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 it’s often not the prettiest dish on…
Side dish recipes
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 Highland Park Cafeteria, a Dallas comfort-food mainstay…
Frijoles especiales
If you are heading to South Padre Island, you will drive through Brownsville. This Valley town, which sits on both the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican-American border forged by…
Cilantro-lime rice
My favorite way to help someone who isn’t feeling good is to offer them something delicious to eat. When a dear one recently felt sick, a few of us brought…
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 collection that she’s gathered from her parents…
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 black-eyed peas? Not having any of the…
Poblano mashed potatoes
The first Thanksgiving that my brother attended with his new wife was a big occasion. They live in Oregon, and while she’d visited with our immediate family in Houston before,…
Jalapeno corn fritters
On the way to DFW airport a few years ago, I stopped at a restaurant to grab one last bite before I flew back to New York City. While ordinarily,…
Macaroni and cheese, Texas cafeteria style
A few years ago, a shop in New York that specializes in vintage restaurant plates had on display white mugs marked with the Luby’s logo. Since Luby’s is a Texas…
Butter beans
One day my grandma mentioned my uncle was preparing a big pot of butter beans for dinner. She then asked how I liked to cook them, but I confessed they…