Welcome to the Lovill House Inn Food Blog!
As your Innkeeper, I am always on the look out for new recipes to serve our guests. Trying to keep in the tradition of farm-to-table, organic and southern favorites as much as possible.
Thanks to the Watauga Friends of the Library who put some local cookbooks aside for me the use here at the inn, I have found some gems that I cannot wait to try.
There is nothing better than the old church cookbooks. Growing up I remember my mom and grandmother sharing favorite recipes with the ladies at church. Back in the 80's our church in Cincinnati put together one of the first cookbooks that I ever used. I still have it today! It is tattered and torn, but some of my favorite recipes have come from that book! I've passed those recipes on to my boys, I think our favorites are Spaghetti Casserole, Cincinnati chili, and Hamburger Stroganoff. I also love the teriyaki recipe for steak and chicken!
The following recipes come from the book, "More Fresco Fixins", put together from Holy Trinity, Glendale Springs and St. Mary's Beaver Creek. According to the cookbook it was a project of the Episcopal Church Women of the Parish of the Holy Communion in the Ashe County area of North Carolina.
Both recipes have to do with potatoes, perfect for breakfast here at the inn!
The first is Ashe County Stuffed Potatoes, this is basically a twice baked potato with cooked sausage mixed in with the potato, along with cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. The second is Baked Cheese-Potato Casserole, it combines frozen has browns, with cream of mushroom soup, milk, cheddar cheese, onion, salt, and pepper.
Ashe County Stuffed Potatoes
6 large potatoes
1/2 lb. pork sausage (I use local sausage from the Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, Food Hub)
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp butter
Shredded Cheese ( I like to use a mixture of Sharp Cheddar and Freshly grated Parmesan)
Directions
Make sure to poke the potatoes in several spots before putting in the oven. Bake potatoes in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until well done (about 1 hour). While potatoes are baking, brown sausage lightly, add onions, and simmer until ready for use. Split potatoes in half, lengthwise, remove the inside, and mash thoroughly. Add salt, pepper, and butter, mix well. ( I personally add a little cream or milk to the potato mixture, similar to mashed potatoes)
Drain excess fat from sausage. Add sausage mixture to potato mixture. Mix well and fill potato shells.
Turn temperature down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Top with cheese and return to oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Baked Cheese-Potato Casserole
1 bag (28-30 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup onion, minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Milk (1 can full, using the soup can)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Partially thaw potatoes, mix potatoes, onions, soup, and milk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir.
Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 45 minutes or until browning around the edges.
Which one are you going to try first?
Comment below or email me at ann.alexander@lovillhouseinn.com!