Traveler's Stew

Bruschetta Grilled Cheese

You're welcome.

Welcome to the only recipe for grilled cheese ever. 

Don’t like tomatoes? Doesn’t matter. Get lost in the sauce of basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and cheese.

I don’t remember who thought of this first, me or my housemate, so I'm giving us shared credit for this invention. All I know is that we were hungry, had bruschetta mix left over from the night before, and are both apparently geniuses.

Now, enough talking, onto the recipe.

Prep time: 15 mins         Cook time: 15 mins*         Overall: 30 mins

* Can be longer based on if you want to marinate the mix or how many you want to make.

Ingredients:

1 dry pint (312 g) grape or cherry tomatoes, diced

4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped

4-5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 tbsp. (60 ml) balsamic vinegar*

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sourdough bread, sliced into sandwich slices**

Butter

Mozzarella or Swiss cheese slices

* Can vary based on how much dipping sauce you need.

** I used Vienna style sourdough bread for aesthetics but any style works for this as long as it's the thickness of a sandwich slice.

Add the diced tomato, basil, and garlic to a medium-sized mixing bowl (top-left).

Then, add the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste (top-right). 

NOTE: You’ll want to add more balsamic vinegar depending on how many sandwiches you’re making so that everyone has dipping sauce!

Mix everything together until all of the tomatoes have been coated in balsamic vinegar.

NOTE: You can totally eat this mix right away, but leaving it to marinate overnight gives extra depth to the flavour!

Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. While it heats, butter two slices of the sourdough bread on one side.

Place one of the sourdough slices butter-side down in the pan once you can start to feel the heat radiating from the pan. Immediately add the cheese slices (top-left).

Add some of the bruschetta mixture on top of the cheese once you hear the butter start to sizzle (top-right). Make sure to leave as much liquid in the brushetta bowl as possible so it doesn’t make the bread too soggy!

NOTE: Definitely add the cheese before the mix. I’ve tried making this and adding the mix before the cheese and it just makes the bread soggy while you’re waiting for it to toast in the pan.

Add the top slice of bread butter-side out once you’ve added the bruschetta mix (top-left) and carefully flip the sandwich.

The structural integrity of these bad boys isn’t so great at this stage, so you’ll want to hold onto the top slice of bread until the last moment while you flip.

Repeat the flipping process until both sides are a nice golden brown (top-right).

TIP: To add some extra flavour to the bread, lightly drizzle both slices with some of the liquid from the bruschetta mix as they toast. Only do this once they’ve toasted for a bit on each side though or it’ll just make the bread soggy!

Now you’re ready to enjoy the best grilled cheese ever! Don’t forget the sauce!

As a side, I’ve found that carrots are a nice veggie snack to go with these since their sweetness compliments the sweetness from the tomatoes.

NOTE: I’ve found the bruschetta mix can be kept up to three days in a tupperware in the fridge before the flavour becomes just a little too overpowering.

hate when people are just like “cut out tea and coffee” like it’s nothing like it’s not the biggest sacrifice you can ask of a person i’d rather sell my family and friends to the devil mephistopheles than renounce warm caffeinated beverages be serious

let’s see if this extra cup of coffee makes me good or evil

Updated with the ingredients list and some other helpful tips!

Also contains a link to my new review: Otik’s Skillet-Fried Spiced Potatoes!

Yawning Portal Buttermilk Biscuits

While the inn’s undisputed main attraction is the cavernous portal that descends straight into deadly Undermountain dungeon, these famed biscuits are a close second. - Heroes’ Feast, p. 31

I’ve always wanted to make biscuits, but was never motivated enough on a Sunday morning to take the time to prep and clean my bread board to knead dough. So, it was a wonderful surprise  when I saw this no-knead recipe for biscuits in Heroes’ Feast!

Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, these biscuits are so melt-in-your-mouth delicious that you’ll throw away any other recipe you have.  Whether eaten warm, at room temperature, or a day or two later, they are an amazing on-the-go breakfast snack that pairs well with any jam.

To really spice up your morning, try them with a side of Otik’s Skillet-Fried Spiced Potatoes!

See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making these yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast

Keep reading

Tasks that take 15 min but 3 hours if you include the agonies

Underdark Lotus with Fire Lichen Spread

Sometimes called “fungus two ways,” this zesty duergar essential is sure to rouse the taste buds of even the most spiced-crazed tiefling. - Heroes’ Feast, p. 93

I’ve always found hummus to be a very interesting snack food. With countless possible flavour combinations, you would be hard-pressed to grow tired of this nutritious spread!

Eccentric in both name and origin, the Underdark Lotus with Fire Lichen Spread is sure to satisfy your hunger and delight your taste buds. Between the sweet taste of the carrots and the savoury taste of the cumin, it really is the perfect snack food for spring, summer, and fall!

Fun fact: this hummus has become so popular in our house during hang-out sessions that it’s one of the few recipes I’ve got memorized!

See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making this yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast

Note: The terrible lighting in this post is brought to you by me moving back into my student house from my parents’ home.

Prep Time: ~15 mins Cook Time: ~35 mins (25 roasting + 10 misc.) Overall: ~45 mins

For the ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 lb. carrots (about 4 large), peeled and chopped

¾ tsp. cumin seeds or sweet paprika

1 tsp. cayenne

3 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

⅔ cup cold water, plus more as needed

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup tahini*

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Radishes, sliced cucumbers, romaine lettuce leaves for dipping*

* I substituted the tahini for the same amount of 2% greek yoghurt.

** Use any of your favourite veggies/dippables! I used radishes, sliced cucumbers, any kind of sweet pepper, and flatbread (naan).

I use the following conversions in my cooking:

1 lb. carrots = 500 g

1 tsp. cumin seeds = 2 g

1 tsp. sweet paprika = 2 g

1 tsp. cayenne pepper = 1.8 g

3 tbsp. olive oil = 44 ml

⅔ cup water = 160 ml

¼ cup fresh lemon juice = 1 large lemon, juiced

¼ tahini/greek yoghurt = 60 ml

NOTE: I would caution against using bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice in this recipe. I found using bottled lemon juice gave the hummus an unpleasant bitterness compared to a freshly juiced lemon.

NOTE: I would caution the amount of cayenne pepper called for in this recipe. Even for the spice junkies in my house, 1 tsp. was A LOT of cayenne pepper. I would recommend starting with a little bit less than ¼ tsp. (~0.4 g) and increase it from there each time you make them.

Above is what the veggies looked like before and after roasting. Make sure to toss the carrots, chickpeas, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and spices together first. Then, sprinkle the salt and a generous amount of pepper overtop. I chopped the carrots into slices about a ½ inch (~1 cm) thick.

Although they aren’t a staple in many kitchens, I would highly recommend using cumin seeds for the hummus instead of the paprika - even if you need to buy them. They add an incredible taste to the hummus that makes them worth the extra price.

NOTE: Although Heroes’ Feast states to process the veggies right after coming out of the oven, I’ve had no problem with the flavour when storing them in the fridge and processing them cold.

Above is what the roasted veggies, lemon juice, water, greek yoghurt, and olive oil looked like in the food processor.

TIP: I highly recommend investing in a food processor with built-in side scrapers like the one above. Not having to stop the food processor to scrape down the sides of the bowl is a great time-saver!

TIP: Roll the lemon like a rolling pin before cutting it to maximize the amount of juice it contains.

Above is what the hummus looked like after being processed. Although Heroes’ Feast says to process it until smooth, I found the coarser consistency created a more rustic feel that was a better fit for a D&D setting.

To get it to this texture, I processed it on the lowest setting, continuously scraping down the sides, for 20 seconds. I then added ~1 tsp. more water and repeated the same process for another 20 secs.

Overall, I would give this recipe a 5/5. Everyone in my house thoroughly enjoyed it and it has become a staple during Monday movie nights!

For best freshness results, store any extra hummus in a sealed tupperware container in the fridge. It will keep for about a week or until the greek yoghurt is set to expire.

She balled so hard they banned her from ballin.

"Orc" Bacon

“No, it isn’t made from orcs - but for orcs.” - Heroes’ Feast, p. 156

Until I found this recipe, I’d never thought of trying to dress up bacon. After all, bacon is bacon! However, “Orc” Bacon brings a tasty spin to this popular classic.

Coated with a savoury-sweet glaze and absolutely the easiest thing to make in Heroes’ Feast so far; this tasty treat is a great snack to prepare for a table of hungry adventurers or for yourself when life gets busy!

Try snacking on them with a side of the Yawning Portal Buttermilk Biscuits to really immerse yourself in that tavern vibe!

See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making this yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast

Prep: 1 min               Cook: 30 mins*               Total: ~30 mins

* Varies based on how crispy you like your bacon.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a snack):

1 lbs. (450 g) thick-cut bacon*

3 tbsp. (38 g) light-brown sugar

½ tsp. (1 g) freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. (2 g) garlic powder

2 tbsp. (30 ml) orange juice

* I used regular cut bacon instead of thick-cut with no issues.

Start by preheating the oven to 375℉ (190℃) with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Coat a large wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and set it in the foil-lined pan.

Next, arrange the bacon slices on the rack, laying them tight against each other so the entire pound fits (top-left).

Roast the bacon strips until they render some of their fat and shrink a bit, about 12 minutes (top-right).

NOTE: I struggled to fit all of the regular cut bacon onto the rack even after cramming everything as tight as possible (rip those pieces at the top). This may be different for thick-cut but I ended up having three extra slices to spare.

While the bacon renders, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, pepper, garlic, and orange juice.

Lightly brush the rendered slices with about half of the brown sugar mixture (top-left).

Continue roasting until the brown sugar adheres to the bacon and the bacon appears glossy, about 7 minutes (top-right).

Using tongs, turn over the pieces.

Lightly brush the slices with the remaining brown sugar mixture and continue roasting until the brown sugar mixture adheres to the bacon and looks glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer slices to a serving plate and serve warm.

NOTE: For this last part, feel free to roast the slices for as long as it takes them to your preferred crispness level. The slices above roasted for about 11 minutes.

Overall, I would give this recipe a 5/5. I couldn't personally see myself eating these with eggs in the morning (clashing flavours) but it does make for a nice sweet and savoury snack!

Like I mentioned in the intro, the flavour and ease to throw it together make it a good choice to bring to a D&D session or make as a nerdy snack for yourself when you’re busy, no matter what level your cooking skill is at.

Watch out though! They’re super sticky so make sure to have plenty of napkins on hand.