An 11-Year-Old Submitted This Recipe to a Community Cookbook—And Now It’s My Favorite Breakfast

I have a thing for bologna. Every few months, we buy a pound of the lunch meat from the deli to make fried bologna sandwiches. The ingredient always sparks memories of growing up in the ’90s, when it was a staple of lunches and after-school snacks. So when my husband, Gavin, came across a recipe for Denver Bologna Bowls in his favorite vintage cookbook—Crestview Café: A Collection of Recipes Tried and True By Friends of Crestview Elementary School—we had to make it.

The five-ingredient recipe stood out not just because it was nestled inside a 32-year-old community cookbook, but also because it was submitted by an 11-year-old named Stacy Bagneifski—clearly wise beyond their years in the kitchen.

My New Favorite Breakfast Recipe

Denver Bologna Bowls are pretty much exactly what they sound like—a cup made of bologna, filled with an egg mixture and cheese, and baked in a muffin tin (think: a carb-free quiche with bologna as a crust). 

I’m guessing Stacy called them “Denver” bowls because the elementary schooler lived in Boulder, Colorado—not far from Denver—when they came up with the recipe. (I even tried to find Stacy online to learn more about its origin, but couldn’t track down anyone by that name.)

Eggs, bologna, and cheese are a classic combination, particularly for breakfast, and Stacy’s method for combining the ingredients is spot on. The bologna is the perfect cradle for the seasoned eggs, which are mixed with chopped onion and topped with shredded Cheddar.

The bologna bowls are simple, satisfying, and endlessly customizable. It’s a breakfast I could eat every week—and one my 11-year-old self would have loved, too.

How to Make Denver Bologna Bowls

Ingredients

• 8 thick slices bologna
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook six slices of bologna for 30 to 60 seconds or until the centers puffs up. Using tongs, transfer bologna to muffin tins.

In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in slices of chopped bologna and onion. Pour mixture into cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for one to two additional minutes until melted.

Tips and Variations

• If you’re not a fan of bologna (it’s OK!), Stacy’s recipe also says you can also use ham slices or Canadian bacon. Or I’m looking forward to trying it with mortadella (AKA luxe bologna).
• Instead of beating the eggs, you can also just crack an egg directly into each bologna bowl, which is Gavin’s preferred way to make them.
• Serve the Denver Bologna Bowls on a piece of toast with a side of hash browns and a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce.
• Up the ’90s nostalgia level by crowning each bowl with a slice of American cheese instead of Cheddar.
• Garnish your bowls with a sprinkling of fresh chopped chives or scallions.