CONNOQUENESSING Township - Carol Pawlowicz's kitchen is warm and cozy, with enough room for at least 10 people to enjoy each other's company while sharing a good meal.

The kitchen is a key component to any home but vital to a bed and breakfast like the one Pawlowicz owns with her husband, Ed, in Connoquenessing Township.

Locust Brook Lodge sits atop of a hill on the family's 115-acre farm, with a magnificent view of scenic fields and distant hills, which can be seen not only from their kitchen but also from any number of the guest rooms.

Pawlowicz is a practiced chef, having served a variety of dishes to guests since the lodge opened in November 2001.

Her kitchen is bright and airy, with plenty of room to prepare recipes of all kinds, including those recently published in a cookbook dedicated solely to bed and breakfasts nationwide.

Four recipes of Pawlowicz's were printed in "Best Recipes from American Country Inns and Bed and Breakfasts," an updated version of a book first published 20 years ago.

Pawlowicz explained she gets her recipes from a variety of sources from old, dog-eared cookbooks to Internet sites. Some of her recipes are country versions of popular dishes, tweaked to suit the tastes of her family and guests. Her guests come from many walks of life, and she tries to cater to each one specifically.

"I always end up changing an old recipe just a little bit," she said.

Experience and patience have given Pawlowicz a feel for the nuances of creating with food, and she freely shares her wisdom with beginners.

For example, when making the cheddar cheese sauce for her poached egg recipe, she suggests to completely heat the milk mixture before adding the cheese in order to avoid clumping.

And when preparing her coffee cake, she says using buttermilk instead of regular milk gives the recipe more texture and moisture.

Try these two recipes that were chosen for the updated cookbook and turn your kitchen into that of a bed and breakfast.

CORNBREAD:1¼ cups flour¾ cups cornmeal¼ cup sugar2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon salt, plus to season1 cup buttermilk¼ cup vegetable oil1 egg, beaten

CHEESE SAUCE:1 tablespoon butter1 tablespoon four1 cup milk1 teaspoon hot sauce1 cup shredded cheddar cheesesalt and pepperOTHER INGREDIENTS:8 whole eggs (poached)½ pound ham, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9-inch square pan or 4 3-inch round pans. (Individual baking dishes work well.)Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in buttermilk, oil and egg just until evenly moist.

Bake in prepared pans 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and a wooden prick inserted in the center comes out clean.Remove from oven, cool in pan a few minutes and turn out on a wire rack to cool completely. If baked in one pan, use a 3-inch round cutter to cut 4 circles. Split rounds in half horizontally.

For cheddar cheese sauce, use a small saucepan to heat butter and flour over medium heat. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, and continue cooking until mixture begins to thicken.Add hot sauce and cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Poach eggs in poacher or in simmering water in a shallow pan. To serve, place two cornbread rounds on each of four plates. Divide ham slices evenly among the rounds. Place an egg on each round and top with cheese sauce.Makes four servings.

1 cup butterteaspoon salt1 teaspoon almond extract1¼ cups sugar1 egg2 cups flour2 cups chocolate chips1 cup chopped walnutsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, salt, almond extract and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in egg, then stir in flour. Add chips and nuts and drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.Makes four dozen tarts.For information about Locust Brook Lodge or the cookbook, "Best Recipes from American Country Inns and Bed and Breakfasts," call the inn at 724-283-8453 or e-mail the lodge at locustbrooklodge@earthlink.net.