Pork chop breakfast taco
“Is this correct?” I asked my server one morning at an airy restaurant close to downtown San Antonio. I had asked for a breakfast taco, but he had brought me…
Tex-Mex recipes
Classic Frito salad
When I was growing up, my mom served a dish she called bean salad. It was made up of pinto beans, along with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, and crushed tortilla…
San Antonio bean burger
The first time I had a San Antonio bean burger was on a hot summer day. I was wandering in my car outside of town and off a quiet road…
Queso with black beans, Austin style
When I was in my early 20s living in Austin, after a night on the town my friends and I would find ourselves at one of the city’s all-night cafes….
Chalupas poblanas
As I watched the woman in the video finish preparing her recipe for chalupas poblanas, I was surprised when she picked one up, folded it in half, and took a…
Arroz con pollo
A reader once said his favorite comfort food was arroz con pollo. It was a weeknight staple in his home growing up in McAllen, and no matter where he found…
South Texas baked flautas
One time when I was passing through Del Rio, I spotted a charming restaurant on the outskirts of town. Feeling hungry, I decided to stop for lunch. When I walked…
Frijoles de puerco
When it comes to comfort food, refried beans are at the top of my list. Ever since I could remember, they were my go-to, both when times were uncertain and…
Chicken tortilla soup
In the 1930s, a Dallas cooking school advertised its course offerings, stating that it would be teaching how to make tortilla soup. This was the first mention in the Texas…
Spinach enchilada casserole
When I was growing up in Houston, we lived out in the suburbs, closer to Tomball than downtown. While I enjoyed my school, my classmates, and my home, my friends…