Rosemary bacon spiced pecans
In a novel I was recently reading, a character had friends over for dinner. While she cooked she offered her guests bacon rosemary spiced pecans. Her guests loved the smoky,…
Appetizer recipes
Bacon blue cheese deviled eggs
When you get together with my father’s side of the family, you can be assured that hard-boiled eggs will be on offer. They stir them into gravies, slice them into…
West Texas corn dip
Last year, a group of dear friends and I took a road trip out to far West Texas. It’s a long drive from DFW, and our group made sure that…
Chipotle lime boursin
When I was young, my mom introduced the family to a new cheese spread. It was a foil-wrapped puck of white cheese that was laced with garlic and herbs. The…
Sausage queso, Tex-Italian style
When I was making plans to visit Lubbock, a friend gave me some advice. “Go to Orlando’s Italian restaurant, and order the mafia queso,” she said. “It’s outstanding.” Lubbock, Texas…
Mexican chocolate spiced pecans
One of my favorite holiday gifts is spiced nuts. They’re simple to prepare, and the nuts are a willing receiver for a host of flavors. While the savory combination of…
Fried mushrooms
My friend Wendy was full of surprises. For instance, take the time we met for a college reunion. Wendy and I had been freshman roommates at Austin College, a small…
Rosemary candied bacon bowties
A friend asked if I was familiar with bacon bowties. Not sure what they were talking about, I asked for more explanation. She said it was an old Southern snack…
Parisa: Medina County beef tartare
The first time someone told me about parisa, I have to admit that I was dubious. Raw ground beef mixed with cheese, jalapeños, and lime juice? Um, no thank you!…
Hatch chile hummus
When I graduated from college in 1991, I took an internship at the Houston Press. One day, the art director sent me to pick up lunch and she placed a…
