The Forever Inn Bed and Breakfast Inn

Wadesboro NC

 
Breakfast Recipes from The Forever Inn
 
Here's a recent addition to The Forever Inn breakfast menu.  We don't usually serve these downstairs with our full breakfast (because how can you eat that much food?) but we leave them upstairs for our guests that need to leave very early in the morning.

We search for the best recipes and when we find the best, we stop.  These are the best blueberry muffins.  
The Best Blueberry Muffins Ever
(Based on recipe from The Junior League Centennial Cookbook)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (we use King Arthur Unbleached)
1 cup sugar, divided (1/2 cup plus 2 tblsp plus balance for dipping)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil
3/4 cup milk (2% is OK)
2 tsp grated lemon rind (if we don't have a fresh lemon, we use 1/8 tsp lemon oil in the milk mixture)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 tblsp butter, melted (we use unsalted)
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat over to 400. Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk to combine the egg, oil and milk and lemon rind (or lemon oil). Add the liquid to the dry stirring until just moistened. Toss the blueberries with 2 tblsp sugar. Fold into the batter gently. Fill muffin tins (paper lined, sprayed or greased) about 2/3 full. Bake about 18 minutes until done and lightly golden brown. (Check with toothpick).

While muffins are baking, combine melted butter with lemon juice in a small bowl.  Put rest of sugar in another small bowl. Dip warm muffin tops in the butter and then in the sugar. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.
If you hate grits, you might like these.  It must be the sausage and cheese and butter.  Most of the time though we leave out the sausage (and onion) and just make a Cheese Grits Casserole.  Serve with eggs and bacon/sausage and biscuits.  Because this grits casserole becomes firm enough, you can also cut it into squares (or rectangles), place it on a plate and top it with cheesy scrambled eggs and sauteed Black Forest Ham & sweet onion. 
Sausage & Cheese Grits Casserole
(Based on a Paula Deen recipe)

2 cups water (scant, if you want firmer grits)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup quick grits
1/4 lb. hot country sausage
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
3 T. unsalted butter
5 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1 large egg
5 dashes Tobasco
Parsley

Bring water and salt to a boil; slowly stir in grits.  Return to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for approx. 7 mins. until thick, stirring occasionally (stirring from bottom to prevent sticking).  Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, brown sausage and onion, breaking up sausage as it cooks into small pieces.

Add butter and 4 oz cheese to grits and stir to blend and melt butter and cheese.  Beat the egg lightly and spoon a little bit of hot grits mixture into egg and whisk in.  Continue with a few more spoonfuls (one at a time) to temper the egg before adding all of egg mixture to grits.  Add Tobasco.

Pour half of grits mixture into bottom of casserole dish (1 qt dish (or loaf pan) sprayed or lightly greased).  Layer with sausage/onion mixture.  Then add balance of grits.  Top with last 1 oz of cheese and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.

At this point, casserole can be held in refrigerator overnight.  In morning, bake at 325 for almost one hour (if cold) until lightly browned and bubbly, less if baked right away.  4 generous servings.

Option:  Replace sausage with chopped green chilies or chopped cooked bacon.