Month: December 2013

Humble beginnings…

High’s Café & Store began in a small 650 square foot building with two owners and one part-time employee…Carma… in September 2005. With a Barbie oven, one hot plate, and a few tried and true recipes, we were excited to start a casual coffee shop in Comfort, TX.

12 years later, we occupy 3200 square feet, use i PADS for order taking, have 13 employees and blog on the internet.

Additionally, cooking classes, a website, retail items, various remodels and menu additions have brought us to our present version.

From Styrofoam to porcelain and plastic to stainless, High’s has evolved naturally. We transitioned when it seemed appropriate and timely to do so. Through all of this, Denise and I have worked to maintain a sense of community, a desire for fresh flavors, and a “friendly ease” with which food and service are delivered.

So, thank you to all of our loyal and supportive fans. On behalf of the entire High’s family, it is our pleasure to serve you. Enjoy the blog. These are the recipes many have requested. Share with us your thoughts and let us know how we can make HIGHMADEFOOD.COM more useful to you.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(makes 30 medium sized cookies)

1 1/3 C flour

½ t baking powder

1 ½ t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

½ t salt

2 C old fashioned oats

2 C quick cooking oats

¾ C coconut

½ C golden raisins

½ C dried cranberries

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c light brown sugar

¾ C sugar

2 extra large eggs, room temperature

2 t vanilla

¼ C half & half

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add both oats, coconut, golden raisins and dried cranberries. Break up raisins and cranberries making sure they get coated with flour mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix in well. Add half and half and mix well. With the mixer on low speed, spoon flour mix into the butter mix. Finish incorporating with a large spoonula. 😉

Using a 1 1/3 ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out batter onto a cookie sheet prepared with non-stick baking spray. Chill cookie balls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Once the dough has firmed up, place cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 13 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake for another 13 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove cookies from oven and place on a cooling rack. I like a crispy exterior with some chewiness in the middle. You can store chilled dough in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer longer. Several weeks. When you have the time, make some dough, portion it, freeze it and then bake it off when you need cookies for a special occasion.

Sweet Mexican Corn Soup

(serves 4-6)

¼ C vegetable oil

1 orange sweet pepper, finely diced

1 yellow sweet pepper, finely diced

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

S & P

2 – 14.75 ounces of cream style corn

1 – 7 ounce can of green chiles

1 – 16 ounce bag frozen corn

4 C chicken stock

¼ C brown sugar

2 t cumin

1 T dried oregano

½ t red pepper flakes

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 bottle Shiner Bock beer

Add oil into a preheated soup pot. Add peppers and onion to the pot and sauté until onions are translucent. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the sauté. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow flavors to meld. Take soup off heat and allow to cool down a bit. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Place half of the cooled soup into a blender and blend until a smooth puree is formed. (Make sure that you allow the soup to cool. Very important!) Add pureed soup back into the pot with the remaining mixture. Add one bottle of Shiner Bock beer. Reheat soup and serve with cilantro oil, crispy tortilla strips, and grated cheddar cheese.