Before I became a parent, I never really understood why nuggets were such a staple in kids’ meals. Then I started making food for my one year old’s lunch, and it all clicked! Nuggets are the perfect toddler food: easy to hold, soft to chew (especially for little ones without many teeth), low on mess,…
These venison and mushroom meatballs are deeply savory and rich with earthy, umami flavor. They’re tender, aromatic, and so flavorful that even my one-year-old devours them. (He’s a serious little meat eater—if it tastes meaty, he’s all in.) What I love most is how versatile they are: serve them over creamy polenta, toss them with…
Mayonnaise is one of those things that people rarely make at home because it’s so convenient to pick up a jar from the grocery store. On the downside, if you look at the ingredient list, you’ll find that most commercially made mayo contains soybean oil and high-fructose corn syrup. I started making it at home…
Between Easter and Mother’s Day across the state of Texas, you’ll find dewberries growing wild along fencelines, in ditches, and in sunny pastures. These low-growing, thorny vines produce berries similar to a blackberry, although they are an entirely different subspecies within the Rubus genus. Though they are smaller, they taste comparable. As they grow, they…
For many of us, chicken-fried steak is imbued with nostalgia. This iconic Texas dish satisfies a rumbling stomach, and it hits the spot when you crave something comforting. It was designed to transform tough, cheap cuts of meat into something delicious. Its humble roots epitomize scratch cooking and harkens back to a time when people…
If you want an indulgent side dish that departs from the classic mashed potatoes with butter and cream, this is it. I usually stick to simplicity when it comes to vegetables, but I gotta admit, pimento cheese is pretty damn good addition. It adds a little bit of acidity and flavor to the potato’s blank…
It’s human nature to root for the underdogs. I see it time and time again in movies, books, and sports, but somehow we overlook the unsung heroes when it comes to food. The internet goes crazy for ramps and morels each spring, but what about the humble radish? Or flank steak, a cut of beef…
Easter is just around the corner, and when I think of Easter in Texas, I think of three things that I hold dear: Jesus, wildflowers, and barbecue. After church, we get together with family to enjoy smoked brisket, chicken, ribs, or beef tenderloin. It’s been an unspoken tradition for many years, and I love the…
One of the most underrated spring vegetables in the garden is a new potato. Particularly the little bitty ones the size of a golf ball. In fact, I think digging them up to discover how many (or few) potatoes you have is the best part of growing them. I love eating them in a variety…
Winter and spring are the best times to cook with carrots. Freezing temperatures convert the starches in the root vegetable to sugar, making them sweeter. Cooking them in the oven at high temperatures compounds that sweetness by caramelizing the outside. Roasted carrots are delicious and economical. Yet somehow they’re completely underrated! Of course, we want…