Hamburger Pie (p. 101), Western Egg Sandwich (p. 184), and Chipped Beef and Gravy (p. 112)

So...I wasn't going to cook tonight. I have way to much to do and should be studying. But I have had a terrible day. Because I missed the month that my mom was sick, I need to drop one class and add three hours of dissertation credits, because I just can't catch up. I thought, no big deal, probably just a ton of paperwork and $50, just like the other three university's I've worked at.

Ha! No, here the add costs about a grand. I'm fighting this, but will have to wait until after my stat test to do anything...

That being said, I'm so stressed about this all that I really, really was having trouble studying and decided to cook instead. So...first I made Hamburger Pie (p. 101). I thought this was easy and I had pork that had to be used. I've decided that for every recipe I can have up to two deletions or changes--after two changes, I really wouldn't be cooking from TJOC, I would be making up my own recipes. Obviously pork was one of those changes.

Before and after cooking:




Hamburger pie was extremely easy to make, although there must be an easier way to cut buttered bread than what I did, because it took for freakin' ever. The bread toasted a really pretty gold and tasted great--frankly the toast was the best part. I think it was a little too bland. I think some hot pepper flakes or something would really make it better. I REALLY recommend the garlic, I can't imagine what it would be like without it...I hope it doesn't get soggy, because Josh is taking it to work tomorrow. I think this is the type of food you can make for people who like bland food.

So the hamburger pie was mostly made to use up the pork and to give Josh something to bring to work tomorrow. We actually both ate sandwich type food for dinner. I ate the Western Egg Sandwich (p. 184). This was delicious! Oh was it good...another recipe that will be made again. I made it with ham, rather than bacon (the other option in the recipe), and I cut the peppers from the dish (because I despise them). I ate it on toast. It was rich and creamy and really hit the spot--plus it was extremely filling. That being said, I had trouble flipping it. Rather than being like an omelet on some toast...well, it was more like scrambled eggs on toast.

Before I attempted to flip it, still pretty (although showing my woeful skill at dicing):



After my flip attempt. Damn.



Lastly, Josh's favorite food, Chipped Beef and Gravy (p. 112). I don't know if this grosses anyone else out, I know it's comfort food, but just the idea makes me ill. There is just something gross about all that white sauce on buttered white bread. Even so, I thought it has to be less gross made from scratch than the frozen stuff that he usually buys...and, hey, he likes it.

First off, if you are looking for dried beef, don't look in the meat section. It isn't there. It's in a glass jar next to the Vienna sausages and Spam (I found this out from the meat manager). And it comes in 4 oz jars, not the 8 oz called for in the recipe. But there was no way that I was buying two jars of the overpriced meat, so I chopped the recipe in half. It took me more than 10 minutes to get it to thicken, which could be because of the evil that is high altitude. But watch you--the sauce thickens all at once...not thick, not thick, BAM! Thick. It reminded me of making a cream pie (not that I usually include beef in my pies). Josh loved it. He said it was perfect, salty, and tasty (I made him describe it to me in 3 words). I thought it was attractive at least.

Don't make fun of my hideous plates. I'm a college student!

The recipe for chipped beef is online.

I'm excited about this weekend when I can make something big--and a dessert! So far, it's going well...but obviously, there are hundreds of recipes to go...