Keeping up appearances.......

carolbee

Hi there

I've just subscribed, well done on your achievements so far. Must admit I was intrigued as I have a relation who could have been the role model in the title of your diary!

MissShoes

babyblooz wrote: »

Well I have just made a batch of carrot and coriander soup and its ok but tastes a little bland! I doubled up on the quantities but I only had one onion so added a little garlic to make up for it. Is that maybe why it tastes a little bland? I can always fry up another onion later on and add that but it occurred to me that it may be better when the flavours have had a chance to develop.

Any ideas anyone?

did you add seasoning? If not, i think more onion fried with the garlic at the start- i love paprika and a smidge of chilli in this too. hope you manage to spice it up! x

HappyNow

poohbear59 wrote: »

Hi Happy,
The best way is to pop a freezer bag in a small tub, half fill with soup, tie the top and freeze in the tubs. When frozen remove and stack neatly in the freezer. Then you have the tubs to use again. And label too. I am a bit of a stickler for labelling as my mum often. Served up apple pie and chips.
Sometimes when I do the kitchen I fill the camping kettle, warm it on the stove and finish off on the hob. How MSE is that? Or am I just mean

Ha ha, apple pie and chips, brilliant!! Even Mr Happy would raise one eyebrow at that! And no, not mean, NEVER mean - 'extreme frugality' is the term I believe!

HappyNow

SuziQ1962 wrote: »

Hi Happy-just to add to slow cooker delights -I cook rice pudding in mine and it tastes really lovely,I use risotto or paella rice (only cos I have some and can't be bothered buying pud rice and it works a treat) and use evaporated milk diluted with water to make it taste extra creamy!

Hello SuziQ, thanks for dropping by . That is such a co-incidence! I decided to make rice pudding in mine but Lidl didn't have any pudding rice so I came away empty-handed. I didn't even consider risotto or paella rice, what a novice MSE'er I am! I thought I would make lots, put it into individual pots (not that I have any!) and we could take it for packed lunches instead of yogurt. No idea if it freezes well though, I shall look it up!

HappyNow

sunshinesquirrel wrote: »

Evening Happy!

Just wanted to pop in to say hello :wave:- I've been reading your diary and enjoying it very much. I've subscribed now and look forward to hitching a ride along with you on your money saving journey.

Anyway, am away now to take that hammer to the loo roll, dig out the slow cooker and get myself all the ingredients tomorrow for the carrot and coriander soup! :DSS xx

Hi SS, thanks for reading and subscribing - I'm in for a loooong journey so will be very glad of the company . Best hold fire with the carrot and coriander soup until we find out if Babyblooz manages to flavour hers up a bit . Bash away at the loo roll though (and make sure it's the Nicky brand!) x

HappyNow

brizzledfw wrote: »

I am currently not sure whether it's chicken stock or sorbet in the freezer as I rarely bother to label...luckily guess work has served me fairly well so far!!

Ha, brilliant! I've accidentally shuffled some containers too, but they can only be either pasta sauce or chilli. Nowhere near as 'Russian Roulette' as yours!

HappyNow

jas1966 wrote: »

Hi, could anyone help with how I subscribe to someones diary please? I have got to post 55 and I'm hooked as this sounds a lot like me.
Thank you

High jas1966, thanks for calling in . I see you're quite new to MSE. You will find everyone so lovely and supportive on these boards if you need any help or advice (on anything really - it doesn't even have to be money-related!). I see SS has explained how to subscribe to a diary so hopefully you're OK, but if not, give us a shout x

HappyNow

Box_of_Fluffies wrote: »

Hi Happy Now, after lurking for a while I've finally managed to get to the end of your diary and have subscribed. Congratulations on your debt free journey so far.

I love my slow cooker which is a banquet style. It gets used regularly, although more in winter than summer. I'm loving the sound of the carrot and coriander soup, might have to try that one soon. One of my favourites is pumpkin soup, which is great as pumpkins are quite cheap to buy in New Zealand.

Hi BoF, I've seen you around on Pinot's diary amongst others and I've been meaning to read yours too. I will get round to it very shortly . I don't think I've ever tasted pumpkin, I've only ever hacked them up at Hallowe'en and then thrown away the edible bit. What a waste - I would never do that nowadays!

HappyNow

chevalier wrote: »

Just got to the end of your diary. Well done on how you have gone on so far. It is hard when you first start out. I am pretty much debt free now, and you do get used to being frugal. My only problem is buying clothes for myself. I have been frugal so long, I don't know really what suits me, and when I look at prices it 'how much?'! So I really really must update my wardrobe!

Good luck on the continuing journey. The important thing is to keep tweeking the budget rather than giving up totally
chev

Thanks for reading and posting chevalier. I think of you as the real soa expert - I've noticed you always seem to have so many suggestions whenever anyone posts one and I really valued your input on mine .

It must be so lovely to be debt free. Ah... one day (during 2019 apparently !) Maybe you could use a personal shopper service to help you choose clothes, if there is such a thing where you are? They're free over here at the bigger department stores and no obligation to buy anything either. I would love to try that sometime.

HappyNow

Itsadogslife wrote: »

Hi Happy,

Good to hear you are getting to grips with the slow cooker. I have to admit I bought one and have never really used it. I read the instructions and it seemed to suggest I needed to cook things before it went in and I lost interest at that point

I could do with the flylady thread as well, I seem to not have any spare time though, what with walking pooches, reading, being on here..... (it is a very important job you know, providing moral support to others ).

Oh, are you supposed to cook things first?? Mine didn't come with a recipe book (I know! Cost a tenner too!) so I was left to my own devices, but my three ventures so far have been great and I haven't pre-cooked a thing. Mine's all veggie food though, might be different for meat-eaters.

I'm easing myself into the Flylady thing gently! I was so enthusiastic yesterday and did the full three stages. Right now I should be dusting and hoovering the living room, hall and stairs, but I seem to be reading diaries, drinking tea and eating biscuits! Hmm......