Green Country Living — Spring Edition 2019

Spring Edition 2019

Wright family

hosts Spring Luncheon in sprawling home

Inside  Tasty food star of family meals, parties  Learn pro recipes for breakfast, best dessert wines  Listed house great for get-togethers

MUSKOGEE muskogeephoenix.com Green Country Living

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Spring Edition 2019

Green Country Living

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Spring Edition 2019 Issue 51

facebook.com/greencountryliving

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Publisher Dale Brendel editor Elizabeth Ridenour

Contributing editors Angela Jackson Layout & Design Josh Cagle WRITERS Wendy Burton, Melony Carey, Heather Ezell, Cathy Spaulding PHOTOGRAPHERS Wendy Burton, Von Castor, Mandy Lundy Corbell, John Hasler, Elizabeth Ridenour, Cathy Spaulding ADVERTISING Director Marci Diaz Apple ADVERTISING SALES Therese Lewis, Angela Jackson, Debbie Sherwood, Kris Hight

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Featured Homes

Inside

6 Hoos

50 Beyond the Listing

Family displays love of outdoors with barbecue.

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Crossley & Templeton Couple opens up home to guests at dinner party.

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Wright Double-gallery style home designed to entertain guests.

40 Scott Owner of Harmony House exhibits family home, kitchen.

Green Country Living is published by the Muskogee Phoenix. Contents of the magazine are by the Muskogee Phoenix. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the Muskogee Phoenix. Green Country Living, P.O. Box 1968, Muskogee OK 74402. email eridenour@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2929 Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2804

On the Cover

5,140-square-foot home ideal for hosting get togethers.

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Wonderful Wine Discover the perfect pairing to delicious dessert wines.

66 Cook’s Pantry Couple puts their bed and breakfast in spotlight with three-course experience.

74 Scene & Be Seen Chat, have fun, relax and smile because you’re on camera.

WrIght famIly

hosts Spring Luncheon in sprawling home

Tom, Rebecka Wright and daughter Zoe DeLeon

InsIde  Tasty food star of family meals, parties  Learn pro recipes for breakfast, best dessert wines  Listed house great for get-togethers

MUSKOGEE

Photo by Mandy Lundy Corbell

muskogeephoenix.com Green Country Living

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Hoo s

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Spring Edition 2019

Outdoor

life

suits family just fine Hoos home highlights love of country life, outdoor cooking, inspirational views

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utdoor living — and outdoor cooking — highlight the home of Tracy and Kristy Hoos west of Muskogee, where the family moved five years ago.

Kristi Hoos said the family wanted to live in the country “but not too far out.”

The backyard gently slopes toward a neighborhood pond. Youngsters like a tree house near the pond.

“We love the neighbors, we love the land,” Kristi said. “The view kind of inspired us.”

A front entrance court features a fountain surrounded by a garden; ferns hang from an eave.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by John Hasler Tracy Hoos checks the temperature of meat he had just prepared in his slow cookers. He is a champion barbecuer.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Hoo s

A welcoming courtyard entry merely hints at the entertaining highlights of the Hoos home west of Muskogee.

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The Hoos’ broad backyard features spaces for cooking, relaxing, swimming and playing.

The real excitement is around back, however.

Tracy Hoos, the chef in the family, gets his barbecue cooking in his own corner of the back porch.

He has three sizes of Big Green Eggs — medium, large and extra large — that would surely impress Sam I Am. “When we cook here for our friends, we’re the Okie Eggers, because we take our Green Eggs,” Tracy said.

Tracy said the extra-large Egg can cook 12 racks of ribs, six pork butts or briskets. The eggs are at each end of Tracy’s wooden prep table.

For heavy-duty, competitive barbecuing, Tracy uses two custom 55-gallon cookers called Gateway Drums. The white drums, with painted flames going up the sides, feature tight lids, three vents and thermometers. Those are the ones that they take to Kansas City Barbecue Society and American Royal and American Royal competitions, he said.

“They cook really good, they’re easy to move around, they’re real durable,” Tracy said. “I already cooked a brisket in them. Got chicken wings and ribs.”

The Gateway Drums cook fast compared to the “low and slow” style of

Kristi and Tracy Hoos, with sons Cadyn and Trey, enjoy their spacious spread west of Muskogee.

Kristi Hoos reminds her husband, Tracy Hoos, of his reputation as a champion barbecue cook.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Hoo s

Visitors flock around the Hoos kitchen to sample barbecue and other delights.

Tracy Hoos prepares chicken (left) and ribs (center), while he and Kristin Hoos enjoy the finished product.

barbecuing done at restaurants.

Tracy said he cooked a brisket in five hours.

“Normally they would cook a brisket for 10 or 12 hours,” he said. “We cook it at a higher temperature.”

Tracy said he likes smoking his meats in pecan and apple wood.

“Pecan is like a hickory flavor, which is what you get at most barbecue restaurants,” he said. “And you can find it here

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pretty easily.”

Apple adds a lighter smoke.

“With ribs, you use an apple smoke because it’s not as strong. It’s a thinner meat,” he said. “Bigger pieces of meat, you use pecan.”

Tracy also has a PK grill, which he uses for the steak cook-off competitions.

Beyond the cooking corner, the Hoos’ back porch offers ample space for entertaining. Deck boards are made of a

composite faux wood.

The 9-foot-deep pool has a jumping rock and an automatic cover.

A deck extends the entire width of the swimming pool, allowing ample space for corn hole tossing. A couple of cozy sitting areas, a hanging wicker egg chair and two padded lounges surround the deck. A canvas awning stretches across the top.

A concrete deck on the other side of

Young visitors, from left, Theodore and George Wallingford, chill in the Hoos swimming pool.

FAR LEFT: The Hoos back porch offers a shady, cushy spot for dining.

LEFT: Jill Compton and her daughter Kynlea Compton are visitors to the Hoos home.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Hoo s the pool features chairs surrounding a fire pit.

An extendable wood dining table is immediately outside the back sliding door. Beverages are kept in an elevated ice chest, coated with stickers from cooking events.

“I love being outside,” she said.

“That’s why I love this time of year.

We can come out here and sit and play. The kids can play.”

Kristi said they remodeled the kitchen about a year and a half ago.

“It was enclosed, and we wanted to open it up so we could eat here, watch TV, interact with everybody,” she said.

All-new cabinets replace ones that hung over the counters, she

ABOVE: A poolside fire pit offers casual outdoor entertainment.

BELOW: A sunken living room with a wall of windows allows the Hoos family to enjoy the outdoors while inside.

That’s why I love this time of year. We can come out here and sit and play. The kids can play.

— Kristi Hoos said.

Storage under the counters feature drawers, not doors. Tracy said the drawers offer more space.

Kristi said her husband keeps a lot of his cook-off supplies and ingredients in the drawers.

Plus, she said, “we liked the look of it.”

The Hoos bought new stainless steel appliances to go with the new look. All but the refrigerator are Kitchen Aid. A deep sink features a large spray faucet. The Hoos converted a photography darkroom into a deep walk-in pantry with packed shelves along three walls.

The two also love entertaining inside, and their house offers all sorts of dining options. An expandable wood table with two chairs and a bench are just off the kitchen. A sunken dining area features an expandable wood block table.

“We’re really not formal,” Kristi said. A brick wall spreads across the

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The Hoos cut a window into a support wall to give their living and dining areas an open feel.

Cadyn Hoos has a computer command center featuring a game chair.

The Hoos home features several dining options, including stools by the kitchen island and a wood dining table.

sunken living area. The wide hearth features space for bookshelves and seating.

“This is where we mainly sit now,” she said. “We didn’t have a TV here for a long time. But we put one in and we can sit in here and hang out. Plus, you can look outside.”

A small wall with a window divides the dining and main living spaces. People in the kitchen can watch TV in the living

Tracy and Kristi Hoos situated their bed so they can look out and enjoy nature.

room.

“We wanted an open concept, but this was a support wall, so we put the window in and it was perfect,” she said.

Tracy and Kristi Hoos have their own wooden deck, and their own fire pit, outside the master bedroom. White shutters accent master bedroom windows. Kristi Hoos said they placed their bed so they can look onto the backyard.

The master bathroom features a tile bathtub with a separate shower and walk-in closet.

The Hoos sons share a bathroom.

Cadyn’s room features a computer console with a light-up keyboard. A game chair looks like it came out of a race car.

Trey’s room focuses on his love of music. Lucky, the family cat, likes to

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Hoo s LEFT: Kristi Hoos cuddles with Ellie, one of three dogs in the Hoos house.

BOTTOM: Paw prints from some longago dog decorate tiles on the Hoos floor. Kristi Hoos said such tiles add a lot of character to the house.

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hang out on a cat tree and toys in his room.

The family also has three dogs — Pedro, Rosco and Ellie.

There also is a fourth bedroom where the Hoos’ have a treadmill and extra bed.

The Hoos’ replaced their interior doors with solid knotty alder doors.

A den offers a cozy setting. Wood beams go up one wall, cross the ceiling and go down the opposing wall.

A brick fireplace with a broad hearth is on one side.

“In the wintertime, we get the fire going, it’s real cozy,” she said.

Floor tile features inlaid paw prints.

“It’s Mexican tile, and when they laid it out to dry, animals came around and walked on them,” she said. “We love the tiles, they add a lot of character.”

A den offers a cozy place where the Hoos family can watch TV or do office work.

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Fort Gibson O k l a h o m a ’ s O l d e s t To w n

Rich In History

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Cro s sl e y & T empl e ton

Home showcases

serene views

Couple enjoys sharing home, outdoors with guests via dining

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ike Crossley and Danny Templeton love entertaining people “everywhere” at their 2 1/2acre spread east of Muskogee.

They have a grand dining area with a glass-topped table.

Outdoor gathering places abound on their woodsy backyard.

So, where do dinner guests most like to congregate?

“Everyone usually ends up in the kitchen,” Crossley said. “No matter how many people are here, people are crammed into the kitchen.

The two are more than happy to accommodate.

Instead of a dinette or breakfast nook by their kitchen, the couple have a sitting area.

The cozy space features two plush purple seats and a leather couch under a set of picture windows.

By Cathy Spaulding Photos by Mandy Lundy Corbell

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Wind chimes and tall trees greet visitors to Mike Crossley’s and Danny Templeton’s split-level home east of Muskogee.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Cro s sl e y & T empl e ton

ABOVE: Counters in the kitchen are perfect for buffets and salad bars.

BELOW: Mike Crossley, right, and Danny Templeton enjoy entertaining and relaxing in their country home.

Guests enjoy dinner around the dining room table at Danny Templeton’s and Mike Crossley’s home.

Red and gray barstools line up along a kitchen counter.

The counter offers ample space for a buffet. One recent dinner gathering featured ratatouille, a French dish layered with eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, covered with spaghetti sauce. A salad buffet features cucumber, tomatoes, celery, peppers and homemade spicy green beans in pasta bowls and ramekins.

Meatballs and bread with garlic butter rounded out the meal.

Crossley, the cook in the house, said the kitchen was pretty much arranged

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to his liking when they moved into the house 12 years ago. However, they recently remodeled the cabinets in a “magpie” gray, updated the backsplash and installed granite countertops. Light gray beams cross a dark gray ceiling.

Crossley said he loves the size and layout of the kitchen.

“When we remodeled it, we did all the pull-outs in all the cabinets,” he said. “It made our organization a lot better.”

He said most of the stainless steel appliances are Maytag or Kenmore.

One corner features a stainless steel

microwave and a range with a double oven. The larger lower oven can fit turkeys; a smaller top oven is great for casseroles.

A wine rack is above the cabinet.

The kitchen also has a double-drawer dishwasher, which Crossley said is awesome.

The kitchen island features open spaces for storage and display.

Templeton and Crossley can command a Google device to do such tasks as turn the music volume down by certain levels.

Ratatouille made with eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash is ready to be cooked.

A finished ratatouille.

Salad fixings are separated in ramekins and pasta dishes.

Salad, ratatouille, meatballs and bread are laid out on red dinnerware.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Cro s sl e y & T empl e ton The formal dining room, just off the sitting area, serves as the house’s entry area.

It features a slate tile fireplace on one end.

A glass-topped dining room table sits on an area rug.

Beverages are displayed and kept in a red British telephone booth with a clear front.

Pine French doors lead into a back sunroom with pine walls, pine ceiling, pine floors.

The two installed the 1-by-12 floor planks themselves.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Crossley said.

“The hardest part was moving all the furnishings.”

Floor-to-ceiling windows bring nature in. Leather recliners, a sofa, an animal skin rug and a copper-toned coffee table add coziness to the space.

Cheech, a chinchilla, has his own multilevel cage in a sitting room corner.

“He’ll nibble at your finger,” Crossley said.

Pine steps lead up to the split-level house’s bedroom area. Banisters made of lead pipe reflect the home’s “Rustic Elegance” theme.

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Enter the Crossley and Templeton dining room and see all the way through to the backyard. Beverages are stored in a red British phone booth.

ABOVE: The Crossley and Templeton kitchen offers ample counter space for preparing food, serving food and entertaining.

RIGHT: The cozy living room features pine floors, pine walls, even a pine ceiling.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Cro s sl e y & T empl e ton

Visitors have their choices of sitting spaces on one of the back decks.

A back porch features corrugated metal roof, a porch swing and a casual dining area.

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A sitting area by the kitchen is a favorite spot for gathering. Sun shines through windows.

The two own and operate Rustic Elegance in Fort Gibson. Crossley said it’s easier to figure what decor didn’t come from their store. Other items in the entry room came from friends or from vacations.

Upstairs, the two installed white subway tile and marble floor in the bathroom. They also built a cabinet facing for the bathtub.

The master bathroom features barn doors.

Walls and ceiling of a guest bedroom is done in gray. A neighbor did pillow covers on the metal bed, Crossley said.

A pine four-poster canopy bed came from another friend, Darren Matthews. Black street lamps are on each side of the bed.

The back porch features a Charbroil stove and an Igloo freezer/refrigerator unit.

Wooden decks follow the backyard’s slope.

One deck features wood planks, a dining area for four, a bench swing

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Fe at u r e d Hom e Cro s sl e y & T empl e ton

Jagger, the cat, reclines in elegance in one of the bedrooms. Jagger also likes counters and the dining room table.

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and a corrugated metal roof.

“We like the way it sounds when it rains,” Crossley said.

Another deck features a sitting area with red rockers and cushiony lounge chairs. Wood chimes add delicate music. A lower deck features another dining table. A wooden boardwalk leads to the pool.

Templeton said the decks were added over the years. He said the pool deck was added about five years ago. Those closer to the house are about 10 or 11.

Other outdoor visitors come by the house: Deer, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, all sorts of birds and an occasional fox.

Asked about his favorite part of the house, Templeton opened the front door to show a view of the backyard, saying “That view right there.”

Crossley agreed.

“When you open the front door and you can see from the front all the way out to the back, it was a beaut,” he said. “It’s just serene.”

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Spring is the Season for Home Improvement

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Spring is the Season for Home Improvement

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Fe at u r e d Hom e W righ t From its floorplan to its decor, the Wright family’s sprawling home is perfectly suited for entertaining.

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Wright home perfect for entertaining Family enjoys parties in their sprawling Muskogee home

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ith tails wagging and sweet little hops, puppies Finn, Lola and Polly greet visitors as they arrive at the Wright family’s sprawling Muskogee home for a spring luncheon on a Sunday afternoon. Tom and Rebecka Wright and daughter Zoe DeLeon,

15, enjoy hosting friends at their double-gallery style home built in 1950 with a floor plan that begs to be filled with guests.

Tom is a local attorney, Rebecka runs a Pilates studio inside her home and Zoe is a high school student who stays busy around the clock with competitive dance and pom squad.

By Wendy Burton • Photos by Mandy Lundy Corbell

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Fe at u r e d Hom e W righ t

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Guests relax in the Wright family’s spacious living room during a recent spring gathering.

The family’s guests are familiar with their entertaining style, heading straight for the kitchen with gifts of wine, cupcakes and deviled eggs, stopping for hugs and greetings along the way.

As more guests arrive, Rebecka serves up a rose’ lemonade with finger foods on her enormous kitchen island in a space perfectly suited for cooking a seven-course dinner, or in this case, for crowds of friends leaning on counters, sipping punch and catching up.

The Wrights purchased their home about seven years ago. Since then, they’ve had to do little remodeling,

We are only the third “owners of this home

and everyone has taken great care of it.

”

— Rebecka Wright

largely thanks to previous owners, but also because they love so much about the home, Rebecka said.

“We are only the third owners of this home and everyone has taken great care of it,” she said.

Among the changes the Wright family has made is a Pilates studio in one wing with a private entrance where Rebecka sees clients. Some flooring has been replaced, and most recently, the kitchen has undergone an impressive renovation.

With dark-gray slate floors, modern white cabinetry, stainless appliances and the large center island with seating, the bright, roomy space naturally

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Fe at u r e d Hom e W righ t

Rebecka Wright offers tasty treats to guests on her spacious kitchen island during her informal gathering.

Left, Rebecka Wright, left, visits with a guest during her recent “walking picnic,” brought indoors due to uncooperative weather.

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Colorful cupcakes await guests on a vintage sideboard in the Wright family’s formal dining room.

The Wrights remodeled the home’s kitchen, turning it into a bright, airy place where guests can gather to snack, visit, and play with the family’s adorable puppies.

encourages visitors to linger.

“Rebecka is an incredible cook, and that’s essentially the purpose for the kitchen being remodeled,” Tom said.

“And this house is just perfect for entertaining. Every room has four exits and you never get trapped anywhere. It just flows.”

Guests enter a large foyer that opens into the kitchen on one side, a formal living area on another, and a bonus room on the back. The bonus room opens into a formal dining room near the kitchen on one side and a sunny den

Rebecka is an incredible “cook, and that’s essentially

the purpose for the kitchen being remodeled.

— Tom Wright

”

on the other with tall windows overlooking the back garden spanning from one end of the room to the other. Large beams across the ceiling are painted a soft, robin’s egg blue to match the walls.

The den opens into the formal living area with ample seating grouped around the large fireplace featuring art on the mantel and white furniture with bright throw pillows.

The formal dining room is particularly vintage in its appeal, with more floor-to-ceiling windows, elegant drapes, a dramatic, tiered, rectangle chandelier and a curiously arched cubby where the sideboard stands.

For this particular “walking picnic,” as Tom described it, Rebecka served finger sandwiches: pimento cheese,

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Fe at u r e d Hom e W righ t

This second living area in the Wright’s home features a coffered ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the home’s well-groomed backyard.

chicken, ham, tomato and watercress, cupcakes from Harmony House, little baked cheese wafers, pups in pastry, and assorted vegetable sticks.

She had Poppy’s Garden provide flowers around the entertaining areas, and decorated with spring and Easter knickknacks here and there.

“We had planned to make this a garden party,” Rebecka said. “But the weather didn’t really cooperate.”

Fortunately, the home is large enough to move the party indoors, though the back garden is perfect for

And this house is just perfect for “entertaining.

Every room has four exits and you never get trapped anywhere. It just flows.

— Tom Wright

”

entertaining, too.

“It’s like our own, private park,” Tom said.

Surrounded by a low, stone wall and featuring a path of brick around the perimeter, the yard is well-suited for strolling and visiting with friends. Mature trees provide ample shade, and gardens are filled with azaleas.

The couple found hand-sketched plans for the gardens that even detailed which plants, shrubs and trees were planted back when the home was new. Rebecka said she’d like to have them framed someday.

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Rebecka Wright operates a Pilates studio out of one wing of her home.

The home’s bedrooms offer ample space and tasteful decor.

The home’s grand entry opens onto the kitchen, formal living room and a bonus room, and each of those rooms opens onto others, creating a circular floorplan perfect for the family’s “walking picnic” indoors.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e W righ t

Zoe DeLeon, 15, left, Rebecka Wright and Tom Wright enjoy entertaining in their lovely, double-gallery style home.

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The Wrights’ home still has a ‘50s feel in many areas, from the teal wallpaper covered in white scissortails in the formal dining room to the vintage sideboard where cupcakes wait for guests. Large windows are topped with vintage-style drapes by Charles Faudree, and an original felt-lined closet is for silver. Patsy Cline music plays softly as guest mingle.

Tom and Rebecka enjoy hosting a variety of get-togethers at their home, they said. They’ve hosted a Kentucky Derby party, and even cleared out the formal living room for a concert by three musicians.

Though it sounds like it’s all very formal, informal is really their style. The Wright family’s guests are relaxed in their home, playing fetch with the dogs while they listen to music and sip wine, wandering into other rooms to have animated conversations and helping themselves to refreshments here and there.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e S c ot t

Scotts enjoy

fuss-free entertainment

Owner of Harmony House prefers informal snacks over dinner parties

A

s owner of Harmony House, Mandy Scott knows what she wants in her kitchen.

“It’s where I spend most of my time,” she said, calling the kitchen her favorite place in the house.

She found a place that fit her well when she and her family moved to their new home about three and

a half years ago.

The kitchen looks small, but it gives her ample space to prepare all sorts of dishes. A recent family meal featured baconmushroom stuffed pork loin, asparagus with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, creamy corn confetti casserole with sauteed onions and garlic, cheesy scalloped potatoes and homemade fresh bread.

By Cathy Spaulding Photos by Mandy Lundy Corbell

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Mandy and Wade Scott, plus their children Eli and Maci, enjoy the coziness of their living room.

They have lived in their home 3 1/2 years.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e S c ot t The Scott home sits on an eightacre spread south of Muskogee.

Two sets of front porch sitting areas let the Scotts relax and watch the clouds roll by.

“And of course, I’d incorporate baked items from the bakery,” she said. “We have white wedding cupcakes and lemon trifle.”

Scott said she especially likes the muted teal color of the cabinets and the spacious island with its broad black preparation and serving area. Two black stools belly up to the counter.

“This is kind of our conversation area while we are cooking,” she said.

The kitchen features a JennAir commercial oven with a gas cook top. Scott said she has only had to buy a few new appliances — a new stainless steel dishwasher 42

Spring Edition 2019

and a new refrigerator unit with French doors and a spacious freezer drawer. A porcelain farmhouse sink with a spray faucet is by a picture window.

Scott said her walk-in pantry is filled with “lots of goodies for kids, lots of baking things and snacks.”

Cream-white cabinets over the counters add to the storage. One cabinet features glass doors, offering a look at nice dinnerware. The backsplash is white subway tile.

Scott family dinners are served on a wood table, custom made by a woodworker friend. A bench is on one side, two white chairs are

A friend made the dining room table where the Scotts enjoy their meals.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e S c ot t

ABOVE: Mandy Scott said she loves the teal blue and the layout of her kitchen.

RIGHT: It’s only fitting that Mandy Scott has a display for her famous cupcakes.

FAR RIGHT: The Scott kitchen features shelves displaying family treasures.

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A recent family dinner featured, clockwise from top left, a lemon trifle dessert, asparagus with Parmesan cheese, a creamy corn confetti casserole, fresh baked bread and stuffed pork loin.

on the other. Metal trattoria-style chairs are at the head and foot.

Scott said they like to entertain informally, preferring snacks over formal dinner parties.

A back porch, shaded under a wood pergola, allows Wade and Mandy Scott to take their entertaining outdoors.

“This is our favorite thing to do, to be outside and cooking,” Scott said. “So this is the best of both worlds. I could be out here 24/7.”

A neighbor, Adam Wood of Wood Lawn and Landscaping, built the

stone-enclosed cooking and preparation area last winter, she said.

The Scotts can sauté fajitas and cook pancakes on a Blaze Griddle and grill steaks and burgers on their Bull Grill. A bar is on one side of the cooking area.

Visitors could relax in padded seats surrounding a fire pit. The porch also features a dining table and four chairs.

People also could sit or lounge around the L-Shaped pool. The sports pool is equipped with a basketball goal and volleyball posts. A diving board is at the 8-foot-deep end.

A stone fountain and planter extend

along one side of the pool. Boulders embedded here and there across the lawn were already there, Scott said.

The front porch features two sitting areas.

A screen door lets fresh air flow into the house.

The family lives on what Scott calls a small farm. They raise chickens and have a garden.

“We do hay bales for area farmers,” she said. “We collect eggs, which I bring to Harmony House for fresh eggs — farm to table, right?”

The Scotts moved onto their eight-acre

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Fe at u r e d Hom e S c ot t

A back porch featuring a fire pit and outdoor kitchen suits the Scotts’ love of cooking and being outside.

spread about three and a half years ago.

“We lived next door,” Scott said. “We wanted to have a little bit more land.”

They lived on three acres before.

The family made few changes since moving into the house.

Scott said the house had all concrete floors when they moved in. Now, only the master bathroom has concrete floors.

“We put wood floors down and travertine in the kitchen,” she said.

The master bedroom has carpeting that matches a luxurious bed with a padded headboard and footboard.

The master bedroom features a soaking bathtub with separate shower. Wade and Mandy Scott have his and her sinks.

The Scott’s two children, 9-year-old Eli and 13-year-old Maci, have rooms upstairs — “Kidville” as Mandy Scott calls it. The second story has wood floors.

Each bedroom has its own dormer space with built-in desks. Scott said they

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The Scotts swimming pool features a basketball goal, diving board and poles for a volleyball net.

LEFT: The padded headboard and footboard add elegance to Wade and Mandy Scott’s master bedroom.

Bottom left: Soft gray walls accent Maci Scott’s flair for pink pillows and bedding.

Bottom right: Eli Scott’s bedroom features a built-in desk fit inside a dormer.

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Fe at u r e d Hom e S c ot t

A living room filled with leather seating and all sorts of favorite things give the Scott family a cozy place to be.

repainted Maci’s room a soft gray to accent pink pillows and bedding. A balcony overlooks the living room.

In the living room, a leather couch and two leather chairs surround an off-white ottoman as big as a coffee table. They all face a stone fireplace topped with a big-screen TV. A blue Persian-style rug ties everything together.

“There’s not a lot of extra space,” Scott said. “That’s another thing I like about it. I like it cozy. We’re real cozy people. We like a place filled with stuff.”

“Stuff ” certainly doesn’t mean messy, though. Artwork, indoor topiary, plants and other items accent shelves and tables.

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Beyond The Listing

Grand home perfect for entertaining

5,140-square-foot home built with fluidity to easily move inside, outside

A

modern classic home on 2.4 acres in Muskogee’s prestigious River Oaks V subdivision features four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, a media room, four-car garage, pool, clubhouse and many luxurious amenities.

Listed at $699,000 by Kevo Properties, this 5,410-squarefoot home, built in 2003 and updated in late 2018, is designed on a grand scale.

Real Estate Agent Austin Seabolt says the home is close enough to town for convenience, but it’s peaceful location, with no neighbors too close make it a tranquil place to put down roots.

By Wendy Burton Photos by Mandy Lundy Corbell

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F E A T U R E S »» ADDRESS: 3430 River Bend Place. »» ASKING PRICE: $699,000. »» SQUARE FOOTAGE: 5,410. »» BEDROOMS: Four. »» BATHROOMS: 3.5. »» HEATING AND COOLING: Forced air/Central.

»» APPLIANCES: GE Monogram. »» FLOORS: Wood, tile, carpet. »» OTHER FEATURES: Beautiful custom-built home with a large inground pool, located on 2.4 landscaped park-like acres. Two living areas. Formal living and dining room;

great room opens to beautiful kitchen; exercise room, bonus room; huge master suite with expansive master bathroom; pool house has electric. »» INFORMATION: Kevo Properties, Austin Seabolt, (918) 360-3917.

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Beyond The Listing The grand entrance to the home on River Bend Place features a curved staircase and elegant crown molding (kitty not included).

“You have expansive green spaces surrounding the home; it’s almost tranquil,” Seabolt says.

Indeed, the elegant property is set off from the rest of the neighborhood by its sprawling lawns, mature trees and landscaped gardens. A circle drive and flagstone parking area out front leads to a path through Japanese maples, azalea bushes and pretty shrubbery to the home’s magnificent entry.

Ornamental leaded-glass panes adorn the 10-foot double entry doors, capped with windows all the way to the secondstory roofline.

Inside is a grand foyer, complete with a gracefully curved grand staircase with scrolled bannister. The floors throughout the bottom floor are a blonde, wood-plank, ceramic tile, with cream, sculptured carpet in the living areas and master bedroom.

Throughout the home, ornate cornices

The back patio offers shade and plenty of entertaining space overlooking the home’s sprawling lawns, large pool and clubhouse.

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The expansive formal dining room is open to the grand entrance, and features plantation shutters, a tray ceiling and luxurious chandelier.

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Beyond The Listing

ABOVE: The living room’s coffered ceiling, built-in cabinetry, and generous windows make a spacious place for a family to relax or to entertain guests.

RIGHT: The master bath is spacious, with a generous walk-in closet featuring built-in shelves and drawers.

and crown molding adorn doorways, pillars and ceilings. To the left of the entry is a large, formal dining room, featuring a coved ceiling and generous windows.

To the right of the grand entry is a sitting room, featuring a granite-faced fireplace, which leads into the home’s main living area.

The living room is open to the kitchen and informal dining room. Floor-to-ceiling windows featuring wood plantation shutters cover the entire back wall, offering a pleasant view of the home’s back patio, pool and clubhouse area.

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“The updates they’ve done here are modern, but not extreme. It doesn’t feel like a museum, but still feels elegant.”

— Austin Seabolt In addition, the living room features a dramatic coffered ceiling and custom cabinetry flanking a stone fireplace.

Seabolt says the home feels just right for

a family or for a large group of friends to entertain.

“The updates they’ve done here are modern, but not extreme. It doesn’t feel like a museum, but still feels elegant,” he says.

The kitchen features an angled bar overlooking the large living room, white quartz countertops, dove gray, modern cabinetry and high-end appliances such as a GE Monogram, double-door stainless steel refrigerator, a GE Monogram double-oven stove with an under-counter ice maker and under-counter wine refrigerator.

Other rooms downstairs include an

ABOVE: The kitchen’s angled bar, with white quartz countertops, overlooks the living room.

BELOW: G.E. Monogram appliances include refrigerator, gas stove, ice maker and wine refrigerator.

A formal sitting room in the home features a vaulted ceiling and granite-faced fireplace.

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Beyond The Listing

RIGHT: A media room upstairs with a wet bar is the perfect entertaining spot for an informal gathering.

BELOW: The master bedroom has a private entrance to the backyard and a roomy sitting area.

The informal dining room is open to the kitchen and living room.

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LEFT: A large office space with built-in shelving is located downstairs.

BELOW: The L-shaped pool and clubhouse is perfect for entertaining or for family fun.

office with custom, built-in cabinetry, exercise room with outside entrances, laundry room, half bath and the home’s master bedroom tucked off in the farthest corner.

The large master features an outside entrance to the patio/pool area, a roomy sitting area, a private bath nearly as large

as the bedroom with double sinks, a large jetted tub, and a generous walk-in closet with built-in shoe shelves and drawers.

Upstairs are three more bedrooms — one with an en suite bath and two with a Jack and Jill bath. The upstairs also includes a media room made for watching movies with guests and a wet bar to

one side. A built-in desk area is in the landing area.

The home’s crown jewel, however, is the backyard with its rolling lawn, mature trees and perfect entertaining spaces.

A covered patio that extends the length of the home offers shade and room for a gaggle of guests to relax, with a

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Beyond The Listing

In addition to the washer and dryer, the laundry room has plenty of counter space and storage.

On The Menu Guide To Area Restaurants

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patterned-concrete walkway down to the L-shaped pool and clubhouse.

The large pool features a shallow end with step entry, water slide and deep end with a diving board. There is plenty of space around the poolside for sunbathing on the deck.

The clubhouse has a bathroom and changing area on one end, and the rest features two bars with seating, and an entertainment area open to the poolside with fireplace, cabinets, kitchen sink and seating area.

“This property is certainly peaceful,” Seabolt says. “And there’s plenty of space inside and out to entertain. It has a fluidity to it, as well, that will help you stay connected to all your guests.”

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Food & Drink Wonderful Wine

Dessert Wine

completes final course

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D

elicious desserts deserve decadent drinks. At last, dessert wines are enjoying a resurgence. They have been overlooked or even completely omitted for far too long. These delectable drinks deserve much more attention, for a wellpaired last course has the power to drastically change an entire meal from enjoyable Wonderful Wine to enchanting.

Heather Ezell To clarify, not all sweet wines qualify as dessert wine.

Some wines are just that, a sweet drink to sip. The most discerning difference is how they are made. There are table wines that are vinified to a certain level of sweetness. Then there are dessert wines, fashioned in a myriad of ways, some seemingly bizarre but that produce beautifully balanced and elegant wines.

Luscious late harvest with cheesecake.

Photos by Von Castor

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Food & Drink Wonderful Wine

Shortcake and icewine are complementary.

Sauternes Made from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes in the renowned area of Bordeaux in only the very best years. Perfect conditions must be achieved which include the grapes being infected with botrytis cinerea or “noble rot,” a benevolent fungus at the end of the growing season. Once this happens, the grapes shrivel on the vine as the grapes dehydrate and the sugar concentrates. When they achieve readiness, though it’s never at the same time, the berries are then handpicked over several

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passes, or “tries” through the vineyard.

Then they are fermented up to a year before being aged in barrels for no less than two years. The end result that is released much later is a rich, luscious golden nectar with notes of apricots, honey, peaches, mango, butterscotch, cream and nuts.

Sauternes pairs splendidly with blue cheeses, foie gras, custards and fruit desserts, especially those made with apples, pears, peaches and tropical fruits. Since the 1800s the famous Chateau d’Yquem, has been one of the most expensive, elusive and opulent wines on the planet

selling for hundreds, up to thousands of dollars a bottle! Sauternes is produced by other chateaus in the Bordeaux region, many that won’t break the bank. These incredible wines are long lived, easily aging 10, 20, even 30 years or more.

Made in the same style, the decadent Dolce produced by Far Niente in Napa, California, has Oklahoma ties. The owner, Gil Nickel, was born in Muskogee and founded the winery back in the 1970s. Whether it’s an actual Sauternes or perhaps a close alternative, it is well worth the investment for a special occasion.

Port perfectly matches with chocolate and caramel.

I c e w i n e / Eis w e i n Originating in Germany and Austria using Riesling grapes, fine examples are also found in Canada, Slovenia, Australia, New Zealand and upstate New York. This wine requires very cold temperatures and a lot of patience. Once the growing season has ended, the berries are left on the vines to overripen into the winter. At temperatures well below freezing, no more than 17.6 degrees as designated by law in Canada for example, the fruit is then hand picked. The frozen grapes are brought into the winery

and very slowly pressed to eek out the highly concentrated but scant juice that remains and separated from the ice as it thaws. Standard winemaking techniques are then employed. Once this process is complete, the high sugar content, in conjunction with the high acid, yields an unctuous liquid.

Ideal matches are: creme brule’e, shortbread cookies, fruity desserts; particularly lemon, lime, apple, blueberry or peach and soft/salty cheeses. Gratifying examples from many regions are widely available.

Late Harvest As indicated in the name, the fruit used is left on the vine until very late in the season where it becomes highly concentrated with the natural sugars, then picked at the last possible moment.

Sumptuous to say the least. Produced in many places around the world from grapes such as Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon as well as (red) Zinfandel. With a silky texture and tastes ranging from peach, orange, cream and apricots to vanilla, raspberries, cherries and chocolate.

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Food & Drink Wonderful Wine

Blue cheese, walnuts, pears and port — utter indulgence.

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A collection of dessert wines. Port, Icewine and Sauternes.

Classic companions are pound cake blue/goat/salty cheeses, nuts and nut desserts (pecan pie, anyone?) and bread pudding. Hogue Riesling grown and vinified in Washington state is a prime example.

Port Produced exclusively in the Duero River Valley in Portugal from dozens of red and white grapes. Five are considered most important, and all are red. One decided difference between Port and other dessert wines is that fermentation is halted halfway through the process and the juice is fortified with neutral grape spirits (clear brandy) resulting in a sweet wine fortified to approximately 20 percent alcohol. This is the first stage. Maturation and aging is the next stage, determining the variety.

There are about 10 types of Port all yielding somewhat different flavors. Commonly found are ruby and tawny Port. The next tier are a bit higher quality (as well as price) and include in ascending order: aged tawny port, reserve, late-bottled vintage (LBV), vintage and singlequinta vintage port. Notes of caramel, dried fruits, chocolate, berries, nuts, brown sugar, figs, vanilla, coffee, toffee, smoke, raisins, licorice and cream can be found. Port is complex, multi-dimensional, interesting and pleasant.

Whereas most wines do not weather well with the likes of chocolate, Port truly shines. As it does with apple, pumpkin and pecan pies, pear tart, dark and bittersweet chocolate as well as caramel desserts. Producers such as Taylor Fladgate, Dow, Fonseca, Graham and Sandeman are all reputable.

As you can observe, styles of dessert wines vary. It is well worth noting that much like confections, a little goes a long way with these wines as they are considerably higher in alcohol and sugar. Not to deter you because it is highly advisable to include the appropriate wine with your dessert for the most memorable experience. Add them in and enjoy! ~ Cheers!

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Food & Drink Cook’s Pantry

J

eff and Donna Crane, owners of Graham-Carroll House in Muskogee, know their guests are looking for a special experience when they stay at a bed and breakfast inn. That’s why they have made sure that GrahamCarroll House is a beautiful retreat and that breakfast is a gourmand’s fantasy in three courses.

“When people get a chance to slip away for a day or two, they often- The Cook’s Pantry times are seeking Melony Carey an experience.

So, we make a breakfast experience,” says Donna. The fine china and linen are brought out, with Jeff being the expert at precision table setting. Donna serves as chef, preparing family favorites along with some elegant recipes by the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Always on the menu are a starter, a savory protein, and a sweet treat.

Photos by Mandy Lundy Corbell

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Breakfast

is served

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Food & Drink Cook’s Pantry The Cranes decided to buy the bed and breakfast as empty nesters and to be closer to family in Oklahoma. They fell in love with the architectural touches and impressive craftsmanship. An example of such is the tray ceiling in the living room that curves upward with trim.

“People will comment on the crown molding or wooden molding and we tell them that it is actually made of plaster instead of wood,” Donna says. “That is almost a lost art.”

Graham-Carroll House gets its name from the two historical owners, the Grahams, who owned a women’s fine clothing store at Fourth Street and Broadway, now the Graham-Sykes building that houses county offices, and the Carrolls, who rebuilt the home in its current style. The house was converted to a bed and breakfast in the 1980s and has been a welcome addition to Founders’ Place.

“Our favorite part is the people we get to meet,” says Donna.

“Most are lovely and charming people who love old houses and are looking for something different than what they’ve done before. Our most recent guests have been from Florida, Annapolis, Maryland, and El Paso, Texas, so a wide variety.

We have also had guests from Switzerland and South Africa. We’ve recently had a family celebrating the mother’s 90th birthday, so we had a breakfast birthday party.”

Here Donna shares her recipe for Hummingbird Pancakes and Overnight Belgian Waffles. “It’s so gratifying to know people leave us in better condition than when they arrived,” Donna notes.

Using her philosophy and recipes will leave your family and guests contented, too. Save these for Father’s Day or any special occasion.

Hummingbird Pancakes 1 1/2 cups all-purpose four 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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ABOVE: Donna Crane dishes up wonderful flavors at the GrahamCarroll House. A three course breakfast is the only meal regularly served to overnight guests.

RIGHT: Hummingbird Pancakes are a delicious delicacy garnished with cream anglaise, bananas, and pineapple.

It is a favorite at the inn where attention to detail includes the architecture and the food.

When the weather is nice, guests can take breakfast on the patio near the garden and pond. Another favorite is Overnight Belgian Waffles served with strawberries and cream. Sitting here, one can imagine what Silk Stocking Lane looked like in the 1920s.

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas 1/2 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice 1/3 cup sugar 1 large egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons canola oil 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans Cream Anglaise Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into other mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.

Note: When using a griddle, heat it to 350°.

For tender pancakes, don’t over-mix the batter; it should be lumpy.

Cream Anglaise 1 1/2 cups half-and-half 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon cornstarch

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Food & Drink Cook’s Pantry 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process half-and-half, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a blender until smooth.

Bring mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve immediately.

Overnight Belgian Waffles 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees) 1 package or 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, at room temperature 2 teaspoons sugar 2 cups lukewarm whole milk (90 degrees to 100 degrees) 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the waffle iron 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 extra-large eggs 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

The night before, combine the water, yeast and sugar in a very large bowl (the batter will expand enormously). Allow it to

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Breakfast is typically served in the conservatory. Here banana bread teams up nicely with blueberry syrup.

LEFT: Batter of Belgian waffle can be prepared the night before.

BOTTOM LEFT: For more tender Hummingbird Pancakes, don’t over-mix the batter it should be lumpy.

stand for about 5 minutes, until the yeast dissolves and the mixture has started to foam, which tells you the yeast is active. Stir in the milk, butter, honey, vanilla and salt. Add the flour and whisk until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit overnight at a cool room temperature.

The next morning, heat a Belgian waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions and brush the top and bottom with melted butter. Beat the eggs together with the baking soda and whisk them into the batter until combined. Pour just enough of the batter onto the hot waffle iron to cover the grids (1

cup each, could be less, depending on your waffle maker), close and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat, until the waffles are golden brown.

Cut them apart with a small knife, if necessary, and remove them with a fork. Repeat the process until all of the batter has been used. Serve the waffles hot.

Can be garnished with sliced strawberries and crème fraiche.

Tip: Batter can be prepared the night before. Cook the waffles up to 1 hour ahead and let sit on sheet pans at room temperature. Reheat for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven, turning once.

Recipe borrowed from Barefoot Contessa.

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Wedding Plans Make it perfect with these experienced and helpful local vendors.

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Photo courtesy of Amanda Foote Photography

Scene & Be Seen

Eight Ten Ranch & Cattle Co. Visitors enjoy a grand opening celebration at the Eight Ten Ranch & Cattle Co., a new venue for weddings, prom, corporate events and other gatherings. It is located on several acres in east Muskogee.

Photos by Cathy Spaulding

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Scene & Be Seen

Art Guild Reception Muskogee Art Guild invited artists to enter the “Muskogee in Full Color� exhibit, which celebrated the variety of cultures and ethnicities in Muskogee. The Muskogee Art Guild is a nonprofit organization founded in 1936. Its purpose is to foster visual art appreciation in the Muskogee area.

Photos by Wendy Burton

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Chocolate Festival Party-goers enjoyed many different chocolate delights and helped a good cause at the annual Chocolate Festival benefitting the Muskogee Habitat for Humanity.

Photos by Cathy Spaulding

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Flying Fez Wine Tasting Patrons sample wines from across the state during the 16th annual Bedouin Shrine Flying Fez Wine Tasting. The event benefits the Shrine.

Photos by Elizabeth Ridenour

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Scene & Be Seen

MLT Corporate Night The Muskogee Phoenix sponsored a Corporate Night during the dress rehearsal for Muskogee Little Theatre’s performance of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” People gathered in the lobby to enjoy each other’s company before sitting down for the show’s final dress rehearsal prior to open.

Photos by Chesley Oxendine

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