New Kitchen Flooring at Anchorage’s Camai Bed and Breakfast

At Camai Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska, we planned our kitchen remodel to use environmentally friendly products. The new hardwood kitchen floor is a product of Columbia Flooring. Our B&B’s flooring is a light cherry engineered hardwood floor. Columbia Flooring crafted it from renewable resources grown and manufactured here in the United States. The flooring was manufactured without using urea-formaldehyde which is traditionally used to manufacture composite wood flooring. Columbia takes its role of being an environmentally friendly company seriously.

Early in January the flooring was delivered so that it could acclimate to the interior heat and lack of humidity of our home. The flooring was placed over a product made by The Silencer to do just that—muffle the sound in the rooms below the kitchen. The product claims to be the finest acoustical underlayment for all wood floors. The floor installation was just completed tonight by Eric Kollander.

Anchorage B&B's Spinach Frittata Recipe

As the Anchorage winter continues bringing snow we at Camai Bed and Breakfast use the time to find and try new recipes. The recipe for Spinach Frittata is a modification of a recipe that Carol Ross of Big Bear Bed and Breakfast tried at our Anchorage Breakfast Club gathering in January. Camai's long term guests agreed that it is a "keeper." Enjoy!

Spinach Frittata

¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup fresh mushrooms
1 tbs butter
2 cups hash brown potatoes
1 tbs Johnnies Garlic Parmesan garlic bread spread powder
¼ tsp Mrs. Dash
1/8 tsp lemon pepper
¼ tsp thyme
12 oz. fresh baby spinach (lightly steamed and drained)
4 extra large eggs
¼ cup half and half
1 cup montereyjack cheese shredded
4 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters

Cook the celery, onion and mushrooms in 12” cast iron skillet until mushrooms and onions are tender. Remove from heat. Drain.

Mound hash brown potatoes in center of skillet. Season with Johnnies Garlic Parmesan, Mrs. Dash, lemon pepper and thyme.

Spread steamed spinach over ingredients in skillet.

Wisk eggs and half and half. Pour over spinach.

Top with cheese and quartered tomatoes.

Bake 350 deg. about 30 minutes or until set in center.

Serves: 4 generously, 6 regular servings

Variation: crumbled bacon may be added to spinach

Iditarod Sled Dog Race Anchorage 2010 start

The Iditarod Sled Dog Race's 2010 ceremonial start happened today in downtown Anchorage. The mushers travel the trails through Anchorage for this start. This trail comes very close to Camai Bed and Breakfast as the trail borders the properties of both Alaska Pacific University and University of Alaska Anchorage. Our local street was down to a one lane road as people parked on both sides of the street and walked to a vantage point near our B&B.

The re-start is tomorrow (Sunday) at 2 PM at the Willow Community Center in Willow, Alaska.

Besides checking out the official website, information can be found on the Anchorage Daily News website.