Category Archives: Roc’s Recipes

A culinary exploration of military recipes when deep in space.

Smoked Beef Sausage

Posted by Roc Wieler on

I already know what you’re thinking, and I bet you’re dying to hear the story of how my crew and I first came upon this recipe… wait, bad choice of words!

Well, no story for you, dear reader, as I am afraid it would disappoint. Let’s just say it involved some Amarr slavers(who lived the remainder of their lives as Eunuchs), some hungry Matari serving well-earned payback, and I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.

Smoked Beef Sausage

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage (12 inch preferred, but as I said, they were Amarr. Work with what you have)
  • BBQ glaze of your choice
  • 1 cup fresh apricot and/or fresh pineapple
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

METHOD:

  1. Chop apricot or pineapple (or both!)
  2. Heat apricot/pineapple in small sauce pan.
  3. Strain when tender.
  4. Combine with lemon juice.
  5. Grill whole sausage, on uncovered grill, over charcoal briquettes for 5 minutes (nothing beats the taste of charcoal BBQed meat)
  6. Brush with glaze.
  7. Grill 5 minutes longer, turning and brushing with glaze occasionally.
  8. Granish with fruit pieces.

For added fun amongst your crew (male or female), garnish with mayonnaise and deep throat your smoked beef sausage. The winner is the one that doesn’t gag! (Wash it down thoroughly with a can of Quafe soda)

Ah, the good times we have in our adventures.

Mammar’s Chicken Soup

Posted by Roc Wieler on

My entire childhood was not lost to me, though most was erased from Vitoc use, Amarr brainwashing and age.

The Scope News was reporting on a recent outbreak of flu amidst the general population of Pator. It was borderline pandemic, a strain never before seen in the history of our people.

Most disease had been eradicated in New Eden, yet somehow the flu remained ever elusive to all forms of treatment, mutating, adapting, surviving despite all efforts.

The Capsuleer process left pod pilots immune to disease, but being insanely cost prohibitive left 99% of New Eden’s people susceptible to infection.

There were always cutting edge miracle cures which the pharmas profited from; some things never changed.

Some of my crew had contracted the flu recently, taking sick leave. A childhood memory flooded my mind. It was of my Mammar, and I was weak with illness. She cared for me, making sure the duvet on my bed was nice and snug, and she fed me the most amazing chicken soup ever created.

It could be my boyhood perception that made the soup stick out in my mind; as I was cured the next day. Maybe it was psychological, and the love my Mammar gave to me was the real cure; I honestly don’t know.

I froze the moment in my mind, analyzing the memory fragment from all angles, focusing on the ingredients, the portions contained within the magic elixir.

After several attempts, I managed to re-create it, and shipped containers of it to my sick crew. Maybe it would work for them also. Besides, I needed them healthy to do their jobs.

Mammar’s Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ( 2 – 3 pound) whole chicken
  • 3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
  • 1 pound baby carrots
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
  • 1 packet chicken noodle soup mix
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pinch dried thyme
  • 1 pinch poultry seasoning
  • 1 pinch dried basil
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pinch dried parsley
  • 1 (8 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta

METHOD:

  1. Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Place celery leaves in pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Remove chicken from pot and place in a bowl until cool enough to handle.
  3. Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid, discard the celery tops and place the cooking liquid in a large pot.
  4. Place celery, carrots, onion, bouillon, soup mix and chicken broth in the pot and let simmer.
  5. Season with thyme, poultry seasoning, basil, peppercorns, bay leaves and parsley.
  6. Bone chicken and cut up meat into bite-size pieces.
  7. Return meat to pot.
  8. Cook until vegetables are tender and flavours are well blended, up to 90 minutes.
  9. Stir pasta into pot and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, until noodles are al dente.
  10. Serve hot.

For what ails you, my friends. Be well.

Blood Raider Cupcakes

Posted by Roc Wieler on

With brain frosting!!!

It’s been said that the blood of your enemies is like a sweet wine. I say why stop there? Why not bake those pirate scum themselves into something delicious?

Ah, the joys of being a Brutor. Happy Valentine’s!

Blood Raider Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
  • 2/3 cup caster sugar
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 175ml/6 fl oz buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 teaspoons good quality strawberry jam mixed with some red food colouring to make it as bloody looking as possible.

METHOD:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C and line a cupcake tray.
  2. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, then add a pinch of salt and the caster sugar.
  3. In a jug, combine the vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
  4. Add to the dry mixture and stir to only just combine. It will be thick and fluffy.
  5. Place 1/2 tablespoonful of the mixture in each muffin hole and make an indent in the center.
  6. Fill each indent with a heaped tablespoon of the strawberry jam.
  7. Cover the jam with the remaining cupcake batter.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  9. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Brain Buttercream

INGREDIENTS:

  • 250 grams softened butter
  • 4 cups icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • red and brown/black food colouring

METHOD:

  1. Beat butter in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in sifted icing sugar and milk in two batches until fluffy.
  3. Add in a couple of drops of red and brown/black food colouring until a grey pink shade is reached.

TO DECORATE:

  1. Fit a piping bag with a plain 8mm nozzle and fill bag with brain shaded buttercream.
  2. Visually divide the cupcake in two to represent each hemisphere of the brain and pipe squiggly lines on top. You can’t really go wrong as the brain matter squiggles go in all sorts of directions.
  3. Fill any gaps with a dot of buttercream.

* Thanks to Not Quite Nigella for the recipe

Baby Octopus Salad

Posted by Roc Wieler on

Some of you would like to think I’m kidding with these recipes. I’m not. I try out every recipe possible before posting, to ensure it’s something I myself would eat. Take today’s recipe, for example.

While stranded on the waterworld of Rybar Tekh VII, I found myself in the position of having to make do with what was available once again. Fishing was difficult at best in the rough and savage ocean, but I soon discovered from the local indigenous population that is was Octopus birthing season; that meants literally thousands of baby octopi were available for those who would snatch them. (Hmmm, octopie, that would make an interesting recipe also)

Turns out baby octopus are cheap, healthy, and good eating when done up right.

Baby Octopus Salad

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 oz baby octopus
  • 8 oz mixed greens
  • 4 oz broccoli florets
  • 4 oz carrots
  • 4 oz red onion
  • 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp lime juice

METHOD:

  1. Cook baby octopus in a steamer for 60 minutes.
  2. Chop up all your vegetables into bite sized pieces. With a food processor, this takes about 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, mix chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, lime juice and black pepper until blended evenly.
  4. At 30 minutes, add vegetables to steamer.
  5. Place mixed greens into a large tupperware bowl.
  6. When steamer finished, add octopus, vegetables, and sauce from the small bowl to the tupperware.
  7. Shake until mixed well.

The nice thing about this recipe is nearly everything in it can be swapped out to taste. Don’t like mixed greens? Try spinach, or romaine, or any other type of leafy food you like. Don’t like broccoli, carrots and red onion? Swap it out for any three vegetables of choice. I find eggplant, fennel and yellow peppers go nicely together. Don’t like what’s in the sauce? Make your own. Dijon Mustard sauce mixed with artichoke hearts, fat free ranch dressing with Mrs. Dash, they’re all good.

In fact, I enjoy this particular recipe so much, I had it for lunch yesterday, and am having it again today.

Baby Octopus is cheap and available at almost any grocery store.

Big Breasted Burritos

Posted by Roc Wieler on

Now that I have your attention …

I don’t know about you, but I like breasts. Big, full, juicy and tender breasts; they’re good for your health! And I don’t like having to go through a lot of time consuming effort to get to my enjoyment of a nice full breast. I want it now. Call me lazy, but I believe things in life should be easy. If I want to grab something and put it in my mouth, I just don’t want to have to jump through hoops to do so.

Today’s recipe keeps that in mind.

BBQ Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup bottled BBQ sauce (try to get something low carb)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 (10 inch) low carb tortillas
  • 1/4 cup low fat sour cream

METHOD:

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, and garlic; cook 8 minutes until chicken is done, stirring constantly.
  2. Stir in BBQ sauce and beans. Sprinkle with cheese; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Warm tortillas, according to package directions. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; top each with 1 tablespoon of sour cream, and roll up.

SERVES 4

Nutrition per serving:

  • 368 calories
  • 13.3 g of fat
  • 34.9 g of protein
  • 544 mg of sodium
  • 4.8 g of fiber
  • 3.9 mg of iron
  • 29.1 g of carbohydrates
This recipe is from the book “Making the Cut” by Jillian Michaels.

Advent Celebration – Dec 11th

Posted by Roc Wieler on

One would have thought that with all the recipes at my disposal that coming up with a holiday feast for my crew would’ve been a simple task. I wanted to make this gesture of goodwill towards them. I wanted to eat, drink and be merry. I grumbled. I couldn’t feed them whole stuffed camel, or any of the other countless recipes I had in my possession. It had to be Christmas turkey with all the trimmings.

Maybe I should have just ordered in.

ADVENT DAY 11

PRIZE: ???

TASK: Occasionally at Roc’s Ramblings, we like to post recipes. Your task today is to post your fondest Christmas recipe in the comments section below, or email it to me at adventcelebration@gmail.com

Please try to duplicate the format I use when posting recipes, to keep it easy for my readers. If you’re unfamiliar with any of Roc’s Recipes, click that section over on the right hand bar and take a look.

I will announce today’s winner at 10 PM EST.

Congratulations to Webspaceships whom has won himself a copy of Serenity Steele’s Eve Strategic Maps Book from EON Magazine!

Advent Celebration – Dec 4th

Posted by Roc Wieler on

Of all the life lessons, vulnerable confessions, subtle nuances, humour and more I like to think are in my memoirs, my journal of my past adventures, I still shake my head and smile at the things some of my readers pick up on.

“Hey Roc, in that Advent Contest story where you drank egg nog, do you have a recipe for it?”

Well, I was trying to illustrate my growth and understanding of Christmas, and to stay in that none judgemental light, I suppose I am thankful that people remember anything of my stories at all.

So, here is the eggnog recipe. Enjoy.

Military Eggnog

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
  • 1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup dark rum
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • Additional grated nutmeg for garnish

METHOD:

  1. Combine eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3- or 4-quart pan, whisking until well-combined.
  2. Continue whisking while pouring milk in a slow, steady stream until completely incorporated.
  3. Turn on burner to lowest possible heat setting. Place pan on burner and stir mixture continuously until thermometer reaches 160 degrees F. and the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be patient. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes.
  4. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove any accidental small cooked bits of egg.
  5. Add dark rum, plus vanilla extract and nutmeg.
  6. Stir to combine.
  7. Pour into a glass pitcher, decanter, or container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap.
  8. Refrigerate this egg custard mixture to chill at least 4 hours or up to 3 days before finishing.
  9. When ready to serve, pour heavy cream into a bowl and whip until it forms soft peaks.
  10. Fold whipped cream into cold custard mixture until combined.
  11. Serve in chilled cups or glasses and garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Serves 12 – 16

ADVENT DAY 4

PRIZE: ???

TASK: One aspect of Christmas is making new friends. Everybody needs friends, even the good Colonel, Roc Wieler. So today’s task is to have as many of your friends as possible wish me a Merry Christmas, via email at adventcelebration@gmail.com or in the comments section below. Make sure they reference you, or how will I know they aren’t entering for themselves?

For example: “Yo Roc! All the best killing Amarr over the holidays, love fanboi14, friend of Sard Caid.”

The catch is this, at 10 PM EST I will see who has provided the most friend comments today and that person AND one of their randomly chosen friends will each win a prize.

Ain’t Christmas grand?

Congratulation to today’s winner, Wensley! Wensley has won himself a copy of Serenity Steel’s Eve Strategic Map book, courtesy of EON Magazine.

Additionally, Jaralaxle Tam has won himself a set of Dark Tide & Caldari Cruisers posters from EON Magazine.

I will need both Wensley and Jaralaxle Tam to email me your real life shipping information at adventcelebration@gmail.com.

My best to the both of you, and I’ll see everyone tomorrow.

Recipe – Easy Healthy Turkey Chili

Posted by Roc Wieler on

A man can only eat so much in one sitting, regardless of how elasticized the waistband on his pants is.

Military life isn’t always harsh. It isn’t always about the sadness of losing wingmates, informing next of kin, losing ships, losing ground, losing hope.

There are plenty of celebrations to be had, and if you’ve ever partied with Brutors, you know we do pretty much everything to excess.

So needless to say, there is always leftovers. Here’s an easy to do, healthy, tasty recipe that I think many of you will give a try.

Easy Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1  lb leftover turkey parts
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 1 (8 ounce) packet taco seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1  onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, diced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup black beans (you can add more if you like)
  • 1 fresh zucchini, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup water

METHOD:

  1. Coat medium/large pot with your choice of oil/spray to prevent sticking.
  2. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, onion and pepper cook/saute for about 5 minutes then set aside.
  3. Mash up the turkey parts and add to the pot, sprinkling with taco seasoning.
  4. Cook until browned.
  5. Drain excess fat from pot.
  6. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
  7. Bring ingredients to a boil then cover and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes.
  8. Add water as needed to keep chili from sticking to bottom of pot.

Serves 4 – 6 hungry Brutors.

Recipe – Shepherd’s Pie

Posted by Roc Wieler on

“Now made with 100% real shepherds!” That is how I was going to start this recipe, but regrettably, I couldn’t work the joke in.

A more apt history of how this recipe came to be in my possession was during my initial foray into nullsec. I can still remember rummaging around the food supplies aboard my Vigil frigate, cursing myself for not really taking the time to pack real food; protein paste via pod tube was enough to sustain.

Paste tasted even less appetizing than it sounded, which wasn’t saying much to begin with.

As I laid out the assortment of unrelated food stuffs on the galley counter top, trying to figure out a way to relate the seemingly unrelatable, I was hit with a wave of inspiration, as occasionally occurs.

So for a quick and hearty meal even a Brutor can make, enjoy!

Shepherd’s Pie

INGREDIENTS:

  • (1 package) 6.6 ounces instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained
  • 1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

METHOD:

  1. Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
  3. Add the tomatoes, corn, olives, taco seasoning, chili powder, salt and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.
  4. Cook and stir for 1 – 2 minutes.
  5. Transfer to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Top with 3/4 cup cheese.
  6. Spread mashed potatoes over the top.
  7. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  8. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes until cheese is  melted.

Serves 4 – 6 average adults, or 1 hungry Brutor.

Recipe – Brutor Energy Drink

Posted by Roc Wieler on

Today’s recipe comes to us indirectly from FullMetal Basilisk, an old corpmate and all around good guy.

While I’d like to take credit for the Brutor Energy Drink, I cannot. In fact, I’m not even going to post the recipe, as the original blog post is so damn funny I couldn’t possibly outdo it.

Brutor Energy Drink

JOE THE PEACOCK’S INSANE ENERGY DRINK EXPERIMENT

***note: I will be switching out Red Bull for Monster Energy drink, which has five times the caffeine of Red Bull when I try this. Rest assured, I will be trying this.