Seasons Eatings

Christmas is right around the corner and the cold weather has me aching to be in the kitchen. If you're like me you're looking for a few easy dishes that are pure comfort on a spoon. (or fork!)

Try these.

Red Pozole

Tamales

Potato Soup

Ham & Bean Soup
Tortilla Soup

Here are some of my other holiday favorites:

Buñuelos

Ponche de Navidad

Ojarascas

Smoked Turkey
Quick! Cranberry Sauce
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Champurrado
Cinnamon Rum Pecans

Enjoy the season!

The Hungry Texan in Southern Living Magazine

My Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie recipe has been featured in this month's Southern Living Magazine! I was contacted back in August but couldn't really believe it until I saw it in print (with a full page photo!).

Southern Living says, "This pecan pie is to die for! Forget your tried-and-true pecan pie recipe and replace it immediately with this one. You'll never look back." I'm beaming with pride.

In case you're not a Southern Living subscriber, here is a link to the online recipe.

Best Buns I Ever Baked

My twin girls are 5 weeks old already. I can't believe how fast this past month has gone and how much they've grown in just a short amount of time. Its been a big adjustment becoming a mother and caring for two babies. Some days the most I manage to get done for myself is a chance to brush my teeth and eat a quick bite. Other days are better, hopefully soon I can attempt to cook again- my kitchen misses me.

For now I'm happy to watch them grow, be at their beck and call, and capture every moment with photographs. Speaking of, these lovely shots were taken by our very talented friend Sharon. Thanks a million!

Update, Carrot Cake, and few birthdays

Wow. Who would have thought the first few months of pregnancy would be so exhausting? Just a hint of what's to come I guess, considering I'm carrying twins (!). I haven't been slacking off entirely though. I've been cooking a little, earlier this month my little brother celebrated his 19th birthday and as is customary, I made the cake of his choice. This year he asked for carrot cake. I devised my own recipe with fresh grated carrot, chopped pineapple, walnuts and flaked coconut all topped off with my favorite cream cheese frosting. It was a real treat, and absolutely the best carrot cake I've ever had. So good that we didn't wait to take a photo (sorry!) but here's the recipe:

Carrot Cake
(printable recipe)

2 c sugar
1 1/3 c canola oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c coconut
1/2 c chopped pineapple
1 lb. grated carrots

Combine the sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat well and add vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet. Combine the walnuts, coconut, pineapple, and carrots and fold into the cake batter.
Evenly divide the batter between 2 9"round cake pans lined with parchment. Bake at 350 degrees, 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(printable recipe)

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
pinch salt

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and mix well. Gradually add the powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.
*for a little variety add a dash of cinnamon or a bit of maple syrup for a slightly different flavor


My mom's 50th birthday was just a week later. We planned a big party complete with live music (thanks Saddle Tramp!), awesome food, and too much beer. I made a little spread with appetizers and sweets.


This really is one of my favorite ways to spend time in the kitchen- cook ALL DAY, umpteen different things and celebrate with a party that night. Feet aching, compliments, and all. Its wonderful.
I made goat cheese-pesto pastry swirls, roasted red pepper tapenade, herb-olive oil dip, marinated tomatoes, and spinach-artichoke dip served with lots of crusty bread. We also had two huge sandwich trays from Jimmy's, stuffed jalapenos, chicken wings and a cheese log! For the sweet treats we indulged in 2 kinds of popcorn- fudge drizzled kettle corn, and mom's favorite- homemade cracker jack. I also made lemon cake pops, pistachio truffles, meringues, and yellow cupcakes with fudge frosting.

All the food went over really well, the band was awesome (a 6-piece in the living room? Now THAT's a party!), and a great time was had by all. I was so glad to have the occasion to cook for after the last few months of avoiding the kitchen- sometimes I just need some sort of motivation and once I get started I usually go overboard. My goal for the blog moving forward is just to post as often as I can manage, it may be weekly or every 2 weeks, but I plan to keep on cookin'! Look for a new recipe next week!

Super Bowl Party Food

In just one week thousands of fans will descend upon our city for Super Bowl XLV-something or other. I, as you may have guessed, am not really a football fan. Its just not my thing. But I do share their enthusiasm for one thing- the food. Give me a bowl of chili, some pizza, or my mom's famous chicken wings and I might be able to sit through a play or two.

So I thought I'd do a roundup for those of you planning your Super Bowl Sunday feast. Here are a few of my favorite munchies that would be great for game day:

Stuffed Jalapeños
Hank's Tomatillo-Avocado Dip
The Hungry Texan's Ultimate Italian Sub
Gasp! Chili with Beans
Spiced Tortilla Chips
Queso Flameado
Hank's Roast Beef Sandwiches

Oh, and don't forget the beverages! Only beer will do,

Michelada

Road trip: Amarillo / Canyon, TX

So far January has been a pretty hectic month for us. You may have noticed that I haven't been posting quite as frequently. Honestly I haven't had the energy to shop, cook, photograph, edit and write as much as I've wanted to. Over the holidays Hank and I found out that we are expecting our very first child! Needless to say I'm experiencing the exhaustion that comes with pregnancy. All I want to do when I get home is eat a burger, watch the tube, and lounge around- I haven't had energy to do much else.


Along with all this, we've been caring for a new puppy! We drove out to Canyon, TX this past weekend to pick up little Zeke. He's been a joy so far and we're so happy to have him as part of our growing family.
I thought I'd recap a few of the sites in case you happen to drive through this area of the panhandle. I love a good road trip, and as usual planned every one of our meals.


In true Texas fashion we stayed at the Big Texan Motel. The rooms were nicely appointed with a king bed complete with faux-suede duvet, a large western mural, and saloon doors to the closet / washroom. Across the way from the hotel is the Big Texan Steak Ranch, famous for its free 72 oz steak- that is if you can eat it in an hour. But not only do you have to eat the steak, you have to swallow all the sides- a baked potato, shrimp cocktail, salad, and a roll. Definitely not for the faint of heart.


We dined at the Big Texan, and although I contemplated the challenge I knew I was no match for that much food, and I could never bring myself to waste steak. Hank and I stuck with a reasonable portion, an 8oz. top sirloin with sides. The steak was seasoned well, extremely juicy and cooked perfectly.


For dinner we headed over to Coyote Bluff Cafe, renowned for their burgers. After such a great lunch we weren't awfully hungry but still managed to share some delicious chili cheese fries, a hickory burger for me, and a bacon cheeseburger for Hank. Both were substantial and delicious, I just wish I was hungrier.


Coyote Bluff is a great little place, we were immediately offered a beer when we walked in (Hank indulged, I of course did not), the place was packed but we only waited a few minutes before we were seated. Unfortunately we were put in a dark corner so I don't have any food photos to share but we'd definitely go back if we're ever in Amarillo.


The next morning it was time to pickup Zeke. I had planned it so we'd have just enough time to grab a quick breakfast at El Tejavan, which was just minutes away from the hotel. Unfortunately Urbanspoon had the wrong opening time listed and we couldn't wait any longer before we had to hit the road. I can say that we could smell fresh corn tortillas from outside- I wish we could have sampled them. Instead we grabbed a bite at a small diner in Canyon, the Ranch House Cafe, before going to pickup the puppy.

All in all it was a great trip, lots of good food and a nice little escape from the big city. I'd definitely recommend the Big Texan for the kitsch and great steaks and Coyote Bluff for a great burger and an awesome plate of fries.

New Dishes

Those of you out there who know me are already aware of the fact that I love to go thrifting. I started shopping at thrift stores soon after I learned to drive as I prepared to move out on my own, purely for economical reasons. But then I experienced the thrill of the hunt. The excitement of finding a must have piece, like buried treasure, and for only $2.62! Amazing.

These days I shop at thrift stores just for the chance to find something unique. Hopefully its furniture (see my husband's business, Toshmahal), something I can wear, (that 1950's beaded cashmere sweater? yes, thrifted. thanks.) or use in the kitchen somehow, like these great plates!

I have a severe weakness for vintage china patterns. I've versed myself in a lot of the manufacturers and pattern names, and I like to think I have a keen eye, but really the stuff I'm after is pretty easy to spot. Luckily Hank shares my taste and doesn't think it odd that we have random plates and pieces. And hey, they come in handy for food photos too! I'll have to remember that... "This? Its for the blog of course! Got to keep it interesting ya know?" Ha.
So I hoard plates. I'm ok with that.


Anyways, these are my latest acquisitions. I've lusted after the pattern on the plates for some time. The color palette, the line weight and style of the drawing- I love it! The plates are by Harmony House, which was a Sears brand in the 40's and 50's. The pattern is El Dorado. Now before you all rush off to do an ebay search, I will say that these seem to be pretty hard to find. And I will outbid you. (kidding)

The other little gem in the photo is a sombrero dip server I found this past weekend. Isn't it darling? The top portion of the hat lifts off to reveal a bowl underneath. I can't wait to fill it with warm black bean dip. It has only CA - USA on the bottom so I have no idea of its manufacturer, but would love to learn more.

What do you collect? Do you hoard dishes like I do? Or collect old microphones, fans or other cool stuff?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and best dishes in the New Year!

Hosting a Tamalada

Tamalada by Carmen Lomas Garza

When I was growing up every Christmas Eve we would gather at my great grandfather's house in the morning to make tamales. It was a lot of work and took the whole family's effort to get such a large quantity made. We would make dozens of tamales that would steam during the day and later be enjoyed at our Christmas Eve party that night.

Now that I'm older it's harder to get the family together to carry on this tradition; even so Hank and I make a big batch of tamales every year and this December is no exception. I plan on doing the traditional pork, and branching out a little with chicken/jalapeño, bean, and a sweet variety. Recipes and how to's will follow.


Thinking of hosting your own Tamalada this year? Here's everything you need for a fun (and productive!) tamale making party.

Basic tamale making supplies
large bowls for masa and fillings
spoons or other spreaders
large tamale steamer
newspaper (to spread out on your table)
corn husks
prepared masa
prepared fillings

It's great to have some good eats on hand while you're spreading and rolling tamales. Tamale making always makes me hungry, and since they take awhile to steam there's no instant gratification. Here are a few suggestions for a Tamalada menu:

Mexican Hot Chocolate, Coffee
Atole de Arroz
Buñuelos
Ojarascas
Pan dulce
Pozole
Tortilla Soup
Beer, Micheladas

Hope this helps you plan a little, look out for recipes in the coming days!

More Recipe Cards

Yipee! More 3x5 recipe cards are available on the downloads page. I have two western themed designs up, a herd of cattle and a fun campfire cookin' cowboy. These images were scanned in from out of print vintage cookbooks (which I avidly collect), cleaned up, tweaked, and edited by yours truly. Hopefully more designs to come, enjoy them!

Kitchen Tour

It's Saturday. I have a fridge full of leftovers and no desire or need to cook. So I'm taking this weekend after Thanksgiving to give my kitchen a good scrubbing and tackle a little organizing project.

I thought it might be fun to take a look back at some photos I took during the summer. My kitchen was clean and bright, the counters were clear, the dishes were done... Ah, memories.

At the very least it's a good incentive to get to work and prepare for all the Christmas cooking I have planned. But that's just what I'm telling myself - really I'm just procrastinating and putting off cleaning for just a few more minutes.


Here's my stove- a 1950's Tappan Deluxe. It is immediately to the left when you walk in the kitchen. The rack I purchased for extra storage (and I was tired of digging my pans out of a low cabinet). I've got all my cast iron on hooks for easy access and large pots above and a bit of bulk storage below.


To the right of the wire rack is a few cabinets and an alcove (where the stove used to be) where we keep our deep freeze. This clock sits on the wall above the freezer. Look at how much the wall color changed in the photos! Weird.

To the right of the deep freeze is this counter and corner sink. I think all kitchen sinks should be beneath a window don't you?
I've since cluttered this space with another plant and few of my cookbooks..it might be time to move those.

To the right of the sink is another small counter with our dishwasher below.
Confession: I never use it.
It's full of tupperware and seasonal stuff (popsicle molds, gingerbread pans, empty canning jars) I'm thinking about removing it and putting open shelving there...not sure yet.


Along this same wall, on the right side of the kitchen is this little dining space. It's where I take 80% of my photos (thank goodness for natural lighting)!

But we've always struggled with this area- it's an awkward size and just isn't quite right for this table.


We have since found this little vintage red dinette. A much better fit! (but a really crummy photo).


Here's the tree that sits outside the window. I love it- anyone know what kind of tree this is?

This island / divider juts out and closes off our little dining area. I keep all my small appliances (and microwave!) in the cabinets below.

Here's our Kelvinator fridge. It's a relic - I debate about whether or not to make Hank paint it. A part of me would love to see it redone but another part of me loves it in it's found state- rust, wear marks and all. I pray to the appliance gods every day to keep it running (thank you!) and to defrost the freezer for me- they never do.

That's about it, folks. I've procrastinated long enough I think...off to clean and organize!

the Hungry Texan on Mid2Mod

Thanks for the write up Dana! Read the article here.

Printable Recipes

Guess what? I did something for you today.

Yep. The Hungry Texan now features printable recipes! I don't support mindless printing of junk off of the internet but I would be honored if you wanted to print one of my recipes to add to your collection. And now it's a little easier to do just that...

Look for the printable recipe link under each recipe title.


Click the link to go to a very plain page (perfect for printing) and click the "Print page" link at the bottom of the page to get a copy of the recipe.

Easy right? Let me know how the recipes turn out!

Happy Halloween!

Hope it was spooky and fun!

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos is fast approaching, if you haven't figured out what you're making or need a little inspiration, look no further. Here's everything I featured this month that would be perfect to make to celebrate and honor the dead.

Pan de Muertos
Capriotada
Mole Poblano
Chicken Mole Enchiladas (Enmoladas)
Sugar Skulls
Atole de Arroz
Paper Flowers
Pumpkin in Syrup

Also I wanted to share my take on a traditional altar that I created for my dog Jack. Making altars for dogs may differ from the norm, but he was such a big part of our family it only seemed fitting to honor him this year.

I draped the table (and several boxes) in a colorful throw and set out bouquets of paper flowers, candles, and sugar skulls. It is believed that the dead need nourishment after their long journey home so food and water are always placed on the altar. I have the traditional pan de muertos and tamales, I also set out marranitos which he always begged for, and of course a bowl of kibble and his water dish.


The aroma from the flowers and incense (usually copal) is said to be consumed or used by the spirits. They also consume the essence of the food, it is later eaten by the family or given away even though some believe it has no nutritional value.


I have also brought out a few of Jack's things, his collar and tag and a favorite toy we called the "skunk ape".

Just putting this all together was a great experience and a wonderful way to celebrate and remember Jack's life. I love the Dia de los Muertos tradition in that it is a positive view of death, it is not feared or viewed as the end of life. The dead are honored and celebrated, and it is a time for families to come together to tell stories and remember the happy times they shared with their departed relatives.

For more information on Dia de los Muertos and its traditions, food, and practice see the links below:

AZCentral
List of Books for further reading
Palomar College Site for the Dead
Wikipedia

the Hungry Texan on Pegasus News

Check it out, I'm featured on Pegasus News today!

Meet Dallas Blogger Sylvia Subialdea of Hungry Texan

Be sure to check Pegasus News each Friday as they feature a new Dallas food blogger, its been so interesting to read about everyone so far. Many thanks to Teresa for the write up!

I May Be MIA...

I normally don't like to get too personal on this blog, but since I may be MIA for a while I might as well post about what's going on. Early Monday morning my dog Jack passed away. It was so sudden and unexplained that I may still be in shock from the whole experience. I lost so much sleep and drank so much coffee and whiskey there was a time that I dozed off yesterday and woke up hoping it was only a nightmare. Some people may laugh or not understand but its amazing the impact that a little black dog can make on your day to day life. I can honestly say that right now I don't have passion for anything, cooking and eating are furthest from my mind, and my heart simply aches.

I know that time is the ultimate healer, and that with time I can learn to celebrate life but it seems like loss is always most painful in the beginning. I am so thankful for my husband Hank and the support of my family and friends, its comforting to hear a kind word, a thoughtful prayer, or a funny anecdote about Jack. Anyways, I don't want to drag this on, hopefully I will return to blog later this week, I appreciate your patience! Now get off the internet and hug your dog or call your family, you'll never regret even the small moments you spent with them.

Blog Changes / Fall Update

Hi, Sylvia here. Just wanted to let ya'll know about some changes taking place over the next few days here at the Hungry Texan. I'm spreading my wings a bit and invested in a new domain, www.Hungry-Texan.com, so update your bookmarks! If you're following the blog via Google Reader, etc. the transition should be seamless, but please let me know if you encounter any issues. The old blogspot.com address is set up to automatically forward for now, so we should be all covered.

In other news, Fall is here and I'm gearing up for lots and lots of baking (finally!). I'm also working on pressure canning my chili and preparing for the upcoming chili cookoff. October is already a jam packed month, but I hope to bring you guys a few advance-prep recipes for the holidays (sweet potato butter! tamales!) and of course a few Halloween and Dia de los Muertos themed posts.

Speaking of Halloween, Hank and I are actually on the ball this year and have our house all decked out with spooky spiders, skeletons, and monster toys. The next step for us is carving the jack-o-lanterns, one of my favorite fall activities! I'll be sure to post a few templates on the Downloads page as I make them.

That's all for now, the canning recipe for Okra Pickles will be posted tonight!

New Recipe Cards

There's just something special about a handwritten recipe. I have tons of bookmarked recipes and links saved but its just not the same as thumbing through recipe cards that someone took the time to write out and provide little bits of insight and thought on a dish.

On that note I thought I'd let you know about the new Hungry Recipe Cards available for download. And they're free! Always a good thing, right?


Anyways, enjoy the cards! Use them to adorn your home canned gifts, scribble a recipe for a friend, or send along with a plate of cookies or treats.

Red River, NM Vacation Recap

So, I was MIA all last week due to a family vacation to Red River, NM. It was a blast. I hadn't been to Red River in a few years, (I wasn't even drinking age the last time I went!) so it was nice to go back to "Little Texas" as it is often called. We enjoyed shopping, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and several day trips to Taos and Santa Fe. Definitely a jam-packed week.

Here's a few highlights:


One of the best ways to appreciate the lush mountains in Red River is to take the lifts up to the top of Wheeler Peak. Red River is a popular destination for skiers in the winter, but the lifts stay open year round. If you're ambitious (and haven't eaten your weight in candy on the drive) you can even hike down.


Red River also has some scenic fishing spots, we caught our fair share of rainbow trout here with some good ole' nightcrawlers.


And then there was shopping, or for me the pursuit of silver charms and all things turquoise. By far the best place to find a treasure is in Santa Fe. You can by right from the hands that forged the silver on the plaza, and get a pretty good deal to boot!


And before we spent all our money we had to take a trip up the mountain on horseback. Or in my case, via burro. Red River Stables had a full tour and employed all their horses and donkeys, putting me with Little Mexico and Hank with Einstein. It was a nice (and steep!) ride up. I was glad to be with sure footed Mexico on the rocky cliffs. The guide told me she had been found with a bunch of wild horses along the Turquoise Trail, at the Mexico / Arizona border. They believed her to be a drug smuggling burro who had been set free after performing her task!


Last but never least, the food. We ate really well on this trip, everything from giant italian sandwiches to enchiladas, to steak and hamburgers. I got lots of great ideas from this trip, Green Chile Enchiladas are up next on my to-make list. And look out for Cactus Salsa soon!