There’s nothing like the incredible food you experience when you stay at quality bed and breakfasts in Williamsburg, VA! Hearty and delicious meals are a big part of what makes our inns so popular, and visitors are always asking for our recipes! Now you can experiment with the flavors and aromas of a few of our favorite dishes right from the kitchens of our romantic bed and breakfasts in Williamsburg. These are sure to become your favorites as well.
Autumn Recipes – All about apples!
Holiday Recipes – You’ll find these recipes or similar ones during Christmas!
Applesauce Bread Pudding
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 8 slices raisin bread
- 1/2 cup chunky applesauce
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- cinnamon (optional)
- butter (optional)
Instructions: Preheat Oven to 350. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish. Butter two slices of raisin bread. Cut all slices in half diagonally to make triangles and lay unbuttered slices in casserole dish. In separate mixing bowl, beat eggs and then combine remaining ingredients: sugar, milk, vanilla, applesauce, and salt. Pour mixture over unbuttered bread slices in dish. Place remaining buttered slices on top of mixture and bread (for decorative purposes). Sprinkle all with cinnamon. Bake at 350 – covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. Remove casserole from oven when thermometer inserted in center reads 150 degrees F.
French Toast Bake
Cook time: 20 to 25 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1/2 Tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 eggs
- 10 slices (1 inch thick) French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 package (3oz.) cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh) – 1/2 cup chopped nuts- Powdered sugar, if desired- Blueberry or maple syrup, if desired
Instructions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 2 1/2 quart casserole or 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Beat flour, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and eggs in large bowl with hand beater until smooth. Stir in bread cubes until coated. Pour bread mixture into pan. Top evenly with cream cheese, blueberries, and nuts. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup, if desired. Enjoy!
Cheddar and Herb Strata
- 14 slices white sandwich bread
- 4 cups milk
- 12 eggs
- 1 tsp. dried tarragon leaves
- 1 tsp. dried minced onion
- 2 tsp. dried parsley
- 3 scallions or green onions, sliced thin (optional)
- 2 cups grated mild or cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into a mixing bowl, tear bread into 1-inch pieces. Into a separate bowl crack the eggs and beat. Add other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in bread pieces. Pour mixture into a lightly oiled 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with sliced scallions if desired. Bake 1 hour or until the center of the casserole is 150 degrees.
Molasses Cookies
You’ll enjoy these cookies at one of our Williamsburg Inns!
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 4 tsp. Ground ginger
- 2 tsp. Baking soda
- 1 1/2 ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups shortening
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3/4 cup coarse sugar
In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat shortening until softened. Gradually add the 2 cups sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses; beat well. Add half of the flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir remaining flour in with wooden spoon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in coarse sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350 oven 12 to 14 minutes until light brown and puffed. Let stand for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
Baked Pear Frittata
- 2 large firm ripe pears
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 large eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
Peel and dice pears. Melt butter over med. Heat; add pears and turn occasionally until lightly brown and tender (about 8 minutes). Whisk eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Remove pears from heat and cool a few minutes. Pour egg mixture over pears. Preheat oven to 425 degree. Put pear mixture in an 8×8 glass pan and bake ,10 – 12 minutes until golden brown or mostly set. Let sit for five minutes, cut into wedges and serve with dollops of the cream cheese/brown sugar mix. Garnish by lightly sprinkling with brown sugar.
Cinnamon Poached Pears With Honey/Lemon Mascarpone Cheese
- Firm Pears
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup Cinnamon syrup (recipe below)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- Cinnamon to taste
For Poached Pears – Combine white wine, cinnamon syrup, water, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a large, high-sided sauté pan and bring to a boil. Then lower flame and simmer 10 min. 2. Cut pears in half and core and peel them. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook pears, covered, until they are tender but not mushy, 20-45 minutes depending on ripeness.
Cinnamon Syrup – (store in refrigerator until use)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon
Honey/Lemon Mascarpone Cheese
- Lemon Zest
- Honey to taste
- 1 small tsp. of Mascarpone cheese for each serving
- Dried fruit bits (raisins, apricots, cranberries) or
- Toasted Pecans
Add lemon zest and honey to taste to Mascarpone cheese. Stir until blended.
To Serve – Spoon a few tablespoons of poaching liquid over pears. Sprinkle dried fruit or Pecans on top. Just before serving add Mascarpone cheese mixture on top of pears and garnish with mint sprig.
Peatunia Salad
- 1 can of Tuna ( fresh is better )
- 1 tablespoon onion
- 1 tablespoon of bread & butter pickles
- 1 tablespoon ( or as needed ) mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet baby peas
Mix together and serve on crackers
Mr. Henry’s “Good Dish”
(So named because it easily could have been one of Patrick Henry’s favorite breakfasts because…it has just a little bit of everything.)
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 6 oz grated or finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 strips of bacon
- frozen hash brown potatoes
- Pam or other cooking spray
- 6 oven-proof bowls (about 2” deep with a handle or lip) or an 8 x 8 glass baking dish
Spray Pam on sides and bottom of bowls. Line bottom of bowls with hash browns about ½ “ deep. Fry, drain and crumble bacon over the hash browns. Mix together eggs and milk and pour over the bacon and hash browns. May add scallions, chopped green pepper, and minced onion or create your own topping. Top with a layer of shredded cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 6 servings.
Colonial Jonnycakes
(George Washington said that if he hadn’t had Jonnycakes he had not had breakfast!)
- 2 cups white flint cornmeal (the most historically authentic comes from Carpenter’s Grist Mill, Wakefield RI)
- 1 cup dark rum (Gosling’s Black Seal is the most authentic)
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Half-&-Half
- Hot water as needed
Mix ingredients in a bowl, adding hot water just enough to give batter the consistency of soft mashed potatoes.
Spoon onto 350-degree greased griddle – should settle at about 2 inches to 3 inches in diameter. After about 60 seconds, turn over for another minute. They should come out a golden brown.
Makes about 30 Jonnycakes, enough for 4 people.
Serve with various Caribbean toppings, such as molasses, lemon curd, lime curd, pineapple jam, guava jelly, nutmeg jam.
Baked Pears
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup white raisins and/or dried cranberries
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 2 tbs. brandy
- 5 Bosc pears
- shredded cheese ( sharp cheddar or your choice )
Mix first 6 ingredients and heat to a rolling boil. Core and peel pears, and slice in half lengthwise
Place pears flat side down in baking pan and cover with heated mixture – cover with foil. Bake pears at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Place on individual plates and sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint
Banana (Nut) Bread
Cook time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 or 4 small bananas, mashed
- 1 cup nuts (optional)
Instructions: Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Cream butter, add sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly mixed, stir in bananas. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Bake in well greased loaf pan or 8 inch square cake pan or 2 small loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or tests done.
*Mr. Henry’s “Good Dish”
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 6 oz grated or finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 strips of bacon or ham cubes
- frozen hash brown potatoes
- Pam or other cooking spray
- 6 oven-proof bowls (about 2” deep with a handle or lip) or an 8 x 8 glass baking dish
Spray Pam on sides and bottom of bowls. Line bottom of bowls with hash browns about ½” deep.
Fry , drain and crumble bacon (or ham cubes) over the hash browns.
Mix together eggs and milk and pour over the bacon or ham cubes and hash browns. May add scallions, chopped green pepper, and minced onion or create your own topping.
Top with a layer of shredded cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
Yield: 6 servings.
*We think this very easily could have been one of Patrick Henry’s favorite breakfasts.
