Strawberry butter
A few years ago, it was declared that Dallas’s most iconic dish is strawberry butter. It cited that it had long graced tables at The Zodiac Room, a restaurant in…
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Pizza ranch dressing
My addiction to frozen pizza (I know…) has introduced me to a variety of pies, with some not always being the platonic ideal of the form. Fortunately, bad pizza can…
Pork and pinto bean guisada
In James Michener’s epic novel Texas, he has a scene where two discuss why beans are not included in Texas chili. The characters conclude that it’s because beans and beef…
Indian-spiced potato gratin
One of the ways I learned to cook was by preparing the recipes presented to me in my daily media consumption. Thirty years ago, this included reading a paper version…
Bran muffins
My grandma’s last meal was a bran muffin. This was apt, since eating a warm one was her favorite way to begin the day. She liked to share, and she’d…
Crawfish queso
On a coastal road trip, I spotted a place outside Corpus Christi with a sign out front that read, “Crawfish queso.” I decided to stop and have a bite. It…
Sour cream enchiladas, East Dallas style
If your family is like mine, you have a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. This is the place where you know you can get a large table that will hold everyone, and…
Salted butterscotch oatmeal cookies
There is one cookie that reminds me of Dallas in the 1970s—a chewy oatmeal cookie laced with caramelized butterscotch chips. When I was young, a plate of these was seen…
New Year’s Day grits and greens
A few years ago, I woke up on New Year’s Day with a craving for collard greens. While I ordinarily prefer coffee and banana smoothies for breakfast, I went with my urge and prepared a pot….
Rosemary bacon spiced pecans
In a novel I was recently reading, a character had friends over for dinner. While she cooked she offered her guests bacon rosemary spiced pecans. Her guests loved the smoky,…