Saturday night was a fun filled event for a very good cause.  It was the 2009 Charity Auction and Dinner to benefit the Lori Sullivan Memorial Endowment Fund, administered by the Upstate Medical University Foundation.  The event was held at The Springside Inn on Owasco Lake in Auburn, NY.  It was 80 + miles from Utica.  The trip, in summation, as follows.

Leaving the house became some what of a challenge.  It was after 1pm and the cake was due for Olivia.  I called to let the customer know we would be at her house with the cake by 2pm.  Ted and I had both packed an overnight bag but we had to prepare a fast lunch prior to hitting the road. Lunch was interrupted twice by a landscaper and then a friend.  We did manage to deliver by 2:30pm. 

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En-route to Auburn, we made a gas and water stop. I picked up this SoBe Lifewater.  Fuji Apple Pear.  It was refreshing, not sweet, but a lot of flavor. Both of us loved it.

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It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day for a pleasant drive.  We arrived at Springside Inn in plenty of time. Cocktails were not until 5pm and we arrived at 4:15pm. 

We found a very welcome surprise in our room.  A complementary bottle of white wine from a finger lake’s winery:

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At 5:20pm, we went to join the CNY PCA club for cocktails.  There were so many interesting items for auction. 

The appetizers looked too tempting and we indulged.

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The appetizers, moving counter clockwise, were smoked salmon with dill cream cheese and capers on crackers.  Toast points with a cream cheese dip. The dip was mild tasting but flavorful with cheese, olives, chives.  Stuffed mushrooms. It was a sweet potato stuffing but I thought there may have been some bacon in it (there was a hint of smokey taste to it), so I ate the ‘shroom and left the filling.  Lastly, a tomato bruschetta.

The dinner did not rate to get any photos.  The fish was a bit dry and the vegetables were overcooked.  Ted, on the other hand, enjoyed his beef choice for dinner.

We only managed to bid and win on one item, an Andretti Racing wind jacket.  All for a good cause.

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Here are some pictures of us at Springside Inn.

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We were up too early this Sunday morning for the Brunch offered at Springside.  We hit the road and stopped at a diner called Valley Inn in Skaneatles.  The menu offered “Frettas”.  A “Fretta” is not merely a “Frittata” spelled wrong, it is a scramble of eggs and all other ingredients.  This was my Vegetarian “Fretta” with dry rye toast.

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Recipe of the Day…

Spicy Peanut Molasses Cookies. 

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp.
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Molasses
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp allspice
  • 2 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheets with just a light spray of non stick.  Mix together the first five ingredients.  Add all your spices.  Add your dry ingredients and mix well. The batter will be dry but you will be able form 1 1/2 to 2″ balls. Put these on your cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes.   After the cookies have cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a glaze of powdered sugar, a little molasses and milk. 

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    Enjoy!
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