[spezzy]

 

 

Welcome one and all! 

 

Come rest ye weary guild champions, put your feet up and gather round.  Security at the door will check your cloak, weapons, and armaments (but I wouldn't trust them with your valuables wink wink).  The fires in the hearth are roaring, please go and warm up if you need! 

 

A messenger just arrived with the challenge dates for 2023 - it looks like we will challenge together one more time this year, for a three week challenge, and then begin again January 1st with a full length challenge. There's a scroll nailed to the back wall with the challenge dates for 2023 scrawled upon, make sure to check them out and start to get your adventure parties ready. 

 

The barkeep  (or at least their animal companion) is ready for your order whenever you're ready.  We're excited to share we have a new magic tap that will automatically pour your favorite beer and have it taste as if it was the real thing, poured from the original brewery. He's working on a drink spell, but it randomly turns the drinks into live chickens so we asked him to kindly stop that spell until he has it right. 

 

 

Our next challenge is about to begin!

 

Once you've got your drink, please pull up a chair and take a look at our menu:

• Challenge How-to (Updated 2/6)
• Guild Chat and Discussion Threads
• Adventure Parties and PVP Challenges
• 2023 Challenge Dates
  
   

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome. Black coffee for me.

[TrashcanCarla]

I have arrived for the merriment! I'll take a warm apple cider! Cheers

[RES]

I still have guests for another week and a half...so I'll have my usual Irish coffee

[Athaclena]

I'll take a real egg nog - thanks!

[MaeradCase]

I'll have a super rich hot cocoa with a peppermint dropped in. 😃

[Sovalis]

Mulled wine, please!  

[KB Girl]

Squatmas anyone? 

[Radost]

8 hours ago, Sovalis said:

Mulled wine, please!  

Oh, that smell so good I'll have one too! Cheers!

[Heidi]

On 11/27/2022 at 10:47 PM, MaeradCase said:

I'll have a super rich hot cocoa with a peppermint dropped in. 😃

I'll take one of these with a shot of (decaf) espresso, please.  

[Artemis Prime]

On 11/28/2022 at 2:33 PM, KB Girl said:

Squatmas anyone? 

I've been neglecting lower body with this chin up program, so not sure I could do 50@50, but I could definitely handle 25@25.

[Jarric]

A weary looking range strolls into the bar, and slumps heavily into his usual bar stool. Pint of the dark stuff, barkeep, he says, and watches in interest as the Staffordshire bull terrier behind the bar pours and presents his drink.

 

On 11/28/2022 at 7:33 PM, KB Girl said:

Squatmas anyone? 

 

The ranger turns his gaze slowly to the speaker, and lets out a sigh. Sounds like a terrible idea, he says, a hint of a smile crossing his face. I'm in.

[Asha Phoenix]

As much tea as one can handle, please! Hibernation sounds like a great idea right about now...

[Harriet]

Hey nerds, what's an easy but impressive vegetarian dish I can make for Christmas? Something that doesn't need a lot of practice to get right, but nevertheless goes zoooooom-kaboing! And doesn't rely on special ingredients only found in an occult vegan store in Berkeley that's bigger on the inside and hidden in a labyrinth lined with mysterious herb bushes that make you curiously drowsy. (different brands and much smaller range of produce here in Germany in winter).

A savoury pie or something? Puff pastry improves everything.

[Artemis Prime]

22 minutes ago, Harriet said:

Hey nerds, what's an easy but impressive vegetarian dish I can make for Christmas? Something that doesn't need a lot of practice to get right, but nevertheless goes zoooooom-kaboing! And doesn't rely on special ingredients only found in an occult vegan store in Berkeley that's bigger on the inside and hidden in a labyrinth lined with mysterious herb bushes that make you curiously drowsy. (different brands and much smaller range of produce here in Germany in winter).

A savoury pie or something? Puff pastry improves everything.

 

I've made this before. Looks super fancy, but really isn't that difficult.

 

Christmas Tree Puff Pastry Appetizer | Walking on Sunshine Recipes

 

Another big favorite was little savory pies with Christmas toppers. We made sausage pies, so can't help you with that, but any savory pie filling would do. Use a muffin tin to make mini pies and get some small cookie cutters to cut Christmassy shapes out of the extra pie pastry and put one of them on each of the pies.

[Harriet]

2 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

 

I've made this before. Looks super fancy, but really isn't that difficult.

 

Christmas Tree Puff Pastry Appetizer | Walking on Sunshine Recipes

 

Another big favorite was little savory pies with Christmas toppers. We made sausage pies, so can't help you with that, but any savory pie filling would do. Use a muffin tin to make mini pies and get some small cookie cutters to cut Christmassy shapes out of the extra pie pastry and put one of them on each of the pies.

 

Pesto and pastry? WHERE'S THE MEA-- oh, I asked for this, didn't I 😛 It looks good though I was thinking more of a main. What kind of fillings work well for pies, big or small?

[Artemis Prime]

6 minutes ago, Harriet said:

 

Pesto and pastry? WHERE'S THE MEA-- oh, I asked for this, didn't I 😛 It looks good though I was thinking more of a main. What kind of fillings work well for pies, big or small?

Sorry, didn't realize you were looking for a main.  Looks like mushrooms are big in veggie pies, though. Lentils and chickpeas keep coming up too. 

[Harriet]

17 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

Sorry, didn't realize you were looking for a main.  Looks like mushrooms are big in veggie pies, though. Lentils and chickpeas keep coming up too. 

 

Thanks! Mushrooms are a possibility though I think keeping them flavourful and not wet might require some practice. I haven't heard of chickpeas or lentils in a pie. But I can imagine it... maybe even curried lentils? I'm thinking of samosas... might have to see what spices they use

[spezzy]

Hey all, just FYI we're going to be doing some database maintenance tonight (12/12) around 9pm ET that should take no longer than one hour. During this time, the forums should still be up and available, however, if we need to take them down we will put up a placeholder site that lets you know what's going on. 

Quick note: I know a lot of people like to open their challenge thread in the morning and type in it throughout the day, and then hit submit at night. If you choose to hit submit around that time (9pm-10pm Eastern US Time zone), please copy your update into a word pad and refresh the page first to make sure the site is currently up so you don't lose your update  

[spezzy]

Maintenance is done!

[Jarric]

On 12/12/2022 at 3:12 PM, Harriet said:

Hey nerds, what's an easy but impressive vegetarian dish I can make for Christmas? Something that doesn't need a lot of practice to get right, but nevertheless goes zoooooom-kaboing! And doesn't rely on special ingredients only found in an occult vegan store in Berkeley that's bigger on the inside and hidden in a labyrinth lined with mysterious herb bushes that make you curiously drowsy. (different brands and much smaller range of produce here in Germany in winter).

A savoury pie or something? Puff pastry improves everything.

 

I don't make a lot of vegetarian food, but I've done this a few times and it's fairly easy and impressive (though maybe a bit summery?): https://www.oddbox.co.uk/recipes/pomegranate-filo-pie

 

Otherwise, some kind of veggie wellington could work well (I've not tried any of these recipes): https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-wellington-recipes

[Pherales]

On 12/12/2022 at 11:12 PM, Harriet said:

Hey nerds, what's an easy but impressive vegetarian dish I can make for Christmas? Something that doesn't need a lot of practice to get right, but nevertheless goes zoooooom-kaboing! And doesn't rely on special ingredients only found in an occult vegan store in Berkeley that's bigger on the inside and hidden in a labyrinth lined with mysterious herb bushes that make you curiously drowsy. (different brands and much smaller range of produce here in Germany in winter).

A savoury pie or something? Puff pastry improves everything.

 

Stuffed shells!  Little spinach, ricotta, parmesan, some finely diced mushrooms.  Drown it in marinara and top with cheese, bake until golden and crispy.  It's my nice and simple winter go-to 

 

If you do actually wanna go with a pie, this recipe for mushroom pot pie is honestly delicious, made it a few times

[Elastigirl]

I listened to a  couple of really good podcasts today. An interview with James Clear, habit guru.1965: How to Break Bad Habits with James Clear - Mind Pump Media (mindpumppodcast.com)

 

Also  shorter one on why it's dangerous to go too low on salt. This is a soap box of mine, since when I was prehypertensive, I kept going lower and lower on salt, and my blood pressure kept rising.

 

 

[Harriet]

10 hours ago, Jarric said:

 

I don't make a lot of vegetarian food, but I've done this a few times and it's fairly easy and impressive (though maybe a bit summery?): https://www.oddbox.co.uk/recipes/pomegranate-filo-pie

 

Oh, looks great. Cheese is so reliable. And fruit in a savoury dish is always nice. Excellent idea.

 

10 hours ago, Jarric said:

Otherwise, some kind of veggie wellington could work well (I've not tried any of these recipes): https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-wellington-recipes

 

I was looking at something similar--a beet wellington lol--but it looks a bit too risky to try without practice.

 

6 hours ago, Pherales said:

Stuffed shells!  Little spinach, ricotta, parmesan, some finely diced mushrooms.  Drown it in marinara and top with cheese, bake until golden and crispy.  It's my nice and simple winter go-to 

 

Are those giant pasta? I've never seen them before but nice idea--a bit different from just another pasta with sauce.

 

6 hours ago, Pherales said:

If you do actually wanna go with a pie, this recipe for mushroom pot pie is honestly delicious, made it a few times

 

Cheers!

[Heidi]

Yo, rebels, here we are, near the end of it.

How did it go?

What is the thing you’re most interested in taking with you into the next year?
What are you most happy to leave behind?

 

Happy Solstice, Friends.

Everything gets lighter from now on.