Cooking up Memories One Meal at a Time

By Barbara Harris

Cooking Up Memories One Meal at a Time brings you the heartwarming story and legendary recipes of Barbara Harris, founder of Celebrity Cafe and Bakery in Highland Park Village in Dallas, Texas.

As a child of the Great Depression, Barbara's beginnings were humble, and she was often expected to cook for her three brothers as her single mother carried multiple jobs to provide for them. Later, as a young bride in America's postwar era, Barbara's family grew along with her love of cooking and baking. Picking up new techniques and recipes from family and friends, she gained confidence in cooking for larger groups, where her food was always a big hit.

By day, Barbara worked as a bookkeeper, but she dreamed of opening a restaurant someday. That day came in 1979, when Barbara took the plunge and convinced a landlord to lease her a former restaurant space in San Antonio's ritzy Olmos Park neighborhood, and The Daisy Tea Room and Cookie House was born. With the help of her late husband, Bill, and plenty of family chipping in, Barbara's dream became reality.

After growing the operation through new locations and brands for ten years in their hometown, Barbara and Bill were offered an opportunity to bring their concept to Dallas in Highland Park Village, one of the most prestigious retail locations in the country. It was there that Celebrity Cafe and Bakery became a part of the fabric of the neighborhood, expanded throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, and achieved institution status for its delectable made-from-scratch bakery offerings and classic American standards, all crafted daily from recipes that were handed down and perfected over four generations.

In this exclusive collection, you will find all of the favorites that made Celebrity Cafe so popular, woven into the story of a strong Christian woman who had a dream and rose from humble roots to create a brand and legacy that positively impacted those that it touched.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886445596

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

A Favorite Recipe

Dedication

In Appreciation

To Make You Smile!

Preface: My Story

My Story

Chapter 1: Life Before the Restaurant

Chapter 2: The Daisy Tea Room and Cookie House

Chapter 3: The Unlikeliest Break

Chapter 4: Becoming a Local Institution

Chapter 5: A Highland Park Tradition

Chapter 6: The Decision to Franchise

Chapter 7: Selling Out

Appetizers

Artichoke Brie and Crab Dip

Cheese Ball

Cheese Soufflé

Coconut Shrimp with Marmalade Sauce

Daisy Dip—Dill Dip

Deviled Eggs

Fig and Blue Cheese Tarts

French Onion Dip

Avocado Dip

Mini Crab Cakes

Shrimp Cocktail with Two Sauces

Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

Breakfast and Brunch

Breakfast Pie

Broccoli Cheese Strata

Ham, Potato, and Artichoke Gratin

Christmas Morning Casserole

Christmas Morning Frittata

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Sausage Casserole

Green Chili Hash Browns

Jalapeno Cheese Grits

Homemade Granola

Caramel Pecan French Toast

Best Waffles with Variations

Buttermilk Pancakes à la James

Oatmeal Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Scones with Variations

Buttermilk Coffee Cake

New York Crumb Coffee Cake

Pecan Pie Coffee Cake

Breads of All Kinds

Making biscuits—yum! Yum!

Bread Section

Bill's Butter Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits (Knott's Berry Farm)

Ladies' Tea Biscuits

Camp Cornbread

Cheese Buns

Challah (Egg) Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Cloverleaf Bran Rolls

Fruit-and-Nut Bread

Monkey Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Christmas Stollen

Cream Cheese Pockets

All-Bran Date and Walnut Muffins

Corn Muffins

Date Bran Muffins

Apple Date Oat Bran Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Grandma's Blueberry Muffins

Pineapple Muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Zucchini Pineapple Muffins

Apple Walnut Tea Bread

Cranberry Orange Tea Bread

Date Nut Tea Bread

Best-Ever Banana Bread

Lemon Tea Bread

Pumpkin Pecan Tea Bread

Salads and Their Dressings

Classic Chicken Salad

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Italian Antipasta Salad

Shrimp and Olive Salad

Shrimp Salad

Steak Salad

Tuna Salad

Asparagus Salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Guacamole Salad

Harvest Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Carrot-Pineapple or Carrot-Apple Salad

Caesar Salad

Texas Caesar Salad

Nana's Potato Salad

Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad

Coleslaw with Apple and Bleu Cheese

Fruited Coleslaw

Bowtie Pasta Salad with Roasted Chicken

Chicken Waldorf Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta Salad

Christmas Fruit Salad

Heavenly Hash

Seven-Cup Fruit Salad

Waldorf Salad

Hoppin' John Salad

Macaroni Salad

Avocado Salad Dressing

Egg Salad Dressing

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Caesar Dressing (No Egg)

Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

Honey Mustard Dressing

Creamy Italian Dressing

Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Ranch Dressing

Nana's Thousand Island Dressing

Soups

Avocado Soup

Gazpacho Soup

Vichyssoise Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Cajun Bean Soup

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Chicken Noodle/Chicken Rice Soup

Chicken (or Turkey) Vegetable Soup

Chicken Velvet Soup

Chili Bean Soup

Derek's Chili

French Onion Soup

Nana's Potato Soup

Santa Fe Chicken Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

Tortilla Soup

Tuscan Bean Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup

This and That

Cheese Wafers

Finger Sandwiches

Cucumber Dill Spread

Ham and Swiss Spread

Olive Cream Cheese Spread

Smoked Salmon Spread

Cheddar Pecan Spread

Pimento Cheese Spread

Christmas Quiche

Quiche

Cheese Sauce

Cranberry Relish

Cognac Cream

Cream Gravy

Hollandaise

Tartar Sauce

Tomato Sauce

Caramel Sauce

Cream Anglaise

Hot Fudge Sauce

Horseradish Cream

Poblano Cream Sauce

Peppercorn Sauce

The Main Course

Apricot Chicken

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Dijon

Chicken and Dressing

Chicken Hunter Style

Chicken Monterey

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Savannah

Chicken Spaghetti

Creamed Chicken in a Pastry Shell

Raspberry Chicken

Barbecued Beef Brisket/Baby Back Ribs

Italian Beef Stew (Stufato di Manzo)

Lasagna

Mom's Pepper Steak

Dad's Spaghetti and Meatballs

Nana's Beef Goulash

Nana's Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy or Mushroom Sauce

Jalapeno Pepper Steak with Cheddar

Roast Beef and Gravy

Roasted Tenderloin of Beef with Rusty Gravy

Sloppy Joes

Veal Cutlet Fontina

Veal Ragout

Veal Piccata

Veal Tenderloin with Brandy Cream Sauce

Carne Guisada

Grandma's Christmas Casserole

Ham and Artichoke Casserole

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Bourbon Sauce

Church Social Casserole

Roasted Turkey Breast

Creamed Turkey

Turkey Divan

Fettucine with Shrimp and Lemon Sauce

Jambalaya

Red Snapper Veracruz

Shrimp in Cognac Cream Sauce

Shrimp Newberg

Trout Amandine

Baked Ziti

Penne with Vodka and Tomato Cream Sauce

Straw and Hay Pasta

Vegetables and Side Dishes

Au Gratin Potatoes

Baked Pork and Beans

Broccoli Alfredo

Corn Cakes

Corn and Squash Casserole

Creamed New Potatoes, Peas, and Onions

Creamed Spinach

Fresh Green Beans with Variations

Fried Zucchini with Variations

Gold Rush Potatoes

Green Chili Hash Browns

Harvest Casserole

Macaroni and Cheese

Rice Pilaf with Variations

Squash Casserole

Brandied Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Desserts

Baked Fudge

Banana Pudding Delight

Brandied Peach Cobbler

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Nutmeg Sauce

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Butterscotch Banana Pudding

Cheesecake Mousse

Chocolate Intemperance

Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Snow

Rice Pudding

Strawberries Romanoff

Cakes, Glazes, and Frostings

Banana Chip Cake

Boston Cream Pie

Chocolate Topper Cake

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Caramel Italian Cream Cake

Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Awesome Coconut Cake

Orange Pumpkin Cake Squares

Peaches and Cream Cake

Fresh Strawberry Cake

The Queen's Cake

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Wedding Cake

New York Pound Cake

Tres Leches Cake

Prune Pound Cake

Pecan Crunch Pound Cake

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Fudge Pecan Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Chocolate Malt Cheesecake

La Lou Cheesecake

Manhattan Cheesecake

Chocolate Glaze

Chocolate Frosting

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Divinity Icing

Vanilla Glaze

Whipped Cream Frosting

White Chocolate Frosting

Buttercream Frosting

Silky Ganache

Fudge Frosting

French Custard Filling

Fruit Filling

Pineapple Filling

Caramel Sauce/Topping

Pies

Butter Pie Crust

Never-Fail Pie Crust

Graham Cracker Crust

Crumb Topping

Meringue

Whipped Cream Topping

Buttermilk Pie

Caramel Chess Pie

Eggnog Custard Pie

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Chocolate Meringue or Chocolate Ice Box Pie

Coconut Meringue or Coconut Ice Box Pie

Key Lime Pie

Lemon Cream Pie

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Piña Colada Ice Box Pie

Sawdust Ice Box Pie

Strawberry Ice Box Pie

Apple Cream Pie

Bumbleberry Pie

Peach Melba Cream Pie

Decadent Fudge Nut/Caramel Nut Pie

Pecan Pie

Turtle Fudge Pie

Cookies, Bars, and Brownies

Beacon Hill Cookies

Beverly Hills Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Chocolate Chubbies Cookies

Date Nut Macaroons

Date Pecan Cookies

English Rock Cookies

Fudge Ecstasy Cookies

Honey Nut Cookies

Ice Box Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Iced Sugar Cookies

Macaroonies

Oatmeal Fruit Cookies

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Pecan Crisps

Sand Tarts

Texas Pecan Nuggets

Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

Vanilla Thumbprint Cookies

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Caramel Pecan Bars

Hermit Bars

Lemon Squares

Wunderbar Ginger

Butterscotch Brownies

Ultimate Brownies

Heavenly Hash Brownies

Those Little Extras

Crazy Crunch

Creamy Pralines

Divinity

Fudge

Homemade Toffee

Pecan Clusters

Sugared Pecans

White Pralines

Winter Walnuts

Cheer

Christmas Punch

Chocolate Soda Punch

Coffee Punch

Equivalent Chart

Helpful Hints

About the Author

cover.jpg

Cooking up Memories One Meal at a Time

Barbara Harris

ISBN 979-8-88644-560-2 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88644-559-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Barbara Harris

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

A Favorite Recipe

Take a cup of kindness

Mix it well with love,

Add a lot of patience

And faith in God above,

Sprinkle very generously

With joy and thanks and cheer—

And you'll have lots of

Angel food

To feast on all the year.

Dedication

I dedicate this wonderful cookbook to my late husband Bill. We were married for seventy-two years. He was the love of my life. Bill was always encouraging, supportive and he was my cheerleader. He thought I hung the moon!

In Appreciation

I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to all my family for their commitment, dedication, and loyalty. They contributed so much over the years in our stores, to the outcome of this great cookbook. I thank my daughter, Kimberly, and my daughter-in-law, Diane, for the many hours spent typing up recipes. To Cathy for introducing our beautiful decorated sugar cookies that became a huge business for us. Thanks to my daughter, Vicki, for her talent and creativity in adding value to our stores. And to my son, Brandon, for encouraging me to write my story.

I am thankful for all my family for their encouragement down through the years. I couldn't have done it without them. It truly was a family affair!

To Make You Smile!

If at first you don't succeed, you'll get lots of advice.

Money will buy all the friends in the world, but they are seldom worth the price.

Feed your faith and your doubts will starve.

The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.

Life is like a shower—one wrong turn and you end up in hot water.

Why worry when you can pray?

We keep praying for a gourmet meal instead of just giving thanks for our daily bread.

Some people eat from three basic food groups—canned, frozen and take out.

Keep your words soft and sweet. You never know when you'll have to eat them.

Preface: My Story

My Story

My husband, Bill, and I have been married seventy-two years. I was fifteen, and he was eighteen when we married. Over the course of nineteen years, we had five children. Our middle son passed away in 2017. We have nineteen grandchildren, twenty-two great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. Most of the family has worked in the business at one time or another. It has been a real blessing to work side by side with them. Each one has contributed in their own way, and we would not have had the success we experienced without them. It has truly been a family affair, and my dream came true the moment I opened my first restaurant. My dream is complete in writing this cookbook. I want to share with you the great recipes that made us so successful.

There is something in all of us that believes a lovely meal around the dinner table is welcoming, inviting and has the power to unite us. Family time is such an important part of daily life. Gathering around the table with a good meal, sharing the events and experiences of the day, produces lively conversation with family and friends. What a blessing for all, and the memories will last a lifetime.

I love to go through a cookbook and select a complete meal from the recipes in the book. What a fun way to pass the day! So read through the chapters of my story and enjoy making the recipes that follow.

You, too, can define your dream and experience great fulfillment by cooking up memories one meal at a time! And that will be the icing on the cake!

And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)

Chapter 1

Life Before the Restaurant

My story begins with seventh-grade home economics class and a love for cooking. In home ec, we worked as a team of two and prepared a recipe that we got to eat and critique. I still have my composition book that has the recipes we cooked, along with instructions on how to fold a napkin and the different ways to do it. We learned how to properly set a table and the nutritional part of good food to serve friends and family.

I loved this class, and it came just at the right time in my life because my parents divorced when I was thirteen. Consequently, I had the responsibility in summers, on weekends, and holidays to look after my three brothers since my mother was working two jobs to hold everything together. This gave me the opportunity to put three meals a day on the table and put into action all I had learned in my home economics class. I loved the challenge and was always trying out new recipes. My brothers were my guinea pigs, and they didn't mind as long as I included a new cookie recipe!

Growing up, we always had fresh home-cooked food. My parents were both good cooks, and looking back, I can see how they were a great example to me. My mom's homemade soups, fresh vegetables, and cookies were the most memorable to me, but she always put a great meal on the table. My dad's specialties were spaghetti and meatballs and an awesome chili, but he especially loved baking a cake.

I got married when I was fifteen, and my mother-in-law taught me many things about food preparation, recipes, and cooking methods. Nana and Paw traveled a lot, and when they came home, I took advantage of the opportunity to show off my cooking skills. They loved my food, and Paw complimented me by always having two pieces of pie, one of each!

In 1968, my husband, Bill, had a job opportunity in Southern California. I resigned from my job, and we moved to California. Bill met the pastor and music director from First Baptist Church in Beverly Hills, and they invited us to the Wednesday-night supper. As we stood in line to get our food, we could smell something burning. As it turned out, Betty Price, Teen Magazine editor, and Rita Klein, who married Michael Warren, producer for Happy Days, were preparing the meal for the evening crowd.

The supper consisted of canned tomato soup with chunks of potato and sliced wieners in the soup. We were smelling the potatoes, which were stuck on the bottom of the pan and had scorched. The young women served the food on flimsy paper plates with a square of lime Jell-O. The red and green ran together and made for a total disaster. It was a valiant effort by two inexperienced cooks, and it was kind of them to volunteer, but the pastor never let them live that down!

After that happened, I was offered the volunteer job of church hostess. I took the job very seriously, and even though I had a full-time job, I began preparing for the meal on Monday and Tuesday evenings. I did the grocery shopping on Monday evening and also managed to get a ten percent discount for the church. I came home on my lunch hour and did what I could in preparation for Wednesday night. My boss allowed me to leave work at three o'clock on Wednesdays, and I was able to serve seventy to eighty people each Wednesday evening and made a profit for the church, charging $1 per person.

My meals were such a hit that some folks suggested that our Wednesday-night suppers were the reason we were having a full house. The pastor was asked if he wanted to take a vote to see if the people were coming for the supper or the prayer meeting. He declined.

Many in the congregation encouraged me to get into the restaurant and catering business. This seed of an idea was planted in me, and it flourished with each successful church supper. A year later, we moved back to Texas, but I never gave up on the idea of opening a restaurant and bakery.

Chapter 2

The Daisy Tea Room and Cookie House

After working as an office manager and full-charge bookkeeper for twenty-three years for a family from our church, I wanted to move on, and my desire to open a restaurant became more fervent. I planned menus, tested recipes, considered how to decorate the space with potential color schemes, furnishings, and decor.

And then, while looking through the evening paper, I saw an ad for a restaurant for lease. I couldn't wait to make that phone call! The owner met with me and Bill at a local drugstore/soda fountain and said he would lease the space to us for 3 percent of sales per month. All the equipment, tables, chairs, and even dishes, pots, and pans were there. All we needed to do was paint the interior and hang pictures and plants to make it our own.

I was thrilled with the possibilities. We made a deal on a handshake, and then I waited. Ten days later, I could not reach the owner, but instead I got his accountant on the phone. He told me the owners had sold the