Strawberry and spinach salad
One would think that Texans don’t appreciate salads, as we have a reputation of being a meat-centric state. While this is true, Texas…
Texas sweet onion pudding
There are several harbingers of a Texas spring, such as the bluebonnets in bloom, the return of baseball, the lighter, warmer days, and…
Kimchi mac and cheese
A few years ago, I learned about kimchi grilled cheese sandwiches from the Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan. He’d included a recipe…
Grapefruit avocado salad with poppy seed dressing
A friend of mine is a co-owner of a barbecue spot, and he and I were recently discussing side dishes. He’s a traditionalist,…
Creamed spinach with jalapeños
In 1980, New York writer Laurie Colwin visited Texas for a literary festival at SMU. During her time there, she ate in a…
Jalapeno pecan cornbread dressing
The act of stuffing a roasted fowl—be it chicken, duck, or turkey—reaches back to the Roman Empire. The idea is that the mixture…
Sweet potato pudding
Even though my great-great-great-great-grandpa Elisha Chambers was known by his friends as Tater Chambers due to his skill at growing (and eating) sweet…
Green chile tater tot casserole
Over the summer, when people have shared dishes they’ve made, one intriguing concoction has made several repeat appearances: tater tot casserole. Even though…
Squash casserole, Dallas cafeteria style
The past couple of years have not been kind to restaurants and we’ve lost quite a few. One that has been lamented is…
