This post was provided by Destination Galena

Farmers Guest House in downtown Galena, Illinois is the perfect alternative to Galena hotels for your fall getaway. Farmers Guest House is the leading bed and breakfast in Galena, IL with a country elegance theme and operated by onsite innkeepers, Don & Susan Steffan. The unique in-town property offers guests to Galena a downtown lodging option.
This best in class Galena bed and breakfast provides a great alternative to a traditional Panama City hotel. The Galena inn was built in the 1850′s in the exclusive downtown neighborhood that is now part of the National Register of Historic Places. Farmers Guest House is easy walking distance to Galena restaurants, wine-tasting rooms, Main Street shops and Galena [...]

[continue to post to read more]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bacon & Egg Cups
(8 servings)

2 slices of bread
8 slices of bacon
8 large eggs
salt and pepper – to taste
fresh chopped chives

Preheat oven to 400˚.
Place the bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan.  If you have parchment paper you can line the sheet for easier clean up.  Bake for 14 minutes.
Remove the crusts from the bread, cut into quarters and place in the bottoms of a non-stick muffin pan.
Remove the bacon from the oven and drain. Reduce oven temperature to 350˚.
When bacon is cool enough to touch, yet still warm so you can bend it, line the sides of the muffin cups that have the bread in them with one piece of bacon each.  Break an egg into [...]

[continue to post to read more]

No matter how little time, money or patience for traffic you have, you’ll find the relaxation, inspiration, or energy you need with an easy escape from Chicago.
For the unspoiled weekend, or romantic getaway from Chicago, look no further than Farmers Guest House in Galena, Illinois. We are the perfect solution for your Galena lodging needs for your next midweek, romantic, or weekend getaway.  Only steps from Galena’s historic Main Street, you can spend the day enjoying local shops and wine tasting rooms, and then spend the evening appreciating the wide selection of restaurants in Galena.   Our romantic bed & breakfast offers a wide selection of suites and rooms that are elegant and romantic.
Farmers Guest House in Galena is ideal for [...]

[continue to post to read more]

Bacon Cornbread Muffins (one dozen)
1 ½ c. cornmeal
½ c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 c. roasted corn cut from the cob
6 slices bacon
 
Heat oven to 400˚.  Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers if desired.  Cook bacon in a medium frying pan until done.  Remove and cool.  Reserve drippings.  Coarsely chop bacon, reserving 12 small pieces for garnishing the top of the muffins.
Add vegetable oil to reserved drippings if necessary to measure ¼ cup.  Mix drippings, bacon and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and beat for 30 seconds.  Fill muffin cups ¾ full.  Place one piece of reserved bacon on each muffin.  Bake about 20 minutes. 
Serve warm with Jalapeno [...]

[continue to post to read more]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strawberry Coffee Cake
9 servings
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter – softened
2 large eggs
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. dried orange peel
1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries – sliced
Topping:
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. chopped pecans (optional)
 
Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, softened butter and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange peel.  Stir until just combined.  Pour into a greased 9” square baking dish. Cover with sliced strawberries.
Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly and sprinkle over top of strawberries.
Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out [...]

[continue to post to read more]

Saturday evening offered a Quilt and Parlor Tour of six different Bed and Breakfasts in Galena.  Of course Farmers Guest House was on the tour with over 20 quilts to share with guests.  Here is an antique crazy quilt on loan from Grammy’s Attic, one of the many antique stores in Galena.  Next time you are here at Farmers Guest House ask me for a map to all the antique stores Galena has to offer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two quilt enthusiasts, one from DesMoines, Iowa and the other from Batavia, Illinois, look over the fine embroidery work in a quilt provided to the parlor tour at Farmers Guest House by John Theisinger, Vice President at Galena State Bank.  John’s mother lovingly creates beautiful quilts for her family [...]

[continue to post to read more]

This weekend is the Quilt Fest and I was able to lead a class on Beginners Paper Piecing.  This is a fun technique and we all enjoyed sharing ideas and know-how.  The paper piecing quilting technique helps make an average quilter look like a pro – which is why I like it so much!  There was an awful lot of talk about our future quilt retreats and all the wonderful projects we have in the works.  More pictures will [...]

[continue to post to read more]