Foodie Frugal Friday #3

Welcome to Foodie Frugal Friday #3! Fridays are my "day off" from my blog. Every Friday I will feature some recipes from across the web and blog-land.

The last vestiges of winter are hanging on here in Ohio with the occasional  tantalizing tease of  Spring. Wednesday we had a high of 68°F and the forecast for the weekend  is a wintry mix...boo!

So let's wrap up in our nubbiest sweaters, snuggle in with a fuzzy fleece blanket and settle in for some comfort food.

How about some yummy crock pot chicken and cornbread dumpling? This tasty option breaks down to $1.88 per serving. Cheaper if you use coupons, sub veggies from your garden and make the dumplings from scratch.

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2008/12/crockpot-chicken-and-cornbread-dumplings.html  

What about some savory red beans and rice? This is a nice meatless option, only  $0.87 per serving but guaranteed to fill you up! You can almost hear the jazz with every bite.

http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/red-beans-and-rice-1425

Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls was actually one of my favorite dishes my mom would cook when I was a kid. You can serve with rise or butter noodles. Either way it hits the spot!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/stuffed-cabbage-rolls/

How about a little "Q" to warm things up? I don't know about you but  I sure do love me some BBQ. I take it anyway I can get it beef, chicken or pork. It's alllll good! Here is a nice southern crock pot  version of Cola and Peach glazed chops. These look so good I had to wipe the drool off my keyboard. Serve this with a side of mac n-cheese and whoo-weee I am in heaven!!

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/211503/Crockpot-Coca-Cola-Peach-Barbecue-Pork-Chops

Nothing screams comfort to me like chocolate. Ice cream, pudding, hot chocolate, candy bar or cake.  Here is an super fast and easy Chocolate Cherry Dump cake.  I am quite sure there wouldn't be any leftovers of this. Yum!

http://bakingvintage.com/?p=855

And to finish everything off how about nice tall glass of Sweet Tea. You can never go wrong with sweet tea regardless of the season. And I won't look if you wanna add a splash or two of some bourbon to ramp up your internal thermostat.

http://www.10thkitchen.com/tag/cocktail/

Happy Friday Y'all! Have a great weekend!

The self esteem post (or lack thereof)

Yikes. Nothing like a little peer review to keep you on your toes! (Or make you take to the drink) I am participating in the "What I Like About Your Blog" hosted by Inspire Me Heather.
All I have to say is my self esteem isn't directly related to the number of followers I have. Or the number of comments I receive. Or if someone likes my blog.
YEAH RIGHT!! That's a big fat lie!
I am an insecure, self-conscious, neurotic train wreck. OMG! What if they don't like my blog (don't like me)? Or if they don't think my blog is pretty (don't like me)? Or if they don't think I am funny enough (don't like me)? Or if they don't think my content is interesting enough (don't like me)?
So you seeeeeee how this is going right?
I AM    people!!! 
So please only post loving accolades and shower me with compliments.
Is that to much for a girl to ask? Hmmmmmmm?
Positive self esteem is the equivalent of Rainbows, Unicorns and Glitter

Sourced from web

Negative self esteem is me killing the pain with food 

http://docakilah.wordpress.com

No-one wants to be responsible for this right?  

Positive self esteem=GOOD. Negative self-esteem=BAD.

Soooo......please like me

Here are a few friends pleading to you to like me on my behalf...

Please like  My Cozy Little Farmhouse. She's the cat's meow!

Please like My Cozy Little Farmhouse. We love her thisssssss much!

Please like My Cozy Little Farmhouse. She has content  tastier than a T-bone!

Please like My Cozy Little Farmhouse. She's baaaaahhaaaaa hilarious!

Thank you for your support!

What makes a home

Let's face it-- most people have a pre-conceived notion about mobile homes or trailers as they are sometimes called. Mobile Homes are NOT tin cans on wheels. No-one thinks twice about if someone mentions they live in an apartment, a condo, or  a duplex. Not sure why there is such a hang-up over mobile homes.

I spent a fair amount of my childhood living in trailers. Some of my family still live in them. As do some of our friends. I can tell you growing up I took a lot of abuse for living in a trailer. Trailer trash was the phrase most commonly launched at me. Well that and how I was no good and never amount to anything. Good memories, yeah. NOT. 

(I have been to therapy  I swear! It helped. sorta) 

This is what many people picture when you say trailer or mobile home

"The infamous Redneck mansion"

Instead of seeing this ( I would SO live here!)

Yup it's an "upwardly mobile" home

Some people live in mobile homes because is an affordable alternative to traditional homes. Because they put their money into buying land instead of a building. Because they are starting out. Because they are starting over. Because they downsized. Because they want to. Because there are a thousand reasons.  Living in a mobile home is a lot like living on a boat. Everything is streamline and compact, (unless you have a  BIG modular home).  I prefer to think they are cute and cozy. They have an efficient flow and work space. It has all your basic necessities. And shoot there isn't anything that a little paint and TLC can't fix right up!  I came across a great blog http://www.mobilehomeliving.org/ that celebrates living in a mobile home. I am telling you some most of these mobiles homes featured in her blog are a helluva lot nicer than my farmhouse. (And they probably got a lot cheaper electric bill than I do!)

I guess  the point I am trying to make. It's a HOME regardless if it is traditional stick and mortar build or a pre-fab. A home is where your heart is. Your happiness. Your loved ones. All anyone ever wants is a safe place to call home, share a warm meal and soft pillow to lay their head upon. So the next time you hear someone say trailer or mobile home don't automatically assume they are any less of ANYTHING.  Because everybody's got a story.

I said it was bad memories associated with my trailer living but that isn't completely true. It was bad memories of the narrow minded judgmental assholes I had to contend with at the time.  I had have some really good memories from when I was living in a trailer. My daughter learned her first words in a trailer. Took her first steps in a trailer.  I took my college entrance exam when I was living in a trailer. (That was the moment I realized I was GOOD,  my life was going somewhere and I WAS somebody.) I also have memories of my step-dad grilling out at 2 am because he worked second shift. Memories of sunbathing in the side-yard with my friends listening to the radio. Memories of sitting on the deck watching the kids ride their bikes up and down the streets. Memories of me and my sisters piling up on the couch on a cold wintry night drinking hot cocoa and watching holiday cartoons. I bet some of you are thinking---"hey! that's a lot like my memories" Except maybe the grilling out at 2 am thing--don't judge!

A persons true worth has nothing to do with the type of  HOUSE  in which they reside and everything to do with the connotation of HOME. So always fill your home with laughter. Be surrounded by love. And most of all--make it cozy.

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, 

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."

John Howard Payne