Red lentils with jalapeños and lime
One of my dearest friends recently gave up eating meat. As we were talking about her new lifestyle, I asked if she was…
Cheese enchiladas: the essence of Tex-Mex
Tex-Mex is not Mexican food. That’s right, even though many of the restaurants you see across Texas often call themselves Mexican they’re not.…
Chili Queens chili
The first time I heard about the San Antonio Chili Queens, I was on a plane. A friend wanted to make a documentary…
Jalapeño dill pickle dip
When a friend set out some snacks for us to enjoy, she pointed to a bowl loaded with chopped pickles and speckled with…
Rice pudding with grapefruit and pecans
In Mary Koock Faulk’s The Texas Cookbook, I came across a side dish that cooked rice with the juice and zest from an…
Cabbage with bacon
One day while visiting a friend, we sat in her kitchen and discussed the importance of family recipes. Like me, she has a…
Green chile pork posole
Last week, I lost my sense of smell. Thankfully, my sense of taste was still functioning, so eating wasn’t completely strange. But everything…
Black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day
My first New Year’s Day in New York City, I was panic struck: where was I going to find my annual dose of…
Tamale breakfast casserole
The other day, a friend and I were discussing Texan holiday traditions. We agreed that fruit cake, cookies, party mix, and homemade candies…
