Table salsa, North Houston style
If you’ve ever been to Soto’s Cantina in the North Houston suburb of Cypress, then you may be familiar with their table salsa. It’s a blend of chunky tomatoes, peppers,…
Tomato
Salsa tatemada, South Texas roasted red salsa
The salsas you encounter at Tex-Mex restaurants across the state vary by region. For instance, in Dallas, the main salsa is a bright and lively tomato-based condiment, seasoned with cumin,…
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…
Hopkins County stew
In Northeast Texas, there’s a county called Hopkins that is famous for its stew. The tradition of making Hopkins County Stew harkens back to the late 1800s, when at the…
Cucumber and tomato salad
On a late July weekend in the Hill Country, my friends and I prepared a group meal. We shared the cooking duties, with one at the grill, one making dessert,…
Fried green tomatoes
The first time I encountered fried green tomatoes was via the film of the same name. I had never heard of the dish and at first thought it was a…
Chile relleno casserole, El Paso style
When I first read the recipe for chile relleno casserole I found in my family’s stash of cards, I was struck by the instruction to use a one-inch layer of…
Brisket enchiladas
This summer, after an afternoon of shopping at North Park in Dallas, a friend and I got into her car and realized we were hungry. As we pondered our nearby…
Roast chicken with bacon, tomatoes, and green chiles
My friends keep telling me I should get an Instant Pot. They sing its praised though I’m still not convinced. This is mainly because I have little room in my…
Southwestern one-pot pasta with chicken and black beans
This Southwestern one-pot pasta is studded with tomatoes, jalapeños, chicken, and black beans. The pasta cooks at the same time as the sauce, making it quick and easy.