GW2 Roasted Dragon Haunch & Root Vegetables

Guild Wars 2 recently had a weekend beta event and I was able to participate since I've pre-purchased the game already. It took a little warming up to but once I got the hang of the awesome play style, I was in love.

When you talk about MMOs it's hard to avoid comparing it to World of Warcraft. It's the biggest MMO in the industry. It has a lot of clones. And it has very little competition. No one has been able to compete with might of Blizzard's biggest game. A lot of games get hype, have some promising things...and then inevitably flop for one reason or another. But of all the past games that were supposed to be 'wow-killers', I think only Guild Wars 2 actually has a really good chance.

There's tons of info about GW2 out there on the intarwebs now so you can find out a lot about it. I did my best to ignore it. My husband has been frothing at the mouth over this game but I wanted to  remain aloof. I didn't want to expose myself to too much about the game. I wanted to explore it for myself. It was epic! If you want more of my personal review information you can find it in a day or two here.

I really hoped this game would suck me in (and it did!) so I setup a crockpot to take care of dinner. Less time in the kitchen, more time playing. And I named dinner in honor of this awesome game. Oh and before I forget, I made a quick, how-to video for it too! Enjoy!





GW2 Roasted Dragon Haunch & Root Vegetables

6 Servings | Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 6-8 hours | Apprentice

Mats:

• 3 lb Dragon Haunch (or Beef Chuck Roast if you're out)
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Thyme
• 1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Water
• 1 Potato
• 1 Turnip
• 1 Onion
• 2 Parsnips
• 2 Carrots
• Kitchen Weapon Requirement: Crockpot/Slow Cooker

Craft:Mix together all the spices and rub most of them all over the roast. Place the roast in a crockpot on low. Chop the veggies into bite-size pieces and add to the crockpot atop the meat. Top with remaining spices and toss the veggies to coat. Pour tomato sauce over the veggies. Pour water over that. Cover and let cook on low for 6-8 hours. It's done when you can cut off a piece of dragon with a spoon.

Strategies: You can add whatever other veggies you also enjoy like celery and/or garlic.

LFM: Biscuits or Rolls

Cost:

• Beef Chuck Roast | $11.47
  
• Tomato Sauce | $0.33
• Potato | $0.65
• Turnip | $0.65
• Onion | $0.30
• Parsnip | $0.50
• Carrot | $0.20

Total Cost: $14.10
Cost Per Serving: $2.35

Category: Hardcore

The Chilinator

I grew up in southern California around lots of Mexican and Latino folks. I had my fair share, and then some, of Mexican foods. Did you know there are three basic food groups in Mexican cuisine? Corn, Chili Peppers and Beans. If it doesn't have those, it's not Mexican food. So naturally when I moved out of California I had a hard time adjusting to what the rest of the country perceives as Mexican food. Especially Chili.

Some people argue that chili isn't Mexican food. Bullhonkery! Chili, as most people know it, has just been Americanized so that it's barely a shadow of what it used to be. Trust me, if you want some real, true roots, chili, you need to try this recipe.

The focus of flavor in this recipe is in the chilies. That's why it's called chili after all. Not this blended meat and tomato soup that you threw some hot sauce into. Bleh. You'll never go back to that again after eating this explosion of flavor. The great thing about chilies is there are all different kinds so you can make this hot and spicy or mild and succulent.

And don't tell anyone but...

>.>

<.<

This chili has no meat. *GASP!*

Meat is expensive. And honestly, most Mexican families would much rather have a milk cow or goats and sheep that are alive and productive. Not just butchered for food. For much of the world, meat is a flavoring ingredient, not the main course as it traditionally is here in America. You can certainly add ground beef or chicken to this recipe if you so desire it but trust me, it doesn't need it. (I have nothing against meat. I'm no vegan. I love a good steak now and then.)

Instead we have beans. Two kinds here. The traditional Red Kidney Bean and a couple cans of chickpeas. You want chili to have good texture as well as flavor. That's part of the reason people started adding meat to chili in ye olden days (called Chili con Carne for a reason after that. Chilies with meat!). To keep it meatless but still get that fabulous texture we pulse the chickpeas in a blender until it's coarsely chopped. After cooking for a couple hours in the deliciousness that is real, whole, chilies, you won't notice the missing meat at all.

By the way, big thanks to my brother for deciding the name of this chili. It was so delicious, so epic, so legendary that I couldn't think of a name. My mind was thoroughly blown after tasting it and it wasn't coming back. Unlike this chili, which now has a tag line "I'll be back." *ba-dum ching!*

The Chilinator

6 Servings | Prep Time: 30 Min ; Total Time: 2.5 hours | Journeyman

Mats:

• 9 Dried New Mexico Chilies
• 1 Vegetable or Beef Bullion Cube
• 2 can Red Kidney Beans, rinsed
• 2 can Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans, rinsed
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 Tbl Coconut Oil or Butter
• 1 Onion, finely diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tbl Cumin
• 1 Tbl Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 2 Tbl Corn Meal or Masa

Craft: Remove the stems from the chilies (and seeds if you don't want your chili spicy at all). Combine all chilies in a medium saucepan with water and bullion. Simmer over medium high heat until chilies are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving water separately. Transfer chilies to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add chickpeas to the blender and pulse until roughly chopped. Put the chickpeas with the chilies. Blend the diced tomatoes and add to the chilies and chickpeas. Heat oil/butter in a pot or dutch oven. Add onions and cook until softened and translucent. Add garlic, cumin and oregano then cook 1 minute more. Add all ingredients to the pot, including reserved liquids and excepting the masa/corn meal. Mix well. Add more water if needed to cover ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours, stirring occasionally, adding more liquid as needed to prevent sticking. Add masa/cornmeal and mix well. Cook 5 minutes more to thicken.

Strategies: To get different flavors and temperatures try different chilies or combinations of different chilies.

LFM: Garnish with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, chopped green onions, avocado, lime wedges or tortilla chips. Serve ice cream for dessert to cool off!

Cost:

• New Mexico Chilies | $6.00
• Red Kidney Beans | $1.00
• Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans |$1.00
• Diced Tomatoes | $0.50
• Onion | $0.50

Total Cost: $9.00
Cost Per Serving: $1.50

Category: Hardcore, Critical Hits, LFG

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Muja Chicken

On the planet of Gala, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi fought to uncover a secret plot to undermine the dying queen's wishes of a democratic government.  Their role as Guardians of Peace takes Qui-Gon to the Hill People, a separatist faction whose leader is the true heir to the throne.  While in Hill country they find a fruit known as Muja.  It is so delicious they send it back to the Jedi Temple where the master chefs prepare it it many ways.  It is made into juice, muffins, even fruit filled donuts.  But the best recipe is the Muja Chicken.  

Muja Chicken
6 Servings | 1 Hour | Apprentice

Mats:

• 6 skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 (1 oz) pkg dry onion soup mix
• 1 (10 fl oz) bottle Russian-style dressing
• 1 cup apricot preserve

Craft: Preheat oven to 350°. Place chicken in casserole dish. Mix other ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

LFM: This has a lot of sauce and goes really well when served over rice.

Cost:

• Chicken | $5.99
• Russian Dressing | $1.79
• Onion Soup Mix | $0.59
• Apricot Preserve | $2.15

Total Cost: $10.52
Cost Per Serving: $1.75

Categories: Hardcore

Great Moodha's Noodles

After defending Wizard City from the machinations of Malistaire, then putting to rest the mummies of Krokotopia, and defeating the legions of cat burglars in Marleybone, a young wizard just might find themselves hankering for rest and relaxation in the tranquil meadows of Moo Shu. And there can't be R&R without plenty of tasty asian-style food. That is, after all, the represented culture in Moo Shu.

This noodle dish is the worthy of the Great Moodha herself. It's got a lot of spices and flavors and textures going on to tickle your tastebuds and please your palette. They also make for great leftovers! Easily reheated or wrapped up with some cheese in a tortilla.

Great Moodha's Noodles

6 Servings | Prep Time: 40 min; Cook Time: 25 min  | Journeyman

Mats:

• 8oz Bean Threads or Rice Noodles
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Tbl Curry Powder
• 2 Tbl Sesame Oil
• 3 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4oz Shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off
• 1 lb Ground Pork
• 1 Tbl Ground Ginger
• 1 Tbl Garlic, minced
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Onion
• 4 Green Onions
• 1/2 cup Alfalfa Sprouts
• 1 cup Snow Peas
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 3 Tbl Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbl Rice Wine Vinegar
• 4 Tbl Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Craft: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in noodles and boil for 2 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water. Let stand in the strainer.

Brown pork in a medium skillet. Slice peppers and onion into long, thin strips. Chop green onions. In a small bowl whisk together eggs, sesame oil and 1/2 of the curry powder. Heat 1.5 Tbl of olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs and reduce heat to low. Scramble until done then remove from skillet and set aside.

Turn heat back up to medium high and add 1.5 Tbl of olive oil. Add peppers, ginger, garlic and remaining curry powder. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cooked pork and shrimp. Cook 2 minutes more. Add green onions, sprouts, snow peas and noodles. Cook 2 minutes more. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce and rice vinegar. When sauce has reduced, add eggs and toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro.

Strategies: These make excellent leftovers, especially when topped with a little cheese inside a flour tortilla.

LFM: Apple tart for dessert or a tangy fruit sorbet.

Cost:

• Bean Threads | $2.25
• Eggs | $1.25
• Shrimp | $2.00
• Ground Pork | $2.00
• Green Bell Pepper | $1.00
• Red Bell Pepper | $1.50
• Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper | $1.50
• Onion | $1.00
• Green Onions | $1.00
• Alfalfa Sprouts | $1.00
• Snow Peas | $2.00
• Beef Broth | $2.00

Total Cost: $18.50
Cost Per Serving: $3.09

Category: Journeyman, Hardcore

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Cinco de Mayo Chimichangas

Because I grew up in a town most people referred to as "Little Mexico," Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is close to my heart. Our town had as big of celebrations for Cinco de Mayo as it had for the Fourth of July. Don't call me unpatriotic for supporting a Mexican holiday, I am simply an enormous fan of the food, and anything that keeps it authentic in the US of A is A-Okay by me. I absolutely love the great food of the Mexican culture and it is really hard to find authentic Mexican food where I now live, so I have resorted to learning how to make it all on my own. Here is one of the recipes that I have come across in my explorations and I can't wait to have it today with my Cinco de Mayo celebration.

 

Cinco de Mayo Chimichangas
6 Servings | Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Hours | Apprentice

Mats:

• 2 lb Boneless Beef Chuck Roast, trimmed of fat
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 1/2 cup Beef Broth
• 3 tbl Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbl Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 6 Flour Tortillas (8 inch)
• 3 tbl Butter, melted
• 1 cup Salsa
• 1 cup Shredded Cheese
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream

Craft:  In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, red wine vinegar, chili powder, and cumin. Place beef in a crock pot on high heat and pour the broth mixture over the beef. Cover and cook until beef is very tender and pulls apart easily, about 3 hours. Allow to cool, then shred and mix with the residual juices.

Preheat oven to 500°. Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. Spoon shredded beef filling down the center of each tortilla. Fold ends over filling, then fold sides to center to make a packet. Place chimichangas. seem side down on a cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream.

Strategies: Put a little bit of cheese in the tortilla with the beef mixture before baking for a cheesier version. You can also make the beef filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you need it. 

Cost:

• Beef Chuck Roast $7.50
• Flour Tortillas $1.00
• Sour Cream $0.88

Total Cost: $9.38

Cost Per Serving: $1.56
*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Categories: Hardcore, Critical Hits

Mount Doom Chicken

The mountain rumbled, puffing out a continuous pillar of ash and soot. Rill did not look up. It was hard enough to see without getting soot in her eyes. In her hands she held the Bracelet of Power. She had to get it to the place where it was forged....inside the mountain. She was nearly there. Just ahead she could see the entrance to the great forge that the Dark Iron dwarves created. She was tired and hungry and just wanted this quest to be done so she could get back to her archeological studies.

Suddenly a fierce sqwack sounded from the rocks to her right. A tiny ball of feathers burst out and attacked her with claws and beak. Rill yelped, more out of surprise than hurt or fear and automatically sent a light hammer crashing down on the tiny beast's head. It died instantly.

It was a chicken. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh good. I'll be able to tell my guildmates all about the fearsome beast I faced at the entrance of Mount Doom and wasted a powerful judgement spell on." She sighed then noticed something odd.

The chicken was carrying something. Or at least, it looked like it had. She had never seen a chicken with loot before and she'd killed thousands of them. Rolling the corpse over  with her foot she found a canister of some sort. It had a lid. She picked it up, opened it and sniffed. It was....fizzy. And smelled like...lemonade but not quite like that either. She took an experimental sip.

It was a lot like the Kaja Cola beverages that the Steamwheedle Cartel goblins raved on and on about. It certainly was delicious and it certainly gave her ideas as she took another sip and eyed the chicken corpse. Surely her quest could wait until after dinner....

Mount Doom Chicken

4 Servings | Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 6 hours | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 liter Mountain Dew
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 4 Chicken Thighs or Breasts
• 1 can Whole Kernel Corn
• 1/2 jar Capers, drained
• 1 bag California Medley Vegetables
• 2 cup White Rice, uncooked
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, optional

Craft: In a crockpot, stir together rice, soda and soup. Add chicken on top of the rice. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add the veggies, corn and capers 1 hour before it's done cooking. Garnish with cheese.

Strategies: Don't use flat soda. The carbonation in the soda makes the chicken fall-apart-tender!

LFM: A nice parfait or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.

Cost:

• Mountain Dew | $1.00
  
• Cream of Chicken soup | $0.75
• Chicken Breasts | $2.00
• Whole Kernel Corn | $0.50
• Capers, drained | $1.00
• California Medley Vegetables | $1.00

Total Cost: $6.25
Cost Per Serving: $1.57

Category: Apprentice, Hardcore

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Noblegarden Chowder

Easter is almost upon us and so is Noblegarden in World of Warcraft! So I got to thinking about classic Easter dinners. Mmmm Spiral Cut Ham. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Warm, buttery rolls. Crisp green salads. Jello! Deviled eggs for sure. My only problem with having a classic Easter dinner is that it takes all day to cook. It makes me want to be lazy and not cook anything the whole day before and the whole day after. After is no problem because we have leftovers! But before Easter...well...that's when I whip out this recipe.

It's perfect for this time of year not just because you can throw it together and let it simmer but it's ingredients are also pretty festive for the occasion! The bread bowl is fun but totally optional. Even the kind of meat you use is optional. I just throw in whatever is cooked and handy. Usually ground turkey or beef. This is just the kind of meal I'm looking for before Easter and I'm sure the Noblegarden bunneh's would approve of it too.

Noblegarden Chowder

8 Servings | Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 1 hr | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 stalk Celery
• 1/4 Onion
• 1 can Cream of Celery
• 20 oz Shredded/Matchstick Carrots
• 4 cups Tomato Juice
• 2 cup Beef Broth
• 2 Tbl Flour
• 8 pack of Kaiser Rolls (or other medium-large rolls with a tough crust)
• 8 slices Provolone Cheese

Craft: Chop onion & celery. Brown beef with onion in a pot over medium heat. Add sugar, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add celery & soup and stir until combined. Add carrots and simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk together broth and flour. Add broth mix and tomato juice to the pot. Stir then simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stir occasionally. Cut out the top and some of the center of the Kaiser rolls. Place a slice of provolone cheese inside each roll, pressing down firmly. When the soup is done, carefully spoon it into the rolls.

Strategies: You can cut the cooking time in half by microwaving the carrots for 10 minutes to soften them while you brown the ground beef. Just remember that your carrots won't quite be infused with all the flavors of the soup when cooked this way. This soup freezes well and is easy to double and triple if you're expecting company. If you don't want to scoop out individual bowls, just serve rolls on the side with cheese on top of the soup. You can also just use any leftover meat you have instead of the beef.

LFM: Salad and Apples or Pears.

Cost:

• Ground Beef | $2.00
• Celery | $1.00
• Onion | $0.50
• Cream of Celery | $1.25
• Shredded Carrots | $1.75
• Tomato Juice | $1.25
• Beef Broth | $1.25
• Kaiser Rolls | $2.00
• Provolone Cheese | $2.00

Total Cost: $13.00
Cost Per Serving: $2.17

Category: Hardcore, LFM


*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Mage Bread

Have you ever done a /who mage while in a major city, hoping some bored mage will be kind enough to conjure you up some bread to take questing? I haven't but that's because I am a mage. Have been and always will be until the day WoW shuts down it's servers. Being a mage gives you the best of everything. You can port to any major city from anywhere, you can provide yourself with sustenance. And those pesky pvper's get the sheep, or turtle, or penguin, or black cat, or rabbit, or pig, depending on which glyph or tome you have. Since mage's have a lot of experience in making bread, and it's cheap and fast to make, you can imagine that it is always the best. That is definitely my experience, and my dear friend over at EC Writes also agrees. 

Why I recall a day back when I was level 60, Leetah was inside the Molten Core as the 39 other raiders filed inside. I looked at the raid list to see who I would be competing for loot against, what other mages would be trying for my epics. I stood in utter shock at first, then excitement filled me as I realized I was the ONLY MAGE. If something dropped, it was guaranteed to be mine. Thrill filled me, for the first, and possibly last time, I wouldn't have to compete with another mage for loot.

Of course, all good things come to an end. I looked at my chat screen in dismay as the whispers came in. "4 stacks of bread and 4 water plz." "4 bread plz." "4 bread 2 water plz." They kept coming and coming. The only classes in the raid that didn't want food or water or both, were the 3 rogues. Needless to say there was a huge line, waiting for the infamous and usually speedy mage food. At that time, for those newbies out there, I was able to conjure 4 stacks of water (10 at a time) and 1 stack of bread before I was out of mana. Evocate helped speed things up, every 15 minutes. I managed to feed and water the entire raid, but we had to start nearly an hour late.

Instead of making all of your raids start late by asking the only mage to conjure individual stacks of food and water for everyone, Blizzard finally decided it would be a great idea to create the Mage Table, for which I will eternally be thankful for. And following their lead, here is how you can make your own Mage Bread.

Mage Bread
2 Loaves | Total Time: 1 Hour | Journeyman

Mats:

• 5 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/4 cup Sugar 
• 1/2 tbl Salt
• 1 1/2 tbl Instant Yeast
• 3 nickle-sized blobs of Soy Lecithin (in the baking aisle or at a specialty baking shop)
• 2 1/2 cup Hot Water
• 2 tbl Butter
• Kitchen Weapon: Heavy Duty Mixer (e.g. Kitchen Aid or Bosch)

Craft: Pre-heat oven to 350°.Combine first 4 ingredients.  Add lecithin and water.  Mix in heaver duty mixer for 5 minutes.  Spray counter top with food release.  Dump dough onto counter.  It should be sticky.  Do not add anymore flour.  Divide and shape into 2 loaves.  Put in greased breads pans.  Place on top of the oven (so the heat of the oven will warm the loaves) and over with a towel. Let rise for 25 minutes.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove loaves from pans immediately. Rub butter on the top of the bread and let cool (If you don't remove from pans, the pans will sweat and the bread will get soggy on the outside and then stick to the pan as it cools off and dries out).

Strategies: This recipe is great with any kind of flour. You can do all whole wheat flour, bread flour, turkey flour or all-purpose flour. You can even mix it up. I prefer to do half whole wheat and half turkey flour. Also, make sure you are using Instant Yeast otherwise it will not rise. Instant Yeast does not need to be prepared like regular yeast does.

Cost:

• Flour $2.00
• Sugar $1.98
• Yeast $5.47
• Soy Lecithin $12.50

Total Initial Cost: $21.95
*This cost is based on buying all mats, which can be used for 10+ conjurations of this recipe. 


Catergories: Critical Hits, Rez Plz, Snackage, Troll Fuel, Hardcore

Barleybrew Dark & Thunder 45

Every woman loves chocolate. Every dwarf loves beer. When St. Patty's Day comes around, what is it that all the Dwarven women are brewing? Chocolate Beer of course! This was a recipe created by the Titans themselves. This brew is not for the apprentice of the kitchen, it is so delectable that it is often left to the masters to create such a work of labor. Now, I dare say that I am no Master in the kitchen, I have only ventured to increase my cooking skill to Artisan. However, with a lot of concentration, (meaning I had a babysitter and an extra set of hands to help me) I was able to recreate this beverage with amazing success. It is extremely time consuming, so if you are to venture into the craft of this drink, plan ahead. It keeps wonderfully in the fridge! And for those of us not interested in the mind altering potions of alcohol, try the Thunder 45, further down the post, for the virgin variety of the Barelybrew Dark.

Barleybrew Dark
6 Servings | Cook Time: 35 Minutes Total Time:1 Hour 30 Minutes | Master

Mats:

• 8 large Egg Yolks
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 Irish Beer (15 oz)
• 3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 7 oz Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Pieces (72% cacao)

Craft: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the egg yolks and sugar, set aside. Open the beer and pour into a 4 cup measuring cup. Pour the beer down the side of the cup to reduce foaming. Pour 1/2 of the beer into a saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cups of cream and whisk together over medium heat. Continue whisking until bubbles form at the edges of the saucepan, then remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly, to avoid curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place on the stove again over moderately low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Pour into a blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among 6 glasses and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled and set, between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

Meanwhile, poor the remaining beer into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tbl of syrup, approximately 20 minutes. Pour syrup into a bowl and let cool. In a separate bowl, beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add beer syrup and beat until combined. Divide between the 6 glasses of pudding and serve.

This recipe was developed by Shane Philip Coffey, the chef at Alias restaurant on New York City's Lower East Side. It has been slightly modified for our purposes.

Strategies: You can use any beer you like for this recipe.

LFM: Good side dish options

Cost:

• Eggs $0.98
  
• 1 Irish Beer $6.95 (6 pack) $1.16 (1)
• Heavy Whipping Cream $2.45
• Baking Chocolate $2.15

Total Cost: $6.74
Cost Per Serving: $1.12

Category: Snackage, LFG, Hardcore, Phat Loot, OOM

And for those of us who don't drink alcohol...

Thunder 45
6 Servings | Cook Time: 35 Minutes Total Time:1 Hour 30 Minutes | Master

Mats:

• 8 large Egg Yolks
  
• 1/4 cup Sugar
  
• 1 can Soda (16 oz)
• 3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 7 oz Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Pieces (72% cacao)

Craft: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the egg yolks and sugar, set aside. Open the soda and pour into a 4 cup measuring cup. Pour 1/2 of the soda into a saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cups of cream and whisk together over medium heat. Continue whisking until bubbles form at the edges of the saucepan, then remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly, to avoid curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place on the stove again over moderately low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Pour into a blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among 6 glasses and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled and set, between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

Meanwhile, poor the remaining soda into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tbl of syrup, approximately 20 minutes. Pour syrup into a bowl and let cool. In a separate bowl, beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add soda syrup and beat until combined. Divide between the 6 glasses of pudding and serve.

Strategies: You can use any soda you like for this recipe.


Cost:

• Eggs $0.98
• Soda $0.75
• Heavy Whipping Cream $2.45
  
• Baking Chocolate $2.15
  

Total Cost: $6.33
Cost Per Serving: $1.06

Category: Snackage, LFG, Hardcore, Phat Loot, OOM, Critical Hits

Corned Beef & Cabbage Rolls

"Aye lads & ladies, St.Patty's day is almost upon us. Low Shaman Blundy 'ere know what that means. Do ye? That means it's time fer yer favorite corned beef and cabbage....after ye go fetch it from the grimey grips of the Dragonmaw. What's that ye say? Yer tired of the same thing? Ye want something new? Well ye can't have anything better than corned  beef and cabbage! But I suppose I kin humor ye. How bouts a new twist on ye olde things?"

There is a bit of effort and time involved in making this meal. But just remember that good things come to those who wait! I promise these cabbage rolls are soooo worth the time. They're salty with a bit of crunchy and every kind of  stick-to-your-ribs-hearty all rolled up into one portable roll. You can even eat this without utensils if you'd like. Just skip pouring sauce on the outside and instead leave the sauce in a bowl you can dip your roll into.

Sadly, this is definitely not a thing to cook on a raid night. But it can be good for raid nights if you make it ahead of time. The rolls freeze really well and can be reheated in a jiffy in the microwave or oven. And you don't loose any flavor or consistency. It even makes an excellent lunch to take to work if you're trying to avoid going out to eat so much.

If you prefer a more traditional St.Patrick's Day meal that's a-okay too. Cabbage Rolls can be made with your corned beef leftovers! Just be sure to save the largest, outer, leaves from the cabbage head so you have some roll material to work with. Doing it this way is great because you trim about...oh....3 or 4 HOURS off your cooking time since you already have some cooked corned beef to work with!

Corned Beef & Cabbage Rolls

4 Servings | Cook Time: 3-5 hours, Prep Time: 30 minutes | Artisan

Mats:

• 1 Corned Beef Brisket (3-5 lbs)
• 8 Large Cabbage Leaves
• 3/4 cup Cabbage, chopped
• 6 medium Red Potatoes
• 2 Green Onions
• 2 Medium Carrots
• 1 cup Baby Spinach
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tbl Parsley
• 1 Tbl Onion Powder
• 2 Tbl Butter
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 cup Catalina Dressing, divided

Craft: Cook Corned Beef according to package instructions**. When the beef is done remove from oven and set on a cutting board and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Don't turn off the oven but reduce heat to 350°.

Dice the potatoes. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft enough to stick a fork into easily. Meanwhile, fill another large pot with water and bring to a boil. In a metal or heat resistant strainer, place the chopped cabbage. Put the strainer into the pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes then add spinach and cook until spinach is just wilted. Using hot pads to protect your hands, lift the strainer from the water and let the liquid drain. Set spinach and cabbage aside

Place the large cabbage leaves in the large pot. Boil them for 5-10 minutes or until they turn bright green and are limp and easy to manipulate. Strain them and set them on a plate to cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, place the green onions, carrots, garlic, parsley and onion powder. Puree for 15 seconds. When the potatoes are done, drain them and then place them in a large bowl. Mash the potatoes. Cut 4 1/2-inch slices off the corned beef brisket. Trim the fatty side off. Roughly chop the slices and add it to the mashed potatoes. Also add the carrot mixture, spinach, chopped cabbage, butter, milk and 1/2 cup of Catalina dressing. Mix until well combined.

Take one leaf of the cabbage and trim the tough stem. Place about 1/2-3/4 cup of the potato mixture inside the cabbage leaf. Roll up burrito style, tucking in any stray edges. Place seam side down in a 9x12 baking dish. Repeat for other cabbage leaves. Pour 1/2 cup of Catalina dressing over the top of the rolls and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Strategies: These rolls can be eaten without utensils though you may want to keep a napkin handy. Simply skip pouring dressing over the cabbage rolls before they go in the oven and instead serve them with a small bowl of the dressing on the side for dipping. These rolls are also great for freezing. To reheat, microwave on high for 5 minutes or bake again in the oven at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

LFM: Fresh fruit makes a great companion for this meal. Try some strawberries!

Cost:

• Corned Beef Brisket (3.5 lbs) $6.00
• Cabbage $0.50
• Red Potatoes $1.50
• Green Onions $1.00
• Carrots $1.00
  
• Baby Spinach $2.00
• Catalina Dressing $1.25

Total Cost: $13.25
Cost Per Serving: $3.32

Category: Hardcore, Troll Fuel

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary. 
**If your corned beef didn't come with instructions then set your beef on a rack in a roasting pan. Fill the bottom of the pan with about 1 inch of water. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and bake for 50 minutes per pound at 350° F. For the last 30 minutes of the cook time, remove the lid/tinfoil and turn the heat up to 375° F.

Boomkin & Brussel Sprouts

I'm an OCD mount collector. I've done the Argent Tourny grind. I did all the rep grinds (back when they were hard!). I've spent hours in AQ, ZG, HSethekk, and UK. I know the agony of opening eggs every week and getting yolk. Then opening bags every day just to get a snowball instead of a mount! So lo and behold I found myself doing the thing I hate the most....PvP....just to get enough honor points and tokens to buy more mounts. /facepalm. What was I thinking?

I don't mind PvP when I'm playing my priest. I actually enjoy the challenge of PvP healing. But my paladin is my mount collector and I don't care for the style of paladin healing. Ugh. PvP-ing with my paladin is painful. I'm terrible at it. Sometimes I can get lucky and kill a few people but most of the time I spend crying in a corner, begging for the game to be over.

There was one particularly bad game in Warsong Gulch that had me sitting as a ghost at the GY and just hitting cancel every time the option to rez came up. There was a particular boomkin that I swear was out to get me. It's like he knew me or something! Maybe I gave him bad directions in a guide once and it totally ruined his day so he was out for revenge. Well anyway, I never lived longer than 30 seconds in that game before this guy was on me. I still cringe whenever coming up against a well-played boomkin.

So this recipe is dedicated to you, random-anonymous-horde-boomkin! For making my mount grinding just that much more horrible to endure. I hope you DIMO (Die In My Oven!) so I can eat you with a side of brussel sprouts. And your little pet too! Ehehehwahahahahahehehehahhhahahah!!

Boomkin & Brussel Sprouts

4 Servings | Total Time: 1 hour 15 min | Master

Mats:

• 2 Roflpwnt Boomkins (or Cornish Game Hens)
• 1 Large Red Onion
• 1 1/2 lbs of Brussel Sprouts
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 2 tsp Dried Oregano
• 2 tsp Dried Basil
• 1 Tbl Butter
• 2 Tbl Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup White Cooking Wine

Craft: Preheat oven to 375°. Roughly chop the red onion and set aside. Trim the hard ends off the brussel sprouts and set aside. In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, thyme, oregano and basil. Remove giblets from the hens, if included. Trim any excess fat or skin. Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs then rub 1/4 of the seasoning mixture under the skin of each hen. Truss with kitchen string so wings are tightly against the body and legs are bound together.

Heat butter and oil in a large pan over high heat. Place hens in the pan, breast side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes on every side until skin is browned. Remove the hens from the pan and place in a 9x14 casserole dish. In the same pan over medium heat, saute the chopped red onion for 3 minutes, carefully scraping up any browned bits from the hen. Add onions to the casserole dish.

Bake for 10 minutes then add the brussel sprouts and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning mixture over the sprouts. Bake for 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165°. Transfer the game hens to a large cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile pour all veggies and juice into a large pan over medium heat. Add white cooking wine and cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes. Using a large, heavy knife, cut each hen in half down the breastbone and serve with 1/2 cup of veggies with sauce.

Strategies: If you have a large roasting pan you can brown the birds and saute the veggies at the end all in the same pan over two burners. Less dishes to wash = yay!

LFM: This is a self contained meal but if you want you can serve this with mashed potatoes and make your own gravy by adding another 1/2 cup of cooking wine to the veggies. Just pour the extra sauce over the potatoes!

Cost:

• Cornish Game Hens $4.00
• Red Onion $0.50
• Brussel Sprouts $2.50

Total Cost: $7.00
Cost Per Serving: $1.75

Category: Hardcore, Critical Hits, Troll Fuel

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

CLUCK! Soup

We all love that adorable Westfall Chicken Egg that you get the privilege of spamming chat with your silly emote to obtain. Who wouldn't want one? In most games, you can get banned for spamming chat. However, Blizzard felt the need for a little bit of generosity on the part of those spammers. The ones who can't seem to get their finger off of the enter key, you know who you are.

Blizzard kindly gave us a way to /ignore people who are spamming chat, but they didn't think about how equally irritating it can be to have emotes spammed near you. They have yet to implement a way to combat that little irritant. Of course, the best way to get rid of something that is irritating you is to kill it and eat it. So alas, poor chicken, you have clucked your last.

CLUCK! Soup

8 Servings | Prep Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Artisan

• 1 Whole Chicken
• 6 Carrots
• 6 stalks Celery
• 1 large Onion
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Salt 
• 1/2 tsp Pepper 
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 4 Bay leaves
• 10 oz egg noodles

Craft: Put the whole chicken (minus the innards) in a large pot.  Fill pot with enough water to cover the chicken.  Cover and bring to boil.  Let it simmer for about 2 1/2 hours.  Pull out the chicken and let it cool.  Do not throw out the water.  Shred the chicken, throw away the bones and skin. Put the chicken back into the broth. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onions.  Add the seasonings.  You will usually need to add a few more cups of water, or you can use chicken broth as well.  Let it simmer for as long as you want, add the noodles about 10 minutes before you eat.

Strategies: You can make this dinner in a much shorter time frame if you buy the chicken pre-cooked and use store bought chicken broth, but I am warning you, it will not taste nearly as good. Also, do not add the noodles too early or they will turn to mush.

Cost:

• Chicken $5.00
• Carrots $1.24
• Onion $0.49
• Egg Noodles $1.29

Total Cost: $8.02

Cost Per Serving: $1.00

Categories: Critical Hits, Hardcore

Leeroy's Chicken

Leeroy Jenkins has always confused me. Here he is, a paladin, in a group that's about to wipe horribly. And he doesn't bubble hearth?! There's no way that he would have wiped with his group when he had basically a free ticket outta there after causing the mayhem that he did.

But then I got to thinkin' about what he says at the end of the wipe. He says "At least I have chicken." That's it! That must be the reason that he died with his group instead heroically hearthing. He had such finger-lickin' good chicken that he had to use both hands to eat it and didn't want to get his keyboard greasy.

Now, I'm not trying to encourage you to cause group wipes just because you have chicken too but I will give you this scrumptious chicken recipe that'll I expect you to eat responsibly. It's a bit of work but a whole lot of goodness worthy of Leeroy's legacy. It's easy on the ol' waistline too but I promise you won't notice a difference in taste. Don't let the pic scare you, I was feeding a crowd but here's a recipe for when it's just me and my love.


Leeroy's Chicken

4 Servings | Prep Time: 8-24hr Cook Time: 50 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 cup Milk
• 1 Tbl Mustard (Dijon if you want heat)
• 2 Tbl Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbl Hot Sauce (more if desired)
• 1 Tbl Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
• 2-3 lbs of whole Chicken Legs, skin removed, trimmed and cut into thighs & drumsticks
• 1 cup Flour
• 2 Tbl Paprika
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Cooking Spray

Craft: Whisk together milk, mustard, garlic, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce in a shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. (Make sure the wire rack is not the kind with a plastic coating that will melt in the oven.) Coat the rack with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, mix together flour, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper. Pick up on piece of chicken and coat it once more in the marinade, transfer to flour mixture and turn to coat. Place on the wire rack and spray with cooking spray, turn and spray again. Repeat for all chicken pieces. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Strategies: Before the chicken goes in the oven they will look very gooey, that's fine! The cooking spray will make them crisp up nicely. If you want more heat for the recipe, feel free to add your own hot spices to the marinade and a tablespoon of Chili Powder to the flour mixture.

LFM:  Mashed potatoes and green beans/corn or a spinach salad and chili beans.

Cost:

• Chicken Legs $3.00
• Hot Sauce $2.00
• Worcestershire Sauce $1.50
• Flour $2.00
• Cooking Spray $1.00

Total Cost: $9.50
Cost Per Serving: $2.38

Category: Hardcore, LFG, Critical Hits

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

AFK Dinner Features

All of our recipes on AFK Dinner have a few different categories attached to them that you'll be able to search by according to what your current food needs are. Here are our categories:

• Rez Plz - Food for the dead of morning
• Troll Fuel - Lunches to nom between forum topics
• Raid Night - Dinner in less than 20 minutes
• Casual - Dinner when time is of the essence (20 min-1 hour)
• Hardcore - Dinners when time matters not (1 hour or more)
• Expansions - Side dishes to boost your mealtime xp
• Snackage - A quick bite for the bio break
• LFG - For the LAN PARTY
• Phat Loot - The guilty pleasures
• Critical Hits - Author’s favorites
• Cheat Codes - Fantastic meal ideas with little work required
  

You will also be able to search for recipes according to your skill level in cooking. These skill levels are indicated in color just below the recipe name. Here they are from easiest to hardest:

• Training
  Recipes marked with this are indicative of a recipe that will teach you how to cook something that people might take for granted! It’s a great way to level up your cooking skills from Apprentice to Journeyman or Artisan to Master!
• Apprentice
  Anyone who knows how to operate a microwave or has basic stove top skills can handle these recipes. Just because you haven’t been grinding your cooking tradeskill doesn’t mean you can’t eat tasty food too!
• Journeyman
  You’ve actually dabbled in raising your cooking profession. You’ve figured out how to use the oven and the broiler! And dagnabit if you ain’t pretty decent at it too! No microwave nuking needed here! Unless you’re a mage, then nuke away. Recipes here will prove to be no challenge and they give decent XP too!
• Artisan
  Stuff always tastes better baked, fried or grilled and you know how to do all that. You can multi-task like an AoE tanking pro! Recipes in this section will require a little bit more knowledge of spices and the cooking 1337sp34k but you’ve got all that nonsense covered!
• Master
  There’s not a word in this cookbook that you wouldn’t know the meaning to. Truss a chicken? Pfft, please. You know how to saute, souffle, filet, and melee. You’d game in the kitchen if you weren’t concerned about how to get sauce out of your controllers.
  

It can be hard to feed yourself and your family nutritious and delicious meals when you're living on a budget. To help you keep an eye on your gold pieces, you will find at the bottom of every recipe we've included a general pricing list of all the ingredients and how much the recipe should cost you per serving. Please keep in mind that your actual price will vary a little according to where you live and where/how you shop. (i.e. buying off-brand vs. brand name items.)

Lastly, inside all our recipes you will find two more helpful sections- Strategies and LFM. In the Strategy section you will find alternative ingredients or alternative ways to cook the recipe. Sometimes you will also find time-saving tips! In the LFM section you will find optional side dishes that will compliment your meal nicely. These side dishes are not included in the mats list nor are they included in the pricing list.

If you have any suggestions on other helpful features you'd like to see included on AFK Dinner Recipes please let us know in the comments section! We'd love to hear from you!