Some things are cheaper to just buy...

So, I'm unemployed right now and not collecting any unemployment as I wait for my hearing.  Obviously one of my concerns right now is bills.  I have a house of 4 kids - 2 of which are teen boys with bottomless pit stomachs.   I've been trying to stretch our meals since we are eating on a budget  - .   Obviously one of my concerns right now is bills and stretching a dollar at mealtime. 

Last week I watched a show on "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter"   Part of the show showed the author making hotdog rolls, which looked really yummy!    So last night we were having hotdogs and beans for dinner and I decided, "I'll MAKE the hotdog buns!" since I thought they would help fill up the Eternally Hungry One  and Our Russian teen boys.

Yea.   Screw that.   The "light and fluffy" recipe turned out to be a flop.  I tried not one, but two separate batches, and my dough simply didn't rise.   As witness:

The Handsome One came home from work and saw these sitting on the counter and did a double take.    "Whats that?" he asked with raised eyebrow.     "Hotdog rolls!" I responded cheerfully. 

Being the resourceful person that I am, I decided to serve up chili WITH the hotdogs and beans, with the idea that putting the chili on top of the "bun" and hotdog would help soften up the little rock hard bricks.   The outer crust of these was hard, and the center was moist.

I have determined that my family is mean.   The commentary at the dinner table went something like this:

"I feel like I'm in the holocaust."   "Maybe we can send this to them."

The Handsome One quipped, "HEY, if you kids don't behave you will get only BREAD for dinner!"

"I don't like dis bread.  It tastes like Playdoh" the Wee One stated very matter of factly.

"Hey, can I see if  Miss Ruby Dog will eat it?"

"God I love you." the Handsome One said as he shook his head while scooping up his chili with my hotdog roll masterpiece.      

And the best one..."Empty the trash now," said the Handsome One, "When this bread gets added it will be too heavy to pick up." 

Yea...I have determined that SOME things are still cheaper to buy.    Between the yeast, butter, flour, and sugar I could have bought 4 or 5 bags of hotdog rolls that would have been EATEN.