GLaDOS' Chocolate Mug Cake

I have something to confess. I'd never played Portal until this last month.

/hang head in shame

Sometimes I just don't get the itch to follow a trendy game. It actually took my brother who talked to my husband who talked to me...to finally get me to take a look at the game. Conveniently it was on sale at Steam. So I gave it a try.

I was hooked. Simple introductions to the mechanics and easy puzzles that gradually got more difficult. It was really fun! I could see why a lot of people liked it. And I had a really good laugh (at myself) when I finally really understood the "cake is a lie" references. /facepalm@self. I have to say though, my favorite part was at the end of the testing when GLaDOS pulls the bait and switch. Talk about getting an emotional vested interest in a game! Then she cracked up me later with this comment that I'll never forget:


Didn't we have some fun, though? Remember when the platform was sliding into the fire pit and I said "Goodbye", and you were like, "No way!" And then I was all, "We pretended we were going to murder you." That was great.

But I'm no GLaDOS. I promise that this cake is no lie. You can make your own personal chocolate cake in less than 5 minutes. Which is good because that's all the time you have before you die from my neurotoxin. Then the cake will be all mine.

You will be missed. Goodbye.

P.S. (My other favorite quote from Portal2)

It's been a long time. How have you been? I've been really busy being dead. You know, after you murdered me. But I think we can put our differences behind us. For science. You monster.


GLaDOS' Chocolate Mug Cake

2 Servings | Total Time: 6 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 8 Tbl Flour
• 4 Tbl Sugar
• 3 Tbl Cocoa Powder
• 1 Egg
• 6 Tbl Milk
• 6 Tbl Canola Oil
• Splash of Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbl Chocolate Chips
• 3 Strawberries
• Powdered Sugar

Craft: Mix together all ingredients. Divide and pour into 2 microwave proof coffee mugs. Microwave one at a time for two minutes. Remove the tops from the strawberries and slice in half. When the cakes are done, remove from microwave with pot holders, they're hot! Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with strawberries. This can be eaten from the mug or tipped out onto a plate.

Strategies:The cake will rise above the edge of the coffee mug. Don't panic! It simply does that while it's cooking. It'll go back down when it's done or when the heat stops.

LFM: The perfect dessert to compliment any meal.

Total Cost: < $1.00
Cost Per Serving: < $0.50

Category: Critical Hits, Cheat Codes, Phat Loot, Snackage

Inside Out Apple Cobbler

There are lots of games out there. TONS even. And we're not just talking computer games either. Consoles games too! But today's post I wanted to take yet another angle that sometimes I think us nerds and geeks out there forget about from time to time. The ever-humble board game.

Indeed without board games there'd be no evolution into electronic games. You could even go so far as to say Dungeons & Dragons is the founding father of all fantasy genre techy games. But it seems like many board games follow particular patterns. It's hard to think outside the box and come up with a new board game. (And it's starting to get that way with electronic games too.) Especially one that will draw the attention away from the Wii/360/PS. And yet, occasionally, someone does come up with something awesome!

Apples to Apples has become one of my all-time favorite board games. It's not even really an original idea. Just a new twist on a classic. It's a word game, mixed with poker, mixed with chance, mixed with a dictionary and topped with hilarity! Part of the fun is playing with people you know really well and guessing what they'll guess! It brings a whole new level of fun to the table.

So I figured a fitting tribute to this game would be exactly like it. A new twist on some classic games. This is apple cobbler. Tastes very much like it but certainly doesn't look like apple cobbler. It's fun and different and oh-so decadent! It's awesome by itself, for a snack or as the perfect finishing dessert to a lovely meal.

Inside Out Apple Cobbler

2 Servings | Total Time: 30 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 2 Large Apple
• 1 Tbl Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbl Butter
• 4 Tbl Old Fashioned Oats

Craft: Wash apples and scoop out the core, being careful not to go through the bottom of the apple. Mix cinnamon, oats, and brown sugar then stuff it inside the apples. Top with butter. Pour about a half cup of water into a pot with lid. Gently place apples in the water. Cover and turn heat to medium. Bring water just to boiling then lower heat and cook apples until tender, about 20 minutes.

Strategies: This is such an easy and delectable dessert you can just put them in the water, cover and leave it until the timer goes off. Plenty of time to get that class quest done.

LFM: This dessert compliment any dish.

Cost:

• Large Apple | $1.00
  
• Brown Sugar | $1.00
  
• Old Fashioned Oats | $1.00

Total Cost: $3.00
Cost Per Serving: $1.50

Category: Phat Loot

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

Nanner Dumplings

Asheron's Call was the first MMO I ever played. I was hooked. Being able to play a game that had the option of playing solo or pvp or grouping was just was I was looking for and I didn't even know it. A lot of people say that no other MMO will ever compare to your first. It's so true! Even though I've played a few MMO's since AC I've found that nothing can ever replace those first-game feelings of wonder and exploration.

One of the funniest things I discovered in AC was the fact that a lot of the same foods we have on our humble Earth are also in the world of Dereth. But they usually had different names. For some strange reason that really tickled me. Take Nanners for example. Maybe it's because that was one of my nicknames growing up but 'Nanners' is just awesome. And you can cook them if you have the skill! But unfortunately there aren't too many recipes that use Nanners. There MUST be something other than Chocolate Covered Nanners! The tuskers will hit harder until we find something else to make!

Nanner Dumplings

4 Servings | Total Time: 30 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 Pie Crust Dough
• 2 Bananas
• 1 Tbl Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Allspice
• 1/4 cup Nutella

Craft: Preheat oven to 425° F. Dice bananas and toss in lemon juice then mix in allspice and half of the powdered sugar. Beat egg in a small bowl. Roll out pie crust (If you bought a 2-pack, freeze the other crust for future recieps) and cut out four large squares from it. Brush egg on the edges of the squares. Spread Nutella in the center. Scoop banana filling into the center of each square. Take the two opposite corners of the square and bring them over the filling, pinching the edges together. Take the other two corners and bring them to the center over the filling and pinch together. Pinch all the sides together to seal. Brush with egg. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. When done, dust with remaining powdered sugar and serve warm.

Strategies: You can use the scraps of the dough to wrap around small pieces of banana and bake too. They make delicious mini-bites.

LFM: This desert is a good finishing move for any meal combo.

Cost:

• Pie Crust Dough | $1.25
• Bananas | $1.00

Total Cost: $2.25
Cost Per Serving: $0.57

Category: Rez Plz, Expansions, Phat Loot, Snackage

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

Sholazar Parfait

Situated in the icy lands of Northrend, Sholazar Basin is a tropical paradise to ease those numb, adventuring fingers of yours. It's almost surreal and more than a little bizzarre to find a jungle zone in Northrend. I mean, it's called the Roof of the World. We're talking polar ice caps here. But there it is, a creation of the titans, filled with tropical creatures, warm rivers, thriving vegetation, and very wild wildlife.

This change in temperatures has you going from craving a hot Black Coffee to searching for a cool cup of Kungaloosh. But with the abundance of fruit in the basin, why not a tastier treat to beat the heat? It's fast and easy too so you can get back to that level grind.

Sholazar Parfait

1 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt
• 1 small Banana
• 1/2 cup Pineapple Chunks
• 1/4 cup Granola or 1 Granola bar, chopped
  

Craft: Slice the banana. In a cup or bowl layer 1/3 of the fruit and 1/2 cup of yogurt. Layer it again and top with fruit and granola.

Strategies: Try it with some shredded coconut too!

LFM: Perfect for breakfast by itself or for dessert.

Cost:

• Vanilla Yogurt | $0.75
• Banana | $0.50
• Pineapple Chunks | $1.00
• Granola | $0.50

Total Cost: $2.75
Cost Per Serving: $2.75

Category: Rez Plz, Expansions, Phat Loot, Snackage

Dark Side Cookies

Come to the Dark Side, we have cookies! I used to find this saying slightly amusing though very absurd if you analyze it. I mean, where did the Dark Side get cookies? What Sith Lord would confess to a baking habit? And I am sure that if anyone on the Dark Side did bake, they wouldn't turn out very tasty. 

But then I realized that you don't need to have a baking skill to be able to craft wonderful cookies. My eldest sister use to make these wonderful cookies all the time. Unfortunately she stopped making them when my older brothers teased her that there was poop on the counter. These are my favorite cookies, they aren't baked and they look like poop. Sounds like the perfect Dark Side cookie temptation if you ask me!

Dark Side Cookies
36 Cookies | Total Time: 45 Minutes | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 4 tbl Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 3 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Wax Paper

Craft: In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oats and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool until hardened.

Strategies: You can use instant oats or regular oats for this recipe. You also have the choice of crunchy or creamy peanut butter. It all depends on your texture preference. Additionally, if you have room in your fridge, cooling the cookies there helps them set faster if you are in a time crunch, or just impatient.

Cost:

• Cocoa Powder $1.89
• Oats $0.98
• Wax Paper $1.45

Total Cost: $4.32

Cost Per Serving: $0.12
*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.

Categories: Casual, Phat Loot, Critical Hits, Snackage

Cookies of Indecision

I love cookies. Honestly, who doesn't? There is a cookie out there for just about every preference. The most common in popularity are Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, and Peanut Butter. They are the Pepperoni, Cheese, and Hawaiian of the cookie realm. However, you can't order a cookie as half Peanut Butter, half Chocolate Chip. It doesn't work very well. Fortunately we have found a way to get all of your favorite cookies into one. So, whether you are feeling like Peanut Butter, or Chocolate Chip, or Oatmeal, you are covered with this recipe for even the most indecisive of people.

Cookies of Indecision
60-72 Cookies | Total Time: 1 Hour | Apprentice

Mats:

• 3/4 cup Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Peanut Butter
• 1 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 2/3 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 pkg Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (10 oz)

Craft: Pre-heat oven to 375°. Beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda, mixing until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla, then flour. Stir in the oats with a wooden spoon until well integrated. Stir in chocolate chips in the same manner. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Repeat the baking process until all dough is baked.  

Strategies: After they have cooled, you can store these cookies in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 1 month and still maintain their deliciousness. Also, if you want a slightly softer, (though not as healthy) cookie, change out half, or even all of the butter for shortening.

Cost:

• Peanut Butter $1.63
• Rolled Oats $0.98
• Chocolate Chips $1.99

Total Cost: $4.60
Cost Per Serving: $0.19
*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary. 


Catergories: Casual, Phat Loot, Snackage

Princess Peaches and Cream

I love yogurt. But not just any ol' yogurt. Vanilla yogurt. I honestly don't like many other flavors of yogurt. But I don't really need any other flavors. You see, yogurt is so dress-up-able. It'll go good with any fruit you have. You can make it into a decadent dessert, a simple breakfast, or an easy side dish. This is another one of those layered parfait type recipes that's perfect for the snack break. It's not messy, requires only one hand to eat and it's super fast to make.

The title of this post might have given you a clue but just in case you missed it- it's cheater's peaches'n'cream! And since we all know that Princess Peach cheats in Mario Kart it makes perfect sense to name this parfait in her honor. You can even make this into a better royal treat by adding some caramel sauce (or dulce de leche). Mmmmm!

Princess Peaches and Cream

2 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 can Sliced Peaches
• 2 cups Vanilla Yogurt

Craft: Drain the peaches. In two serving cups or bowls, layer 2-3 slices of peaches, 1/2 cup yogurt, more peaches, another 1/2 cup of yogurt and top with the rest of the peaches.

Strategies: Add nuts or granola for crunch! Try using fresh peaches when they're in season. You can also make this into a dessert by drizzling with caramel sauce.

LFM: This is an excellent side dish or dessert for any meal.

Cost:

• Sliced Peaches $0.50
• Vanilla Yogurt $1.50
  

Total Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Serving: $1.00

Category: Snackage, Phat Loot

Soul-Soothing Choconut Sauce

There comes a time in every gamer girl's life when your raid is wiping and the raid leader says, "Take a break, clear your head, stretch your legs, be back in 10." Then you gotta unclench your hand from the mouse, step away from the computer and hit up the kitchen to look for something sweet. And for a girl, nothing is better at fixin' the bad mood (that wiping over and over has put you in) than chocolate. This ain't something just a plain ol' candy bar or a scoop of ice cream is gonna fix either. We're talking hours of strategizing, discussions, pouring through combat logs, trying it out....and wiping...again.

It's time to whip out some serious soul-soothing stuff! I already ate half of this before I remembered to take a picture. It's that good! You've got a peanut based mix of chocolate and sugar blended up into a perfect dipping sauce. Choconut sauce makes everything taste better. Everything.

Soul-Soothing Choconut Sauce

8 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 cup Dry Roasted Peanuts
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1-2 Tbl Canola Oil
• Kitchen Weapon Proficiency: Food Processor

Craft: Pour the peanuts in the food processor and grind until the peanuts look like a gritty paste. You may have to stop a couple times to scrap down the sides but it should take about 3-5 minutes. Add cocoa and powdered sugar and 1 Tbl of canola oil. Blend again, adding more oil if needed to get desired consistency.

Strategies: Peanuts have a lot of their own oil so the amount of oil you use with each batch will vary just a little. If you want your choconut sauce to have the consistency of frosting then only add 1/2 Tbl of oil and go from there. If you want it to be more like peanut butter than 1 Tbl and go from there. If you want to make this super decandant, add a Tbl of fudge. This will keep in the fridge for 1 week. Just let it come up to room temperature before serving.

LFM: You can dip just about anything in chocolate sauce and the same goes for choconut sauce! Apples, Ice Cream, Bananas, Wafer cookies, Pretzels, Cheese, Strawberries, ect.

Cost:

• Dry Roasted Peanuts $2.00

Total Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Serving: $0.25

Category: Phat Loot, LFG, Snackage

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

The Broke Leprechaun

My children have been blissfully ignorant of Leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Since they are home-schooled, there is no non-sense about being pinched if you aren't wearing green and no worries about the holiday what-so-ever. However, spending the day before St. Patty's at a friends house has put an unexpected cramp in my plans of ignorance for my children.

With the wonderful imagination my friend has, and being a much better mom than I am in passing that on to her kids, my kids where led out of their innocence. Much to my panic, I woke up this morning to my oldest daughter setting "traps" around the house for the Leprechauns! When I asked her what she was up to she told me all about the Leprechauns who leave chocolate coins for you if you manage to catch one in your trap.

This was fun, cute, and heart-stopping all at once. Where was I supposed to come up with chocolate money!?! I couldn't go to the store without my kids, so they would automatically know it was me. I called Rill and asked her for some advice. We devised a plan, and it only required keeping my kids out of the kitchen for about an hour. I could manage that.

Since I didn't have gold tinfoil, the Leprechaun my kids managed to catch, was unfortunately pretty poor. Their coins would be silver, but they were excited about the catch anyways!

The Broke Leprechaun
24 Servings | Total Time: 1 hour | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 package Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
• 1 package Muffin cups
• 2 sheet Tin Foil (2 feet), cut into 3 inch squares

Craft: Heat the baking chocolate in a double-boiler until it is smooth. Spoon 2 tbl melted chocolate into each muffin cup. Place chocolate filled cups in the fridge until hardened. Meanwhile, cut up your tinfoil and decorate if desired. When the chocolate "coins" are hardened, take them out of the muffin cups and wrap individually in tinfoil squares.

Strategies: If you have extra chocolate after all your muffin cups are filled, have fun with it, I had a carton of strawberries and made myself Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries!

Cost:

• Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate $1.79
  
• Muffin cups $1.25
  

Total Cost: $3.04
Cost Per Serving: $0.13

Category: Phat Loot

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

Daevas' Dulce de Leche

In the world of Atreia it is a great day when a human ascends to a Daevas and earns their wings. It is a day of celebration and joy for the fledgling Daevas' parents and family. While the NPC's don't generally shout "Ding!" and "Grats!" we players do! And to celebrate hitting level 10 and getting our shiny new wings and new abilities we're going to make a special, delicious treat!

Dulce de Leche (DOOL-say day LAY-chay) is "milk candy" and tastes a lot like caramel. You can use it for anything you'd normally use caramel for too. And depending on how long you cook it, you can have it silky, soft and creamy or you can have it firm and taffy-like. I usually prefer somewhere in between. It's a very easy treat to make but it does take a long time to cook and you do need to check on it every once in a while. Explody cans are not as fun IRL as they are IG.

This recipe is perfect for fondue or dessert parties too! You can dip in apples or bananas or even cheese! You can drizzle it over ice cream or cakes or you can mix a spoonful into your hot chocolate. It's very versatile so don't be afraid to get creative on what to dip into it!

Dulce de Leche

30 Servings | Total Time: 3-4.5 hours | Apprentice

Mats:

• 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Craft: Remove the label from the can. Place the unopened can inside a pot and fill it with water until the water is about 1/4 inch away from the top of the can. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, checking every 30 minutes to refill with water if needed. 3 hours for a softer texture. 4 hours for a firmer texture. When done, remove from the water and let cool for 30 minutes. Open the can and scoop out the mixture into a small bowl. The top will be milky, the bottom will be firm so stir until well combined and smooth.

Strategies: It's very important not to submerge the can and not to let the water get to low either. You will risk the can exploding if you do not keep the water level fairly consistent.

LFM: This goes great with anything you'd normally put caramel on and is perfect for fondue! Apples, Ice Cream, Bananas, Wafer cookies, Pretzels, Cheese, Strawberries, Pineapple, ect.

Cost:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk $1.50

Total Cost: $1.50
Cost Per Serving: $0.05

Category: LFG, Phat Loot

Clara's Apple Crisp

Growing up in my family, we used to say you have two stomachs. One for normal food and one for dessert. So even if you're full after dinner, there's ALWAYS room for dessert. (Really, it was just a way to be able to say "I'm full" to mom so you didn't have to finish your veggies but still be able to say, "I want dessert!") This is an excellent dessert to fill up that other empty stomach of yours.

And have you ever noticed how hard it is to get rid of the last two apples in the big bag you bought? I don't know about you but I'm always buying too many apples because they're so tasty and on sale! But I always find myself starting to get tired of apples by the time I reach the bottom of the bag. I'm always trying to find a use for them! (Besides helping a certain gnome make his robot look like a priestess in order to unravel a dire plot in Stormwind. I'm gonna miss that quest. *sniffle*)

Making apple crisp is a way to sweeten up the apples and cooking it makes them soft so you get a different texture and taste to mix things up when you're getting bored of apples. And you don't have to make a big batch either! You can make them in individual ramekins and have your own personal piece of heaven to dive into.

Clara's Apple Crisp


2 Servings | Total Time: 45 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 2 Medium Apples (any kind)
• 1 Tbl Orange Juice
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/3 cup Butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbl Flour
• 2/3 cup Oats

Craft: Preheat the oven to 375°. Peel and slice the apples. In a small bowl, toss the apples in Cinnamon and orange juice. In a separate bowl combine flour, brown sugar and oats. Add melted butter and stir until well combined. Divide apples into two ramekins. Cover with the oats mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Strategies: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled and cooked in a casserole dish instead of individual ramekins.

LFM: Serve with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

Cost:

• Apples $0.75
• Orange Juice $1.00
• Oats $1.00

Total Cost: $2.75
Cost Per Serving: $1.38

Category: Casual, Phat Loot

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

Falmea's Favorite Fruity French Toast

It was a bright sunny morning in the Spiral. Wizard City was just starting to wake up to the crisp air. In her cottage, Professor Falmea awoke and thought to herself, 'Yes, I like French Toast. But I mostly like french toast with delicious strawberry syrup.' So she got up to fix herself some fruity french toast but there were no strawberries to be found! She sent her students to search all over Wizard City but everyone was all sold out.

Then one student came to her rescue. Following the advice of Prospector Zeke, this student went and searched deep in the woods of Grizzleheim and there discovered a large strawberry patch. The student gathered as many strawberries as she could and brought them back to Falmea. Professor Falmea was so pleased she rewarded the student by cooking up a double batch of Fruity French Toast with extra strawberry syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Sounds like a delicious story yes? Well let me tell you...finding strawberries that are less than $4.00 in winter can be hard. But it's worth it. I had listened to that silly song just before going to sleep. So, just like Falmea, I too woke up thinking about french toast!

 

Luckily, I had some strawberries in the fridge, leftover from my parfait craving earlier this week. These strawberries were just waiting for an excuse to be used. It's pretty simple to make strawberry syrup for your pancakes, waffles or french toast. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn't become candy instead of syrup!


Falmea's Favorite Fruity French Toast

2 Servings | Total Time: 20 min | Artisan

Mats:

• 6 slices of Wheat Bread
• 3 Eggs, (3/4 cup Fake Eggs)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbl Milk
• 8-10 Strawberries, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• 1/4 cup Water
• 2 tsp Powdered Sugar
• Cooking Spray

Craft: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together strawberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Dip 1 slice of bread in the egg mixture, turn to coat then place in the heated pan. Cook 2-3 minutes or until browned and not gooey then flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until done. Place on a warm plate in the microwave to keep warm. Repeat for other slices of bread. As you cook the french toast, stir your strawberry mixture occasionally. When all your french toast is done, pour the mixture over the toast, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Strategies: You can use this same recipe and make an excellent blueberry syrup too!

LFM: Bacon or Sausage and a glass of milk.

Cost:

• Wheat Bread $1.50
• Eggs $1.00
• Strawberries $2.50

Total Cost: $5.00
Cost Per Serving: $2.50

Category: Rez Plz, Raid Night, Phat Loot

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

Snowy Side Frosting

Anyone who has even started playing Dungeons and Dragons Online will understand the dilemma that has been presented with Sunny Korthos and Snowy Korthos. Both apparently the same place except that on Snowy Korthos, it's... well... snowing. Korthos Island was extremely confusing and frustrating to get through when you are trying to get help from people you can't interact with because they have progressed to Sunny Korthos whilst you are stuck on Snowy Korthos.

Alas! There is a sunny side to being stuck in the snow! And that is, that snow tastes better. Utilizing the resources given to me while I wandered around that cold and lonely island I was able to come up with a fabulous frosting that goes well with just about every kind of Phat Loot or fruit!



Snowy Side Frosting

12 Servings | Total Time: 10 Minutes | Apprentice

Mats:

• 8 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup Butter (softened)
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Craft: In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in vanilla, then gradually stir in powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator after use.

Strategies: To soften the cream cheese and butter put them in the microwave for a few seconds. If you prefer chocolate frosting simply add 1/8-1/4 cup Cocoa Powder, according to how rich you want it.

Cost:

• Cream Cheese $1.69

Total Cost: $1.69
Cost Per Serving: $0.14

Category: Phat Loot, LFG, Snackage, Critical Hits

Pywll's Parfait

High King Pywll was a pretty wise man for his time. Without him, many Aluvians might have been lost to savage war times and then who would Asheron have called to help his people in the land of Dereth? But the thing about the king that most people didn't know is that he had a taste for sweet and fruity things.

This royal treat is a quick and easy nom to make. No cooking required! Maybe a little slicing and dicing but as long as you have dagger/melee d spec buddy you should be fine. It's creamy and crunchy. It's sweet and salty. It's perfect for breakfast. It's perfect for dessert. It's perfect for a snack. It's everything you want after you've done nothing but stuck your hiney in a corner and killed lugians for a few hours.

Pywll's Parfait

1 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt
• 1 Granola bar, chopped up
• 1/2 cup Blueberries
• 1/2 cup Strawberries, sliced in half or quarters

Craft: In a cup layer 1/3 of the blueberries, 1/3 of the strawberries, and 1/2 of the yogurt. Repeat once then top with remaining fruit and all the granola.

Strategies: You can use just about any fruit that you have available. Fresh fruit is always tastier but you can use frozen fruit too. You can use canned fruit too but I highly recommend rinsing the fruit gently to remove the syrup it's packaged in. To make it a really sweet treat, use granola bars with chocolate chips in them or add a tsp of chocolate syrup between each layer and drizzled on top.

Cost:

• Vanilla Yogurt $0.75
• Granola bar $0.50
• Blueberries $2.00
• Strawberries $2.00

Total Cost: $5.25
Cost Per Serving: $5.25

Category: Rez Plz, Expansions, Snackage, Phat Loot, Cheat Codes

Bilgewater Buccaneer Brownies

No, these brownies will not explode, even though they're named after the Bilgewater Buccaneers football team. And I don't think they will stop Deathwing from making your private island volcano explode either but you never know! They are pretty tasty. Maybe all Deathwing needs is a little love in the form of football brownies. Sorta like the only thing Darth Vadar wanted was a cookie!

Bilgewater Buccaneer Brownies

12-16 Servings | Total Time: 1 hour | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 2/3 cups Sugar 
• 3/4 cup Butter, melted
• 2 Tbl Water
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/3 cups Flour
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tbl of Baking Cocoa
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 Tbl Milk
• Tube of White Icing with decorating tip

Craft: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 in baking pan. In a large bowl mix sugar, butter and water. Stir in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly sticky. Immediately place a large cookie sheet on top of the baking pan and gently flip to remove the brownies from the pan. Let cool completely.

While the brownies cool, mix powdered sugar, milk and 1 Tbl of the Baking Cocoa in a small bowl. Add more milk for thinner frosting or more powdered sugar for thicker. When the brownies are cooled, cut them into rough diamond shapes. Spread each piece with a thin layer of brown icing. Let it sit for a few minutes to harden then using the white decorative icing to add laces to each 'football'. One long line then three short lines across.

Strategies: You will have leftover pieces of brownies by the time you're done cutting out all the brownies. These make great snacks too! Roll them up into small balls, coat in powdered sugar and put a toothpick in them. You can make these a day before you need them but remember to cover them so they don't dry out.

LFM:  Just a glass of milk!

Cost:

• Sugar $1.00
• Eggs $1.00
• Flour $2.00
• Baking Cocoa $2.00
  
• Powdered Sugar $1.50
• Milk $1.50
• Tube of White Icing with decorating tip $3.00

Total Cost: $12.00
Cost Per Serving: $0.75

Category: Phat Loot, LFG

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

Cairne's Fry Bread

Leetah's post about semi-homade donuts had me thinking about other tasty fried foods that I hadn't tried in a while. One of my childhood favorites was Navajo Fried Bread that my aunt used to make all the time. The fry bread was great because it served as a base for both dinner and desert! I tweaked the recipe a tad to make it less complicated and renamed it in honor of my favorite Horde leader, Cairne.

I know, I play Alliance, but Cairne was the only Horde leader I truly respected. Most people are all 'Thrall this' and 'Thrall that'. Yeah, Thrall is cool and all but even he said at Cairne's grave, "...to my mind, you always held the heart of the Horde...You and the tauren. You were our heart, our true spiritual center."

So because the styles of the Tauren in World of Warcraft were heavily influenced by the Native Americans we know, I've chosen to call this recipe Cairne's Fry Bread in his honor. It's fairly simple to make if you know something about dough and frying techniques. And it's versatile in what kind of toppings you put on it.

You can do chili and cheese and cabbage or go taco salad style. Then for desert you can have honey, butter and powdered sugar or butter and syrup or just some of your favorite jam.

Cairne's Fry Bread

2 Servings | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Artisan

Mats:

• 1 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Milk
• Canola Oil

Craft: Fill a large pan with 1 inch of Canola Oil and place on medium heat. You will want the temperature to be between 350° and 375° for frying. While the oil heats, mix together all the dry ingredients until combined, then add milk. Mix gently until combine. Do not knead the mixture or your bread will come out tough. With well-floured hands, divide the dough into four equal portions. Take one portion and stretch it out into a rough disc shape. It does not need to be round, just stretched out 4-7 inches.

When the oil is ready, gently drop the disc into the oil and hold down with heat-proof tongs. Cook until golden brown on one side (3-4 minutes) then flip and let cook on the other side (2-3 minutes). When the bread is done, remove from the oil then place on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Keep warm in the microwave or in the oven set at 200°. Repeat for other pieces of dough. While you're frying, you can also be cooking up whatever toppings you are going to use, just keep an eye on the bread so you don't overcook it or it will get tough!

Strategies: You can divide the dough into smaller portions and smaller discs too but remember that it will cook just a bit faster. Use a digital candy thermometer to keep a close eye on your oil temperature. If you're in a hurry, you can speed up the cooking by having two pans of oil going at once so you can cook twice as much bread in the same amount of time.

Cost:

• Flour | $2.00
• Milk | $1.50
• Canola Oil | $2.00
• Toppings +

Total Cost: $5.50+
Cost Per Serving: $2.75+

Category: Casual, Phat Loot

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

Dalaran Doughnut

Homemade doughnuts? Well, close enough! I have tried and tried and tried to make doughnuts from scratch and have failed every time. Bleh, who wants to go through that? Well I certainly don't and I wont ask you to either. These doughnuts aren't made from scratch but they still fall under the homemade classification because you cook them on your own stove!




The only thing required is a frying pan, some tongs, oil, biscuits, and something to cut out the holes with.



My mom always used a film canister, but since no one uses film in cameras anymore I searched around my house to see what I had that would be about the same size and this is what I found.




Trust me, these doughnuts are worth the 10 minutes they take out of your day. And they bring big smiles to your face when you arrange them on the plate just so.




Mmmm, just looking at the picture makes me want to go eat another one...

Dalaran Doughnuts

4 Servings | Total Time: 10 Minutes | Skill: Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 package Buttermilk Biscuit (jumbo or regular)
• Frosting or Glaze of your choice
• Canola Oil
  

Craft: Fill the bottom of a deep frying pan or pot with 2 inches of Canola Oil. Turn heat up to medium-high. Remove biscuits from canister and use a 1 inch round object to press out the doughnut holes. When all the doughnuts are holed, test the temperature of the oil with one of the holes. It should take approximately 2 minutes per side and should be a golden brown color. Remove it from the oil and let it cool briefly. Cut the doughnut hole in half and verify that it is cooked all the way through. If your oil is too hot the outside of the doughnut will be dark and the inside will still be doughy. If your doughnuts take longer than 2 minutes per side to become a golden brown color, then your oil is too cold. When you have all of your doughnuts cooked, allow them to cool enough to be able to pick up with your hands and coat with the frosting or glaze of your choice.

Strategies: This is a website Rill found that has some good tips on Deep Frying. Thin frosting work best for glazes, thicker frosting should be warmed up so it is easier to spread on the doughnut. You can even do a classic powdered sugar if you don't have any frosting available!

Cost:

• Buttermilk Biscuits $1.50
• Frosting $1.00

Total Cost: $2.50
Cost Per Serving: $0.63

Category: Rez Plz, Raid Night, Snackage, Phat Loot

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!