Let's eat at the Waffle House - in my kitchen!

I was reading through a recent breakfast inspired issue of Saveur and noticed a column extolling the glories of the Waffle House.  The Waffle House?  In Saveur?

Baby, you’ve come a long way … and I must agree. 

**Here’s the article link online:  Welcome Home

Few pleasures in life are as simple, and as cheap, as breakfast at a diner and it's delivered 24 hours a day at the Waffle House.  Granted, most of my WH experiences have been in the wee hours, as a stop from a bar or club to help sate an alcohol-fueled hunger but I have on occasion eaten there during daylight hours.  Sober.  Sometimes alone.  Most times with friends (somehow it’s better that way).

Encouraged by the Saveur column I was reading I decided to make my own Waffle House breakfast one morning.   Hashbrowns and sausage seemed to fit the bill, and were available in my fridge without having to go out and pick something up (it was a laaaazy morning for me).

I had one large baking potato and about ½ a pound of deli sausage – and I figured I’d stay true to my Waffle House inspiration and use sliced American cheese.

It’s a simple prep – grate the potato and wring through a few papertowels to remove most of the moisture.  Melt a good bit of butter in a cast iron skillet and drop two or three mounds (about a handful) of potatoes in.  Salt and pepper them while in the pan and press down with a spatula to make a sort of potato pancake.

Cook for six or seven minutes over medium-high heat until a crust forms on the bottom, then flip.  Repeat the process until you’re satisfied with the color and crispness of the hashbrowns. Right before you want to pull the potatoes out of the pan, cover each with a slice of American cheese.

Served with good old fashioned southern sausage patties, it’s a trip to the Waffle House without having to leave your kitchen!

Random Foodstuffs

I'm cleaning out my pictures folders and I keep running across these one-shot pictures - not really enough to dedicate an entire blog to but when combined, they're a melange (!) of tasty treats!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with crumbled Biscoff Cookies (dedicated to my friend Jeannie "she of the brownies, bananas and ice cream")

Black Pepper Corn Muffins

My Mama's biscuits!

Breakfast hash (potatoes, onion, sausage)

Not food, but a flower I saw on my stairs ... thought it was nice!

Show Me the Person Who Doesn't Like Butterbeans

"Some people are fat, some people are lean.  But I want you to show me the person who doesn't like butterbeans!"  -B52s, "Butterbeans"

Growing up, butterbeans were a weekly side dish.  We had them with everything - pork, chicken, steak - you name it and my Mother could put some butterbeans with it and make everybody happy.

I waxed a bit nostalgic the other night and decided I wanted some peas.  I bought what I THOUGHT were zipper, or creamer, peas but as it turns out they were butterbeans.  Not the really big, meaty ones but, butterbeans after all.  After my initial disappointment at my lack of legume identify-iness (of which I've since remedied, by the way) I got excited about stewing up some butterbeans.

It's a fairly simple preparation - some water, salt, pepper, and a bit of ham for seasoning.  Bring to a boil for a few minutes then reduce and simmer for about an hour.

Here's the result, served with thick sliced toast.  

Frenchin' Toast (for my nephew)

A quick post because so many people have asked me about it ... 

I made french toast for breakfast yesterday - used an italian loaf (that I had the bakery slice 1/2 of it for me), vanilla extract in the egg wash with a bit of salt and pepper, and griddled it on cast iron.

The whole point of this, however, is to explain "Frenchin' Toast".  My nephew is about to turn four so he's still figuring out syntax and grammar and all the things that I HOPE he masters one day.  

He eats "eggies" for breakfast and he used to eat "noo-noos" (noodles, or mac-n-cheese) but he's grown out of that now (except that he calls them "old noodles" but nobody can figure out why) ... and he just LOOOOVES frenchin' toast.  At least that's what he calls it.

So here's a few pictures of my frenchin' toast from yesterday morning - and, as a little treat, a photo of him from last year beating some eggs for frenchin' toast at his Nannie's house!