Chipotle

Chipotle in adobo sauce can be found in both small and large cans. They are smoked dried jalapeño peppers that are packed with flavor! In the can, they are soft and packed in vinegar and spices. If heat is not your thing, then use half of one chipotle pepper. The remainder of the chipotles can be frozen in a resealable plastic bag for other uses such as adding a smoky, spicy flavor to soups and stews or shaking up and waking up your everyday guacamole.

East Coast meets West Coast in this dish. Chowder plus Tex-Mex equals a really good idea in any direction!

Stoup is good food. Homemade? Well, that’s even better

This stoup will quickly become one of your comfort food favorites, promise!

This one is a B, L, D: good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s easy to adjust to make a single serving; I often opt for eggs if I am cooking for just myself. Migas in soft tortillas is a favorite dish in Austin, Texas, and now it’s a favorite of mine. When I am home alone I put Bob Schneider, my favorite Austin musician, on my stereo and invite him to sit down to share my migas. I end up eating his, since my imaginary boyfriends eat light!

This recipe is a hybrid from different schools of thought. The texture is that of shredded beef, which is authentic Texan, but the flavor is the American Southwest. The dried chilies and the chocolate give this dish an amazing rich, smoky depth. If you’re a purist and think adding beans is a sacrilege, leave them out, but they do work really well here. This is truly one of the best dishes I’ve ever made.

Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita invented this unusual vegetarian entrée in part to support the indigenous people of Oaxaca, who grow and harvest hibiscus (known in Spanish as flor de Jamaica). "The recipe is very traditional," he says. "We just replace the meat with flowers." The flavor of hibiscus defines this surprising dish; meaty, tangy, and utterly irresistible.

In most parts of Texas, enchiladas are rolled tortillas stuffed with a filling and covered in sauce. But often in West Texas (and also New Mexico) the filling and sauce are instead layered between flat tortillas. They look a bit different, but the end taste is the same, not to mention stacked enchiladas are a heck of a lot easier to make. Another feature of stacked enchiladas is the inclusion of a fried egg on top. I don't know how this tradition came about, but it's a brilliant addition. When the yolk mixes with the sauce, its creamy transformation takes the sauce from merely delicious to truly decadent. I was born and raised a rolled-enchilada girl, but I can appreciate a plate of stacked ones, especially those made with an ancho chile sauce. And if I squint, I can see in the stack the rugged terrain of West Texas, with the egg standing in for clouds and the sun. It's West Texas on a plate.

When it comes to nutrition, cherries don't bomb. They're rich in anthocyanins, which can jump-start your immune system and mop up free radicals.

Yes, avocado is high in fat, but it's the good, monounsaturated kind that helps increase satiety so you feel full with fewer calories.

Anything grilled could be described as smoky, but our cover burger is a multi layered masterpiece thanks to chipotle chiles mingled with adobo, smoked paprika, and bacon. Seared avocado makes it almost too good to be true.

Canned chipotles, along with tomatillos and onions charred under the broiler, give this salsa its smoky undertones.

Even though this version of hot wings is healthier than the classic—which is deep-fried and tossed in lots of butter and hot sauce—it's every bit as tasty.