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

Oven Fried Halos

There's nothing quite like a classic game. Especially a good one that launches many, many more sequel and branching games. Take Halo as a good example. It starts off all humanity vs aliens and then throws some zombies in there to threaten both! Only the Master Chief (aka you) can stop them! The Master Chief has become an iconic symbol in FPS games. There are very few people who wouldn't recognize him as at least being related to some random video game.

I was wondering how on earth I could make a recipe that is a tribute to such a great game like Halo. Thinking about 'halos' got me thinking about rings. And rings got me thinking about onion rings. But onion rings are, unfortunately, something that's hard to make at home. And REALLY hard to make healthier. These certainly are not the deep fried super crunchy rings you'd get at your local fast foodery place but they do come pretty close. Close enough for this Master Chef (see what I did thar?)!

Oven Fried Halos

4 Servings | Prep Time: 2-24 Hrs; Cook Time: 10 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 White Onion
• 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt
• 2 Tbl Parsley, dried
• 2 cups Buttermilk

Craft: Separate the onion into rings and place in an air-tight container. Pour buttermilk over them, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 425° F. Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and coat with cooking spray. Mix breadcrumbs, garlic salt and parsley in a shallow bowl. Coat each onion ring with the breadcrumbs and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until rings are golden brown.

Strategies: If you don't have buttermilk you can make 'sour milk' by mixing 1 Tbl of Lemon Juice or Vinegar with 1 cup of milk.

LFM: This is great with any chicken dishes, burgers or sandwiches. Serve with sauces like ranch dressing and marinara sauce.

Cost:

• White Onion | $0.75
  
• Buttermilk | $1.00
  

Total Cost: $1.75
Cost Per Serving: $0.44

Category: Expansions, Snackage, LFG

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

Whiptail Saute

 For a time, Whiptail had it's hay-day. It grew, you picked it and within moments it was back again, for you to pick, again. And so on and on it went. Many, many farmers spent many many hours farming these ever present nodes in Uldum.

You would initially think that such a flood of the herb would have driven the costs for it on the AH to drop dramatically. Curiously though, it didn't. So where was all of this Whiptail being sold?

It wasn't.

Okay then, where was it being hoarded?

It wasn't.

The fact is, it was being milled. I mean, why not? Inks are, after all, far more profitable than mere herbs. But when you leave an inscriptionist to mill so many herbs non-stop, he will eventually have a large pile of excreted herbs that no longer have the ink in them, but may be a waste to simply throw away. So a few clever cooks gathered the piles of pulped Whiptail and brought it to their fires and seasonings to see what they could come up with.

 Sorry about the picture quality!

Whiptail Saute
6 Servings | Total Time: 15 Minutes | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1/8 cup water
• 1 bunch pulped Whiptail, or fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed
• 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice

Craft: Bring the water to a boil in a skillet over medium heat. Add spinach all at once, and reduce heat slightly. Cover, and let cook for about 3 minutes, or until spinach is not quite tender. Stir in the cream cheese and lemon juice, and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the cream cheese is melted and well blended. Serve immediately.

Strategies: Try other seasonings like garlic or onion powder to change up the flavor a little.

LFM: This dip is wonderful with bread, crackers or chips!

Cost:

• Spinach | $1.89
• Cream Cheese | $1.19

Total Cost: $3.08
Cost Per Serving: $0.51

Categories: Expansions, Raid Night, Snackage

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

Talandra's Rose Flatbread

I have been an herbalist at heart for as long as I can remember.  I have always found herbs fascinating.  When I was twelve I started my own herb garden growing things like mint and lavender, parsley and basil.  So naturally when I started playing WoW I had my first professions practically handed to me on a silver platter with my freaking name on it.  Herbalism and the accompanying Alchemy.  I loved creating potions and elixirs from the various herbs found around the map in game.  However I was not terribly found of having to find the herbs.  Wouldn't it be so much easier to just grow an herb garden like IRL?  Or even go down to the grocery store and buy them dried in a bottle on a shelf?  Alas, this may not be an option available in game, but it is one for your kitchen IRL.  Today I present you with one of my favorite appetizers, Talandra's Rose Flatbread.

Talandra's Rose Flatbread
4 Servings | Total Time: 5 Minutes | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 10-ounce fully baked thin pizza crust (such as Boboli)
• 1 Tbl Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper

Craft: While barbecue is heating to medium or oven is heating to 400° brush 1 side of pizza crust round with oil, then sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. Place on grill or in oven, seasoned side down. Brush top with oil, then sprinkle with remaining rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. Cook until just golden, about 2 minutes per side on the grill or 6 minutes in the oven. Cut pizzas into wedges and serve.

Strategies: You can make this with your own home made pizza dough and adding a little sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  Also try changing out the herb to basil or oregano or a combination of your favorites.

Cost:

• Pizza Crust | $5.00

Total Cost: $5.00
Cost Per Serving: $1.25 
*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your price may vary.

Categories: Troll Fuel, Snackage, Expansions, Raid Night, Critical Hits

Ranid's Fruit & Cheese Platter

As Ranid well knows, sometimes you just feel peckish. You want a satisfying amount of food but you don't want a hunk of chicken or a slab of beef. You don't want a giant salad or a big bowl of fruit. You don't want a mound of mashed potatoes or a pile of green beans. You want variety and snacky type foods, am I right? Well then, I have a quest for you.

Your quest (should you choose to accept it) will be to acquire a variety of quest items from the pantry and fridge bosses. Then use this [Large Platter] with the foods to make a [Ranid's Fruit & Cheese Platter] to complete your quest. I will show you what my platter looks like but yours can be anything. Just remember! To have a proper platter you need at least 2 kinds of cheese, 2 kinds of fruit, 2 kinds of meat and 2 kinds of vegetables. You will also want crackers and several spreadable items and/or dipping sauces.

Ranid's Fruit & Cheese Platter

2 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 cup Grapes
• 1/2 cup Broccoli Florets
• 1/2 cup Cauliflower Florets
• 1 cup Grape Tomatoes
• 1 cup Baby Carrots
• 1/2 cup Radishes
• 1/4 Kielbasa Sausage
• 1 pkg Deli-sliced Ham
• 1 slice Swiss Cheese
• 1 slice Pepper Jack Cheese
• 2 Wedges Laughing Cow Cheese
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Tbl Lemon Juice
• 1 pkg Crackers
• Nutella
• Strawberry Jelly
• Ranch Dressing

Craft: Dice the kielbasa and brown it in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dice the ham, swiss cheese and pepper jack cheese. Slice the Avocado and sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve all fruits, cheeses and veggies on a platter with crackers and dips on the side.

Strategies: You can add any fruits and veggies to this platter that are currently in season and on sale. This is a great way to use up leftovers.

Cost: This recipe mainly uses leftovers.

Category: Troll Fuel, Snackage, LFG

Pepper-oni Crackers

This is a repost from our lost dataz.

Snack Attack Pepper-oni Crackers

1 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 3 Large Crackers (or 6 smaller)
• 1 Wedge Laughing Cow Cheese
• 1/2 Roma Tomato
• 1 Slice Green Bell Pepper
• 3 Slices Pepperoni

Craft: Cut 3 slices from the tomato. Cut the bell pepper into three chunks. Spread 1/3 (or 1/6th) of the cheese on each cracker. Top with tomato, then pepperoni, then green bell pepper.

Strategies: You can easily make more of these for a party!

Cost: This meal was made with mostly leftovers and whatever was in the fridge.

Category: Snackage, LFG

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

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

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

Crunchy, Berry Granola

Granola scared me the first time I decided to make it. In fact, the phrase 'From Scratch' always scared me. Actually there was a time when the word 'cook' scared me! When I got married and realized I was now expected to 'cook' edible things I was terrified. Eventually I learned how to cook a few things and over time I learned more and more. I was surprised to find out I enjoyed cooking! I was also surprised how easy some things can be to make from scratch.

Granola is actually one of those things that you think should be hard and then it's not. It's not even very much work! It takes all of 5 minutes to mix up then you bake it for an hour and a half. You don't even have to stir it while it's cooking! Though I recommend it anyway for even browning and no pan-sticking. But you get perfectly good granola if you can't go AFK for 2 minutes to stir so no worries!

And the other thing I love about home made granola is you can mix and match ingredients to suit your tastes. This recipe uses a lot of sugar free and healthy ingredients but you can certainly use whatever you have on hand. You can add any variety and quantity of nuts that you like. I love peanuts so I use a bunch of those. You can even add coconut if you'd like!

Be warned that this recipe is a BIG BATCH. My husband and I eat this instead of cereal every morning so I need enough to last us both the for the week + snacks.

Crunchy Berry Granola

18 Servings (3/4 cup ea) | Prep Time: 5 min; Cook Time 1 hr 30 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 8 cups Rolled Oats (not instant)
• 3 cups Unsalted Peanuts
• 1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
• 1/4 cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
• 1 Tbl Cinnamon
• 1 cup Splenda Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 1 cup Honey
• 1 cup Sugar-Free Syrup
• 1 1/2 cups Mixed Dried Berries

Craft: Preheat oven to 250°. In a large bowl mix together oats, nuts, wheat germ and cinnamon. In a medium bowl whisk together brown sugar, oil, honey and syrup. Pour the syrup mixture over the oats mixture and stir until well combined. Spread over two baking sheets and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Stir and switch bottom/top pans every 30 minutes. When done, remove from oven and immediately transfer to a large bowl. Stir in dried fruit quickly. Granola will harden as it cools.

Strategies: Granola is one of those things that you can add anything you want or leave out anything you want. More nuts? Go for it! Coconut? Absolutely! Leave off the berries? Sure!

LFM: Granola goes perfect in a bowl of milk or in yogurt.

Cost:

• Rolled Oats | $2.00
• Unsalted Peanuts | $2.00
• Slivered Almonds | $1.25
• Chopped Pecans | $1.50
• Wheat Germ | $3.00
• Syrup | $1.50
• Mixed Dried Berries | $3.50

Total Cost: $14.75
Cost Per Serving: $0.82

Category: Rez Plz, Snackage, Expansions, LFG

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

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.

Bacon Pull-Apart Bread

So you know, Bacon is the best thing there is. Everything is better with bacon. It makes any food better, any name better and any day better. So when I decided to make bread with bacon... what could be better? The simple answer, nothing. Pics or it didn't happen, you say? Well here, nuff said.

Bacon Pull-Apart Bread
8 Servings | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 lb Bacon
• 1 Package Biscuits
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Craft: Cut up the bacon into 1 inch pieces. Cook on the stove on medium high heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Let bacon cool on a plate for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. When bacon is cooled, mix it together with cheese in a bowl. Open the uncooked biscuits and mix together with bacon and cheese. place in a small baking dish and cover with tinfoil. Cook for 15 minutes or until biscuits are no longer doughy.

Strategies: You can use any type of refrigerated dough for this. Or, if you are ambitious, make your own!

LFM: This is very good served with a side of ranch dressing to dip them in.

Cost:

• Bacon $3.45
• Biscuits $1.13
• Mozzarella $2.00 

Total Cost: $6.58
Cost Per Serving: $0.82

Category: Rez Plz, Snackage, LFG,Casual, Expansions

Skethyl Berry Bread

Nothing is better than the smell of baking bread permeating the household while you're grinding out a few levels on your alt in Terokkar Forest. Unless of course that bread is also mixed with the smell of baking blueberries. I don't particularly like blueberries. At least not raw. Unless they're in an awesome parfait where the texture is disguised by yogurt. But drop those blueberries inside something for cooking and mmmMMMmmm. It's good!

This is one of those perfect breakfast foods. I don't know about you but I am NOT a morning person. I need to ease into my day by doing something mindless. I also can't eat breakfast right away. Still not sure why, but breakfast as soon as you wake up just doesn't appeal to me. So I make this batter the night before then fold in the blueberries in the morning and pop it in the oven. Then I have a whole hour to go help some poor refugees down in the Bone Wastes. About the time the bread is done, I'm awake enough for food. And mighty tasty food it is.

Skethyl Berry Bread

12 Servings | Total Time: 1 hour 10 min | Artisan

Mats:

• 3 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Eggs or 1/2 cup Egg Substitute
• 3/4 cup Honey
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 3 Tbl Canola Oil
• 1 cup Blueberries

Craft: Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix again. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into a well greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from loaf pan immediately and set on a rack to cool.

LFM: Serve with a variety of fruit or drizzle of chocolate!

Cost:

• Egg Substitute $1.75
  
• Honey $1.00
• Blueberries $2.00

Total Cost: $4.75
Cost Per Serving: $0.40

Category: Snackage, Rez Plz, Expansions, LFG

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

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

EZ Cucumber Salad

St. Patrick's Day is coming soon and that means corned beef and cabbage and potatoes and all kinds of creative green things. This week you'll be seeing a few green-theme recipes from us! We'll start with something easy! A simple, fast, cucumber salad. You can slice it like I've done or you can chop it up and add some other green veggies too. Dressed up or dressed down this will be a tasty side to any meal and makes a great snack too!

EZ Cucumber Salad
6 Servings | Total Time: 5 min | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 Large Cucumber
• 2 Tbl Italian dressing

Craft: Peel the cucumber then slice or dice it. In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber slices with the dressing. Serve cold.

Strategies: You can add more depth to this side by adding cherry or grape tomatoes, radishes, celery, broccoli and/or green beans. You can swap out the Italian dressing for any kind of dressing you'd like.

Cost:

• Cucumber $0.50
• Italian Dressing $1.50

Total Cost: $2.00
Cost Per Serving: $0.34

Category: Expansions, LFG, Snackage

Chicken Biscuit Sliders

One of my most favorite fast meals is sliders. Sliders, for anyone who may not know, are mini sammiches. It's the perfect way to get rid of leftover meat and biscuits. Since it's just my husband and I living here, we often don't go through a whole package of dinner rolls or a whole ham or a whole rotisserie chicken or a whole container of biscuits. But I hate, hate, HATE to waste food so we get creative in how to use them up without getting boring with our meals.

These sliders are made with biscuits and shredded rotisserie chicken but really, you can use whatever leftover breads and leftover meats you want. They're perfect for raid nights too because they're quick to make and easy to eat with one-hand while you're gaming. They also make good LAN party foods and will fill up your hungry guests without making a mess of the keyboards and controllers.

 

Chicken Biscuit Sliders

4-8 Servings | Total Time: 20 min | Journeyman

Mats:

• 1 can Refrigerated Biscuits
• 2 cups Chicken, cooked and shredded or sliced
• 8 Tbl Barbecue Sauce
• 4 Slices of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 4 Lettuce Leafs
• 8 Tomato Slices (Roma)
• 16 Pickle Slices

Craft: Bake the biscuits according to package instructions. Let biscuits cool then slice in half. Spread 1/2 Tbl of BBQ sauce on each biscuit slice. On one half of a whole biscuit, layer 1/4 cup chicken, 1/2 slice of cheese, 1/2 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice and 2 pickle slices. Put them together and enjoy!

Strategies: You can buy a Rotisserie Chicken from the Deli section of your grocery store. One chicken will give you 4-6 cups of shredded chicken which is useful in many meals. This meal also works great with dinner rolls if you want to buy them pre-cooked and save about 10 minutes!

LFM: Apple or Pear slices with chips or fries and a soft drink.

Cost:

• Refrigerated Biscuits $1.50
• Rotisserie Chicken $5.00
• Barbecue Sauce $1.00
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese $2.00
• Lettuce $1.00
• Roma Tomatos $0.50
• Pickles $1.25
  

Total Cost: $12.25
Cost Per Serving: $1.50

Category: Raid Night, Troll Fuel, Snackage, LFG

Helga's Ham Spread

Ham has so many wonderful uses and often is cheapest when you buy it in bulk. I often find myself with big chunks leftover because of this reason. The simplest way to use up these extra cuts is this wonderful Ham Spread. It can be used as a cracker spread, dip, or even sandwiches. It keeps well in the fridge if you make a big batch and is great for those unexpected groups that arrive unannounced.

Helga's Ham Spread
10 Servings | Total Time: 20 Minutes | Apprentice

Mats:

• 1 lb Ham, chopped
• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Pickle Juice or Relish
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• Kitchen Weapon Proficiency: Food Processor

Craft: Put ham in Food Processor and pulse until well shredded. Mix all ingredients together in a medium to large mixing bowl. Spread and serve, or cover and chill in the refrigerator until use.

Strategies: You can use canned ham to speed up the preparation if you would like. Also try adding onions or mustard to it to change up the flavor a bit.

Cost:

• Ham $2.99
• Cream Cheese $1.79

Total Cost: $4.78
Cost Per Serving: $0.48

Categories: Raid Night, Snackage, LFG, Troll Fuel