Hello! Welcome to the Happy Home Cooking Podcast! I’m, Laurie Polomsky, the owner of Sugar Happiness and the host of a fun and informative new show on Radio K Air, Sundays at 3pm. To celebrate this new opportunity to connect with you, the first show is having some cool giveaways! Thank you so much for being here. I can’t wait to get this party started!!
Head to Radiokair.com
Scroll to the bottom of the page, fill out form where it says “Send message,” then type the word “Cookbook,” in the message box. That’s it! We’ll call the 5 winners of the "Selections from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 6th Edition," Published by Bantam Books, 1994, on the next show, Sunday, April 24, 2022.
For our first Episode, "We All Have a Bit of Betty Crocker," I dove into my home kitchen beginnings by talking about the cookbook that started it all, “Selections from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 6th Edition, Published by Bantam Books, 1994.”
This book is an allover one-stop shop for delicious, achievable recipes that anyone can do. I found this book out of a desire to be a better cook for my family, the baking recipes sparked immense joy in me when every recipe I tried came out edible, dare I say delicious - even when I had little to no knowledge of baking whatsoever, and I fell in love with this book because the food on the cover looks right out of a proper 80s food magazine, and recipes from the 60s are incorporated throughout. It’s a beautiful thing when recipes hold up to the times, that we all can experience the same delicious comforts of our past.
The first recipe is the “Fruit-Cheese Kabobs with Ginger Dip on page 20. This became a fast fave in our house and it’s so easy.… It’s got grapes, pineapples, strawberries, also cheese cubes, and a delicious Ginger Dip that puts this basic fruit and cheese appetizer over the top.
The accompaniment of the ginger dip, if you’re not familiar with ginger, can give you a chance to learn about it, how to prepare it, work with it, and so on.
A couple tips before you start your ginger journey… Scrape the outside of it with a spoon to remove the skin, I find that’s easiest but a vegetable peeler will work. From there you can grate it, slice it, blend it, chop it, mince it... You get the idea. Store leftovers in the freezer and take it out when you need it. That’ll last you about 3 months!
Flavor Tip: *Use less ginger than the recipe calls for and then add more to best suit your taste. The flavor of the ginger gets stronger as it sits. Start with 1/4tsp and add more if you like. We like to use a scant 1/2tsp in ours.
Access the full recipe below:
It's so easy to make!
This recipe asks you to cook your chicken breast in a skillet, and that’s absolutely fine, go for it 100%, but if your skillet chicken tends to be dry, please consider the roasted split chicken breast method. On the bone is going to come out tender and juicy, and the process is less involved because you do it in the oven instead of standing at a skillet. And it’ll save you some money too, because you’re not paying the grocery store to debone your chicken.
I learned this technique from watching the great Ina Garten on TV, but was unable to find the video I was looking for where she demonstrated it. This video is the next best thing with a lot of great info.
The only other tip I’d suggest is covering your chicken with tin foil straight out of the oven, and letting it rest until cool enough to handle, (that’s what Ina does). I don’t recommend storing it on the bone in the fridge as it can be more difficult to remove from the bone when cold, but also if it happens, it’s not that big of a deal. This is meant to be quick and easy so if you don’t have the time to shred right away, no big whoop.
Finally, the recipe that sparked my Sugar Happiness career and lifetime obsession with cookies, the Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that started it all, on page 135. I’ve transferred the recipe to an easy-to-read file but also included a picture of the page in my book. You’re welcome to follow the weight measurements, though I wrote them at the start of my career so I’m not sure they can be trusted 100%. I choose to think of it like this; there are no failures, only lessons.
For cookies anytime, freeze leftover balls of dough on a cookie sheet for a few hours. Then transfer to a zip lock bag, and take out when you want freshly baked cookies. There’s no need to adjust the oven temperature, but you may want to bake them for 3-5 minutes more.
Thank you so much for being part of this exciting new community. I hope you make and enjoy all these recipes, and seek out the book because there's so many amazing recipes to try and love!
For more interesting facts on Betty Crocker and where she… I mean WE, got our start, please refer to the following links:
I was unable to attach the link info from Bettycrocker.com, but if you go there, scroll all the way down to "About Betty Crocker," you'll find all kinds of neat info!
Again, don't forget to enter for a chance to win one of five "Selections from Betty Crocker's Cookbook," by going to:
Thanks again for joining us on the radio show and blog! Feel free to check out all the cool merch we offer here at Sugarhappiness.com.
Hope you get the chance to make something YUMMY today!