#mmiac

[mymainisacook]

Wildstar: Cubacon-Wrapped Cubesteak

Hello adventurers! I hope you’ve worked up an appetite today because we are making Cubacon-Wrapped Cubesteaks from Wildstar and they are quite filling! 

Let’s go! 

~Ingredients~

4 Cubesteak patties (or enough to slice into patty-sized pieces)

8 oz. (one block) of Cream Cheese, room temp.

To taste, each of the following: minced garlic, green onions, dill, parsley, and pepper

8 long slices of Bacon (2 per cubesteak patty) 

Worcestershire Sauce, as needed

Toothpicks

Prep Time: 5 - 10 minutes  |  Total Cook Time: 30 - 40 minutes

Makes: 4 bacon-wrapped cubesteaks

~Instructions~

Step 1.) At least 30 minutes before you are going to begin cooking, place the cubesteak in a bag and apply a small amount of Worcestershire sauce to marinate. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prep your veggies: mince the garlic, dice the green onions, and roughly chop the dill and parsley (if using fresh versions). 

Step 2.) Combine the garlic, green onions, dill, parsley, and pepper with the cream cheese.

Step 3.) Spread the cream cheese mix generously on the cubesteak patties. Roll up the patties and wrap with bacon. Secure the bacon with toothpicks.

Step 4.) Place on a baking sheet (a broiler pan or sheet with a drip pan to drain the bacon grease is preferred) and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the bacon is fully cooked (if using a meat thermometer, the beef should be at least 160°F.) 

Step 5.) Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes and serve with a side of your choice! Enjoy!

~Results~

These turned out to be quite fun and easy to make, and I ended up leaving the toothpicks in them when I served them because it made them look like little space creatures XD 

In Game Recipe

[mymainisacook]

Aion: Hot Crestlich Dumpling

Hello lovelies! Today we are going to make Hot Crestlich Dumplings from Aion! If you fear you will not be able to make these delicious morsels because you don’t own a steamer basket, do not fret! I have braved the frontier of makeshift steamer sets to ensure that anyone with a mesh strainer can have in their possession flavorful and succulent food stuffs perfect for any video game adventure!

Onward!

~Ingredients~

1 lb. Ground Pork

1 small Daikon Radish (you can also use red radish if that is what is available to you)

3 large Green Onions

3 - 4 tbsp. Soy Sauce

2 - 3 tbsp. Rice Cooking Wine 

1/2 tbsp. Ginger, or to taste

2 - 3 cloves Garlic

(optional) Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

1 Egg, beaten

1 package Dumpling Wrappers (a package of 40)

A small cup of water (for sealing the dumplings)

Sauces of choice for dipping

Prep Time: 10 - 15 min.  |  Total Cook Time: 8 - 12 minutes per batch

Makes: ~40 dumplings

~Instructions~

Step 1.) Prep your veggies: grate the radish, dice the green onions, and mince the garlic. Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Step 2.) Combine the pork, veggies, soy sauce, rice wine, spices, and egg together completely.

Step 3.) Begin prepping your water for steaming. 

If you are using a bamboo steamer basket, fill a a wok or high sided skillet with water and bring to a simmer. Place the steamer basket in the water and steam according to instructions below. 

If using a metal steamer basket or a rigged colander/mesh strainer setup, use a saucepan filled with a few inches of water, and line the basket/strainer with parchment paper before placing over the simmering water. 

Step 4.) Lightly flour a surface to begin filling the dumpling wrappers. I used a measuring tbsp. to put just shy of a spoonful in the middle of the wrapper, then dipped a finger in water to run along the edge of the wrapper and seal it up. I made the dumplings in groups of 4 or 5 before placing them in my “steamer”.

Step 5.) Cover the top of the steamer and allow the dumplings to steam over lightly simmering water for up to 12 minutes. Based on what I saw during the steaming process, the pork is usually ok to eat at a minimum of 6 - 8 minutes, and the wrapper will be completely saturated and steamed at about 10 - 12 minutes. The wrapper will start to take on a vacuum-packed look and become somewhat translucent when it is done.

Step 6.) Repeat steps 4 and 5 until  all the dumplings are cooked (or, before you steam them, set some aside in the freezer to make later), and make sure your steamer doesn’t run out of water. Allow the cooked dumplings to cool briefly before eating, and enjoy!

~Results~

I’ve never made steamed dumplings before, and I was really excited by how well these turned out! I have half of the batch in the freezer for a lazy day, and I will be making more to replace them once they’re eaten!

In Game Recipe

[mymainisacook]

ESO: Port Hunding Cheese Fries

Today we’re enjoying some dockside fare with ESO’s Port Hunding Cheese fries! Cheese fries are among my favorite snack foods, so coming up with different variations is so much fun for me! 

Let’s go!

~Ingredients~

2 Russet Potatoes

1 large Jalapeño OR Green Bellpepper

White Onion, to taste

Shrimp, thawed, as many as desired for each serving

Salt, Pepper, and Paprika, to taste for both the cheese and potatoes

Olive Oil, as needed

3/4 - 1 cup melt-friendly Cheese

1/2 cup Milk

2 - 3 cloves Garlic, minced

Prep Time: ~10 min.  |  Total Cooking Time: 40 min. - 1 hr.

Makes: 1 giant serving or 4 smaller servings

~Instructions~

Step 1.) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prep your veggies: dice the jalapeño/bellpepper and onion, mince the garlic, and set aside. Slice the potatoes long-wise into spears. 

Step 2.) Toss the potato spears in olive oil and spread out over a lightly greased baking sheet (you may need up to two baking sheets for these so that they are not stacked on top of each other. Just place them side by side in the oven and then rotate the sheets when you go to turn the potato spears.) Bake in the oven for 40 - 45 min., making sure to turn them over at the 20 min. mark.

Step 3.) When there is still 10 - 15 min. left in baking time, combine the cheese and milk into a saucepan and melt over low heat. Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Keep covered over low/no heat once it is completely melted. You may have to adjust the amount of milk or cheese to get your desired nacho-cheese consistency.

Step 4.) Take the shrimp, season them with salt and pepper, and sear over high heat on a griddle or grill until the shrimp is cooked through and slightly browned on the sides (2 minutes on each side is usually enough for thawed shrimp.) Keep them as-is to dip in the cheese or cut them up to be a part of the fixings.

Step 5.) Allow the potato spears to cool for about 2 min. before serving up in a bowl topped with cheese, jalapeño/bellpepper, onion, and shrimp. Enjoy!

~Results~

These were amazing! I did forget to turn one of the batches of potatoes so some of those stuck to the baking sheet more than the other, but it didn’t keep them from tasting good!

In Game Recipe

[mymainisacook]

FFXV: Taelpar Harvest Galette

HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYONE! Today is the first day of #FinalFantaFeast and I’ve been waiting (with some difficulty) to share my first creation for the month with you! 

Let’s go!

~Ingredients~

Crust

1 cup Flour, sifted

2 tbsp. Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, cold

2 tbsp. Ice Water

Filling

2 - 3 Oranges

8 oz. Goat Cheese

Cinnamon, to taste

1 tbsp. Sugar

Prep Time: 20 - 30 min.  |  Total Bake Time: 20 - 30 min.

Makes: 1 galette, serving 4 people

~Instructions~

Step 1.) Cut the cold butter into the flour, sugar, and salt until you get pea-sized clumps (You can use a food processor or your hands to mix everything together.

Step 2.) Slowly add the water and mix until you get a doughy consistency (add more flour if it becomes too sticky). Allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.

Step 3.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough out to about 1/8" thickness in a circle. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased foil.

Step 4.) If you would like some added flavor via zest from the orange, do this now with a zester or the smallest size on a cheese grater and set aside a few tablespoons’ worth. Cut the orange across the individual slices so that you get neat circles. Slices any remaining rind away and set the slices aside.

Step 5.) Take about 2/3 of the goat cheese and slice it into medallions. Spread it out in the middle of the pastry- giving plenty of room to fold the dough back over- and dust with cinnamon and orange zest to taste.

Step 6.) Layer the orange slices on top and fold the pastry edges back over onto the filling in a square shape. Brush the crust and tops of the oranges with a small amount of water and sprinkle the 1 tbsp. of sugar over everything.

Step 7.) Bake for 20 - 30 min. or until the crust is golden. Allow to cool for at least 10 min. (especially if you plan to move it to another dish, or it will fall apart! This almost happened to me haha!) Top with the remaining goat cheese and any garnish, and enjoy!

~Results~

Obviously, as a recipe coming from FFXV and Ignis this was delicious! Really, what more can I say?

In Game Recipe

Fandom Foodies

Linkup Page

[mymainisacook]

#Nyanuary Chrono Trigger Kitty Sugar Cookies

I don’t do lot of decorative foods on this blog. I’m not particularly skilled in that area and I prefer to recreate meal-based dishes to create a balance between more practical dishes and what I feel to be an overwhelming majority of dessert-type (though admittedly cute!), video game-inspired foods. But sometimes, you gotta break the routine, and if I’m honest I’d do anything for what is probably my most favorite video game ever! 

So for #Nyanuary , I give you Chrono Trigger Kitty Sugar Cookies! Since I am also not well-versed in sugar cookie recipes (I’m more of a chocolate chip person myself), I used a recipe from one of my cookbooks and am happy to report that the cookies shifted very little from their original cutout form. I’ve included a link to the book at the bottom.

Let’s go!

~Ingredients~

2 cups Flour

1 Egg

2/3 cups Unsalted Butter, room temp.

3/4 cups Sugar

1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

1.5 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

Decoration:

1 Egg Yolk per color

1 tsp. Water per egg yolk

Food Coloring (I used neon food coloring to retain a bright color during cooking)

Clean paint brush (this is the easiest way to apply the egg wash)

Black icing 

Prep (including wait) Time: 3 hr. - overnight  |  Total Cook Time: 7 - 21 min.

Serves: ~15 cookies

~Instructions~

Cookie Cutout

Step 1.) Find an image of the cats that you like and blow it up to an appropriate size (I used ctrl++ to increase the size and traced directly from the screen, the image I used it link at the end of the recipe). Trace the figure onto wax paper and cut it out. Set aside.

Cookies

Step 1.) Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk in a bowl until it is completely mixed. Beat i n the egg until it is completely mixed in.

Step 2.) Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until completely mixed. Wrap in wax paper or cling wrap and refrigerate for 3 hrs. to overnight.

Step 3.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly flour a surface (I put it on top of wax paper to keep the mess to a minimum) and roll out the dough in batches to about 1/8″ thickness.

Step 4.) Flatten the wax paper on top of the dough and use a knife to cut out the shape (keep the knife clean to keep the cutting easier). Place each cookie on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2″ apart.

Step 5.) Create the egg color wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp. of water in a bowl for each color you want. Add 1 - 3 drops of food coloring to each bowl and mix thoroughly. Paint at least 2 layers of color on each cookie surface just before placing in the oven.

Step 6.) Bake each batch of cookies for 7-6 min. and allow to cool on a tray for at least 10 min. before applying the black icing around the outline of the cookie.

Step 7.) Enjoy!

~Results~

Regardless of my feelings on the actual taste of sugar cookies, these were so adorable I stopped at several turns to gush over how cute they were! I am happy I went with the egg color wash as it made a very unique effect on the cookies. The cookies themselves weren’t half bad either. XD

Fandom Foodies

Nyanuary Linkup

Chrono Trigger Kitty Picture

Christmas Cookies Book

[mymainisacook]

WoW: Runn Tum Tuber Surprise

Today we are looking at a delicious WoW classic: Runn Tum Tuber surprise! I have been sitting on this one a long time, especially since there were so many way I could approach this. I knew I wanted my take on it to be a casserole-type dish, but I also didn’t want to just throw a bunch of root vegetables in with cream of mushroom and call it a day (not that that’s a bad thing, of course!)

So, I decided to make it in a ‘potatoes au gratin’ style, and I was not disappointed. I liked the idea of taking the dish add hiding a “surprise’ in the form of parsnips (or carrots) between the layers, as its sweeter flavor is not always something you’d expect in a dish like this!

~Ingredients~

1 Turnip

1 Large Russet Potato

1 Large Carrot or Parsnip

3 tbsp. Butter + extra for greasing the dish

3 tbsp. Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

3 - 4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 cups Milk

1 cup Cheese of choice

(optional) Parsley, for garnish

Prep Time: ~10 - 15 min.  |  Total Cook Time: 1.5 hours

Makes: 6 - 8 servings

~Instructions~

Step 1.) Preheat oven to 400°F. Prep veggies: mince the garlic and slice the turnip, potato, and carrot/parsnip 1/8″ thin (having a mandoline slicer helps a lot for this!) Grate the cheese. Grease an oven-safe dish with butter. Set aside.

Step 2.) Add garlic and 3 tbsp. of butter to a saucepan and saute briefly before whisking the flour into the butter to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper as it thickens. Take off the heat once it has begun to thicken.

Step 3.) Layer the turnip and parsnip/carrot slices into the dish and cover with half of the milk mixture and half of the cheese. Layer the potato slices on top and add the remaining milk mixture and cheese on top of that. 

Step 4.) Place a lid or foil over the dish and place in the oven for 30 min. Remove the lid or foil and then bake for another 30 min. or until the cheese begins to brown. Allow to cool for 10 min., garnish if desired, and serve hot. Enjoy!

~Results~

It got better with each bite I took! I don’t even want to advertise this as a side dish because it could honestly be a meal all on its own!

In Game Recipe

[mymainisacook]

GW2: Chili Pepper Popper

Hello everyone! Today we are making Chili Pepper Poppers from Guild Wars 2! I love the flavor of jalapeños (even if I’m still weak sauce when it comes to spicy foods) and these are some of my favorite snacks to make, especially as appetizers for parties! (And now I have an image of myself handing out food to people in the middle of a dungeon as a fight wages on in the background, which isn’t too far off from what has happened before.) 

Just so you know, half of an 8 oz. block of cream cheese should fill roughly 6 medium-ish jalapeño halves, so the ingredients are given in amounts to accomplish this. Have fun and don’t be afraid to try out new variations!

All of these can be made vegan by using vegan cream cheese and vegan meat alternatives like soyrizo or tempeh bacon.

~Ingredients~

3 whole Jalapeños (makes 6 halves) for each filling type you would like to use

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños

4 oz. Cream Cheese (half a block)

3 pieces of Bacon, cut in half to make 6 pieces

6 Toothpicks

Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeños

4 oz. Cream Cheese (half a block)

2 -3 tbsp. cooked Chorizo (for a vegetarian version, use a soy-based variant)

Cilantro Cream Cheese Jalapeños

4 oz. Cream Cheese (half a block)

1 small Green Onion, finely diced

Fresh shredded Cilantro Leaves, to taste

Total Prep Time: 10 - 15 min.  |  Total Cook Time: 30 min.

Makes: 6 stuffed jalapeño halves per batch

~Instructions~

Step 1.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prep your stuffing if necessary. For chorizo this means cooking it (the oven may not adequately cook chorizo by itself). For the cilantro cream cheese, prep the onions and cilantro. Mix these ingredients in with the serving of cream cheese and set aside. 

Step 2.) Prep the jalapeños by cutting off the tops and then slicing them in half. Remove the inner seeds and pieces with a spoon (this is often the spiciest part of the jalapeño. Add the seeds to the cream cheese if you like spicy food, just make sure to handle with care and DON’T RUB YOUR EYES!!!!) 

Step 3.) Use a knife to fill the jalapeño halves with the cream cheese filling. If you are making the bacon wrapped jalapeños, wrap the bacon around the halves so the end overlap on top and stick a toothpick through them to hold the bacon in place. (In the event you DO have leftover cream cheese filling, I may or may not have first hand experience that says the filling tastes amazing on toast.) 

Step 4.) Place the stuffed jalapeño halves on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 min. (these can be refrigerated for up to a day if you are not ready to bake them immediately.) Allow to cool for a minute before serving and enjoy!

~Results~

Appetizers and snack foods are some of my favorite things to chow on, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have some of the plain cream cheese jalapeños stored away in the freezer for ready baking!

In Game Recipe

[mymainisacook]

Hello lovelies! Before tomorrow’s recipe, I have some things to say/ask! 

I am back to playing FFXIV again (it really is one of my favorites, I can’t lie)!! I am on Exodus as my older character, playing more casually with friends and family, but I’m also making a new character for more hardcore raiding and stuff on Gilgamesh. Both are Brilun Vatra - if you happen to see me, say hi! I’m also getting my Culinarian skill up on the new character so maybe I’ll have some noms to pass around soon!

Also, I was wanting to start posting something to fill in the gap weeks between recipe. Originally I wanted to right my thoughts about games and such but turns out I’m actually not good at that (talk to me in person and I will drown you in story analysis and dev talk but me trying to write a post usually comes out as “I liked it, it was pretty.”) 

So what do you think I should do? Should I try anyway? Should I reblog other mmorpg fanworks (food, cosplay, crafts, etc.) once a week in a sort of “my favorite things that I found this week”? Should I try to start posting more of the cooking tips?

Let me know what you think I should do!