Poblano mashed potatoes
The first Thanksgiving that my brother attended with his new wife was a big occasion. They live in Oregon, and while she’d visited with our immediate family in Houston before,…
Thanksgiving
Sweet potato bread
My family has a running joke. In my first book, I included a recipe for sweet potato muffins, and in my headnote, I mentioned that anytime you’d go into my…
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…
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…
Spicy applesauce cake
My great-grandma Blanche loved applesauce cake. In fact, her recipe collection has no less than five versions of this classic snack cake, all of them different. So when I decided…
Green chile scalloped onions
This classic scalloped dish involves baked sliced onions nestled in a creamy sauce that’s topped with cheese and/or crumbs. To liven it up, green chiles have been added to the mix.
Baked jalapeño pimento cheese dip
Jalapeno pimento cheese is baked in a skillet, making for a hot, creamy, and spicy cheese dip perfect with tortilla chips. Chile con queso’s Southern cousin has arrived!
Jalapeño bacon Brussels sprouts gratin
Brussels sprouts are nestled in a creamy sauce spiked with jalapeños and bacon, then topped with cheese that’s broiled until bubbling and brown.
Chipotle cranberry sausage balls
Behold the sausage ball. It’s not the prettiest treat on the appetizer table but it’s certainly one of the more popular. This one is livened up with cranberries and chipotle chiles.
Apple cake
An abundance of juicy apples and crunchy pecans are gently nestled into a cake both tender and crisp. As one friend remarked, it’s as if you combined apple cake with apple pie.