The Homesick Texan Cookbook

A James Beard award–winning blogger reveals recipes from her Texas upbringing in this collection of southwestern and Tex-mex classics—includes photos.

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 to chicken-fried steak, Fain re-created the wonderful tastes of Texas she'd always enjoyed at potlucks, church suppers, and backyard barbecues back home.

When Fain started the blog Homesick Texan, 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 border in El Paso; Soft Cheese Tacos, a creamy plate unique to Dallas; and Houston-Style Green Salsa. There are also small plates, such as Chipotle Pimento Cheese and Tomatillo Jalapeno Jam, as well as desserts, such as Coconut Tres Leches Cake and Mexican Chocolate Chewies.

With more than 125 recipes, The Homesick Texan offers a true taste of the Lone Star State.

“Evocative, unpretentious prose and . . . seriously delicious (and easy to make) recipes.” —Ed Levine, founder, SeriousEats.com