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A Taste of Woodloch: Pumpkin Spice (And Everything Nice!) | Woodloch Resort

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A Taste of Woodloch: Pumpkin Spice (And Everything Nice!)

Oh my gourd! It’s almost that special time of year- where Halloween has passed, and all of our eyes (and bellies) are anxiously looking forward to the magical day of THANKSGIVING! Turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans and more make it one of the the most eagerly anticipated days of the year. But most importantly, as you surround yourself in thanks with your friends and family by your side, remember this most of all… save room for DESSERT!

Chef George, from our Woodloch Pines kitchen, and the Woodloch Bakery once again return to share some of their favorite recipes using the quintessential holiday ingredient… PUMPKIN! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Roll

Cake Ingredients:

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Filling Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:

Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients for crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Ingredients for frosting:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix slightly. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie mix
½ tsp ground ginger
Gingersnap cookies
Apple slices

Directions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add in the pumpkin, sour cream, and spices and continue to mix until well incorporated.
Serve immediately with ginger snaps, apple slices, graham crackers and any other options. Refrigerate any left overs

Let us know if you give one of these recipes a try by taking a photo and tagging us on social media with the hashtag #ATasteOfWoodloch!

Filed Under: fall, food, Holiday Cooking, Holidays at Home, Recipes Tagged With: cooking, Recipes

From the Woodloch Cookbook: Recipes to warm your Winter! | Woodloch Resort

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

The Woodloch Cookbook: Recipes to Warm Your Winter!

It seems like just yesterday the autumn foliage was glimmering in brilliant shades of amber, fire red and golden yellow and I all I kept hearing about was how excited everyone was for “Pumpkin Latte Season” at their neighborhood Starbucks.

And now, times have changed.

Today, I am working from home as last night’s snowfall has made a mess of our local country roads. Sleigh riding was great fun as a kid- not so much in a vehicle as an adult. Which makes me reminisce of the snow days of old. How I have missed them!

When I wasn’t working on a school project that I had most certainly banked on completing due to a snow day, I used to love spending hours outside sledding around. When it got too cold I’d fire up my loyal Super Nintendo. And slowly but steadily I’d find ways to drive my mom insane. And the best way to deal with all the added stress? Therapeutic cooking.

I don’t believe my mom is alone. I think cooking works as a nice release for many that are stressed out- and it also doubles as an enjoyable activity in itself. So back by popular demand (and with the recipes YOU asked for!) please enjoy these wintry recipes to help warm up your season!

Woodloch Pines Chicken Soup
(just in case you happen to catch cold!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ quarts chicken stock
• 6 chicken bouillon cubes
• 5 tbs. rice
• ¼ cup butter
• 7 tbs. flour
• 2 c. cooked chicken, cut up
• 2 tbs. chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook rice, set aside. Bring chicken stock and bouillon cube to boil; reduce heat to low. Heat butter in small pan; stir in flour until smooth. Stir mixture into hot soup until desired consistency is achieved. Add cooked rice and cut-up chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Woodloch’s Famous Chili
(just in time for Super Bowl Sunday!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbs. lard / bacon fat
• 3 lbs. lean beef chuck, cut into ½ in cubes
• 2 onions, coarse chopped (1 ½ cups)
• 6 tbs. pure ground hot chili
• 3 tbs. cumin
• 2 tbs. pure ground mild chili
• 1 ½ tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Water
• 1 ½ c. beef broth
• 3 mild or hot green chilis
• 1 large chopped tomato
• 1 tbs. crushed chili Caribe or red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tsp. dried oregano, soaked in ¼ cup warm beer
• 1 tbs. cider vinegar
• 1 tbs. tortilla flour or cornmeal

INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt lard / fat in large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add meat in 2 batches if necessary & cook on all sides until it loses its pink color. Add onions, ground hot chili, cumin, ground mild chili, garlic, salt and black pepper. Add water to barely cover the meat, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1 to 1 ½ hours until meat is almost tender, adding more water if needed. Add 1 cup of beef broth to the chopped chilis, tomatoes, chili Caribe, oregano-beer mixture & vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring often. Stir tortilla flour into remaining ½ cup beef broth, then stir into chili & simmer 15-20 minutes until meat is very tender and sauce is red-brown.

Woodloch’s Streusel Cake
(Great for breakfast, dessert… and any other time of the day.)

STREUSEL CRUMB INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz. butter
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tsp. cinnamon powder
• ½ c. shortening
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1/3 tsp vanilla
• 5 ½ c. flour

INSTRUCTIONS: Mix all ingredients except flour together until creamy. Add the flour then mix again. Mixture will become crumbly.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
• 1 2/3 c. sugar
• 6 oz. butter
• ½ tsp. salt

• 5 lg. eggs
• 1 1/3 c. milk
• Vanilla to taste
• 3 ½ c. cake flour
• 1 tbs. baking powder

INSTRUCTIONS: Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and milk and mix. Add remaining ingredients and continue mixing until smooth. Add half of the batter to your 9” x 13” cake pan. Sprinkle lightly with the crumbs. Using measuring cup, pour remaining batter over the crumbs. Top cake with more streusel crumbs before baking. Place in oven at 375 degrees and bake for 35 minutes. After baking, let cool before cutting into 2 inch squares and serving.

Filed Under: Cooking, food, Holiday Cooking, Holidays at Home, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: cooking, Recipes

Our WOODLOCH Christmas Stories! | Woodloch Resort

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Our Woodloch Christmas Stories!

It truly is the most WONDERFUL time of the year! Christmas and the holiday season is such a special time for so many of us here- as you build your own Christmas memories at our resort, we thought it might be fun to check in with our staff and have them share theirs as well! Read on!

“Let’s just start by saying my husband’s birthday is on Christmas so celebrating his birthday and Christmas and finding him a gift for both is very difficult.

A week before Christmas, I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I held onto the information that I was pregnant and wrapped up baby bottles, bibs and baby items and gave it to my husband for our first Christmas together with a card that said ‘Dad you can expect me to arrive in the beginning of August, Love, Baby Struble.’ He cried.

To top it off, we celebrated Christmas with both of our families there so both of our moms and all of our siblings were together. We gave each of them cards that read the same thing, that Baby Struble would arrive in early August so all family members found out at the same exact time. That was a truly memorable Christmas for us all!”

-TRACEY, Reservations Department

“I was raised in a family with five children. My parents did not have much money. We all expected one gift for Christmas.

The gifts were put out under the tree a couple of days before Christmas. My siblings and I would always scope out the gifts, shake them, etc. This one year when I was about 10 years old there was a gift under the tree with no one’s name on it.

When Christmas morning came, the gift was for me. It was a green dress with a chain link belt. My father had picked it out for me, and I was so thrilled. This happened over 50 years ago yet I remember it so well!”

-CHRIS, Reservations Department

“My favorite Christmas memory is an interesting one, because I wasn’t there to see it.

We had to say goodbye to our family dog the summer prior, and it was tough holiday that year on everyone. Little did any of us know, not too far away on Christmas morning, the newest addition to our family was just being born! After the holidays were over, and with an overabundance of love to give in our family, we found out that Miniature Pinscher puppies were looking for a home, and our dog MAVERICK soon after joined our lives!

I have so many wonderful Christmas memories of my puppy. We always celebrated with double gifts for him on Christmas morning, and he LOVED to open his presents with everyone watching. Though this will be my first year without him by my side, I will carry so many wonderful warm thoughts of him in my heart for the rest of my days… especially on Christmas morning.”

-JOE, Marketing

“What could of been my worst Christmas turned into one of the best. My Mom passed away in July, and my only child, who lives in Arizona, could not make it in for Christmas because he came home for her funeral. He could not afford to fly again. I always had Christmas Eve dinner at my house for Sid’s (my husband) and my family but decided I was not going to do it this Christmas. It was hard for me to even put up Christmas decorations, but I did. Christmas Eve came, and Sid got up and got dressed and went to work. I had off and was really missing my Mom. I cried most of the morning and was really feeling sorry for myself. Sid called me later in the day to check on me, and of course I cried more to him.

As evening came around, I was still alone and still feeling depressed. I was sitting in our living room and thought I heard voices outside. It sounded like people singing. I went into our kitchen and looked out the window and saw people with Santa hats on and thought to myself, ‘Great, all I need now are a bunch of people singing Christmas songs.’ One person was holding a dog, and I recognized that it was Olaf, my son’s dog. Sid flew my son and daughter-in-law in for the holidays. It was them on the patio singing! Sid actually did not go to work that morning. He went to Philly to pick them up at the airport. We did not have the big meal and presents we usually would have, but we were together. I realized that Christmas that it wasn’t the fancy food and presents that were important but the love and support of my family. That is what makes the best Christmas!

– JUDY, Accounting

“It was a few weeks before Christmas when my youngest had just moved out, and I was suffering badly from empty nest syndrome. Having four kids I was used to a noisy fun-filled Christmas morning with lots of laughter!! Needless to say I was doing a lot of whining to my kids about how horrible it would be to wake up to a quiet house on Christmas morning. My two oldest had families of their own and would not be around. My second youngest had plans with her in-laws in New Jersey for Christmas morning and planned on arriving later in the day. I went to bed on Christmas Eve feeling sorry for myself.

I woke up in the morning trying to get in the spirit of the season. I decided to get up and pack my annual fudge and cookie trays and get the gifts ready to take to my in-laws for Christmas brunch. As I walked down the hall to the kitchen, I realized someone was sitting in the living room! My second youngest child jumped up and shouted ‘Merry Christmas Mom!’ She had made arrangements for her uncle to come to New Jersey to pick her up in the middle of the night so that she could be there when I woke up! Soon after, my youngest arrived with her friend-roommate! It turned out to be an awesome Christmas after all. I knew my kids were pretty special, and that gesture clinched it for me!”

-ELLEN, Gardening Department

“Every year, my brothers and I do our annual ‘brotherly shopping trip.’ We stop in stores, restaurants, bars and more, and at every stop we sing a rousing rendition of ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’ loud and proud. We get a few awkward glances from some folks, but mostly everyone is in the holiday spirit and either smile or join us.

It’s a proud Kiesendahl family tradition!”

– BOB K.

“It was our first Christmas at Woodloch, and our family was starting a new tradition. Johnny was 12, I was 9 and Steven was just 3 years old. Our Christmas tree was beautifully decorated, and our living room was what is now the Staircase Dining Room . Our tradition has always been to open our gifts late on Christmas Eve so all of us (Grandma Mould, Grandpa Mould, Pop Kiesendahl, Mom, Dad, Johnny, Steven and I) drove to Barryville, New York across the old Roebling Bridge to have Christmas Eve dinner at Reber’s restaurant. Dad really loved that German Christmas food and feeling!!

We could hardly sit still through dinner wondering what would be waiting for us under the tree when we got home. On the way home, Mom and Dad kept pointing out that they saw Santa and his sleigh coming over the mountains. Steven, the little one, was so excited! It was a beautiful snowy night, and Woodloch seemed like a magical Christmas place to all of us since we were all a bunch of Long Islanders experiencing Pennsylvania winter for the first time. When we walked back into our fireplaced living room, there were beautiful packages everywhere. Johnny and I each got snow skis and boots, which we tried out down the Woodloch hill on Christmas Day. I can still feel the warmth we all shared on that first Christmas, and we continued that Reber’s Christmas dinner tradition for quite a few years.

Just so hard to believe that was 60 years ago! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

– NANCY K.

Filed Under: holiday, Holiday Stories & Games, Holidays at Home, Uncategorized, Winter Tagged With: at home, christmas, staff

Save Room for DESSERT: more classic Woodloch recipes! | Woodloch Resort

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Save Room for DESSERT: more classic Woodloch recipes!

We hate to do this right after so many of you have faithfully stuck to your summer “beach bod” diets but hey… it’s OK to break the rules every once in a while. We won’t tell.

In case you haven’t visited yet, our guests will tell you that Woodloch is pretty famous for some of their baked goodies and desserts (like we said- you’re on vacation, you can spoil yourself if you’re in a different zip code.) So, we thought we’d crack open “the vault” and share just a few of their more acclaimed recipes! We apologize- our delicious crumb cake recipe will remain confidential forever and ever.

Scandinavian Pancakes

Ahh, yes. A delicious breakfast treat that can also be enjoyed during brunch, lunch, dinner (which I cal “Brinner”) and dessert. Before you begin, you will need a griddle set to 325°, Pam spray, a measuring cup, mixing bowl, spatula and ladle.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup milk
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a mixing bowl, crack four eggs, and beat the eggs well. Next add sugar, salt, flour, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add milk slowly as you mix the batter. Set the mixture close to your griddle, and spray your griddle with Pam. Spread your batter onto your griddle with a small ladle into an oval shape. Cook on each side
for 30 seconds. Woodloch puts butter in the middle and rolls them up- this is a delicious but optional step! This recipe makes about 12 pancakes, depending on the size- add a scoop of ice cream to the side for true bliss.

Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

Woodloch is just about world-famous for their cookies. We offer quite a variety here, but the fan favorite seems to be the traditional chocolate chip! And the only thing better than a freshly baked cookie is a BIG freshly baked cookie topped off with some ice cream.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups chocolate chunks

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Once the butter is melted, turn off the burner.
3. Stir in the sugars until well combined. Add the vanilla and egg and beat in until egg is completely incorporated. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Gently fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chunks. Spread the dough evenly to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chunks.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cookie just starts to crisp and brown on top. Serves 6 people. Eat up!

Classic Mudpie

Coffee. Chocolate. Ice cream. Just a straight up winner, and always a welcome sight at the end of your Woodloch supper!

INGREDIENTS:
1 qt. coffee ice cream, softened
1 c. hot fudge topping
Whipped Cream
Toasted Almonds

DIRECTIONS:
Carefully spread ice cream into pie crust (recipe below). Cover with fudge topping and freeze. Serve frozen with whipped cream and sliced toasted almonds.

Chocolate Cookie Pie Crust:
1 1/3 c. chocolate cookie crumbs and butter. Pat gently into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees. Cool and enjoy!

Filed Under: Cooking, food, Holiday Cooking, Holidays at Home, Recipes Tagged With: at home, cooking, Recipes

Holiday Recipes from the Woodloch Cookbook! | Woodloch Resort

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Holiday Recipes From The Woodloch Cookbook

Busy sidewalks, busy sidewalks (dressed in holiday style) are a reminder that the holidays are looming closer and closer with every waking minute. The air is filled with jingle bells, holiday cheer and of course, the smells of delicious holiday goodies permeating our senses, bracing us all for the inevitable weight that we will gain from consumption of said treats.

So, with that in mind, we’ve opened the Woodloch vault and cookbooks to share with you some of our favorite holiday recipes so you can, in turn, share them with those you love!

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP (not necessarily holiday related- but it’s a guest favorite!)

1 gal. well seasoned chicken broth
1 c. cornstarch
1 c. cold water
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
1 lb. ditalini pasta
1 lb. mini meatballs

Thicken broth with cornstarch and water. Bring broth to boil after starch is in broth. Add thawed spinach, pasta, and mini meatballs to broth. Cook according to pasta box directions.

RAISIN BREAD

2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 c. sugar
2 c. skim milk
1 c. raisins
1/4 lb. shortening
1 tsp. cardamon
2 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
7 c. flour

Heat ingredients (except flour) to 120 degrees and put in bowl. Add 2 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast. Then add 7 cups white flour and mix until dough leaves sides of bowl. Let rise until at least 1 1/2 times original size. Divide into 3 equal parts, then pound and form a loaf. Place in greased pans. Let rise one hour until double in size and bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Yields 3 loaves.

ICING!

Mix small amount of water and confectionery sugar to make a thick paste. When bread has cooled, paint top of loaf with icing and serve.

CHICKEN MARSALA

2 lb. boneless chicken breast
4 oz. butter
4 oz. flour
1 tsp. fresh garlic
4 oz. mushrooms
1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 c. Marsala wine
12 oz. beef gravy
salt & pepper to taste

Lightly flour chicken. Heat butter with garlic and saute chicken until cooked through. Take chicken out of pan; pour off excess butter. Deglaze pan with lemon juice and Marsala. Put in mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, then put chicken and gravy in pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

LEBKUCHEN (German Cookies)

1 c. molasses
1 c. sugar
1 c. strong coffee
3/4 c. shortening
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. chopped raisins
1 c. walnuts
7 c. cake flower

Mix ingredients together. Roll out and punch out cookies using gingerbread shaped cookie cutters (or shape of your choice!) Bake at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes. Ice with butter cream frosting when cookies cool.

BUTTER CREAM ICING