Fancy green bean casserole
Earlier this year, I went to a Mexican restaurant that had fried green beans on the menu. The crisp coating was sprinkled with smoky red chiles, and the combination of…
Side dish recipes
Cucumber and tomato salad
On a late July weekend in the Hill Country, my friends and I prepared a group meal. We shared the cooking duties, with one at the grill, one making dessert,…
Smoky macaroni and cheese
When I pulled up to the barbecue cart, I was dismayed to see it shuttered. The posted hours had assured me that it would be open through the afternoon but…
Fried green tomatoes
The first time I encountered fried green tomatoes was via the film of the same name. I had never heard of the dish and at first thought it was a…
German potato salad, Dallas style
Back in June 1969, the Dallas Morning News featured a German potato salad from a restaurant on Lovers Lane called The Rib. It was a barbecue place that opened in…
Jalapeño cheese grits
I did not grow up in a grit-eating family. I’d beg and beg my mother to make grits, but she’d always say, “We don’t eat grits in this family. Now…
Borracho black-eyed peas
Every December, I begin to think of new ways to prepare my pot of black-eyed peas. For the past few years, the phrase “borracho black-eyed peas” had been running through…
Carrot soufflé, Texas style
The first time I went to Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue in Tomball, I loaded up on the usual favorites—tender moist brisket, juicy sausage, and pork ribs. The woman behind the…
Summer squash and green chiles
On a recent visit to Texas, I was staying with a friend and cooked her family dinner. There was an abundance of squash and green chiles in their refrigerator, so…
Jalapeño dill potato salad
Last weekend I attended my first outdoor gathering of the season, and I brought one of my usual potluck standbys, my pinto bean and hominy salad. The cool combination of…