Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

While we wait for results of the MYOP petition, we will continue to update recipes as regularly as possible. I met with a possible regular contributor today, and she has many great new ideas that you may see here soon. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy this recipe, which has been suggested by several people, just in time for your weekend late morning brunches. Note that this sandwich is better at the weekend brunch times due to the variety of cheeses that become available when they open the sandwich station, otherwise you have to use what is available near the cream cheese/peanut butter.

Ingredients:
Bagel (I prefer everything) or Croissant
Mayonnaise (if desired)
Choice of cheese (swiss, provolone, etc.)
Scrambled Eggs
About 4 strips of bacon (or sausage)

Start by slicing your bagel and toasting it lightly. If you like mayo, spread a little bit on your bagel, then place your cheese on both sides. Top with a layer of scrambled eggs; I like to use the Western style with the peppers, but it's up to you. Lay the bacon out on top of the eggs and top with the cheese and other side of the bagel. Place in the panini press and cook for a few minutes, enough to brown the bagel a little more and melt the cheese. The melted cheese, besides tasting a lot better, helps to hold the actual sandwich together. Like the panini, you don't want to press down too hard, or else your bagel will lose all of its volume and it will look like you have have a sandwich between two large flat crackers. When its done cooking, grab your sandwich, maybe a nice mocha, and enjoy the weekend air.

Grilled Chicken Panini

This delectable creation relies heavily on the creative room afforded by the MYOP station--there was panic when it was taken away, but luckily it has been reinstated. With that in mind, I decided to try a slightly different O'donnovation combining five distinct stations: a grilled chicken panini.

Ingredients:
Pesto sauce from the pasta station
Grilled chicken
Sub roll from sandwich area
Mozzerella cheese (from Bistro, hoarding the MYOP ingredients)
Spinach leaves
Tomato slices (optional)

Start by getting a small bowl of pesto from the pasta station and heading downstairs. Find yourself a small work area where you can cut up the chicken into small slices and assemble the sandwich. Spread a spoonful or two of pesto onto each side of the cut roll, then layer the chicken on top of one side. Top with a generous serving of mozzarella cheese, then slip some spinach leaves and a small tomato slice in at the very end. Put the sandwich in the panini press and let it cook long enough so that the cheese melts considerably. Don't press it down too hard, or your sandwich will lose its volume and look very unappetizing. Once your panini is nicely browned, put it on a plate, find a suitable side dish, and enjoy.

MYOP Quesadilla

Wow. That is all I could say when this risky creation totally paid off. I've heard of several students trying to make a quesadilla using various methods, but I'm convinced that this is the most effective and versatile method. Keep in mind that the recipe leaves significant room for variation based on your own preferences.

Stipulations: only available at lunch if prepared as follows- other options are definitely viable

Ingredients:
1 piece Mexican chicken
Rice
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
1 MYOP crust
Mozzarella cheese
Hot sauce/jalapenos if desired

Start by getting some rice and chicken from the Taco Station (this is why this recipe only works at lunch), then fill out your plate with some shredded cheddar cheese and salsa, plus jalapenos if you desire. Head downstairs and get a MYOP crust and sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese to lightly but completely cover one half. Find yourself a table and cut up the chicken into thin pieces, then spread it and the rice over the cheese. Top with your shredded cheddar and salsa and hot sauce or jalapenos if using them. Return to the MYOP area, sprinkle some more cheese on top, and fold the other half of the pizza over on top. It's difficult to get the crust to stay folded, especially if you've really loaded up on your fillings, but it's very important to crease the fold and press the edges together very firmly. (On a related note, having cheese almost to the edge of the crust without having other toppings on top of it will help the top crust seal to the bottom.) Give the whole creation to the pizza lady and wait for your finished product.

I must say I was very nervous while my quesadilla was in the oven. What if it unfolded? What if the top crust burned? To ease my fears, I grabbed myself a nice Gingerade and piece of barbecue chicken pizza (a nice simple option on Tuesdays). But low and behold, as I looked into the depths of O'Donovan's mysterious pizza kitchen, I saw a wonderfully-browned half circle of deliciousness being removed from the oven. The cheese was wonderfully melted, and I wished I had more time to enjoy this supremely satisfying meal. It was quite filling, and I resented that piece of pizza earlier. This is definitely a worthwhile creation, and it only takes a minute or two longer than a standard MYOP.

*Notes*
-I became extremely worried when there was no Jalapeno Monterrey Jack cheese at the sandwich station and realized i was forced to use mozzarella. However, I was very content with the outcome. Though a little bit meltier than i was expecting, the taste was fine.
-Though I incorporated jalapenos, I would advise against it in the future, and I resorted to taking them out one-by-one. They interrupted the texture of the quesadilla, and it was spicy enough with the salsa. If you want additional kick, I would suggest using the hot sauce by the salad bar.
-Keep in mind that although this particular version requires the Taco bar and is therefore only available at lunch, a modified quesadilla can easily be created for dinner with the only change being to the chicken and salsa (grilled chicken from the bistro at dinner should be fine); there is also shredded cheddar cheese at the salad bar.

Beverage Combinations (to be expanded upon)

We've all been at a stage in our Leo's expedition in which we ponder whether or not any of the readily available beverages will compliment our entrée. The following is a list of tried and true (unless otherwise noted) combinations that may take an extra floor crossing, but are far and away more satisfying. Note: the order in which you mix drinks often matters, so be sure to start with the drink that is listed first. The beverages are shown pre-mix to highlight the contrast, and mixing is optional.

Berry Lemonade: 2/3 lemonade, 1/3 cranberry juice, ice
Gingerade: 1/2 ginger ale, 1/2 blue powerade, ice
Mocha: 2/3 hot cocoa, 1/3 coffee
Uhler's Monster*: 1/2 diet sprite (NOT regular), 1/2 chocolate milk

*This unorthodox combination has been confirmed as rather delicious. The biggest problem with the drink is the courage you must summon to try it; you may not love the Monster, but it will be better than you expected.

Berry Lemonade                                                                   Gingerade

Mocha                                                                                    Uhler's Monster

Yogurt Parfait

I have been an enormous fan of the yogurt parfait since discovering it last semester. It combines protein, calcium, and whole grains in a single (unexpectedly addictive) dish. Granted this is not one of the more inventive posts, however it is a nice option for students who want to eat a healthful breakfast but are tired of cereal and grapefruit. For those who prefer, fruity yogurt can be combined with or substituted for plain yogurt (I find the fruity yogurt to be too sweet).

Ingredients:
2 spoonfuls of plain yogurt
1 banana
Granola from the cereal bar
Honey

Directions:
Start by putting the yogurt in a bowl. Head over to the cereal bar and top the yogurt with granola--usually enough to cover the surface of the yogurt makes for a good proportion. Follow by slicing a smaller-sized banana across the top, and finish by drizzling with honey (careful not to overdo it; the granola already contains honey). In my opinion, mixing the ingredients compromises the structural and flavorful integrity of the parfait, but it may be done according to preference.

Ice Cream Mix-Ins

I’ve heard much controversy about Coldstone Creamery’s ice cream. Some say it’s good, just overpriced. Some say the ice cream itself is not up to quality standards. Still others claim that the purpose of going to Coldstone (or Maggie Moo’s if you prefer) is for the presentation of seeing your ice cream creation mixed in front of you.

If you’ve looked at O’Donovan’s fine ice cream, the presentation may not impress you, but I personally have been quite taken aback by the flavor and satisfaction delivered by such quality products. Now you can create your very own mix-in ice cream dish and not have to worry about the price of Coldstone.

Ingredients:
Ice cream of choice (I prefer more traditional flavors for this recipe, such as Cookies n’ Cream, Mint, etc.)
Toppings including:
-cookie crumbs
-sprinkles
-waffle bowl, crumbled if desired
-Reeses’ Pieces, etc.
Hot Fudge
Cookie(s)

Utensils: Bowl (chilled), Two Spoons

First of all, the primary difficulty with this creation is the phenomenon whereby the freshly cleaned bowls are too warm, and therefore melt the ice cream while you return to your table and mix. Though there has been discussion of filling the bowl with ice for a short period to chill it, or even using a chilled plate as a mixing surface, we believe that the simplest solution is to get yourself a bowl several minutes in advance, for example, at the beginning of your meal, and allowing it to cool off. This also keeps you from being subject to the all too common disappointment of wanting dessert at a popular time and not being able to find a bowl.

The actual ice cream creation is left largely up to your own preferences. I prefer to use “heavier” ice cream flavors as opposed to fruity ones because I feel that they blend better with the available topping options. As for the toppings, don’t be too cautious: there is a lot of volume within that scoop of ice cream that is just begging to be paired with a single sprinkle or piece of chocolate chip cookie.

A simple creation uses Cookies n’ Cream or Mint Ice cream as a base. Top with chocolate sprinkles and a generous serving of hot fudge and 1 - 1 ½ cookies- chocolate chip is classic but anything other than oatmeal raisin seems acceptable. (It’s better if you use the cookies downstairs as they are heated and therefore softer.) When you get back to your table, go to work with the spoons, cutting into the ice cream and folding in the toppings until they are well distributed. Beyond the blending of flavors, this recipe serves to provide a change in texture from boringly smooth ice cream.

The waffle addition has yet to be fully tested, but could prove interesting. Whether you like to eat your creation out of a waffle bowl, or crumble up the bowl itself and mix it into the ice cream, the results could be fantastic.

Veggie-Pepperoni Pizza

Scott's personal favorite, this pizza gives you the heartiness of pepperoni combined with the color and satisfying flavor of several mild vegetables. It’s a great balance when you want don’t want to go too overboard on the meat and grease, but would also prefer not to look like you can’t handle a powerful pizza punch.

Ingredients:
MYOP crust
1 ladle sauce
Shredded cheese
Chopped onions
Mushrooms
Baby Spinach leaves
Pepperoni
Hot banana peppers/jalapeños
Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder
Oregano/crushed red pepper

Directions:
It may help you to start by getting a plate of spinach (don’t be scarce on this, it wilts and shrinks considerably) and your hot pepper of choice from the salad area. Head over to the MYOP area and spread a crust (try using our double crust recipe if you want) with some sauce. Spread it until very close to the edge, but don’t overdo it- you should not have any abnormal blobs. Cover liberally with cheese. Sprinkle the onions evenly over the cheese, then top with mushrooms and well-distributed spinach leaves. Don’t worry, they shrink a lot, so you’re pizza won’t be all green. Arrange the pepperoni on top, and fill in any empty spaces with hot peppers. Then head over and sprinkle a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top, then dust with garlic powder. Top with oregano and crushed red pepper to your liking, then hand it in to the nice Leo’s lady. You should be pleasantly surprised by the diversity of color and texture on your satisfying pizza.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

John's personal favorite, this make-your-own-pizza (MYOP) was subconsciously inspired by the now defunct Subway sandwich. Properly made, this pizza is quite dense, and thus not intended for the carb-conscious or light of appetite. Double crust pizza method highly recommended!

Ingredients:
1 MYOP crust
1 ladle of pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
Spinach from the salad bar
1 chicken breast from the Bistro (substitute for MYOP station chicken if needed)
2 pieces of bacon from the Grill (write in the margins of the order sheet)
Ranch dressing from the salad bar

Directions:
First place your bacon order at the Grill; it will take a few minutes, and in the meantime you can prep the rest of the pizza. Then go to the Bistro and get one large chicken breast; chop it into bite-sized pieces (if the Bistro does not have chicken that day the MYOP station chicken will have to do, but it is not nearly as good). On the same plate gather some spinach (get more than you think will suffice; it shrinks considerably after being cooked). By now your bacon should be done, so grab it from the Grill and break it into small pieces as well.
At the MYOP station, place the MYOP crust on a metal cooking plate. Add a spoonful of pizza sauce on the crust and distribute evenly (a fork works nicely). Add a small amount of shredded cheese to the sauce--more will be added later. Evenly distribute the spinach onto the pizza, followed by the chicken and the bacon. Add desired amount of cheese to the pizza. Finally, add a small and well-spread amount of ranch sauce to the pizza (careful not to overdo it). Give to the cook at the MYOP station and enjoy.

The Double Crust Pizza Method

This is not the recipe for a pizza by itself, but rather a variant on the traditional make-your-own-pizza (MYOP) crust at the station. Origins of the double crust method have been disputed by senior members of Georgetown's ultimate frisbee team; nevertheless, after employing the method, one testimonial states: "This is the only way to eat MYOP, I've never gone back." You can use the double crust method to enhance any pizza, and many self-proclaimed MYOP pioneers consider the double crust method essential to their creations.

Ingredients:
2 MYOP crusts
Shredded cheese

Directions:
Put the first pizza crust on a wire baking rack provided at the MYOP station. Top the first crust with a thin layer of cheese all the way to the edge (this is important, as too much/poorly distributed cheese will cause uneven melting when it is baked). If you feel so inclined, head over to the regular pizza area and add in any of the toppings, namely Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, or maybe even garlic powder to add some extra flavor. Place the second pizza crust atop the first, and proceed to create a pizza on the surface of the second crust.