When Lisa Fain, a seventh-generation Texan, moved to New York City, she missed the big sky, the bluebonnets in spring, Friday night football, and her family's farm. But most of all, she missed the foods she'd grown up with. After a fruitless search for tastes of Texas in New York City, Fain took matters into her own hands. She headed into the kitchen to cook for her friends the Tex-Mex, the chili, and the country comfort dishes that reminded her of home. From cheese enchiladas drowning in chili gravy to chicken-fried steak served with cream gravy on the side, from warm bowls of chile con queso to big pots of fiery chili made without beans, Fain re-created the wonderful tastes of Texas she'd always enjoyed at potlucks, church suppers, and backyard barbecues back home. In 2006, Fain started the blog Homesick Texan to share Texan food with fellow expatriates, and the site immediately connected with readers worldwide, Texan and non-Texan alike. Now, in her long-awaited first cookbook, Fain brings the comfort of Texan home cooking to you. Like Texas itself, the recipes in this book are varied and diverse, all filled with Fain's signature twists. There's Salpicón, a cool shredded beef salad found along the sunny border in El Paso; Soft Cheese Tacos, a creamy plate unique to Dallas; and Houston-Style Green Salsa, an avocado and tomatillo salsa that is smooth, refreshing, and bright. There are also nibbles, such as Chipotle Pimento Cheese and Tomatillo Jalapeno Jam; sweet endings, such as Coconut Tres Leches Cake and Mexican Chocolate Chewies; and fresh takes on Texan classics, such as Coffee-Chipotle Oven Brisket, Ancho Cream Corn, and Guajillo-Chile Fish Tacos. With more than 125 recipes, The Homesick Texan offers a true taste of the Lone Star State. So pull up a chair-everyone's welcome at the Texas table!

An informal view of dining and entertaining the Texas way.

A haute take on one of America's most traditional cuisines--that of the Texas ranch. Don't be thinking this book is just full of ribs, beans, and biscuits . . . . unless, of course, you're thinkin' South Texas Venison Ribs with Peanut Dipping Sauce, Black Bean Nachos with Chargrilled Chicken, and West Texas Biscuit Pudding with Southern Comfort en Glace. You see, at the Reata Restaurant in West Texas, hot chef Grady Spears is cooking cowboy cuisine with an emphasis on the cuisine. Filled with fresh, strong flavors, fascinating ranch memorabilia (these Texans take their history seriously!), gorgeous full-color food photography, and truly marvelous, utterly real food, this is American cooking at its kick-off-your-boots-and-get-down-to-business greatest.

Who says cooking is for homebodies? Veteran Texas food writer Robb Walsh served as a judge at a chuck wagon cook-off, worked as a deckhand on a shrimp boat, and went mayhaw-picking in the Big Thicket. As he drove the length and breadth of the state, Walsh sought out the best in barbecue, burgers, kolaches, and tacos; scoured museums, libraries, and public archives; and unearthed vintage photos, culinary stories, and nearly-forgotten dishes. Then he headed home to Houston to test the recipes he’d collected back in his own kitchen. The result is Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook, a colorful and deeply personal blend of history, anecdotes, and recipes from all over the Lone Star State. In Texas Eats, Walsh covers the standards, from chicken-fried steak to cheese enchiladas to barbecued brisket. He also makes stops in East Texas, for some good old-fashioned soul food; the Hill Country, for German- and Czech-influenced favorites; the Panhandle, for traditional cowboy cooking; and the Gulf Coast, for timeless seafood dishes and lost classics like pickled shrimp. Texas Eats even covers recent trends, like Viet-Texan fusion and Pakistani fajitas. And yes, there are recipes for those beloved-but-obscure gems: King Ranch casserole, parisa, and barbecued crabs. With more than 200 recipes and stunning food photography, Texas Eats brings the richness of Texas food history vibrantly to life and serves up a hearty helping of real Texas flavor.

Homesick American, Parisian kitchen-- moving to Paris was the best bad decision that Texan Ellise Pierce ever made. Using French ingredients and techniques from both sides of the Atlantic, she created a unique style of cooking that's part Texas, part French, and all Cowgirl.

Everyone loves Texas food and now, Dean Fearing, arguably the best chef in Texas, shares the top traditional and modern dishes from the Lone Star State. The Texas Food Bible will be a timeless, authentic resource for the home cook-a collection of the traditional and the contemporary recipes from Texas. Dean Fearing will take readers through Texas culinary heritage, the classic preparations involved, and the expansion and fusion of the foods that have combined to develop an original Southwestern cuisine. A bit of regional history will take the reader from fry bread to Sweet Potato Spoonbread, from Truck Stop Enchiladas to Barbecue Shrimp Tacos. Simple taco and salsa recipes will be starred right beside the culinary treasures that make Dean's cooking internationally known. This comprehensive guide will include step-by-step methods and techniques for grilling, smoking, and braising in the Southwestern manner, in addition to recipes from other chefs who have contributed to the evolution of this regional cuisine, such as Robert del Grande and Stephen Pyles, and a look at local purveyors such as Paula Lambert's cheese. These recipes will be accompanied by more than 150 photographs of finished dishes and the cooking process along with a glossary of food terms. The Texas Food Bible is the ultimate cookbook for foodies and simple home cooks alike.

When first published, The Texas Holiday Cookbook drew rave reviews and gained a national following. In this new edition, truly Texan recipes like Margarita Balls and Really Whomped-Up Mashed Potatoes have been updated for contemporary tastes, products, equipment, techniques, and lifestyle concerns such as nutrition profiles.New chapters and materials include: superstar Texas chefs’ holiday traditions and recipes; food gift ideas for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's; Texas wines and spirits for holiday celebrations; and Texas tricks to make holiday cooking tastier, quicker, and easier such as combining homemade with takeout, using convenience products, and sharing the workload with guests.