Remember the gingerbread Alamo!
I recently had the revelation that I’ve been on the planet for a mighty long time and not once have I made a gingerbread house. Sad, I know. So I…
Dessert recipes
Peach cobbler, banana pudding, pecan pie, chocolate sheet cake and cool ice creams are included in this category of beloved Texan desserts.
Cinnamon chocolate marshmallows
For most of my life, marshmallows and I have not been friends. I’d make my s’mores with only chocolate chips and graham crackers, I preferred whipped cream in my hot…
Chocolate tamales with pecans
I received an invitation to a tamalada (a tamale-making party) recently. The party was in Seattle, which might seem like a long way to travel in order to cook with…
Ginger crinkles recipe
My grandma recently told me that she paid a visit to her 95-year-old sister in an assisted living home. “To brighten Aunt Frances’s day,” she said, “I brought her some…
Peanut butter pie recipe
I have a new favorite pie that I will be sharing with my family at Thanksgiving—it’s peanut butter pie. But before I tell you how to make it, first a…
Mom’s oatmeal cookies
When I was young, my mom did things differently from the other mothers. When the other kids were eating sugary cereals, I had to eat Uncle Sam. When the other…
Banana pudding ice cream
I have a confession. I’ve never had the pleasure of eating Blue Bell’s Banana Pudding ice cream. I’m not sure why. After all, I love banana pudding and I love…
Aunt Margaret’s strawberry delight
A few weeks ago, before it was strawberry season, my grandma tempted me with a dessert my Aunt Margaret used to make: strawberry delight. Aunt Margaret was one of the…
Dewberry cobbler is your reward
Picking dewberries is a wonderful warm-day pastime. When I was young, my friends and I would march out to the wilder parts of my suburban Houston neighborhood—such as the bayou,…
Ratios and cherry almond cookies
I’m an improvisational cook. This means that I’ll take stock of what I have in the kitchen and then create dishes from what’s available. This method usually works if I’m…