Clams in White Sauce

There are times where you need to whip something up really quickly, and you don't have terribly many ingredients lying around.  Hopefully, you've got some milk, butter, and flour.  If you're really lucky, you've got a can of clams too.  If you've got all that, lets get started!

Ingredients:

1 can of clams
2 T flour
2 T butter
1 cup milk
1/2 an onion, diced
Oregano
Garlic powder

Equipment:
1 quart pot
1 spoon
can opener
measuring implements

Directions:
1. Heat up the pot, adding in the butter
2. Add the flour to the melted butter, mixing to create a roux
3. Once well mixed, add in the milk and clams
4. Stir in the spices
5. Once thickened, remove from heat

Serve on top of Orecchiette, shells, or spaghetti (or any other kind of noodle.  I'm not your boss.)
Should feed 4~5 people.  If you double the recipe, you can easily just add more flour and neglect to add extra butter.

Possible Alterations:
Everything mentioned here, except for the clams, goes into a standard white sauce.  You could use shrimp, tuna, mushrooms, or any other type of addition that you desire.  If you add cheese, you can make a pretty tasty cheese sauce.  If you don't have butter, you can use oil, or shortening, or probably even bacon fat.

Happy Gaming!

Blackmoonshine's Cheese Balls

Like this, without the meat. Or the cake.

Meatballs are fantastic.  Especially the Swedish variety they serve at Ikea. It's really the best reason to go to Ikea.  Other than all the other stuff they have at Ikea, that is...

Anyway, one of the things that stinks about meatballs, at least when one needs to worry about serving pescetarian/vegetarian friends, is that they involve meat.  Blackmoonshine, a redditor, shared this wonderful recipe with me.  It tastes great, especially when served with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes.  The best part is that they freeze very well, so you can make big batches and store them for use later!

Ingredients:
1 Cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped (Pecan meal is suggested by Blackmoonshine)
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 glove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes.

Equipment:
Blender or food processor
cheese shredder
2 large bowls
1 spatula
1 fork
measuring implements
Cookie sheets/baking pans
Wax paper

Directons:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl, as specified
3. Using a 1 T measure, measure out balls and place onto baking sheets covered in wax paper
4. Place into oven until browned, roughly 20~30 minutes

Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes (making both from a box is totally fine.) Makes about 4~5 servings if served as a meal, or more if served as hors d'oeuvre.

Possible Alterations:
Adding spinach or parsley would be okay, as would adding any number of other things.  Feel free to experiment, and leave feedback in the comments.  Many thanks for Blackmoonshine for sharing this recipe with me.  It's been very nice to have these in the freezer for days when I'm looking for something delicious and don't have the time to whip something up from scratch.

As always, may your meals be delicious and your games epic!

Dump (or Wowie) Cake

We got hungry...

Dump cake, according to the internet, is a dessert that involves putting cake mix on top of fruit filling of some kind.  That is not the dump cake we're talking about.  Mainly because that dessert is poorly named.  You're not really dumping anything into the dish haphazardly.  You're layering fruit filling and cake mix.  So the "dump" part makes no sense.  On top of that, it's an odd form of cobbler, which while tasty, is not cake.  It's simply not a "dump cake".  If I ever write about it, I'll call it "Quick Cobbler", or something like that.  Right now, I'm taking back the meaning of Dump Cake to it's rightful owner.

What we are going to talk about is the first cake I ever learned how to make, and it's become my go for all sorts of cake-ingesting occasions.  The reason is because it is so damnably simple, and because it doesn't require eggs or milk.  In fact, if you bake anything at all, you probably have most of the ingredients hanging around your kitchen.  So, lets go on to what we're going to be dumping into a cake dish today!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Cocoa

1 1/2  Cup Flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 T vinegar (white or apple cider is good)
1 tsp. Vanilla (Imitation is fine)
1/3 cup Salad Oil (usually Vegetable, others are fine)
1 Cup cold water

Topping:
Powdered Sugar

Equipment:
1 large bowl
1 cake round
1 spatula
measuring implements

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Dump Sugar, Cocoa, Flour, salt, and baking soda into bowl. Combine.
3. Dump vinegar, vanilla, oil, and water into bowl.  Mix until smooth.
4. Put batter into greased, floured baking round.
5. Bake roughly 35 minutes
6. Cut around edges, and invert cake onto a dish.
7. Top with a coat of powdered sugar

Serve and enjoy!  Should make about 8 slices, more depending on how it is sliced.

Possible Alterations:
The best part about this cake is that it almost always turns out moist.  The second best part is that it's very versatile.  Want to make a two layer cake?  Go for it!  Want to put icing on it instead of powdered sugar?  Why not!  It's a pretty standard chocolate cake.  Dress it up however you want.  I'm sure it'll be great at all the parties.

As always, bon apetit and happy gaming!

Tater Tot Casserole

The recipe for this came to my attention a couple weeks ago on Reddit.  I'm a follower of f7u12d (r/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuud), and this recipe looked so simple that I just had to try it.  Turns out it's both delicious and cheap, so I just had to share.

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen tater tots
1~1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or some other cream soup)
1/2 cup milk
1 can tuna
1/3 bag frozen vegetables

Equipment:
1 big bowl
1 spatula
cheese grater
9x13 casserole dish
can opener
measuring implements

Directions:
1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F
2. Place the tots in a layer that covers the bottom of the pan.
3. Mix half the cheese, the condensed soup, milk, tuna, and vegetables in the bowl.
4. Pour the mixture on top of the tots, smoothing it out with your spatula.
5. Spread the remaining cheese on top of the casserole and place in the oven

Once the cheese has melted and browned, serve and enjoy!  Should feed 6~8 people (less if they're all considerable hungry)

Possible Alterations:
There are many things that can be done with this recipe.  It can use any type of cheese, any type of condensed cream soup, and the types of filler like tuna and frozen vegetables can vary.  The only thing I would really recommend would be to make sure to have some Sriracha on hand!

As always, happy gaming!

Carrot Salad

 There are a couple of reasons why carrot salad is cool.  Firstly, it is pretty damn tasty.  Secondly, it's dead simple, and doesn't require more than a handful of ingredients.  Thirdly, it's cheap.  Lastly, it stores well.

So, lets make some!

Ingredients:
4~5 medium carrots
2~3 handfuls raisins
1/2~3/4 cups mayo
Dill

Equipment:
1 large bowl
Spatula
Food processor
measuring implements

Directions:
1. After peeling the carrots and cutting the ends, shred the carrots in the food processor.
2. Move the shredded carrots into the bowl.
3. Add the mayo and the dill.  Mix it all up.

Makes 5~6 sides.

Possible Alterations:
This recipe is something I've never really messed with, just because it turns out great every time I make it.  If you have any suggestions though, I'd love to hear them in the comments!

Quick and Dirty Fried Rice

Fried rice is a delicious, and makes for a pretty good meal. Sometimes you don't want to go out for Chinese food, or you are looking for a cheaper alternative. The good news is that you can make some at home pretty easily!

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice (White)
2 cups water
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot
1 stick celery
1 Green Pepper, diced
3 handfuls frozen peas
1-2 eggs, scrambled
Soy Sauce
Garlic
Oil (for frying)

Equipment:
Stir Fry Pan/Wok
Chef Knife
Cutting Board
Spatula

Directions:
1. Cook the cup of rice with the two cups of water, and chill in the fridge.
2. Heat the oil up in the pan. Once hot, add onion, carrot, celery, green pepper, and peas. Keep the vegetables moving.
3. Once the veggies are mostly cooked and the onions are translucent, add the rice.
4. When the rice has started frying, push it to one side of the pan. In the free space, scramble the egg.
5. Once the egg is scrambled, mix it into the rice.
6. When the rice is almost mostly fried, add soy sauce.

Should serve 3~4 plates as a main dish, and 6 plates as a side dish.


Possible alterations:
There are lots of things you can add to fried rice to make it really tasty. Of course, you can add meat, such as chicken or shrimp. Baby corn would also probably be a good addition, and I've heard rumours that adding some fish sauce is a definite must.

If you were unaware, fish sauce is a flavour enhancer, like soy sauce, that is made from fermented fish juice. It may smell terrible, but when mixed with other flavours, apparently makes for a savoury delicious taste that is hard to replicate. As always, comments are always appreciated!

Good Eats and Happy Gaming!

Ice Cream, Liquid Nitrogen Style

Ice cream is delicious, and it's best when you make it yourself.  Sadly, whipping up a batch of ice cream can be hard work when you do it the old fashion way.  However it's positively easy when you do it with SCIENCE!

As I mentioned last time, you should wear the appropriate safety equipment, such as goggles and gloves, and work with this stuff outside or with the windows open.  Also, avoid

Ingredients:
1 cp milk
1 cp heavy cream
~1 cp Liquid Nitrogen
2~3 spoonfuls of sugar
Fruits
1 shot raspberry schnapps
1 shot peach schnapps


Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients (except for the liquid nitrogen) in a bowl
2. Slowly stir in the liquid nitrogen.

When the ice cream is done, feel free to dig in!

Possible Alterations:
The only real things that need to stay constant is the milk, cream, and liquid nitrogen.  Sugar is also probably pretty good to keep in there, but you may want to add to it.  Changing what you're using to add flavours is where all the action is going to happen.  Feel free to cut up some of your favourite fruits or candies and mix them in.  If you find anything particularly delicious, let me know in the comments!

Happy Gaming!

Fish Bake

The following recipe has been adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.  With how often I cook pescetarian, I'm always at a  loss as what to do with fish.  This recipe originally calls for baking the fish on top of a coal grill with hickory chips.  While cooking atop the grill is great during the summer time, sometimes starting the coals and cooking out is just too large of a time investment.  Baking in the oven works out great, however!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fish fillets
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper

Equipment:
Baking pan
Knife
bowl
fork

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Arrange half of the lemon slices in the bottom of a shallow baking pan.
3. In one layer, place the fish on top of the slices
4. Sprinkle fish generously with salt and pepper
5. Place the remaining lemon slices on top of the fish
6. Combine the melted butter with the minced garlic.
7. Pour the garlic butter mixture over the fish.
8. Basting frequently, cook the fish for 25-30 minutes, or until flaky.

Serve with the lemon slices and butter mixture.  Should serve a party of six.

Possible alterations:
Obviously, one could us the original recipe and bake the fish over slow coals with hickory chips on it.  One could also add different spices than just garlic butter.  Sage would probably bring something to the party, as would dill.  Chives might also be worth trying.  As for side dishes, some rice would be nice, as well as putting it on a bed of greens.

Good Eats and Happy Gaming!

Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots

Seeing as this month is apparently "Good Recipes from Cookbooks", I thought I'd share one of the first recipes that I ever learned.  It is from "Cooked Up by Kids" from The Virginia Children's Hospital at Fairfax Hospital.  I've had this book for a very long time, so it's certainly seen better days.  Even though it is aimed at kids, it doesn't make the recipes any less delicious!

Ingredients:
6 carrots
3 T butter or margarine
1 T  honey
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T fresh parsley, minced

Equipment:
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler
A saucepan with lid
knife
measuring implements

Directions:
1. Wash and peel the carrots.  Slice them into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Place the carrots, along with the orange juice, butter, honey, and salt.
3. Cover and cook over low heat until the carrots are tender.  Should be about 20 minutes.
4. Once carrots are tender, uncover and cook slowly until the juice is mostly gone.
5. Stir until the carrots are glazed with the butter/honey mixture.
6. Remove from heat and sprinkle parsley over carrots.

Serve as the side to a all kinds of things.  Makes enough for a family of four, although the recipe should double nicely.

Possible Alterations:
I can't think of anything that I would do to make this recipe better.  It's simple and to the point.  If you think of anything, however, I would love to hear from you!

Good eats, and happy gaming!

Nomalicious Falafel Burgers

I've been doing research into recipes that will freeze and re-heat well, that are also vegetarian.  Of the many places I have been looking, cookbooks have been a great resource.  The recipe that I want to high-light today came from one such book, "The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook" by Kim O'Donnel.

I made a batch of these yesterday, and was really happy with the results.  So, here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cp dried chickpeas
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cp fresh cilantro or parsley (or 1/4 cp each), chopped
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4~1/2 cup olive oil


Equipment:
1x spatula
2x large bowl
1x food processor
1x measuring implements

Directions:
1. Soak the chickpeas at least 8 hrs at room temp.  They will be roughly 2cups when done soaking. Drain and set aside.
2. Pulverize the chickpeas in the food processor until the beans just form a paste that sticks together when you squeeze it in your hand.  Over processing the chickpeas will likely end up making bad burgers.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, save for the oil.  Combine by pulsing the food processor ~12 times.
4. Refrigerate batter ~1 hr, until firm.
5. Preheat oven to 350F (if your oven is more awesome than mine)
6. Remove batter from fridge and shape into patties, using scant 1/3 cup measure.  Handle batter as little as possible.
7. Place on a plate/baking tray and cover. A cutting board covered with parchment paper also works. Return to the fridge and chill for another 10~15 minutes.
8. Heat the oil in shallow skillet, and place the patties in the hot oil in small batches. Fry until golden brown (~3 minutes).
9. Flip the patties and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
10. Place on baking tray and place them in the oven to finish cooking.

Serve in pita, hamburger bun, or atop romaine lettuce, decorated with things like lettuce, tomato, and other burger fixings.  This will make somewhere between 6-8 patties.



Also included in the book is a recipe for Tahini sauce.  Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, and can be difficult to find, and can be pretty expensive once you do. This sauce is fairly tasty, but the recipe makes a lot, and it supposedly only lasts a few days.  The recipe is as follows:

Tahini sauce:
1 cp tahini, stirred well
1/4~1/2 cp lemon juice
1~2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  The sauce should be pourable, so add extra water if needed.  It should keep in the fridge for a few days.

Possible Alterations:
There are some other recipes included in The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook that has the same basic batter, but changes the spices.  If you're very curious about it, you should get a copy (buying is good, but don't forget about your local library!)

While I like the tahini sauce, I would probably not want to make that much of it ever again.  It's expensive, and ketchup, mustard, and mayo-sriracha sauce all do a fantastic job on the burger anyway. Also, I ended up adding way more garlic than recommended, as well as probably went a over the recommended amount of salt.  Tahini has a bitter aftertaste, so salt helps counter-act that.  I know this because I initially forgot to add the salt, and realized my error when I tasted the sauce.

All told, I will definitely give this recipe another go, especially to see how it handles the freezing/re-heating process.

Good eats, and happy gaming!

Melon Salads

July is upon us, which means for myself and my American readership that the month of the out-door picnic and fireworks.  To kick off this month of awesome food and good times, I'm going to introduce two recipes.  They're both very similar, but they have some key differences that definitely have an effect on the flavour.

First is a favourite of my family, and it makes an appearance at many cookouts throughout the summer.  It's referred to as Cucumber Melon salad, and while one can use just about any kind of melon, I like it with Watermelon best.

Cucumber Melon Salad

Equipment:
1x large bowl
1x small bowl
A Chef's Knife
A cutting board
A spatula or spoon
Measuring implements
Melon baller (optional)

Ingredients:
Salad:
3 cucumbers, quartered and sliced
8 cups watermelon balls (or cubed watermelon works fine)
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
1T chopped kalamata olives

Dressing:
2 tsp olive oil (extra virgin is nice)
2T lemon juice
2T white wine vinegar
1T onion
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl
2. In a separate bowl, place the dressing ingredients and stir.
3. Pour the dressing into the salad bowl, and mix together.

It can be served immediately, but if dried mint is used the salad should set for a while for all the flavours to come out.

Now a lot of these ingredients can be a bit of an investment, especially if you don't have a place like Trader Joe's nearby to pick up pine nuts and olives at a good price.  There is, however, a much simpler watermelon salad out there.

Jeff Potter, author of "Cooking for Geeks", mentions this salad in the previously mentioned book when discussing tastes.  It does show how dissimilar flavours can come together to make some seriously tasty food.  His recipe is also much simpler than the Cucumber Melon salad, so it may be better for those of us looking to save time and money (which is probably most of us)

Watermelon Feta Salad

Equipment:
1 Large bowl
1 spatula/spoon
Measuring implements

Ingredients:
2 cups watermelon, cubed or scooped
1/2 cup feta cheese, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup red onion, sliced, soaked and drained
1 T olive oil (extra virgin is preferred)
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss to coat.

Bring it to parties, serve it around the table, just enjoy it.  It should be noted that this does not make nearly as much as the Cucumber melon salad, but the recipe should scale well.

Possible Alterations:
The Cucumber Melon salad can, of course, be done with lots of different varieties of melon, or even mixtures of melons such as watermelon and honeydew.  Jeff recommends adding black olives, mint leaves, or red pepper flakes to his Watermelon Feta salad.  It's probably best to not add them all at the same time, although you should notice that the cucumber melon salad has both olives and mint, so it's probably worth experimenting with.

Jeff also mentions that anytime onions are going to be served raw, they should be soaked in water.  There are some very scientific reason behind it, but the TL;DR version is this: chemicals that are released when an onion is cut will stabilize as a gas.  It reacts with water to create sulfuric acid.  By soaking the onion, the chemicals that would end up reacting with the water in our eyes becomes dissolved into the water.  Drain off the water, and all the nasty stuff goes with it.  Problem solved!

Cooking for Geeks is a great book.  If it seems like something that interests you, definitely pick up a copy. I'd recommend a hard copy.  E-readers are cool, but I don't think they're up to the rigors of the kitchen.

Happy gaming!

Greek French Onion Dip

As much as I love crudités, they can be a bit boring.  Then again, so can chips and pretzels, and so many other snack foods.  There are several things that can be done to combat blandness, however.  The simplest, by far, is to have some dip with your snacks.

Dips can be a snap to make, and delicious to boot.  However, they tend to be made out of things like sour cream and mayonnaise, which are hefty in terms of calories and bad for people who are trying to be healthy.  Since this month is about getting some healthy snack options around the table, a run-of-the-mill dip just won't do. Luckily, I know just the thing.

Equipment:
Stirring Spoon
Mixing bowl
Measuring implements

Ingredients:
1 packet French Onion Soup Mix
8 oz Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp Mayo (or to taste)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in bowl
2. Let sit in refrigerator for 10~15 minutes

Serve with crudités, or ruffled potato chips.

Possible Alterations:
Greek-style yogurt can be pricey, and while I've not tried this recipe with plain yogurt, it certainly seems like it could work.  If you're willing to try it, please report back here and I'll update this post.  A friend of mine has also mentioned  that you can fake Greek-style yogurt by straining plain yogurt with coffee filters for a few hours, so that could also be something worth trying.  Also, if you're uncaring to how healthy your snacks are, you can substitute sour cream for the yogurt.  You may want to add a bit more mayo if you do, but you don't have to.  Of course, there is also the Bacon French Onion dip I mentioned a while ago.

Happy gaming!

Crudités 'round the Table

Your traditional snacks for D&D might include any of following: pretzels, corn chips, potato chips, cheetos, peanuts, and maybe popcorn.  All tasty things, but sometimes you need a break from the usual.  Enter Crudités.

Crudités (pronounced Crew-Day-Ta) is a fancy French word for something simple; Crudités is just sliced, raw vegetables.  They make a nice change of pace from your regular snacks, and they're simple to boot!

Ingredients:
4 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1~2 green peppers
1-2 heads Broccoli

Equipment:
1 carrot scraper
1 cutting board
1 chefs knife
1 paring knife 
1 plate (large is best!)

Directions:
1. Prepare the carrots:
     a. Scrape the carrots.
     b. Chop off the tips.
     c. Cut carrots into sticks
     d. Place carrot sticks on a plate

2. Prepare the Celery:
     a. Wash the Celery stalks.
     b. Placing the celery so that it is concave down.
     c. Cut off the leaves and base, and save the leaves for later use.
     d. Slice down the center lengthwise.
     e. Slice into sticks
     f. Place on same plate as carrots.

3. Prepare the Peppers
     a. Wash the peppers
     b. Remove the stem using the paring knife.
     c. Cut the pepper down the center.
     d. Remove the seeds with the paring knife.
     e. Cut into strips.
     f. Place pepper strips on the plate

4. Prepare the Broccoli
    a. Wash the broccoli
    b. Remove the stalk, and place to the side.
    c. Break up the florets (the tree-like parts)
    d. Take the stalk and cut it into manageable sticks.
    e. Place the florets and the stalk slices onto the platter

Serve immediately with dip or cover in plastic wrap for short term storage.  Place separately in plastic zip-top bags for the long term storage.

Possible Alterations:
Different vegetables can certainly be used.  Cucumber slices, or sticks, are delicious, as are asparagus stalks.  Cauliflower is also acceptable, but I don't find it as tasty raw as the previously mentioned veggies.  As always, suggestions are appreciated!

Happy Gaming!

Salmon Patties

Salmon patties are tasty, and a great way to have burgers while still catering to people who follow the pescetarian* lifestyle.  The problem with salmon patties is that, when bought preformed, they are quite expensive.  Just like hamburgers though, one can make them at home for a much more reasonable price!

Ingredients:
1 can (~15 oz.) Salmon
1 package (8 oz. ) Sour Cream
1 stick butter or margarine
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups corn flakes
1 stick celery, diced
~5 mushroom stems

Equipment:
1 spoon (for mixing)
1 bowl
1 gallon zip-top bag
1 large frying pan
measuring cups

Directions:

1. Open and drain the can of salmon.
2. Place the salmon in the bowl.  Pick out any large bones, such as the spine.
3. Pre-heat the pan.
4. Measure out the corn flakes and place in the zip-top bag.  CRUSH THEM!
5. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl.  Mix well.
6. Form into patties, and place in hot frying pan. DO NOT ADD WATER TO THE PAN.
7. Let the patties alone.  Once the patty is brown on one side, flip.

Makes enough for a party of 8.

Possible Alterations:
The celery and mushroom stems are just fillers.  The recipe has too much liquid without them.  They could easily be replaced with something else.  The reason one doesn't add water to the pan because then the patties will just fall apart.

Happy Gaming!

*Pescetarianism is the practice of maintaining a diet involving fish, dairy, and eggs while excluding other meats.

Cheesy Ramen

I had a conversation with a friend at Walmart once, where she talked about having attempted to make cheese ramen by mixing canned nacho cheese with ramen made following the directions listed on the packaging.  It was described as being terrible. 

This lead me to ponder how one would make cheesy ramen.  What combination of ingredients would make a tasty concoction while still maintaining the cheapness and speed that makes ramen so awesome.

By George, I think I've got it!

Ingredients:
1 package shrimp ramen
1 cup water
~1/3 package of frozen mixed vegetables
4~6 oz. of Easy Melt (or similar) cubed
1/4 cup Milk

Equipment:
large stirring spoon
2 quart pot

Directions:
1. Boil the noodles in 1 cup of water
2. Add the frozen mixed vegetables slowly.
3. When the water level is even with the top of the noodles, stir in the flavouring.
4. Add the cubed Easy Melt, combining with the milk as needed.
5. When the mixture is of the desired consistency, remove it from heat.  If the concoction is too thick, add more milk.  If it is too thin, add more cheese.

Serve and enjoy! It should create two generous portions of ramen.  If more is needed (which is likely if you're entertaining), increase the amount of ramen and water such that there is one package for every two people, while increasing the vegetables at a 1:3 ratio.

Possible alterations:
Using other types of ramen other than shrimp flavoured is probably fine.  I'd be wary around the "oriental" flavour, however.  Adding shrimp or other types of browned should prove tasty, especially if it is the same as the flavour of the soup (e.g., chicken in chicken flavoured, beef in beef flavoured, etc.)

There's a lot of possibilities for this meal, so feel free to experiment.

Happy Gaming!

Classic Ramen with a Twist

Ramen is the food of college students.  It is cheap, it is fast, and it can be positively delectable when done properly.  It is so versatile and tasty that for the rest of the month, we will be discussing ramen in depth.  That being said, I find ramen cooked as per the directions on the back bland, boring, and tame.  This is probably why I don't make it by the directions on the back of the bag.

Ingredients:
1 bag Ramen with shrimp flavouring
1 cup water
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables
3 handfuls of frozen shrimp (optional)

Equipment:
1 2QT pan

Directions:
1. Boil the noodles in the 1 cup of water.
2. Add the shrimp and frozen vegetables slowly.  This is to ensure that the temperature in the pot doesn't get too low.
3. When the water level is even with the top of the noodles, stir in the flavouring.
4. When the water is mostly boiled out, remove from heat.

Measure out the noodles into bowls.  It should create two generous portions of ramen.  If more is needed (which is likely if you're entertaining), increase the amount of ramen and water such that there is one package for every two people, while increasing the vegetables and shrimp so that it is closer to a 1:3 ratio.

Possible alterations:
I have found that adding sliced hard-boiled eggs can be surprisingly delicious.  Sweet peas are also a good addition, if your bag of mixed vegetables does not already contain them.  Tofu makes a good substitute in place of shrimp, although you may want to consider browning it first.

Happy Gaming!

Adventuring! It's not just for the table anymore!

This is called 'outside'.

Dungeons and Dragons is awesome.  Cooking is awesome.  Reading is awesome.  There are lots of things that we nerdy folks get up to that are just plain cool.  Sadly, it just so happens that a lot of them end up with us being inside, not doing much physically.  Which is a pity, because there is a lot of awesome things that we can do that are out of doors.

Today Katie and I decided to change things up with our Saturday, and went hiking.  I brought my camera along, because photography happens to be in my list of hobbies, and it was a really nice day.  So, we went adventuring!

Yeah, we climbed up there.

When we think of adventuring, we think of epic heroes going on quests to slay dragons and save the world from evil.  But there is also an element of exploration, going to interesting places and seeing new things.  While going on maintained trails in national parks is not as exciting as actual trail blazing, it makes a pretty good proxy.  Especially if you're willing to go off the beaten trail a bit.

You can visit places like this!

If you're not used to hiking, there are some certain things you should know. Mainly, there are some precautions you should take before heading off into the wild.  Firstly, make sure to bring water, a pocket knife, a cell phone, an extra pair of socks, and a couple of friends.  A First Aid kit is also a very good decision, and can make an important difference in your hike.  You may also want to bring some trail mix or granola bars, and consider making a picnic out of it if you plan to spend a whole day out.

Unless you have a map, a compass, and the knowledge of how to use them, I can't in good conscience recommend that you leave the beaten trail by more than a few feet.  This doesn't mean you shouldn't look off the beaten path for interesting things to explore!  Just be certain to be safe and not get lost.

Exploring the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons is pretty exciting, battling monsters and visiting strange locales.  But don't forget that there is some pretty cool and interesting things happening outside our own front door.  So, take a weekend and go exploring.  You'll be glad you did!

~~~~~~~BONUS!

Quick and Dirty Trail Mix

Silly tree, that's not Trail Mix!

Ingredients:
Peanuts
Raisins
Small Pretzel sticks
M&M candies

Equipment:
1 Gallon zip top bag

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in the bag in desired proportions.
2. Shake the bag vigorously.
3. Enjoy!

Possible Alterations:
Just about anything can go in a trail mix.  Anything from Gorp (Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts) to more complex concoctions involving mini-marshmallows and popcorn are fair game.  All that matters that it is filling, and energy providing. Nuts of any kind are great sources of long term energy, and sugars are great for quick energy.  Having the two together in one handful is what makes trail mix both tasty and useful for hiking.

Happy Trails, and Happy Gaming!

Dirty Veggie Rice

If you need something filling, rice is the place to turn.  Rice is inexpensive, and is great on the side as well as in the main course.  On nights when I don't have much in the way of foodstuffs, whether I'm about to go home for break or I haven't done any grocery shopping, this dish is fantastic, easy, and filling. 

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1/2 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Curry powder
Black pepper
Salt
Butter

Equipment:
1 large stirring spoon
1 2 qt pot
1 butter knife
1 rice cooker (optional)
measuring cups

Directions:
1. Put the rice, water, and mixed vegetables into the pot
2. Add Garlic powder, Chili powder, curry powder and stir.
3. Grind some salt and black pepper onto the mixture and stir.
4. Slice some butter into the mixture.
5. Turn on heat and cook the rice.

Good news, you're done!  This recipe will make two heaping bowls of rice, or four well portioned bowls of rice.  It can also be served as a side dish.  The recipe should easily scale to feed more people.

Possible alterations:
Consider adding tuna or chicken to the mix, as well as using celery or onion in the dish as well.  Black beans or kidney beans would also be a good addition

Happy gaming!

Quick 'n Easy Shells and Cheese

Why buy shells and cheese in a box when you can easily make the real thing yourself?  Shells and cheese is simple, quick, and can be quite inexpensive.

Ingredients:
1 lb of large Shell noodles
6~8 oz. of Colby cheese (Cheddar, American, or even Easy Melt are also good choices)
Milk

Equipment:
large stirring spoon
3 quart pot

Directions:
1. Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package.  I recommend adding some olive oil and some salt to the noodles while they boil.  The oil helps prevent the noodles from sticking together, and the salt raises the boiling point of water.
2. Shred the cheese.  Place to the side.
3. Once the noodles are done, strain them and put them back in their pot.
4. Add a handful of sliced cheese and stir. Once the cheese is melted, pour some milk into the pot.  Repeat this process, alternating adding cheese and milk until the cheese runs out.  Add enough milk to keep the mixture from being difficult to stir, while not making the mixture soupy.

Congratulations, you've just made some tasty Shells and Cheese!  This will feed a party of 6-8 people.

Note: If you are using Easy Melt/Velveeta, you can't really shred it.  Just cube it into small bits, and toss it in there.  It's just about making the cheese small enough and have enough surface area to melt quickly.


Possible alterations:
To make a larger and more filling meal, consider adding half a bag of Mixed Vegetables or some canned meat.  One can also add salsa or chili if it is available.  I would also recommend using some spices.  Cumin, Chili powder, and Garlic powder are a good combination.  Curry powder is also a tasty addition, and can replace Cumin if you don't have it.  Bacon bits can also be a very tasty addition.  Consider also adding a can of tuna or some sliced up hot dogs.

All told, just have fun with it and feel free to experiment.  Happy gaming!

Delicious 4 Bean Chili

Chili is awesome. It's delicious, simple, and cheap. It is also very warming, which is great in the cold winter months. The best part about chili is its simplicity, however.  If you have a crockpot you can just set it up before the session, turn it on when everyone gets there and just let it cook until everyone's stomachs start growling.  This recipe is also vegetarian friendly, which is definitely a plus.

Ingredients:
1 can corn
1 can red beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans (dark or light, it doesn't matter)
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 large sweet potato

note: all cans should be ~15 oz, except for the tomato paste, which should be 8 oz

Garlic powder
Chili powder
Curry powder
Ground Ginger

Equipment:
Can opener
spatula or a spoon
Large spoon for stirring
Crockpot

Directions:
1. Open all the cans and empty them into the crockpot.  You can strain the cans before putting them into pot, but I recommend just dumping it in there juices and all.  You will probably need to use a spatula or spoon to get the tomato paste out of the can.
2. Turn the crockpot on.
3. Peel and dice the sweet potato.  Add to chili once prepared.
4. While stirring, add the Garlic powder, Chili powder, and the Curry powder.
5. Let sit until the chili is nice and warm.

Once ready, serve and enjoy!  Feeds a party of 8, with more to spare!

note: When making this recipe, I found that the sweet potato needed somewhere between five to six hours on high to cook all the way.  If you start your game at 1pm, then the chili would be ready between 6 or 7pm.  Be aware of when your party may want to eat.  It's far easier to keep the chili warm than to change the laws of physics.

Possible alterations:
Diced jalepenos are a great addition, and gives it a nice kick.  Use them sparingly, however.  Add too many and you'll need lots of milk for people to get through your chili.  This incarnation of the recipe is vegetarian friendly, but meat can definitely be added to make more filling than it already is.  Just brown some ground turkey or beef and add it to the chili.

Consider serving with sweet potato fries, yellow corn chips, or corn bread.