Well Fed Buff: Runn Tum Tuber Surprise

Well Fed Buff serves up tasty dishes to boost your HP, stats and appetite – with that special WoW twist, of course.

The calendar says that spring has spring, which means we should be out Bar B Queuing, but the Earth Mother seems to disagree. It has been unseasonably cold and windy in many areas, which gives us plenty of opportunities for hot chili, soup, and stew. This week we indulge in Runn Tum Tuber Surprise.

In game the recipe calls for Runn Tum Tubers and Soothing Spices. The tubers are found in Warpwood Pods in Dire Maul or drop from Pusillin, who also drops this recipe. This dish can be consumed by characters 45 and higher. It restores 1933 health over 27 seconds and increases your Intellect by ten for ten minutes. The real life version is relatively simple to make, and requires considerably less talent than the 275 Cooking skill required for the virtual version.

The result is a hearty potato and broccoli soup that is very warming and frighteningly filling. While most of the Well Fed Buffs I've prepared have allowed me time to step away from the kitchen and run an Eye of the Storm or two, cream based soups require constant attention. At least you don't have to kill any annoying little Imps to complete this recipe.

Reagents:

• 6 cups peeled and diced Runn Tum Tubers (about 6 medium gold potatoes)

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 large head broccoli cut into florets

• 2 cups Ice Cold Milk

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup grated Fine Aged Cheddar

• Salt and pepper to taste

Quest Log:

1. In a medium saucepan, cook potatoes in lightly salted water, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken or vegetable stock (or dissolve bouillon cubes in water over medium heat) and broccoli.
3. Cook, covered, about 10 minutes, until broccoli is very tender. Remove from heat.
4. Drain the potatoes. Place about 1 cup potatoes on a saucer and mash well with a fork. (The more potatoes you mash, the thicker the soup will be).
5. Add the mashed potatoes and remaining chopped cooked potatoes to the broccoli mixture, along with the milk and cream. Heat gently until hot but not boiling.
6. Add the cheese and stir gently until melted and well blended.

You can also thicken the soup with Simple Flour or Cornstarch. This recipe yields about 6 servings of Runn Tumm Tuber Surprise. For an attractive presentation (and carbohydrate overload) serve it a Harvest Bread bowl topped with cheddar cheese or fresh parsley. I served it with veggie patties, but this soup would go nicely along side a pork or thickened to top baked chicken.

Impress your friends with fantastic treats that pair perfectly with your World of Warcraft adventures. Have fun whipping up some or our delicious snacks, meals, and beverages.