cajun chicken salad
Posted: January 30, 2024 Filed under: salads, sandwiches, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: black pepper, chicken, corn, garlic powder, green onions, mayonnaise, onion powder, oregano, paprika, red bell pepper, salt, thyme Leave a comment
Ragin’ Cajun Delicious
Being that I’m a little shy around seafood I haven’t had a lot of close encounters with cajun food. Hats off to étouffée, gumbo, crawfish and the like.
But that’s not really fair because the more I read about cajun dishes, the more I realize I do like many of them. Howdy, red beans and rice, dirty rice, jambalaya. See a common thread here? Starches are my DNA!
After one bite of this cajun chicken salad I was hooked so let’s add this to my “yes” list. In fact it’s more of a must-have and my newest add to the “best of the best” shortlist (category at right). This is a flavorful wildly textured salad that had me enjoying it on crackers, celery ribs, “from a fork,” and of course my very own cajun chicken salad sandwich.
This recipe appeared at San Antonio’s KMOL.com (now WOAI) way back in 2001. The recipe came to me from my Cousin Julie’s kitchen where it was tucked away in her recipe drawer until it caught my eye in 2018 and I snapped a picture to bring it to my kitchen. I’ve written about my Cousin and Fellow Foodie Julie several times here at Betty’s Cook Nook and I could literally taste why she had curated this recipe – it’s remarkably delicious and great for impressing others!
Foodie Tips
❤ Do Not Miss This Tip: Early in the preparation for this dish’s signature spice mix, Joe and I learned it makes a ton of the stuff! I joked that since this came from Central Market Foodie Kathy Gottsacker this must have been how much cajun spice they made to serve an entire CM store of chicken salad lovers each day! If you don’t have a lot of the spices – or don’t want cajun spices leftovers – you can reduce the amounts shown below easily by 75% with enough left over. In retrospect I’m glad we have the extra special spice mixture – just be prepared you won’t be using all of it making this recipe just one time.
❤ Chicken salad is about as versatile as the nacho chip. You can enjoy it with a multitude of sidekicks beyond a sandwich or celery rib including scooped atop your favorite greens or sliced cucumber rounds, inside a pita or lettuce wrap, via a crispy tostada, toasted croissant – even plussed-up with penne pasta for a 2-in-1 salad to remember. #GoTeamCarbs!
❤ One of our favorite ways to roast and char a pepper (bell, poblano, hatch, etc.) is to do so right from the gas range/grill. Roasting elevates the flavor, caramelizes the sugars to concentrate their sweetness, and gives it an extra special touch of smokiness. To do so place your pepper over medium/medium-high flame. Rotate the pepper with tongs as charring is visible. When the pepper is blackened (about 4-5 minutes) remove it and place it in a paper bag for 5-10 mins. Remove it from the bag and the skin should be easy to remove with a knife. Remove the stems and seeds and you’re ready to enjoy your very own smoky roasted pepper!
❤ A shortcut for roasted corn is to buy it already roasted! Trader Joe’s or your local market likely sells frozen roasted corn. You can just pop it in the oven for a few minutes and voilà! If you don’t mind the extra TLC pop your corn on the gas grill using your favorite roasting method (there are so many)!
i. Time
About 30 minutes plus time to chill the salad (if desired)
ii. Ingredients
for the cajun spice mix: (see tip above)
8 tablespoons | paprika
2 tablespoons | cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons | black pepper, freshly cracked
6 tablespoons | garlic powder
3 tablespoons | onion powder
6 tablespoons | salt
2 ½ tablespoons | dried oregano
2 ½ tablespoons | dried thyme
for the chicken salad:
1 | roasted chicken, shredded or diced (about 4 cups)
2 cups | yellow corn, roasted
1 cup | red bell peppers, roasted then chopped
2 teaspoons | cajun spice mix (from above)
¾ cup | mayonnaise (fresh if you can)
1 cup | green onions, cut on bias (a 45-degree angle)
iii. What To Do
1. Ahead of time you can prepare the spice mix, roasted chicken, roasted corn and roasted red bell peppers.
2. Place the prepared ingredients in a large bowl and combine.
3. In a small-sized bowl combine the spice mix and the mayonnaise to make this dish’s “special sauce.”
4. Add the mayonnaise-spice mix to the chicken mixture. Add the green onions and gently mix.
5. Chill until you’re ready to enjoy from your chosen serving addition (greens, bread, etc.).
Yield: 6-12+ Servings, depending on size of your appetite and your willingness to share
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A scan of the original cajun chicken salad recipe as it came into my possession
11/30/21Presidente Brandy
nutmeg cake
Posted: December 31, 2023 Filed under: desserts | Tags: baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, butter, buttermilk, coconut, eggs, flour, light cream, nutmeg, salt, sugar Leave a comment
The Spice Of Life
Whether it’s sprinkled on top of your favorite wintertime drink, added to pies or cakes, or found in the form of a fancy sports move, nutmeg makes pretty much any time a special time.
Known for its warm, nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet taste, nutmeg is often found palling around with its familiar besties, cinnamon, clove, pumpkin pie spice, and allspice. Folks often say nutmeg “smells like Christmas,” and it’s not surprising that quite a few of my Mom “Betty’s” recipes call for this ingredient. From fondue to meatballs, quiche, and sweets, you can find nutmeg recipes with the ingredient search area at right (in desktop view).
Foodie Tips
❤ Buttermilk is fermented milk and if you don’t have buttermilk you can substitute it with sour milk. Sour milk? This term always throws me but if you’re in a pinch you can make “soured” milk – this article and video are quite surprising!
❤ No light cream on hand? You can substitute with a mixture of equal parts milk and heavy cream. Other options.
❤ What does nutmeg have to do with sports? My culinary skills outweigh my sports skills and this article helped me connect the two.
i. Time
About an hour
ii. Ingredients
for the cake:
½ cup | butter (my Grandmother “Nanny” insisted on Falfurrias brand butter)
1 ⅓ cups | sugar
3 | eggs
2 cups | sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon | baking powder
1 teaspoon | baking soda
2 teaspoons | nutmeg
½ teaspoon | salt
1 cup | buttermilk or sour milk
for the topping:
6 tablespoons | more butter
¼ cup | light cream (Coffee mate “Original” flavor works great)
1 cup | brown sugar
½ cup | flaked coconut
3 Out Of 3 Elves Agree Nutmeg Cake Makes The Holidays Bright
iii. What To Do
1. In a mixing bowl or KitchenAid, cream together the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Add this to the creamed mixture with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
4. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 375°F.
5. Turn the batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
6. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until done.
7. Let’s make the topping. In a medium pan combine the 6 tablespoons butter, the light cream and brown sugar. Place over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
8. Pour the mixture over the nutmeg cake. Top with the flaked coconut and return the cake to the oven to bake for 5 minutes.
This is delicious served warm!
Yield: 8-12+ Servings, depending on size of your appetite and your willingness to share
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
An Original Scan Of Mom’s Nutmeg Cake Recipe | Better Homes And Gardens, March 1969
Time Warp: Click on the vintage advertisements below from the 1930s – 1960s… all incorporating nutmeg!
11/30/21Presidente Brandy
beef strogenaugh
Posted: October 5, 2023 Filed under: meats poultry and fish | Tags: beef, black pepper, butter, flour, garlic, green pepper, heavy cream, mushrooms, red wine vinegar, rice, salt, sour cream, tobasco, white onion, wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce Leave a comment
A Beefy Blast From The Past
I had seen the Betty Crocker’s Beef & Potatoes Recipe booklet in Mom’s cookbook and often just skipped past it. I typically try and find the more authentic family recipes that have been handwritten or shared by a friend.
Little did I know when I went to catalog more of Mom’s recipes I’d find a handwritten recipe inside the front page. The reversed hot pink handwriting was basically staring at me – it was staining the paper from inside the front of the booklet (pic below). While my eyes missed the penmanship for years, I would later recognize instantly it belonged to my Grandmother “Nanny.” Score!
I had just stumbled onto two recipes undoubtedly Mom/”Nanny” shared with her Daughter/”Betty” – one for Beef Strogenaugh and one for Spanish Shrimp. I instantly recall eating Nanny’s Beef Strogenaugh as a kid and was excited I now had recipes from my maternal Grandmother. This is a plea to have your grandmothers write their favorites down now!
Sous Chef Note: I was confused by the spelling of strogenaugh but my Grandmother’s Dad was from the “old country” of Moravia (now known as the Czech Republic). She grew up speaking Czech and undoubtedly retained some of the European spellings like “strogenaugh.” I chose to leave it spelled this way to honor how she penned it. It’s the fifth strogenaugh recipe to date from Mom’s culinary legacy so I know my ancestors loved the stuff as much as I ❤ chips and queso.
Foodie Tips
❤ “Heavy beef?” This one had me stumped and I reread Nanny’s handwriting several times to try and make sure I was reading it correctly. Online research proved this is actually a real thing – a heavy beef typically has less marbling and it may be less tender as it’s made from older cattle. You can read more about heavy beef here.
❤ I was only familiar with bottled liquid Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. I found in Nanny’s Spanish Shrimp recipe a sidenote calling for “David Wade Worcestershire powder.” Powder? I had never heard of such a thing! After a few clicks, I was surprised to find it still for sale online and quickly ordered a bag of it so I could stay true to how Nanny prepared this dish.
Unfamiliar with David Wade, I was surprised to learn he was from my second hometown of Dallas and he was regarded as the “Rembrandt of the Kitchen.” Mr. Wade was known as a food demonstrator (not a chef), had a nationally syndicated cooking show, and is the author of several cookbooks. Make sure and check out David Wade’s website – I learned a lot about Worcester and Worcestershire and the 5th basic taste – umami – which Worcestershire sauce brings with its distinctive, savory taste.
❤ Sous Chef’s Pro Tip: Not sure how to pronounce Worcestershire sauce? No worries! Just say “wash your sister sauce” and nobody will likely challenge you.
i. Time
30-45 minutes
ii. Ingredients
½ pound (2 sticks) | falfurrias brand butter, melted (Nanny insisted on Falfurrias)
2 pounds | heavy beef, cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes
1 button | garlic
¼ teaspoon | salt
generous amount | fresh cracked black pepper
2-3 drops | tobasco (someone didn’t like spice as much as me!)
1 medium | white onion
½ cup | green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon | wine vinegar (we used red)
1 cup | mushrooms, sliced
1 cup | heavy cream
2 cups | sour cream
1 tablespoon | worcester (worcestershire) power (see tip above)
1 tablespoon | flour (optional, if sauce is too thin)
to serve | rice, prepared
iii. What To Do
1. Start your rice. While in my younger years, I feasted on Minute Instant White Rice the “new” me has a rice cooker and I prefer rice prepared in this method. Arborio, jasmine, and basmati rice are my top 3 go-to’s.
2. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan over medium heat.
3. Add the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic and cook it in the butter until lightly brown.
4. Add the salt, black pepper and Worcestershire powder. Stir.
5. Add the tobasco and red wine vinegar. Keep stirring and cook for about 1 minute.
6. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat, and cook 4-5 minutes.
7. Add the heavy cream and sour cream. Stir well.
8. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until done, stirring often.
9. Serve on top of the rice and enjoy!
Servings: 4-6 (maybe more)
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of My Grandmother “Nanny’s” Recipe – Bonus Spanish Shrimp Recipe Shown
11/30/21Presidente Brandy
manicotti-cheese bake
Posted: June 5, 2023 Filed under: casseroles and one-dish meals | Tags: black pepper, green pepper, ground beef, italian herb seasoning, manicotti shells, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, sugar, tomato paste, water, white onion Leave a comment
Simply Satisfying
As a self-proclaimed Italian foodie, I was leery about this recipe. It seemed far too basic from the looks of the recipe (below). But my love of pasta and red sauce drew me into the light. #CarolAnne
The end result? A delicious dinner! You can modify this to suit your preference. I read about options including adding chopped parsley, ground meat, or vegetables to the cheese mixture. Drooling!
Manicotti or Cannelloni? Yeah, I wasn’t sure of the difference, either. Manicotti tubes are ridged and typically thicker than their cannelloni friends, which are smooth and slightly thinner. Either way, you win with carbs!
My instinct says this recipe hails from circa 1980 based on the print quality and fonts used in the recipe. I’ll do some digging to see if I’m right and post an update. The original recipe scan is below. Enjoy!
Foodie Tips
❤ For an easy way to get the cheese inside the manicotti shells, pipe it in! Take a plastic sandwich bag and fill it with the cheese mixture. Snip off a corner of the bag with some scissors and you just made yourself a piping bag. After parboiling the pasta, insert the snipped end of the bag into the shell and squeeze/pipe until the shell is filled.
❤ We required more cheese and of course, preferred more sauce. You can double everything below (aside from the shells). For the shells, we made a couple extra just in case there were any unforeseen splits/cracks during parboiling. Any split/cracked shells make for fun snacking!
❤ If you’re in a pinch for time, you can use your own sauce. Dare I say use a jarred sauce! Joe makes a delicious red sauce that we try to keep on hand, but it usually winds up being devoured within a day or two.
i. Time
About an hour (all in)
ii. Ingredients
½ pound | ground beef
½ cup | white onion, minced
¼ cup | green pepper, chopped
⅔ cup | tomato paste
2 cups | water
1 ½ teaspoon | salt
½ teaspoon | fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon | sugar
1 ½ teaspoon | italian seasoning
8-9 | manicotti shells
2 cups (1 pound) | ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) | mozzarella cheese, hand grated
to serve | more cheese and fresh basil on top
iii. What To Do
1. Sauté meat, onion, and green pepper. Drain off the fat.
2. Add the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, sugar, and the Italian seasoning. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. While the sauce is simmering, parboil the manicotti in salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and set the shells aside on a paper towel to rest.
4. Prepare the cheese mixture by combining the ricotta and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl. Transfer into your piping bag (see recipe tip above).
5. Prepare an 8 inch (or a size appropriate for how much you’re making) baking dish by placing some of the sauce on the bottom. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 350°F.
6. Begin filling one of the parboiled shells with the cheese mixture. Place the filled shell into the baking dish and continue until all shells are ready to go.
7. Cover the shells with the tomato sauce.
8. Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until things are nice and bubbly. Just before serving top with more cheese and some fresh basil.
Servings: 4-6 (maybe more)
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
An original scan of Mom’s recipe:
Who was Carol Anne?
Carol Anne (aka Heather O’ Rourke) was one of the most iconic childhood actors! You may remember her phrase “They’re here!
11/30/21Presidente Brandy
peanut brittle
Posted: December 7, 2022 Filed under: desserts, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: baking soda, butter, corn syrup, peanuts, salt, sugar, vanilla Leave a comment
A Foodie Fail Recovery
After I worked my way into the details of this recipe, the mere fact I needed to have a candy thermometer literally had me shaking in the corner, full-body-wrapped in my burrito blankey. Ever since my prior candy thermometer foodie fails in the form of red candied apples and oh, fudge, I knew a culinary disaster wasn’t just around the corner, it was lurking for me!
Maybe it was the wine or the lack of patience… but I decided to dive 100% into this recipe without a candy thermometer. I threw caution to the wind! And I was surprised this was made entirely in the microwave… and even more surprised it was entirely devoured *and* delicious!
Congrats to the folks at Southern Living Magazine for this recipe (circa 1980), landing this in “The Best Of The Best Recipes” category here at Betty’s Cook Nook!
Foodie Tips
❤ I’m pretty sure with the advancement in microwave wattage since this recipe was originally published that modern microwaves don’t take as much time as they used to. That being said, try the mixture on the lower side of things and add more time if you need to. I cooked mine for 8 minutes and at one point I thought I burned the peanut brittle but it all turned out AOK. Next time I’m going to go for 7.5 minutes. And there will be a next time!
❤ You might be a little intimidated by the sticky, gooey brittle clean-up. This ain’t my first culinary rodeo and I knew my hot tap water would take care of things – and it did! Just let it soak a bit and the sugary brittle concoction will melt all your worries away!
i. Time
About 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes for microwaving and 30 minutes for cooling.
ii. Ingredients
1 cup | sugar
½ cup | light corn syrup
1 ½ cups | raw peanuts, unsalted
¼ teaspoon | salt
1 tablespoon | butter
1 teaspoon | vanilla extract
1 teaspoon | baking soda
iii. What To Do
1. In a 2.5-quart casserole combine sugar, corn syrup, raw peanuts, and salt.
2. Microwave on high for 7-9 minutes until the mixture is light brown. The mixture gets boiling hot so please ensure your casserole dish is microwave friendly and that you use pot holders when handling the hot dish.
3. While the mixture is microwaving, now is a good time to butter your 9″ x 13″ cooking sheet.
4. Remove the sugary mixture from the microwave and add the butter and vanilla, mixing them in well. You’ll want to work quickly so the mixture doesn’t start cooling down.
5. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until the mixture reaches hard crack stage (about 300°F). Again, I didn’t use a candy thermometer and the end result was amazing.
6. Remove the molten brittle from the microwave and sprinkle the baking soda on top of the brittle mixture and mix things together.
7. Pour the hot mixture onto a 9″ x 13″ buttered cooking sheet, spreading thinly. I used a wide metal spatula to help press the brittle flat. Don’t worry about irregularly-shaped edges – this is one of the fun characteristics of homemade brittle.
7. Let cool for about 30 minutes or more, then break into pieces.
Santa Agrees: This Peanut Brittle Makes For A Merry Holiday
Yield: About 1 pound.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Recipe Clipping From Southern Living Magazine Circa 1980
11/30/21
apple cream coffee cake
Posted: September 25, 2022 Filed under: breakfast, desserts | Tags: apple, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, eggs, flour, margarine, salt, sour cream, sugar, walnuts Leave a comment
The Taste Of Fall
As we round out the year my senses automatically turn to fall.
There’s no better way to celebrate crisp fall mornings than with a slice of warm, cinnamony coffee cake. Walnuts, sliced apples, and sour cream will make this a memorable way to start the day.
I can see why my Mom, “Betty”, tucked this recipe in her cookbook – it’s definitely a keeper!
Foodie Tips
❤ If you follow this blog you’ll know I have an utter appreciation for butter. My grandmother “Nanny” insisted on Falfurrias brand butter, which you will see on many of the recipes here at Betty’s Cook Nook. I opted to use margarine for this recipe despite my “bold for butter” instinct. You can read more about some of the differences between margarine and butter in this WebMD article.
❤ You’ll likely want to have some melted butter (or margarine) at the ready. Drizzling some on top of the warm coffee cake just before serving is highly recommended!
i. Time
Prep: About 25 minutes prep and 40 minutes for baking.
ii. Ingredients
½ cup | walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons | cinnamon
1 ½ cups | sugar, reserved into ½ cup and 1 cup
½ cup | margarine, softened
2 | eggs (pasture raised a plus)
2 cups | flour
1 teaspoon | baking powder
½ teaspoon | salt
1 teaspoon | baking soda
1 cup | sour cream
1 large | apple, cored, pared, and thinly sliced (I went with granny smith)
iii. What To Do
1. In bowl #1: In a small/medium bowl mix walnuts, cinnamon, and ½ cup sugar. Set aside.
2. In bowl #2: In a medium/large bowl sift the 2 cups of flour. Next add the baking powder, salt and baking soda. Resift everything together.
3. In bowl #3: In a medium/large bowl or KitchenAid bowl cream together until fluffy the margarine and the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time until everything is well blended.
4. Into bowl #3: In alternating batches beat well after each addition add some of the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed margarine-sugar mixture, then add some of the sour cream. Keep alternating the batches ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
6. Grease a cake pan and set it aside.
7. Prepare your apple: coring, paring, and thinly slicing it. I realized while I was preparing this blog post I forgot to remove the apple skin and in all honesty, I didn’t mind the peel at all. On my next “go” of this recipe, I’ll try paring as it will likely result in a softer cake.
8. Spread half of the batter from step 4 into the prepared cake pan. Top the batter with the apples and half of the walnut mixture. Add the remaining batter on top and sprinkle with the remaining walnut mixture.
9. Bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes, or until the coffee cake is done. Remove from oven to cool a bit. I enjoy this best warm but I tried leftovers from the fridge, which did not disappoint.
Yield: About 12 servings.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Coffee Cake Recipe
11/30/21
zucchini quiche
Posted: August 10, 2022 Filed under: breakfast, casseroles and one-dish meals | Tags: black pepper, butter, eggs, half and half, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, pie crust, salt, swiss cheese, white onion, zucchini Leave a comment 
Sheesh! Another Quiche?
You Betcha! My Mom “Betty” definitely loved quiche. This is the third quiche recipe here at Betty’s Cook Nook and yet the first one that is all vegetable as well as the first one that features zucchini.
Somehow I’m surprised with each and every quiche recipe – they seem to be wondrously unique in their own rightful way and yet super easy to make. I think you will enjoy this recipe!
Foodie Tips
❤ We initially debated over whether to use a frozen pie crust or a refrigerated pie crust. We went with a Pillsbury frozen crust because it was likely what was most common in the 1970s. Just like ready-to-cook tortillas weren’t readily available in the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and until the 2000s until recently, either.
❤ I’m duly noting that a 10-inch pie shell was not to be found at my local grocery. In a post-COVID era when product sizes are getting smaller while prices are growing larger we scored a 9-inch deep dish Pillsbury crust at H-E-B.
❤ If you truly love quiche click this link and scroll down for the full meal monty of my Mom’s recipes.
i. Time
Prep: About 20-25 minutes prep and 30 minutes for baking.
Late To The Party Pic: Mushrooms!
ii. Ingredients
9-10-inch | pie shell, frozen or fresh
3 tablespoons | butter (my grandmother insisted on falfurrias brand butter)
1 cup | white onions, chopped
1 cup | mushrooms, brushed clean, cut in half, and then sliced (I suggest white or baby bella ‘shrooms)
1 cup | zucchini, cut into half moons
1 cup | ½ and ½ cream
3 | cage-free or free-range (pasture raised) eggs
1 cup | swiss or mozzarella cheese, shredded
to taste | salt and pepper
iii. What To Do
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Place the pie shell in the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick the shell with a fork. Return to oven for 5 minutes more.
3. While the pie shell is in its second bake… in a medium-sized sauté pan place the 3 tablespoons of butter and melt it over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and zucchini. Sauté for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest. Tip: to drain, tilt the pan by placing the lid underneath and a crumbled-up paper towel in the opposite corner. Let the paper towel soak up the juices then discard the paper towel.
4. Transfer the drained sautéd veggie mixture into the pie shell.
5. In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk the 3 eggs then stir-in the 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 cream and 1 cup of your chosen cheese. Pour the egg-cheese-cream mixture over the veggies/pie shell.
6. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Yield: About 8-10 servings.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Zucchini Quiche Recipe
11/30/21
peachy blueberry cobbler
Posted: June 29, 2022 Filed under: desserts, The Best Of The Best Recipes | Tags: baking powder, blueberries, butter, flour, ice cream, milk, peaches, salt, sugar Leave a comment 
A Summertime Flavor Sensation
When I was a kid, if I heard the word “cobbler” I knew there was likely going to be an extra-special treat coming my way!
After a trip to Dime Box, Texas in the 70s, our San Antonio garden was graced with dewberry plants that were given to us by a family member who had them growing on their farm. What’s a dewberry? Dewberries are very similar to blackberries and they are a favorite berry for many Texans. One of my favorite dessert memories of all time was when my Mom, “Betty,” made dewberry cobbler with he fruit coming from our very own garden!
We liked this peachy blueberry cobbler because it wasn’t overly sweet and it sure tastes great for summertime meals. This recipe is super-easy to make and if you have a kid or two handy they could even join-in on the fun. As Joe said, “this is definitely a recipe worth sharing!” So here it is from us to you!
This recipe hails from a July 1980 Southern Living magazine from a special “Summer Glows With Peaches” section devoted to great culinary ways to create with peaches. You can see the original recipe scan below and you’re getting extra peach recipes to boot!
Foodie Tips
❤ You can easily adapt this recipe by using your favorite fruits. Pineapple, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. would all make a tasty cobbler.
❤ If peaches and blueberries are in season I suggest using fresh. You can also substitute frozen berries that have been thawed, rinsed, and drained.
i. Time
Prep: About 75 minutes, including 15 minutes for prep and 1 hour for baking.
ii. Ingredients
1 cup | sugar
1 cup | all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons | baking powder
1 teaspoon | salt
1 cup | milk
⅓ cup | butter, melted (my grandmother insisted on falfurrias brand butter)
3 medium | peaches, peeled, sliced and lightly sugared
⅔ cup | fresh or frozen blueberries
to serve | Bluebell vanilla ice cream (optional but recommended!)
iii. What To Do
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the peaches, sprinkle with sugar and set aside.
3. Combine the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder and salt) in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
4. Combine the milk and melted butter and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix everything until it’s smooth.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 12″ x 8″ x 2″ glass baking dish.
6. Spread the sliced peaches evenly over the top of the batter and then top with the blueberries.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the batter rises through the fruit and the top is golden brown.
8. Serve your Peachy Blueberry Cobbler warm and top with ice cream, if preferred.
Yield: About 8-10 servings.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Peachy Blueberry Cobbler Recipe
11/30/21
peanut butter slice-and-bake cookies
Posted: September 30, 2021 Filed under: desserts | Tags: baking soda, corn syrup, flour, milk, peanut butter, salt, shortening, sugar Leave a comment
The Cookies With A Twist
This recipe hails from the August 1982 issue of Southern Living, so it’s been patiently waiting in Mom’s cookbook for almost 40 years. I had seen the recipe many times flipping through my Mom’s cookbook, but “slice and bake” never really motivated me to explore more… until I later had a hankering for peanut butter and then I found myself headed to the store to get some fresh milk.
This recipe was surprising for a couple of reasons: 1) “Slice and bake.” The bake part threw me because you *don’t* bake these in your oven – you nuke them in your microwave! Making cookies in the microwave is a new one for me but not surprising given that the microwave was a rage making its debut in most American kitchens in the late 1970s. 2) The end result tasted like a homemade nutter butter cookie which was one of my favorites growing up in the 70s and 80s. Enjoy some vintage nutter butter memories below!
I was quite leery that these cookies would turn out great, but boy they sure did, and after the final schmear of peanut butter tucked between two homemade cookies I was thinking I had just made a fresh homemade home run nutter butter cookie sandwich!
Foodie Tips
❤ You can reduce the recipe ingredients by half; we were on a diet that week but it didn’t stop me from diving in! We wrapped and stored some of the remaining dough in the fridge for a couple of days and it lasted just fine.
❤ If you’re in a hurry to dive in you can chill the “baked” cookies in your fridge ~10 minutes to reduce the on counter cooling time. I did this and the end result was surprisingly crunchy.
❤ I laughed when I saw instructions to manually turn the cookies. We are lucky to live in a time when the microwave does the turning for us! I was also curious if these might do well in an air fryer and will try that on the next adventure with this recipe.
i. Time
Total prep: About 3.5 hours, including a 2-3 hour chill timeout in the fridge.
ii. Ingredients
1 ¾ cups | all-purpose flour
½ cup | sugar
½ teaspoon | baking soda
¼ teaspoon | salt
½ cup | shortening
¾ cup (or more) | creamy peanut butter, divided
¼ cup | light corn syrup
1 tablespoon | milk
iii. What To Do
1. In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. With a pastry cutter (or if you don’t have one try a KitchenAid stand mixer) cut in the shortening and ½ cup of the peanut butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the corn syrup and the milk.
2. Shape the dough into a long roll, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the roll in waxed paper and chill it in the fridge 2 to 3 hours, or until firm.
3. Unwrap the roll and cut the dough into ¼ inch slices. Place 6 slices at a time on a wax paper-lined plate, arranging them in a ring.
4. Microwave the slices at medium heat (50% power) for 2 to 4 minutes or until the cookies are dry on the surface. If you don’t have a rotating microwave dish, manually rotate the dish at 1-minute intervals to promote “even baking.”
5. Slide/transfer the wax paper with the cookies from the oven onto your kitchen counter and let them cool for 2 minutes. Remove the cookies from the wax paper and place them on a wire rack to completely cool. Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough.
6. Here’s the magical part: spread half the cookies with a schmear of peanut butter. I was generous with my schmear! Top with a remaining cookie slice on each to form your cookie sandwich.
Yield: About 2 dozen.
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
Let’s have a peek at some vintage ads:
A Scan Of Mom’s Original Slice And Bake Cookie Recipe Clipping
dee’s margarita
Posted: January 31, 2021 Filed under: beverages | Tags: cointreau, lime, salt, sweet and sour, tequila, triple sec 2 Comments
Shaken Or Stirred : Let’s Drink
The culinary art of the margarita is about as varied as a color wheel. Fruity, tart, lime green, burgundy, blue, frozen, on the rocks… and just about everything else in between!
It’s truly hard to believe this cocktail is not even 100 years young! I don’t remember when or where I was the first time I had my very first margarita but such is the luck of a Texan. Nowadays the margarita is one of the classic essentials we hold near and dear (and trust me, I clutch my margaritas close to the heart and even closer to the lips)!
The Marvelous Margarita
A unique slice of my history lands me back to Dallas circa 2005 and my favorite watering hole Mariano’s Hacienda, which was born in 1971. This is a place I’ve spent many a day and night enjoying Tex-Mex delights including Queso Mariano, table side guacamole, brisket tacos, mesquite grilled fajitas and without a doubt their “potent but polite” margaritas. Just to name a few things.
It was the restaurant’s founder Mariano Martinez who, like me, dreamt of only the coldest of margaritas. Ironically at the time my client was 7-Eleven and their prized frozen drink machine inspired Mariano to adapt a Slurpee machine to fashion what we know today as the frozen margarita! Soon thereafter the marvelous margarita machine helped catapult the iconic taste of Texas across the world and now the frozen margarita machine has a forever home in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
It’s been a few years since I’ve been back to enjoy my BFFF (Best Frozen Friend Forever) but if you’re in Dallas swing on by 6300 Skillman Street and after successfully ducking past the giant stuffed bear guarding the entrance send our biggest howdy to the staff from me, with love. (Umberto, if you’re reading this M.P.H.!) While Joe and I always preferred to sit on the patio the bar was not to be missed! It had a concrete top with a cold trough to place and keep your margarita frozen – even in the glass! I’d like to nominate that invention to the Smithsonian as well!
Click on the pics for the full-on view!
Home Alone
When you can’t enjoy the margarita outside the home why not handcraft your own? It’s remarkably easy given that top shelf margaritas are often $12-$15/each these days! A bottle of tequila served homeside pays for itself it just a couple of sips!
I hope you enjoy Dee’s Margarita – it’s a simple margarita that will dial the Texas heat down to a fantastically enjoyable sensation.
Foodie Tips
❤ Margarita Rule #1: Nobody likes a lukewarm margarita! These puppies are best served icy cold so make sure and have a freezer and ice handy.
❤ Margarita Rule #2: Kick the bottle. Always use freshly-squeezed lime juice. Trust me on this!
❤ Cointreau vs. triple sec? Your wallet might notice a distinct difference between the two but will your taste buds? Martha helps us understand the differences in this really helpful article.
❤ Love margaritas? You’re not alone! Try out my spicy margarita recipe that I invented with one secret weapon – the heartfelt jalapeño! Hold onto your sombreros!
i. Time
Total prep: About 15-20 minutes.
ii. Ingredients
1 ounce | tequila
½ ounce | triple sec or cointreau
2 ounces | sweet and sour mix*
to garnish | a salted glass rim and a lime wedge
* Sweet and sour: If you don’t have sweet and sour mix on hand you can fashion your own by combining ⅓ cup each: freshly-squeezed lime juice, lemon juice, water and sugar. Heat it all together over medium heat. Chill and voilà!
iii. What To Do
1. Place your margarita glasses in the freezer for at least 10-15 minutes to chill them up good. Be bold. Go cold! Beforehand, I often rinse my glasses and leave them a little bit wet so folks know they are fresh from the freezer. Ice is nice!
2. In a cocktail shaker place a giant cube of ice (I make ’em with these) and the tequila, the orange liqueur of your choosing, and the sweet and sour.
3. Shake, shake, SHAKE!
4. Remove your glass from the freezer and line the rim with a slice of lime and dip and rotate the edge of the glass in salt (kosher salt works great).
5. Optional Step: You can put some crushed ice or a giant cube in your glass. On super-hot days I dial it down 1,000%.
6. Strain the margarita into your frozen glass and serve with a lime wedge sidekick.
Sip and savor this sensational drink!
Yield: 1 grande or two “meh” grande margaritas (shown). Go for the grande!
Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook
A Scan Of Dee’s Margarita Recipe
(penned by my Mom Betty)
Who is Dee?
It’s funny how I remember random things from my childhood. “Dee Martinez” was a friend of my Mom (Betty). I’m not sure I ever met Dee but I remember my Mom often talking about her, so I know she was a dear friend. So while Mom’s recipe is missing her last name I’m noting it here for those to know. :)
I’m still researching to see if I can find out how my Mom and Dee were connected but in the meantime let’s raise our margarita glasses to Dee for sharing this recipe with the rest of us!
And the “Mexican Emmy” Goes To…
OMG with the amount of time and money we spent at Mariano’s, Joe and I should have been invited to this party!
Betty's Cook Nook 