Hey Janet: I found dozens of recipes for pan bread. The one thing all the recipes seem to have in common is that they are cooked in a skillet. Your friend is going to have to narrow it down a little more to find that recipe. Also, it's possible she is referring to "Pan de Campo," which just happens to be the Official State Bread of Texas. (See my article about Pan de Campo, The Official State Bread of Texas.

However, after research I have come up with this fine recipe:

Texas Pan Bread

• 1 small onion, fine chopped
• 1 to 5 minced garlic cloves (depending on what regard you hold those around you)
• 1 can kidney beans (or mexi-beans, black beans, whatever your fancy
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg replacer (or 2 egg whites)
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

In a bowl, mix the beans, egg replacer, diced jalapeños, cumin and cornmeal. Mash until beans are desired consistency (this is a personal preference thing; some like them whole, some want them like baby food). Set aside.

Sauteé the onion until transparent. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly. Do not scorch the garlic. Pour the onion and garlic into the bean mixture and mix well.

Pour the batter into the skillet, smooth the top, and bake for about 10 minutes. Top this with shredded cheddar, sliced olives and maybe some thinly sliced red pepper rounds, and return the skillet to the oven until cheese is melted and bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

This seems to be a variation of Mexican Cornbread or Jalapeño Cornbread. It all depends on who named the child. Thanks for writing.
Dr. John

Hi Christine: Wrapping the meat in newsprint is just a gimmick. I wouldn't recommend it. I don't know what all is in the ink they use. If you want to use the paper seal, get some regular butcher paper. I also don't know how advanced your grilling/smoking skills are. You might go back to Texas Cooking and read through some of my archived barbecue articles.

I would season that eye up real good and sear it over some hot coals, and then wrap it tight in heavy-duty foil and let it steam a couple of hours. You want an internal temp of 140°F for rare, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well done. You can poke n hole in the foil and stick the thermometer in. Be careful, some hot juice may squirt out.

As the round is very lean, you might want to give it a good coating of cooking oil before you put your dry seasonings on. Good luck. Thanks for writing.
Dr. John

Hi Lee Ann: There are several products on the market for making sugarless jams: Slim Set, Mrs. Wages Light Home Jell, and Ball 100% Natural Reduced Calorie Fruit Pectin to name a few. I think the last would be the best. It comes with all sorts of instructions. When using artificial sweeteners, Splenda is best for anything cooked because aspartame loses its sweetness when heated. Many of these products are available in Amazon's Grocery Store. Check them out. Thanks for writing.
Dr. John.

Cecil: The first thing to do is check with a commercial pit builder to see what they have. Right now Pits by Klose seem to be on the leading edge of the technology. Better Homes and Gardens puts out a book every year on how to build barbecues. Check with your book store or public library. Another place to check would be with a masonry contractor or a fireplace shop. They should have plans on building barbecue pits. A machine shop can build you a rotisserie if you show them a picture of one. They can mount a motor. Make sure you get a motor for outdoor use. I wish I could tell you more. Thanks for writing.
Dr. John