A certain Duchess was seen in the Red Dragon Inn, ducking away into the office for some privacy. Certainly not alone either! She was accompanied not only by a handsome rum drinking Admiral, but by the Governess herself — who was later seen exiting wearing the Admiral's shirt and a grin! I think that speaks for itself, really now…
New Family In Town?
RhyDin's beloved metal worker and bardess have been seen getting rather comfy as of late. And on top of that? The metal worker's entire family seems to have trounced into town. It seems that his younger sister, however is a bit hostile to not only him, but also his new love. Who will he choose to please? Family or new love?
From Duchy To Kitty?
The Duchess's ex-hubby and Dockman has been seen getting rather close to a very shy feline lady. The two have been seen together taking care of a basket of kittens and even heard talking about her meeting his rather straight laced family. It opens up the question: What will his parents hate more? A cheating Duchess or a set of kitten grandkids?
Hamburgers For All
A certain maritime man was seen giving legal advice to the sweet rancher. After much discussion, the paperwork that will be the beginning of a new RhyDin ranch was handed to our own Governor. Rumor has it the Gov has signed off. Looks like there's about to be an expansion to the RhyDin beef market!
Producing Results
A Piping hot beauty and a furry mischief maker were seen throwing stuff at each other throughout an entire night in the Red Dragon Inn, a majority of the objects being produce. Is this some kind of new mating ritual that the mischief maker is bringing from… well, whatever it is he has come from? If so, you gotta tell us how it works man because we've been trying to get that Piping hot chick for… I mean.
Fall Can Bring Love Too
A certain new redhead and an elven mage have been seen cuddling and being sweet on each other in the Red Dragon, and often retreating to other locales to be alone.
Sweeter Than Sugar
A very sugary ranch hand has been seen having long conversations with the RDI's second sweetest tender. The mild mannered elf, who has been under the weather lately, seems rather taken with the man. Is this the start of Rhy'Din's most polite couple.
Keeping It In The Business
RhyDin's top two private investigators were seen speaking rather closely at the Arena. The private eye was getting rather cozy to the enforcer and for once she actually looked somewhat comfortable. What ever will the Lavender Vixen say if the two decide to go into business together?
One If By Land, Two If By Sea?
A certain slightly famous (or infamous) pair of sailors have been seen getting awfully close lately. In fact, with as much time as they've spent together, one has to wonder if there will be little itsy-bitsy sailor suits soon!
An Open Letter to RhyDin City
The dangers of gossip.
As many of you may know, this past week I was cursed by a person who was acting on news she received from a gossip column. After many attempts, it becomes clear to me that there is no getting rid of Franco, so it's you, fair people of RhyDin, that I must call on.
Please, do not give his words merit. Many are lies, exaggerations and untruths. He slanders the people of this fair city! And you allow him, RhyDin! You allow him by listening!
I call on people to start burning his columns. To refuse to pick them up and refuse to read them. Yes, you won't know what your neighbors are up to, but how will you feel when Franco turns on you? When he takes what could have been an honest conversation and makes it into your one night stand? When he ruins your relationships and gets you cursed, maimed or killed!
Stand up for yourselves, RhyDin! Stand up for your rights! Leave the lying untruths of Franco behind!
Thank you for your time,
Erinalle Dunbridge
A Pirate's Rambling
By STEPHEN KIDD
Well now jus' the other day I took me horde o' children wit' me down tae the Ryh-Mart, and ye know wha'?… They be havin' a whole aisle full o' Halloweenie stuff out. The kid's went crazy! It were li'e a feedin' frenzy o' sharks. There were all sorts o' costumes: Henry Pitter, Awesomeman, arachniddude, coral Dan roundpants and his hetrosexual life partner Perry the starfish, Dossey Princess' and one pirate costume o' some guy named John Parakeet. Somehow before I knew it them damn lil' hoodoo voodoo women with their black magic juju mind control, tha' Jewell calls children, had spent two hundred o' me hard earned silvers.
Now as I be sitting a' home with a horde o' costumed children runnin' amuck I thin' tae meself: Why do we celebrate Halloweenie in RyhDin? I mean fer the luv o' baby jaysus every day be a big freakshow costume party.
We gots a blue haired, water fae empress I'll mention nae name or else she migh' divorce me. Theres Icer who, well fer cryin' out loud she is a dragon. Panther and Kitty are frickin' cats and while yes
Kitty does have a human form I still nae be sae sure tha' she dun use a sandbox somewhere. There is Wyheree the ice goddess… speaking of Wyh did one of James kisses finally just melt her completely? Des the cowgirl queen. Now there be Antonio, who bein' tha' he is never seen withou' his ball and chain which I guess is a convict costume. Erin, who swears her pale complection is just because she be a Brit, but I knows better. I know the lass be either a ghost or a ghoul. Cor… um yeah Cor… well obviously he jus' be a freak show with all that red and tan he wears. Now me wife is reading over me shoulder and is hounding me to add that Amaltea is a witch… no really she says that the seldom seen editor really dresses and looks like a witch, that it isn't just a personal thing 'cause she threatens 'er with bodily 'arm fer nae submitting proper articles for the paper.
Anyway I be about exhausted in me use o' me mind. The point be this RyhDin chances are in yer misguided, lustful, odd couplings yer kids already have one of the strangest costumes ever, seriously some freaky kids in RyhDin. Shame is they can't be takin' it off! Happy Halloweenie RyhDin.
Welcome to the October issue of recipes! It's a special month and I have lots of pumpkinny sweetness to share! Didn't know pumpkins could be sweet? Read on! Next month, we'll talk turkey! Until then, Bon Appetite!
Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 lbs. pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
6 3/4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken stock
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
2/3 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Crusty bread, to serve
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and pumpkin and cook, stirring frequently for 2 more minutes.
2. Add the boiling vegetable or chicken stock, orange rind and juice, and 2 tablespoons of the thyme to the pan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Alternatively, mash the mixture with a potato masher until smooth. Or use your golem, or someone else's, to mash the stuff to a gooey pulp. Smooth is the key. Then season to taste!
4. Return the soup to the pan and add the milk. Reheat for 3-4 minutes or until it is piping hot, but not boiling! Don't boil…. Milk will scorch easily so stir often if not constantly.
5. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh thyme just before serving.Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread. Bon Appetite!
Serves: 4
Pumpkin and Sausage Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 lbs. pumpkin puree
1/4 cup praline liqueur
7 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/8 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Cook diced sausage in skillet with 2 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes.
2. Add onion and cook until soft. Add thyme and pumpkin OR sweet potatoes and cook 5 minutes.
3. Add liqueur, broth, and brown sugar. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin OR potatoes are tender.
4. In blender puree soup in batches. Return to pan and stir in cream and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Warm but do not boil. Serve immediately.
Serves: 7
Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients:
2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 cup raisins
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar (or Splenda), eggs, oil and molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir wet ingredients and raisins into the dry ingredients until no traces of dry remain. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 ˝ inches apart.
4. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Servings: 10
Pumpkin Bars
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined.
3. Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. Cool before frosting.
4. To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares.
Servings: 24
Great Pumpkin Dessert
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 ˝ cups chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spice. Mix well, and pour into a 9x13 inch pan.
3. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top, then drizzle with melted butter. Top with walnuts.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Serves: 24
Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Directions:
1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Blend 1 cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in whole egg and egg white. Stir in oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about 2 hours.
5. To glaze & garnish cake: Combine confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) while the glaze is still moist.
Comments: This can also be served with just powdered sugar spritz atop instead of the glaze, also try adding stemmed cherries every other space for decorative flair.
