The View from St Francis Cottage - A Chattanooga Bed and Breakfast

Testing the Bed and Breakfast Menu - Round 2

A Look back at Round 1  

Many, many THANKS to our faithful food testers Jennifer and Ingo Jung, Colleen Fieser and daughter Liz Fieser!  These folks have been exceptionally brave critics and supporters as we attempt to add our own touches to some well-received recipes.

Savory Green Bean Benedict

L to R - Ingo and Jennifer Jung, Liz Fieser and Colleen Fieser

At our first gathering last March, we tried out a Green Bean Casserole recipe from The Old Coffeepot Restaurant in New Orleans that we saw on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  We decided to convert this savory dinner treat into a breakfast entree by serving the creamy casserole over English Muffins, ham and poached eggs, with a side of home-fried potatoes. 

Our sweet dish was a cinnamon-raisin bread French toast stuffed with blueberries and cream cheese, however we didn't manage to grab a picture in time.

These links will give you insights into the origins of these two possible menu items:

http://www.theoldcoffeepot.com/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/big-easy-green-bean-casserole-0163588.html

Round 2

This weekend was a “Blueberry Breakfast,” beginning with Blueberry Greek yogurt topped with organically-grown blueberries from our bushes, and a breakfast salad of our garden tomatoes, sweet Georgia peaches, fresh Mozzarella, a few more blueberries, and organic balsamic vinegar on the side.

Our breakfast appetizer was fresh peaches, blueberries, and tomatoes with
fresh mozarella, basil, and an organic balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Our next experiment in culinary adaptation was in trying to convert the Baby Beluga recipe to a breakfast dish. This curry-based comfort-food vegetarian recipe from the Tin Shed Garden Cafe in Portland, Oregon, was also featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. (We love you Guy Fieri!) 

Our take on "Baby Beluga" with a side of slow cooked egg and sausage casserole.

Instead of serving it over fresh spinach and rice, Wallace made biscuits and poached eggs, smothered with the curry sauce made from heavy cream, red curry paste, curry powder, onions, peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, zucchini, herbs, and organic split-red lentils.  The dish was then topped with avocado, raisins and crushed peanuts. As a "side" dish we served a sausage-and-egg garden casserole, which could easily be a main dish. 

http://tinshedgardencafe.com/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/vegetarians-flock-to-tin-shed-0226382.html

"Blueberry Crème Brule French Toast"

Also worthy of being our main contender, our breakfast “dessert” was Crème Brule French Toast from the Crest Café in San Diego, California, we saw on yet another Triple D episode.  Thanks to the Cavey Family from Winnipeg, Manitoba, we had some delicious Canadian maple syrup on hand, which added the perfect touch to the caramel sauce!  Since our strawberry plants are getting established during the first year in the garden, we substituted fresh blueberries.  Check out these and other recipes:

http://www.crestcafe.net/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/videos/dv1800/neighborhood-knockouts.vid-0225615.html

Be looking for the results of Round 3!