Tex-Mex Recipes:
Migas are a traditional Tex-Mex breakfast dish. Fast and easy to make, they’re a delicious addition to any buffet.
Tex-Mex Layered Party Dip—This is a popular appetizer, served year-round.
Tortilla Soup—A classic southwestern soup, guaranteed to warm you up on cold winter days
Fajitas: I was introduced to fajitas, (chicken and beef), when we moved to Texas, years ago. Our whole family loves them.
Beef Enchilada Casserole: My family loves Tex-Mex and enchiladas and tacos are among their favorites. This Tex-Mex Beef Enchilada casserole is one I have perfected over the years.
Chicken Fried Steak: Every self-respecting Texas woman knows how to make chicken fried steak. It's a family staple and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Banana Pudding: No Texas barbecue is complete without banana pudding or homemade chocolate-chip pecan pie for dessert.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie: No Texas barbecue is complete without banana pudding or homemade chocolate-chip pecan pie for dessert.
Fajitas: I was introduced to fajitas, (chicken and beef), when we moved to Texas, years ago. Our whole family loves them.
South Carolina Fare:
Banana Coconut Pecan Bread—This is a favorite breakfast bread and great for snacking or putting in packed lunches. Tightly wrapped, it will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Breakfast Sausage with Cream Gravy—This is a popular stick-to-your ribs breakfast throughout the South.
Crab Cakes: The seafood is fabulous in Charleston. After sampling the crabcakes at numerous restaurants, while researching my Deveraux series, I decided it was impossible to find a variation of the South Carolina specialty I didn't like.
Peach Pie: South Carolina peaches are wonderful and plentiful in Charleston. My favorite recipe for peach pie follows.
Migas
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2 cups lightly crushed store-bought tortilla chips
6 eggs
6 tablespoons of cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Your favorite salsa—for garnish or to taste
Lightly coat skillet with cooking oil spray or one teaspoon oil, and heat to medium. Break eggs into a bowl, and add cream, salt, and pepper—whisk until light and frothy. Pour into skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until half set, then add crushed chips and cheese and finish cooking. Plate, and top with salsa, and if desired, extra cheese.
Tex-Mex Layered Party Dip
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1 Can Refried Beans
I packet Taco Seasoning Mix
8 ounces of sour cream
2 avocados
Juice of 1 lemon
I large tomato, diced
4 ounces of sliced black olives
8 ounces of Colby-Jack or Cheddar shredded cheese
Salt to taste
Spread refried beans in a thin layer of casserole dish. Blend taco seasoning mix with sour cream, and spread mixture over top of beans. Peel and remove seed from avocados. Mash the avocados and mix with lemon juice, add salt to taste. Layer over sour cream mixture. Add diced tomatoes for next layer, then olives, then top with cheese. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips. (If desired, guests can spoon dip over chips, and microwave until cheese bubbles for a hot appetizer that resembles the ultimate queso served in many Mexican restaurants.)
Tortilla Soup
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1 medium yellow onion
1 8-ounce can Rotel tomatoes or any variety canned tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans or four cups of chicken stock
1 small can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
For garnish: tortilla chips, shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese
Saute onion in a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, until soft and translucent. Stir in all other ingredients, except chicken, and simmer for thirty minutes or until ingredients are well-blended.
Pour crushed chips in bottom of a soup bowl. Add soup, top with cheese and serve.
Beef Fajitas
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2 lbs beef skirt or flank steak
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup lime juice
12 flour tortillas
1 large sweet onion
1 large green pepper
1 tablespoons olive oil
sour cream
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
picante sauce
guacamole
Mash garlic and seasonings together. Rub on both sides of the steak,
covering well. Rub olive oil on steaks. Put steak in a single layer in
a glass rectangular baking dish. Pour lime juice over steak, making
sure that the meat is covered in lime juice on both sides. Cover with
plastic wrap and marinate for at last 30 minutes, or overnight, in
refrigerator.
Heat skillet, add one tablespoon of olive oil and sliced green pepper
and sweet onion, cook until onion and pepper are browned on edges and
tender. Set aside.
Add steak to the hot skillet and cook, over medium high heat, in one
tablespoon of olive oil, until cooked through. Remove steak from pan,
cut in thin strips. Return reserved onion, green peppers, and steak to
skillet, and saute together until sizzling. Warm tortillas. To serve,
layer steak, lettuce, tomato, cheese, guacamole, picante sauce, and sour
cream on center of flour tortillas. Roll up the tortillas, and enjoy!
For added flavor, the steak can be grilled over hot coals, then sliced,
and warmed in skillet indoors, as per directions.
Red Chili Gravy
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2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons Mexican Hot chili powder
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cans water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black and red pepper mix
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 dozen corn tortillas, from refrigerator section
3 cups of sharp cheddar, or Mexican blend grated cheese (Using the
Mexican blend will make it hotter.)
1 bunch of green onions
Brown ground beef, drain. Melt shortening in a saucepan over medium
heat, add flour and stir until roux is smooth. Stir in chili powder
until mixed, then add tomato sauce and two cans of water. Add salt, red
and black pepper, and extra lean ground beef. Stir and let simmer for
15-20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Spread one half cup of chili-beef gravy in bottom of a 13 by 9
casserole dish.
Soften one dozen corn tortillas in microwave, or in warm skillet, two at
a time. Slice one bunch of green onions. Fill each tortilla with two
tablespoons of cheese and a sprinkling of green onions, roll, and place
face down in casserole dish. Repeat with other eleven tortillas, placing
rolls side by side. Top with remaining chili gravy, cheese, and diced
green onions. Cover with foil, place in 350 oven for 25 minutes, or
until heated through in the middle. Uncover and continue baking until
cheese is bubbling and casserole begins to brown on top. Serve. This
casserole freezes well, unbaked. It can go straight from the freezer to
the oven, covered with foil. It will take longer to heat, of course.
Figure at least an hour. This is a wonderful make-ahead dish.
To make cheese enchiladas, simply omit the ground beef in the chili
gravy.
To make beef enchiladas, fill tortillas with cooked ground beef and
onion, and omit cheese, or use a light cheese topping.
Texas Style Chicken Fried Steak with cream gravy
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2.5 to 3 pounds of tenderized round steak
1 5 ounce can evaporated milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tsp paprika
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil
Trim steak of any fat, and pound with meat mallet if necessary, to
tenderize. Cut into 6 to 8 pieces.
Combine milk, egg, and salt in a shallow bowl--blend well. Measure one
cup flour into a bowl. Combine remaining flour and the rest of the
spices into another bowl. Dredge meat into plain flour, egg and milk
mixture, then seasoned flour. Set aside. Repeat with remaining pieces
until all are coated.
Heat 1 or 2 inches of oil in a heavy skillet, suitable for frying. Fry
meat until both sides are crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper
towels. Put in another pan, in low oven (250) to keep warm while you
make the gravy.
Cream gravy: Pour off all but six tablespoons of fat from the frying
pan. Add six tablespoons of the seasoned flour and cook until lightly
browned and a nice smooth roux. Gradually stir in 2 and one half cups
of milk and stir and cook until thickened. Season with salt and plenty
of black pepper. Cover steaks with gravy when served. Excellent served
with mashed potatoes and vegetable and salad of your choice.
Easy Banana Pudding
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6 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
2 pkgs instant banana pudding
3 cups lowfat milk
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
1 12 oz container of frozen whipped topping
1 8 ounce container of light sour cream
Mix banana pudding with milk until blended. Fold in half the whipped
topping, sour cream, and vanilla. Blend thoroughly.
Layer vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 13 by 9 serving dish. Then add
a layer of pudding and a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat each layer two
more times. Top with remaining half of frozen whipped topping.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Texas Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
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3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell for a deep dish 9 inch pie--if using a frozen crust,
let thaw first.
Combine sugar, butter, flour, and eggs, and mix until smooth. Add
chocolate chips, pecans, and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into the unbaked
pie crust and bake at 350 or until the top is golden brown. Can be
served warm, with vanilla ice cream. (This is a holiday favorite at our
house.)
Banana Coconut Pecan Bread
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2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
½ cup softened butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium or 1 cup mashed bananas
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup flaked coconut
¾ cup chopped Pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Beat with mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until well mixed. Add bananas and orange juice. Mix well. Stir in coconuts and pecans. Spread into two greased loaf pans. (Although the batter can fit in one loaf pan, it will cook more evenly if the batter is divided into two pans.) Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes and then remove from pans
Breakfast Sausage with Cream Gravy
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1 lb. breakfast style bulk sausage
3 tablespoons melted butter, and or drippings from pan. (I use drippings and add butter as needed.)
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Form sausage into patties and cook until browned in a frying pan over medium heat. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm. Add enough melted butter to drippings in pan to produce three tablespoons. Add ¼ cup flour, and stir constantly, cooking until bubbly over medium heat. (Usually 2-3 minutes) Add milk, salt and pepper, and stir until thickened and bubbly. Pour gravy over cooked sausage and biscuits.
For easy biscuits, use Pioneer or Bisquick brand biscuit mix, or the Pillsbury buttermilk or southern style biscuits found in the freezer section of the grocery store. Prepare according to package directions.
Charleston-Style Crab Cakes
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1 pound lump crabmeat
1 large egg
3 tablespoons light mayonaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Pick over crabmeat, removing any cartilage or shell. Whisk together
egg, mayonaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley, cayenne pepper,
salt, and hot pepper sauce. Gently fold into crab, being careful not to
break up the meat too much. Gently stir in bread crumbs. Form crab
cakes into eight patties. Flatten gently, if necessary. Bake for 15
minutes in a 375 degree oven, or if you prefer, melt one tablespoon
butter and two tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet, and saute
crab cakes until they are lightly brown on both sides.
Peach Pie
(Printer Friendly Page)2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
6 tablespoons cold water
5 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all pupose flour (or 1/4 cup cornstarch, if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Blend flour and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add one tablespoon water at a time, until all flour is moistened and dough forms a round ball. (One to two tablespoons of additional water made be needed, depending on moisture content of flour.) Divide dough in half. Roll out on floured surface, to form 2 10 inch circles. Line pie plate with one crust.
Prepare filling by mixing sliced peaches and lemon juice. Stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix with peaches. Put peaches in pastry-lined pan, dot with butter, cover with other pastry circle. Pinch edges together, to seal, and cut slits in top of pastry to allow steam and juices to escape. Cover edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Bake in 425 oven for 30 minutes, remove foil on edges and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until pastry is light brown and you can see fruit juices bubbling through the slits.