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Coconut French Toast with Orange Cream Cheese Syrup Recipe

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What is extremely popular and a perfect breakfast for Mother’s Day or any day? This.

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This Coconut French Toast with Orange Cream Cheese Syrup is the talk of the town this month. There is nothing quite like her. She is nutty. She is comforting. She is refreshing. She is creamy.

COCONUT FRENCH TOAST INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 long loaf French bread cut into about 1 inch slices
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 cups coconut
  • 2 tablespoons butter (to coat baking pan)

Prepare French toast the night before. If desired, use a knife to cut a small slit into the sides of each slice of bread and place about 10-20 chocolate chips inside the middle for a chocolate-y surprise. Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla until very well combined & golden in color. Dip sliced bread into egg mixture and coat each slice well. Pour any remaining egg mixture over bread. Cover with saran wrap and allow to rest in fridge overnight (or at least for a couple of hours) to soak in eggy goodness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9X13 baking pan with butter. When ready, remove French toast from fridge. Place coconut onto a plate and press each slice of bread into the coconut until both sides & edges are coated. Place each one into baking pan. Place a little extra coconut on the top side of each slice of bread. Bake for about 1/2 hour or until egg coating is fully cooked and coconut is light golden brown. (Turn French toast try around, if needed, half way through baking time for even browning.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE SYRUP INGREDIENTS:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup  (1 stick) butter, room temperature
  • Juice & zest of 4 fresh oranges
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Cut cream cheese and butter into small pieces. Warm syrup ingredients, except powdered sugar, over low heat in a large saucepan until fully melted. Whisk in powdered sugar until becomes a lovely syrup. If needed, pour syrup into blender and blend for smoother texture.

Drizzle syrup over each piece of French toast or serve on the side in a lovely pitcher.

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Make this for mom and she will love you forever. She will also ask you for the recipe. And then you will be her favorite. You’re welcome.

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Seattle Bites Food Tours

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I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve got friends in organic places. And by organic, I mean Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.

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I might be a biased Seattle girl, but I really love the Seattle Bites Food Tour. The owners, Mark & Jan Marie, are my dear friends. This week I had the pleasure to making some cookies for them for a presentation they did for Visit Seattle. I can’t wait to show you the cookies they gave to the attendees but, first, let me brag some more about them and what they do…

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I’ve been on the tour four times. Last time I got to meet James. You, too, can meet James at the information booth. He’s a fan of Seattle Bites as well and has the brochure to prove it.

When you introduce yourself, please tell him Deanna from The Old Hen B&B says hi. You might also like to tell him he made the blog. He’s the most photogenic James I’ve ever met, no?

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Everybody who signs up for the tour gets this handy Seattle Bites bag and an ear piece that allows you to hear the tour host even when the fish guys are chanting and doin’ their thing – flingin’ fish, makin’ tourists laugh and stuff.

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The tour hosts are so fun, informative and friendly. I’ve learned so much about Pike Place from them.

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One day I even got to play photographer. I adore this picture of this very happy group member.

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Cutie, baby Seattle’s Best Coffee? Why, yes, please! I also love that every time I’ve been on the tour the eats have been a little bit different. Seattle Bites also serves the biggest bites of any Seattle food tour.

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You must. simply must go on this tour – even if you’re a local. You will never see the market in the same way again. I promise you. Why? Because you will become part of the market’s history and become friends with the shop owners.

Are you ready to see the cookies I made for Seattle Bites? I’m not sure if you are ready for this much cuteness. No really. I’m simply giddy – far more excited than I probably should be.

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Yes, it’s a cookie. A cookie sandwich to be exact. Complete with lunchmeat, lettuce, tomato, mustard and mayo.

To celebrate Pike Place. To celebrate the name “sandwich cookies” taken far too literal. To celebrate the outstanding Seattle Bites Food Tours, my friends at Seattle Bites are giving away 4 tickets for their tour.

How to Enter

Just leave a comment on this blog post telling us what you love best about Seattle and a winner will be randomly chosen this Sunday, March 17th, 2013 at midnight. The winner will be announced Monday morning the 18th.

This give-away has now been completed.

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Mini Peanut Butter & Chocolate Do-Si-Do™ Pies With Maple Whipped Cream

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do-si-do (ds-d) n. pl. do-si-dos 1. A movement in square dancing in which two dancers approach each other and circle back to back, then return to their original positions. 2. One of the most popular cookies in the world – the Girl Scout’s crunchy oatmeal sandwich cookie with creamy peanut butter filling that keeps you coming back for more.

In a way, this post is simply a do-si-do… a Girl Scout returning to Girl Scouts – in a very spectacular and high-calorie fashion.

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But, you know, calories don’t count if the dessert is a mini. And you share it with a friend. And you square dance enough.

DO-SI-DO™ CRUST:

  • 2 – eight ounce packages Do-Si-Dos™ Girl Scout cookies
  • 1 stick of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Place cookies in food processor and process until they become crumbs. Add melted butter and process until all the crumbs are moistened. Use 8  (Aprox. size:  4 3/8 in. dia x 1 3/16 in.*)  small pot pie pans. Press 1/4 cup of crust mixture into each mini pie pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*You can use any size pans or ramekins for pies as long as they are oven-safe and singles since this pie is made to be served from the tin. For example, mini tartlette pans are perfect for parties or large gatherings (makes about 16) and a regular pie pan is perfect for a single pie to serve at a family dinner. 

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

  • 1 – eight ounce package cream cheese
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup maple whipped cream (recipe below)

Place cream cheese, powdered sugar and peanut butter in a bowl. Whip together with a mixer until completely combined. Using a spatula or large spoon, gently fold maple whipped cream into peanut butter mixture until mixed in. After pie crusts have cooled, place about 1/2 cup of filling onto each pie crust. Spread filling out so that the top is flat. There will be room still for the chocolate topping.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Melt chocolate over low heat in a double boiler. Whisk in heavy cream and sugar until completely melted together. The color will turn back to a nice dark brown again when everything is combined. Pour about 1/4 cup of chocolate onto each pie. Gently spread where needed so it covers the peanut butter filling completely. Chill pies on a level tray in the fridge for about an hour or until chocolate topping is firm. If serving later, it’s best to keep them in the fridge until served.

MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM:

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons maple extract
    (or 1 teaspoon vanilla instead for the plain-hearted)

Whip heavy whipping cream until it reaches soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and maple extract and whip until it reaches stiff peaks. One cup should go into the peanut butter pie filling (see directions above) and the remaining two cups are for decoration. If saving for later, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. If the whipped cream looses its stiffness, it can be rewhipped until stiff peaks are reached again. When ready to serve pies, place whipping cream into a decorating bag with a border decorating tip. Decorate stars around edges of pie and place a swirl in the middle of the pie. If desired, place a Do-Si-Dos™ Girl Scout cookie into the middle swirl on each pie.

For a little extra pizzaz, you can find dark and white Dobla Dark and White Chocolate Straws at your local Cost Plus World Import stores. Break them in half and insert as pictured above.

While we’re talkin’ Girl Scouts, you must check out one of my favorite pages on the Girl Scouts of Western Washington blog where so many amazing, talented ladies are featured. Well, that and the cookie page. I mean, everybody loves Girl Scout cookies. Good news! Cookie sales begin soon… March 1-17th will be the most delicious season on 2013.

 

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Blueberry Pancakes Recipe

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I’ve never been one to get into food “holidays”. I mean, who celebrates Bread Machine Month? Please rise. National Pretzel Day? That’s just twisted. National Melba Toast Day? Anyone? Anyone? National Caffeine Awareness Month? Zzzzz. National Kahlua Day? Well, okay. Maybe that one is worth celebrating.

But what kind of innkeeper would I be if I didn’t celebrate national Blueberry Pancake Day? It’s a peer-pressure thing. Really, I just couldn’t wait to take this photo.

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Let the celebration commence.

BLUEBERRY SAUCE RECIPE:

  • 18 ounces blueberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch

Place all ingredients in a medium-large saucepan. Stir together until cornstarch has dissolved. Heat on medium-high until sauce boils. Cook until it becomes thick then remove from heat. If needed, warm up again when pancakes are ready.

PANCAKE RECIPE:

  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk (+2 tablespoons for thinner pancakes)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries, flour-coated

Whisk pancake ingredients minus the blueberries together until well combined and smooth. Sprinkle blueberries with flour until coated & discard excess flour. Gently stir blueberries into pancake batter.

Place your very best non-stick pan on a burner and preheat to low. It will be tempting to pour the batter upon the pan before it is hot, but do not give in to the temptation. When the time is right, pour 1/3 cup of better into the pan to make about a four-inch pancake.

Wait until the bubbles that form all around the edges of the pancake begin to burst, then flip.

When pancakes are all cooked, smother in lovely blueberry sauce… or with butter and maple syrup… or, you know, just send a friend a card and eat some Melba Toast.

Looking for some helpful pancaking hints? Check out the wildly popular post How to make a Perfect Pancake. You got this.

 

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Glazed Pecan Danish Recipe

Glazed Pecan Danish Recipe

Happy. Happy. Joy. Joy. That’s how I feel every time I make pecan glazed danish for breakfast.

Sweet. Nutty. So many adjectives. Adjectives people have used to describe me to be perfectly honest. Still trying to decide how I feel about that.

DANISH INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 teaspoons of yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees or cooler)
  • 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
  • 3/4 cup of instant mashed potatoes stirred together with 3/4 cup of warm water
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups warm milk (110 degrees or cooler)
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 7 cups flour (approximate)
A large Tupperware bowl works perfect for this recipe from start to finish to make the dough.
Place 5 teaspoons of yeast into mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of warm water at about 110 degrees and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Give a little swirl and let sit for about 10 minutes to create the sponge for your dough.

After yeast is foamy, add all ingredients listed above except flour. Mix well.

Keep mixing and add a couple of cups of flour at a time. Dough will get firmer as you finish adding the rest of the flour. Seven cups is usually the right amount. Dough should become somewhat elastic. Kneed dough for about 5 minutes by hand.

Cover with a clean warm, damp towel and let dough sit in a warm place for about an hour or until dough has doubled in size.

If baking on same day, place oven on 350F to preheat.

If making the night before, cover with non-stick spray coated saran wrap and place in fridge.

PECAN GLAZE INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 2 cups chopped pecans
Stir all pecan glaze ingredients in a bowl. Spread glaze onto half sheet pan, coating entire pan.
Divide dough into 15 equal pieces. Flatten each piece of dough and form each into a square. Place on baking sheet on top of the pecan glaze in rows of 3 by 5.
If making for the next morning, cover with saran wrap and place in fridge overnight.
If baking same day, let sit in a warm place loosely covered with saran wrap for an hour or until danishes double in size.
Place a larger baking sheet on bottom shelf of half sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until danish is baked all the way through (but not dry).
When finished baking, place a baking sheet on top of danish pan. Carefully flip danishes over onto new pan so that the pecans are on top.
Serve hot or warmed. With butter if you like.

Pecan glazed danish. Entirely appropriate for the holidays. Entirely excusable because pecans are good for you.

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Black Bean Salad Recipe

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If I were voted president, the world would be less consumed with guarding wetlands and more focused saving cilantro fields for I have never met a cilantro dish I have not loved.

Of course, if I were voted into office, Nutella crepes would be on the food pyramid, every ladies’ restroom would have a stall especially for little boys who are still practicing their aim, and rest areas would have two Marine’s on guard twenty-four hours a day.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 – 15 ounce cans black beans
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
  • 1 bell pepper, diced (red, yellow or orange or for more color, some of each)
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
  • Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Open cans of beans and rinse well with cold water. A most lovely natural doctor friend taught me to rinse the beans to prevent excessive gaseous anomalies. You’re welcome.

Place beans and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes.

Rinse beans with cold water until chilled and drain.

Place beans and all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well and place in a pretty serving dish.

Of course, if everyone ate more cilantro, the world would be a better place and we might not need the Marine guard part, so let’s get started.

Today’s make the world a better place to do list:

1. Eat this bean salad.

2. Buy more Nutella.

3. Vote.

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Check Availability and Make Reservations

Juliet balcony

We look forward to having you as our guest!

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Joey Fatone Visits The Old Hen

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The featured recipes can be found here.

UPDATE: This episode is airing Saturday, October 27th at 9pm (8pm c) on the Live Well Network! The entire episode is with Deanna & Joey at The Old Hen B&B and is the season finale of My Family Recipe Rocks.

From the producers: “The episode featuring Morauski will air Oct. 27 as the season finale for My Family Recipe Rocks. It went fantastic. She was absolutely incredible. She was one of our top shows of the year.”

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When I found out Joey Fatone was coming to visit our lil ol’ B&B, I may or may not have bounced up & down on dotter’s bed and broke it simply to wake her up and tell her the news. Not my brightest moment. I’m sure you can imagine how painful it was to hold the secret in for five months… that is, you know, after I broke beds telling my family.

What do you do when Joey Fatone visits your inn? Well, you make naughty jokes while cooking, ask him to tweet good advice to dotter (who was up in Canada this week) and then teach him how to chop wood for the fire pit so he can roast bacon on a stick, of course.

 

Well done, Joey, well done.

The day started when mom & I went to visit the New Day Northwest show. Joey was on that morning so we watched his segment and then scooted out early so I could get home and prep things for the day.

When the team arrived, I realized that this was kinda a big deal.

Best. Make-up. Artist. Ever. She had a magic curling iron. I shall savor this hairdo and not wash my hair for a couple of months. This is me trying to talk only, you know, not move my lips while getting lipsticked.

Jon, the camera man. His hair is his trademark.

 

Zach, the sound guy. He pretty much had his hands down my blouse all day to fix my mic.

Time to tweet while waiting for set-up? Sure, if I must… all while keeping my secret.

The goats always get a little love from the camera.

That déjà vu knock, knock oh hi we met an hour ago but let’s pretend we’re meeting just now moment.

Joey with son.

Joey taped a couple of Dancing With the Stars spots while he was here so when you see him with the beautiful Northwest trees in the background, be proud, Seattle. Be proud.

It was really hard to say goodbye to Joey and the crew from My Family Recipe Rocks. Also pictured here are my favorite make-up artist ever Jeanne, the show’s amazing producer Jeff and our lighting guy Shawn. Who knew it took so many people to laugh about naughty things with Joey on TV? Our episode of My Family Recipe Rocks will air, most likely, in October. In the meantime, I have a bed to repair.

This blog originally posted on Aug 24, 2012.

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Almond Raspberry Truffle Cakes Recipe

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Warning: This recipe is to be reserved for the most special of days. The splurgiest of the splurges. The over-the-top occasions. Like, you know, when you read this blog post or somethin’.

And, afterward, thou shalt eat a large, leafy green salad made of kale – not that fakey lettuce – to make up for the indulgence you are about to partake of. For, you see, when one eateth a truffle one must speaketh in King James version for awhile to make up for all of thy calories. To hence forth bring balance back into the world once again. Or just simply because it’s so much fun to speak in King James. Amen.

Preheat oven to 350F.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cup raspberry jelly (for filling)
  • 2 cups (or 16 ounces) high quality semi-sweet chocolate (for dipping)
Place eggs in mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat on high setting for about 3 minutes or until well combined and frothy. Lower setting on mixer and add flour slowly. Add butter. Mix until butter is completely mixed into batter. Add almond extract, baking powder and salt. Place cake in two 9X13 baking pans that have been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Bake until fork poked into center of each cake comes out clean – start checking at about 20 minutes.
When cake done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool. Heat raspberry jam for about 45 seconds in microwave (not necessary but helpful for spreading). Spread jelly evenly on top of cakes. Chill cakes in fridge for about 20 minutes to firm up jelly and make cake easier to dip into chocolate. Make mini cakes but cutting with a 1 1/2 inch circle cookie cutter. Push the cookie cutter into the raspberry topped cake and gently push the cake up through the top to remove from cookie cutter so that the jelly topping stays nice. Place on a parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Dip each mini cake into chocolate up to jelly (coating bottom and sides) using a fork or a chocolate dipping tool. Place dipped cakes back onto the tray covered with parchment paper to cool. When finished will all the cakes, place tray in fridge to set for about a half an hour.

TRUFFLE TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt (optional for sprinkling)

Melt chocolate and heavy cream in a double boiler on low heat until melted together and chocolaty. Place chocolate in a shallow dish in fridge or freezer until semi-firm. Place truffle in large decorating bag with a large decorating tip. Swirl truffle on the top of each cake. Sprinkle each truffle topping with a few grains of kosher sea salt if desired.

So good it should have been in the Bible. This recipe makes about 60-70 cake truffles. I beg thy forgiveness. Tis with great gladness I share with thee. I beg they forgiveness.

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Homemade Baked Potato Soup Recipe

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I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but it is time to pull out the pumpkin spice candles, stock up on molasses and start making homemade soup. Not just any homemade soup, however. We shall make a knock-your-socks-off-and-drop-your-backpack-in-the-middle-of-the-hallway-on-your-way-to-the-table-so-someone-else-will-trip-over-it soup. Please light your pumpkin candle and let the soup making commence.

A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting. - Abraham Maslow

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4-5 quarts of water
  • 6 large russet potatoes, diced
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup flour (use superfine rice flour for gluten-free soup)
  • 5 cups leftover water from cooked potatoes
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 cups large bacon bits
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon beau monde
  • Salt (at least 3 teaspoons) to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons butter
Please do not be frightened. All you need to do to balance your diet after this eating soup is eat salad without dressing at every meal for the next 3 years.

Rinse with water & scrub potatoes until clean.

A rough peel of the potatoes is best. You don’t have to remove all the skin but I recommend removing most. A little is kind of rustic. However you like it best will be great.

Dice into small, bite-size pieces. What size you choose to cut them into doesn’t matter as much as the cuts being very similar in size. The closer they are in size, the more evenly they will cook.

Using a large pot, boil potatoes in water until a fork stuck into one slides off easily. This should take about 15-20 minutes of boiling time.

It is best to get everything measured and ready to go with this soup since it is cream-based. Dice onions while potatoes are cooking and set aside.

Dice green onions and set aside.

When potatoes are done cooking, heat olive oil (or bacon grease instead if you happen to save yours) in a large pot and add yellow onions.

Cook yellow onions until translucent and somewhat golden.

This. This is the moment which will have you saying, “Boy, I’m glad I measured everything out ahead of time.”

Sprinkle flour over yellow onions and whisk while cooking for a few minutes.

After roux (flour, oil & onion base) is done cooking, add leftover potato water and heavy cream. Stir together until well combined. Eventually, this will thicken as it continues to cook.

Using a strainer spoon, add potatoes to soup pot. You can discard extra potato water.

Add sour cream and cheese. Watch carefully for them to swirl beautifully into soup. You know just for fun.

Add bacon bits and green onions and onion powder and beau monde. And stir some more. And then, just to declare your soup finished, stir in the butter.

My soup pot runneth over and it is not a mistake. It is a photo op. Amen.

This soup goes perfectly with Swedish rye bread or, you know, simply a spoon. For this is art.

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