Marfa Modern: Artistic Interiors of the West Texas High Desert. Twenty-one houses in and around Marfa, Texas, provide a glimpse at creative life and design in one of the art world's most intriguing destinations. more...

Thanks to Barbara Rodriguez for her great article about sites to buy home decor online--and for her very generous comments about me!

"San Antonio Classic Desserts" will be featured in this upcoming issue! Don't miss it!

See "San Antonio Classic Desserts" item in the New Year's issue!

"The Big Texas Steak House Cookbook" will be featured in the magazine's Holiday Gift Guide, coming out in mid-October. Don't miss it!
Cowboys and Indians magazine.

"The Big Texas Steak House Cookbook" has now gone into its SECOND PRINTING!

As Cowboy Chef Grady Spears of Grady's Restaurant writes in the foreword for the new book, The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook (Pelican Publishing, 2011), Texas is known for our big appetite for all things beef. And this cookbook, chock-full of recipes, tips and techniques from Texas’ finest steakhouses, definitely celebrates that appetite.

Authors Helen Thompson and Janice Shay start off with steaks, but also cover everything from ribs, sausage and sliders to salads and burritos. They also dedicate a section to recipes for starters, sides, sauces, rubs and yes, even desserts. Peppered throughout the cookbook are gorgeous images, and useful tips (how to get the perfect cut), essays on trends (organic beef), techniques (aging—wet vs. dry) and other great tidbits from the world of beef (the chili culture, a history of beef jerky), which makes this a must-read for the beef-lover.

But the recipes are, of course, the highlight of the book. Thompson and Shay features some of the best steakhouses in the state, and a number from the Dallas / Fort Worth area, including Fort Worth’s Hunter Brother’s H3 Ranch (which offers up their recipe for Flaming Tenderloin), Grady’s Restaurant, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro (with a great recipe for their Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Wester Plaid Hash and Syrah Demi-Glaze—yum), Riscky’s Steakhouse. Dallas’ best steakhouses are also well represented with recipes from Smoke at the Belmont Hotel (Beef Ribs and BBQ Brisket, Hominy Casserole, Smoke’s Margarita). Those with a sweet tooth can also try recipes for Cattleman’s Steakhouse’s Pecan Pie, Star Café’s Banana Pudding, and Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cusine’s decadent Tres Leches Crème Brulee.

Try out this spectacular recipe for beef ribeye from Grady Spears’ Grady’s Restaurant.

Piloncilla Crusted Beef Ribyeye with Texas Cheese Chile Relleno
Serves 4

4 (1 ½ inches thich or 16-ounce) good quality ribeye steaks, well-marbled
4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup piloncilla or light brown sugar
1/8 cup kosher salt
4 Poblano chilies, roasted, peeled and deseeded
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter

Texas Pico

6 jalapenos, sliced
1 red onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 bunches cilantro leaves, stems removed and minced
Juice of 2 limes
Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a platter large enough to hold all 4 steaks, coat each steak generously with the olive oil on both sides, and set aside for approximately 30 minutes to bring the steaks to room temperature.

In a bowl, combine the piloncilla and salt, mixing well. In a separate bowl, combine the goat cheese and jack cheese, mixing well. Place the roasted, peeled and deseeded chilies on a sheet tray and fill each one with the cheese mixture.

Prepare a fire, or heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the butter is melting, completely coat all sides of the steaks with the piloncilla rub, pressing the seasoning gently into the steaks. Sear steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side in hot butter, or until the seasoning forms a good crust. Remove the skillet and place on a clean sheet tray. Place the seared steaks in the oven and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until desired temperature is reached. Remove the steaks and let them rest.

While the steaks are resting, place the prepared chile rellenos in the oven and cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until the cheese in the rellenos has completely melted.

To make the Texas Pico, toss the jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro in a bowl. Drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with salt, and toss again. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

To assemble, place 1 relleno on top of each steak, spoon on some pico, and serve immediately.

The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook is now available at bookstores. Recipe excerpted with permission from Pelican Publishing

CBS, Dallas-Fort Worth
July 13, 2011
Article

Two new cookbooks will make you hungry for a juicy steak or some old-fashioned home cooking with a contemporary twist.

"The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook" by Helen Thompson and Janice Shay, with a foreword by Grady Spears (Pelican, $35) is just what it says it is — a book about beef and the places that serve great steaks, sides and desserts.

"Eva's Kitchen: Cooking With Love for Family & Friends" by "Desperate Housewives" actress Eva Longoria (Clarkson Potter, $29.99) focuses on delicious Mexican cooking, Texas style, but also includes some good down-home dishes with a flair.

Both are filled with mouthwatering color photos.

The steakhouse book has just four headings: Steaks; More Beef; Starters, Sides, Sauces and Rubs; and Desserts and Drinks.

Steaks dominate, as you might expect, including the porterhouse steak from Wildcatter Ranch Steakhouse in Graham, Buck Reams' sourdough chicken-fried steak from Grady's Restaurant in Fort Worth, and the grilled T-bone with Roquefort port compound butter from Taste of Texas Restaurant in Houston.

For more beef, check out the beef ribs at Smoke in Dallas, the Love Burger from the Love Shack in Fort Worth, and the brick chili from Riscky's Steakhouse in Fort Worth.

Soups and sides include stuffed mushrooms from Line Camp Steakhouse in Tolar, "green chili hominy" from Perini's, Texas caviar from the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, cream corn from Lisa West's Double Nickel Steakhouse in Lubbock, blue cheese and blue corn grits from Bonnell's Fine Texas Cuisine in Fort Worth, and Wife of Kit Carson soup from Hunter Brothers' H3 Ranch in Fort Worth.

And after all that, you can't skip desserts like the Dublin Dr Pepper float with cinnamon bunuelos cookies from Bonnell's, and pecan pie from Cattlemen's Steak House in Fort Worth.

Longoria loves making such delectable dishes as barbecue chicken pizza, enchiladas rojas, chili-rubbed skirt steak tacos, stuffed green peppers, meat loaf, Crock-Pot Cuban ropa vieja, Mexican lasagna, tomato-basil spaghetti, eggplant Parmesan, Mexican rice, homemade corn and flour tortillas, banana bread, strawberry rhubarb pie, red velvet cake, and her mom's carrot cake.

Longoria grew up on a ranch outside Corpus Christi, and she attributes her love for food to her mother and especially to her late Aunt Elsa and includes four of her aunt's recipes.

A graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville, Longoria owns two restaurants in Hollywood and Las Vegas and lives in California and Texas.

Go San Angelo
By Glenn Dromgoole
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Article

I was thrilled to hear that writer Terry Matthews was honored for his contributions to the arts by the Friends of the Sulphur Springs Library, and my Steak House Cook Book was the door prize.

Here's a note from Terry:

"I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the man who won the cookbook ... his was the first name drawn and his wife wanted the cookbook sooo badly. Ya'll were a hit!!!! Thanks, again, for making this night so memorable!"

Author: Terry Mathews & Suzanne Pfefferle
On May 20, 2011

Thompson, Helen & Janice Shay (text) & Robert Peacock (photogs.). The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook. Pelican. 2011. c.208p. illus. index. ISBN 9781589808782. $35. COOKING

Thompson ( Dallas Classic Desserts ) and Shay ( Savannah Classic Seafood ) present a collection of recipes from well-known Texas steakhouses, such as Grady’s Restaurant and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro (Fort Worth), Big Texan Steak Ranch (Amarillo), and Wildcatter Ranch Steakhouse (Graham). Piloncilla Crusted Beef Ribeye with a Texas Cheese Chile Relleno delights with rib-eye steak topped with poblanos, goat cheese, and jalapeños; and Tenderloin Salad showcases Angus beef, sautéed red onions, candied almonds, blue cheese, mixed greens, avocado, and grapefruit. This cookbook may just inspire steak lovers to travel.

Author: Helen Thompson and Janice Shay
Article

Being from the Midwest I thought I knew everything about steaks (and potatoes). Not true.

Sometimes there is a confluence of events that makes decisions effortless. For example, within a one week period I received, directly to my doorstep, a box of prime, aged Allen Brothers steaks and an incredible cookbook. The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook.

If that isn't amazing timing I'm not sure what is. For a meat lover, it's the equivalent of having a genie show up at your door. Then, five minutes later, your always resourceful neighbor (we all have one) stops by with the latest copy of, 100 Fun Things To Do With Your Brand New Genie. It just doesn't get much better.

Pictured above are two delicious Allen Brothers steaks. For the uninitiated, Allen Brothers has been selling fantastic aged beef to the public since 1893. So, they've been at it a while. They're steaks are truly great.

Obviously, steaks like these need to be treated with some care and thought. I couldn't think of a better source of inspiration than Helen Thompson and Janice Shay's brand new guide to the way they do steaks down in Texas.

Enthusiastically, I cracked it open. Boy, there was a seemingly endless supply of options. Not only were there fantastic preparation choices, but, lots of great reading on the subject of beef and steaks in particular. I had to settle on something, Originally, I had thought this was a slam dunk, just pick something. Easy right? Not so. I pretty much like all meat. Plus, the drool from looking at the photos was making the pages sticky.

Decision time was here. No more stalling. I picked a recipe from Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House in Dallas. I would try my hand at their Seared Tenderloin with Chimichurri and Toasted Goat Cheese. That in itself is more than a mouthful.

I knew that Del Frisco's probably makes this dish day in and day out. So, it's like falling out of bed for them. I'm giving it one shot with a piece of meat I don't want to trash. Here we go.

You'll need a couple of 8-10 ounce filet mignon steaks. Use some great aged meat if you have access to it. You can see my selection above.

I seasoned my steaks with salt and pepper before I cooked them. Sear steaks in a cast iron skillet. I did mine outdoors, more on that later. After searing, your steaks need a rest.

This is a good time for a beer. Since I was using the grill, this seemed like the thing to do.

After they rest for 15 minutes it's time to crumble some goat cheese on top and slide them under the broiler to brown the cheese and reheat the steaks.

At this point the recipe calls for making the Chimichurri Sauce. My advice to you, make this before you start cooking anything (that's why I had time for that beer). It's a great Chimichurri recipe, but, there is no way an average home cook can whip this sauce together before the steaks become a burnt, cheesy mess. Plus, you want to take your time and make it right. You'll thank me later.

To make the sauce you'll need some fresh oregano.

And, some fresh parsley.

Mix with chopped garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper.

If you insist on making the sauce while browning the cheese, DON'T FORGET YOUR MEAT! Check on it more than occasionally. Seriously.

After the cheese is nicely browned, remove the steaks from the boiler. Spoon about 2-3 ounces of your Chimichurri over the top and serve.

WOW! What else can you say? This recipe is a knockout. It would be great to serve for guests. It's actually not much more difficult than a straight grilled steak. But, the presentation and taste is well beyond anything just grilling could produce.

That being said, I'm sure you would like the particulars.

Here's How To Do It

Ingredients – Steaks
8-10 oz. filet mignon steaks
2 oz. goat cheese, per steak (Chevre)
2 cups Chimichurri Sauce, at room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Chimichurri Sauce
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp. fresh garlic, chopped
3 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Make the Chimichurri Sauce first. Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl and stir. I put all of my ingredients in a mini food processor and gave it a few pulses. It gave the sauce the consistency I like. Set aside. The sauce should be served at room temperature.

This is a two-step cooking process. First you have pan searing, then the cooking that goes along with the cheese being browned. The recipe calls for a cast iron skillet that has been rubbed with olive oil and dried. Pre heat your broiler now.

Place your skillet on medium-high heat on the stove. I chose to put my skillet directly on the grates of my outdoor gas grill. Once the smoke detector goes off in my house, things head in a decidedly horrible direction. If you have great kitchen ventilation try inside, but, I think we know how this will end. I'm talking about household pets scurrying, children shrieking and spouses standing with their hands on their hips with that “what the hell are you doing” look on their face. It's best for all concerned to cook outdoors (at least that's my experience).

Once the skillet is heated, add the steaks. The recipe calls for one 8-10 ounce filet mignon per person. Sear the first side 4 minutes without moving the meat. Flip the steak and sear second side for 3 minutes. Once seared remove from the skillet. Let rest 15 minutes. (Remember, this is where the beer consumption comes in.)

After resting, crumble about 2 ounces of goat cheese on top of each steak. Place on a sheet pan and slide under broiler. Broil until steaks are heated through and the cheese has browned nicely. Remove steaks and spoon and 2-3 ounces of Chimichurri Sauce over the top. Serve!

I stuck to the prescribed cooking times. When the steaks were finished they were on the rare side of medium rare. So, you may want to adjust the searing time to accommodate your preference for doneness.

Recipe Adapted From:Seared Tenderloin with Chimichurri and Toasted Goat Cheese, Helen Thompson and Janice Shay, The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook. Pelican Publishing Company.

The Bottom Line

The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook has a great array of fantastic recipes to choose from. The starters, sides, sauces and rubs all are nice accompaniments to the main courses. Robert Peacock's food photography is stunning. Great shots. Shooting meat (at least with a camera) ain't easy. I know they say everything's BIG in Texas. This cookbook should be a BIG hit with the carnivore in your house.

Author: Helen Thompson and Janice Shay
Article

Oh, man. Did I hit the mother lode or what?

Food writer Helen Thompson, foodie Janice Shay and photographer Robert Peacock have put together the quintessential red meat cookbook, "The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook."

The beautiful coffee table tome offers up everything you'd ever need to know about red meat ... why Texans are so fond of it ... how to cook it and where to find it if you want to get out of the kitchen.

There are recipes for the famous 72-Ounce Steak Challenge from the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo and the incredibly lucious Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Western Plaid Hash and Syrah Demi-Glaze from Lone Dove Western Bistro in Fort Worth (which is one of the best cuts of meat I've ever tasted).

It also includes fabulous side dishes like Horseradish Mashed Potatoes from Cattleman's Steak House in Fort Worth to Jessica's Favorite Green Chilie Hominy from Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap.

And don't forget dessert. Oh, my. The Ranchman's Coconut Pie sounds like the one my grandmother used to make. And there's a Banana Pudding from Star Cafe, along with a Deep Dish Key Lime Pie that sound like heaven on a plate.

Yum.

Check out my full review - along with comments from Rick Wilson, Echo Publishing's guru of all things tasty - in an upcoming edition of your News-Telegram.

Written by By TERRY MATHEWS, News-Telegram Arts Editor
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Article

PORT ARTHUR -

Big steak on Texas

Lessons on wet vs. dry aging a ‘serious’ history on beef jerky and recipes for all things meat and amazing fill pages of “The Big Texas Steak House Cookbook” by Helen Thompson and Janice Shay. Heavily photographed, this is a “well done” take on the steaks of Texas but the recipe I want to share is one way, way in the back, a little something for before or after supper.

Sittin’ on the Porch

Grady’s Restaurant, Fort Worth
1 1/2 ounces Southern Comfort
1 ounce peach schnapps
1 ounce cranberry juice
1 lime wedge, for garnish

Fill a glass with ice. Add the Southern Comfort, schnapps and cranberry juice and stir Squeeze the lime in to the glass, drop it in and enjoy while sittin’ on the porch.

Perk up the palate

I am certain I could lose weight eating a plate of whole wheat pasta every night for a month, with a different topping each night. I keep trying to convince people that gourmet doesn’t have to mean expensive or high calorie. A light drizzle of olive oil and a few tablespoons of cheese is enough to dress things up one night.

Then, I’m moving on to deep flavor. Roland Foods has the zing I crave in a can. Chipotle Pepper Paste in Adabo Sauce, thinned out to a rich sauce. Makers suggest using some in wet rubs, soup, salad dressing and as a sandwich spread. A little can full can last all week. Their vinegars come in Rasberry Wine and Tarragon White Wine. I’ve sipped Roland Red Wine Vinegar, a product of France, from a shot glass. I know. I’m crazy like that. I haven’t yet tried their capers in tuna, but that’s pasta possibility.

Darragh Doiron
The Port Arthur News
February 23, 2011
Article