Kitchen Must Haves: Indoor Grills

In all my years, I have yet to own an outdoor grill. Growing up, there were always an outdoor grill. Then George Foreman came through and changed the game! No longer did we have to have to wait for nice weather to enjoy the comforts of grilled food. See, Dad was the parent who reached for takeout before venturing into the kitchen. I loved this! With Momma, each plate included (more often than not) a protein, a vegetable, and a starch. So I looked forward to trying out fast food and dine-in restaurants. Plus, my Stepmom always made sure we tried something different, unless we simply enjoyed a particular establishment...then we would wear it out and get tired of it, soon to move on to the next place.     

But when the George Foreman grill hit the scene, Dad was all-in! And I have to admit, I was just as excited about his creations as I was about new pizzas from CPK. Dad was in the zone when creating marinades for chicken, pork, and beef. He was so thoughtful when looking through the spice selection...very different from Momma and her reckless abandonment for the sake of creativity. It made me feel more sure footed when I was in the kitchen myself. I saw that it was okay to analyze and be careful as I thought through my creations. It gave me space to explore as I built my own foundation, allowing me to move into the recklessness of Momma’s style more comfortably.  

With that, the Kitchen Must Have of this post is the indoor grill! This kitchen gadget allowed me to experience Dad’s kitchen process, which helped me to build my own. Plus, it is such a great item to have. It does everything the outdoor grill does without the elements of the outside world. One of my first purchases for my very first apartment was a George Foreman, because both parents had one. Currently, I use a different product that sits directly on the stove top, but the former will always have my heart. I suggest trying out which works best for you. Understanding this will never replace the original open flame taste, but it is a great alternative.  

Happy Cookin Y’all :)