A favorite from my childhood. Now I like the concoction with those new Sandwich Thins.
BANANA SANDWICH
Bread
Banana, sliced
Mayonaise, spread thinly on the bread
banana sandwichAugust 23rd, 2010french dip sandwichesJuly 29th, 2010A classic sandwich. Have no idea where I got this particular recipe … it’s been years. But it could not be easier to make.
FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES In a crockpot, place the following: rump roast 1 can beef consomme’ 1 can beef broth 1 can French onion soup Crock pot on high for several hours. Shread the meat in all the juices and serve on sandwich rolls. Just get whatever sandwich rolls you prefer, slice in half lengthwise, place provolone cheese on the halves, and place the rolls “face up” on a baking sheet or baking stone. Broil on low for just a few minutes, until the cheese is melted (take them out before they get too brown around the edges). Place the meat on the rolls and serve sandwiches with a small dipping bowl of the French dip juices. chili & coleslaw dogsJuly 26th, 2010As a kid you couldn’t have paid me (in cash or even Cabbage Patch dolls) to eat cole slaw. No way. Even now, I usually pass on that side dish. BUT. Several years ago, I finally tried my mom’s chili-and-coleslaw-dogs and WOW. Wow. If you haven’t tried that combination, it is time, my friend. And by the way — this picture only shows a little bit on there. I actually prefer to skip the bun altogether and just pile the chili and coleslaw on top of my dog, on a plate — eating with a knife and fork.
CHILI 2 lb. sirloin beef (90/10) 2 c. hot water from the tap (as hot as you can stand) 1 1/2 c.-ish ketchup 2 (heaping) Tbsp. chili powder Mush all the beef and hot water together and really work it with your hands. Add ketchup until it’s fire red. Add chili powder. Simmer on medium (about a 4 on our gas stove) with the lid on until liquid is cooked out. This will take at least 30-45 minutes. ———– COLESLAW 1 head cabbage 3 large carrots 1 1/2 – 2 c. mayonnaise 1/3 c. sugar salt & pepper to taste Chop the whole head of cabbage with a food chopper or a knife. Leave it chunky or chop it fine — personal preference. We like a thicker/chunkier texture. Do the same with the carrots and add those to the chopped cabbage. The add mayo to desired consistency. Add the sugar and salt & pepper to taste. peanut butter stir-fryJuly 20th, 2010
I’m the first to admit that I’m not very creative in the kitchen. David, on the other hand, is completely comfortable being a little more inventive. For this I am grateful. Some of our yummiest meals have come about because of his creativity. So kudos to David on this one. It’s a little concoction he pulled together a few years ago. Oh — and if the peanut butter idea throws you off, all I have to say is: Don’t knock it ’til you try it. It’s seriously tasty.
PEANUT BUTTER STIR-FRY 2 chicken breasts, cut in bite-size pieces ½ c. crunchy peanut butter 2 ½ c. sugarsnap peas 2 c. broccoli 1 1/2 c. carrots, sliced 1 1/2 c. mushrooms, sliced 1 c. green onions, sliced 1/2 c. yellow bell pepper 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic stir-fry sauce Cook chicken in a wok with a little olive oil until fully cooked. Set aside and mix with peanut butter. Combine all vegetables in the wok (starting with the ones that need longer to cook, such as carrots) and add a little water on occasion, as needed. Add garlic. When vegetables are done, add chicken to the vegetables (still in the wok) and add half a bottle of stir-fry sauce. Serve over rice. Makes about 4 servings. bacon: my wayMarch 22nd, 2010“And please make sure the bacon is extra crispy.” I still hear my mom’s voice as she kindly insisted that the waiter personally see to it that her bacon is prepared just right. This is what she requested every. single. time. I used to be a little embarrassed that she was so particular about bacon. I mean – it’s just bacon, right? Now I’m older. I’m wiser. I see the benefits to having bacon prepared properly. And like my mom, I’ve totally become a bacon snob. And today, I’m pleased to announce that I have officially nailed it. I totally have it down for making the best bacon ever. Mom, you’d be so proud. I can’t wait to make you a batch of crispy bacon. So I’m sharing with you my bacon secrets. Of course there are many “right” ways to make bacon. This is my way. I invite you to share your own bacon tips in the comments.
Shall we call it … BECKY BACON (??) I can’t claim much in the kitchen. I really don’t make up recipes. And David claims to be better than me at most things in the kitchen. So yes, we will call this Becky Bacon. It has taken me years to perfect the art of getting this right. 1. Use a baking stone (make sure it has edges because the grease will puddle!) from Pampered Chef. I’ve used this one for bacon (and many other things) for 10-15 years. 2. Do it in the oven, not on top of the stove. This reason alone is worth it: Much cleaner. No splattery mess on your stove top. 3. Convection temperature set at 400 (which means that my oven automatically stops at 375 degrees because I set it on convection). 4. 40 minutes. Leave the bacon alone for 40 minutes. No flipping. Nothing. And I don’t cover it. After 40 minutes, the bacon should look crispy, verging on sightly burnt. 5. Upon removal, the bacon comes off the stone and onto a plate with paper towels ready to absorb the dripping grease. 6. Allow to settle and cool a little and get a little more crispy here for a few minutes. That’s it. I’m telling you — it will melt like buttah in your mouth. And if you happen to need to crumple the bacon for, say, an omelet or a recipe like this one, well then — you will love how the bacon just falls apart.
And since I know a few of you are wondering … yes, I totally use disposable rubber gloves to crumple my bacon. —— Added note: My friend just sent me a picture of her black bacon. Oops! This is a friendly reminder to anyone making bacon in the oven … to WATCH your bacon. Each oven is different. Just watch for it to get crispy and to start getting dark like it wants to start thinking about being burnt. Don’t just rely on my 40 minutes. : ) turkey sandwichMarch 11th, 2010I don’t know about you, but I find myself remembering that certain foods exist once in a while. Like sprouts. My friend mentioned them the other day and I remembered that I actually quite enjoy sprouts and needed to reintroduce them to my sandwiches. Hello, sprouts. Nice to taste you again. (Actually, I think it’s more of a textural thing for me.) Anyway, this is the way I’m enjoying a turkey sandwich for lunch these days.
TURKEY SANDWICH whole wheat bread chicken-corn-blue cheese saladMarch 9th, 2010Okay, so that’s kind of a lame name for a salad but who cares? I’m just focused on the yum factor. Most of the recipes I share are ones I either found online or in a magazine or from a friend. I don’t consider myself original in the kitchen by any means. That’s not where I am creative. But I saw this concept somewhere and David & I improvised and changed things up a bit. I guess that makes this recipe our own little creation.
CHICKEN-CORN-BLUE CHEESE SALAD [ dressing ] 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil [ salad ] 6-8 c. loosely packed baby mixed greens Put the salad together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve immediately. apple pear saladFebruary 16th, 2010In our family, we love Costco for many reasons. The most recent reason? This recipe. Came across it in The Costco Connection magazine, actually. Made this for the first time last night and oh. my. goodness. We are so hooked. Absolutely, positively our new favorite salad. Thank you, Costco.
APPLE PEAR SALAD [ dressing ] 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil [ salad ] 6 c. loosely packed baby mixed greens butter-pecan sweet potatoesNovember 27th, 2009This recipe comes straight from marthastewart.com, where we have found some of our very favorite recipes. We are sweet potato fans, and this version is so savory and sweet, but not in an “overloaded” way.
BUTTER-PECAN SWEET POTATOES 8 medium sweet potatoes (5 lbs.) 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with coarse salt. 2. Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes. (Note: To make ahead (up to 5 hours) prepare recipe through step 2. Cool; cover and refrigerate. About 15 minutes before ready to serve, proceed with recipe. 3. Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces, and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Gently toss; serve immediately. mom’s chocolate chip cookiesNovember 18th, 2009I don’t know that I need to say more. They’re Mom’s cookies, so they’re the best. My mom is known for a few things. Counted cross-stitching is one of them. Chocolate chip cookies is another. And it’s no wonder. Everyone loves them. And she makes them all the time. For all sorts of occasions. For every occasion.
MOM’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 2/3 c. shortening Mix thoroughly first 6 ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop on ungreased baking stone. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees. This is a single recipe which makes about 7 dozen. Mom always makes a double batch. best buttermilk pancakes & butter syrupOctober 5th, 2009First of all, I want to be crystal-clear that this recipe is right from Martha Stewart’s website. In fact, here’s the direct link. I just wanted to share this because it’s the recipe we decided to try for Sunday brunch yesterday. And it’s unanimous. They are undeniably amazingly yummy. This is so going down in the Higgins’ Favorite Recipes. David was the main chef, actually, so total kudos to him.
BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES [ Makes nine 6-inch pancakes ] 2 c. all-purpose flour Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees (for keeping the finished pancakes warm). Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm. Says Martha’s people: “The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter.” — And here’s a perfectly complimentary — and equally healthy (ha!) — recipe to top those pancakes. This comes from my sister-in-law Heidi (thank you for sharing!).
BUTTER SYRUP 1 c. heavy whipping cream Melt together whipping cream, butter and sugar over low heat. Slowly increase heat until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Add vanilla & baking soda. Turn off heat while whisking continually until ready to serve. red velvet cakeSeptember 11th, 2009I grew up on red velvet cake. Well, not exactly. It’s not like we ate it all the time. But it was always a very special dessert and I learned to love it from an early age. Diane and her mother Helen are two ladies from my hometown who make the best red velvet cake. Imagine my delight when I recently received a letter in the mail from them, complete with a handwritten recipe for their red velvet cake! I just made the cake for the first time this week. Red velvet perfection. Had to call and tell them right away (after the baby shower, where it was consumed). And … of course … I asked if this was a family secret, or if I could share. And sweet Helen (84 years young) said something like “At my age, there’s no point in keeping any more secrets.” Amen! Love her attitude. Then again, I’m a big fan of sharing recipes. How do you think I got all my best ones? Because people are willing to share.
RED VELVET CAKE [ CAKE ] 1/2 c. Crisco shortening Cream together shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste with cocoa and food coloring and add to the cream mixture. Mix salt and vanilla with buttermilk, add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Mix soda and vinegar and fold into mixture. (Do not beat … fold only.) Bake in two 9″ layer pans for 30 minutes at 350. [ ICING ] 5 Tbsp. flour Cook flour and milk until thick. Stir constantly. Make sure you cool milk and flour mixture (in refrigerator). Cream together sugar, butter, crisco, and vanilla well with electric beater. Add flour and milk mixture. Beat until right consistency to spread. This should get fluffy like whipped cream. mom’s cole slawJuly 24th, 2009Anytime you see a “Mom’s” in front of a recipe name, it seems a little more reputable, doesn’t it? In this case … for sure. Love my mom’s cooking. And the fact that she’s out of the country for a year and a half means I don’t have the chance to eat any of her yumminess anytime soon. Sigh. So somehow this got me thinking about her cole slaw. If she can’t make it for me, I guess I gotta do it on my own. As a child and young adult, I wanted nothing to do with it. Then one summer (a few years ago), I gave in and tried her chili dogs with cole slaw. Oh. My. goodness. Okay. Seriously amazing. So fresh. So tasty. The perfect compliment to the heavy dog & chili. Wanted to heat 5 chili dogs on the spot. Anyway. Fast-forward a couple years. Last time my parents were visiting us in Arizona, I requested that she make the good grub again. Only this time I would pay attention to how she made it. I took notes. Problem is … she doesn’t measure for many of the things she makes. It’s “a little of this and a little of that”. Ugh. I’m a total recipe follower. So — getting to my point: I have finally done it. I have MADE my mom’s cole slaw! So easy. And I measured as I added ingredients so that it could become an actual recipe that can be followed. Yay for knowing how much of what goes in!
By the way, when we made this, we ate it with ribs. MOM’S COLE SLAW 1 head cabbage Chop the whole head of cabbage with a food chopper. You want it chopped really, really fine. Do the same with the carrots and add those to the chopped cabbage. The add mayo to desired consistency. Add the sugar and salt & pepper to taste. oreo delightMay 26th, 2009I don’t usually love pudding, but in the context of this recipe, it’s not bad. In fact, I find this to be rather tasty.
OREO DELIGHT 35 Oreo cookies (1 whole pkg.) – I prefer mint flavor Mix crushed cookies and butter in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/4 c. Cook Whip. Spread over crust. Pour 3 1/4 c. milk into bowl. Add both pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 minutes. Drop remaining Cool Whip over pudding and spread. Sprinkle more crushed Oreos or Andes Mint baking chips on top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. buckeye barsApril 21st, 2009This is excellent when you need that peanut-butter-and-chocolate fix.
BUCKEYE BARS 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened LINE 8″ square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan. MICROWAVE Cool Whip and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer. REFRIGERATE about 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.
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