Bed and Breakfast Foodies

Corn and Black Bean Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:09:31 PDT

This is one of my favorite recipes to take to parties. It can be used as a salsa and eaten with tortilla chips, or if you add a diced avocado and some grilled chicken or shrimp, it makes a lovely salad.

INGREDIENTS
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red onion
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon cumin
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 small (4 oz) can diced green chiles
optional: Add hot sauce for a spicier salsa

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Chill and serve. Best if made an hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

The White Oak Inn
http://www.whiteoakinn.com
Yvonne Martin
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Berry Bread Pudding with Orange Custard

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:09:03 PDT

The first of Lancaster County's fresh strawberries just hit the market and this week, my favorite 'pick your own" farm opens for business. I can hardly wait to get into the strawberry field to fill bowls of those beautiful red juicy berries. We fill our freezer with fresh strawberry jam, as well as bags of the frozen berries. Red Raspberries are not far behind and the absolute cornucopia of produce is truly inspiring. This weekend I took one of my old favorites and revamped and updated it to include the flavors of spring with just a hint of citrus. Even I was surprised at how incredibly good this was and went back for a second and third taste. All I can say is Yum!
Eat it cold or better yet slightly warm with the custard sauce. A little creme' fresh or whipped cream would go well here too.

INGREDIENTS

Berry Bread Pudding

8 slices white bread, cubed
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups mixed berries (red raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, currants..can be frozen or fresh )
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup butter, melted (optional but really really good!)

Fresh berries to serve along side

DIRECTIONS
Butter a 9X9 baking dish
Place half of the cubed bread in the bottom of the baking dish
Layer with the half of the berries, half of the cream cheese
Cover with half of the remaining bread cubes, the rest of the berries and the cream cheese cubes finishing with the last of the bread cubes.
Mix the milk, eggs, honey and orange zest in a bowl and pour over the bread layers
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator half an hour before baking
Drizzle with the melted butter
Preheat your oven to 350F
cover with foil and bake for 30 min.
Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool before serving though it can be warm to serve
Cut into squares and serve with the orange scented custard and lightly sweetened fresh berries

Orange Scented Custard

This custard sauce is derived from the custard my mother made to serve with the fresh blueberries we had growing in the back yard. This sauce is versatile and holds well. It is good slightly warm or cold. It is good over cakes and, as used here over bread pudding, served with berries or.. all alone. I have added some orange zest to compliment the fresh berries

2 cups of milk
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

1 Tablespoon corn starch
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Scald 2 cups of milk in a glass mixing bowl in the microwave*
In another microwave safe bowl mix the sugar with the cornstarch
Add the beaten egg and egg yolk and stir till there are no lumps
When the milk is hot, add half to the egg mixture stirring till smooth
Slowly continue adding the rest of the milk to the egg mixture till all is well blended
Microwave at 30 second intervals stirring with the whisk ever 30 seconds till you see it starting to thicken.
Reduce your microwave intervals to 15 seconds and lower to medium high power. It is important to watch it here that it does not overheat.
Your custard is finished when it thickens, coats a spoon but has not boiled. Microwaves vary in strength but this process took me about 5 minutes.
Remove from the microwave, add the orange zest and vanilla and a pinch of salt
Stir at intervals till the custard has cooled to warm
Serve with the warm bread pudding
Refrigerate remaining custard

*Scalding is heating milk to right below boiling. I used the microwave when I was doing this custard because I find it a simple way to make a small amount of custard, but you can just as easily make it on the stove. Watch as you heat the final custard, stirring constantly so that it does not set on the bottom of the pan and make sure to remove it just as it starts to boil. Use a medium high heat setting. You do not want a full boil.

Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
http://www.swisswoods.com
Debbie Mosimann
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Chilled Apricot Mint Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:50:43 PDT

I don't know about where everyone else is, but we're having a long and lovely spring here in Ohio. I just love this time of year. It's such a joy to see the gardens come back to life, particularly our herb gardens, since you can't beat the flavor of fresh herbs in recipes, and they add such a splash of color when used as a garnish. Right now we have four different kinds of mint growing in our herb garden, including spearmint, chocolate mint, lemon balm and lime mint. On a trip to the garden center last weekend I found a pot of pineapple mint. Of course I just had to buy it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it grows and adding it to some of our recipes. I think it would be wonderful in the following recipe for chilled Apricot Mint soup.

INGREDIENTS
One 14 ounce can of apricot halves in syrup (do not drain)
One cup of half-and-half
1/4 cup of fresh mint
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
More mint for garnish.

DIRECTIONS
Put all ingredients in a blender and puree. Chill very well. Serve in pretty glasses, such as martini glasses. Makes a delicious first-course for breakfast, brunch or even dinner.

The White Oak Inn
http://www.whiteoakinn.com
Yvonne Martin
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Pineapple, Mangoes and....Fresh Thyme

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:11:33 PDT

The other night I was over at a friends house for dinner and she announced that for dessert she had made a little fruit salad with pineapple and mangoes. I groaned a bit cause mangoes are not really my favorite but she said, just wait and see, even you will like the mango in this salad. She was right, mix fresh thyme with just about anything and I will love it. So this morning I made the pineapple-mango salad and.....yep the bowls came back licked clean, the true test of whether something went over well at our Bed and Breakfast. Now if someone would just tell me an easy way to cut a mango.......... we would serve this all the time!

INGREDIENTS to serve 10 one cup servings
1 large fresh Pineapple cut into chunks
2 good sized Mangos also cut into bite sized pieces
Fresh Lime Juice (about 2 tablespoons)
Fresh Thyme leaves (I try to keep the stems out as much as possible)
Lime slices - cut to go on the side of the fruit bowls for a little garnish

DIRECTIONS
Put Pineapple and Mangoes in a bowl and add Lime juice, really to taste, I probably used a tablespoon or two for one pineapple and 2 large mangoes. Add thyme leaves and stir well, again you add to taste. I love thyme, so I used about 10 sprigs, you can taste it as you go (this is often the best part). It is then ready to serve as I did this morning, but when my friend made it for dinner, she refrigerated it for a bit and I think that helped the thyme flavor really come through even more.

We are having a lot of fun this summer mixing the "savory" herbs with the sweet fruit!

Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn
http://www.chamberednautilus.com
Joyce Schulte
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Breakfast Bruschetta

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:30:15 PDT

Dessert with breakfast?   Why not!   And it couldn't be simpler.   You can change the toppings with the seasons.   Fresh fruit in summer and fall, dried fruit and nuts in the winter.   Use your imagination and have fun.

INGREDIENTS
1 French Baguette
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (can substitute vanilla, orange, lemon or any other flavored extract that complements your toppings)
Toppings of your choice, such as sliced strawberries, whole raspberries or blackberries, sliced peaches, apricots or plums, diced kiwi, chopped dried apricots, dried blueberries or craisins. Shaved dark, milk or white chocolate, chopped nuts - walnuts, almonds, pecans or pistachios, or crushed Heath Bars.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Melt butter and lightly brush each slice.   Sprinkle with white sugar.   Bake in a 375 degree oven until edges are lightly browned and top is crispy.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, powdered sugar and almond extract.   Spread a tablespoon of this mixture on each slice of bread.   Top with fruit, then sprinkle with shaved chocolate and nuts.
Favorite combinations:
Strawberries, dark chocolate and pecans
Raspberries, white chocolate and almonds
Craisins, pistachios and white chocolate
Apricots, walnuts and crushed Heath Bars

The White Oak Inn
http://www.whiteoakinn.com
Yvonne Martin
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Lime Coconut Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:37:13 PDT

Years ago Kathy, my assistant innkeeper at the time, brought this recipe along to work. Swiss Woods guests have been raving about them and begging for the recipe ever since. We have made a few adjustments, mostly to intensify the lime flavor. I have a hard time leaving a recipe alone
The bars have the most refreshing bright flavor and are particularly fun to have around in spring and summer. The pecan crust is the perfect foil for the intense lime and chewy coconut. I go heavy on the lime zest.. the more the better in my book.
These freeze beautifully. I make them in double batches which fit perfectly in a sheet pan, but have posted it in a smaller format here. Don't over bake these as they will be difficult to cut if you do.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/4 cup angel flake coconut
6 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 heaping teaspoons lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp baking powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325F
Use a sheet pan or for thicker triangles, a 9x13 pan, Do not grease. (There is enough of butter in the crust)
For the crust, mix the flour, powdered sugar, pecans and 1/3 cup of the coconut.
Stir in the melted butter
Press the mixture into pan
Bake for 20min
Remove from the oven and set aside

While the crust is baking, mix the filling
In a medium bowl beat the eggs slightly
Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, juice and baking powder
Add the remaining coconut and stir till well combined
Pour over the baked crust
Return to the oven and bake at 325F for an additional 30 minutes or until just lightly golden.
Cool in the pan, then cut into squares or triangles
Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve

These freeze really really well. Bake a bunch to have on hand when you need something quickly or to pack for a wonderful picnic dessert.

Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
http://www.swisswoods.com
Debbie Mosimann
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Oreo Vanilla Pudding: Sublime Comfort Food

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:11:37 PDT

Yesterday I made personal puddings for our guests, as a part of our afternoon Innkeepers Reception. I found these cute little 2 ounce dessert cups at Ikea, and they are so versatile and fun to use. The Oreo Vanilla Pudding was a big hit! I've also made chocolate pudding in these little cups.

INGREDIENTS
20 Oreo cookies, crushed
4 cups milk
2 cups half & half
6 tablespoons flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

Crush Oreo cookies, and place small amount (approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons) in the bottom of 2 ounce dessert cups.

Whisk 2 cups milk, flour,eggs and sugar together until well mixed. Set aside.

Bring 2 cups milk and 2 cups half & half to a boil, then stir in the milk/eggs mixture. Boil over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Removed from heat, and add vanilla and butter, stir until completely incorporated into the pudding.

Pour pudding into a spouted large measuring cup, then pour pudding into prepared dessert cups. Top with sprinkles of Oreo crumbles.

Makes 30 individual dessert cups.

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
http://www.LookoutPointInn.com
Kristie Rosset
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Double Glazed Lemon Pound Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:48:47 PDT

Double Glazed Lemon Pound Cake is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes we bake. Sylvie (our Kitchen Magician) is baking up a storm this morning and has already baked two of the Lemon Pound Cakes!
The double glazing comes from poking holes in the hot cake as it comes out of the oven and drizzling glaze over the cake. Then once it has cooled, lots more of the glaze is ladled over the top of the cake.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup apricot nectar or orange juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons lemon extract
4 eggs

Glaze
1 1/2 cups of sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup (freshly squeezed) lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325.
Generously grease and flour a bundt pan (or two loaf pans).
In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients. Blend with hand mixer at low speed until the ingredients are moistened. Then beat three minutes at medium speed.
Pour batter into greased and flour pan/s.
Bake at 325 for 40 to 50 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
In a small bowl, blend glaze ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Remove cake from the oven and poke several holes (about every inch) in the cake with a long fork.
Spoon half the glaze over hot cake in pan.
After about ten minutes, invert cake onto serving plate. We like to wait until the cake is cooled before we pour the remainder of the glaze over the cake.
When our garden is in beautiful bloom, we garnish with edible flowers, mint and fresh berries.

NOTE: If there is any cake left over, we cut into cubes and serve with chilled fruit soup as "Lemon Croutons".

William Henry Miller Inn
http://www.millerinn.com
Lynnette Schofield
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Springtime Pound Cake: Peaches, Coconut & Pecans

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:38:04 PDT

Usually the description "light" does not fit with pound cake. But this scrumptious dessert turned out light and delicious. At our afternoon Innkeepers Reception at Lookout Point, we serve a dessert, appetizer, wine and iced tea. Guests were raving this weekend about the Peachy Coconut Pecan Pound Cake, and requesting the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup peach schnapps
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup diced peaches (canned, frozen, or fresh)
1 1/2 cups pecans, tasted and chopped
1 cup coconut (divided use)

DIRECTIONS
Grease a 10 inch tube pan, or large bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup coconut around bottom of pan.

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with stand mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Add sugar gradually, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after all the sugar is added. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears.

Combine flour and salt, and add to butter mixture alternately with the peach schnapps, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Stir in vanilla, peaches, 3/4 cup coconut, and chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert and remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: when using a bundt pan, you may need to put some batter in another pan (I put about 2 cups of batter in 4x8 inch loaf pan, and baked it for about 50 minutes).

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
http://www.LookoutPointInn.com
Kristie Rosset
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Chocolate Layer Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:44:18 PDT

I am continually surprised at how quickly our cookie jars are empty and the the tasty goodies we put under the cake dome disappear. The Swiss tradition of afternoon coffee is alive and well here! Today's bars had everyone raving, maybe because they were still warm when they went onto the cake plate and the kitchen offered the enticing smell of warm chocolate, but I will say that they are easy and one of my favorites. Make them and freeze them for later use as they hold well.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 8oz package cream cheese
2/3 cup evaporated milk

3 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375F
Spray a 9X13 baking pan with Pam

Combine chocolate chips, cream cheese and evaporate milk in a saucepan.
Cook over low heat stirring until the chips are melted.
Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor.
Blend on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Press half of the mixture into the baking pan.
Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes
Remove from the oven and spread the chocolate cream over the crust.
Crumble the remaining crumb/crust mixture over the top of the chocolate.
Return to the oven and bake 25-30 minutes until the top crumbs and golden brown.
Cool and cut into small squares

Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
http://www.swisswoods.com
Debbie Mosimann

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:53:56 PDT

My favorite kitchen "short cut"
This morning we are busy making scones---all kinds: lemon, blueberry, apricot, white chocolate and sun dried cherry.
Cutting butter into the scone batter can sometimes be a problem. The solution I just love is this: when a recipe calls for butter to be cut into dough, just use a very, very cold stick of butter and your grater. Work fast and it will make your life easier!
The William Henry Miller Inn http://www.millerinn.comLynnette ScofieldBed and Breakfast Foodie

Fresh Blueberry Cheese Danish

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:32:57 PST

Last week I found this recipe on cooking.com. I made it as soon as I found the recipe and it was a big hit. Made it again yesterday and there wasn't a crumb left!
--- INGREDIENTS ---
For the Danish:
3/4 cup of 1% cottage cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk (original recipe called for 1% but I used skim with a bit of 1/2 and 1/2)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese (called for reduced fat)
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (we used fresh)
1 Tablespoon water
For the Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
--- DIRECTIONS ---
In a blender or food processor, cover and process cottage cheese until smooth. Add sugar, milk, oil and vanilla and process until it is smooth.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and add to cheese mixture. Process just until the dough forms a ball (it'll be sticky). Turn onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk,, lemon peel and vanilla and mix well. Turn dough onto a 17X13 inch piece of parchment. Roll into a 16X12 inch rectangle. Transfer with the paper to a baking sheet.
Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise in a 3 1/2 wide strip down the center. Sprinkle with the blueberries.
On each long side, cut 1 inch wide strips about 3 3/4 inch into the center. Fold alternating strips at an angle across the berries. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Beat the egg white and water and brush over the dough.
(At this point, I covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight).
Bake at 400 degress for 20-22 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm pastry. Refrigerate leftovers (there were none!)
--- The William Henry Miller Inn http://www.millerinn.com Lynnette Scofield Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Chocolate - Orange Pot de Crème

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:58:36 PST

Rich and creamy, with a faint hint of orange, they are perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Yields: 4 desserts

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4 oz. 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate (we use Ghirardelli's) broken into pieces

4 large egg yolks

2 Tbs. granulated sugar
the zest of one well scrubbed orange

¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a kettle bring water to a boil.

In a large sauce pan whisk together heavy cream and orange zest.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Turn heat off and add chocolate pieces.
Let stand a couple of minutes until chocolate has melted. Whisk to blend.
In a stand-up mixer add egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk on low until mixture is well blended and creamy.
Set speed to low and gently pour cream/chocolate mixture over eggs until just incorporated. Don't go fast or you will cook the egg yolks.
Distribute evenly into 4 6-oz. ramekin dishes and set into a 9 x 13 ovenproof baking dish.
Add boiling water to the pan making sure the water comes half way up the sides of the ramekin dishes. Place in oven and bake for 25 min. until custard is almost set.
The centers should still be a wiggly. They will set as they cool.
Remove ramekins from baking dish and set on a rack to cool. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, strawberries or raspberries.

Enjoy!

Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn

Danielle Hanscom

Chocolate Madeleines

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:51:27 PST

Proust's famous cookie, this time with a chocolate twist.

Yield: 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup plus about 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened, for buttering madeleine molds
3 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
1 cup cake flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Brush madeleine pans well with softened 4Tbs. of butter. Set aside in a cool spot.
In a medium bowl sift together pastry flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Melt remaining ½ cup butter. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer whip eggs, granulated sugar and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer. Add flour and cocoa mixture and with a large rubber spatula gently mix until combined. Add vanilla and melted butter. Gently fold together until just blended.
Using a spoon fill the madeleine molds with batter. Bake madeleines for 10 to 12 minutes until they are springy to the touch and a little mound is
puffed up in the middle.
Cool on a cookie rack. They taste best on the same day they were made.
Enjoy!

Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn
Danielle Hanscom

Sharing A Passion for Chocolate and Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:48:16 PST

February is Chocolate Passion Month but isn't that true of every month? And if you love the way chocolate and coffee are perfect for each other, you'll want to add this recipe to your repertoire.New York soul food!

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I said this was delicious but I didn't say cheap!)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons cream
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup double-stength espresso (you can usually find excellent instant espresso in the supermarket)
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F.
Crust:
With your fingers, blend the graham cracker crumbs with the butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.
Press the mixture firmly and smoothly in to the bottom of an ungreased 8 or 9-inch spring form pan
Filling:
Melt the chocolate over low heat or in a microwave at 15-20 second intervals. Stir the cream into the chocolate.
In the bowl of an electric mixer add the cream cheese and the cup of sugar. Add the eggs and start beating the mixture on low speed. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well-blended, increasing the speed cautiously to prevent spattering.
Add the chocolate mixture and the sour cream to the cream cheese mixture.
Pour in the cooled espresso and rum.
Add the vanilla and beat until well-blended.
Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45-60 minutes until the cake is puffed at the edges. The center will remain somewhat soft but it will firm up as the cake cools.
Let the cake cool on a rack for several hours.
Remove the sides of the pan.
Garnish with a blend of confectioners' sugar and cocoa, 1 tablespoon of each, and chocolate curls.

Birchwood Inn
http://www.birchwood-inn.com
Ellen Gutman Chenaux
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Trying something New........and Caramel Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:30:26 PST

So as we have discussed before here, I come new to this whole cooking thing, and rely on my fellow broads to challenge me a bit and encourage me to try new things and step beyond my comfort zone in the kitchen. So...I love caramel sauce, I have bought it, I have melted store bought caramel down and added cream (which was not too bad) but something about the taste still eluded me. I had just always heard how hard it was to make and that you had to be oh so careful or it would burn, frankly I was too scared to try.

So after seeing (and eating) this too cute for words breakfast fruit at Kristie's inn in Hot Springs, Arkansas I decided to take the plunge. Surely it could not be so hard to make my own sauce to draw on the plate with. I went to the computer, read about 20 recipes for caramel sauce, and landed on this one. I'd tell you where it was from but...I took another plunge and changed it a bit. Seriously, it was not that hard, and seriously it tastes REALLY Good. Tomorrow I am putting in on top of bananas and I can hardly wait. go ahead, remember, if I can make it, well then so can you!
OK, my drawing needs some work......... but you get the idea and the sauce was divine.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon salted butter (if you use unsalted then add a pinch of salt)

DIRECTIONS
Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (you may want to stand back the mixture will bubble a bit and makes a sizzling sound). Stir sauce over low heat until any caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth. OK at this point I had a big glump of caramel and I thought I had blown it....keep stirring, it will get smooth.
You can prepare it a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat or in the microwave but heat just until it is pourable then let the sauce cool to room temperature. Pour over something and enjoy. Or use it to draw on the plate like I did.

Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn
www.chamberednautilus.com
Joyce Schulte

Bed and Breakfast Foodie, 8 Broads in the Kitchen

Coffee Cake Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:51:41 PST

I gave this recipe its name because the resulting muffins remind me so much of a good coffee cake. Delicious golden cake, with a swirl of cinnamon and pecans throughout, and a cinnamon pecan streusel topping. They're rich and a little pricey to make because of the pecans, but oh so worth it for a special occasion. This recipe makes about 15 muffins.

INGREDIENTS

Filling:
1 cup of pecans, chopped fine
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Combine and set aside

Muffin
3 cups flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
Beat eggs with milk and sour cream. Mix in melted butter. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients and fold together just until moistened.
Grease muffin tins generously. Fill each muffin tin about 1/3 full of batter. Top with a generous teaspoon of the pecan mixture. Spoon more batter over top until muffin tins are 3/4 full. Sprinkle another generous teaspoon of pecan mixture over top. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and springs back when touched.
Allow to cool for five minutes before trying to remove from muffin pans.
Bet you can't eat just one!!

The White Oak Inn
http://www.whiteoakinn.com
Yvonne Martin
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

My new favorite gadget...

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:36:24 PST

I love gadgets. Drop me off at a kitchen store and I will spend hours going from one corner to the next discovering all the new inventions out there to make my life easier. I don't usually buy much because, in the end,I many things are just as easy done the old way.
There are notable exceptions. The microplane is something I will not do without and actually replace them with a new shiny one almost every year. My newest favorite is one I have been looking at for a long long time but kept thinking, why spend the money when you can really do this just fine by hand.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I was in this amazing Restaurant Store near Lancaster PA, (The Resturant Store by Clark Restaurant Equipment) I love it there, much like my husband loves hardware stores, this to me is an afternoon of pure bliss. I saw lots of things I sure would love and could use but in the end came home with this little yellow lemon squeezer, some small glasses for individual trifles and a few small odds and ends. In the weeks that followed I have totally fallen in love with this lemon squeezer thingy. Granted, I use a lot of citrus. Lemons, limes, oranges.... all of them go into baked goods, drinks and fruit recipes. We do lemon brandied apples often this time of year and this little gadget has made that process a snap.. and no seeds.
If you are looking for a nice little hostess gift for a friend who loves to cook, this is the ticket. Find them at TJ Maxx or Marshalls, William Sanoma or any old kitchen store. Buy a few. You will love them as much as I do.

Stay tuned to the 8Broads for more favorite gadgets. In March I am visiting the International Housewares Show in Chicago. I am positive there will be a "must have" something there that I will be dying to share.

Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
http://www.swisswoods.com
Debbie Mosimann
one of the... 8 Broads in the Kitchen

Quince Apple Chutney: A Great Pancake Topper or Side Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:18:51 PST

Last week the grocery store carried fresh quince, so I bought one. I had no idea what to do with a quince, so my first move was to ask the 8 Broads. The primary two responses were to use quince for jelly or applesauce. Last night I experimented, and today a fresh batch of Quince Apple Chutney was served atop Whole Wheat Pancakes. Plates licked clean. This dish is perfect as a winter fruit appetizer or side dish, too.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 quince, grated
2 apples (granny smith or braeburn), peeled, cored and diced
1/4 sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
Put all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan, and cook over low heat. Stir occasional, and cook until the apples become slightly translucent. Remove from heat. Serve warm or chilled.

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
http://www.LookoutPointInn.com
Kristie Rosset
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Monte Carlo Sandwiches-- a lower fat twist on the Monte Cristo

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:51:45 PST

On Sundays after church, I used to love going out to eat and often ordered the Monte Cristo Sandwich. Yum! But as an innkeeper, I do not deep-fry anything. So in seeking a lower-fat alternative, we created these tasty sandwiches that our guests and staff love. Of course, a slight name change was in order, too. :) Think of this dish as a savory French Toast.

INGREDIENTS

8 thick slices, French bread
4 eggs
1 cup milk
dash of salt and pepper
1/2 pound deli turkey, thinly sliced
1/2 pound deli ham, thinly sliced
4 slices provolone cheese

Raspberry Jam

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk eggs, milk and salt and pepper.
Place 3 thin slices of turkey atop a slice of bread, add one slice provolone cheese, then top with 3 thin slices of ham. Top with 2nd piece of bread. Dip sandwiches into egg batter, allowing bread to soak up egg mixture. Place on medium hot griddle until golden, then turn and cook on other side until golden brown.

To finish the sandwiches, bake for 4-5 minutes by placing sandwiches on a rack on a baking sheet in 350 degree oven.

To serve, cut in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar. These sandwiches are great dipped in raspberry jam, so serve a small ramekin of jam. Herb roasted potatoes are a great companion.

Serves: 4 persons

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
http://www.LookoutPointInn.com
Kristie Rosset
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Baked Scrambled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:21:39 PST

This recipe is like that "little black dress". It just plain goes with everything!
Guests love it and our Staff is always hopeful that there are some leftover for their break!
And, just like that favorite dress, this "accessorizes" so well. We will often add fresh herbs (dill, parsley, tarragon...whatever compliments); fresh asparagus; tomato; sweet red peppers; spinach or arugula.
This is also the basis for our Miller Muffin---a homemade English Muffin topped with the eggs and either smoked salmon or bacon.
We have used this recipe so often, the original paperwork is long gone. But credit should go to the "Ultimate Innkeeper", Joan Wells, formerly of The Queen Victoria in Cape May, New Jersey.
We hope you'll enjoy!
--- INGREDIENTS ---
12 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup half and half
3 Tablespoons melted butter
12 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (opt)
salt and pepper to taste

--- DIRECTIONS ---
Preheat oven to 350.
Soften the cream cheese in the microwave. Blend in the half and half once the cheese is softened. Microwave again at a low setting so the mixture is warm.
In a nonstick sprayed 9x13 glass baking dish, add the melted butter.
Put the cream cheese mixture and the eggs in the baking dish and stir lightly until blended.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes--stirring after the first 8 minutes and then every 5 minutes until the eggs are set.
Just before fully set, add the parsley.
Serves 6-8
--- The William Henry Miller Inn http://www.millerinn.com Lynnette Scofield Bed and Breakfast Foodie

An easy way to remove pomegranate seeds!

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:01:05 PST

Sylvie, our Inn Kitchen Queen, loves to find a way to make things easier (and better) in the kitchen. (She is the person who tried the avocado "swim" and it certainly worked!)
We are using more and more pomegranates. We love them for their flavor; their healthiness; their easy accessibility and of course, their crunch! Sylvie removed the seeds so easily the other day. We wanted to share it.
DIRECTIONS
Place a pomegranate on the cutting board and cut the fruit in half cross-wise. In other words, you want the stem at the bottom and top. Cut through the middle.
In a good sized bowl, give the fruit a really good "rap" on the bowl and voila! The seeds will end up in the bowl.
Couldn't be easier! If you have more seeds than you can use at the moment, just freeze.

The William Henry Miller Inn http://www.millerinn.com Lynnette Scofield Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Crustless Quiche

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:27:25 PST

Here at The Miller Inn, we offer both a sweet and a savory main dish each morning. This morning's savory dish is a lovely crustless quiche---so adaptable depending on what vegetables might be on hand! This summer when we participated in the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), we included lots of kale, swiss chard, tomatoes and corn.   This morning, the vegetables are broccoli, spinach, red peppers and tomatoes. The beauty of this dish lies in what you want to add.
Just a note: we always prepare this the day before, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
--- INGREDIENTS ---
9 eggs
6 ounces of grated sharp Cheddar (divided)
6 ounces of grated Monterey Jack (divided)
1/2 cup milk (we use skim)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces of cottage cheese
Vegetables of your choice!
--- DIRECTIONS ---
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy.    Add 3/4 cup Cheddar; 3/4 cup Jack, milk, flour, baking powder, salt and cottage cheese.
Heat a non stick skillet and saute your vegetables until just tender.
Mix vegetables in with egg custard and top with sliced tomato. At this point, you can cover and
refrigerate or bake for 45 minutes at 375 if you're serving right away.
Makes 10 servings.
This morning we are serving with a potato casserole, homemade whole wheat toast and baked ham. Not a bad way to start the day!
The William Henry Miller Inn http://www.millerinn.com Lynnette Scofield Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Cranberry – Orange Angel Food Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:06:36 PST

A favorite dessert during the holidays. Fat free!

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups egg whites (about 1 dozen egg whites), at room temperature
1 ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup sifted unbleached flour
⅛ cup corn starch
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ tsp. pure orange extract
the zest of one orange

1 cup chopped fresh cranberries

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whip the egg whites in the bowl of a stand up mixer with the whisk attachment until foamy.
Add cream of tartar and salt.
Keep whipping until soft peaks form.
With the mixer running, gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and continue whipping until stiff and the sugar has dissolved. This will take about another 45 seconds.
Sift the remaining ½ cup sugar with the flour and corn starch 3 times.
Carefully fold flour into the egg whites. You want to do this carefully. Towards the end add the vanilla and orange extracts, orange zest, and chopped cranberries folding until the berries are evenly distributed. Don't over do it.
Carefully spoon the batter into an ungreased angel food pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until light brown on top. Cool the cake in the pan by putting it upside down on your counter if your pan has “feet” if not put it upside down around the neck of a bottle until it cools to room temperature.
Run a long, sharp knife blade between the cake and the pan and loosen the cake out onto a plate.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before cutting into slices with a serrated knife.

Danielle Hanscom
Brampton Bed & Breakfast Inn
Bed and Breakfast Foodie

Winter Fruit Salad: Take 2

noreply@blogger.com (Bed and Breakfast Foodie) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:30:59 PST

This is our take on that same winter fruit salad. We read the same recipe as Lynnette (well actually she told us about the recipe) and this is how it came out of our kitchen. We used Texas Ruby Reds (cause they are my favorite), some local sweet sliced and peeled Taylor pears (Comice or D'Anjou work well too), chopped the mint, put it all in a fruit bowl with the pomegranate seeds, then drizzled with honey and served. Only empty bowls came back to us. Oops I forgot to drizzle honey on this one before I snapped the picture, imagine it OK?
One recipe, 2 different dishes and wonderful winter fruits.

INGREDIENTS
Ruby Red Grapefruit slices
Sliced and peeled pears (Taylor, Comice, D'Anjou)
Chopped Mint
Pomegranate Seeds
Honey
DIRECTIONS:
Place sliced fruit, a little chopped mint, and pomegranate seeds neatly in fruit bowl, drizzle with honey, garnish with mint, serve.

Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn
http://www.chamberednautilus.com
Joyce Schulte
Bed and Breakfast Foodie