French Toast Cups

Labor Day, or any other weekend for that matter, is a perfect time to try this recipe.

1. There is little work.
2. Old, stale bread will always have a purpose and never be wasted.
3. You don't have to use cups or special equipment. You can use the Pyrex 9" x 13" baking dish.
4. You can make it the night before so it's ready for baking in the morning.

Found this on Pinterest from food blogger Roxana Yawgel and modified it just a tad in that I made 1 1/2 amounts of more custard, put in a splash of vanilla, and cooked everything a little slower. This is a rich dessert and really more like a bread pudding, ie great for the occasional splurge or brunch. 

I originally tried these in a 2 1/2" ramekin, but felt this was "too much"--they expand substantially--so, I would suggest changing that to a smaller cup (which would also help the waistline) or just making it in a baking dish altogether.  Of course, if you want to be fancy...

Hope everyone is having an awesome Labor Day weekend. Is it fall already? 

Equipment:

Mixing bowl

Ramekins or Muffin cups (or use 9" x 13" pyrex baking dish)

Cookie sheet

PAM spray

Ingredients:

6 - 8 cups of stale bread, preferably Challah, but Italian or French ok as well

6 eggs

1 1/2 cup half-and-half

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chip / chunks

Instructions;

1. Wash your hands.

2. Spray your baking dish or ramekins or muffin cups with PAM spray

3. Tear your stale bread into 1/2" cubes and place in a bowl.

4. Make your custard by whisking the eggs, cream, milk and vanilla together.

5. Add just enough custard to the bread pieces to soak them.  

6. Fold in chocolate chunks.

7. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate x 4 - 8 hrs or overnight.

**you can choose to layer the bread and chocolate in the ramekins and cover with custard, but I found it easier to let everything soak in a big bowl until ready to bake.  

**or just use the pyrex  9" x 13" dish from the get-go

8. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325F degrees. Remove plastic wrap.

9. Make sure whatever baking dish you use, there is 1/4" space at the top. Do not overfill to rim.

**if using muffin cups or ramekins, I would suggest placing them on a cookie sheet to bake.

**if using pyrex dish, cookie sheet not necessary.

10. Bake for:

 --30-35 minutes if using 2 1/2" ramekins or pyrex dish

 --20-25 minutes if smaller ramekins.

11. Allow to cool x 5 minutes. Use a knife to separate edges if you want to remove from ramekin.

12. Drizzle with powdered sugar or a little syrup. Or both.

12. Got Milk? or great coffee?

Sugar Cookie Brownies

Trolling thru my old post-graduate recipe book, I stumbled upon 'Butter Cake Custard Squares'.  I realized that I had never tried making this dessert; but, what I found was remarkably similar to a half-baked sugar cookie. Thus, I decided to simply change the name.  See what you think.

To elevate this dessert to an ultra decadent treat, make the Marshmallow Fudge Hot Sauce and top it off with a scoop of ice cream!  Not bad for college dining and it sure beats anything the cafeteria might offer next to the jello cups.

Equipment:

9" x 13" x 2" Pyrex dish

Mixing bowls

Spatula

Ideally, this recipe would be super-easy with a hand-mixer, but if you don't have one, it can be done with fork and upper body strength as I did in the pics.

Ingredients:

1 box mix Dromedary Pound Cake Mix 

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 stick butter, melted

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened at room temperature

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

3. Make the dough base first by combining pound cake mix, eggs and melted butter.

4. Spread the base evenly into the oven-proof dish.

5. Make the custard by combining cream cheese and eggs into a smooth liquid.

6. Add the powdered sugar.

7. Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the dough base.

8. Bake for 40 minutes.

9. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or go all out with fudge sauce and ice cream.

Marshmallow Hot Fudge Sauce

How are you going to celebrate New Year's Day?  Having brunch for everyone? Or just watching the games?  I chose to celebrate with decadence after discovering this incredibly rich, silky-smooth hot fudge sauce--it's snowing in Chicago, but I figured "why not", it's the New Year!

Perfect for a large crowd.  Use this on ice cream, use it as a dipping sauce, use it to flavor your shakes, pour it on cupcakes--heck, you may just spoon-feed yourself--that's how good this stuff is. Never underestimate the value of knowing how to put a good hot fudge chocolate sauce together--even as a college student! 

I know you can buy bottled sauce but they are always "chemical"--this takes a few minutes total time to make--literally, in the time it takes for your ice cream to soften, this will be ready!

(Adapted from Epicurious 'Dinner Rush' magazine)

Equipment:

3 quart saucepan

Mixing bowls

Whisk

Spatula

Ingredients:

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee

1 cup plus 2 Tbls heavy whipping cream

6 Tbls marshmallow creme

Ice Cream

Fixin's of your choice

Rest is up to you

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and coffee.

3. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer over MEDIUM-LOW heat. Watch carefully.

4. Pour over chocolate mixture.  Let SIT FOR 30 seconds, untouched.

5. Whisk mixture until smooth and glossy.

6. Use a spatula to fold in marshmallow creme into chocolate.

7. Serve warm.

8. Can be made 3 days in advance.  Let cool, cover and chill. 

9. This is how I used my hot fudge sauce today! 

10. Happy 2014 New Year's Day!!!

Budget Benedict

Eggs Benedict are one of life's little luxuries that most people order at a fancy restaurant or on vacation. Most of us avoid making them, because of the sauce--better known as 'Hollandaise' Sauce--an extremely time-consuming, tedious, but rich and decadent condiment for this dish.

I am only featuring this recipe (a super simplified version), because we cheat--I don't poach the eggs, nor do I make the sauce from scratch!  But it sure does hit the spot some mornings.  This is Jon's absolutely favorite breakfast dish when we have eggs--I just wouldn't make it if it weren't for Knorr's Hollandaise Sauce mix.  I have definitely come to appreciate the semi-homemade option and the convenience it provides.  

Note:

Individual steps are easy, but some planning and multi-tasking involved.

1. Toast your bread. 2. Combine the sauce ingredients. 3. Make the eggs. 4. Finish the sauce. 5. Assemble the meal.

Equipment:

Toaster Oven

Microwave

Non-stick skillet

Spatula

Mixing Bowl

Whisk

Ingredients:

English Muffins, sliced and lightly toasted

Fresh large eggs

Canadian Bacon

The Sauce:

1 package Knorr's Hollandaise Sauce (follow instructions)

1/2 stick (4 Tbls) Butter

1 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Wash Your Hands.

2. Slice your muffins and toast them lightly. Set aside.

3. In a non-stick skillet, heat the slices of canadian bacon. Set aside.

4. Melt 1 tsp of butter in non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat.

5. Make your eggs 'OVER-EASY'. (See my very first post 'How To Crack An Egg' if you've forgotten)

Make The Sauce:
--Combine the sauce ingredients--milk and package content--and whisk together.

--Add 1/2 stick of butter.

--Microwave in 1 minute intervals, stirring between each session, until smooth and silky.

6. Begin assembly--toasted muffin, canadian bacon, egg, and sauce.

7. Gotta admit, not bad for college level cooking!  Tell me this won't impress your family!