not everything's meant to be understood

Need a new pattern...this one keeps repeating

These are recipes that me and my kids enjoy.

Don't let the Toad in the Hole confuse you, it's a UK thing. I adapt mine by adding cheese and tomatoes/tomatoe batter - we don't eat meat so I make mine with Linda McCartney veggie sauages (which IMO are the best veggie sausages out there).

The two pesto recipes are also 'meat free' and great with spaghetti or pasta twists and garlic bread.

Toad in the Hole
8 pork sausages
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
225g (8 oz) plain flour
4 eggs
250ml (8 fl oz) milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation method
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 30 mins

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C /gas mark 6.

2. Pour the oil into the bottom of a baking dish, and arrange the sausages over it in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs and half of the milk until smooth. Gradually mix in the rest of the milk until a smooth batter is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the sausages from the oven, and ladle the batter over them until the sausages are 3/4 covered. Return to the oven, and bake for 35 minutes, or until the centre is risen and browned. Don't worry if the underside seems slightly soft, as this is normal.

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Green Pesto Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh basil (or spinach) leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD
1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

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Red Pesto Recipe

100g (4 oz) sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 cloves garlic, chopped
25g (1 oz) pine nuts
1/2 small red onion, chopped
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
5 tablespoons passata
4 tablespoons red wine
100ml (4 fl oz) olive oil
50g (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Prep: 20 mins
1. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender. (Skip this step if your tomatoes are packed in oil.)

2. In a food processor or blender combine tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato purée, passata and red wine, and process until desired consistency is reached. Stir in olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

Learn to love. Grow to love...it’s is the same thing to me. So yes, I could grow to love someone.

Yes, I could grow to love someone that I wasn’t initially attracted to but liked/enjoyed his company or his humour enough to enjoy spending time with him.

I'm of the same mindset.

At 35, I definitely would not have dated him..but that's not to say that I wouldn't have 'tested' the waters

No, not as a new relationship. You need that time at a beginning of a relationship to get to know one another and build trust etc.

A bit clichéd but sometimes you just have to roll with you down time(s).

Just let them wash over you because you know that they won’t last forever. Take the time you need to wallow and if it doesn’t pass, seek help.

This...In most cases, it's not skin colour that has ended most of my relationships, it's the cultural differences that we couldn't over come.

If I need to start cashing in my air miles, then he's living too far away.

self confidence and (good) restaurant food

Very first...Luther Vandross (late 80’s). Booked early and actually had 4th row seats but was sick so didn't get to go.

I was a die hard Luther fan and god know when he would have been back in the UK...I bought another 2 tickets for later on that week and was so far back (nose bleed seats I think they're called), that all I saw of him was this blob in a sequinned jacket. No features, no nothing but he sounded great. Me and my sister sneaked to as close as we could get and sung til our voices gave out.

Luther goes down as my most expensive concert to date.

First off, I don't think that you're unattractive...I sneaked a look at your profile and I absolutely loved your pics...didn't realise you are such a sci-fi fan

For me, I'm just trying to lose some of my baggage and not lump everyone in the same basket.

This. 'You' open that door too soon and it'll come back and hit you in the back again and again.

London (UK). Love that's it's a melting pot of different cultures/people.

For me, it's usually after I have had sex with him. Obviously this is dependent on whether we've both enjoyed 'it'.

Sometimes, it isn’t about making a situation better/worse. It’s about knowing that you did something.

For me it would be about having someone have that much of a negative impact on my emotional well being and knowing that I did nothing to address it.

Doing something doesn’t always equate to happily ever after. It’s about knowing that you have done everything you can do regardless of a positive outcome.

It can vary. Sometimes I'm on here a lot posting and checking msgs. Other times, life gets in the way and it can be weeks before I check/respond to a msg.

Also like others have said, before sending a msg, check to see how long it has been since the person's logged on.

^^This (but would extend the age range).

If the person is compatible and makes me happy/keeps me smiling, his age will be irrelevant.

I just hope that if such a person were to cross my path, I’d give him a chance and have the guts to see where things lead regardless of how old he is.

Apologies for stating the obvious but a lot of people come out of a relationship with baggage and it can take a little time to let down our guard and begin to trust again.

In addition to this, a lot of women have been taking care of our households and families by ourselves and have to re-learn how to share. It takes time, patience and perseverance. Maybe you’re rushing things.