Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 medium red onion

1 red bell pepper

1 heaping teaspoon cumin seed

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup Pomegranate infused dried cranberries

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 box garlic flavored couscous

½ cup chopped cilantro

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

Zest from half an orange

This one pot dish is absolutely delicious and comes together in 20 minutes. It’s packed with flavor

Chop onion and red bell pepper and set aside.  You can use a food processor, just keep the bell pepper a little more chunky.

Remove skin and chop chicken breasts and either leg or thigh meat. Depending on the size of the bird, this should yield enough chicken.

Take about 2/3 of a bunch of cilantro and chop it. Set aside.

Zest your orange and set aside, too.

In a large nonstick pot, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook until almost tender. Add red bell pepper, cumin and cinnamon and cook 2 minutes.

Then add as much water as required to make the couscous (it will say on the back of the box and you’re making the entire box), and flavor packet and dried cranberries.

Basically, you are making it according to package directions but you cut amount of olive oil in half because you already used canola in the vegetables.

When water comes to a boil, add couscous, stir, cover with a tight lid and let it rest for 5 minutes.

NOTE: If your chicken is fresh from the store, you will add it at the end. If it’s been refrigerated, then you should add it with the couscous before you put the lid on.

When couscous is ready, fluff with a fork and toss in cilantro, chopped chicken and orange zest.

Serve immediately.

The orange zest and red bell pepper are a great source of Vitamin C in this dish.

NOTE: if you don’t like using flavored couscous, you can use plain, but I suggest cooking it in reduced sodium chicken broth instead of water. You use the same measurements.

Chicken Pot Pie with Refrigerator Biscuits

My drop biscuit chicken pot pie is a favorite in our house. It’s totally comforting with warm biscuits baked on top to soak up the sauce. I use the refrigerator biscuits on top, so that saves time.

It’s packed with vegetables and I use whole milk instead of cream, to lighten it up. A dash of thyme and bay leaves lifts the flavor in this dish.

It’s a simple recipe, but will take longer than my usual recipes because you have to bake it for 15-20 minutes. But hey, I find that’s the perfect time to clean up and set the table. This makes a large batch, a 13 x 11 casserole dish, but you can also make it in two 8 x 8 and give one away, if you prefer.

My father says this dish is "superb."

Chicken Pot Pie

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion

2 cups chopped celery

2 tablespoons flour

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups chicken stock

3 cups whole milk

1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots

4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken meat

2 packages small refrigerated biscuits

This makes a large batch, but you could halve the recipe and make it in an 8 x8 dish. If you’re a family, you will want the larger version because it’s delicious and you will probably eat more than you expect. This is the quintessential winter dish—down home and comforting. It’s a great recipe to make on a Sunday night.

Chop all ingredients and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, flour, bay leaves, thyme and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir to be sure the flour doesn’t burn. Then add a dash of salt and pepper.

This is what it looks like before you add the biscuits. A little soupy, but that's fine

Add chicken broth, milk, peas and carrots and cook 7 more minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce should be thickening. Add your chicken and cook about 3 more minutes.

If sauce is not thickening to your likening, remove ½ cup of liquid and whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Then whisk that back into the mix and turn heat up slightly. It will thicken. Keep in mind though, this is meant to be slightly soupy so that you can soak it up with the biscuits on top.

When done, pour into a 13 x 11 baking dish. Top with 15-20 refrigerator biscuits (these are the small ones). Bake for 15-20 minutes, until biscuits are golden.

Serve.

Golden deliciousness 

Creole Fried Rice

I love fried rice and this is my Southern version. 

 This rice is flavored with Cajun seasoning, oregano, Andouille, chicken, and the “Trinity” is still crunchy, adding depth to the texture. 

If you’re not familiar with the “Trinity” or “Holy Trinity” term, it’s a combination of onion, bell pepper and celery. This is the foundation of Cajun and Creole cooking and a staple in our house. I am married to a Louisiana man.

There’s a lot of differences between Cajun and Creole cooking, but the biggest one is tomatoes. You will notice I called this dish “Creole Fried Rice” and that’s because I use tomatoes in it. If you’re down South and have a jambalaya or gumbo with tomatoes, you’re eating a Creole-style dish.

Cajun food is considered to be more from the country. Creole cuisine is considered more city food.

Here’s a very condensed history. The word Cajun comes from “les Acadians” which were French colonists who settled in Canada. After British conquest of that area, those French descendants settled in Louisiana in the region now called Acadiana. This was a swampy region and what evolved in terms of food was incredible fare using local resources. Rice is a staple and so are spices and seasonings. There’s a lot of one-pot dishes and just down home comfort. Plus, I am amazed at what humans can create when they don't have much.

The “Creoles” lived in New Orleans and were upper class descendants of settlers. The influences in that cuisine were largely Spanish, French, and African slaves, so there’s more fusion in this cooking. Also, the Creoles had more money to buy ingredients and import ingredients so dishes can be a little more complicated.

In general, I prefer Cajun food, and I use more Cajun ingredients like Andouille, Boudin, and Tasso.

Of course, this is an over-simplification and both styles of food have evolved. My husband stays true to Cajun cuisine and if I try to put a modern or “Yankee” twist on that fare, he tells me I am “bastardizing” his food.

So I can say it’s a big compliment that he loved this dish – although it’s my Creole version, not Cajun.

Be careful when using Cajun seasoning in this recipe because a lot of grocery store brands are terribly salty. I use Joe’s Stuff, which I discovered at the New Orleans School of Cooking: http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/

Just be sure you taste your Cajun seasoning before adding it to the dish.  If there’s another one you’d recommend, let me know. I am always interested in trying new foods. To date though, Joe’s Stuff is the best (you can order it online).

By the way, if you’re ever in New Orleans and enjoy cooking, take a cooking class at New Orleans School of Cooking. It’s fun and educational. I learned a lot there and will definitely take another class. Take a class with Kevin, if you can. He’s a riot and great teacher.

Now, back to my dish. This fried rice came together in about 15 minutes, which is perfect on a busy weeknight (and it was a busy weeknight when I created this).

It’s a great way to use up leftover white rice or if you plan ahead and are making rice on Monday, make a double batch and have leftover rice ready to go on Tuesday.

I hope you enjoy it.

Creole Fried Rice

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 Andouille sausages

2 cups day-old rice

1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken

¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

¾ teaspoon oregano

1 cup canned tomatoes with celery, onions and peppers

Chop all vegetables (or use a food processor). If you’re using a food processor, coarsely chop the vegetables.

 Slice Andouille in half and then chop into bite-size pieces.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add onions and cook 2 minutes. Then add celery and Andouille and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While that cooks, chop your chicken and set aside.

Add bell pepper and cook 1 minute (you want it to still be crisp). Now add rice, chicken, Cajun seasoning, oregano and tomatoes to the dish and cook another 3 minutes. You want to toss the rice so it’s coated in tomatoes, but don’t over-stir the rice or it will become gummy. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

Chicken Tostadas with Lime Slaw

I became addicted to lime slaw on a trip to Nicaragua. They serve a lime slaw, like a salad, on top of yucca and topped with pork rinds. Sounds awful, but it's really good. Anyway, the healthiest part of that dish was the lime slaw and I started using lime to dress cole slaw instead of mayonnaise and just use very little oil.


Tostadas traditionally have a fried shell, but I often just lightly pan fry the shell to make it healthier. I prefer corn tortillas, but if you want a faster assembly, just use premade tostada shells.

 For the healthiest option, skip the sour cream and pan fry the corn tortillas instead of using tostada shells.

Chicken Tostadas with Lime Slaw

Serves 2

4 corn tortillas or tostada shells

¾ cup sliced, skinless rotisserie chicken

1 cup cole slaw mix

½ teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon canola oil

1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Refried beans

Sliced avocado

Salsa (red or green is good)

Sour cream

Tomato slices (optional) 

Directions:

First, whisk together sugar, cumin, oil, lime juice and cilantro. In another bowl, add this mixture to cole slaw mix, stir to thoroughly coat slaw, and set aside.

Slice your chicken and set aside. Slice avocado and set it aside.

Place desired amount of refried beans, about 1 tablespoon per tortilla, in a bowl, cover and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and heat more, if necessary.

If using corn tortillas, use a large non-stick skillet and head the pan over medium heat. Add cooking spray or a little canola oil. When hot, add tortillas and cook about 3 minutes per side.

Then assemble tostadas: spread beans on the shell, then chicken, salsa, slaw, sour cream and slice avocado.

I added tomato slices but it was more for the photo. With the salsa, you don't really need more tomato.

 Enjoy. Look how beautiful this is ... They say you know you're eating healthy, when you've got a rainbow of colors on your plate and you sure do here.

Midwest Beer, Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Festival

What did you do yesterday? Well, I attended the third annual Midwest Beer, Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Festival at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds and it was awesome.

The festival attracted throngs of people who lined up to sample more than 200 products- many made in Missouri.

 The fair puts this on and from year one, attendance has more than doubled and it’s easy to see why.  It was an incredible opportunity to sample as much I wanted and discover new products. I’ve fallen in love with beers I would never have ordered at a bar or restaurant, and tried locally produced food that I will now seek out.

While there was wine and beer, it definitely felt more beer-centric.  

 My only complaint were the lines were very long everywhere I went and it could 10 minutes to get to a booth. But in true Ozarks fashion, some people would pass samples back down a line if it was stagnant, which was nice.

See what I mean? It was pretty packed.

To my amazement, with this many samples, there wasn’t anything I disliked but there were definitely standouts. Here were some of my favorites that are definitely worth trying, if you haven’t already:

Booze:

Springfield’s White River Brewing Company’s Copper Creek IPA was exceptional. This English-style ale is hoppy and aged in charred oak barrels which gives this beer an incredible flavor with hints of caramel, butterscotch, and a fruit finish. This was my favorite beer of the day. http://www.whiteriverbrewingco.com/beers/

The Chocolate Thunder from Mother’s Brewing Co., in Springfield, uses nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide in the brewing process, lending the beer a creamier mouthfeel. The full-bodied American porter style, has a rich chocolate taste, almost to the depth of a brownie. http://mothersbrewing.com/

I had to stop at The Traveler Beer Co., because I am a traveler and loved the name, but I found the beer was fantastic, too. The grapefruit, yes grapefruit, was exceptional and perfect for spring. The lemon shandy was also excellent and will be on my list this summer. You seriously taste the fruit in these beers but it’s fresh and natural tasting, not a fake chemical flavor. It’s so refreshing. I picked some up at Harter House on my home and my husband’s initial thought was “grapefruit?” But he loved it, too. This is not a Midwest product, it’s out of Burlington, Vermont, which is an incredible city if you’ve never been. http://travelerbeer.com/

Crown Valley Brewing and Distilling in Ste. Genevieve had a nice blackberry cider and the best Missouri-made sparkling pink Moscato I’ve ever had. It was light, bubbly, fruity (particularly with strawberry notes), sweet and retails for about $16. If you like Moscato, give this a try. http://www.crownvalleywinery.com/

Wenwood Farm Winery out of Bland, Mo., wins the award for best Missouri red. The Century Farm Red is a dry red made in the tradition of Pinot Noir and it tastes like a Pinot. It’s very fruit forward and smooth. I’d never heard of this winery or Bland, Mo., so this was a nice surprise. I went on the website and it looks so quaint. I want to visit this place http://wenwoodfarmwinery.com/

Food

Cloud’s Meats Inc., out of Carthage, Mo., has been in business since 1959 and it’s easy to see why. The family-owned business produces smoked meats and other sausages, which were delicious. Summer sausage and similar products can be too greasy, or overly garlicky, but this was just right. I particularly liked the cranberry sausage and the buffalo sausage. Although this is what they offered at the tasting, if you visit the website, you see there’s so much more for sale from bratwust to ribs. They also custom process deer and other meats. http://cloudsmeats.com/

Crazy Uncle Dave’s Beef Jerky out of Branson is homemade, all natural, and it’s one of the best beef jerky’s I’ve ever sampled. It has an intense smoky flavor and doesn’t taste processed at all. It was great. This is all I could find for a website, although the man serving the jery said the product is or will be available at Silver Dollar City. http://www.crazyuncledaves.com/~shop/crazy-uncle-daves-beef-jerky/252631/

The Branson Craft Mall served up incredible, warm, cinnamon-kissed candied pecans and almonds. The pecans were outstanding; sometimes candied nuts have a hard coating or the coating is as thick as the nut, but these were softer and just the right amount of candy coating. I will go to Branson just to visit this place. It has free samples daily of other products and lots of crafts and work from local artists. I love that type of thing. http://bransoncraftmall.com/

Cake Pop Co., served up a moist stout cake with a bourbon buttercream frosting that was heavenly. This Springfield company has national business and it’s wonderful to see its success. http://www.cakepopco.com/

Panera Bread Co.,’s chocolate croissant was buttery but light and had a delicious chunk of chocolate tucked inside. I love Panera but always eat lunch there, so this was my first time sampling something sweet for breakfast. https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/home.html

Grilled Chicken with Ham, Arugula and Cranberry Sauce

I adore this quick and easy sandwich which was inspired by a sandwich I ate in Covington, La., while visiting family there. We went to this darling café and my sandwich had the best cranberry sauce, which I came home and duplicated. That sandwich was just turkey and cranberry sauce, but I wanted to use chicken, so I came up with this.  Just chicken was too plain, so I added the ham and it gave this the pop of flavor it needs.

The creamy, sweet and tart cranberry sauce is wonderful with the spicy arugula and mellow chicken and salty, smoky ham. You don’t need any fancy bread for this, just plain grocery store wheat works fine.  You grill it like a grilled cheese. If you have a child who is able to help in the kitchen, they can assemble the sandwich while you heat the skillet and grill the sandwiches.

If you want to make it dairy-free or save calories, simply spray the pan with cooking spray instead of buttering your bread.

This delicious sandwich can be turned into a wrap if you’re in a rush and eaten cold. In that case, simply spread the cranberry mayonnaise mixture on the inside of a whole wheat wrap. Top with ham and sliced chicken and a big handful of arugula. Roll up like you would a burrito.

And if you do want a lovely artisan bread, then use that and press this like a panini. Yes, it's versatile and the leftovers are good so you can double the recipe and eat some tomorrow. 

Ingredients:

8 slices whole wheat bread

2 tablespoon butter, divided

½ cup whole cranberry sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

¾ cup arugula (can substitute spinach)

8 slices of deli ham

Thick cut rotisserie chicken breast, enough to cover a piece of bread

Spread butter or margarine lightly over one side of each slice of bread

Mix together mayonnaise and cranberry sauce and spread over opposite side of bread (not on buttered side)

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

When warm, add two slices of bread, butter side down, in the pan. Add ham, chicken and arugula and then add the other piece of bread so the butter side is up (just like you would in a grilled cheese).

Press down with a spatula and when the bottom side is golden brown, flip it. Cook until the other side is golden brown and serve warm.

Serves 4.

Don’t waste valuable orange zest

How many times a week do you eat an orange or send one to school with your child? Well, if you’re not zesting that orange first, you’re wasting valuable nutrients and flavor.

Orange zest contains antioxidants and is versatile in so many recipes. Here are a few ideas on how to use it:


I add it to extra virgin olive oil to make salad dressing; add it to salad (it’s particularly good on spinach and arugula); use it on salmon (lemon zest, too); put it on my oatmeal with some cinnamon and dried blueberries or cranberries and walnuts; sprinkle it on toast with strawberry or raspberry jam; use it to infuse water; add it to cookies or breads; stir it into couscous or quinoa; or even add it to a smothered pork chop with cranberry sauce (see recipe below).
You will get a little less than 1 tablespoon of zest per orange, depending on the size, and that contains 14 percent of your recommended vitamin C intake. So you are literally tossing nutrients if you don’t use that peel.
For best results, zest an orange before you slice it. If you’re not going to eat the orange for a few hours, then wrap the orange in plastic wrap to protect it or it will start drying out. On that note, the peel does protect it, so don’t go crazy and zest citrus that you don’t plan to consume today.
I have a three pound bag of oranges on my table right now and that’s a lot of potential zest, flavor, and Vitamin C.
You can also freeze zest, too. I put it in a plastic baggie and pop it in the freezer, but only if I have several oranges worth in the bag.

Ok, have I convinced you to start using that orange peel? I hope so.

Here’s a super easy recipe: Salt and pepper your pork chops. Then toss in flour, seared in hot oil on each side and then add 1 can whole cranberry sauce, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ cup orange juice, 1 chopped garlic clove and cover with a lid and simmer on the stove for 10-25 minutes, depending on how thick your pork chops are. 

Goat Cheese, Almond, Strawberry, Spinach Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette

 I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it's sunny and gorgeous here. It feels like spring! And that means, I am thinking about spring and getting fit for the season. So a salad is on the agenda today.

This easy, healthy salad is on the table in about 7 minutes. It's great for lunch or dinner.
This serves 1.



Directions
½ cup sliced rotisserie chicken

2 cups loosely packed spinach (don’t actually pack it, just scoop up 2 cups)

1 ounce crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup slivered almonds

5 strawberries, hulled and sliced

Dressing
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon ketchup

This salad is lightly dressed, if you like a good drenching, then double the dressing recipe.


Place salad ingredients in a large bowl or plate and then make the dressing.

Place salad dressing ingredients in a jar, seal and shake until well combined (you can also just whisk the dressing together if you don't have an empty jar. But it's a good idea to save empty jars for this sort of thing).

Pour over salad, toss, and let rest 5 minutes. Then serve.

Whenever I travel, I try to stay at a hotel that offers free breakfast. The larger your family, the more economical this becomes. A family of four can easily save $30 a day eating at a hotel, which adds up to $210 at the end of the week.

So this post by Million Mile Secrets caught my eye. I subscribe to this guy who sends out an email a day with travel tips. Usually, I don't find it that useful. I think it's geared more toward the business traveler, but this one was great, so I thought I'd share it.

If you want to subscribe to him, you can click the link at the end.

Why Pay for a Hotel Breakfast When You Can Get It Free?

Some hotels offer free breakfast to everyone, while others only give free breakfast to elite members of their loyalty programs.
Keep reading to find out which hotels make the most important meal of the day the least expensive one!

Hotels That Offer Free Breakfast

At most hotels you’ll pay for breakfast, but you can get free breakfast at some of the value priced hotels within a hotel chain.

1.   Best Western

You get free breakfast when you stay at any Best Western, Best Western Plus, or Best Western Premier hotel.

Stay at Any Best Western Like the Best Western Regency Plaza Hotel, St. Paul and Get Free Breakfast

Note:   Some hotels are franchised so they may not offer free breakfast, even though they are supposed to.

2.   Choice

Free breakfast is NOT an elite benefit at any Choice hotel.
But you get free breakfast when you stay at 1 of these Choice hotels:

• Comfort Inn
• Comfort Suites
• EconoLodge
• MainStay Suites
• Quality Inn
• Sleep Inn

Enjoy Breakfast in This Seating Area of the Comfort Suites Park Place, Milwaukee

3.   Club Carlson

If you have Club Carlson Concierge elite status, you get free continental breakfast (participating hotel restaurants) at all Club Carlson hotels:

• Country Inns and Suites
• Park Inn by Radisson
• Park Plaza
• Radisson
• Radisson Blu

Note:   Elite status isn’t required to get free breakfast at Country Inn & Suites hotels. 

Stay at Any Country Inn & Suites, Like the Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Augusta, Georgia and Get Free Breakfast

Some Club Carlson hotels in certain cities may also offer free breakfast.
Normally, Radisson Blu hotels do NOT offer free breakfast without elite status but the Radisson Blu Resort, El Quseir (Egypt) does!  You can check each hotel’s website to see if free breakfast is offered.

The Radisson Blu Resort, El Quseier, Offers Free Breakfast to all Guests

4.   Hilton

As a Hilton Gold or Diamond elite member, you get free continental breakfast at Conrad, Curio, Doubletree, Hilton, and Hilton Garden Inn (choice of breakfast or points).  Although some hotels provide a full breakfast (varies depending on the hotel).

Hilton Gold and Diamond Elite Members Get Free Breakfast at Doubletree Hotels Like the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Kansas City

You get free Hilton Gold elite status for as long as you have the Citi Hilton Reserve card.  Here’s my review of the Citi Hilton Reserve card.
Everyone staying at these Hilton hotels gets free breakfast:

• Canopy by Hilton
• Embassy Suites
• Hampton Inn
• Home2 Suites
• Homewood Suites

5.   Hyatt

Hyatt Diamond elite members get breakfast at all Hyatt hotels:

• Andaz
• Grand Hyatt
• Hyatt
• Hyatt House
• Hyatt Place
• Hyatt Regency
• Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva
• Park Hyatt

Hyatt Diamond Elite Members Get Free Breakfast at All Hyatt Hotels, Like the Hyatt Regency New Orleans

All guests get free breakfast at:

• Hyatt House
• Hyatt Place
• Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva

Wake Up to a Free Breakfast at Hyatt Place Hotels, Like the Hyatt Place Oklahoma City Airport

6.   IHG

Unfortunately there isn’t a way (even with Platinum elite or Ambassador status) to get free breakfast at these IHG hotels:

• Candlewood Suites
• Crowne Plaza
• Holiday Inn
• Holiday Inn Express
• Hotel Indigo
• Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
• Staybridge Suites

But everyone staying at Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites hotels gets free breakfast.

 

7.   Marriott

Marriott Gold and Platinum elite members get free breakfast at all Marriott hotels (except resorts):

• AC Hotels by Marriott
• Autograph Collection Hotels
• Courtyard by Marriott
• EDITION
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
• Gaylord Hotels
• JW Marriott
• Marriott Hotels
• Marriott Vacation Club
• Moxy Hotels
• Protea Hotels (you can use Marriott points starting 2015)
• Renaissance Hotels
• Residence Inn by Marriott
• Ritz-Carlton
• Springhill Suites by Marriott
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott

Note:  For hotels with a club lounge, your free breakfast will be in the lounge.  If the lounge is closed, the hotel may give you 750 to 1,000 Marriott points.

Marriott Gold and Platinum Elite Members Get Free Breakfast at All Marriott Hotels (Excluding Resorts) Like the Columbia Marriott in South Carolina

Everyone, regardless of status, gets free breakfast at these Marriott hotels:

• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
• Residence Inn by Marriott
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott

8.   Starwood

If you have Starwood Platinum elite status you get free continental breakfast at all Starwood hotels:

• Aloft
• Element
• Four Points
• Le Meridien
• Sheraton
• St Regis
• The Luxury Collection
• Westin
• W hotels

Note:   Some hotels will offer a full breakfast, but it varies with each hotel.

Starwood Platinum Elite Members Get Free Continental Breakfast at all Starwood Hotels Like the St. Regis Monarch Beach

Everyone who stays at Starwood’s Element hotels gets free breakfast.  

9.   Wyndham

While Gold elite status doesn’t get you free breakfast at these Wyndham hotels…

• Wyndham
• Wyndham Grand
• Wyndham Garden
• Wingate by Wyndham
• Tryp Hotels
• Hawthorn
• Microtel
• Dream Hotels
• Ramada

…everyone wakes up to a complimentary meal at these hotels:

• Baymont Inn
• Days Inn
• Howard Johnson
• Knights Inn
• Microtel
• Super 8
• Travelodge

All Knights Inn Hotels Offer Free Breakfast

Other Ways to Get Free Hotel Breakfast

Folks without elite status and don’t want to stay at value priced hotels, can get free hotel breakfast if they have certain credit cards.

1.   American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts

Link:   American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts
One of the perks of the American Express Platinum (personal) or (business) card, is the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program which gives you free daily breakfast (and other amenities) when you book your hotel stay.

Free Daily Breakfast When You Book Through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts

2.   Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection

Link:   Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection gives card holders perks when booking hotels through the program such as free daily continental breakfast.
Here are some of the many cards you can use with the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection program:

• Alaska Airlines
• British Airways
• Citi Hilton
• Citi Hilton Reserve
• Club Carlson
• Fairmont
• FlexPerks Travel Rewards
• Freedom
• Hyatt
• Ink Bold
• Ink Cash
• Ink Plus
• LANPASS
• LifeMiles
• Marriott Rewards
• Marriott Rewards Premier
• Ritz-Carlton
• Sapphire Preferred
• SKYPASS
• Southwest Plus
• Southwest Premier (personal) or (business)
• United MileagePlus Club
• United MileagePlus Explorer
• Virgin America
• Virgin America Premium

Free Daily Continental Breakfast When You Book Through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection

Bottom Line

Hotels with free breakfast help you save money.
Some hotels like Best Western offer free breakfast to everyone while others like Hilton require you to have elite status with their loyalty program.
But if you have the American Express Platinum (personal) or (business) card you can get free breakfast by booking your stay through the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program.
Folks with a Visa Signature card like the Alaska Airlines card get free daily continental breakfast when they book through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.
Do you choose your hotel based partly on the free breakfast policy?
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