Awards,GIVEAWAY, Bites Around the Blogosphere, and PB&J French Toast

Rather than overwhelm with six separate posts, I'll keep this in one long post. :)

First, to my American friends, happy Independence Day! We celebrated with fireworks and fun last night. Here are a couple pictures:

Picky Eater dancing to one of the bands before the fireworks display

Bayberry got a cell phone and is in love with it. She spent her spare time playing with it, taking pictures, sending texts, and calling her friends. Ahhh...this has just begun. Thank goodness for unlimited texting plans.

The fireworks were great. Fort Benning really knows how to put on a patriotic display. We had a great time. We ate total junk, and my face, hands, and overall wellbeing are feeling it today. Time to get back to the business of real foods.

Next, I'd like to take a moment to thank several people for honoring me with an award over the past week. I know I've been absent quite a bit, and I apologize. My family needed me, and that's always going to be my first priority. Anyway, on we go.

Thanks to Chocoholic for giving me this award!

I am happy to pass this award along to some folks who are always here for me, supportive, commenting, and friendly. They have helped shape this blog into what it is, and I'm proud to offer them this award in return.

1. 
   
   April at Angel Foods Kitchen
2. 
   
   Andrea at Andrea the Kitchen Witch
3. 
   
   Keli at Feeding Four
4. 
   
   Michelle at Girl Gone Granola
5. 
   
   Jenn at Jenn's Food Journey
6. 
   
   Mandy at Mandy's Recipe Box
7. 
   
   Heather at Out of the Box Into the Kitchen
8. 
   
    Samara at Link Adventure

Those bloggers are great women with talent. I encourage you to go check them out. Ladies, thank you for your support. I'm just lil' ol' me, cooking and hoping others like what I offer. You make me feel so good about it. I'm all warm 'n fuzzy. :o)

Another award I've been presented:

Thanks, Jenn and Mandy, for this award. :) I'm doubly blessed and doubly honored.

When presented with this award, you're supposed to:

1. Thank the person(s) who presented it to you.
2. Sum up my blogging philosophy, motivation and experience in 5 words:
   Real food for real people
3. Then, choose other bloggers to share this award. I choose:

• Going Green with Noah
• Green Gourmet Giraffe
• HaupLight
• Hip Mountain Mama
• Inspiring Creations
• Lamp Unto My Feet
• Skinny Emmie
• The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

************************

And now, drum roll, please...

A new giveaway to celebrate my wonderful 200 public followers! Yay!

Many months ago, I won a pay it forward giveaway over at Girl Gone Granola, and she sent me some delectable delights from her neck of the woods. In accepting my winnings, I promised to pay it forward, and host a giveaway of my own with the same rules. So Michelle, thanks again. Big warm hugs go out your way. Here's my pay it forward.

What You Can Win:

a box of goodies! Foods made in my area AND some non-food items made by local soldiers' wives. For sure, this giveaway will include some local honey, pecans, and peach preserves. What else will be in the box? It's a surprise!

How You Can Win it:

Only one way: Since this is meant to be a thank you to my public followers, you must follow via Google Friend Connect (over on the right side of the blog). There's no need to comment here -- I'll put all of my Google followers into a spreadsheet and use Random.org to draw a winner on Friday, July 9th.

Hungry? I know I am, after all that good news! How about some more frugal foods? Let's get on with the business of Bare-Bones Meals!

Day Five

Breakfast: Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Corn chowder in the slow cooker

Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast (picture to be posted later today)

What You Need:

• 2 slices of bread per person
• natural peanut butter
• all fruit jam
• 2 eggs per person
• a splash of milk
• a dash of cinnamon
• a bit of butter, margarine, or oil for the pan

How it's Done:

1. Make a peanut butter and jam sandwich for each person eating breakfast. Cut them each in half.
2. Beat eggs with milk and cinnamon. Dip sandwich halves in this egg mixture, coating well.
3. Fry on a hot griddle until browned underneath. Flip and finish cooking.
4. If desired, you could sprinkle with powdered sugar, but it's delicious as is. The peanut butter oozes out the side. YUM.

And finally, let me share with you some of the best fourth of July recipes and  posts I've seen this week:
 
Strawberry Hand Pies from Jen at Beantown Baker
 
Blue Raspberry Patriots by Dawn at Beat Until Fluffy
 
Lots of patriotic cookies at Cookie Crazie
 
Haniela's 4th of July Peppermint Patties
 
tons of GREAT posts at Hoosier Homemade
 
Patriotic Star Frame at Inspiring Creations
 
...More to come. For now, I'm off to finish my grocery shopping. :)