Food-Loving Southern Girl

Hi! I’m Debby Mayne! Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to Southern Home Express, where I share easy, budget-friendly, delicious recipes and helpful hacks to make life simpler! I understand the challenges of getting a meal on the table at the end of a long day, and I hope that you’ll be inspired by the recipes I share. Many of the dishes I share here are as easy as driving through the fast food line on your way home. And they’re way more affordable! 

My love of food started when I was very young. Both of my parents were born and raised in Mississippi. Even though Daddy was a career Air Force guy, and we moved every couple of years, we kept going back to Mississippi. Yes, grits run through my veins, and southern manners are important to me.

Although my mother was good at cooking a handful of dishes, she didn’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So I decided to teach myself some skills at about the age of 10. After more than a few disasters, I eventually discovered what worked and what didn’t. 

A lot of my recipes were passed down through the generations. However, many of them are what I call “delicious oopses.” In other words, I failed my way to success in the kitchen. More than 50 (actually, closer to 60) years later, I’m still learning new kitchen tips and hacks to get a quick but delicious meal on the table.

Since both funds and time were limited through the years, I reimagined old recipes and created a lot of new recipes that are both budget-friendly and easy. In other words, my recipes focus on simplicity and saving money without having to sacrifice the enjoyment of food. More on this later.

Family

I’m the wife of a very handsome husband, mama of two precious grown daughters, mother-in-law to a couple of loving sons-in-law, and nana to a couple of adorable granddaughters and a grandson. I also have a sweet cat, two grandpuppies, and three grandkitties. 

Southern Home

One of my passions has always been the home—everything from making delicious food to decorating on a budget and making sure everyone in my care behaves. (Yeah, I’ve become my parents.) I emphasized good manners in my daughters from a very early age, and they turned out to be pretty wonderful. I’m proud of the fact that they RSVP to invitations and send thank you notes for gifts they receive.

Southern Food Made Easy

As much as I love home-cooked food, I don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen. It’s not always easy to throw something delicious on the table in less than an hour, but somehow, I’ve managed to do it for many years. And my husband almost always asks for seconds.

So I decided to share what I’ve learned about preparing delicious food quickly, easily, and on a budget. I even share some of my not-so-delicious experiences so you won’t have to make the same mistakes I did.

Since I have to be gluten-free, I show both the regular and the gluten-free versions of my recipes. Regardless of your health condition, you should still be able to enjoy food that tastes good.

If you click around, you’ll see a lot of recipes featuring chicken or peanut butter since they’re two of my favorite things to cook with. And you’ll also find a lot of air fryer, slow cooker, and Instant Pot recipes. After all, I’m a big believer in saving time.

Parties and Entertaining

I’ve always enjoyed a good party. And while planning a party, the first thing I typically think about is food. Other things are important as well, such as themes, music, games, and other types of entertainment. But food is usually the first thing and most important aspect of any gathering of people I care about.

Enjoy Your Southern Home

I started Southern Home Express to help anyone who wants their house to be more than just a place the family sleeps at night. It needs to be a home—a place of refuge where you can relax and bask in the cozy atmosphere, enjoy good food, and be proud to bring your friends over. And it shouldn’t drain your bank account.

Through this blog, readers will see recipes for quick-and-easy meals, get some low-cost but high-end inspired decorating ideas, find out some of the new rules of etiquette and manners, and learn a little more about my family. I welcome comments and questions, so bring ’em on!

Books by Debby Mayne

I also write books, mostly set in the South. I love strong, quirky heroines who often speak before they think, something that gets them into all kinds of trouble. But they always have good intentions. People often ask me if any of my fiction is based on personal experiences. My answer: Maybe … or maybe not.

If you’d like to see some of my books, go to my Amazon page, and you’ll find most of them: Debby Mayne’s Amazon Page.

Thank you so much for visiting! I hope you come back often, and please share links with your friends and family.