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…
Posts
Salsa verde chicken tamale pie
A Texan friend of mine who is a private chef in California remarked that she had been introducing her clients to all the Texan classics such as chicken-fried steak, fajitas,…
Tex-Mex beef and bean stew, aka Lakemont chili
My family has a dear friend who moved from Houston to Georgia when she and her husband retired. She’s an excellent cook and from time to time, she and I…
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…
Texas caviar chile con queso
This time last year, I was asking people for black-eyed pea recipe ideas. Most shared with me dishes that involved lots of pork and peas, a common combination as the…
Mexican chocolate fudge
At Christmastime my senior year of high school, I had a classmate who was going through a tough time, so another friend and I thought it would be nice to…
Homesick Texan subscriptions
The morning after Thanksgiving, as I was preparing to leave my grandma’s and head to Love Field to fly back to New York, I looked into my purse and saw…
Turkey and sausage jambalaya
Last weekend, I saw Willie Nelson for the first time. Considering his legendary status, it’s incredible to me I’d never been to one of his shows. But I wasn’t alone…
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…
Smoky chili beans
A few months ago, I was looking at grocer ads from the late 1800s and early 1900s. As expected, the offerings were provisions such as bacon, flour, butter, and coffee….
