would repeat a recipe that I had posted some time ago. It is for our Stony Creek Egg Souffle w/cheddar dill sauce. So here goes.

Stony Creek Egg Souffle w/cheddar dill sauce

10 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups grated Jack cheese
sauteed vegetables (peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.)

In a small fry pan saute sliced vegetables of your choice in a small amount of butter. Set aside.

Beat the eggs well. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into the melted butter; add to the eggs. Add the cheeses and mix well. Pour into a greased glass pan. Top gently with the sauteed vegetables. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 min to 1 hour or until center is firm. Cut into 8 pieces and served with cheddar dill sauce.

To make cheddar dill sauce:

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pinch salt
2 tsp dried dill or fresh if you have it

Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in the flour until smooth. Add milk gradually. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in cheddar cheese, salt and dill. Cover until served over the eggs.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy making it for you.

Just wanted to remind you all that the annual Warwick Apple Fest is quickly approaching on Sunday, October 3rd. So if you are going to be staying over that weekend please make your lodging reservations as soon as possible.

Well I guess thats all for now. Bill and I want to wish you a great rest of the summer. I will have some great information in my September blog. Lots going on in the area this fall. Hope to see you then.

Until next time, this is Joe signing out and wishing you the best that life has to offer.

In the good old summertime

Well folks, Joe here and the hot, hot weather is upon us. Temps have been in the high 90's for the last few days and even hit 100 yesterday. Lots of our guests and residents of the area have been spending the days at Waywayanda State Park. There is a great lake with a beach where you can cool off and spend a nice relaxing day.

We had a wonderful event happen at the Inn in June. We had our first wedding of the season. There was a wonderful time had by all and the bride and groom looked so beautiful. Our next two weddings will be in August and in September. Its always wonderful when a special occasion like this happens at the Inn. It creates memories for not only the married couple and their families, but also for Bill and me, to think that our Inn was the starting place for a brand new family.

Now I know you must be sick and tired of hearing about the chickens but we got our first batch of eggs this week. They were all brown eggs so we know that they were laid by the Rhode Island Reds.

There are so many things going on in the area this summer. The Warwick Valley Summer Arts Festival will be in full swing beginning July 9th. And the Warwick Valley Winery has periodic entertaintment and wine tastings. And lets not forget their delicious menu for lunch. There is also Sugar Loaf for arts and crafts and all the antique shops and restaurants in the surrounding area. You can check http://www.warwickinfo.com/ for more information and dates and times.

You can also join the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce in a celebration of From Farm to Table on July 27th from 6pm to 9pm. This is a very special event that showcases the collaboration between the farmers, farm workers and chefs giving rise the extraordinary foods that are grown in and around the Black Dirt Region in Pine Island, NY. This 2nd annual Black Dirt Feast will benefit the local community and costs $90 per person. It includes a five course dinner, wines and entertainment. Go to the above website for contact information.

Whew! I'm getting tired just thinking about all there is to do this summer. But don't forget to save some time for relaxation and the Inn at Stony Creek is just the place to do it.

Well, time to go for now. Next post will have a very special recipe I am sure you will like.

So from Bill and Joe, have a wonderful July and come see us soon.