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By Root 451 0

“pinch of this” and a “dash of that.” Thanks to Jennifer, she placed me in the right hands at Clarkson Potter with Emily Takoudes, who patiently listened to my ideas and thoughts about food and cooking. Emily then paired me up with an angel named Marah Stets, who was responsible for breaking into my brain and prying out all of the recipes that were trapped in my mind for more than twenty years. Marah and I have created a special bond that I will cherish forever. Thank you, Marah, for your incomparable work ethic and your amazing talent as a writer; you brought to life this entire cookbook that was dormant in my head.

Once the book was constructed it was time to photograph the food, and we couldn’t think of a better person to do this than Ben Fink. Thank you, Ben, for making my simple tacos look like a work of art. You are a genius at what you do. A very special thanks to Randall Slavin, who captured my spirit of cooking with my family and friends through some of the most beautiful photos in this book; your loving energy is seen in each of these photos. And I’m grateful to Potter’s art director, Jane Treuhaft, for her great artistic eye that makes this book pop right off the shelf! Also thank you to Jennifer Davis for designing a beautiful book.

This book would not have been possible without my family, whose support and love have carried me through everything in life. Thank you to my mom for allowing me to discover cooking through the lens of being a Mexican American; if I can be a fraction of the woman you are, then I have succeeded. And thank you to my dad for teaching me how all food deserves respect and is best served in its most natural state. I also thank my three loving sisters, Liza, Emily, and Esmeralda, for letting me be the spoiled, rotten baby of the family; all three of you had such an influence on me and helped craft me into the woman I am today, and I love you. To my soul sisters, Bonnie, Brittany, Alina, Maria, Virginia, Sandra, Christiane, and Monica, thanks for being the guinea pigs for my cooking; my favorite memories include standing in my kitchen, cooking, drinking, and talking about life, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my willing audience.

Finally, I give thanks to my greatest inspiration, Aunt Elsa, who taught the entire family everything about food and catering and how to make home anywhere you are in the world; I miss you every day.

index

Aïoli, Chipotle, 7.1, 7.2

Almonds

Hot Chicken Salad

Ants on a Log

Appetizers

Ants on a Log

Argentinean Empanadas, 1.1, 1.2

Avocado Stuffed with Shrimp, 1.1, 1.2

Cannellini Beans with Crushed Red Pepper, 1.1, 1.2

Ceviche, 1.1, 1.2

Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers, 1.1, 1.2

Dad’s Shrimp Cocktail, 1.1, 1.2

Goat Cheese Balls, 1.1, 1.2

Hot Artichoke Dip

Normandy Shrimp

Pico de Gallo, 1.1, 1.2

Sweet-Potato Empanadas

Tostones, 1.1, 1.2

Apple Cider, Hot

Apple-Spice Layer Cake with Orange Buttercream

Argentinean Empanadas, 1.1, 1.2

Artichoke(s)

Dip, Hot

Hearts of Palm Salad

Hot Chicken Salad

Arugula

Grilled Shrimp on, 2.1, 2.2

Hearts of Palm Salad

Asparagus

Broiled, 6.1, 6.2

with Grey Moss Inn White French Dressing, 2.1, 2.2

Aunt Didi’s Carne Guisada

Aunt Edna’s Homemade Flour Tortillas, 8.1, 8.2

Aunt Elsa’s Buttermilk Biscuits, 8.1, 8.2

Aunt Elsa’s Devil’s Food Cake, 9.1, 9.2

Aunt Elsa’s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Avocado(s)

Ceviche, 1.1, 1.2

Chalupas, 4.1, 4.2

choosing and preparing

Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers, 1.1, 1.2

Dad’s Shrimp Cocktail, 1.1, 1.2

Mexican Caprese, 2.1, 2.2

Stuffed with Shrimp, 1.1, 1.2

Tortilla Soup, 2.1, 2.2

Baked Goat Cheese Rigatoni

Balsamic Reduction, Sweet

Balsamic Strawberries, 9.1, 9.2

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Banana(s)

Bread, 8.1, 8.2

overripe, freezing

Basil-Tomato Spaghetti, 6.1, 6.2

BBQ Chicken Pizza, 4.1, 4.2

BBQ Sauce

Beans

Black

Borracho, 6.1, 6.2

Cannellini, with Crushed Red Pepper, 1.1, 1.2

Chalupas, 4.1, 4.2

Chili con Carne

dried, buying and cooking

Green, Garlic, 6.1, 6.2

Grilled Shrimp on Arugula, 2.1, 2.2

Refried, 6.1, 6.2

Beef