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!

BLT Pasta Salad

Miss me? Let's catch up over this cool and creamy pasta salad. Spring is in full swing here and the rising temperatures have me craving cool treats, crunchy veggies, and salad. But of course I couldn't keep it light and healthy, could I? This BLT version of pasta salad is tossed with 2 pounds of bacon and dressed with ranch and a hearty sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Oh yeah and there's spinach and tomatoes in there too- just to keep the illusion alive that you just might be eating something healthy.

BLT Pasta Salad
(printable recipe)

2 lbs. thick cut bacon
1 lb. bowtie pasta
2 pints grape tomatoes, sliced in half
9 oz bag baby spinach
ranch dressing
1/2 c parmesan cheese
pepper to taste

Fry the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta. Boil uncovered for 11 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
Wilt the spinach 1 of three ways:
-Add to the still hot pot with drained pasta, cover, toss and let stand 10 minutes (this is what I did this time around)
-Wilt with bacon grease
-Microwave on a plate in 3 batches for 2 minutes
Combine pasta, wilted spinach, crumbled bacon, and tomatoes. Toss with enough ranch dressing to moisten to your liking. Sprinkle on parmesan and plenty of fresh ground pepper, mix well. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Maple & Motor

Wow, this review has been hiding in my drafts pile since, uh December? Definitely pre-pregnancy due to the PBR I indulged in. What I wouldn't give for one of those now :)
Anyways, enjoy the review and be sure to check out Maple & Motor if you have a hankering for a good burger.


I'm definitely a little late to the Maple & Motor party but I'm glad I decided to stop in for a bite nonetheless. Maple & Motor is a great little burger joint and is open for lunch or dinner. I'd been wanting to give it a try for a while, I spied the cool revamped architecture a while back and the "burgers & beer" beckoned. Finally I had my chance at a late lunch on a Friday afternoon.

The atmosphere at Maple & Motor is fun, there's booths and tables, and what I think was a jukebox in the back. The walls pay homage to some of the other colorful restaurants in the neighborhood, and the chalkboard menu gives this place a homey feel. I ordered a straight up jalapeno cheeseburger (I chickened out and went for pickled jalapenos instead of fresh) with onion rings and a tall boy.

The burger was really good, it had a nicely seasoned hand-formed patty with plenty of cheese and toppings. The bun, although a bit greasy, held up nicely to the burger. The onion rings were average but good. And my PBR tall boy was ice cold. I'll definitely be back for another taste.

Tacos de Lengua (Cow Tongue)

The first time I tried lengua I was at an East Dallas taqueria with my uncle. I must've been around ten years old. He handed me a "beef" taco and I happily devoured every last bite. It was delicious.
Only after the fact did he inform me that it was lengua, and that lengua is actually cow tongue. Surprisingly I was unaffected and just wanted another taco. Lengua continues to be one of my favorite taco fillings and its always the first thing I try at a new taqueria. Here's how to make it at home.


Tacos de Lengua (Cow Tongue)
(printable recipe)

1 cow tongue (about 3.5 lbs)
2 onions, quartered
1 head garlic, cloves crushed
6-7 bay leaves
1 tsp. mexican oregano
1 tbsp. peppercorns
1 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. comino
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 serrano, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Rinse the tongue and place in a large crockpot*. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, peppercorns, salt, and comino. Cover with water and cook on low, about 6 hours.

Remove the tongue from the broth and set on a cutting board to cool for a moment. While its still warm peel off the skin. (Its easiest to start peeling at the back of the tongue and tug forward) Cut away the base of the tongue where it was attached to the mouth (this part is tough).

Slice the tongue crossways in 1/2" slices, then dice it. Sautee the tomatoes, onion, serrano, and garlic in a little oil until cooked through and fragrant. Add the cubed tongue and 1/2-1c of the cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt, pepper, comino, and chili powder. Simmer briefly to reduce the liquid.

Serve in corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, lime and fresh salsa.

*Alternately you can make this in a stockpot. Bring the water to a boil, add the tongue, onions, garlic, and seasonings. Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 1 hour per lb.

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!

Candied Grapefruit Peel

Have you ever had candied citrus peel? Its a bit chewy, a little tart, and a little sweet. My kind of candy really, and I adore citrus- so there's that.

As a kid I remember my grandpa telling me about the citrus orchards in the valley. I was amazed that just a few hours drive away (Texas is a big place!) were orchards bursting with delicious grapefruits and oranges. I have yet to venture out to any Texas citrus orchards but I always enjoy their bounty each year. One of my favorites is the Rio Star grapefruit- its deliciously sweet and just a little tart, and the aroma of slicing into one is mouthwatering. This year after slicing and slurping my way through a giant, juicy Rio Star I wanted to do something more with this fruit, and before I knew it I was making Candied Grapefruit Peel. Read on for the recipe.

Candied Grapefruit Peel
(printable recipe)

1 large Rio Star Grapefruit
2 c sugar, plus 1/2 c
2 c water

Cut the ends off the grapefruit to make a flat cutting surface. Put one side down on the cutting board and proceed to cut the grapefruit in 8 wedges. Remove the fruit (eat it!) and slice the rind lengthwise into 1/2" slices. Place each slice rind side up on the cutting board, use a sharp knife to carefully cut away as much of the white as possible, this will keep the candy from being bitter. The peel should be almost transparent.

Place the peels in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and combine 2 c sugar and 2 c water over low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Add the peels and boil for 20 minutes. Use a fork or tongs to remove each peel from the syrup and dredge in sugar, coating all sides. Place on parchment to dry, about 20-30 minutes. If you'd like dip in dark chocolate!