American

I don’t know any chef who travels with his own grits except Scott Peacock. And you can understand why. Once you have tasted those Southern stone-ground grits, it is hard to settle for less. But I hope he will forgive me for offering here a recipe for ordinary supermarket grits. They cook in 20 minutes, and I have borrowed Scott’s method of cooking them partially in milk, which makes them so much creamier. This way, at least you may get so hooked on grits that you’ll send away for the grittier stone- ground variety and give over part of a Sunday afternoon to stirring them as they cook slowly for a long time, the longer the better. Either way, grits are good with so many things—shrimp, chicken, game, pork, ham. I always make extra so that I can have some fried grits for breakfast the next day. Avoid instant grits and look for the old-fashioned ones.

This mock bouillabaisse is so scrumptious that you would never know it had anything “left over” in it. You do have to stop and pick up a dozen or so fresh mussels and a few clams the day you’re making it, but otherwise everything else is at hand, and you can put this together in half an hour. I am assuming, of course, that you have a good fish stock in your freezer; if not, plan to make this after you’ve had a lobster or a supper of steamed mussels and have some of that intense lobster or mussel broth left. Otherwise use clam juice, diluted by Half with water because it is quite strong.

Those little bits of fish that you didn’t finish, or that you purposely put aside for another meal, take on new life in these scrumptious fish cakes. My rule of thumb is to use equal parts cooked fish and potatoes. If the fish you are using has been fried, scrape off the crusty exterior, because you want the cakes to be smooth inside.

From cooking a corned beef hash lunch with Julia Child, I learned a few tips about what makes a really delicious hash, whether it be made with cooked lamb, beef, poultry, or, in this case, pork. I discovered the importance of adding some stock and cooking the hash slowly at first, to form a glaze, and of always cutting the meat in small pieces, never grinding. You use approximately the same amount of meat as potatoes, and it’s essential to include some aromatic vegetables to give off their sweetness and help form the glaze that makes the crust. I am using a cooked beet here, because New Englanders always include it with pork—hence the name “red flannel”—but use other handy vegetables, such as mushrooms, red peppers, carrot, or fennel, that are good foils for whatever meat you have left over. I cook it all in my sturdy 8-inch cast-iron pan, which I think is better than nonstick for a hash.

This zesty salsa gets its flavor and green hue from tomatillos. Tomatillos have a tart, citrus-like flavor that works as a zingy accompaniment to fish (see Halibut Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, page 86). When choosing tomatillos, smaller is better. The smaller ones have a sweeter taste. Tomatillos should be green and about the size of a large cherry tomato. The inside is white and meatier than a tomato. They are covered by a papery husk that may range from the pale green to a light brown. The husks are inedible and should be removed before use.

Salsa is Sandy’s condiment of choice. (Well, that and pickled jalapeños!) This recipe is one of her absolute favorites and provides her with a little taste of home. She typically adds this salsa to her morning eggs (she’s spicy that way) or serves it as a flavorful dip to sit alongside a big pile of tortilla chips. If you like a really hot salsa, leave in some of the jalapeño seeds.

Jell-O has gotten a bad rap, and we are not sure why. In fact, Jell-O happens to be one of the Queens’ favorite go-to treats, as it’s now available in low-calorie and sugar-free varieties, making it a wonderful vehicle for satisfying your sweet tooth without all the guilt. And, Jell-O is extremely versatile. With dozens of flavors available to choose from, you can always find a satisfying one. If you haven’t had Jell-O in a while, we invite you to try this recipe. It’s the perfect, cool treat for the summertime that’s both light and fruity. Besides, desserts that jiggle are fun!

Tart and tangy, lemon bars are one of those amazing desserts that seem to please everyone. Maybe it’s because bars are easy to serve and highly portable, a clever cross between a cookie and pie. The key to a good lemon bar is a strong citrus flavor. You’ll want your mouth to pucker in delight! When choosing your lemons, be sure to pick ones that are vibrant in color and feel somewhat heavy in the hand. Also, when zesting, be sure you only get the yellow part, as the white part is very bitter.

Rice Krispies? Check. Peanut Butter? Check. Chocolate? Check. Delicious on their own, these three flavors will knock your socks off when layered together. The bars are decadent and rich, so be sure to have a glass of milk handy.

It’s bananas how good this dessert is! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than this. A creamy peanut butter topping covers layers of fresh bananas and a tasty vanilla-wafer crust. Drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce, we think it’s the best in the bunch!

Sandy’s mom, Margie (aka Marge), has a passion for bread pudding and is a self-proclaimed connoisseur. This is the only bread pudding out of a pile of test recipes that Marge gave her stamp of approval, noting it was the richness of the vanilla custard that won her over. Go ahead and try it. Marge approves!

Always a hit! Sandy’s version of peach cobbler starts with a layer of cakelike pastry: moist and delicious—never dry! It’s spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon to accentuate the warm flavor of the peaches and simply can’t be beat when accompanied by a scoop of ice cream. We recommend trying cinnamon ice cream for the ultimate flavor combination!

Yvette, Sandy’s sister, is known all over the Valley for this cake. In fact, it’s her claim to fame in those parts: “Oh, honey, you know Yvette. She’s the one that makes that ridiculously tasty upside-down cake.” Want in on her secret? She uses a cast-iron skillet to bake it, versus transferring it to a cake pan! This keeps the top of the cake extra crunchy and gives it a little extra caramelized flavor that people go crazy for.

Make this casserole when you’re short on time but want something big on taste. It’s a cinch to whip together, so even beginner cooks will earn oodles of praise. There are many variations of this type of casserole dish, but you’ll find our personal favorite way of making this dish below. Want to be totally indulgent? Add another layer of crescent rolls to the top of the casserole. It’s like your own bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a croissant roll! Indulgent? Yes. Tasty? You betcha!

Some things are like clockwork. For Crystal, her weekly routine during her high school years consisted of getting up and making herself grits and toast for breakfast. Oh, how she loved her grits! Some mornings she had them with sugar and butter; other days she simply salt-and-peppered them. It didn’t really matter how they were prepared. You can imagine, then, how sad she was when she couldn’t find grits while at college in Boston (that and her sweet tea). Determined to get her college friends on track, Crystal had her mother ship her care packages loaded with containers of grits. She served them at every opportunity and explored different ways of preparing them in order to impress her guests. One of the most popular recipes was this delicious take, which adds the right amount of garlic and cheese. Forget cold cereal—mornings should be all about grits.

If you have ever had breakfast in Texas, then odds are you’ve experienced a plate of delicious migas, a mixture of fluffy eggs, spices, cheese, and fried tortillas. For Sandy, migas present somewhat of a love-hate relationship. You see, Michael (her main squeeze for over twelve years) loves migas so much she sometimes feels he loves them more than her. He’s tried them in every restaurant in Austin, always noting the subtle differences and what would make the perfect combination of flavors. She took note and developed this recipe in attempts of satisfying her “migas man.” And let’s just say there is no longer any doubt who Michael loves more. Serve these with a side of refried beans and your choice of corn, flour, or whole wheat tortillas to enfold all of the ingredients into tasty tacos. And if you’re feeling spicy, try making your own pickled jalapeños (see below).

Sounds strange, but it is really delicious. (Crystal had to convince Sandy, too.) There’s something about the sweet-salty combination of pineapple, Cheddar cheese, and Ritz crackers that’s irresistible. This casserole is generally served as a side, but it’s sweet enough for dessert.

Wham bam, thank you, yam ! Even if you’ve never been a sweet potato fan, you will love this seriously delicious casserole. No marsh mallows needed here—brown sugar, pecans, and maple syrup make this dish so irresistibly tempting that seconds are rarely turned down.

You betcha it ’s a hot dish! The history of the “hotdish” goes back to when budget-conscious farm wives needed to feed their own families as well as congregations of the first Minnesota churches. This filling side resembles a quiche and is packed full of flavor. Evaporated milk, which is thicker and richer than regular milk, helps give this dish its creamy texture. Perfect for cold winters, when you just need something warm and tasty in your belly.

One day, when thumbing through her mom’s recipe box, Sandy found this recipe from her Aunt Estelle. On the recipe card, Aunt Estelle had simply written the comment: “This is really good.” Knowing the caliber of cook that Estelle is, Sandy and her mom decided to try it, even though an onion casserole didn’t really sound like much. To their surprise, this is an absolutely amazing side dish. This recipe features the delicious 1015 onion. Created in Weslaco (just down the road from where Sandy grew up) by Leonard Pike, at the Texas A&M University Extension Service, Texas 1015 onions are known for their mild, juicy, and sweet characteristics, as well as the fact that they contain very little pyruvate (the chemical that causes strong flavor and leads to tears). So, no more crying in the kitchen—cooking is supposed to be fun!