The Homesick Texan is my favorite new cookbook. This weekend I had friends over for a Tex-Mex dinner party, and that book effectively sponsored the event. As enjoyed on Christmas Eve, I made chorizo stuffed jalapenos, cheese enchiladas with chili con carne, and Mexican Chocolate Chewies. The expanded menu included homemade salsa (Ms. Fain’s Uncle Richard’s Hot Sauce) and queso cookies. (The blog is a great resource, but you need the cookbook to try any of the above.) The guacamole and avocado tacos came from my kitchen, and fellow Texan Nancy represented with Mexican layered dip (so good!). We had so much food, the chili con queso got shelved for a future hangout. The night was the best kind spent with friends: we drank Mexican Martinis, beer, and bubbly until 1 in the morning, and I was giddy while cleaning up and watching the snow fall overnight.

The Homesick Texan is my favorite new cookbook. This weekend I had friends over for a Tex-Mex dinner party, and that book effectively sponsored the event. As enjoyed on Christmas Eve, I made chorizo stuffed jalapenos, cheese enchiladas with chili con carne, and Mexican Chocolate Chewies. The expanded menu included homemade salsa (Ms. Fain’s Uncle Richard’s Hot Sauce) and queso cookies. (The blog is a great resource, but you need the cookbook to try any of the above.) The guacamole and avocado tacos came from my kitchen, and fellow Texan Nancy represented with Mexican layered dip (so good!). We had so much food, the chili con queso got shelved for a future hangout.

The night was the best kind spent with friends: we drank Mexican Martinis, beer, and bubbly until 1 in the morning, and I was giddy while cleaning up and watching the snow fall overnight.