Pineapple Upside Down Bread

Sometimes a little dessert for breakfast is a good way to get the day started. At least that’s what Sam tries to tell me. We decided to try pineapple upside down bread.

Sam thought it was “cool” to put the pineapples and cherries in first and then the batter. He couldn’t quite figure out how that was going to work. But when we got it out of the pan (all in one piece, thank you very much), he was impressed.

It tasted delicious and now because we accidentally bought the large jar of cherries we are having lots of sundaes with cherries on top as actual dessert.

Ingredients

For the Cake

4 Tbsp pineapple juice

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

For the Glaze & Topping::

1/4 stick of butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1-small can pineapple chunks-completely drained

8-10 maraschino cherries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Spray your Loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or lightly butter the bottom & sides.

3. I used a 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 Loaf Pan.

4. In a Large bowl combine the Eggs, Sugar, Pineapple Juice, Flour, Baking Powder & the Salt and mix until well incorporated.

5. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, once melted add in the brown sugar and stir constantly on medium heat for 45 seconds, set aside.

6. Spoon a layer of the hot mixture into the bottom of the Loaf Pan, then arrange the chunks of Pineapple on top of the brown sugar mixture. Add the cherries throughout the chunks.

7. Spoon the cake batter on top..

8. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

9. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes

10. Gently run a knife around the edge of the cake to help loosen, because they tend to stick slightly.

11. Place on a wire cooling rack & allow to cool completely

Yogurt Parfait

Sometimes simple is all you need. With all the things to do in Friendsville now, a lot of our guests just want something to grab and go. This yogurt parfait is perfect. It’s very simple to make. Personally, I’m not a fan of yogurt, but Sam and Derek tell me it’s delicious!

INGREDIENTS

1 (32 oz) containter plain fat-free yogurt

1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves

1 can mandarin oranges

2 banana, thinly sliced

1/2 cup granola

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir together yogurt and strawberry jam in a medium bowl until blended.

Mix half can of oranges into the yogurt mixture

Add a few banana slices and orange slices to the bottom of a cup.

Add layer of yogurt mixture and repeat once more

Top with granola

AMISH-STYLE APPLE AND CINNAMON BAKED OATMEAL

I wanted to try something that was like oatmeal, but more exciting. This recipe for apple and cinnamon baked oatmeal fits the bill. At first, it seemed like a lot of ingredients, but it turns out that it was really simple to put together.

I got to try one serving, but when I went back to the refrigerator the next morning all of it was eaten and the container was in the dishwasher. No one will own up to exactly what happened to all of it, but both Derek and Sam told me it was “pretty good.” I also thought it was good and wished I had more to try. Oh well, I will certainly make this again.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (more to taste if you like things a bit sweeter)

2 1/2 cups milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted

2-3 large tart, sweet apples (like Honey Crisp or Gala), peeled, cored, and diced

INSTRUCTIONS

• Lightly grease an 8X12-inch or 9X13-inch baking pan or 9X9-inch (for super thick oatmeal) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (don't preheat the oven if making it ahead of time and refrigerating overnight).

• In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and brown sugar.

• In a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla.

• Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and add the melted butter or coconut oil. Stir or whisk to combine.

• Arrange the diced apples evenly over the bottom of the baking dish and pour the oatmeal mixture over the top. You can cover and refrigerate overnight at this point or bake right away (uncover before baking the next morning).

• Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden and the mixture is set up and not super jiggly.

• Serve warm or at room temperature with a little milk poured over the top, if you want.

Egg-in-a-Hole Hash Browns

I’ve seen recipes for egg-in-a-hole made with bread, but I thought I would try making it with hash browns. Sam was excited too because he thought they looked like they would be fun to make.

Let me tell you that these are a bit trickier than we thought they would be. It started off okay, although the hash browns in the pan got pretty steamy. Then making the hole was not hard to carve out, but I underestimated how big a two inch hole should be. I made it a little small so aiming getting the egg in was a bit of a challenge. Sam was cheering for me though.

I am also not a fan of runny eggs so I wanted to make sure they were cooked enough. Unfortunately, by leaving it in the pan to cook the egg a little longer the hash browns got too brown. I am happy to say that I didn’t burn them though.

My taste tester Sam thought they were good, mostly because they were “really cool.” I thought the egg wasn’t cooked enough for me, but I won’t be giving anyone salmonella so that’s a plus.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded potatoes

5 large eggs, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 tablespoon large flake salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Wrap shredded potatoes in cheesecloth and wring out until dry, approximately 2 minutes.

• Place in a large bowl and add one egg, salt, pepper, garlic and onion.

• Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and add oil.

• Place 1/2 cup of the shredded potato mixture in an even layer and cook for approximately 2 minutes until golden. Flip and use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to remove the center of the patty.

• Drop a single egg in the patty and cook until whites are set.

• Remove patty from pan and repeat until all potatoes are used. Top with chives and large flake salt.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

This week Sam wanted to be the baker. Besides an oven assist from me, he created this all on his own. This simple three ingredient bread is perfect for kids or the beginning baker to make.

We know my oven takes a little longer to bake things so we left it in the oven for an hour and ten minutes instead of the recommended 55 minutes.

Everything was going well until Sam lost patience waiting for it to cool and dumped it out of the pan immediately after we took it out of the oven. Needless to say the middle fell out before the edges.

The photo turned out pretty well and it tasted delicious. We found ourselves wondering back into the kitchen all day to take a piece. By the time Derek came by there was nothing left.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 very ripe bananas

1 can pumpkin puree

1 box spice cake mix

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large mixing bowl, mash peeled bananas with a fork.

Add pumpkin puree to bananas and stir until combined.

Add dry cake mix to pumpkin banana mixture and stir or use a mixer until combined

Fold batter into a greased or stone loaf pan

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes depending on your oven

Let cool for 10 minutes at least before slicing'

Serve warm.

Store leftover bread in the refrigerator

Microwave for 10 to 20 seconds to warm leftover.

Everything Bagel Sausage Casserole

Sam was very excited about this recipe. Turns out everything bagels are his favorite. He was a bit worried that the recipe wouldn’t turn out and we would have wasted all those bagels. Since we had to refrigerate overnight, there was more of a wait to find out if we were going to like it.

Luckily, this was a good one. There is so much savory goodness in this casserole. I felt like there was a lot of eggs and Derek thought it was very “bready,” but both of us agreed that we really enjoyed it. Sam liked it too, but he is somewhat of a bagel purist and would rather have the everything bagels just toasted with some cream cheese. To each his own I guess.

We were eating this one for days. It makes a lot.

INGREDIENTS

4 large Everything bagels cubed

8 ounces cream cheese softened

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded

1 pound maple-flavored sausage cooked and crumbled

2 cups heavy whipping cream

8 eggs

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chives

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cook and drain sausage. Cut bagels into bite-sized cubes. Grease a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish.

• Cut cream cheese into thin slices and may a layer of slices across the bottom of the baking dish.

• Add a layer of half of the bagel cubes, half of the sausage, and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers.

• Whisk eggs. Add salt, pepper, and cream; whisk again. Pour evenly over the top of the casserole. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

• Remove casserole from the refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 45 minutes covered with foil. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until the casserole is browned on top and set in the center.

• Sprinkle chopped chives on top and enjoy!

Dotty's Famous Strawberry Pancakes

The secret recipe for Dotty’s Famous Strawberry Pancakes is included in the back of my book, The Legacy of Sterling Manor.

Get your copy today!

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Cinnamon Roll Muffins

I think that Sam and I would agree that these muffins were the yummiest things we have made yet. They are as gooey, cinnamon-y delicious as they look in the picture.

Every time I walked into the kitchen, there was one more muffin gone. Between Sam, Derek and I these muffins lasted two days and I am ashamed to say they made ALOT.

These will definitely be a regular menu item!

INGREDIENTS

Muffins

• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1 cup milk

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Icing

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons real maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons milk

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.

• In a large bowl, beat cake mix, 1 cup milk, the softened butter, and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Gently stir half of the mixture into the batter in a large bowl. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Top with the remaining cinnamon mixture.

• Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

• In a small bowl, beat Icing ingredients with a whisk. Drizzle over warm or cooled muffins.

Sausage Hash Brown Nests

We are trying more with eggs this week. I think the menu is going to need more savory items to balance all the sweet. This recipe took more steps that I usually like to do, but they made a dozen at a time so I didn’t mind.

I did a few things this time that I would do differently next time. First, I bought hot sausage. It was a little spicy for my liking and other’s might think so too. It did give the nest more flavor though. I also bought frozen hash browns where the recipe called for refrigerated. I think the frozen might have been harder to work with, but maybe I should have tried thawing them first. And finally, there is a lot of changing the oven temperature in between steps. I missed turning the oven up to 450 degrees when I was supposed to and I needed to leave that part in the oven longer. I’m not sure if that made a difference.

Sam was completely uninterested in helping with these for some reason. He just watched. Always my faithful taste tester though, he gave these a thumbs down for being too plain - until he got to the hot sausage part that he said was too spicy.

I thought they were okay, but maybe if I follow my own advice above they will come out better next time. Oh well, I made a full batch so I guess we will be eating these for awhile no matter what.

INGREDIENTS

1 package Premium Pork Sausage

20 ounces refrigerated hashbrowns

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

12 medium eggs

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F.

• Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

• Divide sausage into 12 equal patties and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

• Increase oven temperature to 450F.

• In a large bowl, combine hash browns, one cup of cheese, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

• Generously spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

• Scoop out a rounded one-quarter cup of hash brown mixture and press into each well of the muffin pan. Use a spoon or your fingers to pack the mixture in tightly. Spray with additional nonstick cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes.

• Reduce oven temperature to 350F.

• Remove the muffin pan from the oven and use a spoon to carefully press hash browns down and up the sides of each hash brown cup to create a cup or nest shape.

• Place a sausage patty in each hash brown cup, trimming the patties if needed.

• Carefully top each sausage patty with an egg.

• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of each egg and season with additional salt and pepper.

• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before carefully removing with a spoon.

Bacon, Egg and Tot Bake

Sam picked out this recipe because it involved tater tots. I liked it because there weren’t that many ingredients!

This recipe made A LOT which is great for a Bed and Breakfast. Since we haven’t opened yet, I ended up freezing some and giving some to Dotty.

Dotty raved about this, which is the highest form of compliment to me. She was thinking of serving it at the diner. There is no way I am giving her the recipe. Hopefully, she doesn’t follow my blog. LOL

Ingredients

1 cup Original Bisquick™ mix

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 eggs

1 lb bacon, crisply cooked and chopped

6 cups Tater Tots (frozen)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1 tablespoon sliced green onion (1 medium)

Ketchup, if desired

Instructions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, pepper and eggs until blended; pour into baking dish, and top with half of the bacon.

Place frozen potato nuggets in single layer on ungreased large cookie sheet with sides. Place both the baking dish and cookie sheet in oven. Bake 20 minutes.

Place potato nuggets evenly on top of Bisquick bake; top with cheese and remaining bacon. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Top with green onion. Serve with ketchup.

Scones

This week I wanted to be fancy and try scones. I have put this recipe off for a few weeks because I was completely afraid of this. Scones just sound like something a real pastry chef would make and I am not there yet.

I took the recipe step by step and it turns out it wasn’t that difficult after all. There are a lot of options for add-ons if you don’t want to make just plain scones. I decided on dried cherries and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. There is also an option for a topping and went with plain sugar. Maybe part of the reason I felt overwhelmed by this recipe was all the decisions you need to make on your own.

I wasn’t expecting scones to be triangular in shape, but what do I know? They taste the same no matter the shape. I added some cream as a topping and I was glad I did. The thing about scones is that they are very dry.

If you notice in the photo, I brought out my fancy rose mug and filled it with vanilla chai tea. I am not a fan of hot tea, but the scone with the tea tasted amazing.

Sam thought they were too dry after one bite and tossed the rest aside. Maybe this isn’t a breakfast for kids, but I still felt fancy.

INGREDIENTS

Basic Scones

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar (or more)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 cup butter (room temp)

1⁄2 cup milk

2 eggs

Optional Add-Ins (up to a cup)

1⁄2 cup dried apricot, chopped (optional)

1⁄2 cup mini chocolate chip (optional)

1⁄2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1⁄2 cup grated cheese (optional)

1⁄2 cup raisins (optional)

1⁄3 cup dried currant (optional)

1 cup craisins (optional)

1 tablespoon orange peel, coarsely chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)

1 tablespoon poppy seed (optional)

Flavoring of choice (discretion)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon banana extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

1 teaspoon brandy

Topping of Choice (just one)

2 teaspoons brown sugar (holiday or seasonal) or 2 teaspoons white sugar (holiday or seasonal) or 2 teaspoons sugar crystals (holiday or seasonal) or 2 teaspoons candy sprinkles (holiday or seasonal)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400; set aside a lightly greased baking stone or cookie sheet.

2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients; cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs; select one or more Optional Add-In from the list above (equalling about 1 cup total); make well in the center.

3. In a measuring cup, mix milk and eggs, pour into well in flour mixture EXCEPT -- reserve about 1 tablespoon of egg-milk; add flavoring of choice.

4. Stir flour-milk mixture with a fork, it will be slightly dry and rather stiff (add a bit extra milk if it appears "too" dry).

5. Dump dough onto a floured surface, incorporating any dry crumbs from the bottom of the bowl; knead several times but DO NOT OVERWORK the dough.

6. Divide into two balls; place one on either end of the baking stone or cookie sheet; pat into an 8-inch disk, about half-inch thick.

7. Using a pastry brush, spread the reserved egg-milk over the tops of both disks; sprinkle with Topping of Choice covering thoroughly.

8. With a pizza cutter or big knife, cut each cake into wedges (four large or six small), LEAVE IN PLACE.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes (tops will be golden brown); separate wedges and check that dough is "dry" -- if not, pop back in oven & give it 2-3 more minutes; then serve immediately.

French Toast in a Mug

I wanted to try something fun this week. French toast in a mug sounded like something kids might like if they stayed at the B&B with their parents.

If Sam is any gauge, and he certainly seems to be a good one, kids will love this. It’s fun to make and tastes yummy with the chocolate chips and powdered sugar on top.

The only problem is that it only makes a single serving. That means it takes a bit more time to serve and we will have to have plenty of microwavable mugs on hand.

Maybe I will save this for breakfasts at home.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 piece buttered bread we used challah and I would totally recommend if you have it

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons syrup

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• a pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips we used mini chocolate chips which melted really nicely

• Powdered sugar (optional)

• Cinnamon sugar (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS 

Blurry view from the top. Trying to show how it all mixes together.

• In your microwavable mug, mix together the egg, milk, syrup, cinnamon and salt until all combined

• Cut off the sides of the bread (crusts) and slice your bread into square bit sized pieces

• Add the bread to the mug and press them down so they are submerged within the liquid and the bread soaks in the egg mixture

• Add the chocolate chips to the mug and give a little stir to incorporate them in the mixture

• Sprinkle the optional cinnamon sugar on top

• Microwave for a total of 2 minutes stopping every 30 seconds (count to ten and start again – this is so it doesn’t explode in your microwave)

• Let cool for about 1-2 minutes

• Sprinkle powdered sugar on top

  Recipe from: princesspinkygirl.com

Cinnamon Banana Bread Muffins

Muffins! How have I not tried muffins already? Since I had bananas so ripe they were ready to go bad, I thought I would make these muffins.

They are not pretty. A little over-baked on the edges, but they tasted yummy. Every time I turned around, Sam was grabbing another one from the basket on the counter. I guess he gives them a good rating!

INGREDIENTS

banana bread muffins

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 large eggs

2/3 cup mashed banana (about 2 small bananas)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cinnamon & sugar topping

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Or you can also use liners.

• In medium bowl combine the sugar, oil, eggs and stir with wire whisk. Add in bananas and vanilla, whisk until combined.

• Add in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and stir together until just combined.

• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Each muffin cup will be almost to the top. About 3/4 full.

• Bake 17 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and muffins are high and rounded on top. The tops of the muffins should not look wet (that means they're not fully cooked).

• Remove muffins from pan to a cooling rack.

• For the cinnamon & sugar topping : Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put melted butter in a separate small bowl. Dip muffin tops into melted butter and then into cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm or let cool completely.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

After the great quiche explosion a few weeks ago, I thought I would give quiche another try. This time I made a ham and cheese version.

I am happy to report that it did not explode this time! It doesn’t make for as good a story, but at least the kitchen didn’t get smoked out.

Sam though it was too “eggy” and didn’t love the texture. I told him it was the same as the sausage quiche. Then I tasted it and I agreed, but I didn’t tell him that.

INGREDIENTS

1 (9 inch, deep dish) pastry crust

4 eggs

2 C half and half

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/4 t smoked paprika

1 C cheddar cheese, grated

1/3 C green onion

3/4 C diced ham

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Crack 4 eggs into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Beat them well with a fork.

2. Add 2 cups half and half, a 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir all of the ingredients together well. I like to use a fork.

3. If you are using a pre-made pie crust, it’s a good idea to put it (baking tin and all) inside a pie plate. That way if the filling comes over the edge a bit, you won’t have a mess on the floor. Place 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese in the bottom of your unbaked pie crust.

4. Chop up 1/3 of a cup of green onions and sprinkle them over the cheese.

5. Add 3/4 cup diced ham.

6. Pour the egg/cream mixture over the top of the ham.

7. Carefully, oh so carefully place it in an oven and bake it at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

8. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook it for another 45 minutes.

9. Let the quiche rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

Recipe from: jamiecooksitup.net

Strawberry Bread

I’m trying the fruit breads again. This time I tried strawberry. The other change I made was using two small loaf pans instead of one big pan.

This bread was more “bread” like than the blueberry bread which came out more like cake. I was surprised by the small amount of cinnamon that the recipe calls for. But when I tasted it I knew why. Even just using that small amount, all I could taste was cinnamon. That would have been great if it were cinnamon bread and not strawberry bread. I couldn’t really taste the strawberry.

Sam said it was “pretty good.” He didn’t run back for more like he did with the blueberry bread. I thought it was still yummy even though it wasn’t as sweet.

The best part about making it in two small pans was that I was able to gift one to Dotty.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup corn or vegetable oil

• ¾ cups sugar

• 1/2 cup chopped & mashed strawberries (about 1/2 pound of berries) drain ALL the juice off

• 1 cup self-rising flour packed (see note for all-purpose flour) *

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two mini loaf pans with cooking spray with flour like Baker's Secret.

• Wash and hull the berries. Chop and mash berries and strain off the excess juice. Measure out ½ cup.

• Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add oil, sugar and mashed strawberries. In another mixing bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry mixture to the strawberry mixture and stir.

• Pour into loaf pans, filling about 1/2 full. This is a moist bread and it will not cook through if you fill the pans too full.

• Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned or until a straw inserted into the center comes out clean. Moist breads like this Strawberry Bread are difficult to know when they are done. The straw or small knife inserted into the bread is the best way to know. You can’t just go by the time.

• Cool on wire racks for five minutes. Remove bread from pans and continue to cool until ready to slice. To store, wrap in clear wrap. This bread will keep fresh for several days.

  * Note: if using all-purpose flour add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder

  Recipe from: chloesblog.bigmill.com

Peach Puff Pancake

This week I decided to try peach pancake fluff. It is kind of like pancake casserole and seemed like it could feed a lot of people without constantly flipping pancakes. Also, peach was a fruit I hadn’t tried yet.

It was fairly easy to make and there weren’t any mishaps in the oven. Since peaches aren’t in season yet I used canned peaches and they worked just fine.

I was the first taste tester and I chose to try it with the works - syrup and whipped cream. I thought it was delicious. I had to admit that it was not the consistency of a pancake. It was dense and a small piece was very filling.

Sam was horrified just by looking at it. I made the mistake of calling it pancakes so this was not what he was expecting. He poked at it and picked off the peaches. I couldn’t get him to try anymore of it.

If I add this to my menu I may call it something besides pancakes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 6 eggs

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 5 TB Sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp. cinnamon

• 2/3 stick of butter (or margarine in a pinch)

• 12 peach halves, canned, fresh or frozen, thinly sliced. (This is just an approximate. You may use less, since this loads up the pancake with peaches.)

• Brown Sugar (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice up the butter and add to 9×13 baking dish, along with the peach slices.

3. Place in the oven until the butter has melted and begins to bubble.

4. Mix the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, extract, salt and cinnamon until well blended.

5. Pour the batter over the peaches.

6. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar (optional).

7. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and pancake has puffed.

8. Serve immediately with your favorite Syrup or Sauce.

9. Top with whip cream and a few fresh peaches for an extra special treat.

Recipe from: beautyandbedlam.com

Berry and Cream Cheese Pasteries

I remember as a kid my mom loved it when my dad would go to the bakery and bring home cream cheese pastries. I found this recipe which looked easy so I thought I would give it a try. These pastries seem pretty decadent - like something you might only eat…say while you were on vacation at a Bed and Breakfast.

Any choice of berries will do in this recipe. I wanted to do strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry, but the store was out of raspberries. Sam went for the blackberries just like he did with the blueberries for the blueberry bread, but this time he only got to one. He thought they had too many seeds and spent his time trying to pick them out. After he squished through the first one, he gave up and waited for his taste of the final product.

I realized that I don’t have any circular cookie cutters. So I opted for using a margarita glass and a pint glass for the indent. The pastries may have been a little bigger than they were supposed to be, but you use what you got, right?

Let me just say that these things might give Dotty a run for her money in the pastry department. Yummy! Sam and I ate all four of them before Derek even knew they existed.

Ingredients

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry

• 8 oz cream cheese

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 2 cups fresh berries

• 1 egg

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 3 – 4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until soft and fluffy.

3. Add white sugar, lemon juice and zest and whip until well blended and smooth.

4. On a lightly floured surface, unfold a sheet of puff pastry and cut into circles using a round cookie cutter. A glass or jar would also work.

5. Use a smaller cookie cutter or glass to create an indent around the edge, then prick the center several times with a fork.

6. Spread a dollop of cream cheese mixture in the center of each puff pastry round.

7. Top with berries to your heart’s content.

8. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. (I was able to get 5 pastries per sheet of puff pastry based on the size of my cookie cutter.)

9. Beat the egg with a bit of water, then brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash.

10. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

11. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden.

12. Once baked, remove from the oven and then transfer pastries to a wire cooling rack.

13. While they cool a bit, sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Add milk slowly, whisking until smooth.

14. Drizzle over each pastry then serve!

Recipe by: thesweetestoccasion.com

Sausage Quiche

I am trying a savory dish this time in the form of sausage quiche. I really like this recipe because it doesn’t make me feel guilty for not making my own crust. Store-bought works just fine, thank you very much!

Things were going really well except that I might have used too much sausage because my deep-dish crust wasn’t quite deep enough to hold all of the egg mixture that goes in last. I decided that would be fine and the quiche would just be a bit meatier.

Easy peasy. I put the pie on the baking sheet as directed and popped it in the oven. It was about twenty minutes in when I thought something smelled funny. I opened the oven to find that the quiche had exploded over the baking sheet and egg was sitting on the bottom of the oven. It only had ten more minutes to go before I put foil on top so I thought I would let it be.

About a minute later, I started to smell the burn. I opened the oven, choking on the smoke, and discovered the egg at the bottom was turning into a black crusty mess.

Sam came running into the room telling me that the rest of the house was starting to fill with smoke. I had him open as many windows as he could while I used potholders and a wooden spoon to scrape the burnt egg out of the oven, flipping it onto another baking sheet. I didn’t want to turn the oven off for fear of ruining the quiche or having it fall. Does quiche fall or is that just souffle?

Five minutes later it was time to put the foil on top to prevent too much browning and I let it bake for twenty more minutes, checking periodically to make sure the kitchen wasn’t on fire.

I am happy to say that the quiche turned out amazing. Sam not only had a taste when it cooled but requested it for dinner and breakfast the next day.

Derek came over after work and tried some. He thought it was good, but had a smokey flavor to it. Hmmmm….you don’t say?

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch unbaked deep dish frozen pie crust (I.e. Mrs Smith's)

• 8 oz mild or spicy breakfast sausage

• 5 green onions green onions thinly sliced

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided

• 1 cup half and half

• 6 large eggs

• 1 tsp garlic salt

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tsp ground mustard

• few dashes hot sauce optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place pie shell on cookie sheet. Set aside.

• In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, cook the sausage until no pink remains.

• Add the green onion and cook for 1 minute longer. Drain excess fat from pan.

• Spread ½ sausage mixture in pie shell ad sprinkle with ½ cheese. Spread remaining sausage over cheese.

• In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together the half and half, eggs, salt, pepper,and mustard. Add a few dashes hot sauce, if desired.

• Pour evenly over sausage. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

• Place into oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center is set when gently shaken. Check at 30 minutes and lay a piece of aluminum foil on top to prevent over browning if needed.

• Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe by: melissassouthernstylekitchen.com

Blueberry Bread

I tried a recipe for “The Best” Blueberry Bread and I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype. I also wasn’t sure if I would have any blueberries left to make the bread after I caught Sam eating them quietly one at a time.

It was, in fact, THE BEST blueberry bread I’ve ever tasted. I decided not to make the glass and opted to add a little extra sugar on top before backing. I made it as one full loaf, but next time I think I will try it in smaller loaf pans. Maybe the guests of the B&B might enjoy having a personal loaf.

I am definitely going to include this on the menu!

Sam even told Derek that he didn’t need to stop by Dotty’s Diner to pick up dessert because we could have this instead. That may have been the highest compliment I could have gotten.

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup white granulated sugar

2 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup milk

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)

GLAZE (OPTIONAL)

3 tablespoons butter melted

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ teaspoons heavy cream can substitute milk

INSTRUCTIONS 

Grease large 1½ pound loaf pan and preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl or mixer, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat eggs, milk and oil.

Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist.

Fold in blueberries.

Pour batter into pan an inch and a half below to compensate for rise.

Optional: sprinkle sugar on top just before baking if you're not topping with glaze.

Bake 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack 10-15 minutes before removing from loaf pan.

Recipe by: julieblanner.com

Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup

Testing recipes for the Bed & Breakfast has become my favorite past time. Today, I tried Torellini Soup in the Instapot.

I thought it was delicious. Sam said that he liked it ok after he picked out all of the spinach. Derek thought is was good, but told me he thought that you only served breakfast foods at a Bed & Breakfast. Hello! Has he never heard of brunch?

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tabelspoon vegetable oil

• 1 yellow onion diced

• 2 carrots diced

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 3 cups vegetable stock

• ½ teaspoon dried basil

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon table salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 10 ounces (300 grams) fresh tortellini I used cheese-filled tortellini

• ½ cup whipping/heavy cream

• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

• Select the SAUTE setting on the pressure cooker, and add the oil.

• When the oil is hot, add the diced onion followed by the carrot. Cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute while stirring with a wooden spoon.

• Add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, and all the seasonings to the pot.

• Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 1 minute at high pressure.

• The Instant Pot will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.

• When the cooking program ends, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release the steam for 5 minutes then quickly release the rest of the steam and carefully remove the lid.

• Select the SAUTE setting, and add in the fresh tortellini. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the cream. Simmer for 3 minutes.

• Add the baby spinach leaves, and cover the pressure cooker with the lid to let the spinach wilt for a couple of minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.

  Recipe from: littlesunnykitchen.com