How to Host A Breakfast Party: Wisconsin Bed And Breakfasts Offer Recipes

Read this post if you have to host a breakfast party before your first sip of morning coffee. You may not expect to need this information, but if you have a daughter(s) between the ages of 7 and 17 you'd better read on. My own daughter is nine and currently educating me in "sleep-over etiquette". In preparation of her sleep-over party, Lauren asked me what I intended to serve her friends for breakfast.  I could tell by her eager but serious expression that cold cereal and breakfast bars (our usual morning fare) would not do. A bit flummoxed, I let her voice over my silence with her recitation of the breakfast dishes she had recently enjoyed at others' sleep-overs. Her list included banana pancakes, French toast, homemade cinnamon rolls...."What are you going to make, Mom?" she hopefully questioned. Lauren knows I write this blog and I've duped her into thinking I can cook. I couldn't blow it now. So I grasped at thin air and pulled out a breakfast food and matched it to a flavor I know she likes.

"How about pumpkin muffins?" I asked.

"Great!" she exclaimed, "I love pumpkin!"

"Great," I thought, "Now to find a pumpkin muffin recipe that uses minimal brain cells, utensils, and cooking time." I turned to the experts. I have a cookbook called Morning Menus Inn Style: Menus and Recipes from the Innkeepers of the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association. I figured that bed and breakfast proprietors are the chefs most likely to have perfected recipes for delicious breakfast dishes that can be made quickly for and by sleepy people. Sure enough, I found The Blacksmith Inn's recipe for pumpkin pecan muffins. Click on "continue reading... "for the recipe and more about The Blacksmith Inn.

The Blacksmith Inn is hosted by Bryan Nelson and Joan Holliday. The WI bed and breakfast cookbook helps readers picture Bryan and Joan's home by writing, "Nestled on a sandy beach in Door County, The Blacksmith Inn offers a whirlpool, fireplace and an extraordinary view of the harbor from every antique-filled guest room." Wish I was there. I'd "Awaken to sounds of waves lapping on the sand beach and seagulls announcing a new day as the morning sunlight glistens on the water. Smell the aromas of coffee brewing and muffins baking. Linger over breakfast on our sun-washed porch overlooking the harbor. Breakfast at The Blacksmith Inn is a treat for all the senses and as the heady aroma of apples fills the autumn air we often serve our Crunchy Homemade Granola, Pumpkin Muffins and Breakfast Apples." Yes, life is surely sweet at The Blacksmith Inn, but could I replicate this heaven at home? I lacked a porch and shore; I'd have to go with the muffins and hope their smell over-powered the dog's.

Blacksmith Inn Pumpkin Pecan Muffins  

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (chop them very finely and the kids won't know they're eating something healthy like nuts)
• 1/4 cup raisins (my daughter prefers sweetened dried cranberries to raisins so I used cranberries instead; they added a nice touch of red color speckled within the orange muffins.)

 Thoroughly mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in eggs, oil and pumpkin. Fold in pecans and raisins. Fill greased or lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 10 medium muffins.

I liked this muffin recipe because it used only one bowl, one spoon and one muffin tin, -no noisy mixers required careful cleaning later. I got twelve muffins out of the recipe and each child ate two. If you invite more than six kids to a sleep-over you're crazy and need more than a muffin recipe for success. You may consider cutting down on the muffins' sugar content, -yes, one cup is quite a bit, more than I usually use. However, remember why you consulted the bed and breakfast chefs: They know how to please over-tired people. If they go for the sugar, you should too. Sure, the kids may get sugared-up, but what do you care? You're sending them home right after breakfast. And your child will be cranky the rest of the day anyway. But at least she will be very proud of the breakfast her parent cooked for her friends. Mine was.

The sleepy girls greeted their warm muffins and milk with smiles, and the house smelled nice too. So these Blacksmith Inn's pumpkin pecan muffins were a hit! And this breakfast party turned out very simple to host indeed. (My secret? I made the coffee before I made the muffins!)

   

These pumpkin pecan muffins deserve entry in the blogging event Bread Baking Day #18 hosted by the Fun and Food Blog. This month's theme is quick breads. Join the fun by clicking on the link or side page picture.

Comments

[oil paintings]

You know I have read your article, and I was very interested in your article. I like everything beautiful and nice. Also I like travel over around tRecently, I didn’t give so much thought to writing comments on blog entries and have left comments even less. Checking out your insightful page, will probably encourage me to do so more regularly.

[Jordan 1]

I like the style of your article! I was shocked that you think it!

[Amanda]

I've got those free-loaders too. But gotta' love 'em.

[Cristie]

Hi Zorra,
I suppose I already run a B & B. Problem is my guests don't pay me anything and they spill their milk. At least they love the muffins.

[zorra]

You should open a B&B immediately. ;-)