The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Pat Pfeiffer - Correspondent

(Hiles News) - Yes, there is still good fall color up north. The leaves are beginning to fall, but some trees have not even turned, yet. The maples are at peak and starting to lose their leaves. It’s amazing to see a large maple with a carpet of colorful fallen leaves all around it, but the tree still looks as if it has a lot of leaves left. These trees have a lot of foliage, which is evident when you begin to rake up the fallen leaves. Popples and some oaks are still green. The complete color change is a gradual thing, and it will still be very beautiful for a few more weeks. But eventually we will wake up some morning and realize that all the leaves are gone.

Fall Fun Tricks Up North

There are still Colorama events up north, too. Three Lakes to the north of us has Pumpkin Fest this coming Saturday. They have a craft show and other activities, like Winery tours.

Treats, Too

In Hiles, we are having a Harvest Pot Luck Dinner at the town hall on Saturday, Oct. 11, so you can go craft sale shopping all day and not worry about getting home to fix dinner. Just bring the whole gang up to the town hall to eat at 5 p.m.

This year the Hiles Service Club will not be buying chicken, but they have bratwurst that they will be cooking up with sauerkraut and noodles. Several members will be bringing hot dishes containing meat, too.

Everyone is invited, and asked to bring a dish to pass. Coffee and drinks for the children will be provided.

This year there will be treats for the kids who come in costume. Adults are encouraged to dress in costume, also. There will be little pumpkins for the kids to decorate with faces or whatever they would like to draw on them. The Service Club is providing the pumpkins and markers and we are sure to be treated to some great creations. While the kids are busy with their pumpkins, you’ll have time to visit with your friends and neighbors.

Hiles Service Club Work Planned

On Friday, Oct. 10, the members of Hiles Service Club will be at the town hall getting ready for the Harvest Dinner on Saturday. Members are asked to be there at 9 a.m., and to bring any fall table decorations they might like to use for the table décor.

Another job that needs to done this fall involves weeding and mulching the plantings around the Hiles welcome sign and the museum’s outdoor pavilion. When a nice day arrives they will gather to do what needs to be done.

Red Hatters on the Go

Although the hostesses for October, Joann Klein and Mary Ballard will be gone by the time the Red Hatters have their outing, they provided the ladies with the information needed to have a fun time. The plan is to attend, as a group, the Style Show sponsored by the Crandon Red Hat group. This includes drinks, dinner and a style show at Mallards on Metonga. The date for this is, Thursday, Oct. 16. Reservations must be made in advance, and the ladies are asked to call Sylvia at 478-2021 or Jeanne at 674-6208. Each woman must make their own reservations, as the October hostesses will not be here to do it for them. Then the night of the event, Hiles Red Hatters can meet at Pine Lake Pub at 4:15 p.m. to car pool to Crandon. If you are going and will be carpooling please call Pat at 649-3568 so they will have a head count for those carpooling.

Calendar and Almanac

This week, Oct. 5-11, is Fire Prevention Week.

October 8 — Native American Day

October 9 — Leif Erickson Day (Discoverer of North America)

October 11 — Harvest Pot Luck Dinner at the town hall, 5 p.m.

October 12 — Columbus Day (We were always taught that he was the discoverer of America); also Thanksgiving Day in Canada

October 13 — Columbus Day Observed —No mail today, Federal offices closed

October 16 — Red Hatters to attend style show at Mallards on Metonga, gather at Pine Lake Pub at 4:15 p.m. to car pool

Festive Wisconsin Berries

Did you bring home some cranberries from Cranberry Fest? They are also being featured in bulk bins in supermarkets this time of year, and fresh cranberries will be available throughout the fall and winter holiday seasons. Wisconsin leads the country in production of cranberries, and cranberry festivals are held in several areas of heavy production., with Eagle River having one of the largest festivals.

When taking home your package of cranberries, throw out any shriveled or discolored cranberries. They should then be wrapped tight, or packed in airtight freezer bags and stored in the refrigerator for approximately two months or in the freezer for up to a year!

Cranberries are very high in Vitamin C, and can help in the treatment of bladder infections.

Cranberry-Orange Walnut Scones

3-cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1-tablespoon baking powder

1-teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter

2-tablespoons grated orange zest

1-cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

For the glaze:

2 tablespoons half and half

2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425 and butter a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper.

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Blend the butter into the dry ingredients, using a pastry blender, until the mixture is crumbly. Add the orange zest, cranberries and walnuts, stir to combine. Add the milk and juice, and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. Dough will be lumpy.

Gather the dough together and turn out onto a floured work surface. Knead gently about 10 times. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a circle about six inches in diameter and an inch thick. To glaze, brush the circles with the half and half and sprinkle with sugar. Cut each circle into eight pie-shaped wedges. Place the scones, barely touching, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffy and golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Makes 16 scones.

The following is a dessert recipe that was a finalist in the Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest in 2008, concocted by a Mr. Michael Cohen of Los Angeles, California, and published by Ocean Spray.

Roasted Cranberry Quesadillas

2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, chopped

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped orange zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

Maple syrup for drizzling

Mint sprigs

Vanilla ice cream, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cranberries, brown sugar, oil, orange zest and cinnamon in 11x7-inch baking dish; toss until mixed. Spread mixture evenly in dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cranberries are tender, stirring occasionally.

To assemble quesadillas, spread 1/4 of the cream cheese over each tortilla almost to edges. Top two of the tortillas evenly with roasted cranberry mixture. Place remaining two tortillas cheese side down over cranberry mixture.

Melt one tablespoon of the butter in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Place one of the quesadillas in skillet, pressing down firmly with metal spatula. Cook three to four minutes or until golden brown, carefully turning once. Add additional butter to skillet if necessary. Cook remaining quesadilla.

To serve, cut each quesadilla into four wedges. Place on serving plates and drizzle with desired amount of maple syrup. Garnish with mint and serve with ice cream.

Makes two to four servings. (Seems to me this would be a very large serving, and this could serve perhaps as many as eight, with generous scoops of ice cream.)

In This Season of Beauty

What worth has beauty if it is not seen? - Italian Proverb

Beauty is not so much what you see as what you dream. - Walloon Proverb

People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves. - Salma Hayek

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. - Anne Frank

A heart in love with beauty never grows old. - Turkish Proverb

Beauty is the gift of God. - Aristotle

There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty. - Joseph Addison

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius

The human soul needs actual beauty more than bread. - D.H. Lawrence

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head. - Proverbs 20:29

Tell us what you think...

Comments »

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.