And finally, the Coffee Biscuits. To be honest, these were disappointing. I think I would specifically try either a semi-sweet chip or 70% dark or less. The recipe isn’t very specific about the chocolate chips. They’re kind of bready and don’t have enough balance to the butter flour flavor.

Then I made the Cawl Cennin. So good! Don’t skip the goat cheese. I think it’s better on day 2. The lemon flavor is still bright but not overpowering.

Yesterday morning I made the Farmer’s Breakfast. Also fantastic, although I felt like I would have liked a weight amount for the kielbasa. Would make again with 2x potatoes.

Another week and more if working my way through learning to cook with a video game cookbook. Back on that FFXIV business.

First up the Boscaiola. Yum! My tomatoes were mediocre, so I ended up adding about 1 tsp salt to the sauce. I bet if one had flavorful tomatoes, that wouldn’t have been needed

And finally the Trapper’s Quiche. Divine and earthy- from the Thai basil and mushrooms. It’s very rich though, next time I might sub heavy cream with 2% A2 milk and arrowroot to save my poor tummy! The recipe suggested a pre-made crust, but I made it instead-easier to control ingredients that way…

I made the Apple Strudel for my dad and his wife. It was a huge hit- not too sweet with nice tartness from the apples. We weren’t able to get our hands on birch syrup at short notice, so used maple. If I’d been by myself, I’d also have made the puff pastry myself, but for convenience, we bought it.

More from the FFXIV Ultimate Cookbook! I loved the Forest and Tuna Miq’abobs, though I may have slightly overcooked the tuna. I haven’t used my grill for years until recently, so relearning the best settings has been a little hit or miss. Honey Muffins are divine-Love the flavor the cardamom adds!

Meat Miq’abobs and Steppe Salad:

I used one pound of magret moulard duck breast from Wegman’s. It was delicious and tender! Totally worth also learning garlic and ginger pastes since the stores only sell those with preservatives.

Royal Eggs: I think I wanted to try this because of how it looks. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of eggs Benedict… but this wasn’t bad, and I learned how to cheat hollandaise in a blender and questionably poach eggs.

Miso Soup: I’ve never made daishi stock before, and it felt like the whole process took three time the suggested time. I did learn that miso is not to be boiled- it loses its flavor! (No wonder I felt like I’d been doing something very wrong!)

This turned out perfectly.

Back on my FFXIV cookbook business. The Salmon Muffins are super yummy. So is the Knight’s bread. Just be sure to read the flavor text for that one and butter it with your tears. I made these as instructed and also as instructed by my doctors, used ingredients without stabilizers, “enrichment,” etc.

I needed a bread to use up some produce I had in the fridge, so I decided on the Ishgardian Muffins. (Yeah, I’m totally in FFXIV Ultimate Cookbook land. *strikes pose*) They’re not quite as English muffiny as I’d like but came out tasty nonetheless. I didn’t know they cooked in a pan!

I also made the Kupo Nuts this weekend. I don’t love them. They’re tart and bitter and earthy, with hints of salt, and I like all of those flavors. Maybe adding more of something sweet would balance the bitter? I did use a 100% dark chocolate bar for baking and maybe adjusting that would be enough.

I’m trying so hard to enjoy cooking and eating a “clean” diet.

Looks like I’ll be in FFXIV cookbook land for a while. Dinner tonight was the Ratatouille. It was transcendent.

Another foray into the FFXIV cookbook! So, between yesterday and today, I made the Nutrient-Rich Porridge. Sort of. I made some changes to accommodate my diet.

I was gifted the FFXIV cookbook for my birthday and we made the Imam Bayildi and Spinach Sauté. There was definitely some leveling up of our culinarian skills, but totally worth it. So delicious!

Moogle tomestone event has me wishing I’d started Stormblood. Farming is abysmal and I kind of don’t want to see the inside of an ARR dungeon again any time soon if I can help it… (I got my Inferno Jacket on a weekly and GATEs…)

I clearly have zero reason not to progress MSQ. Zero.