The following recipes are courtesy of Tammy Holloway at the Bay Haven Inn in Cape Charles. The inn is famous for its epic breakfasts, which Tammy rustles up and serves in her spacious dining room. Accompaniments also include fresh fruit, juices, and pastries.
Fluffy Egg & Ham Soufflé
Serves 4
1 cup Eggbeaters
1 cup egg whites
2 T. water
1 T. Mrs. Dash, or preferred seasoning salt
1 T. ground mustard
½ t. Salt
¼ t. Pepper
½ cup diced peppers (red, green, yellow, orange—combine and make it colorful)
½ cup diced tomatoes (if desired)
½ cup diced meat (leftover ham, bacon, sausage)
½ cup diced or shredded cheese (we experiment—Gouda & white cheddar or extra sharp cheddar & Monterey Jack)
¼ cup diced onion (Vidalia or Spanish)
½ cup leftover cornbread crumbles or frozen shredded hash browns
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Combine the first seven ingredients into a larger measuring cup. Set aside.
Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray (or grease with butter).
Begin layering the ingredients, starting with cornbread or hash browns on the bottom, then half of the cheese, reserving the remaining cheese for the top layer. Layer peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Add a final layer of cheese.
Whisk the wet ingredients you’ve set aside and pour over the mixture until all ingredients are well-covered.
Place on a foil-lined baking pan and place in a 350℉ oven. Cook for 35 minutes, longer if you want a crispy brown top. Once in the oven, do NOT peek. Only open the oven door when you are ready to remove the soufflés.
Serve directly using caution with the hot ramekins. Alternatively, to serve without ramekins, hold the ramekins with a pot holder and using a paper towel, turn out the souffles and place them on a lightly dressed bed of salad greens.
Skillet Delight
5 sweet potato puffs, sliced thinly, then crumbled to match the texture of hash browns
2 heaping T shredded hash browns
1½ t chopped scallions
⅛ cup frozen chopped spinach
2 heaping t chopped rendered sausage
2 t diced cheese
¼ cup egg substitute per person (yolks and eggs combined)
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Use a 5.25” cast iron skillet per person and spray each one.
Combine puffs with the hashbrowns and prebake in the skillet at 400℉ for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.
Turn oven down to 350℉
Add scallion, sausage, spinach and cheese.
Mix egg mixture in a measuring cup and season with a few grinds of S&P.
Pour about ¼ cup in each skillet.
Return to 350℉ oven and bake for 20-25 minutes
Serve straight from the oven with a small salad on the same plate for color/garnish.
Ooey Gooey French Toast
Serves 8
(requires refrigerating overnight)
5 eggs
1½ cup half & half
1 t cinnamon
½ t stat
2 T Grand Marnier
1 t vanilla
⅛ t ground nutmeg
8 T unsalted butter
2 T white corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 loaf French bread
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, half & half, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine unsalted butter, white corn syrup, and brown sugar to make the sauce. Bring to a boil.
Cut bread into 1-inch slices. Set aside.
Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking pan.
Pour sauce into base of baking pan and assemble bread slices tightly together.
Pour egg mixture over bread, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Next morning, let dish come to room temp and preheat oven to 350℉.
Once dish has come to room temp, bake at 350℉ for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and run a knife around the edges of the bread slices to separate pieces.
Serve, flipping the bottom side on top.
