Traditional Texas Fare:
Pasta for Supper: What to Eat When No One is Watching
by John Raven, Ph.B.
It's a well-known fact that John Raven is an accomplished cook, not just in the realms of chili and barbecue, but in all kinds of food. There are times, however, when he enjoys a plate of food that just might have come out of a can. These dishes won't be on the table when company is coming, but something quick and easy he can enjoy when no one's around.

Food Features:
Tortilla Wraps: Wrap It Up
by Cheryl Hill-Burrier
Tortilla wraps are gaining in popularity everywhere, from homemade to fast food chains and upscale restaurants across the country. The thinner tortilla is not only more versatile for cooking and serving, but also allows you to taste more flavor from the fillings. And here's something else: these things can be filled with just about every ingredient you can imagine.

Traditional Texas Fare:
What's so Good about Texas Cooking?
by John Raven, Ph.B.
This month, John Raven takes a moment to just sit and talk about Texas cooking for a while.

Food Features:
Yes! We Can!
by Cheryl Hill-Burrier
Whether you're a gardener, have come across a great deal at the market, or have friends who love giving you tons of their homegrown goodies, canning, dehydrating or freezing will preserve the foods you love, including eggs! So, don't let the thought of preserving food scare you. It's fun, easy, nutritional, and it saves money! Keep reading, and I'll walk you through the process.

Food Features:
Beat the Heat with Main Dish Salads
by Lori Grossman
Stay cool this Summer with recipes and Tangy Tuna Salad and Corn and Black Bean Salad. For dessert, Sorbet-Ice Cream Cake.

Texas Seafood:
Itchin' for some Imitation Shellfish
by Cheryl Hill-Burrier
Crab and lobster are great all by themselves or mixed with ingredients to make a meal, dip, or even a salad. But if you have shellfish allergies, you know why imitation crab and lobster meat has become so popular. Now, don't get me wrong, it's still real seafood, just not real shellfish and, let me tell you, it tastes darn good!

Traditional Texas Fare:
Hamburgers in Texas - Classic to Exotic
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Several days ago John Raven and a friend visited the famous Alamo Springs Café to test the validity of their recently claimed "Best Hamburgers in Texas" award. Here's what he found, and what he thinks hamburgers should be and could be. Includes burger recipes for variety and more exotic tastes.

Texas Wines:
Mandola Estate Winery: Believing in Overachieving
by Randy Lankford
Dave Reilly believes anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Just ask his wife. She thought he was working too hard building his construction company so she told him he needed a hobby. She even suggested planting a couple of grapevines and making a gallon or two of wine.

Dessert Spotlight:
Heirloom Candy Recipes Straight from the Cook
by Larry D. Hodge
We love a surprise. And when Larry Hodge, who regularly sends us information from the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (see "Tripping the Trinity River" below), said he could send recipes for "the best peanut brittle and pralines you've ever put in your mouth", we were delighted. What he sent turned out to be the very best kind of recipes -- those that come straight from the cook. It's as if he's just over your shoulder guiding each step and warning about possible pitfalls, all written in a user-friendly, highly readable format.

Texas Restaurants:
Pot Luck: The Boiling Pot Is a Rockport Hot Spot
by Randy Lankford
Dot LeBlanc is one of the few people surprised at the success of The Boiling Pot restaurant in Rockport. She never expected what she describes as "a little oyster shucking shed" to last 25 years. And she certainly never thought it would be so successful she'd end up opening a second location in Austin.