CROCKPOT LINERS ARE LIFE

If your family is like mine, we love making various meal sides in our crockpots. One thing that absolutely saved our time was using crockpot liners. Basically, this food-safe plastic liner sits in your crockpot, and you add your ingredients into the bag so that cleanup is a breeze. No more scrubbing off food, or endlessly scooping leftovers! Easily add and remove food and cleanup in a flash by using crockpot liners.

KEEP COOKIE SHAPES WITH FLOUR

Baking is one of the best parts about this season, but it can be difficult for the cookie dough to keep its shape after you cut it. If you dip your cookie cuter into some flour before you start cutting, they will keep their shape, and will be less likely to become unrecognizable after baking!

SKIP THE FANCY STUFF

PREP AND COOK THE NIGHT BEFORE

This obviously doesn’t work for many dishes, but you can totally start baking and creating some of your side dishes the night before. This will reduce your time in the kitchen so you can spend more time with your family. Some ideas for this include making your deviled eggs the night before, and baking all of your cookies and treats the day before!

GET A THREE-POT CROCKPOT

USE BOILED SUGAR INSTEAD OF ICING

Anyone who has put together a gingerbread house knows the frustration of attempting to keep all of the walls upright while you’re decorating. The icing just never seems to stick the corners together well enough. Use some liquidized, boiled sugar to keep the edges together. You have to be really careful when you do this, but the sugar will harden and will cement your walls together. You can always go over the edges with icing to give it that gingerbread house flair.

Share

Jonathan and I got the rare opportunity to travel for a few days of Labor Day weekend to Surfside Beach, South Carolina. After failing to find a parking space on the beach to have one last dip in the ocean before heading home, we decided to stop off at lunch at The Surfside, which was a pub and eatery just up the road from the beach access.

THE SUNDOWN NACHOS

Once we were seated, our waitress informed us that Sunday's were $6.99 appetizer days, so we decided to take advantage of the promotion by trying one of our favorite types of appetizers: nachos. These were usually more than $10, so I was surprised when they came out looking more like what you'd find at a football game or tailgating party. Don't get me wrong, it was good. But it tastes exactly how I described it: high school football nachos with the cheese and chili. It was a bit nostalgic, but wouldn't have been worth the $10 it originally costs, so I'm glad we tried it when the appetizers were on sale.

THE SUNDOWN ORIGINAL BURGER

I opted for a simple burger for my lunch. It was pretty affordable, costing only about $9 for my plate of food. You could customize your cheese and add the toppings you wanted. My only issue with my meal was the onions. They were raw, which is somewhat typical, but were very thickly cut, so I just ended up taking them off completely. The fries were the standout. They were crispy and delightful!

THE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK

According to Jonathan, who opted for the philly cheesesteak with onion rings, said the sandwich was OK, but didn't stand out to him.  The onion rings were nice and crunchy, though, and the onion didn't trail out when you bit into it like some do. However, the breading on that could have been seasoned more, as well.

OTHER FACTORS

FINAL THOUGHTS

Share

​One great aspect of this restaurant is that you can choose how much chicken you want. You can choose between a quarter of a chicken, half a chicken, or even a whole chicken. The prices are competitive, with each plate coming with two regular sides and dipping sauces. However, the food is so flavorful that I really haven’t had a need to try any of the sauces.

​Now, let’s talk about sides. You’ll see all of them listed in the image, but my absolute favorites are the green beans and the Yuca fries. The green beans have a garlicky taste to them, which I absolutely love. The Yuca fries, which are made of potato, are like thick-cut potato wedges. The one thing I liked about Viva Chicken was that they served their Yuca fries with a cheese dipping sauce. I admit that I use ketchup when I have the Yuca fries!

FINAL FOODIE THOUGHTS

If you’re in the area, you’ve got to check out Fabe’s Charcoal Roasting Co. It is located at 2715 Freedom Parkway Drive, Fayetteville NC 28314. Make sure you tell them you heard about them from TheOpinionatedOne.com!   ​ I was not paid for this review, nor was any service, food, or product provided to me for free. I reviewed this on my own dime so that you know what’s good to eat!

Share

I was beyond excited when Bonefish Grill in Fayetteville, N.C., reached out to our blogger group to host a night of taste-testing some of their tasty menu items. This is my husband and I out front, and the lighting worked out pretty nicely. Before I get started in my review, I need to share that Bonefish Grill did provide our drinks and meal for free, but we were in no other way compensated for our review. Without further ado, let's get into the review, starting with the samplers.

APPETIZERS

Aside from seasoned chips, we were brought four main appetizers: a seafood charcuterie board, Wagyu Beef and Ginger Potstickers, Bang Bang Shrimp, and some bread with an olive oil and pesto dip. My favorite was the potstickers. They were packed with this delicious pan-seared beef. Truly the best potstickers I've ever had! Jonathan's favorite was the Bang Bang shrimp. They added a nice kick to the appetizer options that he just loved. The bread and olive oil dip was the perfect way to prepare our pallets for this delicious feast!

MAIN COURSE DISHES

The main course dishes were SO amazing. I have to be honest and say that fish is not something I generally like, which is why I definitely wanted to bring my fish-loving husband along! However, I felt courageous and took a bite of these fish dishes (Ahi, Salmon, and Bass), and they were awesome. Each of the fish plates (Jonathan's favs) were tender and seasoned and cooked to perfection. But, if anyone knows me personally, they know how much of a bacon lover I am. The steak was smothered in a maple-sweet bacon jam. It complemented the savory steak so well. Check out a better shot of the steak below!

The other dish was called the Lily's Chicken. While the chicken itself tasted good, I personally wasn't a fan of the goat cheese, but I simply don't like goat cheese. It also is topped with artichoke hearts, a lemon basil sauce, and spinach.  Although it wasn't a dish I personally liked, Jonathan thought the goat cheese worked with the dish. ​Basically, goat cheese lovers will enjoy this chicken dish!

SIDES

We were given three side dishes to try, and I'm not sure if I can pick a favorite. Among the dishes were mashed potatoes, bacon-topped mac and cheese, and potatoes au gratin. If I had to choose a favorite, I guess it would be the au gratin, because cheese and potatoes are always going to be my favorite. ​However, the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes were also delightful and would pare perfectly with any of the entrees on the menu, in my opinion!

Mac and cheese hardly ever misses the mark for me, and this mac and cheese didn't disappoint. The flavor for the bacon added to this side dish, which was cheesy and delicious.  Check out this up-close picture of the mac and cheese, and try not to drool on your phone or keyboard!

DESSERTS

To round up our special evening, Bonefish Grill brought us some tasty chocolate desserts that satisfied everyone's sweet tooth. These included the chocolate creme brulee, a chocolate lava cake, and, our favorite, the flourless brownie and ice cream.  ​The brownie was served alongside a fruit sauce, I think it was cherry or strawberry. It was topped with chopped nuts and served with a scoop of simple vanilla ice cream. It tasted like the brownie had a ganache or chocolate icing on top. The brownie was dense, but chewy and packed with flavor. Both the lava cake and the chocolate creme brulee were super satisfying, as well!

DRINKS

Each of the attendees were given one free drink to try, each. Jonathan and I went for two very different drinks, in my opinion. His drink, left, was a twist on a Moscow Mule. The twist was ginger. The garnish is candied ginger. I tried a bit of his drink and garnish, and they had a nice bite. Mine was the Tiki Torch and included rum, Kahlua, and pineapple flavors. It was the perfect tropical twist to a fun evening out.  Our table-mates tried different drinks as well, including a smoked bourbon drink, martinis, and more.

OVER-ALL IMPRESSION

Share

1: PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE MOUSSE

2: KETO PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

3: APPLE MONSTER BITES

4: CANDY CORN FRUIT CUP

5: STRAWBERRY GHOSTS

6: SKELETON TREATS

Share

WHAT YOU'LL NEED/INGREDIENTS LIST

STEP 3: ADD IN YOUR BUTTER & TOP YOUR APPLES

Make sure you MELT your butter and then add it to your dry ingredients. This will cause the mixture to become kind of crumbly. This is the right consistency, so don't freak out. Add this crumbly mixture to the top of your apples in your crockpot. Don't mix it, simply place the mixture on top and pat it down evenly across your apples.

STEP 4: SET AND FORGET

STEP 5: ADD ICE CREAM AND ENJOY! After your apple dump cake is complete, add it to a bowl and add your favorite vanilla ice cream with it. I love this combo because one is hot and the other is cold and it just tastes so good! I think this could also taste great with a caramel or cinnamon-flavored ice cream as well, but we had vanilla.  If you fancy nuts, add some chopped pecans on top for a nice crunch with your dump cake. And, there you have it! The most delicious and easy fall dessert recipe I know!

Share

1: THE GREATEST MAC AND CHEESE EVER

2: EASY AND TASTY POTATO SOUP

3: SAUSAGE BALLS (WHICH ARE GREAT IN THE WINTER TOO, BUT AWESOME IN FALL)!

4: BUTTER STEAK AND POTATOES 

5: THE BEST ROAST EVER

Share

APPETIZER: QUESO CHORIZO DIP

According to Jonathan, the queso has a great flavor, and wasn't too spicy. The ingredients were well-balanced. He did say that he felt there was a bit too much oil on the queso, most likely from the meat or the seasoning used on the meat. I also appreciated the queso. It was great, but the chips also had a light seasoning on it that gave appetizer a bit of an extra kick. It did taste a little spicy to me, but nothing that couldn't be managed with some water!

JONATHAN'S MEAL: HOT AND SPICY BUFFALO SANDWICH

From Jonathan: "It was heckin' good. I thought it would be super spicy because it said it had habanero on it. But, it wasn't bad. It seems like the seasoning was more of a dry rub rather than a bunch of sauce (he stole this commentary from me). We 'loaded' our fries, which means they added queso, bacon, and shredded cheese to them. They weren't super salty, despite the cheese. The pickle was a nice touch."

GABBIE'S MEAL: BUFFALO CHICKEN SANDWICH

As for me, I opted for one of my favorite menu items to try: the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. The thing I loved the most about this sandwich, which Jonathan kind of mentioned in his commentary, was the fact that it wasn't drenched in sauce. I find that sandwiches drenched in sauce are much harder to eat, and super messy. I did walk away with a stain on my shirt, but not from excessive sauce. The bun was toasted. This originally came with lettuce, tomato, and onions, but I kept only the onions. Weirdly, the onions were chopped rather than in small strips. However, it did insure that you get a piece on onion in every bite! I too loved the fries, especially the queso. Make sure you get some ranch for dipping the fries and the sandwich. You won't regret it!

THE ATMOSPHERE

Bubba's 33 has a great atmosphere, specifically for sports fans. They seemed to have one TV for every NFL game that was going to kick off around 1 p.m. EST.  Jonathan loved this. The TVs actually displayed the logos of the teams that were going to be facing off, so you could know which TV to direct your attention toward. The decor was overall vintage. It was welcoming, especially for bar-food lovers!

FINAL FOODIE THOUGHTS

Share

THE ATMOSPHERE

THE COFFEE

In my opinion, a great breakfast experience starts out with coffee. The coffee here was excellent and robust. A selection of sweeteners and raw sugar packets as well as individual creamers were left on the table. It also helps that the coffee is ethically sourced and supports families that grow coffee in rural areas of the world. So it's safe to say that this coffee is good for your body and for your soul!

THE SHAREABLE

For a shareable, Jonathan and I decided on the mixed berry toast. This delectable appetizer of sorts featured bread topped with a lemon ricotta spread, mixed berries, homemade granola, and a cream drizzle. My favorite part of this toast was the lemon ricotta spread. It provided the best little hint of sour that paired perfectly with the sweetness from these seasonal summer berries.

Despite the the decadent look of this sweet sharable, it was surprisingly light. Jonathan said his favorite part of the toast was the homemade granola, and I can't disagree with his assessment. The granola provided the perfect crunch to this tasty toast. We would definitely recommend that any First Watch goers try out this delicious toast when they visit the restaurant, which can be found not only in Fayetteville, but in different parts of the U.S.

OUR MEALS

I decided on the Traditional Breakfast, which included two eggs, a choice of meats, seasoned potatoes, and toast with house-made preserves. Don't forget a side of orange juice! I can't rave enough about this meal. It was filling, but not to the point where you're groaning and unable to do much after eating. You all know what I'm talking about!

Although I loved all aspects of my meal, I was particularly impressed with the seasoned potatoes. They were so tasty and actually rivaled my mom's recipe for seasoned potatoes! The bacon was deliciously crispy. Additionally, the house-made preserves tasted just like the kind I make and paired really well with the multi-grain toast that came with the meal!

I unfortunately didn't get a great photo of all of Jonathan's meal, but I pulled this (bad quality) screenshot from Instagram so you can see the omelette:  the Chile Chorizo omelette. According to Jonathan, the omelette was fluffy and packed with chicken, chorizo, and a little bit of spice. He really enjoyed the side salad, which has some sort of delicious vinaigrette dressing on it. But, in true Jonathan fashion, his breakfast wasn't complete without trying the biscuits and gravy. He really enjoyed the gravy. He said it has a great texture and the biscuits were really fluffy.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Share

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

STEP 1: THE SEASONING

For the spice that you will put onto your chicken, you will need to take one part of your chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and onion powder and 1/4 a part of crushed red pepper (the spice). Mix this together in a bowl and set aside. I used 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of each and a few shakes of the crushed red pepper in ours.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE CHICKEN

Cook your chicken thoroughly without any seasoning on it. You can do this in a pan or in the oven. After the chicken is cooked, shred it and add the chicken, your seasoning, and some water into a pan and heat it until the water has evaporated from the pan.  You'll be left with something like this.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLING THE QUESADILLA

I was all alone and didn't manage to get pics of this part, so I'm using a photo of cheese for this! If you're like us, you're a huge lover of cheese. We added both mozzarella and cheddar along with some of the chicken between two tortillas. Make sure you are cooking on medium heat so you don't burn your tortilla.

STEP 4: ENJOY

That's right! You're finished. Be sure to make up whatever side you want to have with your quesadillas. We chose Spanish rice, and it was amazing. I loved making the seasoning on my own, and the hubby said he was a fan, also. The seasoning added a much-needed kick to the dish, and the cheese was ah-mazing!

Share