Food and Stories of the Texas Hill Country
Mushroom Papadzules
Tuna Ceviche with Salmon Roe
Light Bread with Chicken Fried Steak
Sous Vide “Ro*Tel Dip”
Sourdough Stone Ground Cornbread Sticks
Spicy Red Cow Peas
Growing up we had pinto beans or black-eyed peas for dinner at least once a week. As a child they were never my favorite – but it didn’t matter. Having a choice at dinner time was a luxury that was not afforded in my family. They were usually simply cooked – seasoned with salt pork,…
Roasted Cauliflower with Jalapeño Anchovy Sauce
This recipe combines two of the most maligned ingredients into one dish. I’ve always considered cauliflower nothing more than white broccoli and therefore it is not on my favorite play list. But I was wrong. When roasted slowly in the oven with nothing more than olive oil it creates a toasted, nutty flavor that will…
Ranch Style S’mores
Although technically you can make this recipe in any type of oven safe dish, this “ranch style” version is impressive in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron retains heat very well which keeps the chocolate and marshmallows melted until they are all gone. 1 can sweetened condensed milk 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 6 oz…
Corn Crème Brûlée
Sometimes you taste something and it defines the entire experience. That was the case with this unique creamed corn dish that I tasted at the restaurant Steak 48 in Houston. Although I sat down and had a delicious ribeye, the corn stole the evening. Creamed corn is one of those foods that originated with the…
Bacon
Bacon. There are few foods that create visceral cravings more than bacon frying on the stove. In Texas, these sense memories are ingrained within us since birth. Everyone knows what bacon smells like, and it just smells delicious. And those that disagree, well, they are just lying. My love affair with bacon started in Bosque…
Compressed Watermelon Salad
There is probably nothing more stereotypical of the South than the watermelon. And, I think I have spent most of my adult life learning to pick out the perfect one. So far I’ve failed. Everyone likes to “thump” a watermelon, and you will here the old timers tell you to listen for a deep hollow…
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are beautiful creatures. There is nothing like the perfect combination of acidity and texture that you find in a fresh-from-the-garden, home-grown tomato. I once heard that if you can’t grow tomatoes in your garden then there is no reason to have a garden. I agree with that. In the summertime my favorite “recipe” for…
T.M Davis Yeast Rolls
I grew up in a small town – well actually on a cattle ranch between two small towns – and attended a school with 112 students between kindergarten and the 12th grade. Everyone in the school knew each other and often too much. These were certainly simpler times – most classes had two grades in…
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
There are few dishes that create an emotional experience with the activation of romantic hormones than chicken enchiladas. The smell of roasting tomatoes, melted cheese, the vibrancy of chiles is all it takes to make people want to skip the chips and dive in. If that happens to early you can blister your tongue and…
Guacamole
So when it comes to guacamole, I am a simple person. Finding exactly the ripe avocados, incorporating only a minimal of ingredients, and making sure you salt correctly – this is probably the perfect appetizer. Yes, I am one of those people that filters through the pile of avocados in the produce section: poking and…