Congrats to the Winning Breakfast Tournament Dish!

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Food lovers have voted in the second annual Best B&B Breakfast Tournament, and Lemon Soufflé Pancakes with Blueberry Compote from the 1851 Historic Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast in Springfield, Kentucky came out on top. For two weeks, our Facebook fans voted on 16 breakfast dishes submitted by innkeepers in a bracket-style competition until one dish won the title of the Best B&B Breakfast Recipe. Congrats to the innkeepers who came up with such a tasty, popular dish!

Ready to try something new for breakfast? See the recipe and try it for yourself!

Submit Your Best Dish for Our Breakfast Tournament

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It’s time to get ready for our second annual Best Breakfast Tournament! This Facebook contest launches on March 25 and works in brackets, just like college basketball’s March Madness.

How does it work?
Submit your best breakfast recipe, and our Facebook fans will vote on their favorite. They will be narrowed down in a bracket of sweet vs. savory until we have one winning recipe. The recipe must be for one dish, like a French toast dish--not a full plate with multiple dishes. Recipes will be judged on uniqueness, creativity, and appeal; we will factor in the recipe itself in addition to a photo of the dish.

Pictured is last year's winning dish, bittersweet chocolate waffles topped with mint buttercream and strawberry sauce from Lyttleton Inn in Littleton, MA.

What is the prize?
One lucky voter will win a $500 BedandBreakfast.com gift card, and the winning B&B will win bragging rights and publicity! Last year, we scored our winner and runner-up stories in several publications, including USA Today and Budget Travel.

This year’s guest judges are Anne Banas with Smarter Travel, Adrien Glover with Travel + Leisure, and Susannah Chen with YumSugar (and possibly another writer from a large publication), so we expect that the winner and possibly runner-up will also get great publicity this year.

How do you enter?

1)      Add your recipe on BedandBreakfast.com. To do this, first log in to your Home Base.

2)      Under the ‘Listing’ tab, select ‘Recipes.’ Then click ‘Add New Recipe.’

3)      Add the ingredients and steps. Our system currently only allows for five steps, so if your recipe has more steps than this, please combine some of them (we hope to have a better system next year!). It may not appear on the site immediately, so don’t worry if it takes a little time.

4)      Once added, please email Emily Gerson at EGerson@BedandBreakfast.com with this information to enter:     

a.       Your inn’s name and location

b.      The name of your recipe

c.       Whether your recipe is classified as sweet or savory

d.      At least one great photo of the dish; it must be well-lit and high-resolution since it will be presented on our Facebook page

The entry deadline is January 31, 2013. The BedandBreakfast.com marketing team will narrow the entries down to 32 finalists, and a group of guest judges will narrow it down to 16. Starting on March 25, our Facebook fans will vote on each bracket until we have a winner! We hope you will participate.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Blueberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Baked French Toast

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The following recipe is from White Lace Inn, a BedandBreakfast.com Diamond Collection property located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The inn features 18 guest rooms in four turn-of-the-century neighboring homes furnished in antiques, oversize whirlpool tubs, and fireplaces. Enjoy this tasty breakfast creation!

Ingredients:

• 

  1 loaf white bread (no crusts)
• 1/2 loaf french bread
• 6 cups fresh/frozen blueberries (rinsed)
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 7 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Steps:

1. Cut bread into cubes and place into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over bread.

2. Microwave cream cheese in bowl for 2 minutes. Stir carefully and add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Spread over blueberries.

3. Cut french bread into ten-1" thick slices, place over cream cheese.

4. Beat eggs, milk, half & half, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min. covered, then uncovered for approximately 15 min. Let set before slicing. Sift powdered sugar over before serving.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

The Breakfast Recipe Challenge Winner Has Been Crowned!

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Yesterday, the votes were tallied and the winner of our first annual Breakfast Recipe Challenge was announced. The victorious dish was bittersweet chocolate waffles topped with mint buttercream and strawberry sauce from the Lyttleton Inn in Littleton, MA. The dish is pictured below, along with a photo of innkeeper Mary Dugan in her kitchen. You can view the recipe here. Congrats Mary!

Overall, we received nearly 100 recipes from innkeepers all over the world. A team of BedandBreakfast.com employees, along with the help of guest judges Danielle Contray of Budget Travel and Helen Anders of The Austin American-Statesman, narrowed them down to The Savory Sixteen. The contest took place on Facebook, where our 34,000+ Facebook fans saw our posts about it each day. Our fans voted on the recipes, which went head-to-head in match-ups until one winner remained.

We loved seeing our innkeepers getting excited and participating, and we're thrilled that we were able to show consumers one of the best benefits of staying at a B&B--the delicious homemade breakfast! It was fun, and we thank every innkeeper who participated.

The runner-up recipe was for pumpkin pancakes with carmelized pecans, whipped cream, and ginger syrup. It came in a very close second, so we want to give some kudos to the innkeeper, Kathleen A. Janke, of Gracehill, a bed and breakfast in Townshend, TN. Her recipe was very popular. You can see a photo of Kathleen Below menu-planning in her kitchen, plus a photo of her dish. Congrats to Kathleen for coming in a strong second!

What's your favorite dish that you serve for breakfast? Share in the comments section below!

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Enter Our Breakfast Recipe Challenge!

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We have launched a fun breakfast recipe competition! Innkeepers will submit the recipe for their most delicious, unique breakfast. We’re asking our member innkeepers to submit the recipe along with an excellent photo of it.

The BedandBreakfast.com team will narrow down the entries to 16 finalists based on creativity and appeal. Those finalists will then be up for a public vote in a bracket-style competition on our Facebook page, which has over 30,000 fans. It’s our take on March Madness!

What is the prize?
One Facebook fan who votes on their favorite recipes will randomly be selected to win a $500 BedandBreakfast.com gift card. The innkeeper whose recipe wins will be heavily promoted in our press and social media campaigns around this contest. You’ll also get major bragging rights!

How do you enter?
Send an email to Emily Gerson, Marketing & Communications Manager, at EGerson@BedandBreakfast.com with a high-quality and high-resolution picture of the dish AND the recipe (or a description of what’s in it if the recipe is secret).

Please submit your entry by March 9 to be considered. We can’t wait to see them!

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe comes from Glen-Ella Springs Inn in Clarkesville, GA

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 can pumpkin puree (16 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth.
3. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Add pumpkin mixture to dry mixture and stir.
5. Add chocolate chips and stir well.
6. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Chocolate Chiffon Dessert Cup

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This recipe for a Chocolate Chiffon Dessert Cup comes from Andon-Reid Inn Bed and Breakfast, Waynesville, NC.

No one leaves the table hungry at the Andon-Reid Inn Bed and Breakfast. For lots of scrumptious recipes, check out the inn's blog.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves:  8

Ingredients:

• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 15 oz ricotta cheese, whole milk or part-skim
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1-2 tbs milk
• Optional, for garnish: whipped cream, fresh berries, or chocolate curls

Steps:

1. In a food processor, blend the chocolate, ricotta cheese, and vanilla extract until very smooth.
2. Add the sugar gradually until well incorporated and then gradually add the milk.
3. Pour into dessert cups and chill.
4. Before serving, top with whipped cream, fresh berries, or chocolate curls if desired.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Gluten-Free Chai Scones

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Enjoy this recipe for Gluten-Free Chai Scones from Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast in Newberg, OR.

Innkeeper Kristen Fintel at Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast graduated with honors from Western Culinary Institute, and uses her culinary skills to accommodate all manners of dietary restrictions at the inn.

Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, frozen and grated
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup chai tea concentrate
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Steps:

1. Mix together dry ingredients. Add frozen, grated butter and mix gently to coat. Combine the egg, milk and chai tea concentrate. Pour over the flour mixture and mix until dough comes together.
2. On rice-floured baking sheet, pat dough into a 8" circle. Refrigerate until ready to bake. If you wait a while, you will be able to cut the dough into wedges before baking. If baked immediately, cut when out of oven. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle sugar on.
3. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Summer Veggie Pie

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The following recipe for Summer Veggie Pie is from Joshua Grindle Inn in Mendocino, CA.

"More often these days we have guests who are abstaining from animal products. We've been very careful to eliminate meat from all of our dishes, but this request is a little more challenging since we rely so much on milk and eggs in our recipes. However, we have found that this quiche is so creamy, tangy and satisfying that no one seems to notice that it is not a traditional quiche." -- Cindy & Charles Reinhart, Innkeepers

Prep time: 1.5 hours
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 13 oz frozen shredded potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil, plus extra for sauteeing vegetables and oiling baking pan
• 1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 3/4 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced
• 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained*
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• paprika to taste

Steps:

1. Oil a glass pie plate and distribute potatoes over bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned.

2. Spread softened potatoes evenly over bottom and sides of pans. Saute green onions, yellow onions and garlic in oil until tender.

3. Add broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms and saute until tender. Drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

4. In food processor, blend tofu, oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and flour until very smooth. Add to vegetable mixture and mix well.

5. Spread mixture evenly into the pie plate. Sprinkle top with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until firm and lightly browned on top.

* If you've never cooked tofu before, click here for tips!

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Scots Irish Stew

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This recipe for Scots Irish Stew is from The Irish Inn in Ozark, IL.

Prep time: 3 hours
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs stew beef or lamb cut into one inch cubes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 head garlic (mince all the cloves in the head)
• 2 2/3 large onions, chopped
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 cup dark ale
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 bay leaves, crumpled
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• 3 1/2 lb red potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 cups peeled carrots, cut in medallions
• 1 medium piece cinnamon bark (can be ground, or left whole and removed after cooking)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch or two of pepper
• Parsley leaves and coriander for garnish

Steps:

1. Heat olive oil in very large pot over medium heat. Sauté meat until brown, then add garlic and onion. Continue to move the meat in the pot with the garlic and onion over heat for another 7 minutes, then sprinkle with sugar.
2. Add beef stock, ale, tomato paste, tomatoes, spices, and Worcestershire or soy sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for another two hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
3. In a deep skillet sauté the potatoes and carrots in butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer. Add to the stew pot after it has simmered for two hours.
4. Add the cinnamon bark or stick and simmer on lowest heat for another 40 minutes. Remove the bark and bay leaves. Garnish with parsley, coriander, or a combination of both.
5. Serve this Scots Irish stew with garlic bread, crusty Italian bread with creamery butter, or traditional Irish soda bread.

By Emily Starbuck Crone