Bed & Breakfast Favorites

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day at hundreds of bed and breakfast inns around the country. Innkeepers may serve the morning meal on antique china in well-appointed dining rooms or on simpler ware on sunny verandas, but the tastiness and the uniqueness of the food is what’s most important.

"Among the things that distinguish a B&B from chain accommodations are the breakfasts served," says Melinda Luna, owner of the La Luna Linda in Comfort, Texas. "At La Luna Linda, breakfast is the main event."

Proprietors of five inns, including the La Luna Linda, are delighted to share some of their favorite—and guest-proven—recipes with American Profile readers. Each recipe can be served individually or combined for a scrumptious, multi-course breakfast or brunch.

German Sausage Loaf
Lamplighter Bed & Breakfast
Ludington, Mich.

Innkeepers Bill and Jane Carpenter inherited this recipe from former owners Heinz and Judy Bertram. They say returning guests often ask, "Did you get the sausage loaf recipe?" from the Bertrams. They did and have found it to be a hit.

• 1 pound roll of sage-flavored sausage
• 1 medium Granny Smith or Ida Red apple, grated
• 1 medium red onion, grated
• 2 cups packaged stuffing mix
• 2 large eggs
• Parsley, thyme and rosemary

Mix ingredients in a large bowl until evenly blended. Place in two 3-by-5.5-inch loaf pans. When ready to bake, sprinkle the tops generously with 1 teaspoon each of parsley, thyme and rosemary. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until top is medium brown. Slice and serve with a garnish of fresh parsley.

Macadamia Nut French Toast
Songbird Manor
Winnsboro, S.C.

Susan Yenner searched for two years to find the perfect house for a bed & breakfast, and she found it in the town of Winnsboro. Her French toast has been a favorite with guests since she opened the inn in 1996.

• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 16-ounce loaf French bread, sliced into 1-inch-thick pieces
• 2/3 cup margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Mix eggs, sugar, nutmeg, juice, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Place bread slices in a single layer in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread, turning each slice to make sure each slice is well covered. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, heat oven to 400 degrees and melt margarine in a 15-by-10-inch baking pan. Place egg-saturated bread slices in pan and bake for 10 minutes. Turn slices, sprinkle nuts on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over top before serving. Yields 13 to 15 pieces, depending on loaf size.

La Luna Linda Bread
La Luna Linda Bed & Breakfast
Comfort, Texas

Melinda and Roman Luna bake breakfast breads daily, using eggs laid by the Lunas’ own chickens and milk from their cow, Daisy. Store-bought eggs and milk work fine, though, Melinda says. She also notes that bread can be made with any proportion of whole wheat or white flours. If using mostly whole wheat flour, be sure to add gluten to improve baking quality.

• 2 packages dry yeast
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon gluten
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 cups white flour

Whisk warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of honey in mixing bowl. Allow yeast to grow for 15 minutes. Whisk in milk, egg, remaining honey, salt and gluten. Whisk in whole wheat flour. Then gradually stir in white flour and knead, or mix in mixer with dough hook. Use enough flour for a rather stiff dough. Place in oiled bowl, oil top of dough, cover with plastic wrap, and allow dough to rise until it doubles in bulk. Oil bread pans. Punch down dough, knead briefly, divide in two, shape and place in pans. Again, allow dough to double in size. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees for another 20 to 30 minutes until light brown.

Tip: For a shiny crust, mix one egg yolk with a teaspoon of water, then brush on top of dough before baking. Yields two loaves.

Fruit Salad
Austin Hill Inn
West Dover, Vt.

"At our inn, we serve a lot of fresh fruit, especially in the summertime," says Debbie Bailey, who has owned the 11-room inn with her husband John since 1997. "Add this twist to a classic fruit salad to kick it up a notch." Simple to make, this one is a great starter for a balanced breakfast and can be made with any combination of fresh fruit.

• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• I cup cantaloupe
• 1 cup honeydew melon
• 1 cup of watermelon
• 1 cup of sliced bananas
• Honey for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

In a large bowl, cut up fruit into bite-size chunks. Drizzle honey over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir until well blended. Serve immediately with a dollop of vanilla yogurt on top and some granola or walnuts sprinkled on the yogurt.

Baked Sour Cream Omelet
Strawberry Creek Inn
Idyllwild, Calif.

This recipe is from Rodney Williams and Ian Scott, innkeepers at Strawberry Creek. Williams, a professionally trained chef, calls this a "user-friendly" recipe because it can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving. The recipe was inherited from the previous owners of Strawberry Creek. "Guests at the inn rave about this dish," Scott says, "especially when it’s served family-style alongside fresh fruit and freshly baked muffins."

• 1/2 loaf French bread, sliced
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 8 medium eggs
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup white wine (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Paprika to taste

Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cover bottom with bread slices and sprinkle cheeses, bacon and scallions over bread. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, wine, mustard, sour cream and peppers until foamy. Pour mixture evenly over the cheese and bread. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 15 minutes or until set. Remove foil and sprinkle omelet with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Return uncovered to the oven and bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Tip: If recipe is prepared the night before, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate. In the morning, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, still covered, before baking.

Richard Matthews is a freelance writer and owner of the Hummingbird Inn in Goshen, Va.

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