The Dirt and Mud of Westeros

Dirt: The Pudding and Oreos Treat to Roll Around In

As we gear up for the new season of Game of Thrones - which we couldn't be more excited for - we've noticed that the men and women of Westeros seem to really love mud! They're always rolling around in it until they're completely covered. We decided to jump in on this mud craze and see what all the fuss is about.

Of course, we couldn't just use regular dirt. We whipped up this delicious dessert and played in it instead. Let's just say that we all enjoyed eating it, but we're not sure any of us liked playing in it. There must be a trick in Westeros we're not aware of here...

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Makes between 15 and 20 servings

Ingredients:

1 package of Oreo cookies

2 packages of instant chocolate pudding (3.9 ounces total)

4 cups milk

8 ounces cream cheese - room temperature

1/4 cup butter - room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

8 ounces whipped cream

Gummy worms (we used sour ones. yum!)

Step 1: Crush the Oreos. This is easiest done in a food processor; however, we didn't have one on hand. If you're like us, put the cookies in a plastic bag and crush them using a rolling pin.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix for two minutes, or until it thickens. Let stand for about 5 minutes.

Step 3: While the pudding is waiting, beat together the cream cheese and butter in a medium-sized bowl. On low speed, add in the powdered sugar slowly. Beat until it is thoroughly mixed and nice and fluffy.

Step 4: Fold the cream cheese, butter, and sugar mixture into the pudding. Then fold in whip cream until it's thoroughly combined.

Step 5: To serve we used small cups, though you could put the whole thing in a large pan. Either way, layer the mixture with alternating layers of Oreos and pudding, starting and ending with Oreos. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and then serve.

We hope you enjoy your dirt! Though, despite how fun it looks on Game of Thrones, we wouldn't recommend playing in it. It's kind of cold...and sticky...

Kingsroad Peanut Butter Bars

Reese's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Bars

We love Reese's. Naturally, while we watched Jamie Lannister slog through the mud of Kingsroad this past season, we thought: Reese's! So today we've whipped up a batch of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Bars that are an easy treat for a hot day. And as dark chocolate fans, naturally we used ark chocolate chips. 

So today, when you're traveling down the Kingsroad in the heat, sit back and relax for a minute while you enjoy this simple dessert.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Fridge time: 2 hours

Makes: 9x13 pan

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c peanut butter

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

2/3 c crushed graham crackers

2 Tbsp butter

4 cups dark chocolate chips

4 Tsbp shortening

Step 1: Mix together peanut butter, sugar, graham crackers, and butter. Spread across the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. 

Step 2: In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and shortening together. Pour evenly over the peanut butter mix. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until top is solid.

And that's it! Super simple and delicious. Cut it into bars and enjoy!

A Treat for Queens: Crepes

Strawberry and Banana Crepes for the Highborn in Us All

Here at Cook's Landing we appreciate a treat for breakfast. And on those days when we want to feel as highborn as the queen herself, we like to make crepes. We fill ours with fresh strawberries and bananas and drizzle melted milk chocolate over the top. Sometimes, when we're feeling extra decadent, we even add a little whip cream to the top.

So today we'd like to share with you our crepes. They're easy and delicious. Trust us. We won't steer you wrong. Especially when it comes to crepes. 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes 8 crepes

Ingredients:

1 c flour

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

1/2 c water

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp melted butter

Step 1: Whisk together flour and eggs. Slowly add in milk and water. Thoroughly beat in melted butter and salt.

Step 2: Heat a lightly greased frying pan on medium high heat. Pour batter into the frying pan. Use about 1/4 cup of batter per crepe. To evenly spread the batter, tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter spreads. Do this immediately, before the batter has time to heat. Cook each crepe for about 2 minutes. Flip when the bottom starts to brown - you'll be able to tell if it's browning by watching the edges. To flip, slide a spatula under the crepe and loosen the entire thing before quickly flipping it over.

We chose to fill our crepes with fresh cut bananas and strawberries. Then we took melted milk chocolate and drizzled it over the crepes. To get a perfect drizzle, put the chocolate in a plastic bag and cut off a very small piece of the corner. Then squeeze the chocolate out of the corner of the bag and over the crepes.

Dragon Droppings: Where Chocolate Chip Cookies REALLY Come From

Even delicious comfort food can come from the strangest of places...

Sure, dragon's spend most of their time burning things and looking menacing, but even they have to do their business at least once a day to maintain healthy dragon colons.

Whether your a wildling or a high-born, dragon droppings, when baked at 350 degrees, make an extremely delicious comfort food or dessert snack that's known to the locals as Chocolate Chip Cookies.

We've got a recipe for you to match all others and will be a sure-fire win at any Cook's Landing bake sale. So, let's bake us some dragon poo!

Dragon Poo Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Makes roughly 24-28 cookies 

Ingredients

1/2 c shortening (or canola oil)*
6 tbsp white sugar 
6 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c and 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 c semi sweet chocolate chips**

*We prefer Crisco, but canola oil also works if you're low on shortening, but it's soupier and bakes darker

**We've grown up on semi-sweet and haven't ever tried anything else, but chocolate chips all taste the same once they're in cookie form).

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together your shortening (or canola oil) - microwave the

shortening for 10 seconds on medium power level or less to make it softer - white sugar, and brown sugar

Step 2: Once that's got a good creamy texture, mix in your egg and vanilla extract. Then mix in your flour, salt, and baking soda.

Step 3: Now comes chocolate chip time! Our recipe recommends 1/3 cup, but if you've got a clan like ours, cut open the bag and pour in chips until there's a 6 chips per 1 T. of dough ratio. At least. 

Step 4: Drop dough on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart in about 1 tbsp dollops  If you used canola oil, you're probably gonna have to scoop and drop with a spoon, but if you used shortening then you can easily roll the dough into balls with your hands.

Step 5: Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. If you see the bottoms getting darker than the dough then they're done.

Set on a rack to cool or let them sit on the pans 'til you start seeing that they are mysteriously disappearing.

Enjoy the deliciousness! The Sisters of House Cook recommend a nice glass, or mug, of milk for optimal dipping, to accent the chewy cookies.

Take Up the Black: Marshmallow Filled Chocolate Cake

Based on what we saw at the end of 'Game of Thrones' Season 3, the job of the Night's Watch is about to get a lot harder. They might need some new men to take up the black and protect Westeros. So if you're at all inclined to join the Night's Watch, we'll raise a toast to you and send you off with this delicious cake.

This rich chocolate cake is moist and filled with homemade marshmallow spread. Trust us when we say, it'll melt in your mouth. While you might not be willing to give up everything to protect the Wall, you will be willing to drop everything to have another piece of this cake.

Here are all the ingredients you will need for the cake, icing, and marshmallow spread.

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (use bread or cake flour if available)
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Icing Ingredients:

3/4 cups butter
2/3 cups cocoa
1/2 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

Marshmallow Spread Ingredients:

3 egg whites
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

To bake the cake...

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 30-35 minutes
Serves: 10-12

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans. Then put 1 1/2 cups of water on the stove to boil. You'll only need 1 cup of the water, but some will evaporate while bowling.

Step 2: Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Step 3: Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract and beat on low for 30 seconds and then one medium speed for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Stir in 1 cup boiling water. This will make the mixture quite runny, but don't worry; it's supposed to be like that.

Step 5: Evenly divide the batter into the two prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to cool on a plate or wire rack.

How to make the icing...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Step 1: Melt butter. Stir butter and cocoa together in a large bowl.

Step 3: Alternately stir in milk and powdered sugar until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

Marshmallow spread directions...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Step 1: Beat together on high speed egg whites, corn syrup, and salt until mixture is thick and double the size.

Step 2: Beat in powdered sugar at low speed until well blended. Add vanilla extract and beat until blended.

If you have left over marshmallow after you decorate your cake, store it in the fridge. Put it on ice cream or pour extra over your cake.

To decorate the cake..

Decorating time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Step 1: Place the first layer on your cake plate. Put chocolate icing in a piping bag and pipe a rim around the cake with a large round tip. With a large spoon, scoop out marshmallow and pour it on top of the cake layer. The marshmallow will spread out on its own. Make sure not to pour too much so that it doesn't seep over the edge of the icing wall.

Step 2: Place second cake layer on top. With an angled spatula or table knife, apply a crumb coat of chocolate icing. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the icing and marshmallow to harden.

Step 3: Remove cake from fridge and apply a final layer of icing to only the sides of the cake. (If you don't want to decorate like I have, then go ahead and apply a final icing layer to the top as well.) To do what I did, put icing in a piping bag with a medium sized star tip. I used a Wilton 21 star tip. Start form the outside rim of the top of the cake and make small stars. Go all the way around, working your way in to the center of the cake. Make the same small stars around the bottom of the cake, and you're finished!

This is, honestly, one of the tastiest and most moist cakes I've ever had. It's fairly rich, so thin slices are better. I mean, it even looks delicious.