# Welcome to the Game-Night Kitchen!



## Rune (May 1, 2012)

Welcome to the Game-Night Kitchen, where we will be preparing quick, cheap and (especially) _easy_ meals and snacks for you and your friends' game-night gatherings!

First, a word about ingredients:  As the intent for these meals and snacks is to prepare them at minimal cost and maximal convenience, I will be assuming the use of easily-acquired ingredients (canned goods, dried herbs, and the like).  If you have access to fresher ingredients that you would like to substitute, by all means, do so.  That's awesome, too.

However, if you're in a rush, don't have access to such ingredients, or just don't want to go to _that_ much trouble for your fellow gamers, I'm here to help!

Now, to the kitchen!

Episode 1: This week, we'll be making cracker-crust pizzas!

Episode 2: Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

Episode 3: Fried Chicken Wings with a Buffalo Dipping-Sauce.

Episode 4: Sloppy Joes!

Episode 5: Pasta Salad.

Episode 6: Pepperoni Chips.

Episode 7: Cobbler.

Episode 8: Spaghetti.

Episode 9: Tortilla Chips.

Episode 10: Toasted Veggie Sandwich with Pan-Fried Potato Chips.

Episode 11: Popcorn.  Yes, Popcorn.

Episode 12: Breakfast Burritos.

Episode 13: Coleslaw.

Episode 14: Meatball Sandwiches.

Episode 15: Pickled Eggs.

Episode 16: Broccoli, Rice & Cheese.

Episode 17: Mac n' Cheese.

Episode 18: Chicken Salad Sandwiches.

Episode 19: Fettuccine Alfredo.

Episode 20: Frozen Fruit & Cream.

Episode 21: Quick & Easy French Onion Soup.

Episode 22: Corndog Poppers.

Episode 23: Hot Chocolate.

Episode 24: Black Bean Chili.

Episode 25: Fried Mushrooms.

Episode 26: Hearty Chicken & Vegetable Soup.

Episode 27: Cream of Broccoli Soup.

Episode 28: Chocolate Covered Pretzels.

Episode 29: Meatloaf.

Episode 30: Shepherd's Pie.

Episode 31: White Chicken Chili.

Episode 32: Cornbread.

Episode 33: Soup Beans.

Due to the abundance of great ideas and recipes from fellow contributors, I'm going to provide links to those posts, as well.  I'll keep these updated, so keep 'em coming!

[sblock=Other Gamers' KitchensDannyalcatraz's buddy's Pizza Nachos

Dannyalcatraz's Trail Mix

Dannyalcatraz's Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Dannyalcatraz's Chicken & Pasta Casserole

Dannyalcatraz's Pie Blitz

The Red King's Dump Cake

Dannyalcatraz's Mayonnaise Substitute & Fruit Dip

Umbran's Pulled BBQ Pork

The Red King's repost of allrecipes.com's Shrimp Stir Fry & Fried Oreos

Bloody Feather's Classic French Onion

MonkeyDragon's White Turkey Chili

Man in the Funny Hat's Marshall Field's Chicken Sandwich

Gilladian's Variant Red Beans and Rice

The Red King's repost of about.com's Dump Cake

Dannyalcatraz's Scampi Casserole

Umbran's Pasta Salad

Bloody Feather's Hot Beef Pocket

Dannyalcatraz's Spicy Cherry Mustard Sauce and Chinese Hot Oil with Honey

Sialia's Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Sialia's Veggie Chili

Dannyalcatraz's 4 Can Casserole

Gilladian's Red Cabbage Crockpot

Sialia's Beer & Chowder

Gilladian's Hamburger-Cabbage Soup

Sialia's Chocolate Pudding

jcayer's link to 1finecookie.com's "Sean's Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese" (adapted from foodnetwork.com)

Sialia's Enchilada Casserole

Sialia's Matzo Balls

Dannyalcatraz's Quick Veggie Dish

Dannyalcatraz's friend, Lisa Morin's, Black Bean Soup.

Gilladian's Great-Aunt's 7 Layer Cookies

Dannyalcatraz's Lox & Bagel Variants

Dannyalcatraz's Creamy Creole Potato Soup

Dannyalcatraz's Spiked Eggnog

Thunderfoot's Wassail

Dannyalcatraz's Caprese

calronmoonflower's Favorite Spaghetti Sauce[/sblock]


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## Rune (May 1, 2012)

*Cracker-Crust Pizzas*

What you will need:


1 can of Tomato Paste
Water
Garlic
Sugar
Basil
Oregano
Salt
Butter or Margarine
Flour Tortilla Shells
Shredded Cheese
Whatever Toppings You Want

Preheat your oven to 450 or so (hot enough to toast!).

*First, let's make the sauce:*

In a sauce-pan, mix enough water into your tomato paste to make an easily-spread sauce, but not so much that you have a soup.

Add enough sugar (and a pinch of salt) to cut the acidity of the tomato.  Add garlic, basil, and oregano to taste.  As tastes differ, I'll leave it to you to figure out the quantities, but remember--only add a little bit, at first.  You can always add more, but you can't take anything out, once you've added it!

Now add some butter (or margarine) and melt it into the sauce.  Why?  Your sauce will be noticeably richer for it!

*Step two, some assembly required:*

Grease a shallow cooking-pan or sheet (or spray with a non-stick cooking spray) and lay out a few tortilla shells.  Spoon some sauce on each and spread it out evenly.  Sprinkle some cheese over the top of each one (don't over do it--you're going to want it to melt, after all).  Top the pizzas (if you are using meats, make sure they are fully cooked before hand--you will not have these pizzas in the oven long enough to cook meat to safe temperatures!).  Sprinkle more cheese over the top of each pizza to bind the toppings (if desired).

Cook them for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crusts are lightly toasted.

One 6 oz. can of tomato paste should produce enough sauce for 4-6 personal-sized pizzas (depending on how much sauce you like on the pizzas and also how large the tortilla shells are).  If you're concerned that you might not have enough sauce, just start out with two cans.  If you have any pizza sauce left, and don't want to use it for more pizzas, save it.  We'll have a use for that later!

There ya go; have fun!


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## The Red King (May 1, 2012)

Cool idea for a thread.  I look forward to your other ideas!


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 1, 2012)

A buddy of mine used to make pizza nachos.

You need Tostito rounds, a pepperoni sausage, shredded mozzarella, and some tomato sauce.

1) Slice the pepperoni sausage into thin slices.
2) Spread Tostitos onto microwave-safe plate.
3) Top each chip with a dollop of sauce.
4) Then place pepperoni slice on top of each chip.
5) Sprinkle each with about a half teaspoon of cheese.
6) Microwave until cheese just starts to melt.
7) Serve.

Now, he used a basic canned tomato sauce, and these things came together in minutes- slicing the sausage is what takes time.  You can, of course, make your own sauce if you want, or add things like garlic or oregano to the canned stuff.


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## Umbran (May 1, 2012)

My Deadlands game runs tonight - weeknight games have the issue of getting everyone fed, and ordering out can be expensive.  However, weeknight games are short, so time spent cooking is an issue.  Solution?

Crockpot!  Get the cooking done while you're doing other things!

Tonight, my gaming group will be feasting on chicken and cannellini bean tacos.  It is a "throw everything in the crock pot and cook for 8 hours" sort of recipe - which we assembled last night, so this morning the only step to take was turning on the slow cooker.


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## The Red King (May 1, 2012)

These are all good ideas.  My wife and I were looking for more healthy solutions.  

We usually end up with a potluck of brownies, cupcakes, twizzlers and candybars with soda to wash it all down.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 1, 2012)

Healthier?  Here's the trail mix I made in early April for a Civil Law class I was taking (part of a Mediations curriculum- don't know why they wouldn't let a LAWYER pass on it)

Ingredients are 1 portion each unless otherwise noted:

1) Roasted, unsalted Sunflower seeds (use salted ones if you can't find unsalted)
2) Chopped Dates
3) Dried Pineapple
4) Dried Cherries
5) Dried Cranberries
6) Raisins, Plain
7) Raisins, Golden
8) Hazelnuts
9) Cashews
10) Almonds
11) Pecans (2 portions)

Notes:
1) I don't always use both Cherries & Cranberries in the same mix. 
2) On occasion, I use Dried Blueberries.
3) When I can't find sunflower seeds I like, I use Pine Nuts instead.
4) When I can find them, I use a variety of raisins, including reds and Jumbos of all colors.
5) I've also added Brazils when I can find & afford them.
6) you can easily mess around with your ratios- sometimes I double up in pineapples, or add even more pecans, based on who I'm serving the mix to. 
7) I've found Sprouts gets me the best selection overall, with places like Central Market, Whole Foods & the farmers' markets supplying some good stuff too. But sometimes, you can do just fine in the regular grocery stores. For example, Jumbo raisins seem to show up more often in regular stores than the specialty places. Quality can vary, too- the farmers' markets tend to have better pecans, I've found.
8) If salt is not an issue for you- it is for me- and you want to save time, my basic selection of nuts was based on Planter's Deluxe Mixed Nuts (no Peanuts), with extra pecans added.
9) I used to add Banana Chips, but their flavor got lost in the mix. Coconut shavings taste good, but not everyone liked them. Things like Dried Apricots or Dried Apples taste OK to most, but their texture is off compared to everything else, and they tend to be available only in big chunks, which doesn't let them blend with the mix well.
10) A mix like this in the amount I made may cost around $50 or so on ingredients, but unless people utterly pig out on it, it will last a month of enthusiastic "grazing."


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 2, 2012)

> Crockpot! Get the cooking done while you're doing other things!




Crockpots, pressure cookers, Dutch ovens and any other slow-cooking method can be ideal!

Two things I find work well in terms of slow cooking are beans and casseroles.

Cajun Red Beans requires an overnight soak of the beans (1-2lbs).  Other ingredients include yellow/white onions, galic, black & red pepper, parsley, celery, 3 bay leaves, and some kind of meat.  For those without hypertension issues, you'll also need salt.  Traditionally, that would be some kind of salted or pickled pork, perhaps some kind of sausage (usually smoked and/or hot).  I gravitate towards sausage, but to be healthier, I've started using hand-sized slabs of ribs that I've smoked or oven-baked, seasoned without salt.

You'll also need rice to serve them over.

Chop your onions & sautée them in butter to soften/clarify them, along with your garlic in your big pot.  Then add your meat cut for the pot (slices if sausage, or single ribs)   Add your beans, chopped celery, and spices with enough water to cover them.  Bring the pot to a rolling boil, for a few minutes, then stir thouroughly and turn to low.  Stir pot occasionally to prevent from burning.

After a while- an hour or so in a standard pot, shorter if using a pressure cooker- crush about a spoonful of the beans against the side of the pot- this will release their starches into the pot and will make your beans creamy.  When the beans are all soft, the pot is creamy (and the meat is starting to fall off the ribs, they're basically done.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 2, 2012)

A casserole I've been doing lately is pretty simple:

Pasta: I use some kind of penne or rotini, but bowtie, shell or elbow would work as well.

Meat: chicken- either pulled from a grocery-store baked bird or white chunks from cans

Cheese: I use shredded mozzarella and parrano

Veggies: diced tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic and artichoke hearts.

Seasonings: anything you like with tomatoes/Italian- oregano, parsley, pepper, etc.

Boil your pasta.  While that's going on, coat your casserole dish with olive oil.  (BTW, I prefer deep round casseroles for even cooking with no crunchy/burned corners.)

When the pasta is done, layer your casserole dish with alternating layers of pasta, meat, seasoned veg, and cheese- cheese forming the top layer.

Cook in oven @350F until cheese on top bubbles and starts to crisps, maybe a bit more.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 3, 2012)

> HarrisonVal
> has no status.
> 
> Registered User
> ...



No soup for you!

(Reported)


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 5, 2012)

Y'know...nothing wrong with a sliced raw-veggie tray & dip.  DIY or buy 'em from your grocery's deli counter.  Tasty, healthy, & quick.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 5, 2012)

Dessert time!

PIE BLITZ:

2 cans pie filling. (Your choice, I usually use cherry or apple.)
1 box French vanilla cake mix
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter OR 1 stick & some milk (see below)- you may need slightly more or less depending on your cake mix size (they vary)
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 Tbs almond extract
1 bag of pecans or almonds
Honey or real Maple Syrup*

Optional: traditional pie spices that go with your pie filling, like cinnamon if you're making the apple version of this.

1) melt your butter

2) in a mixing bowl, mix your butter (or butter & milk) with your cake mix, extracts, and any pie spices you're using until it reaches a thick but loose consistency, like very thick oatmeal

3) pour pie filling into baking dish

4) carefully pour cake mix over pie filling

5) sprinkle nuts onto cake mix- I sometimes push some into it.

6) drizzle honey or maple syrup over top of cake & nuts.

7) cook in oven at 350F until golden brown.


Assembly of ingredients takes about 10 minutes, and not much longer than that for cooking.

It WILL disappear.








* I imagine you could use Agave Nectar as well, but iI'm not familiar with its flavor.


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## The Red King (May 7, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> Dessert time!
> 
> PIE BLITZ:
> 
> ...




Where I come from we call this "dump cake" because you just dump the ingredients in.

We use 2 cans of pie filling (Cherry is my fav, but you can do any, and feel free to mix and match.

Dump them in the cake pan, sprinkle a box of either white or yellow cake mix over that, then slice up a stick of butter into pattys and spread them out over the cake mix.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 min.

Yum.  Its like cobbler.


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## The Red King (May 7, 2012)

And for the record, I made sugar cookies, and deep fried Oreos this week.  Yes, I feel fatter, and I can feel my arteries hardening as I type this, but.... Damn, those deep fried Oreos are good!


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## Rune (May 7, 2012)

*Episode 2: Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.*

Welcome, once again, to the Game-Night Kitchen!

First of all, I want to thank you all for all of the _awesome_ recipes that have been posted over the past week.  _Keep them coming!_

This week's selection is more of a lunch-time dish, and, therefore, best suited to feed your gamers during a break from the action in the midst of a day-time game.

It is, in fact, the good, ol' *Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Soup*.

Now, everybody knows how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.  I'm going to provide the easiest instructions for such that I know, but, if you all make one you like better, by all means, _go with it_!

What many of you may _not_ realize is just how easy--and cheap--it is to make your own tomato soup.  So...let's get started, shall we?

*What you will need:*


Tomato Sauce
Sliced Bread
Butter or Margarine
Milk
Cheese
Sugar
Salt
Oregano
Basil
Garlic


*First, let's get the soup cooking:*

Put your tomato sauce in a sauce pan, and place it on a burner at medium heat.  One can of tomato sauce will probably produce enough soup for 2-4 bowls of soup (depending on the size).  If you're feeding four or more people, you may want to start with 2 cans of sauce.  At this point, if you have any left-over pizza sauce from last week's recipe, you can add that in, as well.

Add some milk, until the desired consistency (that is, soupy) is attained.  Add sugar and a pinch of salt to cut the acidity of the tomato.  Add your garlic, basil, and oregano, as well, to taste.  If you want to experiment with some other herbs or spices (or other ingredients), this is a great recipe to do so with, but remember, add such things in small amounts--you can't take them back out!  (I like a _hint_ of lemon or lime juice in tomato-based foods.)

Now, just like we did with the pizza sauce, you'll want to add some butter or margarine to make the soup nice and rich  (if you have any, by the way, using cream instead of milk will go a long way for making a rich soup!).  While you're at it, leave the margarine or butter out on the counter if it is not soft-spread, because it's going to need to be plenty soft by the time we start the sandwiches.

Once the soup tastes the way you want it to, turn the burner down to a low heat and let the soup simmer.

*You already know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, right?*

Well, just in case, here's one way:  First of all, if you have a rectangular skillet, instead of a circular one, you'll be able to do more sandwiches at once.  That's a good thing if your cooking for a group of people, but this will work out, either way.

First place the skillet on a burner on medium heat.  Let it heat up, but do not turn the burner up any higher.  It is _very_ important that you do not get your skillet too hot!

Spread butter or margarine on one side of each piece of bread you will be grilling and place that bread in the skillet, buttered-side down.  Spreading the butter or margarine directly onto the bread will help your sandwiches to toast evenly and consistently, and will keep you from having to clean out your pan from scorched residue in between batches (assuming your skillet is not too hot--you haven't got your burner on too high, have you?).

If you want to be _really_ lazy, you can spray an oil-based pan-spray generously over the bread, instead--but I promise you, they _won't_ taste as good!

Place your cheese on top of each slice of bread as quickly as you can.  The thinner the cheese, the quicker it will melt.  Additionally, processed cheese (such as American) tends to melt very well, while harder cheeses do less well.  Your preference should definitely dictate what type of cheese you use, but, again, thinner cheese melts quicker.  You _do not_ want your cheese to be so thick that you over-toast the bread before the cheese even melts!

Once the cheese is tacky on top, close up your sandwiches and gently press them together.  Let them cook a moment longer to seal the two halves together.

Cut 'em, plate 'em, and serve them with the soup!

Until next week, have fun cooking, eating, and gaming!


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 8, 2012)

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup- a favored comfort food of mine since 2nd grade.

Over the years, I've used Velveeta and American Cheese to make these, but I've also had it with fancier cheeses as well.  A bistro near me makes one with Brie, lettuce & tomato- a BLT, get it?  And I've tried it with Parrano, which is a hard cheese somewhere between Gouda and Parmesan and which partners spectacularly with tomato-based recipes.  You'd want to grate it or slice it thinly, though.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 8, 2012)

*Healthy snacking tip:* for most recipes that call for mayo (like chicken salads, tuna salads, etc.), try substituting 1/4 to 1/2 of it with plain yoghurt.  The texture & color are similar, it has 1/10th the sodium while its tartness mimics the saltiness.  Add a splash of white or tarragon vinegar if needed.  Been doing this for years, and the only people who have noticed were the ones who watched me do it.

*Another sub for mayo for the more adventurous:* Mediterranean garlic spread.  This is simple stuff- puréed raw garlic, vegetable (not olive) oil, and salt & pepper to taste- but getting the ratios right may be tricky.  Check your local Greek/Lebanese restaurants & delis.  Adds a nice garlicky tang to a lot of things- just had some tonight on some Earl Cambell's Hot Links with mustard & Jack Daniels BBQ sauce on hot-dog buns.

*Fruit dip:* mix champagne, sour cream, and sugar to taste (it won't take much).  For a more marshmallowy flavor, use amaretto instead of champagne.


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## Rune (May 14, 2012)

*Episode 3: Chicken Wings with Buffalo Dipping Sauce.*

This week, we're going to do a dish that's a little more complex, and takes a little longer than other dishes we've done in the last couple of weeks, but the payoff is well worth the effort.  We're going to fry up some chicken wings and make a buffalo dipping sauce.

Now, why not just do regular ol' buffalo wings?  They're tremendously messy, that's why.  With a dipping sauce, we still have _some_ mess at the table, but no more than your typical game-night pizza will produce.

*What you will need:*


Chicken Wings
All-purpose Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Hot Sauce
Butter
Brown Sugar
Sour Cream


*Fry, Baby, Fry.*

In a large, deep frying pan, pour about a half inch to three-quarters of an inch of the cooking oil.  You can use pretty much any kind of oil you want, but be aware that the flavor _will_ carry over to your chicken, so consider which you want to use before you get started.  Heat the oil over a medium flame.

(EDIT--Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire.  In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames.  They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires.  DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around!)  Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely.  If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
In a large bowl, blend your flour with salt and pepper (as well as any other herbs or spices you'd like to try--I like garlic powder, for instance).  This is best done by hand, but you'll need to make sure your hands are cleaned and thoroughly dried before you do so.

Next, rinse (and cut, if necessary) your wings and dredge them in the flour.  If you like very crispy fried chicken, you'll want to dip the chicken in an egg wash, before applying the breading.

Let the chicken sit in the flour for a few minutes while your oil heats up.  When you can flick a drop of water into the oil and it instantly boils away, you are good to go.

Shake off any excess breading and gently lay your chicken wings into the skillet with the meatiest sides down.

Now go wash your hands!

*Saucy!*

In a sauce pan, melt your butter and add hot sauce and a pinch of brown sugar.  If you want to add anything else at this stage, you have some leeway to experiment, but you might try doing so in small batches.  Personally, I like to add a little pineapple juice to mine.

Once this is all thoroughly blended (and tastes good!), remove it from the heat and let it cool.  Once cooled, mix it with your sour cream.  Put it somewhere to keep chilled.

*Back to the Chicken.*

Once your chicken starts to look golden around the edges, take a peak beneath.  If it is also golden underneath, go ahead and turn it over.  Naturally, some pieces will cook quicker than others.  Cooking the next side should take less time, so be careful to keep an eye on the chicken--you don't want to burn it!

If you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should reach 165 degrees before you serve it.  The chicken will actually continue to cook after removed from the oil, so you don't have to make it _quite_ that far, but you should get pretty close.  You _do not_ want to mess around with under-cooked chicken!

If you do not have a meat thermometer, simply test the meatiest part of the wing.  It should be firm and white (underneath the golden crust, of course).

When the chicken is done, turn off the oil, but let it cool before disposing of it (and _don't_ pour it down your sink--unless you want to call a plummer!).  Remove the chicken and place it on a platter that has a few paper towels on it, to absorb some of the grease.  Let it rest for a moment.

Serve your gamers the wings with a portion of the dipping sauce (and, if you want to be a little more traditional, some celery stalks and bleu cheese dressing).

Until next time, good gaming!


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## Umbran (May 15, 2012)

This week, my Deadlands crew will enjoy (hopefully) an easy pulled pork.  This one is terriblly easy.

5 lbs of pork butt, cut into quarters.  
Coat with spice rub, wrap in plastic and fridge overnight.
Toss into a slow cooker with a cup of good BBQ sauce.  Cook on low for 10 hours.  
Pull.
Eat.

Served with green salad.  I think my wife will make Rice Crispies Treats for dessert.  She usually bakes something far more complex than that, but it just seemed to go well, and everyone secretly loves the things, but nobody ever makes them except for bake sales.


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## The Red King (May 15, 2012)

OK, my turn to contribute.  First a favorite for dinner even when its not game night:

Shrimp Stir Fry:

*Ingredients*


2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
3 green onions, chopped
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen Oriental mixed vegetables, thawed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
I skip the peanuts because my son has an allergy.

*Directions*


In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, garlic powder and ginger; set aside. 
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry broccoli in oil for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and onions; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the shrimp, Oriental vegetables and garlic; cook 3 minutes longer. 
Stir cornstarch mixture and stir into shrimp mixture. Add the peanuts. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. 
It goes together pretty quickly, and you can sub chicken for part or all of the shrimp and the taste is till as good.

For desert.....

Fried Oreos!

I know, bad for you, but sooooooo good.  I limit myself to 2 or 3 per person, so if they want more they have to bargian with someone else for them.

*Ingredients*


2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup pancake mix
1 (18 ounce) package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)  So yes, you can use Hydrox or any other cookies, but I perfer Oreo double stuff.  Or at least the ones where the filling is a different color.
*Directions*


Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
Whisk together the egg, milk, and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the pancake mix until no dry lumps remain. Dip the cookies into the batter one at a time, and carefully place into the hot frying oil. Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding the deep fryer. Cook until the cookies are golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.
These will yeild about 30 cookies.  At 3 a piece the neutrition info is:

Calories: *156* | Total Fat: *9.8g* | Cholesterol: *8mg* 

So don't eat them all!


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## jcayer (May 16, 2012)

3 words, Breakfast for Dinner

A few months ago I did Breakfast for Dinner.  10 lbs of homefries, a bacon/egg/cheese casserole, and a broccoli/egg/cheese casserole.

There was nothing left.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 16, 2012)

BfD is usually a good idea.


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## Rune (May 22, 2012)

*Episode 4: Sloppy Joes!*

Well, it has been a busy week for me, so we're going to do a very simple dish tonight.  As with the tomato soup, this one may be best suited for a break in the action.

This one's a real winner--and its one of the easiest dishes to prepare.  This week, we're making sloppy joes.

*What you will need:*


ground beef
ketchup
mustard
brown sugar
hamburger buns

*First, the meat.*

In a skillet, brown your ground beef.  Add chopped onion, green pepper, garlic or the like, as desired.  Season with salt and black pepper, if desired.  Once the beef is cooked, drain off the grease (not down your drain!).

*Sloppy-Joes, Slop, Slop, Sloppy-Joes.*

Add ketchup and mustard to your meat and return to a medium heat.  Start with a small amount of mustard and add more to taste--little goes a long way.  Add brown sugar, also to taste.  Stir it all until it is consistently blended and continue to cook until the sloppy joe filling is evenly heated.

Put it on a bun; it's done!

It seems too simple, but it really is delicious.  Not only that, if you have leftover meatloaf, or the like, you can use that instead of browning ground beef (or can add it in).

That's really all there is to it.  Good gaming, y'all.


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## Rune (May 28, 2012)

*Episode 5: Pasta Salad*

Well, has been _very_ hot around these parts this week, so we're going to do a nice, simple Pasta Salad.

*What you will need:*


Pasta (preferably something with texture!)
Water
Salt
Whatever you like in your Pasta Salad
Whatever kind of sauce you like

*Whatever you want.*

One of the really nice things about pasta salad is that it is very simple, _and_ can have pretty much whatever you want to put in it.

First, bring some water in a pan to boiling with a little salt in it.  Once it is boiling, stir in your pasta and cook it until it is _slightly_ firm.  Drain it well.

Mix in a sauce that could be as simple as italian or ranch dressing, or could be slightly more complex, light a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or a mixture of buttermilk, mayonaise, oil, and dill.  Maybe a hint of mustard.  Your options are many, here, so go ahead and experiment with a sauce--but make sure you taste it before adding it to the pasta!

Next, throw stuff in.  Here's a small list of possible things that would be good in pasta salad:


Tomatoes, either chopped, or cherry/grape variety.
Walnuts or pecans
Broccoli, either raw or blanched
Crumbled bacon (if you cook your own, consider storing extra in your freezer in a plastic zip-lock bag--whenever you need to crumble bacon into a recipe, you can just pull some out and do so)
Toasted Pepperoni slices (try it!)
Ham
Shredded or grated cheese (especially Parmesian)
Chopped or shredded carrots
Olives
Onion (especially red onion)
Raw spinach
Bell peppers (especially an assortment of colors)
Fresh peas

Season as desired and toss it together.  Quick.  Easy.  Good.

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Bloody Feather (Jun 2, 2012)

*Bloody Feather's Classic French Onion*

If your like me and have to schedule a game night a few days in advance, here is something that is usually a crowd pleaser. Plus it is a relatively cheap way to feed a group of hungry campaigners.


Ingredients:   1lb of beef tips (this recipie feeds about 5 humans so adjust as needed).
Enough Brandy to soak the meat in.
1 large white onion, 2 crushed garlic bulbs.
3.5 cups of worschestershire sauce.
5 cups of water.
Provalone cheese, sliced.
One loaf of French bread.
Enough oven safe bowls for everyone, and a sealable container.
Steps 

Place thawed beef, 1 crushed garlic bulb, and plenty of brandy into a sealable container and store in the fridge for two days.
Pour meat, brandy, the other crushed garlic bulb, and water into a a large pot along with the onion after dicing it to your liking.
Boil just long enough to cook the meat, scooping off the the bits of goodness that float to the top (if you like, save this for a nice brown gravy  recipie I'll post later).
Lower to a med/low temp and add worschestershire sauce, allow about 20 minutes for everything to mix together. If you like, add an extra dash of brandy at this point.
Spoon portions out into oven safe bowls.
Put a generous chunk of French bread into the bowl
Cover bowl with a slice of provolone cheese.
Put in the oven under a broiler just long enough for the cheese to get bubbly
Remove bowl from oven and put on a plate, serve with remaining French bread.
Give it a try and let me know if you like it!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jun 2, 2012)

Looks good!

And welcome to ENWorld!


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## Rune (Jun 2, 2012)

[MENTION=6694751]Bloody Feather[/MENTION]:  Now, you know I'm going to _have_ to expect you to make this for tomorrow night's game!  (You're already marinating the meat for it, right?  Right?)


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## Rune (Jun 2, 2012)

Also, just so y'all know, I've included links to fellow contributor's recipes in the first post of this thread for easy reference.  I intend to keep that list updated, so, by all means, keep 'em coming!


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## Bloody Feather (Jun 3, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome Dannyalcatraz!


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## Rune (Jun 5, 2012)

*Episode 6: Pepperoni Chips.*

This is, by far, the simplest snack I know of, but I'll warn you:  It's not very healthy and it's _extremely_ addictive.

*What you will need:*
Sliced Pepperoni.
More Sliced Pepperoni, because, seriously, these are addictive.
See above.

*Heat and Eat.*

First, preheat your oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees or so (something suitable for toasting).  Lay out your pepperoni in a shallow pan so that they do not overlap.  Stick them in the oven and cook them until they are crisp.  Keep an eye on them; it will not take long!  Remove the chips from the oven, lay them on some sheets of paper towels to absorb the excess grease, let them cool, and put them in a bowl.

Place them on the table in front of your fellow gamers and watch them disappear!

Alternatively, if you have a deep fryer, and are even less fond of your arteries, you can cook these up in--literally--_seconds_!

If, on the off-chance, you've made so many of these that you have some left over, freeze them in a plastic bag and bring them out to snack on in the future--or top salads with, or...well, whatever!

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## MonkeyDragon (Jun 5, 2012)

I've not made this for gaming, but I HAVE made it to keep a group of weary baristas sane during Christmas day rush.

White Turkey Chilli

1lb ground turkey
1 quart chicken broth
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cans white northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 bag frozen corn
salt, pepper and whatever you like from the spice cupboard.
1/2ish cup of half and half or cream
2ish tablespoons of corn starch

Brown the turkey.  Drain extra fat if necessary.  Add onion and celery, cook until tender.  Salt and pepper to taste, add spices.  Add broth.  Scrape all the brown stuff off the bottom and sides of the pan.  Add beans and corn.  Check seasonings.  When everything is bubbling merrily, mix the cream and starch into a slurry, and dump it into the soup, stirring until everything is thickened.

This can be chilled and reheated, or kept warm in a crock pot.  Happiest served with biscuits or corn bread.


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## Man in the Funny Hat (Jun 5, 2012)

Marshall Field's Chicken Sandwich

Not really a Marshall Field's (which is turkey on rye, etc.) but it's good and I've always enjoyed this.  Cook the chicken as you like and strip the meat off.  Make the sauce with 1 part mayonaise to 1 part Chili Sauce.  Use a good sharp sourdough bread.  Slather on the sauce, add lettuce and as much chicken as you like.  Tends to be a bit messy so I generally serve it as an open-face sandwich.


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## Gilladian (Jun 6, 2012)

*Variant Red Beans and Rice*

A dish I really like is a sort of red beans and rice. It can be made ahead and reheated; in some ways it is better on the second day. Pasta can be substituted for the rice. Serves 4 or maybe 6.

1/2 lb hamburger
1 large onion
2 bell peppers (I have subbed in many other veggies, including grated carrrots, zucchini and yellow squash, mushrooms, and peas)
garlic - to taste
chili powder - to taste
1 -2 small cans tomato paste
beef or chicken stock (I like unsalted)
2 cans kidney beans
salt and pepper - to taste

Brown hamburger. If you want it low-fat, RINSE in hot water after it is brown. Does lose flavor, though.
Brown onions, green pepper and any other hard vegetable in the fat, with fresh garlic, if that's what you're using. Add the chili powder (I use McCormick's and only a little bit. I hate spicy-hot food, so use what you like. Red pepper flakes work too).  

Add tomato paste and brown. You want it to get sticky and brown, but not burn, so watch the heat! This gives a good caramel flavor, so don't skip this step.

Add beans (you can sub in black beans, navy beans or even canneloni for variety) and broth, and any soft vegetables. You want it very moist, but not soupy. Simmer for 10 - 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as it cooks. 

Make brown rice for this if you can; it's much healthier and holds up better with the beans. Use a rice cooker - they make rice preparation a DREAM. If you can, cook the rice in beef stock rather than water, and I like to throw in a bay leaf or other seasonings. Smoke flavor is a good choice. 1 cup raw rice will feed about 4 people. I usually make 2-3 cups and refrigerate the rest for stir-fries.

You can double or triple this recipe without any problems.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jun 6, 2012)

While that wouldn't fly with my creole family, that DOES sound interesting.

And I have to expend on something you said- IME, most bean dishes taste better after a day.  I think it has something to do with the favors of the seasoning suffusing thë whole dish.


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## Gilladian (Jun 12, 2012)

Yeah, beans are best on day two, maybe day 3. Then they start to get mushy.

If you make it, tell me what you think of it!


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## Rune (Jun 12, 2012)

*Episode 7: Cobbler.*

I'm a day late posting this week's episode, I'm afraid.  We had an impromptu game last night (for which, I made the pepperoni chips).

Anyway, this week, we're going to make a simple cobbler.

*What you will need:*
1 1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Sifted Self-Rising Flour
Pinch of Salt
16 tablespoons Butter
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 cups Fruit

*Fruity.*

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, or so.  Put two sticks (16 tablespoons) of butter in a 9 x 13 inch pan and melt it in the oven.

While the butter is melting, mix the flour, sugar, milk, and pinch of salt in a bowl.

Remove the melted butter from the oven before it browns.  Carefully tilt the pan so as to grease the sides with your butter.  Pour in the batter you just made--right on top of the melted butter.

For the next step, you can use fresh fruit, frozen fruit (once thawed), or even canned fruit, but if there is any syrup or juice, _you do not want to add it to the cobbler!_  Gently place the fruit into the batter by hand, spread out so that more fruit is in the outside than the inside of the cobbler (the outsides cook first and, consequently, will push the fruit toward the center somewhat as the cobbler cooks).

Cover the pan with foil and put it in the oven for about an hour, or so.  Remove the foil and let the cobbler cook uncovered until it is golden on top.

At this point, remove the cobbler from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## The Red King (Jun 14, 2012)

For those either short on time, or skill, we used to call this Dump Cake or Poor Man's Cobbler.... You get the same results with very little prep time.

This recipe is designed for kids to bake. It's incredibly easy with no mixing involved. Canned fruits are dumped into a baking pan, topped with *cake mix*, butter, and *nuts*, then baked. The result is something in between a cake and a cobbler, and amazingly delicious. Adults will also love this recipe.
*Prep Time: 10 minutes*

*Cook Time: 1 hour*

*Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes*

*Yield: 10 to 12 servings*

*Ingredients:*


<LI class=ingredient>1 (20 ounces) can crushed *pineapple*, undrained <LI class=ingredient>1 (21 ounces) can prepared more fruit *cherry* pie filling <LI class=ingredient>1 (18.25 ounces) box yellow *cake mix* <LI class=ingredient>2 sticks (1 cup or 16 Tablespoons) of butter or margarine, each cut into 12 slices 
1/4 cup chopped *nuts* (*pecans*, *walnuts*, *pistachios*, *cashews*, peanuts, etc., your choice)
*Preparation:*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 for glass baking dish). Have a 9 by 13-inch baking pan ready. 

Dump undrained *pineapple* baking dish or pan and spread it out evenly. 

Using a spoon, dump globs of *cherry* pie filling evenly on top of the pineapple. 

Sprinkle the *cake mix* evenly over the cherry and pineapple layers. 

Cut butter into slices with a butter knife and place slices evenly over cake mix. 

Sprinkle *nuts* on top if you're using them. 

Bake for one hour. Use heavy oven mitts to remove the dump *cake* from oven or let your older helper do it. 

To serve, scoop cake out with a large spoon like a cobbler, and dump it on a nice plate. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is delicious with dump cake. Serve warm or cold. 

Yield: about 10 to 12 servings


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## Rune (Jun 19, 2012)

*Episode 8: Spaghetti*

Keeping in mind that the idea behind these recipes is to provide simple, quick, and cheap dishes for your game-nights, I now present a very easy spaghetti recipe.  As I said in the first post, by all means, use fresh ingredients if you have them means to do so--it can only improve the quality.  That said,

*Here's what you'll need:*
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
Cooked Ground Beef, if desired
Onions, Green Peppers and/or Mushrooms, if desired
Garlic
Basil
Oregano
Sugar
Butter or Margarine
Spaghetti Noodles
Water

*Use your noodles!*

Bring a pot of water (with a bit of salt in it) to boil.  Add the noodles and stir them down as they soften.  Some people swear by putting oil in the water as the noodles cook to keep them from sticking.  This works, but also coats the noodles, so that they can't be coated with the sauce.  For this reason, I recommend that you do not do so, but instead prevent the noodles from sticking by stirring them well as they cook.

*In the meantime...*

If you haven't already browned any ground beef or sausage that you may be using, you'll want to go ahead and do so before making the sauce.  You'll probably want to throw in the vegetables near the end of that process, as well.  Once you have (and have drained the grease off), you can go ahead and make the sauce right in the skillet, although making it in a pot will not be a problem, either.

Add your cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Add some butter or margarine to make it rich, garlic, basil, and oregano (and salt or pepper, if desired) for flavor.  Add a bit of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomato.  If you have any leftover pizza sauce from the first episode, you can throw that in, as well.  Cook this over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is hot throughout.

*Put it all together.*

Once your noodles are cooked (still slightly firm), remove them from the water and drain them _very_ well.

Plate them with sauce on top.

That's it--another quick dinner for your gaming group.  Until next week, good gaming!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jun 19, 2012)

SCAMPI CASSAROLE

Ingredients:

2 bags, rotini
1-2 chopped onions.  I used white, but red or a mix would work (and be tasty.
Many cloves of garlic (minimum 4) sliced/diced.
Chopped parsley- fresh is best, dried works , too.
1/2 lb unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup of dry white wine
Black & Cayenne pepper
2lbs shrimp
1 cup Parrano Cheese, grated
1 ball of Mozzarella Cheese, sliced.

Instructions

In a microwave safe measuring cup, melt your butter.  Then add lemon juice & wine, mixing thoroughly.

Cook your pasta and laid in a largeish baking dish, 3" deep.

Top with uncooked shrimp, then onion and garlic & parsley.

Pour butter/lemon/wine mix over Cassarole, then sprinkle liberally with red & black pepper (to taste).

Top with shredded Parrano, then with the mozzarella.

Cook until shrimp are pink and/or mozzarella starts to brown.

Notes:

Yes, this is pricey, but it is tasty, and actually only takes minutes of Pre-cooking prep work.  It throws together VERY quickly.

And if you want to do it cheaper, substitute cubed pork or shredded chicken breast for the shrimp.

If you want to gooey this up, add more cheese and mix the extra into the noodle layer.


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## Rune (Jun 26, 2012)

*Episode 9: Tortilla Chips*

This is another simple snack perfect for these hot summer days.

*What you will need:*
Flour Tortilla Shells
Oil
Salt
Tomatoes
Onions
Cilantro
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream

*Chips...*

Heat your preferred flavor of cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  You should not need more than half an inch, or so.  If you can flick a drop of water into the oil and it immediately evaporates, it is ready to go.

(EDIT--Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire.  In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames.  They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires.  DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around!)  Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely.  If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
Cut your tortilla shells into strips or chips.  Gently lay a few into the oil and cook them until crisp (this will not take long, at all!).  Do not over-crowd the skillet.  Once crisp (and nicely golden), remove the chips and drain the grease on a or bowl lined with paper-towels.

Lightly salt the chips while they are still hot.  (Food is porous--when it is hot, these pores are open and any seasoning that you put on will be absorbed in.  If, on the other hand, you wait until the food is cold to season it, the seasoning will just sit on top.)

*Dips...*

In the past, I've mentioned that I assume you are _not_ using fresh ingredients when canned or dried ingredients will do the trick, but for this dip, you should really do yourself a favor and use fresh tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.  Chop those up fairly fine.  Add a hint of hot sauce and blend into the sour cream.

*Chains, whips...wait, what kind of game is this, again?*

There you have it.  Another easy and quick game-night snack!  Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Rune (Jul 3, 2012)

*Episode 10: Toasted Veggie Sandwich and Pan-Fried Potato Chips*

I love me some sammiches.  Love'em.  Nothing quite goes goes with them like fried potatoes.

...But, wait?  Why a veggie sandwich?  'Cause it's good, that's why.  And if you're one of those types who say "I won't eat it on principle if it doesn't have meat in it," I _dare_ you to give this one a try.

*What you will need:*
Cooking Oil
Potatoes
A good, thick-sliced bread
Your choice of fresh vegetables
Your choice of sliced cheese
Italian dressing

*First, fry them taters.*

Heat a some oil in a deep skillet at medium to medium-high heat.

(EDIT--Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire.  In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames.  They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires.  DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around!)  Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely.  If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
When you can flick a drop of water into the pan and it immediately evaporates, it should be good to go.  Cut your potatoes into medallions about a half-inch thick.  _Gently_ lay them into the oil and cook them until you see the edges start to crisp and turn golden.  Then flip and cook until the medallions are golden and crisp on the other side, as well.

Remove them from the oil and lay them out on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain the grease.  While they are still hot, season them with some salt (and other seasonings, if desired--I like granulated garlic and a little black pepper).

*Next, put stuff on bread.*

Preheat your oven to about 450-500 degrees--hot enough to toast!

Take some good, thick-sliced bread.  The type left to your preference; these sandwiches are just as good on rye as on a multi-grain or a sourdough bread.  Obviously, it's a different sandwich based on the bread you choose.  That's a good thing!  For each sandwich, place two slices on a cooking pan.

Similarly, I've been pretty vague about the veggies you'll want on the sandwich.  Obviously, this will vary according to tastes, as well, but some veggies will work better than others.  In particular, look for veggies with body like carrots or bell peppers, or mushrooms.  Look for veggies with flavor, like onions, olives, or banana peppers.  Leafy vegetables or tomatoes (a fruit, but we'll let it slide) are good, but probably best put on after the sandwiches come out of the oven.

Put a layer of your freshly-made potato chips on the bottom slice of bread.  This will give your sandwich most of its body.  Drizzle some dressing across the potatoes--not enough to drench them, but enough to moisten them.  Layer your fresh vegetables on top of the potatoes and drizzle some more dressing on top of them with a slice of cheese.

Drizzle a little more dressing over the second piece of bread and seal it with another slice of cheese.  Put the pan in the oven and toast the sandwich for about five to ten minutes (depending on oven temperature, of course), long enough to lightly toast the bread, melt the cheese, and cook the veggies through.

Pull the pan out of the oven, put the sandwiches together, serve.

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Umbran (Jul 4, 2012)

For us, last night, it was a pasta salad.  This should serve 8 as a main dish.  Halve the recipe if you wish to use it as a side.

1 lb of medium shell pasta 
8 oz salami, cut in strips
16 oz Mozarella cheese, cut in strips
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
6 green onions, sliced

Dressing:
2/3 cup oil (olive oil is fine, but any vegetable oil will do)
6 tbsp red wine or cider vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cook pasta.  Drain, and rinse pasta in cold water.  Place in large bowl, add the vegetables, cheese, and salami.  In a jar or container with a tight lid, combine dressing ingredients, and shake well.  pour over salad and stir to coat.  Chill until serving.

Usually served with a loaf of interesting bread and butter (we had a rosemary/olive oil loaf, and a pumpernickel/rye swirl loaf).


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## Bloody Feather (Jul 6, 2012)

*Let's get full on a budget!*

When I was a young child I invented the hot pocket. Not the Hot Pocket that you go to the store and buy mind you, I created the exact same thing without ever having had an actual hot pocket before. I swear mine was better, here it is:

Get out your skillet and fry enough beef to feed your party. I usually shoot for about 6 ounces per person. 

As the beef is frying add a few dashes of garlic and black pepper. Add some diced onion, about an ounce per person. 

Once the beef is done, drain and move to a bowl. 

Get a can of biscuits, it doesn't matter what kind so just get whatever you like best. 

Smash all the biscuits out flat, if you have a rolling pin use that. Try to make a broad uniform shape. 

Add the beef mix along with whatever cheese you like ( I suggest velveeta but I am also cheap and fat) to the top of one of the flattened biscuits. Cover this with another flattened biscuit and pinch the edges shut, make sure you get a good seal or the filling will come out during the baking. 

Place your raw hot pocket on a greased cookie sheet and cook them according to the directions on the can. Keep an eye on them though, sometimes the flattening process can make them cook a little faster. 

There you go, home made hot pockets! Hope you like them.


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## Umbran (Jul 6, 2012)

Bloody Feather said:


> When I was a young child I invented the hot pocket. Not the Hot Pocket that you go to the store and buy mind you, I created the exact same thing without ever having had an actual hot pocket before.




The "pastie" is a device as old as dough and leftover stew.



> I swear mine was better




Not surprising - foods with fresh ingredients will generally be better than pre-prepared, pre-processed, frozen stuff.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jul 6, 2012)

Having already mentioned garlic spread, fruit dip, and subbing yogurt for mayo or sour cream, I have to bring up more condiments.

I have a *Spicy Cherry Mustard Sauce* that I sometimes sub for BBQ sometimes.  Chop a Jalapeño and a Serrano pepper.  Buy, pit & mash or purée your cherries, sauteeing them over low heat in a _*lightly*_ buttered or oiled pan* with the chopped peppers, adding black and red/cayenne pepper as well.  Combine the cooling cooked cherry mixture with vinegar and yellow mustard in a bowl.  You may need to add a little sugar** to the mix if your cherries were on the sour side.

*Chinesee Hot oil + Honey* is a recent discovery.  One of my local Chinese restaurants makes, quite simply, the best hot oil I've ever had.  Instead of just veggie oil & chiles, they add pan-toasted ginger, garlic and sesame seeds to the mix.  (Right now I buy it, but I'm sure I can get the proportions right.)  Usually in the restaurant, I combine this with duck or plum sauce, both of which are sweet. 

Well, the other night, I had to make a late night McD's run, and for myself, I got chicken nuggets.  I typically have them with honey & black pepper when I dine in, or honey and Tabasco at home.  This time, however, I mixed my honey with a teaspoon of the hot oil...*MAGIC!*

I'm currently thinking about incorporating this into a wing recipe...***







* use a neutral flavored veggie oil, not something like olive oil

** haven't tried it yet, but honey, maple syrup or agave nectar could conceivably be used if you prefer, and may mix more thoroughly.

*** inspired by _another_ chicken recipe of mine with butter, honey, black pepper, red pepper paprika and cinnamon


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## Rune (Jul 10, 2012)

*Episode 11:  Popcorn.  Yes, Popcorn.*

If you're reading this and thinking, "Who doesn't know how to make popcorn?  I've got some oil heating on the stove right now," this episode probably won't be for you.

If, on the other hand, you're thinking, "Who doesn't know how to make popcorn?  I've got a bag in the microwave, right now," this episode is definitely for you!

*What you will need:*
Cooking Oil
Uncooked Popcorn Kernels
Seasonings

*Pop.*

First, you'll need a reasonably large pot with a lid.  Coat the bottom of the pot with your cooking oil.

(EDIT--I was talking with a friend yesterday, who told me he once started a grease-fire while trying to cook popcorn!  Consequently, I feel the need to point out that you DO NOT need to put much oil in the pot--just coat the bottom!  Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire.  In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames.  They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires.  DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around!)  Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely.  If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
Different oils will produce different flavors, so feel free to experiment.  I usually use olive oil because it goes well with some of the seasonings I like to use.  Put the pot uncovered over a burner set slightly above medium heat.  Put a single kernel in the center of the pot.

As soon as this kernel pops, add a layer of popcorn to the pot.  Make sure not to pour too many in--you should not have so much that some kernels are on top of others!

Immediately cover the pot and begin moving it vigorously over the burner until the popping slows.  Then, remove the pot from the heat, transfer the popcorn to a bowl and prepare to season it.

*Put some stuff on it.*

One of the great things about popcorn is that it has such a neutral flavor that you can do a lot of different things with it.  Want butter?  Melt some and drizzle it over the top.  Want salt?  Salt it.  Pepper?  Yeah, that works.  Granulated garlic?  Sure, throw some on.

Grated parmesan cheese is really nice, especially if you used olive oil in the cooking process.

The point is, you can pretty much pick a direction and go there.  Obviously, if you're not very familiar with the flavors you're using, this trial-and-error process might produce some questionable results.  If this is a concern, consider dividing your cooked popcorn into small batches before seasoning them.

So, now that you've got all that together, just gently toss the popcorn and serve.  It is a simple and tasty game-night snack!

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Rune (Jul 17, 2012)

*Episode 12: Breakfast Burritos*

Breakfast for dinner (or lunch) is always a great choice for game-night, but I recommend something as easy to eat as it is delicious.  One such meal is the good ol' breakfast burrito.

*What you will need:*
Eggs
Water
Tortilla Shells
Bell Peppers
Onions
Breakfast Sausage
Shredded Cheese
Salsa
Salt, Black Pepper, and/or Cumin

*I am the Egg Man.*

Fry up your sausage in a skillet over medium heat.  Crumble it as you go.  When it is fully cooked, drain off the grease and remove sausage from the skillet.  There should be a small amount of grease still in the skillet, coating the bottom.

Chop up your onions and saute them in the skillet until they are translucent.  Chop up your bell peppers, but leave them aside for the moment.

Crack your eggs into a bowl and blend them with a whisk or fork.   Add in your salt, black pepper and just a hint of cumin, if you are using it.  Why cumin?  Cumin is an important ingredient in tacos and a tiny bit of it in your eggs will help suggest that without being a dominant flavor.  Be warned though, even this small bit of cumin will produce a flavor that might take some getting used to!

At this point, you'll want to get a pot with some water in it boiling over medium high heat.  Put a heat-safe plate over the top and place a tortilla shell on the plate.  This will heat the tortilla and make it flexible.  Repeat with the other tortilla shells.

Go ahead and add the peppers into the skillet, then pour in your eggs.  Gently scramble them with a spatula or spoon.

Some people add milk to their eggs in the belief that it makes them fluffier.  Doing this will do two things that you don't want.  First, it will dilute the flavor of the eggs (never a good thing).  Second, it will scorch--and actually make the eggs tougher.

One trick you can do to make your eggs nice and soft is to add a little water while your cooking them.  Something else you can do to make them nice and creamy is add a little cream cheese.

At any rate, once your eggs are cooked, immediately remove them from the heat and add your shredded cheese.  You can add the cheese late in the cooking process, if you're careful, but it will melt just fine if added after--and you run no risk of burning it.

Place a little bit of the egg and sausage mixture on each tortilla and add a spoonful of salsa.  Wrap them up, plate them, serve and enjoy!

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Sialia (Jul 17, 2012)

*Mmmm . . .thank youu for thread*

You can cut the saturated fat and improve the texture & flavor of grilled cheese sandwiches by switching to a light-flavored olive oil and using a sourdough or sliced french bread. Seriously. Once I tried this, the flavor and smell was so much better I will never go back. And not so soggygreasy either. SO here's what to do: heat the skillet dry. Once it's already hot, pour on a drizzle of light olive oil. Give it a moment to get hot. Then put the dry bread into the oil, and cover with a thin slice of chosen cheese and another slice of bread. Set timer, 1 minute, then flip. If desired (and you know you do) sprinkle the top of the sandwich with garlic powder and a tiny bit of finely shredded cheddar, paremesan or mozzarella. After 1 minute, flip it back over. Give it about 30 seconds--just until the bare naked shreddy cheese turns slightly toasty and you can pull the sandwich cleanly off the skillet. You should have a golden brown, crispy crust and a gooey interior without a trace of soggyness anywhere.Mmmmm. Variation: smear the inside of the sandwich with pizza sauce and use mozzarella inside and out, lotsa garlic powder. Mmm--pizza sandwiches! I would never make these for game night. I'd spend all night standing in the kitchen making sandwiches. Make a big pot of veggie chili!

edit: not to imply that yours come out soggy--I'm sure yours are wonderful. Kidcthulhu makes 'em the way you describe and they are perfect every time. But I've had plenty of disappointng ones in diners --I think it really matters what the type of oil in the "shortening" is. Real butter works great. Canola spread makes for lousy frying.


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## Sialia (Jul 17, 2012)

*Oh. THe veggie chili.*

Dump 1 can of tomato paste into a hot skillet and smoosh it around until it almost burns (but not quite) As soon as it starts to get dark, add a little wine, vermouth or beer, and scrape the pan like mad until all the gooey bits are mooshed into the sauce. Add a teaspoon of cumin and a tablespoon of paprika and garlic  and salt to taste. Add a can of chopped tomatoes and their juice. Stir, taste and adjust. When sauce is delicious, throw in veggies of choice: I like smoked corn kernels from Trader Joe's and lima beans.  Add some more liquid if you need it (water is fine). If you are using something raw like onions, you probably want to saute them a bit _before_  doing the tomato paste. When veggies are tender and sauce covered, add a cup or two of Morningstar Farms veggie crumbles, or cooked lentils, or a can of favorite beans. Serve whenever. Good recipe for leave it in the crockpot until you get around to eating it, or make ahead and leave in fridge and nuke a bowl to order when needed. Good with sourcream, cheese and hot sauce.  (If everyone you're serving likes heat, go ahead and add spicy stuff to taste while cooking. I serve a lot of tendermouths, and so I make it real mellow and then dose mine up with Tabasco and Bufalo Salsa Chipotle.) Veggie chili does not need hours to slow cook--I've done a decent version in 20 minutes this way--but it's very forgiving if it has to wait a long time before getting served. The garlic tends to disappear after a while and needs to be refreshed. Apart from that, I can be in the game room and not the kitchen, and guests can self serve, if they don't mind Bandeeto turnng their characters into wererats while they are out getting seconds. ;-)


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## Rune (Jul 17, 2012)

Sialia said:


> not to imply that yours come out soggy--I'm sure yours are wonderful. Kidcthulhu makes 'em the way you describe and they are perfect every time. But I've had plenty of disappointng ones in diners --I think it really matters what the type of oil in the "shortening" is. Real butter works great. Canola spread makes for lousy frying.




Not to worry!  Your grilled cheese sandwiches look delicious.  I can't wait to try them out!

As for the shortening--yes, the type matters for flavor.

If you're getting soggy sandwiches, though, that's more likely a result of the _quantity_ that these diners are using, and also the temperature they're cooking at.  You really only want enough shortening to give the bread a surface to sear--and then you have to have enough heat to sear it while the cheese melts!

Anyway, welcome to the Game-Night Kitchen.


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## jcayer (Jul 17, 2012)

Tonight we're celebrating 4 years of adventuring, so I took the plunge.
Shish-kabob.  Beef, chicken, peppers, mushrooms, and potatoes on the grill.  I don't expect any leftovers.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jul 17, 2012)

When i was going to law school, i created something I called 4 Can Cassarole:

1 lg can of potatoes
1 can of green beans
1 can of tomatoes
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup.

Dump in pot in order.  Season to taste.  Bake.

It was literally an open cans, dump in pot Cassarole, so prep time is entirely dependent upon the speed of your can opener.

Today, however, I'm a bit less time sensitive, so I always use fresh potatoes, _usually _ use fresh or frozen green beans, and _occasionally_ use fresh tomatoes.

In addition, since I don't have the liquid from the canned potatoes & green beans to use, I add a can of low-sodium chicken broth.  Sometimes, I add fresh chopped mushrooms for additional flavor.


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## El Mahdi (Jul 17, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> When i was going to law school, i created something I called 4 Can Cassarole:
> 
> 1 lg can of potatoes
> 1 can of green beans
> ...




Throw some hamburger and bacon in there, and it would be perfect.

(...though my blood pressure would likely disagree...)


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## Gilladian (Jul 18, 2012)

*Red Cabbage Crockpot*

My husband hates cabbage, but just recently we ate at a German restaurant that served red cabbage and apples with just about everything. He tasted it and REALLY liked it.

This is a cheap, filling dish for 4-6. It takes all day to cook, so start it in the morning...

Coarsely shred 1 medium red cabbage (Discard outer leaves and the core/stem end).

Chop 1 large onion (about 1/2 lb) and two medium apples (about 1 lb). The apples should be tart. Don't use Red Delicious! I used Fuji, but Macs or Granny Smiths will be okay. Make sure you remove the seeds and cores from the apples when you quarter them. Then slice each quarter into about three pieces. Crush two garlic cloves and throw them in.

For seasoning: blend 2 cups of water (or red wine if you have it on hand) with 2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar or even white vinegar work in a pinch), and 1/4 teaspoon each of the following spices: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Omit up to 2 of them if you don't have them, but add more of the others to make up the difference. You can also add caraway seeds and/or thyme if you like them. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and stir til the spices are all mixed, and the sugar dissolved. 

Pour the liquid/seasoning mix over the shredded cabbage/apple/onion mix in the crockpot. Turn on high for an hour or until it is simmering really well, then turn down to low and leave it alone (covered) for at least 4 hours, preferably 8 hours. 

You can do this on the stovetop if you have no crockpot - cook for 2-3 hours at a simmer.

You can add pork sausages or whole pork chops if you have room in your slow cooker - mine was so full it never would have fit, but you may have a bigger one... just brown the meat first if you want it to have a meaty flavor, or just plop it in if you're in a hurry.


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## Sialia (Jul 19, 2012)

Mmmm . . . cabbage. Sounds yum.


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## Sialia (Jul 19, 2012)

Further thought on grilled cheese: cut a hole in the middle of the sandwich with a biscuit cutter before you grill it, and crack an egg into the hole once it's on the skillet. Mmmm. Crispyness, gooeyness _and_ drippiness.


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## Sialia (Jul 19, 2012)

*Interlude: Poemy slow food ode for gamers*

Waycake's fine for a wandering elf--
I heard one say so, and who's to doubt her?
Some like blisters and dry cold rations,
But a halfling likes beer and chowder.

Hardtack's for orcs and biscuits for dwarves,
Breaking teeth or bread, whichever's louder,
And humans'll eat most anything,
But a halfling likes beer and chowder.

So draw me a pint and fill me a bowl,
And build the fire up stouter,
Travel's fine for the adventuring sort,
But a halfling likes beer and chowder.


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## Sialia (Jul 19, 2012)

*Chowder with Beer. Ale, actally. Or Vermouth, if you must you wine drinking elf type*

Fishing is fine for the sort who like getting wet. This is a vegetarian version for those who prefer digging in the dirt. Throw fish in it if you like it better that way.

(another favorite cook in advance, leave it on the stove until needed, serves many cheap recipe)

Olive oil in medium hot pan, chopped onions and potatoes into the hot oil, stir until coated w/oil, then let rests a while. When the bottoms are golden, sitr 'em around and let the other side toast.

When the onions and potatoes are slightly browned, add a tablespoon of flour and a fair amount of salt and thyme. Stir it all around together until the flour is absorbed into the taters. Throw a half glass of Newcastle Brown Ale (or vermouth) into the pan and stir that in a bit, and then turn down the heat and add enough milk to cover the potatoes completely, and drink the rest of the Newcastle, and stir. Leave it on low a while, and add a shake or two of Worcestershire sauce and some crumbled or shredded cheddar or colby jack. A spoonful of cream cheese isn't a bad idea neither. Nor a shot of Tabasco if you like that sort of thing--the vinegar helps keep the cheese from getting stringy, and o'course, it tastes like Tabascy. 

Scrape the bottom of the pot from time to time to make sure it aint't sticking. SHould be all thick and creamy now. Go ahead and add whatever precooked veggies you've a mind to, a half-bag of the frozen stuff works fine. I like limas and corn. If you're a fish eater, throw that in the pot. Leave it on a slow simmer until the fish & veg is cooked warm through (could be as little as 5-10 minutes). Adjust salt, add lots fresh ground black pepper, maybe a little more thyme. Taste it a couple times. Have another ale. Serve. Or like, leave it on low heat until GM says you may safely leave the table without bitter repurcussions.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jul 23, 2012)

BTW, good idea, adding a ToC!


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## Rune (Jul 24, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> BTW, good idea, adding a ToC!




Thanks.  It was always my intention to provide a convenient resource with this thread.

What I _didn't_ anticipate was that there would be a bunch of _other_ people's recipes posted, also.  This was unexpected, but awesome!

Pretty quickly, I realized that there were going to be more of other folks' recipes than my own.  At that point, I realized I'd better start linking to them in my first post, or no one would be able to find them when they wanted to (without sifting through the entire thread, that is)!


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## Rune (Jul 24, 2012)

*Episode 13: Coleslaw.*

What's better on a hot summer day than fresh coleslaw?

What's easier to make on a hot summer day than fresh coleslaw?

What's _cheaper_ to make on a hot summer day than fresh coleslaw?

Very little, that's what.

*Here's what you'll need:*
1 head of cabbage
A carrot or two
Mayonnaise
Vinegar
Sugar
Black Pepper

*Chop.*

Wash your head of cabbage and peel off the outer leaves.  This will be easier if you make four shallow cuts in a square around the base of the core.  Quarter the cabbage through the core and then cut the core out by cutting into each wedge of cabbage at an angle.

If you have a food processor, you can use it to shred your cabbage and carrots, but, unless you are making a _massive_ amount of coleslaw (certainly more than this recipe assumes), you will probably be able to chop your ingredients quicker than it would take to use the food processor and clean it!

You can also use a grater, but, personally, I prefer a fairly coarsely chopped mix (that's another problem with the food processor, by the way--it has a tendency to turn your cabbage into mulch, which is...not a good texture!).

Chop your cabbage and put it into a large bowl.

Next, peel your carrot(s) and chop them finely (or grate them) into the bowl.

*Sauce.*

In another bowl, combine some mayonnaise with a small amount of vinegar and some sugar.  The type of vinegar you use will lend it's flavor to the slaw, so keep that in mind!  While you're making the sauce, make sure to keep tasting it and adding small amounts of vinegar or sugar until you get it where you want it.  Personally, I aim for slightly sweet and slightly tangy--subtlety is the goal!

When you've got it tasting right, mix it into the coleslaw a little at a time.  Cabbage is mostly water, so it will take less sauce than you think.  Basically, coat all of the cabbage and then let it rest for a few minutes.  Mix in a little sauce, if needed, then let it rest again.  If you just add in the amount of sauce you think is right all at once, you are likely to find that your slaw is soggier than you intended.

Finally, for a little contrast, mix in a little black pepper (the courser the grind, the better, I find).

If you've been reading along, you may remember Dannyalcatraz's Mayonnaise Substitute: using plain yogurt in place of up to half of the mayonnaise in a mayonnaise-based dish.  I tried this with some coleslaw for last night's game and it worked very well.

The texture of yogurt is not as thick as the mayonnaise (meaning it will take somewhat less to coat your cabbage), so you'll have to keep that in mind as you're adding in the sauce!​
That's it for this week.  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jul 24, 2012)

Hey, glad that idea worked for you!

Funny thing- I LOVE CABBAGE!

...but I hate most cole slaws.  I've only found one that I actually enjoy, the garlic cole slaw at Vincent's in Plano, Tx.

I usually just do a nice big (stinky) pot of cabbage with chicken broth, shredded carrots, onions, and a spicy sausage, cooked low & slow.

And fortunately for me, there's achinese restaurant near me that does fan-damn-tastic vegetarian egg rolls that are essentially just cabbage, carrots & onion.


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## Rune (Jul 24, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> Hey, glad that idea worked for you!




I'd XP you for it, but I need to spread some around, first!


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## Rune (Jul 25, 2012)

Tried Sialia's grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup tonight.  Very tasty!  The garlic on the sandwiches complemented the soup _very_ well!

I recommend anyone who wishes to try it to cook at medium--or slightly above medium--heat.  Any lower, and you won't toast the bread very well.  Any higher, and you're likely to burn it (especially the cheese sprinkled on the outside).


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## Sialia (Jul 25, 2012)

yay!  Glad it worked and was tasty. 

It _is_ a little tricky doing the cheese layer--you've got to get it just past gooey and sticking to the pan, but pull it up before it scorches.  I use a cast iron skillet and set my wretched ceramic top stove on 6, and make sure everything is preheated.  (the cast iron compensates for the uneven heat fluctuation of the lousy cooktop) Anyway, with a  good medium hot steady setting, the timing is 30 seconds for me--just toasted until it comes loose cleanly. Also, a little loose cheese always falls on the skillet next to the sandwich while I'm doing this, and I use that as the guide for when it's time to check. The little crispy bits of loose cheese on the pan are the tastiest bit--I always scrape them out and snack on them before I start the next sandwich.  Also, do not let Xena use your skillet for an improvised weapon before it cools--the handle gets uncomfortably hot, unless you've got one of those little quilted handle sleeves.


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## Rune (Jul 25, 2012)

Sialia said:


> yay!  Glad it worked and was tasty.




I'd XP you for it, but, alas, I have to spread some around first (this is getting to be a trend for me...).


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## Rune (Jul 31, 2012)

*Episode 14: Meatball Sandwiches.*

I made these for tonight's game and they were oh so delightful.

This dish is a little more complex than the ones I usually try to post, but it's a real treat.  It also is another one of those dishes that is best served during a break, as it can be a bit messy.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Ground beef
Crackers, sliced bread, or oatmeal
An egg
Salt
Black Pepper
Onion
Garlic cloves
Garlic powder
Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Sugar
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Butter or margarine
A sturdy bread (Italian is good for this)
Sliced provolone cheese

*Meatballs are balls made of meat.*

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  While it is preheating, peel your garlic cloves (this is easier if you crack them by pressing down on them with the flat of a blade).  This is also a good time to mince your onion.  You'll only need about a quarter of a medium-sized onion per two pounds of ground beef, or so.

Put your ground beef in a bowl.  Your meatballs will want a bit of a breading filling, for which you can use crushed crackers, crumbled toast, or oatmeal.  Add this to the bowl with some salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme.  Add an egg and mix well by hand.  Then, wash your hands.

Get a baking pan (something with edges) and, if you have one, a rack to fit inside of it.  Roll some of the meat mixture into a ball around a garlic clove.  Repeat the process until you have used up all of your garlic cloves and meat.  You'll probably want to aim for balls about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, as larger meatballs will affect the cook-time.

Place these evenly on the rack and then wash your hands again.  Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or so.  When they are cooked through (to a temperature of at least 155 degrees, if you are using a thermometer), pull the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before removing them from the rack.

*Marinara.*

While you are baking the meatballs, put your tomato paste and diced tomatoes in a saucepan with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, sugar, and butter or margarine.  Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer.  The exact proportions of these ingredients will be according to your taste, but if you are unsure how much of each you should use, add small amounts of each and taste-test until you get it where you want it.

*Sandwiches.*

Turn your oven up to 450 degrees or so.

Slice your bread, if it is not already.  Put it on cookie sheet, or similar pan and place meatballs on the bottom halves.  Don't be afraid to mush the meatballs down some if you don't want them to roll around!  Spoon some marinara sauce over each, lay a slice of provolone over that, top them with the rest of the bread, and toast them in the oven, just long enough to melt the cheese.

Remove and serve.

That's it!  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Sialia (Jul 31, 2012)

This sounds wonderful!  

I love anything toasty and gooey and drippy.

(Can I have some mushrooms on mine when i drop by?)


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## Rune (Aug 6, 2012)

Sialia said:


> This sounds wonderful!
> 
> I love anything toasty and gooey and drippy.
> 
> (Can I have some mushrooms on mine when i drop by?)




Thanks!  If you find yourself passing through Central KY, I'll make sure to get some!


On an unrelated note, I'm headed out to a friend's Birthday (Gaming) Party, so no update, tonight.


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## Gilladian (Aug 7, 2012)

*Hamburger-cabbage soup*

Here's a family favorite soup that can be varied in many ways and is easy to make ahead.

Hamburger (1 lb per 4 servings)
Cabbage (1/2 head per 4 servings)
Onion (1 or 2 medium per 4 servings)
Carrots ( 2-3 large per 4 servings)
Garlic (1-2 cloves per 4 servings)
Tomatoes, fresh or canned, (1-2 per 4 servings)
Pasta, whole wheat (I like elbows or shells) or barley 
Beef stock, 6-8 cups for 4 servings or 1 bouillon cube per 2 cups water and a cup or so of red wine.
Herbs (I like italian or herbs de provence), to taste. 
Salt ONLY if you used real beef stock instead of bouillon, but be sure to taste first!

Brown the hamburger (I drain and rinse it to minimize fat), and then the onions and garlic. Add all the veggies, sliced into bite-sized pieces. Brown lightly until the cabbage wilts. Add the stock and red wine if you're using it. Add the barley. Simmer for an hour or up to 4 hours. Add the pasta near the end if you're using it instead of barley. Simmer until pasta is tender and serve at once. You may need to add more liquid near the end if you used barley - it can soak up a lot of broth!


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## Rune (Aug 7, 2012)

*Episode 15: Pickled Eggs*

Not everybody likes them, but for those who do, pickled eggs make a fine snack.  Because not everyone will like them, this is a good snack to make to supplement another.  Furthermore, they keep for a while in the fridge, so you can bring a few out each session.

One thing to be aware of, however, is that it will take a few days before this snack is actually ready to eat!

*Here's what you'll need:*
One jar of your favorite pickles.
Eggs
Salt
Water

*Eat the pickles.*

Save the jar with the liquid in it.

*Hard-boiled eggs are not hard.*

Place your eggs into a pot and cover with water.  Add some salt (this will make peeling them _much_ easier!).  Bring the water to a boil and then cook for a further 12 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and run cool water over the eggs.

Peel the eggs and then drain them _very well_.  Any excess water will dilute the vinegar-based solution that the pickles came in--and that will also dilute the flavor.  If you are worried that you might have diluted it some, or if you just want to give it a little kick, you can always add a bit more vinegar, as well.

Put the eggs in the jar, seal it, and put it in the fridge for a few days.

That's it for this week!  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Sialia (Aug 9, 2012)

This one I gotta try-- I love pickles. I was taught that you put the eggs in the cold water in a good heavy pot that retains heat well, bring the heat up until it boils, then shut the heat off and let it sit for ten minutes. You get nice firm eggs with no green ring around the yolks.

But I've never tried them pickled before.


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## Rune (Aug 14, 2012)

*Episode 16: Broccoli, Cheese & Rice.*

This one is easy, but takes a little time.  Fortunately, it'll feed a few hungry gamers!

*Here's what you'll need:*
Rice
Water
Salt
Broccoli
Butter or margarine
Shredded Cheese

*First, make rice.*

Lots of a cooks have their own methods of cooking rice that they swear by.  If this is you, go with what you know.  If you don't know, go with what I know.  First, rinse your rice.  Very, very well.  Measure some rice into a pot and add in 1 1/2 times this amount of water.  The actual proportions may vary with the type of rice used, but the instructions on the bag or box of rice (if you've got one) ought to tell you, specifically.

Add some salt and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and _do not remove the lid for 20 minutes!_  If you remove the lid early, steam will escape and your rice will be crunchy!

*Next, choppa broccoli*

If you have frozen broccoli, follow the instructions on the bag.  If you have fresh broccoli, wash it and cut the florets off.  If you have the means (that is, a colander, a pot, and a lid) steam the broccoli, by boiling a small amount of water in the pot, with the broccoli above in a colander, covered with the lid.  If you cannot do this, you can just boil the broccoli.  When the broccoli is cooked through, but still a bit firm, it is done.  You can shock it to stop the cooking process if you want (by dunking it in ice-water), but if you plan on eating soon, it probably isn't necessary.

*Mix it together.  With Cheese!*

Once your rice and broccoli are done throw the broccoli into the rice, add a little butter (or margarine), a splash of milk and some shredded cheese.  Mix and serve.

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Aug 14, 2012)

Looks good!


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## Sialia (Aug 18, 2012)

*Chocolate Pudding*

Put a little milk in a heavy bottomed pot (say 1/2 cup). Stir in a few tables spoons of flour. Stir like mad until all smooth and gooey. Add another cup of milk and stir that in, no lumps. Then one more cup of milk. And a tablespoon or so of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then turn on the heat about medium hot. Stir for about 6 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot frequently so it doesn't stick and burn. When it starts to bubble and get thick, turn the heat down very low. Add your favorite chocolate in small pieces--a cup of chocolate chips works great, but a broken up 1 pound hershey's special dark will do fine. Or, you know, valrohna or lindt or ghiradelli or guittard or callebaut . . . when it's all melted smooth, lick the spoon and decide if it's sweet enough. If it's not, add a little more sugar, and (using a clean spoon) stir again over very low heat until smooth again. Repeat as needed until the pudding is perfect or all gone. Take it off the heat and add 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir and pour what's left into bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm or you just can't wait any longer. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

(best way to break up a big bar of dark chocolate: put it in two sealed zip top bags (in case one bursts), and then hit it with a mallet until  hit points are reduced to 0. Delicious _and _satisfying.)


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## Sialia (Aug 20, 2012)

Also I made the pickled eggs tonight and am impatiently waiting to taste them tomorrow.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Aug 20, 2012)

Not so much a recipe as a time saving hint- tonight, among several other things, I made a tomato sauce full of all kinds of gooood stuff: fresh sliced mushrooms, 2 kinds of onions, white wine, lemon juice, home-made vegetable stock, a splash of red wine vinegar, etc...

But there was no pasta in sight.  Because the sauce wasn't for tonight.*

The plan is that my sauce is made and ready to use whenever I care to, and since I was already cooking, why the hell not make sauce?  It will keep in the freezer for months, and thawing it takes minutes.

When cooking, I often take extra time to chop extra veggies.  IOW, once I start cooking and my kitchen is dirty, I just keep going.  When you're chopping 1 onion, why not chop the other 6?  They'll freeze just fine.  Ditto other veggies.

This means that you can actually serve fairly complex dishes if you're so inclined, with only a modicum of effort, if yu'rewikling to time shift your prep/cooking time.








* This _particular_ same will be used later this week, served over some pan sautéed chicken thighs & breasts.


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## The Red King (Aug 20, 2012)

Sialia said:


> Put a little milk in a heavy bottomed pot (say 1/2 cup). Stir in a few tables spoons of flour. Stir like mad until all smooth and gooey. Add another cup of milk and stir that in, no lumps. Then one more cup of milk. And a tablespoon or so of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then turn on the heat about medium hot. Stir for about 6 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot frequently so it doesn't stick and burn. When it starts to bubble and get thick, turn the heat down very low. Add your favorite chocolate in small pieces--a cup of chocolate chips works great, but a broken up 1 pound hershey's special dark will do fine. Or, you know, valrohna or lindt or ghiradelli or guittard or callebaut . . . when it's all melted smooth, lick the spoon and decide if it's sweet enough. If it's not, add a little more sugar, and (using a clean spoon) stir again over very low heat until smooth again. Repeat as needed until the pudding is perfect or all gone. Take it off the heat and add 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir and pour what's left into bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm or you just can't wait any longer. Serve with whipped cream if desired.
> 
> (best way to break up a big bar of dark chocolate: put it in two sealed zip top bags (in case one bursts), and then hit it with a mallet until hit points are reduced to 0. Delicious _and _satisfying.)




Tonight.

I'm making this tonight.


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## Rune (Aug 20, 2012)

Sialia said:


> Also I made the pickled eggs tonight and am impatiently waiting to taste them tomorrow.




Unfortunately, they probably won't have much flavor yet after only one day.  I'd try one tomorrow and then let it go a couple of days longer (at least).



The Red King said:


> Tonight.
> 
> I'm making this tonight.




So am I!  In fact, I'm starting as soon as I post this (it's actually why I was looking into this thread just now!)


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## Sialia (Aug 21, 2012)

Yay! Let me know how it goes. I'm sorry I couldnt be more precise about the measurements--I think it's about 1TBS flour to each cup of milk. And, um, as much chocolate as I happen to think works. You know, until it's chocolate colored and flavored. The better the quality of the chocolate, the better the pudding. If you use too little flour and it doesn't come out thick enough, gently fold in some whipped cream, cool whip, or beaten pasteurized egg whites and make a mousse out of it.

The pickled eggs were only flawed in that I didn't make enough and I couldn't wait to eat them very long and, also, they are all gone. Another batch is on the boil as we speak. Tasted like devilled eggs without the mayo.

Adding a little liquid smoke and some tabasco this time.

Also, I accidentally discovered that if you put them in a baggie with some black olives to carry in your lunch box, the olives make strange and wonderful patterns all over the egg. And it tastes good. I think olive brine might work just as well as pickle juice. SO I'm going to try that, too. I expect they will be a sort of strange color, but . . . well, we'll see.


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## Sialia (Aug 21, 2012)

Also, in the pudding recipe--not the eggs--if you leave out the sugar and the vanilla, and swap shredded cheese for the chocolate, you'll get a really wonderful cheese sauce that is good on nearly everything, but especially over pasta. You will never want the powdered mac n cheese again. Also suitable for pouring over sliced potatoes to make a fine augratin casserole.  Or over chips to make nachos. Or on toast. Or over lima beans or broccoli or cauliflower.

Variations: add a splash of vermouth or marsala or ale. Or some mushed garlic, or thyme, or black pepper. Or a scoop of cream cheese. Or a few drops of Tabasco or liquid smoke. Or any combination of the above.

Colby jack is really good for this. Or gruyere. Or cheddar. Or even plain old american cheese. Or any combination of the above. Enjoy!

For some reason, it is permitted to serve a bowl of chocolate pudding plain, but folks look at you funny if you give them the cheese sauce with only a spoon. At minimum, a few croutons are recommended.


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## Rune (Aug 21, 2012)

Sialia said:


> Yay! Let me know how it goes. I'm sorry I couldnt be more precise about the measurements--I think it's about 1TBS flour to each cup of milk. And, um, as much chocolate as I happen to think works. You know, until it's chocolate colored and flavored. The better the quality of the chocolate, the better the pudding. If you use too little flour and it doesn't come out thick enough, gently fold in some whipped cream, cool whip, or beaten pasteurized egg whites and make a mousse out of it.




I did have to work with the measurements, but the end result went over very well.  Next time, we'll try butterscotch.



> The pickled eggs were only flawed in that I didn't make enough and I couldn't wait to eat them very long and, also, they are all gone. Another batch is on the boil as we speak. Tasted like devilled eggs without the mayo.
> 
> Adding a little liquid smoke and some tabasco this time.
> 
> Also, I accidentally discovered that if you put them in a baggie with some black olives to carry in your lunch box, the olives make strange and wonderful patterns all over the egg. And it tastes good. I think olive brine might work just as well as pickle juice. SO I'm going to try that, too. I expect they will be a sort of strange color, but . . . well, we'll see.




Sounds great!  I do recommend that you get a new jar of pickles (or olives) for the new batch of eggs, though (I may have recommended this in the recipe, come to think of it).



> Also, in the pudding recipe--not the eggs--if you leave out the sugar and the vanilla, and swap shredded cheese for the chocolate, you'll get a really wonderful cheese sauce that is good on nearly everything, but especially over pasta. You will never want the powdered mac n cheese again. Also suitable for pouring over sliced potatoes to make a fine augratin casserole. Or over chips to make nachos. Or on toast. Or over lima beans or broccoli or cauliflower.
> 
> Variations: add a splash of vermouth or marsala or ale. Or some mushed garlic, or thyme, or black pepper. Or a scoop of cream cheese. Or a few drops of Tabasco or liquid smoke. Or any combination of the above.
> 
> ...




In the case of the cheese sauce, I would make a blonde roux (possibly with olive oil instead of butter) with the flour before adding it into the milk (and heat the milk before adding the roux), but otherwise, it looks great!

(For those who don't know, a roux is a means of toasting flour in butter, or some other fat, but a _blonde_ roux doesn't actually toast the flour, it merely blends it in with the butter.

In either case, you'll want to gradually add flour to an equal amount of melted butter or other fat and blend thoroughly, preferably with a whisk.  In the case of a blonde roux, you would stop here, but for a good, dark, roux for something like, say, gumbo, you'd want to keep the mixture moving over a lowish heat--and keep going until it's sufficiently dark.)​


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## Rune (Aug 21, 2012)

*Episode 17: Mac n' Cheese*

This is one of those dishes that everybody knows and loves, and there are probably as many versions as their are people to eat them.

Here's another one.

*What you will need:*
A box of macaroni noodles
Water
Salt
Cheese (preferably shredded, or soft)
Butter or margarine
Milk

*Macaroni.*

Preheat your oven to about 350 degrees.  Bring the water to a boil with a little salt and add the noodles.  Boil them until they are just the slightest bit firm.  Drain well and blend in a bit of the butter or margarine.

*& Cheese.*

Add enough milk to coat the noodles and gradually mix in cheese until melted.  Pour the entire mixture into a greased baking dish and top with more cheese.  Put the pan in the oven and cook until the cheese on top becomes golden and a bit crispy (this shouldn't take too long, so keep an eye on it!).  Remove the pan from the oven, let it rest for a moment, then serve and enjoy!

That's it for this week.  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Sialia (Aug 22, 2012)

Yep--mac n cheese casserole is definitely a gamer's friend--make ahead, reheats well, feeds many, is cheap. Gruyere and cheddar, scoop of cream cheese. MMm. 

I failed the eggs again today. Can't seem to get past the 12 hour mark, and then, poof!  all gone. Mind you, delicious, but . . .I may  never find out what they taste like actually marinated ~3 days.   But the liquid smoke, garlic and Tabasco were calling . . .calling . . calling out to me . . .


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## Rune (Aug 22, 2012)

Sialia said:


> Yep--mac n cheese casserole is definitely a gamer's friend--make ahead, reheats well, feeds many, is cheap. Gruyere and cheddar, scoop of cream cheese. MMm.
> 
> I failed the eggs again today. Can't seem to get past the 12 hour mark, and then, poof!  all gone. Mind you, delicious, but . . .I may  never find out what they taste like actually marinated ~3 days.   But the liquid smoke, garlic and Tabasco were calling . . .calling . . calling out to me . . .




Simple solution:  make 3 batches.  Or, I dunno, make some right before going on a trip, or something.


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## jcayer (Aug 22, 2012)

I made Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese a few months ago.  They couldn't get enough of it.
Here is the recipe I started with:  Sean’s Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese. Our Reason to Live

I took some liberties with it, but it was outstanding.  I put a bowl of blue cheese dressing and some additional buffalo sauce on the side...so good.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Aug 22, 2012)

Rune said:


> Simple solution:  make 3 batches.  Or, I dunno, make some right before going on a trip, or something.




Or give them to someone to hide!

Then you could have a Pickled Egg Hunt!


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## Sialia (Aug 23, 2012)

*Enchilada Casserole*

Grease a casserole dish.

Mix a 15 oz container of ricotta with 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese.

Pour enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole. Cover the sauce with corn tortillas. Pour more sauce on the tortillas, then cover with a layer of the ricotta mixture, and then more sauce and tortillas and sauce and cheese like a lasagne. WHen you get to the top of the casserole or run out of stuff, sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and then put the whole thing into a 350 degree oven for at least 1/2 hour. Longer is often better. An hour is fine.

If you are serving folks who like chilies or beans or sliced black olives, you could add a layer of either. Save the guacamole, fresh salsa, shredded lettuce and sourcream for side dishes however.

Ok, so, you're asking, where do I get decent enchilada sauce? Pace used to make a decent bottle, but the stores here haven't had it for years. So now, I take a jar of Ragu Pizza sauce and add a lot of powdered cumin and garlic to it. Really, that's all there is to it. You could add onion, oregano, paprika and/or chili powder if you like. Or a glug of hot sauce or chipotles. You know your audience. Mine like it kept simple.

The casserole freezes well, reheats well.


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## Sialia (Aug 23, 2012)

*Enchilada Casserole*

double post. phoo.


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## Rune (Aug 28, 2012)

*Episode 18: Chicken Salad Sandwiches.*

Need a good, quick, light sandwich for a mid-day gaming session?  Chicken salad is the way to go.  It does require some pre-cooked chicken, however.  This can be done a few ways.

If you've got the time in advance, I recommend boiling some chicken in some water with some butter, salt, and pepper, and then pulling the chicken from the bone after it cools because you can save the stock in the fridge (or freezer) for a future dish.

If you don't have time for that, you can cook up some chicken tenders in a skillet and pull them apart with a couple of forks.

Finally, you can also get canned chicken breast chunks, but these tend to be quite salty, so you will need to adjust your recipe to account for this.

However you get your chicken, once you've got it, the rest is easy.

*What you will need:*
Pulled Chicken
Mayonnaise
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Sugar
Celery
Onion
Pickle
Boiled Eggs, if desired
Grapes or nuts, if desired.
Sliced Bread

*Chop the veggies.*

Chop the celery, onion, and pickles, as well as the eggs or nuts, if you're going to add them. If you're going to add grapes, slice them in half.  Put it all into a largish bowl with the chicken.

*Mix in stuff.*

Put enough mayonnaise in the bowl to coat the other ingredients, without making a gloppy mess.  Season with a small amount of salt, pepper, garlic, and a hint of sugar.  Mix well.  Taste and tweak, mixing well each time you season.

*Make sandwiches.*

Put your chicken salad on sliced bread and you're good to go.

That's it for this week.  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Gilladian (Aug 29, 2012)

You can also buy a grocery-store roasted chicken. They're yummy! Remove the skin before stripping the meat from the bone. Save the juice/gelatin in the bottom of the container, and then boil the bones for 15-30 minutes in fresh water (with herbs if you like them) and with your saved onion-skins, carrot tops, etc... from other dishes. What, you're not keeping them in a zip-lock in the freezer? Huh!

Edit: when the bones are boiled, add the juice/gelatin, remove all the bones, let the liquid cool, skim off the fat, and keep it for your next pot of soup.


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## Sialia (Sep 1, 2012)

*You'll be wanting some matzo balls with that . . .*

Ok, first the soup: if you can find 'em buy chicken necks, backs, wings--they're really cheap (even kosher ones) and have loads of gelatin in them. Don't bother boiling anything with a lot of meat on it---it's the bones and skin make the soup. If you can only get a chicken in 8 parts, pull most of the meat off first and fridge it for later, and then boil the carcass.

Anway, start in cold water, add bones and salt. Add onions, carrots, parsnip and celery. Simmer very slowly, a really long time. It's edible in about 1/2 hour, better in a whole hour, heaven after about 6. For me, easiest thing is to stick it in a slow oven abut 275 degrees for about 6 hours. Water should just barely be bubbling--hardly moving even, but warm enough not to be a breeding ground for icky. It's important that everything be submerged--drop a heat proof dish into the broth on top of the veg/bones to keep everything under water. Near the end, taste and adjust the salt, add pepper, sage, rosemary, parsley etc. to taste. Or not.
Also, if you want more meat in your soup, cut up the meat you stripped from the bones in step 1, and then poach it lightly in the broth for about 20 minutes near the end.

MEANWHILE (and this is the important part) make matzo balls: in a small bowl beat 2 eggs with 2 TBS oil until really well blended. Then add 1 tsp salt and 2 TBS water (or some of the cooled stock if you've got it) Beat it all smooth before adding in 1/2 cup matzo meal. Stir really well, cover, put it in the fridge and let it sit AT LEAST 15 minutes. Get a large pot full of salted water boiling and make sure you know where the lid is--you'll need it. When the 15 minutes are done, start rolling the matzo mixture into walnut sized balls. I use a small cookie scoop to measure them out, and then get my hands wet and hand roll them until they are smooth. Then drop them into the boiling water, [note--drop each one in as you roll it and move quickly so they all hit the water within a short time--don't try to roll them all out first and then put them in--the early ones will dry out too much] and reduce heat to very low simmer, and put the lid on tight and don't even think about lifting it to peek for about 20 minutes. The water must be boiling before you put them in, and it must not be allowed to get above a simmer after they go in, so use your ears to keep track of what's going on. 
When they are done, serve them floating in your soup. Or on a plate with a lot of gravy, and perhaps a sprinkle of parsley.

If this is your first time doing this, don't be surprised if you get them too heavy or too loose--the only way to learn the exact measurements is to make a few batches, and pretty soon you'll know when the mixture "feels right" during the rolling stage. If it's too dense, it needs a little more water or they come out like lead. If it's too wet (or the water isn't boiling)they will fall apart and you'll get mush. So add some more meal. If you make them too grandiose in size, it's hard to get them to cook all the way through and you get dry bits in the middle. If the water is boiling too hard, the egg cooks hard before the matzo meal can fluff up, and you get golf balls. (Sounds like I've made all of the above mistakes, right?) There is a reason the bragging rights for perfect fluffy matzo balls exclusively belong to experienced cooks (like Grandmas). New cooks can make decent ones, however, especially with all of the above tips--and every reasonably decent matzo ball should be appreciated as a minor miracle. They are heavenly delicious, economical and filling. Serve these as a first course, and the main course will stretch a whole lot farther.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Sep 1, 2012)

Hint time: chicken & turkey are remarkably similar in taste when in complex recipes, like soups.  All tht stuff about chicken bones for soup?  You can substitute turkey just as well.


In fact, when I make my turkeys, I put thë wing-tips- the part tht is mostly skin- aside specifically for use in the stock I make with the bones.

In addition, turkey necks are a LOT easier to find.  Not only do they come with turkeys, many meat departments will have packs of them available for sale.  ESPECIALLY ethnic groceries & butchers.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Sep 3, 2012)

I tried an experiment tonight.

I laid a bed of onions, potatoes, and mushrooms in a pair of deep ceramic rectangular baking pans, over which were placed wings or thighs.

The veggies had been seasoned with a bit of pepper, parsley, and some other stuff; the chicken with red & black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, etc.  The chicken had been pre-brushed with a mix of butter, lemon juice & white wine.

The chicken came out great, the veggies did not.  They were OK, but there was a bit too much drippings form the bird bits, so the veggies got a bit...submerged.

That might have worked with rice (which would absorb liquid), but not the potatoes (which have their own internal moisture).  The texture was OK, but the amount of liquid washed most of the seasoning off of them.

Next time I do this, I'll use a third pan to spread out the chicken- and liquid- a bit more.  I might also use the microwave to zap some moisture out of the 'taters.


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## Rune (Sep 4, 2012)

*Episode 19: Fettuccine Alfredo.*

This is a tremendously easy dish that has great potential to be easily impressive, as well.

*What you will need:*
Fettuccine noodles
Water
All-purpose flour
Butter or olive oil
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Oregano
Garlic
Grated Parmesan cheese

*Noodles.*

Boil your noodles in a pot of water with some salt.  When they are cooked through, but still somewhat firm, remove them from the water and drain well.

*Sauce.*

Heat your olive oil, or melt your oil over medium heat.  Gradually blend in the flour until you have something somewhat more fluid than paste.  Do not brown this roux!

Reduce your heat to low and add milk and stir until you have a sauce slightly more fluid than what you are looking for in the final dish.  The sauce will thicken as it cooks (and also as you add the cheese).

Add your seasoning and the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it is completely worked in.  Continue to cook until the sauce thickens.  Then serve over the noodles.

That's it for this week!  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Gilladian (Sep 4, 2012)

Danny, I like to do what you did with fish. Spread your veggies in the casserole, then top with seasoned meaty white fish (I like Basa). Dot with butter or brush with oil or an oil/butter blend. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 5-7 minutes, or use foil and bake in the oven at 350 for 45mins - 1 hr. 

You do have to slice the potatoes fairly thin, or I prefer a mix of mushrooms, onions, yellow squash or zucchini (or both) and diced tomato if you like it. Dill, lemon zest, a smidge of white pepper; yum!


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## Gilladian (Sep 4, 2012)

For those who've never done white sauces before, alfredo can be tricky. Try 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, the same amount of flour, and one cup of milk. And anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1 cup cheese, depending on taste and the quality of the cheese. This make sauce for about 4 average servings (8 oz cooked pasta). 

You can make white sauce with incredible variety. Add cheese and you have alfredo. Add egg yolks and you have bechamel. Add cream and you have heart-failure. Use bacon fat for the oil, season with salt and pepper and you have classic "white gravy" for biscuits. Add sugar and vanilla and you have a dessert. 

However, this sauce is NOT particularly beginner-friendly. It burns easily if you do not keep the heat low enough; it will get lumpy if you add your liquid too fast or if it is too cold. Plan to try this two or three times on yourself before you are ready to whip it up on game-night. Once you know your stove, your pan and the quirks of your preferred ingredients, you will be on the way to being an expert cook.


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## Rune (Sep 11, 2012)

*Episode 20: Frozen Fruit & Cream*

This is a simple, yet de-licious dessert to bring out while the party is celebrating it's long-overdue victory over the nefarious villain who has been hounding them lo these many sessions.

*What you will need:*
Freeze-able serving glasses
Plastic wrap
Heavy whipping cream
Sugar
Fruit (Berries, banana slices, or the like)

*Whip it good.*

First, the whipped cream:  If you don't have a mixer (or you just don't want to break it out), you'll be able to make this work with pre-packaged whipped cream, but if you can, you should definitely make your own--it's got a consistency that can't be beat (no pun intended).

Anyway, whip your cream with your sugar at high speed until starts to peak.  Taste it and add sugar as necessary.  Continue to whip until it is wonderfully whipped.

Wash your fruit, dry it, and gently fold it into the whipped cream.  Then portion the mixture into your serving dishes, cover them with plastic wrap, and stick them in your freezer for a couple of hours.

...And that's it!  Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Rune (Sep 18, 2012)

*Episode 21: Quick & Easy French Onion Soup.*

Before I begin, let me point you out to a far _classier_ recipe for Bloody Feather's Classic French Onion.

That said, maybe you just want to throw together a quick, easy, and _cheap_ version for game night.  I'm here to help with that.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Beef broth
Onions
Slice bread
Softened butter or margarine
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Shredded provolone cheese, or similar

*Start with the soup.*

Chop the onions and put them in a pot.  Add some garlic, salt, and pepper.  Cover with broth and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat and simmer until the onions are soft.

*Croutons!*

Croutons are easy enough to make on their own, but the version I'm presenting here are kind of a shortcut version.  Butter several slices of bread, sprinkle garlic powder over them (and other seasonings, if desired--I recommend basil and oregano).  Quarter the slices and toast them in an oven or toaster oven.  Let them rest for a few minutes after removing them from the oven.

*Serve.*

Ladle some soup into bowls, put a handful of croutons over each, and top with cheese.  If you have oven-safe bowls, you could put them back in the oven for a moment, but, really, you'll have a fine soup if you just let the cheese melt naturally.

So, that's it.  Good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Sep 18, 2012)

Did a quick veggie dish the other day:

1) cube some golden potatoes (5-6)

2) chop some celery (3-4 stalks)

3) halve some baby carrots (1-2 hands full)

4) dice some green onions (1 bunch)

Mix in bowl with 1 1/2tbs unsalted butter, the juice of a lemon, a spash of white wine and seasonings like parsley, powdered garlic & black pepper.  _If you have it_, add 1/4 cup of chicken broth.  Otherwise, use water.

Then microwave those bad boys in a covered dish until the potatoes are done.


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## Gilladian (Sep 19, 2012)

Add sliced portabello mushrooms, or even just quartered white mushrooms too...


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## Sialia (Sep 24, 2012)

I used to do a similar dish: oil or butter in the pan, heat, then add chunks of cauliflower, onions, potatoes (and whatever optional other things were around: broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, etc.)--toss it around untill all well coated, then cover until veggies are soft from thier own steam, then add basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, dill (or just a good shake of "Italian Herb blend" spices) toss it all around and then add a whole load of shredded monterey jack and or cheddar cheese and put the lid back on just until the cheese melted. Serve.

This is hearty and satisfying enough to use as an entree.

Also, yummy. Also, reasonably inexpensive.

It's a little bit like homefries with more going on. Would not be bad served in a little skillet with a poached or sunnyside egg on top.


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## Rune (Sep 25, 2012)

*Episode 22: Corndog Poppers.*

Hotdogs are great, right?  What's better?  Frying them in cornmeal batter.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Hotdogs
Cornmeal mix
Wheat flour
Egg
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil

*Prep your poppers.*

First, in a small stockpot, heat about an inch of your preferred flavor of cooking oil over a medium-high heat.  It will be hot enough to use when you can flick a drop of water into it and it immediately boils away.

Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire. In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames. They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires. DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around! Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely. If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
Once your oil is heating, go ahead and cut your hotdogs into bite-sized pieces.  Then begin the batter.  Most cornmeal mixes have flour in them, but, even if the one you are using already does, I recommend that you add a little more, so that you get a slightly smoother texture to your cornmeal-coating.  Most cornmeal mixes also have a rising agent in them, but if the one you are using does not, add a little baking soda.  Add some salt, pepper, an egg, and enough milk to provide a thick, but smooth batter.  Blend until there are no lumps.

*Fry those dogs!*

Coat the pieces of hotdog in batter, then gently lift them out of the batter on a fork (to provide drainage), and _gently_ lay them into the hot oil.  If you are concerned about getting spattered, wear an oven mitt!  At any rate, _do not_ just drop your hotdog pieces in!  Not only will you splash hot oil everywhere, you will also probably lose some of your batter!

Once the poppers are golden and crisp-ish on the outside, remove them from the oil (preferably with tongs) and drain them on paper towels.  Then, turn your stove off and _let your oil cool before disposing of it!_

Back to the poppers: plate 'em and serve 'em!

That's it, this week!  Until next time, good gaming, y'all!


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## Felon (Sep 25, 2012)

That sounds yummy, Rune.


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## Rune (Oct 1, 2012)

*Episode 23: Hot Chocolate.*

The weather has turned a little chilly around here, so I figure now's as good a time as any to start making some delicious hot chocolate.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Chocolate candy bars
Milk
Water
Whatever you want to top them with--whipped cream, marshmallows, cinnamon, nutmeg, shaved chocolate, or whatnot

*Hot.*

First, heat some milk, either in a saucepan over medium heat, or in the microwave.  If you are heating your milk on the stove, make sure you don't scorch it!

While you are heating the milk, put a couple of inches of water in another saucepan and put a heat-tolerant bowl over the top.  Place this set-up over medium to high heat and melt your chocolate bars in the bowl.  I recommend about one to one and a half chocolate bars per mug of hot chocolate, but tastes will vary.  You can use chocolate chips, instead, but will probably want to add some sugar if you are using semi-sweet chocolate.

*Chocolate.*

Once the chocolate is melted and the milk is hot, mix them together well, then pour, top however you prefer, and serve.

...And that's it, folk!  Until next week, good gaming!


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## Gilladian (Oct 2, 2012)

Or you can just order some good hot chocolate powdered mix online (I like Penzey's) and forego the mess of making your own... 

Always put the mix into milk, not water, for a good rich drink.

I also love mulled apple cider.

Heat a pan of cider on the stove. For each 8 oz mug of cider, add an inch of cinnamon stick, a clove (real clove, not garlic!), and a pinch of nutmeg (fresh grated if you can get it). You can add ginger and such if you like, but some people don't like it. You can use ground cinnamon if you cant get stick, but it isn't nearly as good-tasting. 

Simmer the spices in the cider for at least 10 minutes, 30 if you can wait that long.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 2, 2012)

Penzey's ROCKS!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 3, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> Cajun Red Beans requires an overnight soak of the beans (1-2lbs).  Other ingredients include yellow/white onions, galic, black & red pepper, parsley, celery, 3 bay leaves, and some kind of meat.  For those without hypertension issues, you'll also need salt.  Traditionally, that would be some kind of salted or pickled pork, perhaps some kind of sausage (usually smoked and/or hot).  I gravitate towards sausage, but to be healthier, I've started using hand-sized slabs of ribs that I've smoked or oven-baked, seasoned without salt.
> 
> You'll also need rice to serve them over.
> 
> ...




I was reminded of something today- my friend Lisa Morin's Black Bean soup.  Her recipe was similar to my red beans (see above)- black beans are nearly identical to red beans, and can be treated much the same way.  

Where she differed:

1) she didn't cook hers down as much- this is a soup, not a side dish.  You still crush the beans for thickening, but you want a more fluid end product.

2) she used a bit more meat, and in larger chunks.

3) no rice is needed, but it doesn't hurt.

4) when served, the soup is typically given a topping of a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze if lemon juice.  The lemon juice not only adds tang, but reacts with the black beans to turn some of it purple, so once you start stirring, the bowl is a full of swirls of black, purple, and white.


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## Gilladian (Oct 4, 2012)

Mmmm... sounds delicious...

Tonight for dinner I'm contemplating Great Northern beans (canned, don't have time to soak and simmer dried), ham, celery, onions, and garlic. Not sure if I'll add tomato paste. 

Brown the onions, add the garlic and celery, season with herbs de provence and a pinch of pepper, add the beans and ham, chicken stock (unsalted) if needed, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. I'll crush some of the beans to see what happens; somehow I've never done that before.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 4, 2012)

It is one of the easiest ways to thicken any bean recipe!

It happens naturally, to some extent, just because some will get smooshed by stirring the pot with any vigor.  Doing it on purpose hastens and improves results.


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## Rune (Oct 9, 2012)

*Episode 24: Black Bean Chili*

Well, the weather's turning chilly around these parts, so this is a great time to do a nice pot of black bean chili.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Ground Beef or Stew Meat.
Onions
Bell Peppers
Black Beans, canned or pre-cooked
Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Paste
Beef Broth
Chili Powder
Garlic
Salt
Black Pepper
Cumin
Sugar
Butter or Margarine
Lemon Juice

*Chili.*

Brown your ground beef or cook your stew meat with some onions and bell peppers, as well as salt, black pepper, garlic, chili powder, and cumin.

Add in a little beef broth, then add the tomatoes, beans (red beans and kidney beans are also good in this recipe, but, personally, I really like black beans for this dish) and tomato paste.

Add a little butter or margarine and just a hint of sugar and lemon juice.  Add more seasoning as desired, then let your chili simmer until you are ready to serve.

...And that's it!  Good gaming, y'all!


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 9, 2012)

Hmm...

Between that and Lisa's recipe, I'm thinking about using something like a pork loin or a fattier cut to make some sort of pork & black bean chili...


----------



## Rune (Oct 9, 2012)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> Hmm...
> 
> Between that and Lisa's recipe, I'm thinking about using something like a pork loin or a fattier cut to make some sort of pork & black bean chili...




Bacon works nicely.


----------



## Rune (Oct 16, 2012)

Had a game tonight, so I'll post an update tomorrow instead.

Here's a teaser:  This one's for all you hobbits out there.


----------



## Rune (Oct 17, 2012)

*Episode 25: Fried Mushrooms.*

This is another snack that takes a bit of cooking, but will be well worth the effort when your hungry gamer-friends descend upon you.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Mushrooms
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Garlic
Paprika
Buttermilk
Cooking oil

*Heat the oil.*

Pour about two inches of oil into a pot and heat over medium heat (or slightly higher).  The oil will be hot enough to cook with when you can flick a drop of water into it and it immediately boils away.

Anytime you are dealing with a large quantity of oil, you run the risk of having some make contact with your heat source--and then--a grease-fire. In the event of a grease-fire, make sure you put it out by pouring a generous amount of salt or baking soda onto the base of the flames. They also make special fire-extinguishers for grease-fires. DO NOT try to use water (or other liquids) to put the fire out--that will just spread it around! Of course, this assumes that the fire is still small enough to manage safely. If it is large enough to threaten your well-being, get out of the building and contact professional fire-fighters.​
*Batter.*

Mix all dry ingredients (except the mushrooms) and then mix in buttermilk until a thick, smooth-ish batter is produced.  The seasoning you choose to use is quite forgiving, so feel free to experiment with other flavors!

*Dip and dunk.*

Stab a mushroom with a fork and coat it with batter.  Let any excess drip off.  Hold the mushroom just above the surface of the oil and gently pry the mushroom off into oil.  Be careful not to let the mushroom fall from too high, or the oil will splash and, at the very least, burn you.  Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms, but don't overcrowd the pot.  When each mushroom is golden, remove it from the oil with a pair of tongs and let it drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

When you are finished, turn the heat off and let the oil completely cool before disposing of it.

Serve your mushrooms and bask in the complements that are sure to follow!

Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 17, 2012)

You might want to invest in a pot spider: Helen''s Asian Kitchen Spider Strainer - Bed Bath & Beyond

Perfect for getting things into and out of hot oil in bunches instead of singles- a time saver for something like this.  Depending on mesh size, can also work as a strainer, especially when making your own stock.


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## Gilladian (Oct 17, 2012)

I want to share a recipe for yummy yummy treats my great-aunt used to make. They were called 7 layer cookies when I first heard of them. I've since heard them called other things, including ooey-gooey chewies.

Start with a 9x12" tray. In the bottom, fill it with a layer of crushed graham cracker crumbs. 1 1/2 pkgs is usually about the right amount. Then pour one stick of melted butter over them. Toss and spread evenly. On top of this add:

1 regular bag of chocolate chips
1 regular bag of butterscotch chips (white choc can be subbed if you hate butterscotch. Or toffee chips can be used)

2 cups of chopped walnut or pecan pieces
2 cups shredded coconut or raisins or dried minced fruit of any sort (coconut is traditional, but I hate it, so sub fruit)

Then drizzle two cans of condensed milk over the top. 

Place in a medium oven (350 to 375) and bake for 30-45 minutes, until the chips all melt and glue everything together. Allow to cool completely, remove from the pan and cut into small squares. VERY RICH!

I have seen the ooey-gooey variant replace the graham crackers and butter with a layer of brownie mix. If you do that, follow the baking instructions for the mix. EVEN RICHER!


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## Rune (Oct 23, 2012)

*Episode 26: Hearty Chicken & Vegetable Soup.*

Well, here we are, half a year in, and my wife's a little under the weather, so we'll just celebrate the milestone with a nice, simple, chicken soup.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Cooked chicken, pulled or cut into bite-sized pieces
Chicken broth
Vegetables
Salt
Pepper

*Put it in a pot.*

Add your broth and chicken into a pot with some salt and pepper to taste (and other seasonings, if desired).  Start cooking this over a medium heat.

The type of vegetables used will determine the order you add them to the soup, as well as whether or not they have already been cooked before (this is a great soup to add leftovers into!).

Raw potatoes or carrots, for instance, will want to be cut into smallish pieces and cook for longer than will less dense veggies.  Robustly flavored vegetables, like tomatoes or corn would be best added soon after (and, if you're using fresh tomatoes, peel them!  Your soup will be much better without those tomato skins floating around in it!). Fresh cabbage, squash, and/or zucchini will all turn to mush quickly, so should be added late in the cooking process.

...aaand that's it for this milestone episode, folk!

Good gaming, y'all!


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 25, 2012)

Do you like lox & bagels?  You know with cream cheese, red onions, and maybe capers? If so, I just tried a few variants you might enjoy.

1) Instead of bagels, I buy pretzel-rolls/pretzel-bread or some good sourdough buns.  They're actually slightly healthier- except for the salt- and they're easier to chew than your standard bagel.  In addition, it's easier to find good pretzel breads as opposed to good bagels.

 2) Instead of cream cheese, try an herbed soft cheese.  Boursin is the easiest to find.  We have also tried garlic & Herb D'affinois Brie.  Each adds a nice new dimension to the creamy side of the equation.

3) Instead of cream cheese, substitute a good guacamole.  The texture is nice & creamy and partners nicely with the red onions.  And the salmon on top seems not to mind.

The past few times we've had lox at home, I've actually been combining either 1 & 2 or 1 & 3.  Both are winners.


----------



## Rune (Nov 5, 2012)

*Episode 27: Cream of Broccoli Soup.*

A good hot soup is a fine thing for a cold night of gaming and broccoli is a fine thing at any time.

That's why, this time in the Game-Night Kitchen, we're fixing up a fine batch of broccoli soup!

*Here's what you'll need:*
Milk
Broccoli
Butter
Flour
Salt
Pepper

*Start with a double-boiler.*

If you don't have a double-boiler, you can put a couple of inches of water in one pot and fit another pot on top.  Pour your milk into the top pot and put the whole set-up on the burner on high.

If you are using fresh broccoli, wash it and cut it up, then add it to the milk.  If using frozen broccoli, skip right ahead to adding it to the milk.

*Thicken.*

Melt some butter (about one stick per half-gallon of milk used.  When it is melted, blend in some flour (about a quarter cup per stick of butter) and some salt and pepper.  For these quantities, you will probably want something like a teaspoon of each, but if you feel you want to add more when the soup is done, you can do so then.

Once the broccoli has gotten soft, stir this mixture into the soup to thicken it.

If you want to add cheese, you can do so at this point.  Either add a soft cheese, cut into small pieces and let it melt, or add shredded cheese and mix it in.

That's it for tonight, but tomorrow night we'll have another soup, so, until then, good gaming, y'all!


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 5, 2012)

Thank you for that one- CoB is one of my favorite soups!

There was a restaurant chain called Jojo's that had the "Peasant Lunch": unlimited bowls of CoB soup, 2 slices of buttered garlic toast, a heaping handfull of cubed cheddar, and a cored apple.  Very tasty & filling.

(Sometimes, I'd add a side of fries.)


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 6, 2012)

This is my variant on my grandmother's ham & potato soup.

*Creamy Creole Potato Soup*

You will need:

5-8 small to medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes (don't get the tiny, salad sized ones)
1 lb Earl Cambell's Hot links (or other spicy sausage), cut into medallions
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 whole bulb of garlic, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 qt chicken stock
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup flour
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 can of Milk (see below)
1 bay leaf
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Thyme
Parsley

1) boil or bake your Yukon Gold potatoes

2) while that is going on, in a stock/soup pot, make a roux.  That means, take about half of your butter, melt it over a low heat, and use it to brown your flour, _slooooowly_, with frequent stirring.  If you find you are needing to stir constantly, turn your heat down and add a little butter.  This is the only part that takes a lot of patience.

3) when your roux is golden to caramel brown, add the rest of your butter and the sausage medallions.  Raise the pot temp to just between low & medium, and pan-sear your sausage medallions, stirring constantly.

4) when the sausage has browned, add your chicken stock, all of the onions & garlic, and the bay leaf.  Add can of Cream of Celery soup, rinsing can with milk, and then add the milk.  Add the other spices to taste. (We, being Creoles, like ours _SPA-SAAYYY_!).

5) by now, your potatoes should be cooked.  Dice all but one, and add them to the pot.  Mash the last one and hold it to the side.

6) Bring pot to a simmer, stirring often- this is a thick, dairy-filled soup so you don't want any scorching to occur!

7) add the final potato, mixing it in thoroughly, then turn off heat.


Serve with a side of buttered toast and a nice flavorful cheese- tonight, we used a Yancey's Fancy Smoked Gouda.


Serves at least 6 at 2 ladles/person.


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## Rune (Nov 6, 2012)

Dagnabbit, Danny!  Tonight's recipe was _going_ to be Cream of Potato & Bacon!  Back to the kitchen to come up with another one, I guess...



Seriously, looks good, though.


----------



## Rune (Nov 6, 2012)

*Episode 28: Chocolate Covered Pretzels.*

Well...I was all excited and ready to post a good ole Cream of Potato recipe and _here comes Danny with one of his own._  So...since Danny has provided the dinner, I'll provide the dessert.  And this one's easy, too (assuming you don't make your own pretzels).

*Here's what you'll need:*
Pretzels (salted ones work best)
Chocolate

*Melt the chocolate.*

Put some water in a saucepan and cover this with a bowl that can withstand the heat.  Put chocolate in the bowl and place on the burner.  Heat until the chocolate is melted.

*Dip the pretzels.*

Rest a pretzel on a fork and dip it into the chocolate.  Completely coat and then remove from the chocolate.  Let the excess drain and then set the pretzel on a tray lined with wax paper.  Repeat with other pretzels.

*Chill.*

Put your pretzels in the fridge to chill.

And there you have it!  Until next week, good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 6, 2012)

Rune said:


> Dagnabbit, Danny!  Tonight's recipe was _going_ to be Cream of Potato & Bacon!  Back to the kitchen to come up with another one, I guess...
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously, looks good, though.




The Cajun Ninja strikes- haaaiiiii-yahyeeeee!

Ain't nothing wrong with Cream of Potato & Bacon, though.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 6, 2012)

Here's an ingredient tip: look in your grocery's meat department for Flat Iron steak.

It's a flavorful, boneless cut that has a lot of versatility.  I've been using it for stir fry, lately, and its the meat that Boston's uses for its Bacon wrapped steak appetizer w/blue cheese dip.

When I do the stir fry, I typically get a 1lb steak, and cut it into thirds.  Like a typical stir fry, I do my veggies first, then set them aside.  Then I quickly sear the flat iron to _almost_ medium rare, then remove them.  I return the veggies to the pot, along with whatever kind of sauce I'm using in the stir fry.  While that is coming back up to heat, I cut the seared flat iron steak into slivers, then put them in the pot as well.

The result of a few minutes of cooking at medium to high heat is a nice beef stir fry with tender slivers of tender, _medium rare steak._  By this method, a 1lb Flat Iron serves at least 6.  Economical, tasty, and healthy.


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## Rune (Nov 19, 2012)

*Episode 29: Meatloaf.*

Meatloaf is a wonderful thing. Not just when it's fresh out of the oven, but also the next day, when you're scrounging around in the fridge for something to make a sandwich out of.

Moreover, the preparation is simple and it's ready in a couple of hours.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Ground beef, preferably lean
Crushed crackers or bread crumbs
Eggs
Onions
Bell peppers
Garlic
Ketchup and/or steak sauce
Salt
Black pepper

*Mix it.*

Preheat your oven to about 350 degrees.

Mix your ingredients together.  You should have roughly a fifth of a sleeve of crackers or a like amount of bread crumbs and roughly one egg per pound of meat.  The amount of other ingredients you should include can vary according to taste.

*Mold it.*

Pack the mixture tightly into a deep pan and create a moat around the edge between the pan's sides and the meatloaf.  Add a little water to this moat.  Glaze the top of the meatloaf with ketchup or steak sauce.  Cover with aluminum foil, tented so as not to touch the meat.  Bake for about two hours (or until the meat has reached an internal temperature of at least 155 degrees).

If desired, you can drain the grease off of the meatloaf about halfway through the cooking process.

Let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven before serving.

Until next time, good gaming, y'all.


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## Rune (Nov 24, 2012)

*Episode 30: Shepherd's Pie.*

Sometimes a good casserole is simply the most delicious way to feed a group of people and one of the simplest and most delicious of all casseroles is the humble shepherd's pie.  Not only that, but if you have leftover vegetables in the fridge (particularly, mashed potatoes, peas or carrots).  I also like to use left over pot roast, instead of ground beef, when I've got it.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Potatoes
Milk
Butter or margarine
Sour cream
Ground beef (or left over pot roast)
Onions
Seasonings
Vegetables
Shredded cheese

*Start with the potatoes.*

If you haven't already got some mashed, peel and boil some potatoes (preferably starchy ones).  When they are soft enough to break apart with a spoon, drain them and then mash them with some sour cream, milk, butter or margarine, salt, pepper, and whatever other seasoning you like.

*Cook the beef.*

If you haven't already got some beef ready, brown some ground beef.  Add in some chopped onion for flavor and season as desired.  Mix your vegetables in with the ground beef when you are finished cooking it.

*Throw it all together.*

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees or so.  Grease a casserole dish and layer the bottom with your meat and vegetables.  Spread the potatoes over the top and top it all with a layer of the cheese.  Bake it until the cheese on top is crispy and golden.

Remove the shepherd's pie from the oven and let it rest for a moment before serving.

...And that's it for this time!  Until next time, good gaming, y'all!


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## Rune (Dec 10, 2012)

Well, we're back.  All links in the table of contents are now fixed (as well as links within my posts throughout the thread).

More recipes to follow!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 11, 2012)

In that case:

Spiked Eggnog:

Buy eggnog.  Pour some in glass.  Add any one (or 2, if you are adventurous):

1) Frangelico Hazelnut liqour

2) Kahluha coffee liqour

3) Seagram's Stone Cherry liqour

4) Buffalo Trace or Wild Turkey whiskey

5) Wild Turkey American Honey whiskey or Bärenjäger Honey liquor

6) di Saronno amaretto

7) Vanilla Cognac- Navan if you can get it Meukow if you can't

'Tis the season!


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## Rune (Dec 11, 2012)

Spiced rum is nice in eggnog, too.


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## Gilladian (Dec 11, 2012)

Mmmmm.... Amaretto and Vanilla Cognac both sound soooo yummy! But I'm not polluting mine by getting it near eggnog! Eggnog is for rum (the only only only time I drink rum at all).


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm planning on buying some Kracken tomorrow...


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## Rune (Dec 11, 2012)

*Episode 31: White Chicken Chili.*

What with all the difficulty with these boards, lately, I've fallen a bit further behind than I had anticipated or hoped.  Therefore, tonight, I present a triple-feature!

Some of you may remember MonkeyDragon had a white turkey chili that looked very tasty, although more of a thick soup, than a chili (unless two of the spices you decide to add are cumin and chili powder, that is).

Tonight's recipe is a different take on a similar dish.

*Here's what you'll need:*
Pulled or chopped cooked chicken
Cooked white beans
Diced tomatoes
Garlic
Onions
Peppers
Chili powder
Cumin
Lemon juice
Cooking oil

*Saute.*

Coat the bottom of your cooking pot with cooking oil.  Heat the oil over a medium-low heat.  Chop your vegetables and add the onions to the pot.  After a moment, add the garlic on top of the onions.  Once the onions have become almost translucent, add in the peppers, as well.  Season with cumin and chili powder and add some lemon juice.

*Throw it together.*

Continue to cook until the onions are translucent, then add your white beans.  Increase the heat to medium.  Drain your tomatoes (save the juice--you can use it in soups, or--some claim--to cure hangovers).  Add in the tomatoes to the pot and continue to cook.  Add in the chicken and continue to cook, stirring occasionally to keep the beans from sticking--and scorching.  Once heated, serve with some cornbread or corn chips, some sour cream and possibly some shredded cheese over the top.

*Or, try a variant.*

Consider substituting smoked sausage for the chicken in this recipe and topping with crumbled bacon.

Okay, that's the first one!  Next up...


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## Rune (Dec 11, 2012)

*Episode 32: Cornbread.*

Cornbread.  Eat it with chili.  Eat it with soup beans.  Eat it with greens.  Eat it with butter.  Eat it with honey.  Eat it for dinner.  Eat it for breakfast.  As any southerner will tell you, cornbread is a fundamental food group.

In case you don't already know how, here's how to make it:

*Here's what you'll need:*
Cornmeal.
Egg
Milk or buttermilk
Butter

Before we begin, I want to say something about the value of a good well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.  For southern cooking, there is _no_ more important cooking implement.  But, if you don't have one, don't fret.  You can still make perfectly passable cornbread with a regular pan.

*Start the batter.*

In a bowl, add your cornmeal, egg and milk or buttermilk.  Your batter should have roughly half as much liquid in it as the dry ingredients, so, for instance, one cup of milk to two cups of cornmeal.  If you are using a cornmeal mix, it will probably had wheat flour and a rising agent in it already.  If your cornmeal has neither of these things, you will want to add a little baking soda (half a teaspoon for the quantity mentioned above) and might want to add some flour, as well--otherwise you may have a courser cornbread than you would like.

*Pour it in the pan.*

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Put your butter in the pan and melt it in the oven.  Once melted, very carefully (with oven mitts or pot holders) tilt the pan so that you grease the sides and then pour the remainder into your batter.  Stir it in and then pour the batter into the pan.

*Bake.*

Cook for about twenty minutes to half an hour (cook time will depend on the pan size--and type).  When the cornbread is golden on top, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.  If your pan is small enough, hold a sturdy plate upside-down over the top of it, then turn both the pan and plate over.  Tap the bottom of the pan and, if your pan was greased well, the cornbread should slide right out.

...And that's cornbread!  Next up, there's...


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## Rune (Dec 11, 2012)

*Episode 33: Soup Beans*

Since we've done cornbread, now, let's get some soup beans cookin'!

*Here's what you'll need:*
Dried beans
Ham and/or bacon
Onions
Salt
Pepper
Water

*Soak your beans.*

Rinse and soak your beans overnight in a salt-water solution--twice as much water as beans (as these will plump up).  Traditionally, pinto beans are used, but you have leeway to experiment with other types of beans.

*Put it on to boil.*

Drain and rinse your beans.  Chop your onions and ham.  Add to pot with beans, salt, and pepper.  You can also add some hot sauce, if desired.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook until beans are soft, adding water as necessary.  At this point, Dannyalcatraz points out, you would do well to crush a few of the beans with a spoon to help the broth thicken.  Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve, stirring frequently to prevent the beans from sticking and scorching.

Serve with cornbread on the side and with diced onions over the top.  (Or chow chow.  If you don't know what that is, you'd probably prefer the onions.)

...And that's it!  Until next time, good gaming, y'all!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 11, 2012)

Just as a FYI, vanilla cognac in eggnog tastes like drinking melted vanilla ice cream, so be careful.


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## Thunderfoot (Dec 11, 2012)

Rune said:


> Cornbread.  <SNIP>
> Before we begin, I want to say something about the value of a good well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.  For southern cooking, there is _no_ more important cooking implement.  <SNIP>



BLESS YOU CHILD!!!!!
It still pains me when I get cornbread from places that think cornbread is sweetened cor cake with no icing.  Cornbread should be brown on the bottom, hard on the top and crumbly in the middle without being dry (hard to do without that cast iron skillet).  Tastes great with chili, ham and beans, bean soup or with a bit of butter all by itself.  Also good as "cereal" with some milk or crumbled up in a glass of sweet Southern Tea (yeah I thought "ewww" when I first heard it too, trust me you will sing a different song afterward).


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## Thunderfoot (Dec 11, 2012)

Wassail - From the Germanic "Vas Heil" the old-aged equivalent of "yo dog, what's up?", transferred to the Old English "Was Hale" leading to the middle-aged term Wassail.  In actuality a drink of Medira wine, ale, eggs, apples and spice.  Eventually becoming something closer to apple cider.  Here is a modern version that you can make that your friends will actually drink.

2 quarts (1/2 Gallon) of 100% Apple Juice (don't use concentrate or sweetened apple drinks)
1 cup of clear Rum (brown run works, spiced rum is a no no)
1/2 cup of Lemon juice
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 orange sliced (but not peeled) into three or four good thick rounds
18 - 24 cloves 
1 or 2 sticks of cinnamon

Take a crock pot and turn it to High
place the brown sugar in the crock pot and slowly add the apple juice, lemon juice and rum, constantly stirring until mixed.

Slice the oranges as above and place six cloves in each slice through the peel - alternately you can put the cloves in and then slice, throw the top and bottom pieces away (too much peel) add to the crock pot.

Cover, let this cook until steam starts to form on the lid and add the cinnamon (you don't want to use powdered because it gets grainy, you want the flavor, but not the actual spice in your drink)  Re-cover move setting to low until hot, place on warm and serve.  

This is a great Holiday tradition, but also works for a light "fantasy feeling" drink that isn't as heavy as ale or beer, but has more "spirit" than wines or meads.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 14, 2012)

I can report that:

1) Kracken dark rum is nice

2) it does go well with eggnog


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## Gilladian (Dec 16, 2012)

Cornbread:
Without any measurements nobody will be able to use this recipe to make anything at all. If you want to try a good, old-fashioned southern-style cornbread recipe, I suggest this one: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cornbr...nbread&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

It's from Allrecipes -- if the link doesn't work, just go there, search for cornbread, and choose "cornbread I" from the list.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 22, 2012)

I haven't tried this recipe myself, but it looks easy enough, is holiday themed, and I know that I'D appreciate this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKb1IeovH60&sns=em


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jan 28, 2013)

Caprese:

3 ripe Roma tomatoes
1 ball of Mozzerella cheese (@ the size of a chicken egg)
Basil (dry will work, fresh cut leaves will be better)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt or Lemon juice
Black pepper, ground

Clean & slice your tomatoes thin.  Do likewise with your Mozzerella.  Place on plate in alternating layers.

Sprinkle with basil.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Season to taste with ground black pepper, and either salt or a drizzle of lemon juice.

Serve.

Tasty, refreshing, and scalable.


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## Rune (Jan 28, 2013)

Danny, I'm going to have to try that today!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 14, 2013)

Quick little snack I discovered today:

Club (or Ritz) crackers drizzled with Louisiana Hot Sauce- not Tabasco*- topped with a sliver of oven-baked ham.  The combo of salt, sweet, and spice is quite tasty.






* My hot sauce of choice is Tabasco, but Louisiana Hot Sauce has a slightly milder heat and a sweeter vinegar than most hot sauces I've tried.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 30, 2013)

Tried a new booze combo tonight: I mixed Stranahan's whiskey with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur over ice.

Niiiiiiiice.


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## calronmoonflower (Sep 15, 2013)

My favorite spaghetti sauce recipe.
This makes allot and I have a deep skillet, so you might want to cut it down.

Ingredients.
1 Pound lean hamburger
3 bell peppers
1 purple onion
2 cans mild diced chillies
Jalapeños
banana peppers
garlic powder
crushed red pepper
1 can spaghetti sauce

I normally grate the onion and peppers. Mix the vegetables with the raw hamburger, and add the seasonings, then and cook it until brown. Drain the liquid and then add the sauces and simmer it while you cook your noodles.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Sep 15, 2013)

Welcome to the kitchen!

Looks like you enjoy a complex pepper flavor!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Oct 1, 2013)

Just finished making (and eating) a meal of steamed lobster tails and boiled mini-potatoes.  

Got the 4-5oz tails for @$5 each, and steaming took just about 8min per pot full, and melting the butter took bout 3 minutes on low in the microwave, so the slow part was the potatoes.  Pretty quick meal.

The fun part, though, was that I put about 1/4-1/2 of a lemon plus a few sprinkles of Tabssco in my butter for a truly transformative dipping experience.


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## trappedslider (Nov 12, 2013)

[sblock=Cheesy Broccoli Casserole]Ingredients


This scrumptious spring side dish with its crunchy topping and cheesy filling is a Kraft Kitchens’ Favorite.
Prep: 10 min. Total: 40 min.


1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove To Stuffing Mix of Chicken
2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup Cheez Whiz Cheese Dip


Procedure


Preheat oven to 350 F. prepare stuffing mix as directed on package, using only # Tbsp. butter. Set aside.
Mix remaining ingredients in 2-qt. baking dish; top with stuffing.
Bake 30 min. or until heated through.


Makes 8 servings, ¾ cup each.[/sblock]


Here's two from Chaos at the wotc Forums


[sblock=WizO_Chaos' Marvelous Meatloaf]This meatloaf is so good, my kids scarf it down, my mother-in-law calls a few days in advance and says "I'm coming over on Thursday, can we have meatloaf?" 


Now, there are 6 people in our immediate family. One meatloaf will usually feed all of us and Christopher's mother when I also make a BIG bowl of homemade mac and cheese.


If we want cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day, or leftovers for lunches at work, I'll make two. They can easily and quickly be done at the same time.


Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 medium onion chopped 
1/2 cup bread crumbs 
1 tsp sage
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef (lower fat content the better or it will cook away to nothing)
Topping (recipe below)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and have a 13x9 inch pan waiting
Mix the eggs and milk in a medium size bowl
Add in the onion and bread crumbs, and herbs. Mix well
Add the ground beef and mix well using hands (take off rings before doing this )


After mushing it together well, dump it into the pan and shape it into a loaf shape. Longer is better since it will cook more evenly.


Bake for 50 minutes. (Set a timer  )




Meanwhile in a measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp prepared mustard. 
When 50 minutes is up, take pan out and pour off the grease into heat resistant container. (Be CAREFUL - this can be heavy and HOT)
Spoon topping over the loaf and spread evenly.


Put back into oven and bake for another 10 minutes.


Take out of oven, slice and serve. It goes REALLY good with home made macaroni and cheese (not that nasty boxed stuff)


The sauce is the key to this meatloaf. The sage and thyme are great, but when mixed with the sweet and sourness of the sauce ..oh it's SO good![/sblock]


[sblock=WizO_Chaos' Famous Homemade Brownies]Ingredients
1/2 cup good quality powder cocoa (any brand will do in a pinch)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter - softened (marg will do, but will NOT be anywhere near the same - I wholeheartedly recommend using unsalted butter)
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease and line a 9x9 baking dish with aluminum foil. I use my old square Corningware dish. 


In a large mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the sugar, mix well.
Add the melted butter and stir. 
Add eggs and vanilla.
Beat with mixer on low-medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Add the sifted AP flour and salt.
Beat with mixer on low speed til flour is all combined into the batter.
Then Beat on medium-high for 3-5 minutes. The finished batter will show a change in color slightly to a light brown as the air is whipped into it. 


Pour into prepared pan and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. 
It's done when fork test comes out moist and crumbly - not liquid looking. But don't overbake. 
Take brownies out of pan using the aluminum liner, immediately. Let them set on a cutting board for about 5 minutes, then cut into squares. 


They do NOT need icing.[/sblock]


[sblock=CHICKEN PEPPERONI]1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 stick butter
5 slices pepperoni (for each breast)
3+ slices Monterey Jack cheese




Run chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Lay out flat on a sheet of wax paper.


In a baking square pan or casserole dish, melt 1/3 stick of butter. Take out. Put 3 slices of pepperoni and 3 slices of Monterey Jack cheese in the middle of chicken. Roll chicken up.


Put 2 slices of pepperoni on top. Stick toothpicks to hold together.


Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.


When done, put a couple more slices of cheese on top. Can use Mozzarella cheese or other cheese. Shredded cheese may be used instead of slices - just sprinkle on as much as you like.


Makes 4 servings.[/sblock]


[sblock=CROCK POT ROOT BEER BARBECUE CHICKEN]
What You’ll Need:
4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
18 oz. Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue Sauce
1/2 Can of Root Beer {approx. 6 oz.}
1/8 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Pepper
Crockpot
What You’ll Do:

Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours {covered}
After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot
Mix together BBQ Sauce, Root Beer, Salt and Pepper
Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes {covered} [/sblock]

[sblock= THE BEST CHICKEN FRIED STEAK]
INGREDIENTS:
4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable shortening for deep
frying

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
kosher salt and ground black pepper to
taste

DIRECTIONS:
1.    Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
2.    Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
3.    Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.[/sblock]

[sblock=LOVE BIRDS - CHICKEN IN PASTRY]
Ingredients
4 pieces skinless chicken breast, boned (about 8 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 sheet puff pastry (11 by 17-inch), (recommended: Dufour)
8 slices Italian fontina cheese, slices should be 2 to 3-inches square and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup fig preserves
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and rosemary. Cut each piece of chicken in half across the breast giving you 8 equal portions. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the chicken on both sides, 5 minutes total. Remove from heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pastry into 8 pieces. Place a piece of cheese on each pastry square and top with spoonfuls of fig preserves and the chicken pieces. Pinch and seal the dough up and over the meat and cheese, seal with egg wash, flip the pastry packets over and brush the tops with remaining egg wash. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

For entree portions, simply leave chicken breast whole and cut the pastry into quarters. Trim off excess dough and use it to decorate the pastry with small cut outs such as heart shapes. [/sblock]


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## Herschel (Nov 12, 2013)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> Caprese:
> 
> 3 ripe Roma tomatoes
> 1 ball of Mozzerella cheese (@ the size of a chicken egg)
> ...





Ditch the basil and sub sliced avocado for a "Southern" twist.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 12, 2013)

I've been thinking about doing a Tex-Mex/Southwest version with cilantro instead of basil.

I have also started doing that recipe with diced tomatoes and mozzarella as opposed to thinly sliced- when I toss it and set it on the table, it is attractive and not so fussy.  Plus it is much easier to serve: as a tossed salad, all of your ingredients are evenly mixed, so here's no issue with people trying to decide how many slices to take of this or that...they just dig in with the serving spoon and get a nice hearty serving.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 12, 2013)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> I tried an experiment tonight.
> 
> I laid a bed of onions, potatoes, and mushrooms in a pair of deep ceramic rectangular baking pans, over which were placed wings or thighs.
> 
> ...




FWIW, I did this again with dry mixed wild rice instead of potatoes, and it worked like a charm.  The rice absorbed most of the liquid while cooking...


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 12, 2013)

A real quickie:

Butter a cookie sheet.  On it, place a layer of sliced onions.  On the onions, place thin, bone-in pork chops seasoned with garlic pepper.  Bake at 350 until done.  Prep time is minimal, mostly the time it takes you to chop an onion and shake seasoning on the meat.  I prepped 2 sheets of 8lbs of chops before my oven reached cooking temp.

The chops come out fork...well..._spoon_ tender, and the caramelized onions make for a nice topper/side.


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