When the Crane family moved back to Texas, they imagined a place with “cold beer, boots, country music and barbecue.” Today, that vision has come to life in Crane’s Craft BBQ at the Wagon Wheel—a place now proudly nominated for a 2025 James Beard Award, a food industry honor. The historic square dance hall has been transformed into a lively barbecue restaurant that has kept … [Read more...]
Black-Eyed Peas 3 Ways
Happy New Year! Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is a Southern tradition that’s believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. Plus, you might have good luck with all the healthy amounts of fiber and protein, making them incredibly nutrient-dense. Black-eyed peas also include a variety of important micronutrients, including thiamine, folate, zinc, copper, … [Read more...]
Gimlet
It’s a question I get asked often…how did you get into this? And the answer is actually pretty simple…Gimlets. A classic cocktail I fell in love with many years ago. Its origin and namesake, like many old cocktails, is up for debate. Perhaps named after ‘the gimlet’ a tool that was used to bore holes into barrels of spirits aboard naval ships, or the more widely accepted story … [Read more...]
Shortbread Sweethearts
When I was 7 years old I decided to enter a cookie in the West Texas Fair. I knew I wanted to do something that adult judges might really like, so I made almond thumbprint cookies with raspberry preserves and an almond glaze - and I won 2nd place! When I made these again later for a bake sale one February, I decided to make them heart-shaped, and "Shortbread Sweethearts" were … [Read more...]
Holiday Cookies
Tis the Season for a little something sweet! Holiday baking, holiday parties, holiday music…I love everything about Christmas! I am a gift giver. Nothing brings me more joy than choosing just the right thing for just the right person, and I enjoy nothing more than deciding the perfect presentation of said gift. As a matter of fact, I am all about the presentation! Ribbons, … [Read more...]