Keeping up appearances.......

HappyNow

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.

Oh no, mine was really UN-bland! Very 'carroty'. Maybe your potato/carrot ratio was a bit out? And I did taste it while it cooked and added salt and pepper. And I used a lot of coriander too 'cos it's my favourite - both the ground stuff from a jar and a big handful of fresh (I added that for the last hour or so). I hope you can salvage it - especially if you've got double quantity .

HappyNow

carolbee wrote: »

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!

Hi Carolbee, thanks for dropping by and subscribing . I hope I'm not your relation, that would be so embarrassing! If Carol is your real name then I'm sure I'm not!

babyblooz

Quick update on the carrot soup - its much better now I've added another onion, a smidge of chilli sauce and more salt and pepper. It's very fibrous, if you know what I mean, so I imagine it will be filling. I've found that my home made soup is filling generally and I think that having it for lunch at work through all this bitterly cold weather has helped me lose some weight since christmas. I'm not sure how much but well on the way to a smaller size in jeans :beer::beer::beer:

babyblooz

The mushroom soup I made was made extra flavoursome by adding a spoonful of redcurrant jelly left over from Christmas. It sounds very odd but was really very very nice!

salesaddict

Hello HappyNow,

what a truly lovely diary. I identify so much with you and all the other contributors on here.

I have overspent probably for the last decade, maybe longer. My DH suffers from a chronic health condition and has been unable to work for the past 3 years.

I was always the main breadwinner anyway. I work in Banking (boo, hiss!!) but life has really changed workwise too in the past 3 years. I am on half the salary I used to be.

I too have the main control of the finances but I am not the only one living in cloud cuckoo land>
So to summarise, we have a massive mortgage for a couple of our age, having consolidated our debts at least 3 times. Then we've gone straight on spending. It was the recent death of my Dad that has enabled me to clear our latest massive credit card debts.

This has truly given me my final LBM. My darling Mum (who died a few years ago) worked hard all her life to ensure that we would have an inheritance. When I think of my profligate ways and how frugal she was, I feel truly ashamed.

But as I say, this is my LBM, I have been given another chance. I'm not going to squander it and I am delighted to subscribe to your diary. You have a lovely lot of contributors on here too.

Delighted to make your acquaintance xx

Hopeful1

salesaddict wrote: »

This has truly given me my final LBM. My darling Mum (who died a few years ago) worked hard all her life to ensure that we would have an inheritance. When I think of my profligate ways and how frugal she was, I feel truly ashamed.

But as I say, this is my LBM, I have been given another chance. I'm not going to squander it and I am delighted to subscribe to your diary. You have a lovely lot of contributors on here too.

Delighted to make your acquaintance xx

Don't have any regrets..life's too short. I always say that as long as we learn from our mistakes and work hard not to repeat them, they were worth making. Life's a learning curve. You've had your LBM so now's the time to start a new chapter that would have made your parents proud. Good luck with your journey

salesaddict

Hopeful1 wrote: »

Don't have any regrets..life's too short. I always say that as long as we learn from our mistakes and work hard not to repeat them, they were worth making. Life's a learning curve. You've had your LBM so now's the time to start a new chapter that would have made your parents proud. Good luck with your journey

I knew I'd come to the right place.

Thank you Hopeful, I really appreciate your kind, optimistic words.

Hopeful1

salesaddict wrote: »

I knew I'd come to the right place.

Thank you Hopeful, I really appreciate your kind, optimistic words.

No problems. I'm talking from a wealth of experience / debt Good times are waiting for us all

brizzledfw

What lovely comments guys..making me feel all warm..aah!!

Re the soup, whether carrot or pumpkin my trick is to use lots of ground coriander...it makes it warm and sweet and never fails. Also the other trick is Marigold veggie stock. Blooming' marvellous. Not sure sm own brands measure up butmaybe worth a try too.

carolbee

HappyNow wrote: »

Hi Carolbee, thanks for dropping by and subscribing . I hope I'm not your relation, that would be so embarrassing! If Carol is your real name then I'm sure I'm not!

ha ha, you aren't her!

I love your positivity by the way, it shines through the whole thread, very inspiring to read and you are obviously committed to clear the debt