Lisa Fain

Dallas

Contributor at Freelance

Blogger at Homesick Texan

A Texan who loves to cook.

Articles

Ranchero refried beans

2 weeks ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

A friend of mine who recently gave up red meat was lamenting she wouldn’t be able to enjoy beans anymore. She said, “How can beans taste good without beef or pork?” This was a surprising thing to hear since I often cook beans without meat. First, I pointed her toward several of my pinto bean recipes that are quite flavorful without any meat added. Though when I looked through my recipe index, I realized that the only refried bean recipe . . .
Ramen noodle salad, North Texas style

1 month ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

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Blue cheese and bacon potato salad

1 month ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

Back in my queso era, I came across a recipe for queso potato salad. It was a blend of Jack cheese and peppers with potatoes that appealed to me in theory. In practice, unfortunately, I found this coupling of cheese and potatoes didn't work. When the dish was still warm from the fresh-cooked potatoes, the two together reminded me of scalloped potatoes. But after the salad had chilled, the cheese hardened into little shells that didn't mesh with the tender potatoes. That recipe got a pass.
Strawberry butter

1 month ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

A few years ago, it was declared that Dallas’s most iconic dish is strawberry butter. It cited that it had long graced tables at The Zodiac Room, a restaurant in Neiman Marcus's flagship department store downtown. For many, that was the only spot to find this creamy blend of tart berries and sweetened butter. Thirty years ago, however, strawberry butter appeared on other Dallas restaurant tables, too. For instance, in the 1990s a place called Key West offered it with zucchini . . .
Pizza ranch dressing

2 months ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

My addiction to frozen pizza (I know…) has introduced me to a variety of pies, with some not always being the platonic ideal of the form. Fortunately, bad pizza can be easily remedied. This is how my pizza ranch dressing came into existence. The pairing of a creamy, tangy condiment with cheesy, crusty pizza is not new. While I was unable to pinpoint its exact birth, I found no formal documentation. Though my earliest experiences with dipping pizza slices into salad . . .
Pork and pinto bean guisada

Mar 20, 2025 | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

In James Michener’s epic novel Texas, he has a scene where two discuss why beans are not included in Texas chili. The characters conclude that it's because beans and beef cook at different speeds. For balance, it's better to prepare them separately. Cubed beef, such as chuck roast, can be tough cut and does indeed take longer than dried pinto beans to become tender. Perhaps the book spoke the truth. Cubed pork shoulder, however, is a less dense . . .
Indian-spiced potato gratin

Mar 6, 2025 | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

One of the ways I learned to cook was by preparing the recipes presented to me in my daily media consumption. Thirty years ago, this included reading a paper version of the New York Times every day. When I compare how I found recipes today versus 30 years ago, not much has changed. I still read newspapers, for instance. Though now this activity is usually done in front of my laptop. Back in the 1990s, the Times' Sunday magazine's food column was by Molly O’Neill.
Bran muffins

Feb 20, 2025 | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

My grandma’s last meal was a bran muffin. This was apt, since eating a warm one was her favorite way to begin the day. She liked to share, and she'd offer you one whenever you visited. Whether they were fresh out of the oven or pulled from her stash in the freezer, my grandma was never without a bran muffin. Even after she retired from the kitchen, she didn't need to worry about her supply. My uncle had taken over the baking duties and would bring her a batch every week. With . . .
Crawfish queso

Feb 6, 2025 | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

On a coastal road trip, I spotted a place outside Corpus Christi with a sign out front that read, “Crawfish queso.” I decided to stop and have a bite. It was early afternoon in the off-season, and while this spot wasn’t on the beach, it was close enough to the coast that seagulls flew overhead, the air was salty, and the restaurant was elevated on stilts. When I ordered the crawfish queso, I asked the server if she had tried it. She had not, which I thought was curious because it was advertised . . .
Sour cream enchiladas, East Dallas style

Jan 23, 2025 | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

If your family is like mine, you have a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. This is the place where you know you can get a large table that will hold everyone, and there are enough options on the menu to satisfy anyone. Whether it’s a hearty beef eater, a vegetarian, or someone who appreciates cheese, the classic Tex-Mex menu has options for all. My family is no different, and for years we’d frequent the same family-owned spot.