nanny’s green beans
Posted: July 5, 2020 Filed under: sides | Tags: bacon, garlic, onion soup mix, pepper, salt, sugar, tarragon, tomatoes, white onion Leave a comment 
The Taste Of Yesteryear
Sometimes it can be difficult to get excited about green beans. But when your taste buds are delightfully reunited with the taste of your childhood – something you may have forgotten about but when you reconnect with it you remember instantly – it can be a great thing.
Such is the case with this green bean recipe! I can remember my Grandmother “Nanny” making green beans just like these when I was a mini me.
The Power Of A Grandmother
Of my grandparents I was closest to my maternal grandmother, who we affectionately called “Nanny.” You can find pictures of her on the old photos tab here on Betty’s Cook Nook.
Mere days before 1900 Nanny was born in Dime Box, Texas – a tiny unincorporated community in the southeast central Texas prairie. Nanny saw a lot during her 91 years and one thing we’ll always remember her for is her good-time food. Nanny’s green beans were one of her signature creations right up there with her chicken noodle soup, her prized waffles, and the coconut ambrosia she’d bring over on Easter Sunday.
This recipe comes to Betty’s Cook Nook from my fellow foodie Cousin Jennifer who scored it from our awesome Julie, who was the matriarch of our family for many years. Jennifer said she and Julie would enjoy these beans most Sundays for lunch. I hope you enjoy them! Who knows – whether it’s this recipe or another – maybe you’ll create a new tradition of your own shared through the art and love of food!
Foodie Tip
❤ Paired with bacon, onions, tomatoes and garlic it’s really easy to like these green beans. I realized while eating these that the canned beans tend to be a little soft for my preference. You may feel quite the opposite! Then I did a little research and realized I actually prefer what I knew as a kid as plain green beans (aka haricot verts) vs. the canned Italian cut. The next time I try these beans I’ll try substituting the Italian cut with fresh sautéed green beans with a little more bite (firm to the tooth) to it and see what happens.
i. Time
Total prep: About 35 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
4 slices | bacon, cut into pieces
1 | white onion, thinly sliced
14 ½ can | diced tomatoes, with the liquid
1 envelope | Lipton’s dry onion soup mix
½ teaspoon | dried tarragon
½ teaspoon | fresh garlic, minced
½ teaspoon | sugar
2 cans (28 ounces each) | Allen’s Italian-cut Kentucky wonder beans, with the liquid
to taste | salt
to taste | fresh cracked black pepper
iii. What To Do
1. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Add the onion slices and cook until tender and translucent.
2. Add the diced tomatoes with the liquid, the onion soup mix, tarragon, garlic and sugar. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the green beans, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes and voilà!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of the original green bean recipe is below. Sorry, Mary A. Peterson. I renamed your recipe to honor my Grandmother “Nanny.” Plus, I don’t have an Aunt Mary. But props to you for sharing this forward – that’s exactly what an awesome foodie does!
lela’s grits
Posted: March 31, 2020 Filed under: breakfast, sides | Tags: avocado, bacon, butter, cheddar cheese, chives, chorizo, eggs, garlic cheese, green onions, grits, ham, hot sauce, parmesan cheese, queso fresco, salt, spinach, tomatoes, water Leave a comment
True Grits
Grits were born in the 16th century thanks to the Muskogee Native American tribe of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.
Flash forward 400-ish years later and we’re still enjoying cornmeal that’s often served with a seemingly endless assortment of sweet and savory sidekicks.
Because grits don’t have much flavor all by themselves, they are super versatile adopting the taste of their foodie sidekicks like bacon, cheese, onions, shrimp, sausage and more. Butter is a given! I’ve included some ingredient options below, although Lela’s original recipe just called for garlic cheese. Sometimes the simple foods provide the greatest comfort!
My orientation to grits was via the 1970s greasy spoon diner sitcom Alice. I spent many hours watching Flo Castleberry find a delightfully southern and spunky way of telling people to “Kiss my grits!” Here’s a video compilation of some of her sassiest moments:
Truth be told – one bite in and you may just kiss these grits. I enjoyed reminiscing over this dish and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Foodie Tips
❤ Garlic cheese roll? Yeah, you won’t likely readily find it at the grocery store. This good ol’ classic has been discontinued by Kraft but you can score a way to make your own Garlic Cheese Roll at home with this Betty’s Cook Nook recipe (scroll to the bottom for the bonus cheese roll recipe).
❤ This pimiento cheese recipe tastes great in lieu of the garlic cheese roll.
❤ I discovered a recent Southern Living magazine article with some ingredient options to enjoy grits three unique ways: Option 1: Scrambled eggs, cubed ham, shredded cheddar cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped fresh chives. Option 2: Fried egg, cubed chorizo, cubed avocado, crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese), and hot sauce. Option 3: Poached egg, crumbled bacon, sautéed spinach, and shaved Parmesan cheese.
i. Time
Total prep: About 25 minutes
ii. Ingredients
3 cups | boiling water
1 cup | grits
to taste | salt
1 roll | garlic cheese roll
1 stick | unsalted butter (my Grandmother always insisted on Falfurrias brand butter)
2 | cage free eggs
to serve | cheddar cheese, shredded
to garnish | bacon, crumbled (optional)
to garnish | green onions, sliced (optional)
iii. What To Do
1. In a saucepan bring the water to a boil.
2. Slowly stir the grits into the boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
3. Add the salt, garlic cheese, butter and eggs and continue cooking until everything melts, about 2-3 minutes. The cheese should cool the grits a bit – you’ll want to make sure you don’t scramble your eggs!
Optional step: We transferred the grits into a buttered casserole dish, topped the grits with the shredded cheddar cheese and baked it at 350°F for 10 minutes to give the grits a cheesy crust up top.
4. To serve (if using): Sprinkle the bacon and sliced green onions on top and enjoy!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Grits Recipe Card
Who is Lela?
When I was growing up Lela Swinny lived at 3006 Northridge in San Antonio just 2 doors around the corner from my family’s home at 2927 Trailend.
The Swinny family was a delightful bunch of folks and my family spent almost as much time at their house as our own so naturally “fooding” was a part of the times our two families shared.
Mom’s dear friend “Lela” taught me many things ~ the joy of laughing, how to swim in their awesome pool, and how to cook a memorable breakfast treat called “Egg In A Nest,” which is also posted here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
True family fact: Back in the 1970s Lela was throwing out an old desk that caught my Mom’s eye. A coat of red paint later and it was a cornerstone in my brother Tim’s red white and blue bedroom (it was around the time of our Country’s Bicentennial celebration so red white and blue was extra hot). In the 1990s I painted the desk black and it’s the desk where I author this cooking blog to this day, proving that Lela is still with us, heart and soul!
You’ll find a picture of Lela and me in the “old family photos” tab and you can search for her by name to connect with more of her spirited recipes here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
Cheers to two great friends – my Mom Betty and Lela!
helen corbitt’s quiche lorraine
Posted: May 19, 2019 Filed under: breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals | Tags: bacon, dry mustard, eggs, ham, light cream, nutmeg, onion, pie crust, swiss cheese Leave a comment
Champagne & Lorraine
When I first met this recipe’s name I presumed Helen Corbitt was one of my Mom’s dear friends. Like many of the old recipes that found their way into my Mom’s cookbook they were often penned with a name giving a clue linking us back to the the recipe’s origin.
A few curious clicks later I stumbled upon this Texas Monthly article from December 1999 (the turn of our century) that revealed who Helen was – her connection to Texas and to food. With culinary ties to the University of Texas, the Houston Country Club, Joske’s Department Store, the Driskill Hotel, and Neiman Marcus, Helen’s craft touched the hearts of many. While she may not have loved Texas from the start, the people of our great state eventually won her heart. So we can tip our hat to her for staying here and pioneering the way for better days. Helen earned the title “Tastemaker of the Century,” undoubtedly an honor for any foodie who loves cuisine and sharing it with others.
I know my Mom “Betty” loved quiche because I’ve found a handful of eggy recipes in her cookbook. I love how simple quiche is to prepare and share… and how changing 1 or 2 ingredients can magically transform the taste.
Let’s enjoy a slice of the good life and raise a toast to our “forefoodies”
~ Cling Cling / Cheers! 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾
Foodie Tips
❤ “Light cream” always trips me up. I look for it at the grocery store and often shake my fist at the sky when I cannot find it. Sometimes called “coffee cream” or “table cream,” light cream is a tad bit higher in fat than half-and-half. So what. Who cares?
❤ While I slightly overbaked the crust, the quiche itself turned out great! Try using a silicon pie crust shield to help prevent your dough from burning. I shudder to think what my quiche would have looked like without it. #charcoal? :)
❤ I hope to become an “aficionado” at the meat counter soon. When I read “thin sliced” ham I guessed it was a thickness of 2. On the next go of this recipe I’ll try a 1.
❤ My Mom loved quiche. And if you’re still reading this post I’m guessing you do, too! Check out this recipe where I wax on about the origins of quiche and its relationship to my hometown, San Antonio.
i. Time
Total prep: About 40 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
8 inch | pie crust
4 slices | bacon, crisped and chopped
4 | thin slices of onion, sautéed
8 | paper thin slices of ham, shredded
8 | paper thin slices of swiss cheese, sliced
3 | cage free eggs
¼ teaspoon | dry mustard
1 cup | light cream, heated
a dash | nutmeg
iii. What to do
1. Prepare the pie crust according to the instructions. Mom wrote hers was baked at 450°F for about 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the bacon and onion over the pie crust. Add ½ of the ham then top with 4 slices of the cheese. Wait – we’re not done! This is Texas! Repeat the layering again – add the rest of the ham and the last 4 slices of cheese.
3. Beat the egg and mustard. Add the heated light cream and continue beating. Pour the egg mixture over the layers of ham and cheese. Let things “stand” for 10 minutes. Is your stomach growling yet?
4. Sprinkle a tiny bit of nutmeg on top of the quiche then bake it at 350°F until this custard is set (about 15-20 minutes).
Serves: One to a few, depending on your ability to resist deliciousness.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
In Case You Missed It…
Honored in 1999 as “Tastemaker of the Century” by Texas Monthly Magazine, Helen Corbitt may not have loved Texas as much as those who were born here but she became enchanted with the unique blend of Texans and their love for food. If the stories I’ve read are true (and I bet they are), Helen had a lot to do with the culinary cultivation of our state introducing our fore-parents to artichokes, raspberries, soufflés, Texas Caviar, and surprising creations limited only by the stars.
I don’t know if my Mom, Betty, knew Helen. But I know they shared the love of great food… so Helen is as much a family member as one can wish for.
With the love of food, all things are possible. ###
A Scan Of Mom’s Quiche Lorraine Recipe
kim’s loaded cauliflower casserole
Posted: February 25, 2019 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals, sides | Tags: bacon, cauliflower, cheddar cheese, chives, mayonnaise, sour cream Leave a comment
Cauliflower Power
This recipe comes to Betty’s Cook Nook via my Niece Kimberly.
Halloween 2018 proved to be the perfect time for Kim and her fiancé Chris to come for a visit. They were both on the keto diet, being just two months before their wedding date. Kim raved about this dish and was so excited to make and share it with us.
After tasting her loaded cauliflower casserole creation, we understood why – we could each easily devour the entire casserole! This dish reminded me so much of loaded mashed potatoes, but it’s low in carbs, the hallmark of the ketogenic diet. And it only calls for six ingredients!
I’m parking this recipe here at my Mom “Betty’s” Cook Nook because it’s a family favorite and Mom would wholeheartedly approve! Plus, now I know where to turn whenever I get a hankering for bacon, cheese, sour cream, and mayo delight.
i. Time
Total prep: About 45 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
6-8 strips | bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large head (about 6 cups) | cauliflower, cut up into bite-sized pieces
2 cups | sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 tablespoons | fresh chives, chopped
½ cup | mayonnaise
½ cup | sour cream
Ladies And Gentlemen – Start Your Engines! CHEESE!
iii. What to do
1. Cook your bacon as you like (skillet or oven). Drain off the grease and set the bacon aside to cool.
2. Add the cauliflower into a large pot, fill it with water, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and set it aside to cool.
3. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Now’s a good time to crumble your bacon.
4. Combine 1 cup of cheddar cheese, ½ of the crumbled bacon, ½ of the chives, all the mayonnaise, sour cream, and the cauliflower. Mix well.
5. Transfer the mixture into a casserole dish and sprinkle the rest of the cheese and bacon on top.
6. Place the casserole into the oven and bake it for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
7. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the reminder of the chives on top and serve.
Serves: One to a few, depending on your ability to resist deliciousness.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
Kimberly ❤ Forever Loved
special baked chicken
Posted: January 31, 2018 Filed under: meats poultry and fish | Tags: bacon, chicken breast, chipped beef, dried beef, mushroom soup, rosemary, sour cream Leave a comment
This special recipe is dedicated to Alison ~
her kindness reminds me to never underestimate
the power of a Cousin.
~ ♥ ~
This recipe crept into my life several decades after it was penned from a very lovable and surprising person. I didn’t discover the recipe among the hundreds of my Mom “Betty’s” other recipes — I found it in my mailbox!
While recently packing up her family’s belongings to move near my childhood home in San Antonio my Cousin Alison came across this recipe from her Grandmother Delores’ cookbook and was kind enough to send it to me along with a few other recipes that will be soon joining the digital archives here at Betty’s Cook Nook. Alison knew what these recipes would mean to me!
The connection? Delores is my Mom “Betty’s” older — and only — Sister and this recipe is one of a precious few that have found its way to the Betty’s Cook Nook archive that was otherwise missing from my Mom’s cookbook. So Texas-sized props to my Cousin Alison!
A healthy appetite for family
When you’re a grown adult it’s not every day someone seemingly new arrives into your heart. Over the past few years Alison has shown me that even a part of my familiar family can have a surprising impact decades after we first knew each other. I love uncovering all the ways we are alike even when I’m not mining for things in common; a crescendo I hope has no end.
One such example is our thirst for our family genealogy. I heard from my family that Alison had great skills and interest for researching our past but it wasn’t until this month when I realized how true this was!
As a self-proclaimed internet researcher I pride myself on being able to find a lot of things online thru keyword and image searches. Heck, it was this post that helped me reunite with my Mom and her Sister’s childhood home here in Austin 80 years after it was built!
The Horní Lideč Coat of Arms
Shortly after receiving the recipes, Alison and I were geeking out via fierce sms txt exchanges after dual-searching a missing part of our family’s history — my Grandmother “Nanny’s” father, “Joe,” Betty’s Grandfather. I literally knew nothing about him but Alison found out from Census records she accessed on Ancestry.com that Joe was an orphan who came to the U.S. when he was a mere 9 years old! Joe hailed from a tiny village named Horní Lideč in Moravia — a country that is now part of the Czech Republic — and wound up in the farm country of Dime Box, Texas, where my Mom was born… and close to where Alison and I went to college. Gig ‘Em! Alison and I are currently on the hunt for more clues for how we can better know this branch of our family tree.
A wild and wicked past
Not only did the resiliency of my Great Grandfather’s history fuel my curiosity and ignite my respect but Alison told me she discovered her several times great Grandmother was Martha Carrier, a Puritan accused, convicted, and hanged in 1692 for reportedly being a witch during the Salem Witch Trails! Pure craziness! 19 years after Martha’s death the Massachusetts government awarded her family 7 pounds and 6 shillings and reversed the conviction. So humbling!
Martha – along with 19 others are recognized at Salem’s Witch Trials Memorial. I’ve only been to Salem once — on a dark 1990s Halloween’s Eve no doubt. Should my feet adventure to this part of America again, I’ll make sure and visit the memorial site which honors the past by perpetuating the unwavering commitment to social justice.
So what does all this have to do with special baked chicken? Well, quite a lot! Had Alison not sent me the almost-forgotten recipe we likely wouldn’t have dove deep into our family’s roots … or found a dish I hope to meet and eat again! Along the way we shared, learned, laughed, *and gasped* at what we discovered.
The point of all of this is know your family. Not just your nuclear family but as much of where you’ve came from that you can discover! And food is a wonderful way to connect and share the best of family along the way.
On to the most special baked chicken recipe I know!
Foodie Tips
❤ Apparently sliced dried beef is super salty and we forgot to run water over it per the instructions. I’d suggest following this step!
❤ Lover of the dried beef, are you? Well, you’re not alone. While one of my Nieces hates dried beef (a.k.a. chipped beef) with a passion she does hold a high regard for its historical significance. Check out this other BCN recipe where we explore another way to fashion dried beef into a, ahem, culinary delicacy.
❤ Of special note: My Mom advised this recipe can be delayed in a “slower oven” if guests are late.
i. Ingredients
3 ounce package | sliced dried beef
3 large | chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved
6 slices | bacon
to sprinkle | fresh rosemary, chopped
1 can | mushroom soup
1 cup | sour cream
ii. What to do
0. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
1. Run cold water over the dried beef. Dry then place the beef in a 12” x 8” x 2” baking dish.
2. Place the prepared chicken breasts on top of the beef.
3. Top each breast with a slice of bacon then sprinkle with the fresh rosemary. Place in your oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. While the meats are cooking combine the mushroom soup and the sour cream. When “time’s up” on the chicken pour the sour cream mixture over the chicken and continue baking 40-50 minutes at 350°F. Baste here and there, making sure to not disrupt the layering of the chipped beef and the bacon.
Yields 4-6 servings.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Copy Of Mom’s Recipe – As Penned By My Aunt Delores (Betty’s SIster).
bootsie’s salad
Posted: September 29, 2017 Filed under: salads, sides | Tags: bacon, celery, lettuce, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, peas, pepper, red onion, salt, sugar, tomato Leave a comment
Almost four years after making Mom’s Layered Salad recipe, Bootsie’s Salad kicked its way into my life.
I don’t know who ‘Bootsie’ was, but celery, red onion, and tomato were a flavorful twist on the layered salad. So what, exactly, are the similarities and differences between Bootsie’s and Mom’s salads? I conducted a little side-by-side comparisons and the results are in!
I think the results are clear – both salads have a lot to offer. In fact most anything fresh that finds its way into a salad bowl tastes great. Which is why next time I’m making a mega-layered salad comprised of all these ingredients! :)
foodie tips
❤ I thought it was odd that both recipes called for sugar. I didn’t really notice it, which means it probably got married-up with the mayonnaise (or sour cream). If you’re watching your weight you can eliminate the sugar and use low fat mayo along with other substitutions. Remember – this recipe is from flashback 1970s so pretty much anything went into the belly!
❤ This would pair well with anything from the grill – chicken, pork and beef come to mind.
❤ In case you missed the callout above here’s the link over to Mom’s Layered Salad here on Betty’s Cook Nook.
i. ingredients (listed in layered order)
1 layer | lettuce, blotted dry
1 layer | celery, diced
1 layer | red onion, sliced (we diced)
2 packages | frozen peas, cooked, drained, and cooled
globs | mayonnaise
to taste | salt and pepper
¼ cup | sugar
7-9 slices | crisp, crumbled bacon
1 | tomato, sliced
to serve | parmesan cheese, freshly grated
ii. what to do
1. Prepare the peas and set them aside.
2. Layer the ingredients into a bowl that will fit into your fridge:
- Lettuce
- Celery
- Onion
- Peas
- Mayo (drop it by globs over the top of the peas)
- Salt and Pepper
- Sugar
3. Cover the salad bowl with foil (or wrap) and place it into the fridge or crisper to allow things to marinate, about 3-5 hours.
4. At some point before you’re ready to unveil the salad prepare your bacon and set it aside.
5. When ready to serve, remove the salad from the fridge and garnish with the crumbled bacon, tomato, and the parmesan cheese.
Yields 4-8 servings, depending on the size of your appetite and whether this is being served as a main entree or a side!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Bootsie’s Salad Recipe Card
While Bootsie’s Salad Recipe doesn’t call for any additional dressing poured on top (you’ve already made it with the mayonnaise), let’s have a look at some vintage salad dressings commercials that might make you smile wider than a salad bowl.
Sous Chef Note: Let’s take a brief time machine stop into the 1980s with this Salad Shooter commercial. I was working at Foley’s in the (gulp) housewares department and this commercial was on a loop which means in a typical 8 hour shift I would have been exposed to this jingle almost 1,000 times. And some wonder why I hand slice/grate – the jingle is tattooed on my brain!
Sous Chef Note: Oh Edith, Ralph doesn’t love your salad – he loves your salad dressing – all of it! You just poured about 2 cups of dressing on his “side” salad. Just give him the pitcher and a straw. Voilà! LOL
Sous Chef Note: “What’s happening to salad that’s never happened before?” It’s getting smaller! I’m going to need seven servings of this Seven Seas salad – apparently my appetite is bigger than this teacup saucer-sized salad plate!
sweet and sour cabbage
Posted: May 21, 2017 Filed under: sides | Tags: bacon, brown sugar, caraway seeds, corn starch, red cabbage, salt, vinegar, water, white onion Leave a comment
Your tastebuds will dance a sweet and savory tango induced by the dynamic pairing of brown sugar and bacon – both wrapped in a blankety “zing” of vinegar and a sprinkling of caraway seed.
Indeed, cabbage has a bad rap. Why, the lips seem to curl at the very mention of its name! And while cabbage made a lot of appearances at depression era tables, there are some quite redeeming qualities of cabbage including protecting against stress, lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and helping create a healthier complexion. I’m in!
the cabbage craze
Perhaps the biggest cabbage morale booster started in the 1970s. This was the golden era where the origins of the Cabbage Patch Kids kingdom was born. During this time I was preoccupied with skateboarding or patiently staring at the fruitless gems never born by my rock tumbler. Simultaneously a multi-billion dollar business was emerging thanks to the help of “Bunnybees” sprinkling magic dust on top of cabbages. Hey, don’t make fun of the messenger!
While your sweet and sour cabbage is chilling in the fridge you can enjoy the earliest Cabbage Patch Kids video I could locate (below) plus a video revealing the lesser-known story behind the pudgy dolls.
foodie tips
❤ Dressing tip: We didn’t notice the dressing turning clear per the instructions below; just make sure you don’t overcook it; in 3-4 minutes ours was done.
❤ This dish is best consumed the same day it’s made; the chopped cabbage will gradually lose its crisp the longer it sits.
❤ Love sweet and sour? Celebrate the flavorful ying and yang by clicking here for more of Mom’s recipes!
A Cool, Star-Like Design, Compliments Of Cabbage
i. ingredients
6 slices | bacon
3 tablespoons | bacon drippings, reserved from bacon (above)
2 tablespoons | white onion, chopped
½ cup | brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon | corn starch
1 teaspoon | salt
¼ cup | water
⅓ cup | vinegar
6 cups | red cabbage, shredded
1 teaspoon | caraway seeds
A Caraway Seed Close Up
ii. what to do
1. Cook the bacon until crisp. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the skillet then drain the excess. Cool then crumble the bacon and set it aside while we prepare our dressing.
2. To the drippings add the onion, brown sugar, corn starch, salt, water, and the vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and clear. Remove the dressing from heat and cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, caraway seeds. Add the crumbled bacon and the cooled dressing. Toss well and chill.
Yields 6 1-cup servings! I paired my cabbage with a nice home-grilled cheeseburger, which complimented the sweet and savory cabbage perfectly!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Sweet and Sour Cabbage Recipe (note the back – Woman’s Day Magazine!)
And here are the videos I promised!
quiche lorraine
Posted: December 4, 2016 Filed under: appetizers, breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: bacon, cayenne pepper, cheddar cheese, cream, eggs, evaporated milk, gruyere cheese, half and half, ham, nutmeg, pie crust, salt, white pepper Leave a comment
Quiche Masterpiece
I love when I get a little history lesson along with a recipe. It’s like two treats in one! Found along with this recipe my Mom clipped from The San Antonio Express-News in 1970 the article tells an interesting story about this recipe’s creator, Ester MacMillan.
Ester helped introduce quiche to foodies near and far after it arrived at the 1968 World’s Fair dubbed “HemisFair” that was held in San Antonio. What a sight that must have been when the Tower of the Americas – an observation tower more than 600 feet tall complete with a spinning 360° top – debuted at the expo! You can read more about Ester and her story about the origin of quiche via the original recipe scan I scored from my Mom’s cookbook below. 
As a child I remember my Mom, “Betty,” talking about Quiche Lorraine and a few decades later (ahem, just a few) this was the first time I made it. I absolutely loved it! I found the recipe extremely forgiving, meaning you can adapt it to your liking by adjusting the ingredients you introduce into the custard.
Perfect for a brunch-time gathering or a couch-side treat this recipe scored a well-deserved spot in “The Best Of The Best Recipes” category (at right) … as well as my heart.
I’ve discovered more than one quiche recipe in Mom’s cookbook so I’ll be trying other versions soon and will share them here at Betty’s Cook Nook.
foodie tips
❤ “Blind baking.” I had never heard of it before until my friend and colleague Suzanne told me about it when I commented that I longed for a crispier quiche crust. Essentially all you do is pre-bake the crust a few minutes before filling it; doing so will help give it more “fluff.” I’ll give blind baking a try on the next making of this dish. And there will be a next time.
❤ I may have “accidentally” used a teeny bit more meat than the recipe suggests. In fact, Ester called for bacon or ham. A lover of both, I used bacon and ham. #Carnivore. This recipe presumes you will follow suit and use both. I scored some peppered ham at my local HEB and I loved the extra peppery kick.
❤ After reading the recipe below if you want to learn more about NIOSA and score some of the festival’s recipes, click this link and enjoy!
i. ingredients
9 inch | pie crust
¼ pound | bacon or ham (or both)
1 ½ cup | gruyere or aged cheddar, grated (I used gruyere)
5 | cage free eggs
1 cup | cream, half and half or undiluted evaporated milk
½ teaspoon | salt
dash | white pepper
dash | nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon | dried onion
dash | cayenne pepper
ii. what to do
0. Preheat your oven to 400°F. That was easy, right?
1. Line a 9-inch pie pan or fluted quiche pan with pie crust. If you choose, blind bake the doughy crust (per above) and set aside.
2. Cook until crisp the bacon – and or – lightly brown the ham. Set the dynamic duo aside to cool off a bit.
3. Place your grated cheese (yum, cheese!) in the bottom of your pastry-lined pie pan. Over that, sprinkle your meats.
4. In a medium-sized bowl beat the eggs. Add the cream and the four seasonings and beat a little longer until everything is well-mingled. Pour this egg mixture over the cheese-meat medley.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden and custard is set. Remove from oven and cool a bit to lukewarm and serve.
Yield: About 8 servings. Enjoy!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of Mom’s recipe for Quiche Lorraine. Click to read the interesting story!
Watch this interesting video series about HemisFair 1968! I learned much about my hometown city!
magic marshmallow crescent puffs
Posted: February 28, 2016 Filed under: desserts | Tags: bacon, butter, cinnamon, crescent rolls, marshmallows, milk, pecans, powdered sugar, sugar, vanilla Leave a comment
Let’s Make Some Magic
This recipe is a Pillsbury Bake-Off® winner from time warp October 20, 1969! It marked the first time a refrigerated dough won the Bake-Off’s grand prize. Hats off to you, Edna Holmgren Walker (at right), for winning the grand prize that landed you in the Pillsbury Hall Of Fame and into the hearts and tummies of foodies across the globe. And thank you my Mom “Betty” for snagging this recipe so that I could enjoy it!
I think if you were to shout out “Pillsbury” in your local grocery it would soon be echoed with a “Doughboy!” But second to Snuggles, who annoyed my good childhood friend Scotty, the Pillsbury Doughboy just creeps me out. He’s always in a over the top good mood and his platter sized dilated pupils are super freaky. His laugh? Me, oh my!
The web is flooded with jokes and videos about the doughy guy. I even found his “fauxbituary” that said he died of a yeast infection caused by being poked in the stomach too many times. This commercial, however, is probably one of my favorites of him – it features Maureen McCormick in a spot from before her Marcia Brady stardom. Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! Thank you for practicing your singing before making what might have been something other than a Sunshine Day.
All kidding aside, the Pillsbury crescent rolls make the perfect wrapper for these sweet treats.
foodie tips ~
❤ Fine dining for two – four? You can half this recipe if you don’t want 16 magical puffs. Or you can make all 16 and get your crazy magic marshmallow puffs on!
❤ I read on some blogs that folks thought it was normal that the puffs had a coating of the marshmallow mixture inside, but otherwise the puff had blown a tire during baking. I absolutely disagree. Obviously there’s an art to creating the perfect magical mouthwatering gooey marshmallow puff and about half of my first batch turned out with no white explosion. Why, look at Edna’s vintage picture above – do you see any exploded puffs? Zero. I tasted both blown and unblown puffs and will eagerly testify in foodie court that these are best enjoyed with the entire marshmallow intact inside the perfect puff. That’s the magic!
❤ Need a piping bag in a pinch? You can fashion one out of a snack bag by inserting your icing and snipping a wee bit of the corner off. Works like a charm!
❤ Here in Texas “nuts” is an abbreviation for “Texas Pecans.” Giddy up!
❤ On my next go of these, I’m going to sprinkle a little fairy dust on top of these magic puffs. By fairy dust I mean crumbled bacon. Mmmm… bacon!
i. ingredients
¼ cup | sugar
1 teaspoon | cinnamon
2 8-ounce cans | Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
16 large | marshmallows
¼ cup | butter, melted (Betty’s Mom “Nanny” would say make it Falfurrias)
¼ cup | chopped nuts (make it pecans – see foodie tip above)
½ cup | powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons | milk
½ teaspoon | vanilla
ii. what to do
0. Preheat oven to 375°F.
1. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
2. Separate the two cans of crescent dough into 16 triangles.
3. Dip a marshmallow in the melted butter then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Place the marshmallow on the wide end of the triangle. Fold the corners over the marshmallow and roll it toward the point. Make sure to completely cover the marshmallow and squeeze the edges of the dough to seal. We don’t want any melted marshmallow blowouts, remember?!
5. Dip the pointed side of the puff into butter and place the buttered side down in a greased deep muffin pan. Repeat the process until all your puffs are prepared.
6. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Remove the puffs from the pan and drizzle with your icing mixture. Sprinkle with your pecans and serve warm. Note: While Mrs. Holmgren’s recipe below called for immediate removal and topping I ate my magic puff too fast and it was hot-hot-HOT! I’d suggest letting these rest a few minutes but don’t let them get cold. Nobody likes a cold magical marshmallow puff!
Yields 16 rolls (full recipe)
~ Patrick
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of my Mom Betty’s original magic marshmallow crescent puffs recipe (see top right)
onion lover’s twist
Posted: May 19, 2015 Filed under: appetizers, sides | Tags: bacon, butter, cheese, egg, flour, garlic salt, ham, milk, onion, paprika, parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, salt, sesame seeds, sugar, yeast Leave a comment
Are You Bready For This?
After setting my appetite on making this twisted bread, I realized that Mom’s cut-out recipe had a seriously odd shape and some of the article was missing (see the original far below). I flipped the time-worn clipping over and realized that Mom must have really cut out the recipe on the reverse as the shape and article size were spot on. Finger to forehead!
An Artist’s Rendering Of The 1968 World’s Fair in San Antonio
What was on the back, er front, of the recipe? A 1970s story about NIOSA which included a recipe for Quiche Lorraine – a dish that garnered serious street cred at the 1968 World’s Fair held in my hometown of San Antonio. H.R. Pufnstuf debuted at the fair – something I just learned!
A few words about this recipe: I was super-surprised to learn that the recipe’s creator – Mrs. Nan Robb – won $25,000 for the recipe … in 1970!
$25,000 is a lot of money today. So while I joked about eating $25,000 bread, today I found out that after inflation, in 2015, $25,000 of 1970 money is really worth about $155,000! For real!
So now you have a funny story to serve along with this bread!
foodie tips ~
❤ I’ve had a few foodie fails here at Betty’s Cook Nook. My first attempt at making the dough for this recipe is one of them! Turns out the yeast I had on hand was old and after mixing everything together I think the bread actually fell rather than rose. LOL. So make sure and score some fresh yeast from the store to ensure your bread will rise to the rooftops.
❤ Feeling a little insecure about my ability to rise bread, I resorted to some online research to look for tips. Warm ovens and heating pad suggestions aside, I netted out with boiling some water in a glass measuring cup to warm my microwave. I covered my dough-filled bowl with a towel, inserted it into the microwave along with the water and let it do its thing for an hour. The dough more than doubled in size. Magic!
❤ You can easily half this recipe. What I wound up with was about the size of a boogie board. You can also make two “half-sized” loaves by cutting the dough strips in half before braiding – what better way to give a $12,500, er $77,500 gift (post inflation) to a friend?!
❤ I’m not going to point out the obvious but since I obviously pointed something out … you can introduce any of your favorite ingredients into the filling for this twisted bread recipe. I’m thinking of ham and cheese or bacon and maybe a little scallion.
i. ingredients
for the dough:
1 package | active dry yeast
¼ cup | warm water
4 cups | flour (separated into two 2 cup piles)
¼ cup | sugar
1 ½ teaspoons | salt
½ cup | hot water
½ cup | whole milk
¼ cup | butter, softened (Mom’s Mom “Nanny” always insisted on Falfurria’s brand butter)
1 | cage free egg
for the filling:
¼ cup | butter (you know what to do)
1 cup | onion, finely chopped (we used yellow)
1 tablespoon | parmesan cheese, grated (we used 2-3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon | sesame seeds or poppy seeds (we used sesame)
1 teaspoon | garlic salt
1 teaspoon | paprika
ii. what to do
1. Grease a large cookie sheet and set aside. That was easy!
2. In a large mixer bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water. There’s no need to sift the flour – add 2 cups of the flour to the yeast mix (reserving the 2 cups of flour for later), and add the sugar, salt, water, milk, butter and egg. Blend at low speed until moistened then crank up the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. By hand, stir in the remaining 2 cups flour to form a soft dough. Mix it well! Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until light and it has doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
3. While the dough is doing it’s thing let’s make the filling. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining filling ingredients above and mix well. Let rest.
4. After the dough has risen, stir it down. Transfer from bowl then toss it around on a floured surface until no longer sticky. Roll the dough out to a 18″ x 12″ rectangle. Cut the dough into three 18″ x 4″ strips.
5. Spread each strip with the filling mixture, making sure to leave about a half inch around all edges filling-less so you’ll be able to pinch and seal the edges together (you’ll want them sticky). Start with the 18″ side and roll each strip up and press/seal the edges together so the filling is safe inside the doughy roll-up.
6. On your prepared cookie sheet, braid the 3 rolls together. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
7. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
I loved this bread warm and fresh out of the oven. You could also slice it to make a savory sandwich bread.
~ Patrick
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
Here’s a scan of Mom’s original recipe.
I joked above about the odd shape of this cut out. Here’s another Betty’s Cook Nook recipe with a funky shape!
Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!
It’s not a chicken dinner per se but today is your lucky day – I’m posting the reverse side of the Onion Lover’s Twisted Bread recipe! Go on, click on it for a larger view of what’s coming next to Betty’s Cook Nook!
Betty's Cook Nook 