Some Kinda Good – Page 18 – Some Kinda Good®

The Waffle Iron Movement

Published on January 15, 2016May 12, 2016 by RebekahLeave a comment

Cinnamon Roll Waffles make a quick & surprising breakfast. — Cinnamon Roll “Waffles” make a quick & surprisingly good breakfast.

I’ve never been one to show a lot of interest in food trends or new kitchen gadgets, but there’s one craze on food TV lately that’s got my attention. For all intents and purposes, we’re going to call it The Waffle Iron Movement. Have you seen the chatter? Evidently, the waffle iron, that little machine we plug into the wall to make fluffy buttermilk waffles, is capable of so much more. I’d like to preface this post by saying today’s “recipe” requires zero cooking ability.

Enter canned cinnamon rolls.

The Food Network’s Sunny Anderson taught me this trick while I was watching The Kitchen earlier this week. As they say on the show, “I tried it, and I liked it!” Essentially, the waffle iron can cook cinnamon rolls in less than half the time it takes to cook them in the oven. And yes, the waffle iron cooks them all the way through.

Pop the cinnamon rolls on a greased waffle iron, and shut it. Simple.

When cooked, the cinnamon rolls take on a crunchy exterior and remain tender on the inside. It’s amazing how this works!

While the cinnamon rolls are cooking, rest the icing packet on top of the waffle iron to loosen it up!

Add about a tablespoon of half and half to the packet and work it in with a spoon until the consistency is drizzleable.

Crispy, cinnamon roll "waffle" goodness. — In less than two minutes, you have crispy, cinnamon roll “waffle” goodness.

How’s that for breakfast on-the-go? Golden brown with great texture, you don’t even have to worry about the dough oozing out from the sides of the waffle iron. Clean up is easy!

They look and taste like real waffles. Ideal for college students in a dorm room, or apartment dwellers with galley kitchens, this trick is super fun. Plus, using an appliance to create something it wasn’t designed for makes me feel like a true rebel. I’m living on the edge these days.

Now, I’m not saying this idea trumps the good ol’ cinnamon roll every time. There’s not too much that can replace the soft, ooey-gooey pleasure that a properly cooked cinnamon roll elicits. But, if you’re in a hurry (and who isn’t in the mornings?), this trick is worth the minimal effort. Are you likely to try it?

Ree Drummond’s Waffle Maker Quesadilla combines cheese & salsa for a quick snack. Photo Credit: FoodNetwork.com

Bobby Flay’s Peanut Butter French Toast is a fun take on the classic PB & J. Photo Credit: FoodNetwork.com

While that waffle iron is hot, you may want to try Bobby Flay’s Peanut Butter French Toast “Waffles” with Mixed Berry Sauce, or The Pioneer Woman’s Waffle Maker Quesadilla.

Have you used your waffle iron or another kitchen appliance for something inventive lately? Let me know in the comments below!

How To Create Garlic-Herb Flavored Butter

Published on January 12, 2016May 12, 2016 by RebekahLeave a comment

Garlic herb butter adds delicious flavor to breads, sandwiches and steak. — Garlic-herb butter adds delicious flavor to breads, sandwiches and steaks.

I love quick cooking tips that pack big flavor punch! Today, we’re talking butter…that little stick of happiness that literally makes everything better. Julia Child said it herself: “With enough butter, anything is good.” For a cook, room temperature butter is like a blank canvas. If you’ve never tried flavored butters, they’re really great for enhancing bread, sandwiches, seafood, chicken and even steaks! They make even the most mundane meal special. As if butter could get any better, right? In this post, I’m sharing a three-ingredient recipe for garlic-herb butter that will take bread from basic to gourmet in minutes!

If you’re anything like me, it’s often you end up with leftover or day-old baguette. I can never seem to use the entire thing! I bought a loaf of French bread for the purpose of making bruschetta the other day, and when I was finished, there sat over half a loaf. So, when spaghetti was the main course for dinner the next day, the softened butter in my dish on the counter top held all the more appeal. What better side dish to round out the meal than with crusty slices of garlic-herb bread? With half a stick of my room temperature butter in a bowl, I simply minced one large clove of garlic, chopped about 3-4 tablespoons of parsley and added a pinch of sea salt. You can use any combination of fresh herbs you have on hand. Thyme, basil, you name it!

Day-old bread is perfect for turning into croutons or baking for a side dish with dinner.

If you’d like to try the same thing, here’s how: Using a serrated knife, slice the French loaf right down the center, place the halves on a large baking sheet and prepare it for slathering.

It's of utmost importance that the butter is room temperature for proper spreading and mixing consistency. — It’s of utmost importance that the butter is room temperature for proper spreading and mixing consistency.

Smear the butter mixture all over the bread, taking extra care to get the mixture into all those little crevices. Pop the pan in the oven and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Now, isn't that just the prettiest thing? — Now, isn’t that just the prettiest thing?

When the bread has finished baking, the garlic looks as if it has attained the ultimate tan. The combination of the garlic and herb mixture makes your home smell like a neighborhood bakery!

Garlic-herb bread and spaghetti are meant to be.

Tucked next to a plate of spaghetti, the garlic-herb bread makes the meal Some Kinda Good!

Flavored butters can be sweet or savory. Here are a few other recipe ideas to pair with softened butter:

Local honey and a pinch of salt for serving with hot biscuits
Chopped fresh blackberries, jam or pear preserves for serving with homemade bread
Cajun spices for serving with grilled shrimp

The possibilities are endless. How do you dress up your meals with flavored butters? Share your recipes with me using #SomeKindaGood!

A Post to You, My Audience

Published on January 11, 2016September 22, 2017 by Rebekah2 Comments

It’s a brand new year, and 2017 finds Some Kinda Good in its sixth year of inception. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading my posts and to share with you what this blog is all about. Continue reading “A Post to You, My Audience” →

Parmesan Shepherd’s Pie – Cast Iron Skillet Style

Published on January 9, 2016June 14, 2019 by RebekahLeave a comment

At my house, whenever leftover mashed potatoes are around, you can bet Shepherd’s Pie will be on the menu soon. Cheesy, warm and full of veg, the flavors are comforting and clean up is easy. This dish epitomizes homey, good, comfort food and is especially fun to eat when it’s cold outside. Using a cast iron skillet (a real workhorse in the kitchen!) makes the job super simple. From stove top to oven, this recipe is ready to eat in 35 minutes.

Shepherd’s Pie has been around for centuries, and there are a ton of variations on the recipe. For me, it’s one of those “kitchen sink” recipes, where anything goes. Traditionally, garden peas and corn are used, but recently, I had a bag of frozen vegetables (for vegetable soup) in my freezer, and they worked perfectly! When it comes to cheeses, I’ve used everything from sharp cheddar to pepper jack to Parmesan. Parmesan cheese gives it a nice bite and works wonderfully with creamy potatoes. I love hearing the timer sing and pulling this hearty skillet, perfectly browned on the top, and bubbling around the sides, out of the oven.

Recipe Recap

Parmesan Shepherd’s Pie

1-2 scant cups leftover garlic roasted mashed potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
Garlic salt
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Dried Oregano
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
1 Cup Beef Broth
3 cups Mashed Potatoes, prepared
Fresh Parmesan or Sharp Cheddar Cheese

In a cast iron skillet, saute lean ground beef and onion until beef is brown. Add seasonings: garlic salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and dried oregano. Add frozen vegetables and cook until incorporated. In a measuring cup, combine cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, whipping with a fork until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour over beef mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Gently spread leftover mashed potatoes evenly over the top of beef mixture. Top potatoes with grated cheese. Dot with butter. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes until hot & bubbly. Devour!

What is your ultimate winter comfort food?

Your Take on E-Commerce Food – Take it or Leave it?

Published on January 7, 2016May 12, 2016 by RebekahLeave a comment

My best friend texted me this photo of the dinner she cooked from Blue Apron last week: Spiced Roast Chicken & Collard Greens.

Okay, y’all. I’m really curious to know your thoughts about something. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last couple of months, you’ve noticed the TV commercials and advertisements promoting the “dawn of e-commerce food,” essentially the creation of perishable food manufacturing businesses. Dozens of companies like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron and Plated, are springing up around the country with this notion of revolutionizing the way we shop for groceries and stock our refrigerators. We’re talking about changing the way people think about food or as one employee at Plated puts it, “Changing the world by making our food system fundamentally better.” When it comes to our foodways, is quality and convenience upstaging tradition?

I find the concept absolutely fascinating! I mean, if I had told my great grandmother Elnora, that one day, she could visit a website, click a button or make a phone call, and within a few days have meals delivered straight to her door, she would have looked at me as if I had three heads! The strides we’ve made in technology are seriously amazing.

Each company basically boasts the same message: Fresh food delivered to your door, at a better value than you can get at your local grocery store. And not just fresh food, but perfectly proportioned, farm fresh ingredients sourced locally and seasonally, including step-by-step chef-concocted recipes. Foolproof! Genius! Why haven’t we thought of this before? But when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Or is it? Take a look at these ads:

My first thought about these services was they must be for folks who either can’t cook or aren’t able to drive themselves to get their own groceries. As I’ve considered it more closely however, I see the appeal for everyone! Not only does the service save you time and the laborious weekly trip to the supermarket, but it exposes you to new ingredients and takes the guesswork out of weeknight dinner planning (all the while supporting local farmers). I’m having a very hard time seeing the downside. We’ve discussed a few positives, so let’s consider some potential negatives:

Proportions don’t allow room for seconds. What if I’m still hungry?
Relying on delivery could become problematic. What if I live in a rural area and they aren’t able to find my location?
Cost. Is the quality really “at a better value than my local grocery store?”

Also, I can’t help but think about how these companies will affect grocery store chains and local supermarkets. But, maybe that’s the point. If more and more people begin using them, will grocery stores take a major hit? What will that mean for the economy? On the upside, the greatest motivating factor? Ingredients are sourced locally. I can definitely get behind organizations partnering with established farmers’ markets and local artisans.

I haven’t personally tried ordering from any of these companies, but even as someone who enjoys cooking, I’m very tempted! I’m super interested to know what you think. Have you ordered from one of them? What has your experience been? Were you able to follow the provided instructions without a hitch? Most importantly, did the food taste Some Kinda Good? Make me a believer!

As a final thought, Forbes released a great video of an Executive Chef comparing Blue Apron and Plated. See for yourself and let me know your take.

Cookbooks, a Cutting Board & Coffee Mug, Oh My!

Published on January 6, 2016May 12, 2016 by Rebekah7 Comments

Inspiration from some of my very favorite cooks!

Before we get too far from Christmas, I wanted to share a few things with y’all that Santa Claus brought me to enjoy during this new year! My cookbook collection is growing – To add to my treasures, I received autographed copies of “The Pat Conroy Cookbook – Recipes of My Life” & “Paula Deen Cuts the Fat,” along with a little gift I picked up for myself at the Bass Pro Shop: “Back Home with The Neelys, Comfort Food from Our Southern Kitchen to Yours.” Each of these books hold great inspiration and I just love spending time flipping through their pages. I’ve already made Paula’s Pumpkin Scones for breakfast this week. With buttermilk and pecans, they were Some Kinda Good, too! A few years back, I checked out at the library “The Pat Conroy Cookbook.” As a result, The Best Crab Cakes in the World found their way to the blog. To this day, it was one of the hardest books I’ve ever had to return! Thanks to my thoughtful and good lookin’ husband, Kurt, I now have a copy of my own.

I’m a Georgia Peach through and through. No denying that!

I absolutely ADORE my Georgia-shaped cutting board. Georgia is always on my mind. No matter where life takes me, there’s no place like home. As the late, great Ray Charles sang about, “Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through. Just an old sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind.”

Finally, for those days when life gets me down, a simple reminder. The coffee mug reads, “Darling, you are fabulous.” It makes me smile every time I pick it up.

Under the tree or in your stocking, did you get any cooking or kitchen-related gifts?

Hearty Hamburger Soup for the Soul

Published on January 5, 2016December 17, 2020 by Rebekah1 Comment

Have you ever been in a ground beef rut? I found myself there recently when the ultimate question came up: What’s for dinner? Continue reading “Hearty Hamburger Soup for the Soul” →

On the Menu: Luck, Prosperity & A Little Hoppin’ John

Published on December 30, 2015January 22, 2017 by RebekahLeave a comment

Pork chops, jalapeno corn bread, collard greens and hoppin' John make a fine meal to kick off the New Year. — Feelin’ lucky? Pork chops, jalapeno corn bread, collard greens and Hoppin’ John make one fine meal to kick off the New Year.

New Year’s Day is here, and every good Southerner knows what that means: It’s time to cook up a hearty meal that echoes the good vibes a brand new year can bring: luck, prosperity and cash flow.

Continue reading “On the Menu: Luck, Prosperity & A Little Hoppin’ John” →

“Nacho” Ordinary Appetizer

Published on November 16, 2015February 7, 2020 by Rebekah1 Comment

Tater Tot Nachos Inspired by St. James Gate Irish Pub

Leave it to an Irish Pub to re-purpose a potato dish. A recent visit to St. James Gate Irish Pub on Folly Beach introduced us to Tater Tot “Nachos.” What a concept! Who wouldn’t love crispy potatoes topped with good ol’ cheddar cheese, chili and jalapenos? Easy enough to recreate at home, the appetizer left us completely satisfied and reminiscing about our middle school days (Read: carrying our lunch trays through the cafeteria on tater tot day negotiating trades).

Move over tortilla chip, there’s a new nacho vehicle in town!

A local ginger bourbon + honey basil cocktail is garnished with fresh lime and a basil leaf.

My handsome posted this pic of me to Facebook the night we visited the Pub, with the caption, “Life is good.”

Paired with a couple good cocktails–a hearty Guinness for my man, and a local ginger bourbon + honey basil libation for me –the nightcap was a surprisingly better alternative to our initial desire for dessert. The waiter had us at “Our special tonight is Tater Tot Nachos…”

Get the recipe for my Beer Can Chili right here on the blog!

Just a few days after our visit, I came across a half bag of frozen tater tots in the freezer at home, just begging to be cooked. As fate would have it, I had some of my leftover Beer Can Chili in the fridge too, as is accustom this time of year. In no time at all, I was serving up “nacho” ordinary appetizer. HA!

Next time you have friends over, or if you’re just in the mood for a good snack, break out this recipe. With little effort and a Some Kinda Good return on your investment, you’ve got nothing to lose!

Tater Tot Nachos

1/2 Bag of Frozen Tater Tots
1 cup or more to taste of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Pepper jack is great too! Combine them for fun!)
1/2 medium onion, diced
Pickled or fresh Jalapenos to taste
Leftover Chili
Sour cream
Fresh Parsley
Salt
Other desired nacho toppings

Bake tater tots according to package directions (I like mine extra crispy for the perfect crunch). Add about a teaspoon of salt (or more to taste) as soon as the tater tots come out of the oven. Top evenly with diced onion, leftover chili and cheese, then pop the tater tots back in the oven until cheese is hot and bubbly (about 5 minutes). Once cheese is melted, take them out of the oven and add desired toppings. I like sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh parsley to liven things up and a few jarred jalapenos to keep things spicy. Enjoy!

Pearls of Wisdom and My First Oyster Roast

Published on January 7, 2015May 12, 2016 by Rebekah1 Comment

An oyster roast is one of the most casual ways to throw a coastal party while highlighting local ingredients. — An oyster roast is one of the most casual ways to throw a coastal party while highlighting the sea’s bounty.

In my mind, coastal Georgia and everything that comes along with it–like Lowcountry boil parties and oyster roasts–is next to Jesus. With my Holiday Cheese Ball in tow, I attended my first oyster roast in Savannah recently and ate my fill of the slippery, salty mollusks. The New Year’s Eve get-together was a fantastic way to say goodbye 2014 and hello 2015, while at the same time learning a thing or two about how the locals throw a sho’ ’nuff (sure enough) shindig.

A metal sheet is placed over the outdoor fire pit, perfect for steaming the oysters.

Longtime Savannah food writer Martha Nesbit describes the scene at an oyster roast perfectly in her cookbook, Savannah Celebrations. “Singles or clusters are roasted over a sturdy piece of steel placed over a roaring fire. The oysters are covered with a burlap sack, which is hosed down; the oysters steam underneath. The oysters are ready when they pop open; the cooks have the responsibility of shoveling the oysters from the fire to the table, which is usually wooden, at least waist-high and unadorned.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Oysters on the half shell grilled on the Big Green Egg.

The host and cook behind these bad boys was my friend Kyle Byrd. He grilled these oysters on the half shell with garlic butter, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, fresh herbs and hot sauce on the Big Green Egg. Some Kinda Good, what you talkin’ ’bout!

During the party, we also ate steamed oysters. My favorite way to eat them was with a dab of cocktail sauce on a Saltine cracker. Take a look at how Kyle and my good lookin’ date (two good ol’ Georgia boys) prepared them in this 15 second Instagram video:

View this post on Instagram

#NewYearsEve #OysterRoast

A post shared by Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser (@skgfoodblog) on Dec 31, 2014 at 6:35pm PST

And now, for seven pearls of wisdom I came across while researching oysters:

1. Nearly two billion pounds of these mollusks are eaten every year.

2. The saying “The World is Your Oyster” comes from Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor: “The world’s mine oyster. Which I with sword will open.”

3. Eating four to six oysters a day provides a complete daily supply of copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Oysters are one of the most nutritionally well-balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets and an excellent source of vitamins.

4. Norwegian Rune Naeri set the Guinness World Record for the most oysters eaten in 2003: He devoured 187 in three minutes.

5. The largest oysters can grow up to three feet long in shell length.

6. Depending on the location of their cultivation, there are significant differences in the flavor profiles in the oyster. East Coast oysters tend to be more briny while West Coast oysters tend to be sweeter.

7. Almost all oysters can secrete pearls, but not all are valuable. The pearl oysters come from a different family than edible oysters.

What fun facts would you add to my list?