Egg Casserole

This recipe may seem pretty average and unexciting...but let me tell you, there is nothing boring about the flavor at all! Somehow, the simple ingredients of eggs, milk, cheese, bread, meat and a few flavorings all come together to create something delicious.

We've been making this casserole for years at home, but recently, I paired it down to a single-serving to fit in my mini cast iron skillet. Perfect, since it's just me here! It was ooey-gooey, cheesy, and delicious, and I burned my tongue about a million times because turns out 350º cast iron is a great insulator and I had no patience. But you should do this immediately. It was SO cute and fun and delicious. No sharing with other people or my future self required!

Sausage Egg Casserole
Serves: 3-5

6 slices white bread, cubed
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp, Swiss, or mixed)
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

dash of nutmeg


Brown sausage in frying pan; drain grease. Place bread on bottom of greased 9x13 pan or baking dish. Sprinkle on sausage next, followed by cheese. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over.
Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Bake 350°F for 45-50 min.


Customizations:
-Replace sausage with cubed ham
-Change up the cheese (eg. mozzarella, smoked gouda, swiss, pepper jack)
-Add chopped vegetables (just sauté in oil before adding to casserole to make them a little softer)
-Refrigerating for at least a few hours is recommended, but if you are short on time, you can put it straight into the oven.
-Single-serve: I think I made 1/3 or maybe 1/4 of the recipe, which was a big serving but I most definitely devoured it all myself.

Cream of Wheat and Cocoa Wheat

I'm the kind of person that likes to have a variety of breakfast options—it is my favorite (and the most important) meal of the day, after all.

Now that I'm at college and on the meal plan, I'm happy to say that there's usually quite a variety at breakfast, from bagels to omelets to cereal to waffles. A few times a week oatmeal, cream of wheat, pancakes, or cinnamon rolls will show up too.

One day I decided to try the cream of wheat. Well, at least it looked like cream of wheat. I'm not sure what it actually was because it tasted terrible! Maybe it needed more brown sugar? Either way, it made me miss real, good cream of wheat.

I've been eating cream of wheat and cocoa wheat for years. I remember when I used to wake up in the morning to my mom pouring thick, warm, chocolatey yumminess into a bowl...who doesn't want chocolate for breakfast? And while I loved cocoa wheat, I was slightly less excited when she made cream of wheat because I didn't think that she ever put enough brown sugar on top. But I've gone past that now—give me either and I'll be happy! *Ahem* But not from the cafeteria...

In Russia I discovered that I could easily make either variation for breakfast (I tried not to overload on the cocoa wheat). I'm not really sure why it took me so many years to make it myself instead of waiting for the days when my mom to decided to make it.

In fact, we started eating so much cocoa/cream of wheat in Russia that we became cocoa/cream of wheat pros:
-We discovered the cheaper Russian version of cream of wheat at the grocery store (well, ok, my mom gets all the credit for that one).
-We kept said Russian cream of wheat in its own special little Polish pottery canister.
-We discovered a way to make both kinds using only the powder for the cream of wheat.

Also, you know those chewy little balls that you sometimes get in cream of wheat? Yeah, well my mom raves about those—to those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, just wait until you try them—they sound strange at first, but they’re actually pretty good.
Well, I discovered how to get those elusive, chewy little pieces every time. You're welcome.

So, first off, for both cream of wheat and cocoa wheat, heat 1 1/4 cups milk in a small pot.

And while it's getting warm, measure out three tablespoons of cream of wheat.

If you want the chewy pieces, wait until the milk is quite hot before pouring in the cream of wheat. Pour in the cream of wheat, let it sit for a second, then mix it up a little. Only stir occasionally. You want the heat of the milk to make the cream of wheat granules stick to each other; stirring too much will separate them.
You can also add a pinch of salt before adding the cream of wheat to give it a bit more flavor.
If you don't care about getting the chewy pieces, just wait until the milk is quite warm, then pour in your cream of wheat. Stir as much as you want!

After about 3-5 minutes, your cream of wheat should be thickened up. Pour it in a bowl, and let it cool for a minute while you do the dishes.

Top with brown sugar...

...stir it up, and enjoy!

Ok, now for cocoa wheat, using the cream of wheat powder.

Again, heat 1 1/4 cups of milk. Measure out 3 tablespoons of cream of wheat again, but don't add it yet.

Add sugar to your milk; I usually do 2-3 teaspoons.

Next add some cocoa powder; I like one heaping teaspoon. Stir both the cocoa powder and sugar in. You can also add a pinch of salt, if desired.

When the milk is hot, add your cream of wheat. Again, don't stir too much if you want chewy pieces!

There they are! Now you know I'm not making the chewy pieces up. After about 3 minutes, turn the heat off and let the cocoa wheat sit and thicken up for about 2 minutes. Cocoa wheat has to cool more than cream of wheat before getting thick.

Now pour it in the bowl, and let it cool a little more. The longer it sits, the thicker it gets!

Cream of Wheat
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup milk*
1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
3 Tbs. cream of wheat
brown sugar, for topping

Directions:
In a small pot over medium-low heat, heat milk and salt (if using) until just hot, with bubbles at the edges; do not scald.
Once hot, add cream of wheat. Stir occasionally and heat until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour in bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

*For chewy pieces:
Make sure that the milk is quite hot before adding cream of wheat. When adding cream of wheat, pour all three tablespoons in the same general area of the pot. Wait about 30 seconds before stirring. Do not stir too much, or there will be no chance for the balls to form.

*For a more creamy consistency, replace 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of cream.

Cocoa Wheat
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup milk*
2-3 tsp. sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
3 Tbs. cream of wheat

Directions:
In a small pot over medium-low heat, heat milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt (if using) until just hot, with bubbles at the edges; do not scald.
Once hot, add cream of wheat. Heat for about 3-4 more minutes, until slightly thicker, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and pour in bowl; let sit for 2 minutes to thicken and cool before serving.

*For chewy pieces:
Make sure that the milk is quite hot before adding cream of wheat. When adding cream of wheat, pour all three tablespoons in the same general area of the pot. Wait about 30 seconds before stirring. Do not stir too much, or there will be no chance for the balls to form.

*For a more creamy consistency, replace 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of cream.

Hobo Pies

I had the best of intentions to catch up on blogging this summer, but I've been busy enjoying my newfound free time in other ways. So, while I have baked, I haven't gotten to the blogging part yet. Until now, that is.

This is one of my favorite summer recipes: hobo pies. Every year I look forward to camping—the time that we usually make hobo pies—so that I can eat my fill. It's been two years since I went camping and I'm not going this year, so I was delighted when my aunt suggested making them in their fire pit.

In case you aren’t familiar with hobo pies, I’ll explain.

Hobo pies are grilled cheese sandwiches parading as campfire food. They are made in a hobo pie maker, which consists of two bread-shaped pieces of iron with long handles. Buttered bread and some choice toppings go inside the iron part. The hobo pie maker is put in the fire until the hobo pie is crispy on the outside, hot and melty on the inside.
Everyone looks forward to hobo pie night when we’re camping! We usually do pizza hobo pies for dinner, and blueberry marshmallow hobo pies for dessert. However, the filling choices are practically endless.

Neither I nor google is exactly sure where the name "hobo pies" came from (hobos sitting around a campfire making a simple dinner?), so, without further ado, here is the recipe.

Pizza Hobo Pies

Ingredients:
Sandwich Bread
Butter, for spreading on bread
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza toppings (ham, pineapple, pepperoni, ground sausage, onions, peppers, etc.)

Directions:
1. Spread butter on two pieces of bread. Put bread in hobo pie makers, buttered side facing the iron.
2. Spread sauce on one or both pieces of bread. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on one of the pieces of bread. Put desired toppings on top of the cheese.
3. Put the hobo pie maker back together—it works best if the iron with the piece of bread without toppings is tipped over onto the iron holding the bread with toppings.
4. Put hobo pie maker into the coals of a bonfire; after about 3 minutes (depending on how hot the coals are), check the piece of bread facing the coals, and check about every minute after that until the bread is golden brown. Once golden brown, turn the hobo pie maker over so that the other piece of bread is facing down.
5. Remove from fire when both pieces of bread are golden brown. Be careful with the hobo pie maker when dumping out the hobo pie; it will be extremely hot. Be sure to place the hobo pie maker where it won't melt anything or burn someone. Wait 1-2 minutes when it is cooler to eat the hobo pie.

Dessert Hobo Pies

Ingredients:
1 can of pie filling (blueberry, cherry, etc.)
Marshmallows or marshmallow fluff

Directions:
1. Spread butter on two pieces of bread. Put bread in hobo pie makers, butter side facing the iron.
2. Spread pie filling on one or both pieces of bread. Spread marshmallows or marshmallow fluff on the pie filling (marshmallows work better if they are torn up).
3. Put the hobo pie maker back together and proceed the same way you would make pizza hobo pies.

This process can be replicated with any fillings, such as ham and cheese.

Russian Hot Chocolate

To say "I love chocolate" would be an understatement. But get this—I didn't have my first sip of hot chocolate until I had traipsed this earth for 16 years.

And guess what? Chances are, you haven't had real hot chocolate at all. Now you're probably really confused, but let me clarify. Many people do not realize this, but there is a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa.

Hot cocoa is what we usually think of when we hear the words "hot chocolate". It is made with cocoa powder (hence the name hot cocoa) and sugar mixed with hot milk or water. It is more or less the consistency of milk—think hot, chocolate milk.

Hot chocolate, on the other hand, is much thicker and creamier than hot cocoa. As its name implies, it is made by melting chocolate into milk and cream. Because hot chocolate is rich, creamy, and thick beyond belief, it is wise to have a glass of water nearby. Hot chocolate has a much higher fat content than hot cocoa because it usually contains more dairy, and it is made using chocolate rather than cocoa powder. Hot chocolate is a popular drink in Russia and France.

The first time that I had real hot chocolate was at Shokoladnitsa, a Russian cafe chain that is very popular here in Russia. Because their hot chocolate is so intense, you can order just a teeny-tiny cup of it; but there are also bigger sizes of chocolatey bliss for more serious chocolate lovers (i.e. me!). No matter the size, though, it always comes with a glass of cold water, otherwise people would constantly ask for some.

It took awhile, but I've come to realize that in Russia, when you ask for hot chocolate, that is what you get. It is a big surprise for some foreigners when they see hot chocolate on the menu and they get a very rich, thick drink! If that's not your cup of tea hot chocolate, many places also offer hot cocoa.

Ever since taking my first sip of hot chocolate, I've wanted to try making it. It was difficult to find a recipe because many people call hot cocoa by the incorrect name of hot chocolate (though, I admit it, I'm guilty of this too, at times). But at last, I found what I was looking for on wellplated.com…a drink worthy of a cold, snowy, Russian winter day.

And honestly? It's not that difficult to make.

You just need some chocolate. Pure chocolate.

But before chopping that magic up, get some cream and milk heating. It needs to be drinkable!

Then chop your chocolate...

...and add it to your warm cream and milk.

Whisk it up!

It will start to look something like this. Make sure it all melts before pouring it into mugs.

After all of the chocolate has melted and been stirred into the milk and cream, it will become a thick, dark, creamy, rich, chocolatey consistency, and you know it's ready.

Perfection in a cup.

Rich Hot Chocolate
Servings: 3-4*

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. espresso powder (optional; will intensify chocolate flavor)
1-2 tsp. vanilla, mint, or peppermint extract to taste (optional, choose one)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, at least 72%, chopped*

Optional Garnishes:
Whipped cream
Marshmallows
Peppermint sticks
Cinnamon sticks
Scoop of ice cream

Directions:
1. Over medium heat in a medium pot, whisk whole milk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, espresso powder, and extract. Heat until there are bubbles around the edges; do not allow it to boil.
2. Remove pot from heat and whisk in chopped chocolate until melted. Return to low heat if the chocolate is not melted completely.
3. Serve warm. For leftover hot chocolate: cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate. Carefully reheat in microwave or in a pot over low heat.

*Just quarter the recipe for a single serving.
*Better chocolate yields better hot chocolate, so use the highest quality possible. Do not use chocolate chips.

Recipe from: http://www.wellplated.com/french-hot-chocolate/

Mug Brownies

Last night I made something a little different. I discovered mug cakes about a year ago. You can probably guess that mug cakes are made in mugs. The great thing about them is that they can range from simple to decadent, there are many options, and they make just one serving each.

This recipe from love fromtheoven is pretty good. It makes a dense brownie, as opposed to a cake. I have changed the original recipe here to make the process easier, but you can find the original on the link below. The first time I made this, I put a marshmallow on top for the last few seconds of microwaving...nice and gooey. This time I put homemade peanut butter sauce on afterwards...mmm peanut butter and chocolate! I think mint chocolate chip ice cream would also be delicious, as well as a whole bunch of other toppings!

Here is the original peanut butter sauce recipe I used: http://www.foodthoughtsofachefwannabe.com/2013/07/homemade-vanilla-ice-cream-with-peanut.html

(These pictures came out kind of bad because I wanted to finish watching my movie.)

*Note: take out 1 tbs of oil to make to make a very dense brownie. If baking powder is not available to you, simply omit it; it does not make a big difference. These can be made in any microwave-safe container, although I do not recommend plastic. Warning, the brownie is very hot on the inside after finished cooking.

Mug Brownies

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Melted Butter

4 Tablespoons Flour

3 Tablespoons Sugar

Pinch Of Salt

1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder (I prefer Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder)

1-2 Tablespoons Oil (such as vegetable, canola or coconut)

1 Tablespoon Water

1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

Optional toppings:

chocolate chips

nuts

chocolate sauce

ice cream

whipped cream

peanut butter sauce

M&Ms

Fruit

The options are endless!

Instructions:

Melt your butter in a mug in the microwave. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add oil, water, and vanilla. Mix well. (Adding the ingredients in this way makes it so that minimal dishes are used...which is the point, right?!)

Cook in microwave for 60 seconds on high. Add more time by 10-20 second increments. Brownie should be slightly moist. Do not microwave too long, or the bottom will become hard.

Add toppings.

Recipe from: http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/07/14/brownie-a-la-anytime-single-serving-brownies-made-in-the-microwave/

Deep Dish Single-Serve Pizza

As my first post, I would like to share a very delicious recipe for pizza crust that I found yesterday. I decided I wanted pizza for lunch, since we had just gotten back from vacation and had very little in the kitchen to eat. I searched around on the internet for quite awhile for a recipe for single serving pizza, and finally I found this recipe from flouronmyface.com...the author actually created this recipe, which I thought was pretty impressive. It was exactly the kind of pizza I like...thick, doughy, with good flavor. The honey made it a little sweeter than ordinary, which I thought was a nice change. I ended up only being able to eat half of it, but I wished I could have eaten more! When I made it, I ended up putting in just about all 1 3/4 cups of flour at once. Also, I kneaded it for more like 4 minutes, and skipped punching it down and forming it into a ball—I simply stretched it out a little in my hands to fit the pan. Here is the original recipe:

Single Serve Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water

1 Tbs. honey

1 generous tbs olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp yeast

1 3/4 cup flour

Pizza toppings of choice

Directions:

1. Add warm water, honey, olive oil and salt to a bowl. Stir gently. Add yeast and stir.

2. Add one cup of flour and stir together, add more flour as needed if dough is very sticky. Sprinkle ¾ cup flour onto counter top and knead into dough. Knead dough about 8 minutes.

3. Put into an oiled bowl and let rise until doubles–about 45 minutes to an hour.

4. Punch dough down and form a tight ball. Let rest about 5 minutes. Oil a nine inch cake pan.

5. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

6. Place dough into the center of the cake pan and push down to flatten. Using the heal of your hand work the dough from the center out to edges of pan. If dough is tight and resisting, stop and allow it to rest another five minutes or so. 

7. Spread some sauce on and add your toppings.

8. For a soft bottom place pan on top rack. For a crisper bottom place it on the bottom rack of your oven.

9. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until dough is cooked through and the cheese has melted.

Recipe from: http://www.flouronmyface.com/2010/08/single-serve-deep-dish-pizza.html