Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash to be Held September 7-9

Come and join us for another weekend of cycling in the Smokey Mountains on September 7-9, when Dancing Bear Lodge will host the Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash. The Bike Bash will kick-off Friday night and will conclude with a post Bike Bash Party on Saturday afternoon. A few of the delicious treats Dancing Bear Lodge will be serving include pulled pork with Tennessee whiskey barbeque sauce, burgers, marinated chicken breasts, new potato salad, and assorted homemade cookies and brownies. During the party, we will offer chair massages as a part of our in-room spa services along with a performance by The Bearded. Friends and family members who will not be participating in the Bike Bash are welcome to come along and enjoy activities such as fly-fishing, spa pampering, nearby shopping and golf during the weekend.

Dancing Bear Lodge has a few lodge rooms and two bedroom packages available. To reserve your package please contact Melanie Clifford at 865-448-1999 or melanie@dancingbearlodge.com. 

Click here to register for the Dancing Bear Lodge Bike Bash

Tennessee Whiskey Cake with Candied Pecans

For a new dessert, try making our Tennessee Whiskey cake at home!  

Tennessee Whiskey Cake

 4 oz                            softened butter

½ c                              brown sugar

½ c                              sugar

3                                  eggs

1 c                               all-purpose flour, sifted

½ t                               baking powder

¼ t                               salt

½ t                               cinnamon

¼ t                               baking soda

¼ c                              milk (or cream)

½ c                              sorghum (may substitute molasses)

¼ c                              Tennessee whiskey

Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter in a mixer with paddle attachment; gradually add both sugars and cream well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Combine next five ingredients; add to mixture alternately with milk (or cream), ending with dry ingredients. Stop mixer and add sorghum. Restart mixer and slowly add whiskey. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour into a greased and lined 10 in cake pans and bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool and slice each cake with a serrated knife into 10 portions.

Serve with candied pecans, chocolate sauce and sorghum ice cream. Vanilla ice cream may be used as a substitution.

Sorghum Syrup can be purchased at www.muddypondsorghum.com

Candied Pecans

1                                  egg white

1/2 cup                        brown sugar

1                                  tablespoon flour

3 cups                          pecan halves

PREPARATION:

Mix brown sugar and flour in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl beat egg white until foamy; slowly beat in the brown sugar/flour mixture. Fold in pecans. Transfer pecans to a parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake in standard oven at 175 for approximately 1 ½  hours. Let pecans cool completely before breaking apart.

Sockeye Salmon with Local Ratatouille Vegetables, Roasted Tomatoes, Fennel Arugula Salad

This is the perfect dish for a summer night from chef Jeff Carter. The dish was recently featured on WBIR's Live at Five at Four. Just in case you missed it, here is the recipe to make it at home!

Sockeye Salmon with Local Ratatouille Vegetables, Roasted Tomatoes, Fennel Arugula Salad

Ratatouille

2              Yellow Squash

2              Zucchini

1              Eggplant

1              Red Onion

2              Red bell pepper

4-6 oz    white wine

1 pint     roasted grape tomatoes (half tomatoes, season and roast for 15 minutes in 375 degree oven)

3 T          butter

1 T          parsley, tarragon, chives

Cut zucchini, squash and eggplant in diamond shapes. Cut pepper and red onion medium dice. Sauté vegetables in a large pan in 2 T olive oil; Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with white wine or seafood stock. Finish cooking in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until al dente.  Pull pan out of oven and add roasted tomatoes, herbs and butter. Check seasoning           

Salmon

4                              6 oz pieces of sockeye salmon

2T                           olive oil

                                Salt and pepper

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan and sear salmon flesh side first. Flip fish and put pan in 350 degree oven to finish cooking, about 6 minutes.

Arugula Fennel Salad

1 head                  fennel, sliced thin, on mandolin if possible

6                              radish sliced thin, on mandolin if possible

                                Arugula

2-3 T                      lemon vinaigrette

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper; top salmon with salad

Lemon Vinaigrette

2                              lemons, juice and zest

2 oz                        champagne vinegar

6-7 oz                    olive oil

1                              shallot, small diced

Mix all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.