#edited 5/7/24. added pics with her updated look <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[goldenhallas]

~ Meet my Tav ~

Name: Senna Dekarios (née Thorne) Nicknames: Sen, Cub, Wolfheart Age: 30 Gender: Female (She/Her) Height: 5'7 Race: Wood Elf Class: Druid Background: Outlander Birthplace: Unknown Grew up: Cottage in the High Forest Occupation: Druid of Tall Trees Alignment: Chaotic Good Song: Raised by Wolves by The Interrupters

Just some girl from the woods with leaves in her hair and dirt on her clothes. Like the wolves she was raised with, Senna is swift, agile, a keen strategist and hunter, playful, loyal, and fiercely protective of her pack and the forests she calls home; she is also extremely wary of people she doesn’t know, prone to snarling and snapping when scared, and has abysmal table manners.

Backstory

Senna Thorne (aka Sen) was abandoned in the woods as a babe, and found by a reclusive High Forest Scout, a human man named Rowan Thorne. Rowan took Senna in and raised her among his wolf pack, teaching her archery, hunting, foraging, herbalism, healing and nature magic, as well as instilling in her a reverence for the land and the goddess Mielikki.

After the death of her father when she was 16, Senna couldn't stand to stay in the cottage where she'd grown up any longer. She packed her bag and set out into the woods with her father's last remaining wolf companion, Taran, by her side. She eventually found herself in a place called Tall Trees, a Druid's Grove dedicated to Mielikki. She spent many years here learning druidcraft (including how to wildshape into a wolf), helping guard the Grove and teaching children archery. It’s also where she met her first love, Cariad Holimion; a soft spoken wood elf druid with the wildshape of a stag.

Four years prior to being abducted by mindflayers, Cariad and Senna had a rare break from their duties and snuck away to have a date in the woods when they were set upon by yuan-ti. They fought as hard as they could to protect each other, but Cariad was killed in the fray, while Senna narrowly managed to survive. Wracked with survivor’s guilt and despair at the loss of her beloved, Senna left the High Forest for the first time in her life. She wandered aimlessly for a while, ending up on the Sword Coast, lost, alone and unsure what to do next. That was when she was kidnapped by mindflayers and had one of their tadpoles inserted into her brain. 

Senna is great with animals, nature and magic, but not so much with people, which was never really a problem before now. Faced with the prospect of travelling with six other survivors of the nautiloid crash, all of whom need the parasites in their heads removed just as she does, Senna feels like a fish out of water - or, more aptly, a wolf out of the forest. Wary of strangers but also naturally inclined toward forming a pack and helping people, Senna hesitantly agrees to travel with them, but has absolutely no idea how she of all people ends up being appointed leader of the ragtag bunch of misfits (Mielikki preserve them all). She doesn't expect to survive for very long with a mindflayer tadpole stuck in her head, let alone that she'll find lifelong friends among her tadpoled companions, or that when she pulled a certain wizard from a malfunctioning magical rune, she would feel an irresistible pull to him that would change both their lives forever…

her pinterest

Notes / more info (adding to this as i go!)

Senna was kidnapped at the same time Gale was, they were unwittingly heading right towards each other and would have crossed paths had the mindflayers not intervened

Sennas are yellow flowers, and the name also means “brightness”

Has the social skills of a potato (no rizz but Gale is captivated by her musk & ferocity)

Don't let her grumpy wolf snarl fool you; she has big wet puppy eyes and a heart of gold

Would do anything for a wedge of Waterdhavian cheese

Loves to play the flute by the campfire

The rose tattoo on her neck represents her last name as well as the cottage where she grew up (her father grew climbing roses)

Refuses to use the tadpole. She doesn't like not being in control of her own mind and doesn't trust it for a second.

Senna has always been entirely herself, comfortable in her own skin, and isn't one to doubt herself or feel insecure - except when it comes to Gale's relationship with Mystra. For a while she's like, how can I compete with a literal goddess!? But these fears are put to rest when she realises how much Gale adores her, and how much more meaningful their relationship is due to them being on equal footing and truly wanting what's best for each other

She's sentimental and keeps everything people give her, every letter and every gift; her favourite letter is the one she got from Mirkon after saving him from the harpies

She collects pretty things on her travels like feathers, gems, shells etc and adds them to her hair and clothes / keeps them in her camp chest / gifts them to her companions

Her dad, Rowan, was gruff and reserved but also a gentle sweetheart, and adored his daughter more than anything

Senna always knew that she would long outlive her father, considering she is an elf and he a human, but to lose him when she was still so young was utterly devastating. She thought they would have many years left together, listening to his stories, picking berries in the sunshine, running with the wolves, and then suddenly, he was weak and withered, then just…gone

Senna wakes up before the sun every morning with boundless energy, whistling and humming to herself while she gets ready for the day

She makes all her own clothes

She writes and draws pictures of all the flora and fauna she sees on her travels (that's why she carries a notebook everywhere)

Gale x Senna (weavewolf)

Their favourite date is a picnic in the woods with stargazing; feeding each other cheese and fruit, drinking wine, kissing the taste of strawberry wine out of each other’s mouths, staring up at the sky together, pointing out constellations, and making love bathed in moonlight

Gale felt, as always, that he had to go above and beyond to prove himself worthy to Senna, that he always had to do some huge, grand gesture or woo her with grand feats of magic, but the better he got to know her, the more those insecurities melted away; he could just be himself with her. He didn't have to be perfect. He didn't have to be anything except himself with her. He could just be Gale, nothing more and nothing less. He was all she wanted.

Senna keeps all the poetry Gale writes for her tucked in her various journals

Gale keeps all the drawings Senna does for him in his bag of holding

They love cooking and baking and they collect recipes to make together

Post Game Weavewolf

Their song is Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Senna takes Gale to her old home in the High Forest; the cottage is overgrown with brambles but still intact, so they clear it out together and make it their holiday home, which they come to whenever Senna wants a break from the hustle and bustle of Waterdeep

Gale and Senna split their time between adventuring, living in Gale’s tower in Waterdeep, and living in Senna’s old cottage in the High Forest

Sen takes Gale to the Tall Trees Grove and introduces him to all her old friends; they are all dazzled and charmed by him

They see their tadfriends whenever they can – Astarion comes to stay with them sometimes, they visit Shadowheart on her little farm (Senna loves petting all the animals), they make trips to see Karlach and Wyll in the House of Hope (it’s not hard to get into Hell for an archwizard). Lae’zel pops in by astral projection now and again and very occasionally stops by in person with her son Xan

Gale and Senna don’t have a traditional wedding (they don’t have a traditional relationship) as neither wants a huge fanfare on their special day, they just want to spend it together and with those they love most. They get married a week after Gale asks Sen to marry him, in a small ceremony in the woods with only Tara, Morena, Shadowheart and Astarion in attendance (Wyll and Karlach are busy in hell, Lae’zel is busy with Xan plus leading the rebellion against Vlaakith). I’m sure Elminster visits to congratulate them and share some wine and cheese at some point, too.

Senna naturally wasn’t very comfortable with the idea of living in the city at first, until Gale changed his house for her, magically changing it into an indoor woodland wonderland reminiscent of the High Forest, to make her feel at home. “It's your house too, my love. I want you to feel at home here,” he says to her; then she pounces on him in gratitude and they have hot, passionate sex on a bed of the softest moss, surrounded by butterflies and wild roses.

Over time, Senna warms up to the city, mostly because Gale ensures she doesn’t have to deal with the stresses of city life; everything is at her fingertips when she wants it, but if she doesn’t want to deal with the hustle and bustle, she doesn’t have to; she can just stay in the tower, or she can take one of the portals Gale set up for her directly to High Forest or Ardeep Forest.

Senna and Gale love to take strolls around the city together, once Senna warms up to it; visiting their favourite sweet roll vendor, buying vintage cheeses or various trinkets for their house from local artisans.

They also love attending Waterdeep festivals together, drinking, dancing, playing games and occasionally even chatting to other people (lol). At first the festivals were quite overwhelming for Senna, but she learns to love the joy and community spirit of it all.

Senna adores, and is adored by, Mrs Dekarios; the two frequently have coffee and gossip together

Senna finally won over Tara after growing her some quality catnip

Gale teaches at Blackstaff Academy during the school year and goes on adventures with Senna during the holidays

Gale has fucked Senna over his desk at Blackstaff multiple times

Senna gets into debates with Elminster over the best cheeses when he comes to visit

[jenguerrero]

I love Pioneer Woman’s new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives Well, I love all of her books. This one has the most wonderful Meatball Tortilla Soup in it. My youngest daughter had a second bowl right away, then asked me to make another pot of it for her thermos for school lunches. Yeah, we all thought it was *that* good. A huge thank you to Ree Drummond for letting me share the recipe with you! I added in the underlines where I drew lines in my book, showing which ingredients are grouped together when they’re thrown into the pool. You don’t write in your books?! But it makes cooking more relaxing. Turn that radio up!

My review of the book with my pics and thoughts on the dishes I tried is below the recipe. I’ve attached my reviews of her other books below that so you can see the pics and get a feel for what each book promises. Now, back to that delicious soup!

Meatball Tortilla Soup

Makes 8 Servings

To describe this delicious soup as merely a “delicious soup” is the understatement of the year! First of all, it’s so far beyond delicious! Flavorful, fabulous, and fantastic is more like it. And it’s really much more of a stew than a soup. A stew of wonderful texture and color, with an added bonus of yummy meatballs in every bowlful. You’ll love every bite! (And as an extra thrill: It freezes beautifully!)

Meatballs 1 pound ground beef ½ cup grated pepper jack cheese 2 tablespoons minced parsley 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon chili powder ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs Juice of 1 lime

Soup 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter ½ large onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 ears of sweet corn, kernels sliced off (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 6 cups low sodium beef broth One 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and chiles (such as Rotel) 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon ground cumin One 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Fixins Sour cream Sliced avocado Grated pepper jack cheese Cilantro leaves

Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Shape the meat mixture into small balls (about 24 total) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make the soup: In a heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add one-third of the meatballs and lightly brown on all sides (they wont be cook through), then remove them to a plate. Repeat with the remaining meatballs!

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and let it melt. Add the onion, garlic, corn, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, the diced tomatoes and chiles, tomato paste, salt, chile powder, and cumin, and stir in. Bring it to a boil, then add the beans. Return the meatballs to the pot, cover, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the tortilla chips. Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream, a slice of avocado, a little grated cheese, and a few cilantro leaves.

My review of the book…

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives by Ree Drummond Edition: Hardcover

This is my 5th Pioneer Woman cookbook. It’s a neat one, ranging from the comfort food she’s known for, to comfort food with fun spins, to some really healthy dishes.

The chapters are: A Preface of Ree’s favorite pantry items, freezer staples, fridge staples, and favorite cuts of beef * Breakfasts * Lunches on the Go * Apps and Snacks * Under 40 (minutes) * Under 20 (minutes) * Take Your Time * Sheet Pan Suppers * Meatless Marvels * Sensational Sides * Bread, Baby! * Sweets, Glorious Sweets

Pictured below: 1-2) Each recipe has an intro, a list of ingredients, a photo of the finished dish, and then step by step photo instructions. Some have fun variations listed at the end. My teenagers love cooking out of her books because those step by step photos are really empowering to them. It gives them that little bit of security and confidence. And I love buying them because I know they’ll have success with the recipes, and feel really proud bringing those dishes to the smiling people at the table. All of her books are just like that, too, and all of them are the same size except for The Pioneer woman cooks – it’s smaller.

3-5) We just went to the State Fair of Texas this weekend and ate a lot of delicious things we really need to atone for, so I thought I better start with some of Ree’s healthy recipes. Tex-Mex Butternut Squash Soup – 108, Teriyaki Salmon and Kale Sheet Pan Supper – p 216, and cute kid who inhaled her whole dinner before I got a chance to sit down. Then she grabbed a second bowl of soup. The soup is a delicious variation of regular butternut squash soup. It’s just a little bit spicy. And the pomegranate seeds were a great addition. She says you can swirl on the crema or sour cream with a spoon. I love to use an old ketchup squeeze bottle or icing piping bottle to swirl it on. The salmon and kale were yummy, too, and are the perfect “I have no time!” dish. Preheat the oven, two minutes to prep, and 10 minutes to bake.

6) Mini Turkey Meatloaves – p 193, and Broccolini with Garlic and Lemon – p 282. The meatloaves are unbelievably moist, really yummy and easy peasy. They’re the best turkey mini meatloaves I’ve tried. The last recipe of Ree’s I saw for broccolini with lemon and garlic was one of those fussy blanch, then plunge into ice water, and then to the skillet recipes. Nope! This one just involves a quick trip through the oven in a roasting pan. Nice. She just has you squeeze lemon juice over at the end. I used the zest, too. Total keeper! 7) King Ranch Chicken – p 196. Great comfort food! Tortillas, chicken, peppers and onions, and cheese in a velvety sauce of soups, tomatoes, and spices.

8-9) Lemon Bars – p 358. I had 5 lemons left on my tree, and used 4 on these. Totally lemon worthy.

10-11) Everything is mise en place for the Cap’n Crunch Chicken Strips – p 102. Yes, I snapped that photo just so I could use mise en place (everything in its place) and Cap’n Crunch in the same sentence. Pretty sure that was the first time. I didn’t even know that was on my bucket list. The chicken was great. The kids loved it. I just went for veggies in ranch and some fruit to go with it. My daughter called it breakfast chicken. That gave me a great idea. This would be terrific in chicken and waffles.

12) Steaks with Chimichurri – p 146, and Baked Sweet Potato with Sour Cream and Mint – p 271. Delicious dinner. I gave the sweet potatoes a little honey drizzle. 13) Citrus Salad with Vinaigrette – p 236. Yummy and super summery.

14) Meatball Tortilla Soup – p 181. This soup is amazing. The flavor is off the charts. I think I’m ready to call winner of book. My youngest had a second bowl right away, and then asked me to make a second pot for her thermos for school. 15) Mango Chile Chicken – p 106. Delicious, healthy chicken and salad. I like to massage the dressing into the kale and let it rest while I prep everything else. It softens so that you don’t get that salad jaw fatigue.

Some others I have flagged to try: Chilaquiles – p 8 * Orange-Vanilla Monkey Bread * Waffle Iron Hash Browns – p 27 * Beef Noodle Salad Bowls – p 48 * Thai Chicken Wraps – p 54 * Greek Feast to Go – p 57 * Watermelon Feta Bites – p 68 * Bacon-Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates – p 79 * The Merc’s Queso – p 89 * Zucchini Roll-Ups – p 92 * Cheese Lover’s Crostini – p 95 * Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Dip – p 97 * Shrimp Po’ Boys – p 118 * Marsala Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread – p 144 * Steaks with Chimichurri – p 146 * Meat Pies – p 202 * Lobster Mac and Cheese – p 207 * Chicken Legs and 40 Cloves of Garlic Sheet Pan Supper – p 214 * Shortcut Ravioli – p 254 * Spicy Blue Cheese Green Beans – p 293 * Roasted Garlic Pull-Apart Cheese Bread – p 300 * Milk Chocolate Mousse – p 322 * Nutella Krispie Treats – p 334 * Blueberry Cake Milkshake – p 362

I’ll update this as I play in the book more.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime – Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper by Ree Drummond Edition: Hardcover

Fantastic! If you love Ree’s show, you’ll love the book! This one is comfort food with a twist. Totally recommend!

Pictured below: 1) Huevos Rancheros – p6, with Enchilada Sauce – p8, and Pico De Gallo – p23. Delicious breakfast! Everyone loved it! The enchilada sauce makes 3 cups, but this recipe only uses 1 to serve 4 people, so you have 2 cups left for another recipe. She lists suggestions of other recipes to try it in right on that page. 2-3) Individual Chicken Pot Pies – p138. Yum! It was hard not to lick the plates! These are in her freezer chapter. She has you make them in those cute little disposable tins if you’re going to freeze them. We were eating ours right away, so I made them in our au gratin dishes, which made them look like little footballs. I think this has potential as a Super Bowl dinner. Maybe cut the vents to look like the lacing on the football. 🙂 4) Beef with Snow Peas – p163. Awesome and ridiculously easy! She gives some variations. One is to add a red bell pepper, and my husband had just brought one in from the garden, so that went in, too. 5) Chicken Taco Salad – p53. Great salad! We all loved this! I am embarrassed to say that I was wondering what sort of bowls Ree had that these 4 servings could fit in. It was supposed to be 8 servings! Um. The 4 of us finished it. 6) Mexican Tortilla Casserole – p130. Delicious! It’s a make ahead and just needs 40 minutes in the oven when you’re ready. 7) Hawaiian Burgers – p152 and Sweet Potato Fries – p308. That is a *fantastic* burger!!! So much flavor! Everyone loved it! ____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations by Ree Drummond Edition: Hardcover

This book oozes fun! It’s organized by holiday, with plenty of recipes for each so you can pick and choose what you like. Totally recommend!

Pictured below: 1-5) Game night! Buffalo Chicken Bites with Blue Cheese Dip – p 28, Potato Skins – p 36, Grilled Corn Dip – p 34, and Eight Layer Dip – p42. These were all really good, but the Buffalo Chicken Bites were outstanding! We’re enthusiastic dippers, and still had half the blue cheese dip left over, so I *had to* make the chicken again the next night to use it up. 😉 My 16 year old was eating the chicken pretty competitively, and finished half the platter herself, so I’ll probably just double the chicken next time instead of halving the dip. The kids had never tried potato skins before and loved them! I adore it when Ree drops in retro food we’ve all long forgotten about. She gives a bunch of variations to try that all look really fun, too. I’d like a little more color on them, so I’ll leave them in the oven a smidge more next time before the cheese step. 6) Valentine’s Day! Bacon-Wrapped Filet – p 76, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – p 78, and Cheddar-Bacon Wedge Salad – p 80. This is divine. There’s three full heads of sweet roasted garlic in those potatoes. It was supposed to be a romantic dinner for two, but my kids thought it would be much better for four. Yum! –My steaks took a bit longer than the 3 minutes in the recipe to hit 130° (medium rare) on the thermometer. 7) Easter! Sigrid’s Carrot Cake – p 110. Delicious and fabulously moist! It’s one of those very retro casual bakes that make the holidays so much easier!

Here are some others I have flagged to try: *Cinco De Mayo – Blackberry Margaritas, Beef and Chicken Fajitas, Glorious Guacamole, Chimichurri Shrimp, Fiesta Black Beans, and Zesty Lime Rice *Father’s Day – Arnold Palmers, Toasted Ravioli, Three Meat Lasagna, and Caesar Salad *4th of July – Homemade Lemonade, Watermelon Sangria, Big Bad Burger Bar, Grilled Corn with Spicy Butter, Baked Beans, and Key Lime Pie *Halloween – Broccoli Cheese Soup, Mummy Dogs, Cheese Ball of Death, and Caramel Apples *Thanksgiving – Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, Perfect Mashed Potatoes, Basic Thanksgiving Dressing, Green Beans & Tomatoes, Caramel Apple Pie… *Christmas – Mulled Apple Cider, Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Burgundy Mushrooms, and Boozy Bread Pudding *New Year’s Eve – Champagne Cocktail, Skewers of Glory, Grilled Chicken Skewers, Spinach Artichoke Dip, and Lemon Crème Pie Shooters

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier

by Ree Drummond Edition: Hardcover

This one is classic comfort food, just like the first. This was the first Pioneer Woman book I bought. I tried her sloppy joes, which are the absolute best in the whole wide world, and I *had* to have this book. Just like the first one, I cooked almost everything, but no pics. I wasn’t into food pics yet. <weird!>

My one pic from this book… Apricot Shrimp Skewers – p 183, Whiskey-Glazed Carrots – p 224, and Ree’s lemon asparagus (Not in the book. The lemon asparagus was from an episode called Engagement Dinner. It’s very worth Googling and pasting inside the cover). I had just made Apricot Habanero Jam from The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving, and used that where Ree called for apricot jam in the recipe. Yum! The carrots were amazing, and the lemony salty asparagus was fantastic!

Here’s a list of the delicious recipes I tried, so you can get a feel for the book: Lemon Blueberry Pancakes – p 22 * Cowgirl Quiche – p 34 * Best Grilled Cheese Ever – p 42 * Sloppy Joes – p 58 * Chicken Tortilla Soup – p 76 * French Onion Soup – p 84 * Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms – p 96 * Caprese Salad – p 98 * Whiskey-Mustard Meatballs – p 112 * Mango Margaritas – p 116 * Fancy Mac and Cheese – p 132 * Steakhouse Pizza – p 142 * Beef Stew – p 165 * Twice-Baked New Potatoes – p 212 * Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin – p 226

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl

by Ree Drummond Edition: Hardcover

I really enjoy this book. Delicious, easy, really well done comfort food. This one’s the orignal. It’s what you think of when you think comfort food. The way she has the ingredients and small photo step-by-step instructions laid out, my 15 year old is able to dive in and make dinners herself that she’s really proud of, and everyone really enjoys. <sniff. That was 2 years ago…>

Pictured below: 1) The twice baked potatoes in here are absolutely perfect and really easy. Love! And the homemade ranch dressing on an iceberg wedge makes me horribly nostalgic for my Grandma’s kitchen. 2) Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich (cube steak and onion) is delicious!

I’ve made most of the book, but I didn’t used to take food pics. <sigh.>

Great book! You won’t be disappointed! Here are some of the other recipes I LOVED from this book: BBQ Jalapeno Poppers – p 14 * PW Breakfast Burritos – p 51 * Macaroni and Cheese – p 96 * Potato-Leek Pizza – p 110 * Chicken Pot Pie – p 126 * Meatloaf – p 150 * Cheese Grits – p 164 * Simple Perfect Enchiladas – p 176 * Burgundy Mushrooms – p 202 * Creamy Rosemary Potatoes – p 204

#ReeDrummond

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    The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! And the most amazing recipe for Meatball Tortilla Soup! I love Pioneer Woman's new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives…