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Click Picture for Larger View: As the Chef of Listening Heart Farm Bed and Breakfast... I decided to offer the guests what they wanted meal wise ... when appropriate. We offered 3 meals a day, to include Picnic and Candle Light Dinners. The reason for their visit and amount of Guests booked and season of the year often determined the meals. Those who wanted to eat quickly because they had come for local events as well, simply wanted a light Breakfast. Those who were on their Honeymoon or having an Anniversary, often liked a meal alone in their rooms... or in front of the Fire in the Great Room, if there were no other guests coming. When all the rooms were booked, the Large Dining Room Table in the Great Room in front of the Picture Windows, with a fantastic View was usually the best place to serve the meals. When the weather was pleasant... eating on the wrap around multi leveled Cascading Deck with Hot Tub, which led down to the Heated Pool, Gazebo and Picnic area, with a view of the Mountains of Skyline Drive off in the distance worked for others. Often... we had those who came for a Bed and Breakfast experience who simply wanted to befriend us... they usually requested the opportunity to hang out and eat in the Eat In Kitchen and talk with us as I prepared their meals and my hubby helped to serve. This usually worked out to their advantage... because when they wanted a casual meal... I could make their eggs and bacon to taste... over easy, scrambled, crisp and the like...
When it came to Breakfast... I was usually able to offer anything from Light, Healthy, in season Home Grown Organic Vegetarian, Casual, Gourmet or a Hearty Country Breakfast.
When I made suggestions... the men who wanted a Hearty Country Breakfast requested this one the most. Juice and Coffee or Tea of choice. Baked Pears with Maple Syrup and Crushed Walnut. Chipped Beef Gravy over Fried Biscuits with a side of Fried Potatoes and Onions. Some women were so delighted to be there with their Spouses... they were usually pleased with whatever their Husbands wanted.
Baked Pears with Maple Syrup and Crushed Walnuts: While the Potatoes and Onions were frying, I would cut a pear in half, core it and add crushed walnuts... next I'd sprinkle a little of the seasoning I made of brown sugar, apple and pumpkin pie seasoning mixed together... finally I'd drizzle maple syrup over the top and into the hole in the middle. I'd bake that until soft about 10-15 minutes at 350. I served it warm with their coffee and Juice
Chipped Beef Gravy over Fried Biscuits: Next I'd take a simple biscuit recipe, (**Bisquick type can be used) and drop it into a pan coated with butter and fry it like a Hamburger Pattie, mushing it as I turned it, one side twice. When I turned it I would add more butter to top and bottom, if it was to be used as a plain Fried Biscuit to be served with preserves... if it was to be served with Chipped Beef Gravy, I'd leave off the extra butter on top. For the Chipped Beef Gravy, I'd cut up a package of Esskay Air Dried Chipped Beef with the scissors into bite size pieces and add that to a pan with 2 1/2 Tb of Bacon Fat... saute it for a minute then add 2 Tb of Flour and 1 Tsp of dried Mustard (the key ingredient), and cook that 2 minutes until browned and thick... then I'd add whole milk a 1/2 cup at a time... let it simmer until thick, adding more milk until it is the right consistency. This was served over the Fried Biscuits.
Fried Potatoes and Onions: The night before I would use my Food Processor to thinly slice Red and White Potatoes before par boiling them. After cooling I would season them with a little Garlic Powder... a fair amount of Salt, Pepper and Paprika, then I added diced onions and refrigerate it over night... the Potatoes were the first things I would begin to cook, after making Carafe's of Coffee for the guest who liked to get up early and enjoy the facilities within our separate Recreation Building, walk the trails created for their enjoyment, visit our gardens or Tree House (a work in progress), sit out on the Deck with it's relaxing view or in front of the Rock Wall Fireplace on the leather wrap around sofa seeking to get to know other guests and the like. I would begin by cooking it all together in a little bacon fat and melted butter. I would add extra butter when needed. I fried it turning it regularly until fairly crisp.
I'd make a large batch of Fried Potatoes, so the leftover's could be used the next day in a Country Fried Omelet with Cheese and Bacon Bits.... this was served with Angel Biscuits... and a variety of Preserves to include Homemade Pepper Jelly and a side of fresh fruit. (Will Share the Angel Biscuit Recipe in another Blog... this is a light yeast Biscuit... this Recipe was requested by many of our Guests.)
All meals were garnished with a sprig of Parsley for breath/digestion.... and in the summer, when available, Home grown Nasturtium Blossoms or leaves were added... just for the fun of having our guests try them.
**In Future Blogs I will share Exact Measurements for Master Mixes: Homemade Bisquick Mix... Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix, Snack Cake Mix, Cream Pies Mix and a Basic Pudding Mix with Recipes. Ultimately these recipes are not only economical, but once prepared, time savers. So do come back if such interests you.
Hope you enjoy trying them!
4 comments:
The food sounds delicious and the lodge looks spectacular. I would have loved to sample this B & B once on a holiday :-)
Thanks Penny... would loved to have served you and observed you enjoying yourself there.... as we shared and fellowshipped in Christ.
UUUUUUUUUmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, wow what a delicious meal, I can taste it as you describe it. You make it sound so easy. Wish I had a food processor. The Lord has truly blessed you as a writer and author. He is truly the author of my soul. I want him the way you have him. Not my will but his will for my life. We have to die to self to open for his will and you truly have. I love you Brenda.
Kathy
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words Kathy... I stand with you in faith that you will indeed walk in His will daily... and see it manifested through HIS eyes ... rejoicing in the knowing, Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith.... according to Father's unfolding eternal plan. Bless you sis... Love you too!!