Heaven in the Hill Country: Recipes from Hoffman Haus

Heaven is Hoffman Haus on a warm, sunny day.

FP and I both adore Hoffman Haus, a unique bed and breakfast in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.  Comprised of several guest cottages surrounding a generous home and dining hall, the property is naturally landscaped for a casual Central Texas feel.  Each room has its own theme, but all share owner Leslie Washburne's classic, minimalist style.  In other words, you won't find any doilies or porcelain knick-knacks at this B&B.  And that's just one of the many reasons to love it.

The best part of any stay at Hoffman Haus just might be the food.  Each morning, a basket filled with homemade treats is delivered right to the door of your cottage and no matter what it holds, you know you're in for a treat.  Maybe you'll enjoy some home-baked muffins while watching the sun rise in the courtyard (feed the last bite to a lucky koi fish in the pond), or you might decide to curl back into bed with a cup of coffee and a plate of cheesy, comforting eggs.  Good morning, indeed.

As I was organizing my kitchen yesterday, the following recipe fell from between the pages of a cookbook, and it seemed like the perfect time to share it on the blog.  Leslie gave me her recipe for easy Eggs Florentine years ago, and it's a simple way to get a little taste of Hoffman Haus whenever you're in need.  I've also thrown in a recipe for Artichoke Phyllo Packets from an article I wrote on the Natural Palate, Leslie's farm house cooking school just up the road from the inn.  It's not as easy as the eggs, but it's well worth the effort.  

Enjoy!

Hoffman Haus Eggs Florentine

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

8 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

1/2 lb. havarti cheese, grated

1/2 lb. feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a round pie plate or quiche pan and set aside.

Using a colander or your hands, squeeze as much liquid out of the thawed spinach as possible.  Combine spinach with remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl - mixture will be thick.  Pour into the prepared dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Artichoke Phyllo Packets with Creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce

Artichoke Filling:

1/2 c raw almond slivers
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1 c frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/4 c vegenaise (vegan mayo)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor and process until combined and mixture is the consistency of a coarse paste. (This filling is also great tossed with pasta and served hot or cold.  - C&S)

To make packets:

Frozen phyllo dough
Canola, olive, or other vegetable oil

Thaw phyllo dough overnight in refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut the stack of sheets lengthwise down the center, along the fold.  Depending on the
brand, you may need to make two cuts.  Sheets should be approximately 12x4
inches.  Use three of the cut sheets per packet, with a light brush of oil in between
each layer.  Place 2-3 rounded teaspoons of filling toward one end of stack and fold up triangularly, like a flag, trimming any excess phyllo after the last fold.  Brush top of packet lightly with oil.  Bake packets on a cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve with Creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce.

Creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce

2 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. mellow white miso
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c water

Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor and process until smooth.