Monkey Bread
Monkey bread was probably invented in the 1940s or 1950s. Monkey bread pulls apart; why that is named after a monkey is anyone's guess. Gorilla bread is similar, adding cream cheese and…
Texas French Toast
"Texas French Toast" has nothing to do with Paris, Texas. It's simply a piece ofTexas Toast used in making French toast. "Texas French Toast" has been around since at least…
Sam Houston White Cake
The Sam Houston White Cake may have been popularized by the Imperial Sugar Company (Sugar Land, TX) on its products and in its recipe books. The cake is seldom served today. No one knows if Sam…
Margarita Pie
The Margarita pie is the edible version of that famous drink, the Margarita cocktail. While the Margarita cocktail may have Texas origins in the 1940s, the Margarita pie origins are unknown. The…
Golden Westerner Cake (Amber Westerner Cake)
The Golden Westerner Cake is a Texas pound cake; the Amber Westerner is made by substituting brown sugar for powdered sugar. The name "Westerner Cake" is sometimes used for both. The…
Picadillo
Picadillo usually (recipes vary widely) consists of meat with pimentos, olives, and raisins, served over rice. The Spanish recipe has found its way from Cuba and Mexico to the Southwestern U.S.…
Pinto Bean
The pinto bean (usually from New Mexico) is included in many Tex-Mex recipes. I found the first citation now used in the Oxford English Dictionary. About.com: Southern U.S. CuisineTexas-Style…
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is an expression that was popularized by American businessman Bert Lance (1931-2013) in December 1976, referring to the machine of the federal…
Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad)
Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad) is a Mexican fruit salad that has spread north of the border. It now often includes pomegranate dressing. Who Cooked That Up?Christmas Eve Salad or…
Salsa Picante (Picante Sauce)
Salsa Picante (or Picante Sauce, or simply "hot sauce") was popularlized just after World War II, when David Pace introduced his Picante Sauce in 1947. Mexicans had been making "hot…
Beer Can Chicken
Can Texas take credit for the invention of "Beer Can Chicken"? And, if Texas could take credit, why would it? Who could possibly think of cooking a chicken with a can of beer up its butt?…
Ristra
Chile ristras (strings of chile pepper pods) are a familiar sight in New Mexico and perhaps parts of West Texas. The original purpose was to group the pods together for later consumption, but the…
Molcajete
Molcajete (pronounced mole-cah-HAY-tay) is a three-legged mortar that's traditionally used in Mexican cooking. (Oxford English Dictionary)molcajete, n.[< Mexican Spanish molcajete (1827)…
“The Big OD” & Slowdeatha (Odessa nicknames)
The city of Odessa has the nicknames "The Big OD" (overdose?) and Slowdeatha. Neither is an official city nickname, of course. All About TexasApril 06, 2006 9:39 PM It (Abilene -- ed.)…
Key City (Abilene nickname)
The city of Abilene was called the "Key City" (or "Key City of the West") from at least the 1950s. The nickname is not used much today. All About TexasApril 06, 2006 9:39 PM I…
Cowboy’s Ten Commandments (Cross Trails Church, Fairlie, TX)
The Ten Commandments is delivered a little differently at the Cross Trails Church of Fairlie, TX. A "Cowboy's Ten Commandments" or "Ten Commandments -- Texas Style" is…
“The Friendly Frontier” and “Keep Abilene Beautiful” (Abilene slogans)
"The Friendly Frontier" has been an Abilene city slogan since 2004. "Keep Abilene Beautiful" has been an Abilene organization since 1986 and has nothing to do with another…
Posole (Pozole)
Posole (or pozole) is a soup or stew that's commonly served in New Mexico and West Texas. It originated in Mexico, but became popular in New Mexico around 1900. Wikipedia: PozolePozole (from…
“Chile Today, Hot Tamale” (or “Chili Today, Hot Tamale”)
What's the food forecast? "Chili ( or 'chile' or 'chilly' ) today, hot tamale." The joke has been cited in print since 1926, when it was published in the New York…
Chicken Fajitas
Fajitas are skirt steaks. Many people have insisted that there is no such thing as a "chicken fajita," but the term continues to be widely used. The Tex-Mex Cookbookby Robb WalshNew York:…