Some Kinda Good®

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” →

Savannah Highway Bright Spot: Angel Oak Restaurant Unique, Delightful

Published on November 22, 2015March 5, 2017 by RebekahLeave a comment

Angel Oak Restaurant
John’s Island, S.C.

I love discovering quaint, off-the-beaten-path delights. That’s what I would call Angel Oak Restaurant, a small, family owned spot on John’s Island. Located right off of Savannah Highway, about 10 miles from downtown Charleston, Chef Jay Kees is serving up some of the most flavorful Southern fare in the city, combining a balance of down home dishes with those that compete with the forward thinking, highfalutin’ standards of Charleston dining. That’s one reason it isn’t hard to believe Angel Oak Restaurant holds the title for longest running business in this location. Going on more than three years in service (they opened in summer 2012), the eclectic space was once a general store, a Mexican restaurant and an ice cream shop.

The one room eatery holds 15 tables with bench style seating and an assortment of wooden chairs. Guests may also choose to sit outside, where bulb lighting and table lanterns create a soft ambiance. At the entrance, a large hostess station filled with paper menus and reams of craft paper greet guests. Staff members dressed neatly in blue jeans and plaid button down shirts work the dining room.

Filled with intentional and meaningful details, the setting creates a warm atmosphere perfect for families or date night. Popular tunes play on the speakers. Small bottles filled with fresh flowers make inviting, simple centerpieces, coupled with a mix of blue, green and clear Mason jars for drinking glasses. Utensils rest comfortably on nautical cloth napkins. Open for lunch, supper and Sunday Brunch, I’ve had the pleasure of dining here on many occasions for all but supper.

One of the most popular Sunday Brunch dishes has to be the House Made Beignets, a plate piled high with powdered sugar-dusted doughnuts, served with chocolate sauce. Reminiscent of dulce de leche, the sauce has sweet caramel notes. Other Sunday Brunch dishes include hearty selections such as Country Fried Steak and Eggs, Chicken and Biscuits, Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant, and the Croque Madame. If you enjoy a good champagne cocktail, the $10 bottomless mimosas make the restaurant a motivating choice.

The Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant is served with your choice of one side, and a garnish of watermelon. Home fries make a crispy accompaniment.

The Country Fried Steak and Eggs feature two buttermilk biscuits topped with collards and country fried steak, finished with poached eggs and gravy. Come hungry!

Consistent with the widely held belief of many a good chef, the husband and wife team at Angel Oak Restaurant prides itself on sourcing local, seasonal ingredients to best highlight the cuisine of the community. South Carolina farmers and purveyors including Geechie Boy Market and Mill, Legare Farms, Blackbird Farms, Limehouse Produce, Saffron Bakery and Burbages provide fresh ingredients from breads and grits to produce, beef, pork and eggs. The restaurant boasts its own herb garden.

The Croque Madame is my favorite dish yet! It’s a toasted ham and cheese sandwich topped with a fried egg, finished with mornet sauce and served with a bright arugula salad garnished with pickled red onion.

Lunch, including a daily Blue Plate Special, features a variety of appetizers, salads and entrees. On my last visit, I ordered the sampler plate with Bacon Braised Collards, Tomato Salad and Mac N’ Cheese. Fresh and well executed, it was every Southerner’s taste of home. Mainstays like Fried Green Tomatoes, House Made Pimento Cheese and Fried Pickle Chips offer familiar comfort. A nice selection of local beers are available, along with a standard wine list.

So, the next time you’re stuck in traffic on Savannah Highway, stop in to Angel Oak Restaurant. Unassuming and rustic, its recipe for success is clear: Quality ingredients, locally sourced + friendly service in a unique environment. What more could a diner want?

New to Some Kinda Good?

Thumbnail — Food Enthusiast Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Now based in Charleston, South Carolina, Georgia native Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a freelance writer, entertainer and food enthusiast who writes and speaks about her love of good food and the Coastal South. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC’s “The Taste,” she is the former Statesboro Herald food columnist and past host of the television program “Statesboro Cooks.” From 2012 – ’14, she appeared regularly as Celebrity Chef at the Statesboro Main Street Farmers’ Market and wrote as a guest blogger for Visit Savannah and The Local Palate. In addition, her work is published in Moments magazine and Connect Statesboro. Her culinary accomplishments are recognized in two publications: She is a featured alumna in Georgia Southern Magazine (Spring ’14) and the “Go Girl!” in Moments magazine (March 2104), a tabloid for moms and modern women. To learn more, visit RebekahFaulk.wix.com/RebekahFaulk.

Three Thanksgiving Side Dishes For Your Family Table

Published on November 20, 2015May 10, 2025 by Rebekah2 Comments

With the biggest food holiday of the year just days away, I’ve got three side dishes to enliven your family feast. Each recipe offers something unique: 1) a family tradition, 2) a restaurant-inspired side dish and 3) an original. From sweet to savory, I’ve got you covered! Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving at home or traveling, cook up one of these Southern sides, and you’ll have everyone chowing down with gratitude. Continue reading “Three Thanksgiving Side Dishes For Your Family Table” →

“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!