Homesick Texan

Carne asada stuffed potatoes

2013-05-23T13:13:00.001-04:00

In Southern California, there’s a dish called carne asada fries. It’s a pile of French fries topped with carne asada, cheese, and a variety of other toppings, such as sour cream and salsa. While I’ve...

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Avocado-coconut ice cream

2013-05-09T12:44:00.000-04:00

If your mom is anything like my mom, then she probably loves avocadoes. While everyone in my family enjoys this tropical fruit, I most identify it with my mom, as when I was growing up it seemed that...

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Strawberry cream cheese kolaches

2013-04-22T13:28:00.000-04:00

Last week I began the writing phase of my book, which means every morning I get up early and begin working. Because I like to write without any distractions, I don’t talk to anyone or go online until...

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Spring break in Texas

2013-04-15T09:15:00.000-04:00

The other night I dreamt that I was in Texas. It was the end of my visit, and I hadn’t seen many wildflowers while I was there, but as we pulled into the Austin airport, suddenly the surrounding...

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Pimento cheese deviled eggs

2013-03-29T11:05:00.000-04:00

A reader recently emailed me, asking for my deviled egg recipe. In her letter, she explained she was at work and had left my book at home. While she had hoped to find the recipe on my site, after...

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Corned beef hash with chipotle chiles and Irish bacon

2013-03-14T13:11:00.000-04:00

When I lived in Austin, I worked with a woman who loved to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. She was a quiet lady and I was a little surprised at her enthusiasm. But she explained that her husband, a...

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Ruby Red grapefruit cookies

2013-02-28T11:53:00.000-05:00

In my kitchen, I have one drawer. Clearly, this greatly limits the amount of stuff I can possess, unless I want my kitchen to creep into other parts of my apartment. (Actually, it already does, as my...

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Banana, bacon, and pecan pancakes

2013-02-11T14:28:00.003-05:00

There are many ways to say I love you, and in my family, some folks have decided that pancakes are the way to show they care. First there was my grandfather, who you’d find every Saturday...

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Shrimp queso flameado with ranchera salsa

2013-01-31T14:56:00.000-05:00

There’s that big game happening this week, and in honor of the host city New Orleans, I thought that it would be a fun idea to make a Cajun-inspired chile con queso. Shrimp, andouille sausage, melted...

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Chicken tortilla casserole

2013-01-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

For the past few weeks, like many folks this time of year, I’ve been sneezing, coughing and feeling wretched. But while this year may be off to a slow start, I ended last year in the best way...

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Cranberry crumb bars with mulling spices

2012-12-20T13:53:00.000-05:00

This week I’ve been baking batch after batch of cookies as we head towards Christmas. I’m not sure why cookies are the sweet treat most associated with the season, but perhaps it has something to do...

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Holiday gift guide 2012

2012-12-07T12:35:00.000-05:00

While I love spending time in the kitchen, I’d have to say I’m happiest when I’m driving around Texas, enjoying our state’s rich and gracious bounty. No matter where I go, there’s always something...

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Turkey enchilada verde soup

2012-11-19T10:46:00.000-05:00

Three weeks ago on a Friday, I found myself back in Texas so I could give my talk at the University of Texas at Arlington. It went well and the students seemed to enjoy the subject matter—though who...

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Texas and the place of memory

2012-10-11T12:45:00.000-04:00

In a couple of weeks, I’ll be giving a talk on the theme of “The Place of Memory” at the University of Texas at Arlington. While I’m not sure what I will say just yet, on my recent trip home I looked...

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Chocolate pecan sticky bars

2012-09-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

About this time eleven years ago, I took a plane trip to Texas. It was my first flight after 9-11 and everyone was still shaky about air travel. Many of my friends advised me to postpone my trip, as...

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Tomato pie with bacon and jalapeños

2012-09-12T12:10:00.002-04:00

On my refrigerator is a photo my mom sent me from last Thanksgiving. It’s a shot of a long wooden table that’s been topped with an array of pies. There are cream pies, pecan pies, fruit pies and...

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Green chile cheese steak

2012-08-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

The song of the cicadas, the beginning of football and the arrival of Hatch green chiles always signal the end of summer for me. While I usually try to make it home every August so I can enjoy these...

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Blueberry lime oatmeal muffins and a new cookbook

2012-08-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

The other day my grandma asked me, “What have you been doing with yourself lately?” She had noticed it’s been quiet on the blog this summer and I told her I’d been taking it easy—it’s summertime...

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Peach jalapeño jam

2012-07-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

Texans love their peaches. I’d say that this love ranks right up there along with bluebonnets, barbecue, cheese enchiladas and football. And for good reason, as Texan peaches are the best. I’ve...

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Sorghum-mustard glazed ribs

2012-06-29T11:01:00.001-04:00

The other day, a friend of mine commented about how hard it was to recreate barbecue without a yard. She’s a recent arrival to New York City from Texas and like many of us, she was shocked by the...

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zucchini slaw

2012-06-15T10:02:00.000-04:00

One of the toughest things about living in New York City is the lack of any outdoor space. During the winter when the city is cold and wet, you don’t miss it so much. But now that it’s summer,...

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Chipotle-orange glazed drumsticks

2012-06-07T12:26:00.002-04:00

There’s a scene in the movie “Hud” where Patricia Neal’s character offers an orange to Paul Newman. As she’s about to hand it to him she says, “Look it says ‘Florida’ on it. We grow ’em right here in...

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Mint chocolate cookies and cream ice cream

2012-05-31T13:32:00.000-04:00

What's your favorite ice cream? For most of my life, mine's been coffee. But when I was a teenager, two flavors—mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream—fought for my attention, with both of them...

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Crispy dogs with bacon-jalapeño dipping sauce

2012-05-17T12:03:00.000-04:00

“How you feel about crispy dogs?” asked a friend from San Antonio. We were discussing regional variations of hot dogs, with my favorite being the bacon-wrapped Mexican hot dogs I enjoy at the Fiesta...

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Peanut butter crisscrosses

2012-05-10T11:33:00.000-04:00

At a recent Hill Country church bake sale, I was faced with a difficult decision—which dessert to try? There were pies, cakes, and cookies, and while they all looked good I was limited to just one....

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