Cheese enchiladas: the essence of Tex-Mex
Tex-Mex is not Mexican food. That’s right, even though many of the restaurants you see across Texas often call themselves Mexican they’re not. But that’s OK. When Diana Kennedy said…
Cheese
Jalapeño bacon pull-apart cheese bread
When it comes to comfort, there’s nothing more soothing than the combination of carbs and dairy. Macaroni and cheese, cheese enchiladas, chips and queso—all are dishes I’ll turn to when…
Apple Jack biscuits
There’s a new member of my family. His name is Jack Jernigan. He’s not the first Jack Jernigan, however, as that was my grandfather’s name. To keep things clear, my…
Cheesy baked pasta with chorizo
Back when I was learning to cook, one of my favorite combinations was pasta, sauce, cheese, and ricotta. That summer, I waited tables at an Italian restaurant and on the…
Green chile pie
“An El Paso classic,” touted the postscript on an intriguing-sounding recipe. The dish called for roasted long-green chiles, bacon, and a pound and a half of cheese. It went under…
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…
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….
Texas pulled pork queso
My cousin married a woman from Kansas City. We’ve become good friends and the other day when she was doing work in Marfa, she sent me a text discussing the…
Texas chili powder cheese ball
The first time I wrote about cheese balls on this site, I featured a character named Aunt Betty. She was a fancy relation who impressed everyone with her culinary prowess,…