Back in March, Collin and I purchased our very first home together. It was ragged, beaten down and was practically obliterated by termites. The woman who owned the house before us lived here for over 40 years and never did a single update. I want you to imagine that — original wall paper and carpet, stove tops and ovens from back in the 70s, we even found a hoover vacuum cleaner back from the the 60s, and not to mention that the doors and walls had deeply yellowed with age. It was just plain awful.
But together we saw something in this house: potential. We knew with a little lot of hard work, we could make this into something liveable, something beautiful, something we’d be proud to call our very first home. Finally now after 6 months, we’ve finished: new walls, new kitchen, new paint, new floors…the list goes on forever. And let me tell you, it’s freaking fantastic. As a way to celebrate our achievements, I’ve decided to throw a housewarming party this Saturday — complete with a roast pig, a keg, and plenty of food but most importantly sharing our new home with our family and friends.
In many ways this house has become representative of my personal struggles these past couple of years. Since graduating college two years ago it has been a challenge to figure out what direction I wanted to take in my life, especially career wise. At my lowest point, I felt like this house the way we first found it: dark, in shambles, and completely unorganized. However, with time, ample searching, commitment and hard work I’ve found my niche in cooking, photography and piano and slowly but surely I’m begining to feel myself flourish. I wouldn’t be here if Collin didn’t notice my potential and continued to push me to strive for my dreams, what once seemed like an impossible feat has now become my gorgeous reality.
We completed the very last project, the deck earlier this week and we couldn’t contain our excitement and wanted to put it to use right away. I made this hearty, comforting to the soul bowl of Moroccan Carrot Soup to perfectly compliment our cool Fall nights we’ve recently been having (finally Texas!!!!). We spread out a blanket, lit a few candles and basked in the aromas of cumin and fresh wood as we had our soup in silence. Collin laid back on the blanket, closed his eyes and let out a huge long sigh — “I can’t believe we live here, we have the best house in the world.”
Indeed we do my love, indeed we do.
From Epicurious
Ingredients for Moroccan Carrot Soup:(serves 4)
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool. Finely grind in spice mill.
Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.
69 Comments
Hi Joy, my big congrats to you and Collin for the new house!! Really happy to hear that. You deserve the best in the world…husband, house and everything! A beautiful soup to celebrate all the hard work. I think the best love is when both of you compliment each other and work together as a team. Both of you are an amazing couple!!!
Thank you Mary! What a wonderful comment
It was hard work for sure, Collin is already talking about fixing up another house. I ignored him of course haha!
Congrats on finishing your house! We bought ours almost 3 years ago and are still trialing paint splotches on the walls! Your soup looks gorgeous (and I mean that in both the American and British senses of the word). We don’t eat nearly enough soup and so this is going on my menu list for next week!
Thanks Ruby! People have told me the last 10% of the things left to do in a house never gets done, aka I won’t be touching up paint any time soon
Joy, Congrats on your new house! I know you will make it a Home Sweet Home! I love the Moroccan Carrot Soup recipe, you know I’m in love with anything Moroccan after my visit!
Congrats on your new home! Finally, it’s the end of the messy job. haha… I knew it going to be so much fun. Hope you will have a great party this weekend and surely you’re going to be real busy these days. So, enjoy, have lots of fun and food as well!
Love, Kristy
Party we did Kristy! I am glad it’s over and our house is complete
Btw, your soup sounds great but I’m sure there won’t be any soup serve in a party, right? ^_^
congrats ,joy,for your new house!new house, feelings,dreams and a beautiful-delicious carrot soupe,you are really amazing!:)
Congratulations on a new house ~ it must feel like such a relief to finally be done with such a big undertaking! Now, you can relax and enjoy little things like this delicious carrot soup: love the taste of cumin and the coolness of yogurt with it.
It has been SUCH a relief
Thank you for the wishes!!
This soup looks and sounds amazing!!!!! Beautiful photos!
Thanks Jennifer!
When both my husband and I were searching houses to buy, we also came across with some “potential” houses. But then eventually we decided to pass, and look for something more “prepared”, just because I don’t see myself have any energy to accomplish this project with Ethan around, not to mention to upcoming new baby. That’s why I completely adore your determination!
Thank you lululu
TRUST ME you would not want to accomplish an undertaking like that with a new baby, I didnt even have any kids and there were several times i wanted to say I QUIT THIS SUCKS. Good thing Collin keeps me grounded haha
Congratulations on your new house
Hope to see a picture of your kitchen!
Love your carrot soup, delicious and healthy.
Thank you Anncoo!!!
Sounds good. I might try making a version with olive oil – can’t eat butter because of my stupid cholesterol!
Aw Cathy! I think olive oil will work just as well
Hope you enjoy it
Congrats on the new house! Did you keep a lot of the things that were already there? i bet some vintage wallpaper or home accents would be so cute.
Beautiful and lovely soup, I’d love to try some.
Roxan, the way the woman kept up the house (or lack there of) not a single thing was salvageable — I did enjoy the swirl vintage ceilings but that got a quick veto from Wells
What a great post! I love it so much! Congrats on finishing your house! So much emotional and physical pain goes into houses and when you finish something, you get SUCH a feeling of accomplishment. I am so happy for you and your newly finished home! YAY!
The carrot soup looks absolutely to die for, I adore carrots so this is right up my alley. Thanks so much for sharing this soup with us and also your house story. This has to be one of my favorite posts ever
Thank you so much for your kind words you’ve left me ah appy girl!
I love carrot soup but have never tried to make it! Great photos! I think I’ll give this recipe a shot
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Beautiful post and huge congratulations on finishing your house, it sound lovely. I want to be at your housewarming, just for the roast pig!
This soup sounds delicious and I wish I could be enjoying some right now!
Aw thank you so much for the kind words Elizabeth — if only you lived in Dallas youd be more than welcome to enjoy the roast pig…I only had 20 lbs left over hahaha
Love love love love your design and photography in addition to the beautiful and tasty creations!
Thank you Adelina!! You are too kind
What a very sweet post. Congrats on becoming a homeowner at such a young age and for tackling such huge undertaking in making your new home be a mirror of you and Collin. A few years out of college and single, I also contemplated buying my first home and you know what? It was scary. Kudos to you! Have fun at your housewarming.
Thanks so much! You now it all happened so fast I dont think either of us had time to process it — now that our house is done and we’re actually living the reality, I find that Collin and I will randomly exclaim “I CAN’T BELIEVE WE LIVE HERE” hahaha. We love it
I hope we see photos of the new house!
Your recipe looks delicious and simple… I will put it on my list of recipes to try
See you this week Elissa!!! I gotta stop eating cake man…it’s showing in my arms!
Congras on the house…. we are so lazy… still not finished painting!
Thank you Penny!!! We still have plenty of touch up paint to do but I told collin its house vacation time til December
Congratulations–I’m sure if the pictures are any indication of your ability to create beauty, your house must be pretty fabulous! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I love anything involving cooked carrots, and this soup sounds perfect for this time of year.
Thank you so much!! What wonderful words
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Congrats on making food buzz top nine! Great recipe!
Thank you Shannon!
This looks amazing! And, congratulations on making the Foodbuzz Top 9! That’s so awesome!!
Thanks Brittany
!
Beautiful soup. I’d love to try it.
Thank you! I hope you do
So proud for you and your husband! Your Carrot Soup looks amazing…will have to make some today! Blessings, K
p s ~ I live in Texas and we are enjoying this wonderful weather toooo!!
Thank you K!! Is the weather not wonderful? If only it stayed like this the entire year opposed to just a few weeks
It is nice to read that there’s hope for love. Your post really moved me, beautiful. I was actaully looking for a carrot soup recipe as well, I’m definitely gonna try to make this one. Sweden says hi.
WOW!! All the way from Sweden that is so cool
Thank you so much for your kind words you are wonderful. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Wow Joy: What a beautifully presented carrot soup, I’d luv a hearty bowl right now!
There’s nothing like the work on a fixer-upper and recreating it with your Hubby. It really makes it yours and it’s such a treasure to look back later at photos before and after and to see how far you’ve come along with the house together. Congratuations on your new home…it’s what priceless memories are and will be made of.
Thank you Cristina! I am glad we did a fixer-upper, the entire experience has been much more rewarding that way. Good thing we both made it out alive hahaha
Wow! Amazing pics and beautiful soup. Congratulations on making the top 9!
Seriously Soupy
Thank you serena!
LOVE this post. Enjoy your new home!
Thanks so much!! We will
The soup looks adorable! Haven’t tried carrot as soup yet and I was looking for a good recipe. And here it is! I’m bookmarking it to try just when I see fresh carrots at bazaar. And I love that you put yogurt as topping instead of cream.
Zerrin I hope you enjoy this recipe — Collin absolutely loved it and deemed it one of his favorite soups
colourful delicious soup
Thank you!
The soup looks so hearty and delicious! Congrats for the new house, I love decorating mine, even though it can be hard to find the time…!
Thank you so much — yes decorating has taken up so much time I find myself constantly changing my mind. EEK!
Congratulation of the house
Your soup sounds delicious and your pictures and wonderful
Thanks so much love!!
Beautiful soup!
Sounds divine!. I want to try it today.
This looks absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to make it!. Thanks for sharing. How appropriate it will fit with the name of my blog.
Congratulations Joy!
That carrot soup is wicked awesome colorful, just like your new house I suppose..
Your style of writing is also very soulful and comforting just as much as the soup itself.
All in all, a wonderful soup and a very good read indeed!
Gosh! You’ve been through a lot of stress with this house!
Nothing relieves stress better than a big bowl of soup. And does yours look oh so good!
Congratulations on the house! And I can’t wait to try the soup– I love Moroccan flavors. Your blog is very cute– I hope it’s okay if I post a link to it on mine?
-Molly