For a sweet-dessert hater like myself, brunch is a godsend. I love having limitless potential at meal time, so the fact that I could order eggs Benedict or a short rib flatbread at the same meal has always appealed to me. That is also why Brooke and I took the famous halfway meal as inspiration for this episode of Grocery Showdown. However, we did make it hard on ourselves by choosing to shop at two convenience stores, Wawa and 7-Eleven. As always, the ways to win are:
- Have the cheapest meal
- Have the best-tasting meal
Or you can be an overachiever and do both!
These stores aren’t particularly known for their glut of ingredient options, so we allowed ourselves to split a dozen eggs between the two of us.
We both have an intense love for Wawa. We adore the sandwich station, the plethora of snack options, and the regional pride it inspires. Which was why I was partially devastated to be stuck with 7-Eleven. For this brunch competition we had the following rules:
- We have 45 minutes to make a brunch that serves 4.
- All spices and oils/fats in the Delish Test Kitchen were free to use.
- Whenever possible, we had to shop for and use the grocery store brand items.
In this episode, we both strove to create multiple dishes, and while this worked out for me on the budget end (I spent only $15.88 at 7-Eleven), Brooke spent the most she has so far at just under $24.63! Watch the video to see whose dishes were the best of the brunch bunch.
Brooke’s Chilaquiles and Banana Smoothie
Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Slice a 2-3 ounce smoked meat tube and add to oil. Cook until surfaces start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove meat and add ½ teaspoon of cumin and ½ teaspoon of chili powder. Let spices warm for about 20 seconds then add ¼ cup of sliced cherry tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of chopped red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion start to soften. Add 1 15 oz jar of medium salsa. Fill the salsa jar halfway with water and add to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with a pinch of salt if needed.
Pour 8 ounces of tortilla chips into the skillet with the salsa and toss the chips in the salsa until most of the chips are well coated. Make 4 wells in the pan and crack 1 egg into each well. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of salt and pepper and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until eggs are just set.
Meanwhile, In a blender, combine 1 sliced medium banana, 5 ounces of strawberry Greek yogurt, ½ cup of orange juice, ½ cup of guava juice, and 1 ½ cup of ice and blend until smooth and store in the freezer until ready to drink.
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 3 tablespoons of fried jalapeños and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the crust starts to brown and regain crispiness. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Remove chilaquiles from oven and top with seared, smoked meat pieces, crispy jalapeños, 1 tablespoon of chopped red onion, ¼ cup of quartered cherry tomatoes, ¼ ounce of crumbled feta cheese, and ¼ cup of finely shredded lettuce and drizzle with 2 ounces of chipotle ranch salad dressing.
Justin’s 7-Eleven “Balanced Breakfast”
½ cup orange juice, ½ cup Guava juice ¼ cup Monster Energy Drink
In a small baking dish combine and. Stir until combined and place baking dish in the freezer. Allow to freeze for 35 minutes. Remove from the fridge and shave with a fork into a wet snow-y texture, then return to the freezer until ready to serve or for an additional 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Chop 2 7-Eleven Hot Dogs into ¼” slices. In a medium skillet add 1 tablespoon butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add hot dogs and cook until blistered and well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
To the same skillet add ¼ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup chopped tomato and 1 tablespoon of chopped jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are totally softened and translucent about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and pour in 5 large beaten eggs. Top the frittata with the chopped hot dogs, 1 bag of Eleven Pickle Bites that have been sliced thin and quartered, ½ cup of crushed 7-Eleven Fiery Hot Potato Chips. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish by drizzling the frittata with ketchup and mustard.
Separate 2 7-Eleven Hot Dog Buns into 4 pieces and roll each of them until flattened. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of kosher salt. Working in batches, add bun pieces to the egg mixture and soak, turning once, for 1 minute.
To a large skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter and melt over medium high heat until foamy. Sprinkle the tops of each bun with a pinch of sugar then add the soaked buns, sugar side down to the pan. Sprinkle the other sides with an additional pinch of sugar, then cook, turning halfway until well browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and serve.
Justin Sullivan is the Associate Food Producer for Delish, where he cooks up exciting new recipes and videos to stimulate your taste buds and your eyeballs. He has worked in professional kitchens across New York, but his favorite role will always be as matzoh ball sous chef to his grandma. He loves diners and being from New Jersey, and when he’s not in the Delish Test Kitchen, Justin travels the globe as the world’s foremost chicken finger critic.
