Poppin' Bacon Jalapenos

I think of a meal as a raid group. You got the tank, that main portion that definitely keeps alot of your attention. The DPS, the sides that totally need to be there to help chip away at your hunger and to compliment the tank (although the tank would never admit it). The healer, aka dessert, is there to make everyone feel better in the end without stealing the rest of the meals glory. How many times have you heard "That meal was amazing. Oh and the desert was devine"? Today though I give you an appetizer. To me an appetizer is a Leeroy Jenkins of the food world. They rush in before any of the others are ready, they aren't very filling, but in the end you seem to not forget them. And hey (depending on your menu), atleast you have chicken right? ;) Let me introduce you to your first Jenkins..err..I mean appetizer...

Prep Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 1 hour to 2 hours
Serves: 10

Skill Needed: Artisan

Ingredients:

• 4oz Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 9 Slices Bacon crumbled
  
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  
• 10 Slices Bacon uncooked
  
• 10 Jalapenos
  

Directions:

1. Cook 9 slices of your bacon. We fried ours, but I know some people prefer microwave cooking their bacon. When cooked crisp, set aside to cool.
   
2. Slice your jalapenos lengthwise. Make sure to protect your hands either with gloves, or use a clean plastic storage bag as a glove. Now here's your choice on how hot you want your poppers... Leave seeds in for "burn your mouth" hot, Scrape out seeds for milder poppers. Set to side.
3. Crumble your now cool cooked bacon.
   
4. In a bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Mix well!
5. Get your peppers and spoon filling mix into each pepper.
6. Get your uncooked bacon and cut each slice in half.
7. Wrap a piece of the cut uncooked bacon around each jalapeno using a toothpick to secure it.
8. Pop them into a 275 degree oven for 1 hour or until bacon is cooked. Alternatively you can grill on indirect heat until bacon is done. The choice is all yours!

So why would I give you guys a recipe that is so time consuming? These things can be completely preassembled the night before then refrigerate till time to cook!

Jacked Up Peach Chicken

Ahhh Jack Daniels has always been a sweet friend. Mostly after a horrible raid night to take the edge off but today we're hitting the sauce early! No not to drink (although if you do get a shot, I won't tell if you don't... my lips are sealed!). Today Jack is literally the sauce, atleast part of the sauce. Add some peach preserves and barbecue sauce and your chicken will thank you. Let's get cooking:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 5 hours
Serves: 4

Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1 Bottle Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce
• 1/2 an Onion Diced
• 1/2c Jack Daniels Whiskey
• 12oz Peach Preserves
• 4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast
  

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix barbecue sauce, Jack Daniels whiskey, and peach preserves.
2. Dice 1/2 of a medium onion and crush a clove of garlic then add to sauce bowl.
3. Stir well
4. Cover bottom of crock pot with half the sauce, lay chicken in bottom, then cover chicken with remaining sauce.
5. Cook on High 5 hours.

Sweet BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Summer is coming to an end, school is beginning, and in my current game we are mid patch content.  That means we are logging 6 hours a week to kill current content before new comes out.  Off nights have left us in old content grabbing achievements/gear, and let's not forget PVP.  I wish I had time to get those lasts sweet tastes of summer in...  but who has time to grill and in this 100 degree heat?  Not to worry hungry gamers we will not miss out!  Grab your materials, grab a crockpot & cook yourself up some Sweet BBQ Pork Tenderloin.  You'll thank me later.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Serves: 8

Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 8 Pork Tenderloin
• Bottle BBQ Sauce 
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Mustard
• 3 Chipotle Peppers Minced
• 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce 
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Mince Chipole Peppers.
2. In a bowl mix Bottle of Barbecue Sauce, Honey, Brown Sugar, Mustard, Peppers and Worcestershire Sauce, Salt & Pepper.
3. Spray your crock with cooking spray and pour about 1/3 your sauce into bottom of Crock.  Add a layer of Pork Tenderloin. Add 1/3 more sauce.  Add a layer of Pork Tenderloin. Add rest of sauce.
4. Cook on Low for 6 hours.

 Delicious and longing for veggies to share their plate!

 

Afterburn Grilled Cheese

Growing up in Tennessee I was always a conisour of a good grilled cheese. It was a staple in this picky country girls diet. Breakfast, Supper, with soup, with chilli, alone... It was versatile. College days were no different. Late night studying? Grilled Cheese. Hungry after a long Class? Grilled cheese. Quick meal before a Lan Party? You guessed it! Time passes and tastes mature but I beg my fellow gamers... don't abandon your grilled cheese! Upgrade it just like you do your gear! Today we're upgrading our old friend with a little fiery kick. I promise it's a perfect gamer grub for those days you need something hot and I don't mean temperature hot! It'll be a perfect warmup exercise before you log in to take on those dragons and fireballing mages.


Just look at those Jalapenos bathing in pepper jack cheese. Let's get you cooking:

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves: 1
Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 2 Jalapeno Peppers
  
• 2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese
• 1oz Cream Cheese
  
• 2 slices of Texas Toast
• Pepper
  
• Butter
  

Directions:

*Warning to beginner chefs: Peppers can be hotter than you expect. Protection is recommended anytime you cut peppers to avoid getting juices on your skin. Wear gloves or improvise with clean storage bags on your hands if your unsure how hot your peppers are.

1. Cut tops off Jalapeno peppers. Slice Peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs. (You can slice peppers into bite size pieces if you like but we left ours halved)
   
2. Get your 2 slices of bread and spread Cream Cheese onto 1 side of each slice.
3. On one of the slices, arrange the slices of Jalapenos as desired.
4. Place 2 slices of Pepper Jack on top of pepper layer.
5. Top cheese layer with your other slice of bread, cream cheese side down.
6. Butter the outside of each slice of bread and cook the sandwich in a buttered skillet until bottom side is golden. Flip your sandwich over and cook until that side is crispy and golden too.
   

Pair this up with Molten Taco Soup and enjoy!

Molten Taco Soup

If you have played an MMO (or most any game for that matter) you know there's certain rules to always follow when in a party or raid team. 1. Don't stand in fire. 2. Don't stand in front of a dragon's Deep Breaths. Both are hot and your other team members won't be happy! Sometimes though, people crave hot... I understand. Never fear my faithful gamers I'm here to help! Today you're getting a duo of recipes to satisfy that craving long before raid time even begins. Let's start off with a little Molten Taco Soup.




Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Serves: 4
Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 1lb Ground Beef
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumen
• 1 can Chicken Broth
• 1 cup Picante Sauce
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes undrained
• 1 cup Water
• I cup uncooked Corkscrew Pasta
• Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
  
• Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese for Topping

Directions:

1. Brown the ground beef with the chili powder and cumin over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned. Stir often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat.
2. In a large pot, add Ground Beef, broth, picante sauce and tomatoes. Bring it all to a boil then stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add Hot Sauce to taste, we added it bowl by bowl basis so each person got the right amount for themselves. Garnish with sour cream and cheese.

This is fantastic with Afterburn Grilled Cheese! Need the recipe? Gladly coming right up!

Fiesta Chicken

Every gamer has seen it... You see that huge baddie in your path, prepare yourself for a Battle of Epic Proportion, charge in with weapons drawn, but then 5 seconds later you're staring at a screen saying "That was it??" Well gamers meet "That was it????" cooking that have you ready for your next Epic Battle.


Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 7-8hrs
Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Corn, Drained
• 1 can (15.5 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Undrained
• 1 cup Mild Chunky Salsa (Use your favorite!)
  
• 2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
• 2 cups Cooked Mexican Rice
  
• Shredded Cheese, Lettuce, Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream, Tomatoes, ect to serve as sides

Directions:

1. Take a Deep Breathe, this may be a challenge to make.
2. Put Chicken in bottom of a 6qt Crock-Pot.
3. Pour Cream of Chicken soup over the Chicken.
4. On top of soup, pour Corn, Black Beans, and Salsa. Just dump them in!
   
5. Sprinkle Taco Seasoning in.
6. Stir Lightly.
7. Now put the Lid on & let Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
   
8. Try not to go crazy from the heavenly smell coming from your kitchen.
9. About 30 minutes before time to serve, Cook your Mexican Rice as directed on the package. When it's done, dump it in your Crock-Pot and stir lightly.
   
10. Serve plain or dress it up with Lettuce, Cheese, Tomatoes, Tortillas, Sour Cream or any Combo of toppings you like.

Spicy Summer Pasta

Ah sweet summer time. Wait a minute... It's hot and Miserable! What's so sweet about that?!? If you're like me, summer if a fantastic time to avoid the heat with some gaming. Although my current MMO has me fighting my way through one big Fiery Inferno which in alot of ways reminds me of Summer temperatures this year. When fighting the weather or fighting overgrown molten baddies, I like some pre-raid meals to be cool yet spicy. Meet my solution... one Spicy Summer Pasta!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: Overnight
Skill Needed: Apprentice

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces Mostaccioli Pasta
  
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Black Pepper To Taste
  
• 10 ounces Grape Tomatoes
• 1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese
• 24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)

Directions:

1. Cook Pasta until done. Set Aside to Cool.
   
2. In a small bowl Mix Mayonnaise, Vinegar, Adobo Sauce, Milk, Pepper and Salt.
3. Cube Gouda Cheese into bite size pieces.
4. Cut Tomatoes Lengthwise.
5. Grab a large bowl and toss in Cooled Pasta, Tomatoes, Cheese Cubes, and Dressing. Stir everything together then taste to see if any adobo, salt or pepper is needed. If so add a little in!
6. Chiffonade your Basil. Chiffo-who? If you're like me, you had no idea what that means. Never fear hungry raiders! Chiffonade means to cut that herb into long thin strips.
7. Stir in Basil and Refrigerate until cold. I recommend Overnight!