Countdown to Freedom

HelenDaveKids

Big hugs from me Tilly, hope ur ok. xxx

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

museumworker wrote: »

Just popping on to say hello, after very little time on the forums of late. Sorry to hear your news - but lovely to hear how supportive your family are. I'm am amazed by how much you have reduced your mortgage by since this diary started - £309K to £187k WOW!!

I love how you're meal planning - I'm really awful at it at the moment, OH is shouldering almost all of the cooking responsibility, but with a new job he's got quite a lot on his plate and now the morning sickness is abating I need to step up a bit. Any suggestions for VERY easy meals for busy tired mums? DS hates me being in the kitchen without him but he plays with the oven so I need to spend as little time in there as possible!

Hiya, when I look back at the progress we've made it's been pretty phenomenal however, with Mr T not working OPs are on hold . I think it's a pretty amazing amount to clear in 26 months though and am proud of the family

Re the cooking - I agree with Joedenise, I was in a similar situation years ago when mine were little, although I spent a lot of time travelling abroad with work, so Mr Tilly was on his own until I returned on a Thursday night. He was also studying for a degree with the OU as well as working full time. You can imagine it was pretty stressful. I used to take one Saturday a month and batch cook, portion and freeze. All he had to do then was take something out the night before, let it defrost then reheat. Truly that was the only way we could make it work.

Although I appreciate it's not very spontaneous but did stop him reaching for the takeaway menu every day

Good luck and take it easy,

Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

elantan wrote: »

Sorry to hear of your loss Tilly ... am glad your mum is with you all it seems it is working out much better than hoped xxx

Hope your well and resting still ... i know its so hard to rest when you have been told you must, thats generally when i want to do stuff

Mum has had to go home for a while as she wants to be nearer home after her loss. She'll be back though

Resting is a pain in the b£m and I'm not good at doing nothing

HelenDaveKids wrote: »

Big hugs from me Tilly, hope ur ok. xxx

All ok HDK

Best wishes Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning, blinking B@@ts sale. I put stuff into my basket and it disappeared - was hoping to buy a few bits for DS birthday. Not sure I'm up to going into the store so NSD ahead

DD went to the movies last night for free film viewing. Learning about this has been a real plus

One eBay sale of £80 so will be moving to offset from PP Nothing else listed at the moment.

That's all on the money front. Bonus money will move to offset soon and that will be a :T moment.

Feel in the mood for lemon rice pudding this evening - will get some rice on the go this morning and I have lemons left from Christmas which are still in good nick

Best wishes Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

I was completely mad last night, looked on R!ghtmove, found a lovely house, perfect location, garage - but too early - too far for DS to get to school without being driven. Would be mortgage free and in an area where properties can be let easily for when we move abroad. I need to delete the app from my iPad :eek:

Tilly

Beckyy

I agree, Rightmove surfing can be terrible when you find an amazing house that you want to buy in 2 years time!!

gallygirl

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Morning, blinking B@@ts sale. I put stuff into my basket and it disappeared - was hoping to buy a few bits for DS birthday. Not sure I'm up to going into the store so NSD ahead

Well maybe if you'd answered your phone some kind soul would have got them for you :rotfl:.

Step AWAY from Right Move. Step right away :eek:.

XSpender

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Feel in the mood for lemon rice pudding this evening - will get some rice on the go this morning and I have lemons left from Christmas which are still in good nick

Hi Tilly

Do you have a recipe for the lemon rice pudding you could share? I too have lemons left over from Christmas that need using asap and DH loves rice pudding but I have never made it from scratch.

Thanks

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

gallygirl wrote: »

Well maybe if you'd answered your phone some kind soul would have got them for you :rotfl:.

Step AWAY from Right Move. Step right away :eek:.

Haven't heard my phone ringing all day but just realised I left it upstairs by the bed :eek:

XSpender wrote: »

Hi Tilly

Do you have a recipe for the lemon rice pudding you could share? I too have lemons left over from Christmas that need using asap and DH loves rice pudding but I have never made it from scratch.

Thanks

I did get the recipe online somewhere years ago but can't find it now. I'll copy the recipe over onto my diary for you though

Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

XSpender wrote: »

Hi Tilly

Do you have a recipe for the lemon rice pudding you could share? I too have lemons left over from Christmas that need using asap and DH loves rice pudding but I have never made it from scratch.

Thanks

Hi, the recipe is from the Good Food site and is for a creme brûl!e rice pudding. If I serve it to guests I do brûl!e the top, if just for us I don't bother

150g short grain pudding rice
1.2 lt milk (I use skimmed)
2 vanilla pods, split and seeds scraped (for visitors I do this for just the family I use a good vanilla paste
4 lemons - zest only
150g sugar
450ml double cream
6 egg yolks

(Brûl!e - caster sugar for top)

Put the rice, milk, vanilla pods and seeds, lemon, sugar and cream into a heavy based pan. Stir over a low heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and pick out vanilla pods. (I always wash them and leave to dry, then chuck into caster sugar )

Preheat the oven to 140c, strain the rice reserving the liquid. Gently mix in the egg yolks to the warm liquid until well combined. Return the rice to the mixture and stir well. Divide between 6 ramekins and cook in a Bain Marie in the oven for 15-20 minutes

Once cooked, chill the ramekins. When cold sprinkle on caster sugar and brûl!e with a blow torch.

Can be served with strawberry coulis but I prefer it without:)

I beat the egg yolks lightly before adding but do wait until the liquid has cooled, otherwise it will scramble the eggs

Although there's a few stages it works well and is a reliable recipe.

Hope it works out well

Tilly x