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Think you're gonna fix me, think we're making progress. You'll be broken with me somewhere in the process.

*Wonders what the last thing he copied is*

       The hole is usually 1/4" x 1".

O.O  Oh, my... 

[Homemade Venison Jerky]

Daggumit, I'm making it to Refugi...

Homemade Venison Jerky

This one's more labor intensive, but it's a holiday tradition at our house.

Things you'll need:

• Optional: Meat grinder
• Largish bowl
• Handheld cookie press or pasta extruder with "slit" attachment. (The hole is usually a 1/8" x 1" rectangle.)
• Metal baking racks
• An oven
• Patience

Ingredients per batch:

• 3 lb ground venison
• 3 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• Any other seasonings you want to try in a jerky. Some of my favorites are liquid smoke, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, teriyaki, white pepper, cumin, or that random seasoning you've had in the back of the cupboard for a year and only used once. There is no right or wrong mixture here. Have fun with it, but keep track so you figure out what your favorites are and can replicate it next time.

We generally start with steaks from Grandpa's hunting excursions in November and put them through a meat grinder, but you can get pre-ground meat too. Put your ground meat, Lawrey's, and other seasonings into a largish bowl and mix thoroughly by hand.

Load the meat mixture into your cookie press/extruder and put on the slit attachment. Squeeze out your mixture onto the metal baking racks in rows.

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Place the racks in the hot oven. Leave the oven door closed for the first 30 minutes, then crack the oven door. We usually place a metal butter knife in the door so it's open just a tiny bit. Just enough for the moisture to easily make it's way out.

Wait about three hours. This is where the patience comes in play because it's going to smell really good but you can't eat it yet.

When it's good and dry, remove from the oven and let it cool before cutting the strips into 1 inch squares and storing them a ziplock. (Or you know, just eating them all. They don't last long at our house.)

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the roleplay, Nat! I'm up for RPing with anyone if someone wants to be the one that came into the lounge looking for service.

Luca, did you have your own idea on which buildings were going to be at the Refuge? Should I assume it's based on the current forums?

My go to poor man's Chicken & Dumpling soup.

Again, actual measurements will depend on the size of your pot.

Soup base:

• Water
• 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1/2 bag wide egg noodles
• 1 or 2 cans of sliced carrots. (Any brand, really. I go for cheap.)
• 1 or 2 cans of precooked chicken. (Feel free to substitute fresh cooked chicken for the canned chicken. I like the canned for the convenience.)
• 1 or 2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup.

Dumplings:

• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt (a must have for any kitchen)

Fill your pot about 1/3rd with water and add the bouillon cubes (use the ratio of cubes to water per the directions of your brand of bouillon). Optional: Crack your can(s) of carrots and chicken and pour the liquid into the pot as part of the base. Bring to a boil. Add the egg noodles and simmer uncovered until almost soft. ~ 5 minutes

While the noodles are boiling, make your dumpling mix. Put the flour and Lawry's into a small/medium mixing bowl and combine so the salt is spread throughout the flour. Add the eggs and stir them in to make a sticky dough. Add just a splash of milk to make sure all of the flour is wet and part of the dough.

The noodles should be cooked enough by this time. Add the cream of chicken soup with a can of water and stir in until smooth. Add in the carrots and chicken. You'll want to add ingredients based on how much room there is in the pot. You can always add more water and bouillon if there's still lots of room. Leave at least two inches from the top of the pot for the dumplings. Bring it all back to a boil.

To add your dumplings, grab a metal fork and get a dollop of dough. Dip it into the boiling soup and it should fall off the fork with a little shake. Some people like their dumplings bigger, some like them smaller. My only input is that you don't want them to be too dense because they'll taste too much like flour.

Boil for another 5ish minutes after you've put in your last dumpling, then serve and enjoy!

 

He spilled out of an old rickety transport vehicle and onto the sandy shores of the forested island rather ungracefully. He was exhausted from bailing water out of the leaky boat during the whole trip, but he had managed to make it in one piece. Standing up and dusting off, he glanced up and down the beach. It was trees and sand for as far as he could see. "Man... I really hope there's more to it than this. I'm sick of camping outside."

Despite his grumblings, though, the natural state of the island was comforting. Not wanting to tip off any possible security algorithms that might be watching, he had simply searched for "refuge". This place had been buried twenty odd pages deep – Or was it forty? He hadn't actually counted. – which was preferable in his mind. The further it was from the public eye, the easier it would be for him to keep out of sight.

A single path led him deeper into the canopy until he came to a locked door boasting a large screen. He could navigate through the flickering interface to look at what this place had to offer – They had food AND beds! – but if he wanted to take advantage of the amenities, he had to sign up first. The choice stood before him. Did he register himself as a user or just camp in the outskirts forever? Or at least until he starved.

Part of him had hoped he wouldn't need to name himself, but it looked like everything he could want for was just behind the door. He squinted his eyes at the screen with a huff before reaching up to click the button. "I'm doing it for the bed."

—

Kitran wandered through the Refuge proper with a frown. The buildings and grounds seemed to be in a bit of disrepair. "Not exactly what was advertised," he huffed, but it was to be expected. No place had gone untouched by The Fall.

At least it looked like there was still some place to eat if the swinging sign above one door was to be believed. He walked closer, noting there was no indication the place was open, but when he gave the door a push it wasn't locked. Kitran let himself in and gave a low whistle. It was like walking into an old western movie set boasting a large wrap around bar with plenty of tables and chairs. As far as he could tell, he was the only patron unless there was someone upstairs.

Unfortunately, there was no one behind the bar, either. "Hello?" he gave a tentative call. "Anyone in here?" He sat down at the bar hoping they were just on a trip to the lou. A bowl of peanuts was set out, so he started snacking while pondering his lot aloud. "Just need to lay low for a while, let everything back home blow over – or blow up and burn down while I'm a safe distance away." His stomach grumbled, being reminded how empty it was by the addition of the peanuts.

Grabbing his coin purse, he counted out a mere 15 coppers. Barely enough to feed himself for a week – or more likely with inflation – one day, if that. "Bah, gonna need a job, too. Especially if I want a bed." Kitran held out little hope that he'd be able to find anything above menial labor. His brand of 'skills' weren't exactly in high demand these days. He'd made it all the way to the bottom of the bowl before his thirst kicked in but there still wasn't any sign of someone working the bar. Looking left and right, he shook his head at the whole thing. "I'm just gonna get something myself."

Leaving his backpack on the bar, he stood and walked around, grabbing a random bottle off the back shelf. But he froze with a cringe when he heard the front door creak open and slam shut. "Oh, ninth hell..." he swore under his breath. Of course someone would come in now. They'd kick him out for thieving before he'd even spent one night!

Rather than the berating he expected, though, the voice that greeted him was rather relieved. "Oh, good! Someone's here. Could I get some service?"

Kitran gripped the bottle in his hand in indecision. Once he turned around, they'd see his face. Once he turned around, they'd know he was a stranger. But what could he do? Try to run and hope they didn't recognize him outside the bar? Then he remembered his pack was still sitting behind him right next to the stool the new patron had just sat down on and there was no chance he was going to leave it behind.

Last option then... pretend he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Kitran threw on a winning smile and turned around with a bottle in one hand and a glass in the other. "Yes, of course! How can I help you today?" He hoped that his confidence and good manners could win this person over, because – if he was truly honest with himself – more than food or a bed or a job, what Kitran really needed right now was a friend.

Award winning "Three Meat Spicy Shire" Chili. - Came in first place at the last ECW Chili Cookoff out of roughly 25 entries with it's "rustic" flavors.

I'm not going to include measurements since the size of the pot is a big factor and I cook with my heart rather than my measuring cup.

Fill your pot ~1/4th up with water then add:
Spicy V8
Goat cheese
Bacon braunschweiger
Turkey burger
Venison burger
Corn or onion, whichever you like better (or both)
A random hot sauce that's been sitting in the fridge for ages (bonus if it was a leftover from a restaurant you can't identify)
A variety of beans - precooked from jars preferred, though I do enjoy adding a can of Bush's now and again.
Lotsa chili powder, few shakes of white pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
If it's too spicy add honey, not spicy enough, more white pepper or hot sauce.

Simmer on med-low heat for 4ish hours. Refrigerate overnight and simmer again for another 4ish hours.

Enjoy!

*waves*

Just popping in to say hi. Cuz that's what we're supposed to do, right?

What can I say about myself? Don't let the avatar fool you. I'm a wanderer with an old soul - and old bones. (They creak!) Not exactly a noob, but I know enough to know I'll never know everything, and I'm okay with that.

And as a not exactly noob, I'm gonna go ahead and say: "Welcome to the Refuge Eveline! It's great to have you!"

Can't say this place will be hoppin', but maybe I'll see you around.