Whether preparing appetizers for your family gathering, or for literally 500, these stuffed grape leaves are the ticket! I have always loved them, but considered it an abominable task to make them. Join me with Jo Ann Andera as she demystifies their fairly simple preparation and learn about the Lebanese heritage here in Texas.
JoAnn headed the annual folk like festival at the Institute of Texan culture museum for many years. She has a deep appreciation for all the cultures that constitute Texas as well as a unique viewpoint growing up as the daughter of Lebanese immigrants.
Stuffed grape leaves make A hardy snack that can be frozen & defrosted for a quick Protein pick-me-up. They would also serve well with a hardy appetizer meal since they include meat and rice. Easy to pick up individually, the hard part is exhibiting restraint on how many you can eat!
Add all ingredients except leaves and lemon. Mix well.
Put leaves dull side up. Put about 1 TBSP stuffing in each. Begin to roll, fold in ends and finish. Should be 1/2 - 3/4 inches thick when rolled depending onside of leaf.
Put lamb bones or sliced tomatoes in bottom of 2.5 quart pot. Arrange rolls in compact rows. When finished put heavy plate on top so they remain firm.
Pour water/lemon juice combo until leaves are barely covered.
Cover and cook medium flame for 15 minutes.Opt: Add a little lemon juice after 15 min
Lower flame and cook another 15 minutes.
Unmold by putting plate over pan and inverting or use tongs and plate individually.
Notes
These can be easily frozen for future use as a quick snack.
This is the time of year that my garden Abounds with peppers I planted yellow, green and red peppers on purpose and now the beauty of the various colors is in full throttle! Peppers can make a lovely and wholesome side dish especially when coupled with some mushrooms and onions. Flavorful, easy to prepare, And full Of vitamins, I love serving this either along side a protein or adding some sausage for a one dish meal. If you don’t have a garden you can just snag a bag or two of the multicolored peppers from H-E-B. Organic is a good choice for peppers if you are striving to eat “clean”.
So go ahead: pick a peck of peppers & sautée them up for dinner tonight! Hint: they really shine in a cast iron frying pan & you can serve them up straight from there. 😉
Texas pecans make just about anything great. And when you toast them, it’s amazing. This chicken salad has the requisite celery and onions, but then you add green grapes, toasted pecans and a sprinkle of dill – Yum is the word!
I especially like the combination of sour cream and mayonnaise with lemon for the dressing. Quick to prepare (hint: it’s a great meal to prepare with a friend and ask them to slice the grapes and chop the toasted pecans), and a salad that will make you look forward to lunchtime.
What does chicken salad and a book about Texas have in common? They make a great welcome gift to a new Texan!
My dear childhood friend, Marsha and her husband (a Californian originally) moved to the Texas hill country from 25 years in Durango, CO. This chicken salad is easy to pull out for lunches while unpacking and the book is good basics in “Texan” for her husband.
Place the pecans in a dry skillet over medium/low heat and toast for 3-5 minutes - stirring frequently until golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
In a lage mixing bowl, combine diced chicken, halved grapes, sliced celery, chopped onion and cooled pecans.
In a small bowl, add all o the dressing ingredients and stir to combine.
Add all of the dressing to the salad, and stir until salad is evenly coated with dressing. Refrigerate.
They do not get nearly the attention of the jalapeno , but poblano peppers are super charged with flavor. The poblano (or also called Ancho) pepper is my favorite pepper because they have that great pepper taste but are much milder.
They are great for adding just a touch of zing to pasta, chili, salads, and dozens of other dishes. Think: substitute poblano for bell pepper. I find they also last in the fridge for quite a while.
“Just a little heat” characterizes this easy to prepare main dish. Poblano peppers & a dash of jalapeños give it punch, while not overpowering. Just add salad & you have a winner of adinner!
Prepare a day ahead, pull from the fridge 30 minutes before dinner, and place in preheated 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes.
Would you be surprised to hear that Juneteenth has a deep connection to Texas? As Texicureans, our journey is to learn and share history through food. Sometimes it is as simple as Grandad’s cornbread. But other times, there is a deeper cultural significance to what we do. To say Texas has a complex history with slavery and the African American culture here would be an understatement. I’ve always known that Juneteenth is rooted in Galveston, Texas. But in order to dig deeper, I went to the experts. Travel along in time with me as we visit the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in Austin and cook soul food with my friend, Corey Benbow.
First, let’s take a trip back in time leading up to June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas to learn why that day represents freedom for so many.
History
Everything you are about to read is from the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center of historic texts, photographs, and artifacts located in East Austin. If you want to plan your own visit, they are located at 1165 Angelina St. in East Austin.
Celebrated by the African-American community on June 19th, Juneteenth is marked by commemorative ceremonies, religious services, speeches, picnics, games, performances and parades. The earliest recorded celebrations were held in Texas in 1866 and featured members of the United States Colored Troops who had fought for the Union Army during the Civil War.
When settlers arrived in 1820’s era of Texas, free African Americans were already living here. Mexican law provided for the legal and political rights of all citizens. In 1836, the Texas war for Independence saw many African-Americans fighting alongside the colonists.
The new Republic of Texas, however, would uphold slavery and subsequently the State of Texas seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy. President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 which intended to free all slaves in the South. Since the confederate states did not recognize the U.S. President’s authority, the order was ignored.
On June 19th, 1865 Major General Gordon Granger arrived at Ashton Villa in Galveston proclaiming General Order 3:
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and right of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.”
The approximately 250,000 slaves were informed of their freedom by their owners over the months that followed. Some literally dropped what they were doing and walked away. Others stayed with their former owners and worked for wages.
African Americans quickly became involved in Texas Politics. The 12th Legislative session (1870-1871) had 12 African Americans serving in the House of Representatives and two in the State Senate. Freedmen’s communities were formed and by 1900 31% of African American farmers in Texas owned their land.
The Juneteenth celebration has spread throughout the United States – largely through transplanted African-American Texans. Al Edwards, African-American Texas State legislator lead the charge to create a state holiday and his efforts paid off on January 1, 1980. Now, 46 of the 50 states observe Juneteenth.
If you want to learn more, go visit the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center yourself.
Soul Food
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Soul food is the foods and techniques associated with the African Americancuisine of the United States. The term was first used in print in 1964 during the rise of “Black pride,” when many aspects of African American culture—including soul music—were celebrated for their contribution to the American way of life. The term celebrated the ingenuity and skill of cooks who were able to form a distinctive cuisine despite limited means.
To learn how to cook a soul food dish, I invited my friend Corey Benbow over to share his love of cooking with y’all. We became friends when he was President of the Student Body at Texas State University and I was President of the Alumni Association.
Corey agreed to share his family’s special recipe for Stewed Tomatoes and Okra (with Sausage and Shrimp). Corey loves to cook for his extended family and to be the beneficiary of this dish is, well, an absolute sensory delight! The aromas alone are food for the soul.
Go to www. texicureans.com to view Corey’s tutorial. Youtube – “Food for the Soul”. While you’re there, join our recipe club for weekly emails with recipes, tips, and all things Texan.
Rinse Rice in bowl or colander until water runs clear
Add 2 Cups Rice to 5 Cups water in a pot, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, add stick of butter. Cook until water fully evaporates - (approx. 30 minutes)
In a large skillet, add 1 stick butter and melt over medium heat. Add chopped onion and pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
Add andoullie sausage and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add stewed tomatoes, stir in and cook over medium heat, covered for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp, cook fo 5 minutes, covered.
Add cajun seasoning and hot sauce, stir.
Add frozen okra to top (don’t stir) and cook for 7 minutes.
Ahhhhh, just the mention of meatloaf conjures up a happy experience. In this New Braunfels cemetery, a woman is given the best compliment even as a memorial!
Enjoy this healthy version that promises to comfort you in all your earthly problems – in the first few bites.
Charles Salsman, who spent his childhood years in El Paso, shares this simple Saturday morning brunch recipe. Typically using items found in the fridge, this is a super recipe to turn left-overs into a spectacular presentation. And did I mention that it is super yummy?
10small whole red potatoes (or 6-7 large) — quartered
1large head cabbage, cut into small wedges
8carrots, peeled and sliced into 3-inch pieces (if organic, don't peel)
1tbspcoriander
2tbsp peppercorns
1tspcrushed red pepper
1tsp fennel
1tspallspice
1/2cupbutter
Instructions
Toast spices in a hot cast-iron skillet for 2 - 3 minutes.
Pour into a spice mill or a Ninja blender and pulse a few times. Place 1 tsp of mix back in skillet.
Place brisket with spices that came with it and spices from blender in a large pot and cover with about 1” - 2” of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours.
Add potatoes and carrots and cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 minutes. Remove meat and let rest for 15 minutes. (If your pot is not big enough, you can remove meat before boiling veggies)
Slice meat across grain and place in a serving dish with sides. Spoon the vegetables around the meat.
Melt 1/2 Cup butter in skillet with spices. Pour over veggies. Garnish with a “little green” parsley
Notes
I have prepared this a day ahead for a St Patrick’s Day dinner party and it reheats nicely.
This recipe comes as a request from my fitness coach, Jessi Prochaska at Lokal Strength. Her dedication to whole body health extends to the “fuel” with which we regenerate. This recipe checks many of the boxes for healthy eating and basically is a meal in a bowl. Here’s to Jessi and my teammates at the “Lokal”!
Even though our winters are fairly mild in Texas, the fragrance of a slow cooked meal on a dreary January day is heavenly. Veggie-loaded Slow Cooked Osso Bucco is one of those dishes that is easy to prepare and full of slow roasted veggies.
I especially like this Italian inspired meal for a dinner party as you can do the prep work by 11 or so in the morning, and set your slow cooker for dinnertime. I prepare risotto and roasted Brussel-sprouts a day ahead, and just reheat about an hour before dinner is served.
Italians in Texas: By 1920 there were 8000 Italians living in Texas. Most fled the social and economic conditions of Italy. A name you may recognize is noted bootmaker Sam Lucchese.
Squeezed juice from grated lemons (aprrox. 2 lemons)
1tbspchopped garlic
Instructions
Put the flour in a wide, shallow dish. Season the veal shanks all over with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour; shake off the excess flour.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, and when it foams, add the shanks to the skillet. Cook until golden, turning once, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a slow cooker.
Add the wine to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, onion, carrot, celery, and thyme. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours—the meat will be very tender and almost falling off the bone.
Transfer the shanks to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a large skillet. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a gravy bowl.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic to make a gremolata. Serve the veal shanks topped with the reduced sauce and the gremolata.
Notes
The traditional recipe calls for only 2 stalks of celery and carrots. I like to load up on healthy veggies and it makes a pretty presentation.
Serve with sides of risotto and roasted Brussel sprouts - which can both be prepared a day ahead.
You can set your slow cooker to be ready an hour or so before the time your guests arrive and turn temperature to keep warm. I used my MIL’s hand-me -down cooker (the kind your grandmother cooked her turkey in).
This recipe comes as a request from my fitness coach, Jessi Prochaska at Lokal Strength. Her dedication to whole body health extends to the “fuel” with which we regenerate. This recipe checks many of the boxes for healthy eating and basically is a meal in a bowl.
