Red posole for New Year's Day

I’m a black-eyed pea girl when it comes to New Year’s Day fare. A big bowl of the golden legumes, made rich with ham hocks and piquant with ...

Remember the gingerbread Alamo!

I recently had the revelation that I’ve been on the planet for a mighty long time and not once have I made a gingerbread house. Sad, I know...

Cinnamon chocolate marshmallows

For most of my life, marshmallows and I have not been friends. I’d make my s’mores with only chocolate chips and graham crackers, I preferre...

Chocolate tamales with pecans

I received an invitation to a tamalada (a tamale-making party) recently. The party was in Seattle, which might seem like a long way to trave...

Ginger crinkles recipe

My grandma recently told me that she paid a visit to her 95-year-old sister in an assisted living home. “To brighten Aunt Frances’s day,” sh...

Tex-Mex pimento cheese

I’m heading home in a couple of days, and since I won’t arrive to the farm until late Thursday morning, I’ve been trying to figure out dishe...

Chipotle sweet potato soup

Tonight I made one of my favorite soups, a thick sweet potato soup made fiery and smoky with chipotles. I make this soup often in the cold-w...

Tex-Mex chicken and dumplings recipe

Is there a cuter word in the English language than dumpling? Nope, I didn’t think so. And when you pair it with chicken to make chicken and ...

Peanut butter pie recipe

I have a new favorite pie that I will be sharing with my family at Thanksgiving—it’s peanut butter pie. But before I tell you how to make it...

Jalapeno cheese bun recipe for a proper Texas burger

When I first moved to New York, I was struck by the presence of what was called a Texas burger. At first I was thrilled, curious as to what ...

Sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe

When I was in college, on Saturday afternoons a large group of us would celebrate the weekend by going to lunch at the local Tex-Mex restaur...

Rain makes ancho chile applesauce

I went apple picking in Connecticut with my mom last weekend. It wasn’t the first time I’d picked apples—we have apple trees at the family f...

Homemade cheese: queso blanco

What if I told you that making cheese required nothing more than a gallon of milk, a few limes and a cheese-cloth—would you believe me? OK, ...

Mom's oatmeal cookies

When I was young, my mom did things differently from the other mothers. When the other kids were eating sugary cereals, I had to eat Uncle S...

Bacon jam recipe: make it at home

“Bacon jam tastes like the love child of pulled pork and pate!” said one friend. “I am now officially in pig heaven,” said another as I shar...