Behind the Recipes
Meet Briar
Briar Browning Savitt owns and manages the second-generation bed-and-breakfast Hanna’s Inn on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. Her earliest memories are cooking alongside her mother, the inn’s founder, Hanna Browning. Hanna’s Inn is known for its comfort and scenic outlook, but it is revered for the homestyle meals provided by Briar and her small staff, which includes her husband, Cole Savitt. Briar loves sharing her family recipes with others. To learn more about the magic she makes in the kitchen, scroll down for recipes. You can read more about Briar and Cole in the first book of the Fairhope, Alabama series, A Place With Briar.
Breakfast
Honey Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, room temp.
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, butter, and honey. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Filled greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.
Breakfast
Cheese Grits
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup grits
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cups grated cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions:
Bring the water to boiling. Stir in the grits and salt. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add the cheese to melt – or add sugar if you prefer your grits sweet.
Breakfast
Bacon-Egg Cups
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bacon
- bread (1/2 a loaf)
- 6 eggs
- shredded cheese
- parsley
- Optional: chives, mushrooms, red peppers
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Cook the bacon for a few minutes, not all the way. It should still be bendy. Cut out bread circles. You can use a glass or cookie cutter. Spray a cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place bread circles at the bottom of the cupcake pan cups. Wrap bacon around the edges. Use 2 strips for each cup. Crack one egg into each cup. Add any extras you desire: red peppers, mushrooms, chives, etc. Bake until the eggs are done, not overcooked. Add cheese and melt on top. Top with parsley, salt, and pepper as desired.
Soups
Ham Bone Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 honeybaked ham bone (with some meat)
- 12 cups boiling water
- 1 packet Hambeen’s Soup Mix (or 1 packet Ham Bone Soup Mix)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 pack mild Concecuh sausage, sliced thin
Instructions:
In a crockpot, place ham bone with boiled water. (If using cold water, cook time will be much longer.) Add soup mix, including contents of seasoning packet. Cook on high for 2 hours. Remove ham bone and let cook. Add remaining ingredients except for sausage. Continue to cook on high for 60 minutes. Cook sausage – careful not to overcook. Cut the meat from the ham bone and dice. Add both sausage and ham to the soup. Cook soup on low until beans are tender. Serve with cornbread or crackers.
Sides
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 4 lg. green tomatoes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions:
Slice the tomatoes 1/2 inch thin (or thinner, if preferred). Discard the ends. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium sized bowl. Scoop the flour onto a plate. Mix the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip the tomato slices into the flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into the milk/egg mixture. Dredge the slices in the breadcrumbs to coat them. In a large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan. Heat this over medium heat. Place 4-5 tomatoes in the skillet at a time to fry. Careful not to crowd them. When they are browned, flip them over. Drain them on paper towels and serve warm.
Sides
Hash Brown Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 lb pkg. frozen has brown potatoes (cubed is better)
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
- 1 tsp salt
- paprika, optional for topping
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Except for crackers, mix all ingredients with partially thawed potatoes. Pack casserole evenly into 3-qt. oblong casserole dish. Put crumbs of crackers on top prior to baking. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not cover while baking.
* As seen in Married One Night
Sides
Pineapple Pecan Casserole
Ingredients:
- Large can of pineapple chunks
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 5 heaping Tbsp. all purpose flour
- 1/2 pound of grated cheese
- 1 sleeve of ritz cracker crumbs
- 1 stick of butter
- 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, and pineapple juice into a thick paste. Add the pineapple chunks. Place in a buttered casserole dish and add grated cheese. Melt the butter and add the cracker crumbs. Mix with chopped pecans. Place on top of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. This is a good side option for ham.
Entrees
Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients:
- 5 lb roast
- 1 lg jar of pepperoncini
- 1 pck. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
- 1 pck. au jus gravy mix
- 1 stick of butter
Instructions:
Place the roast in the crockpot. Pour 1/2 jar of the pepperoncini brine over the roast. Then place half the jar of peppers around the roast. Pour 3/4 of the package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix and 3/4 of the package of the au jus gravy mix over the roast. Top with the stick of butter. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Entrees
Candied Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1-1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
Instructions:
Combine the mustard, oil, garlic, pepper and maple syrup. Place the pork in a shallow dish and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Preheat your grill for medium-high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade and set it aside. Transfer remaining marinade into a small saucepan and cook on the stove over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Brush the grill grate with oil and place the tenderloin on the grate. Grill the pork, basting with the reserved marinade for approximately 15-25 minutes or until interior is no longer pink. Avoid using high temperatures as the marinade will burn.
Desserts
BBQ-Glazed Meatloaf
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground sausage
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs
- 1 pck. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce + more to coat
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. garlic
Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix the beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, eggs, ranch, 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce, onion, salt and garlic together by hand. Add this mixture to your slow cooker and form it into a loaf shape. Add the desired amount of BBQ sauce on top of the loaf to glaze. Cook on low for 6 hours. When it’s ready to serve, top with more BBQ sauce if desired.
Desserts
Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 Tbsp. melted butter, cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups of pecans, chopped or halved
- Unbaked 9-in. graham cracker pie crust
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix well with corn syrup and sugar. Add eggs and mix those well with the sugar and corn syrup. hen add the melted butter and vanilla and mix again. Add the pecans and stir to coat. Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Place foil at the bottom of your oven. Bake for 60-75 minutes. It will jiggle when moving the oven rack. Remove the pie from the oven. Let it cool before slicing. If making more than one pie, prepare them separately. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.