Dining With 1902 Turnpike House

I just received a promotional copy of my favorite kind of book, hot off the press, but it’s not “just another cookbook.”

This particular book, titled “North Carolina Bed & Breakfast Cookbook,” is the seventh in a series and is a fascinating compilation of one-hundred forty tried-and- true culinary creations. Author Melissa Craven takes her readers from one end of the state to the other, letting us feel as if we have stepped right inside each of the sixty-two bed and breakfast inns featured within its pages. Craven not only shares some of the inns’ favored dishes, she also offers lodging information and historical sketches about each establishment.

Ok, you may be asking, “How does that affect us here in The High Country?” Well, let me be the first to tell you. Craven’s cookbook features mouth-watering recipes, interesting facts and pictures of Banner Elk’s own 1902 Turnpike House Bed and Breakfast, in addition to many others in Western North Carolina – Asheville, Brevard, Mars Hill, etc., as well as across the entire state.

You will not be disappointed to know that the kind folks over at 1902 Turnpike House have agreed to let us feature their recipes from the book here in this column. To sample the other 137, just pick up your own copy of this new cookbook at a local bookstore and start cooking!

Turnpike House Egg Casserole

Makes 6 to 12 servings

“This is our most requested recipe. It is prepared the night before and baked in the morning. It also can be cooked, frozen and reheated or be halved and baked in a 9x9-inch pan.” – Innkeeper

1 pound bacon, chopped
2-3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 small onions, chopped
1¼ pounds mushrooms, sliced
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 ½ cups grated Swiss cheese
¾ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix
½ cup chopped parsley
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
18 eggs
2 ½ cups cream or half & half
2 (10 ¾ -ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 ¾ -ounce) can cheddar cheese soup

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain and cool bacon, reserving bacon drippings. Use some of the bacon drippings to grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and onions; cook until onions are soft. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and most of liquid has evaporated; set aside and cool.

In a large bowl, combine bacon, mushroom mixture, wild rice, Swiss and Monterey Jack cheeses, stuffing, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, mix eggs and cream. Pour over rice mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture into baking dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bring casserole to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve with a sauce made by combining and heating mushroom and cheddar cheese soups (diluted with water, if desired).

 

Aunt Laurie’s Apple Crisp

Makes 10-12 servings

“A family favorite that has become a tradition at our inn.” – Innkeeper

2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 1½ sticks butter, melted
4 cups chopped peeled apples (Braeburns work best)
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons mini tapioca pearls (regular or minute)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup quick cooking oats

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch baking pan with the 2 tablespoons of butter. In a large bowl, combine apples, white sugar and tapioca; spread over bottom of pan. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats and the 1½ sticks of melted butter; spread over apples, pressing firmly. Bake for 35 minutes or until topping is browned and apples are bubbly

 

Banana’s Foster French Toast

“A delicious combination of a favorite breakfast and a popular dessert. It freezes and reheats well, too.” - Innkeeper

1 stick butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup banana liqueur
5 bananas, halved lengthwise
¾ cup dark rum
6 eggs
1½ cups milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon banana extract
8 (1- to 1 ½- inch thick) slices Hawaiian sweet bread
Maple syrup, for serving

Grease an 8 x 12 inch baking dish. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; cook, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add banana liqueur and bananas; cook for 4 minutes, turning bananas once. Add rum and carefully light it with a long match. Gently shake pan back and forth until flame goes out (if you need to put out the flame, simply cover the pan with a lid.) Put bananas cut-side-down in baking dish. Pour enough pan sauce over bananas to not quite cover them (reserve remaining pan sauce for serving.)

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla and banana extracts. Soak bread in egg mixture, then put bread on top of bananas. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, bring French toast to near room temperature. Preheat oven to 375-degrees and bake French toast for 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board. Slice and serve with whipped cream and a mixture of reserved pan sauce and maple syrup.