I’ve been looking around on the internet for a while, and it seems the definition of “Cowboy Caviar” is pretty loose. There’s a “real” version called Texas Caviar, which was supposedly created in the 1940’s by a transplanted New Yorker working at the Neiman Marcus in Dallas Texas. That original incarnation, which seems to be adjacent to Hoppin’ John, was a simple salad of black-eyed peas lightly pickled in a vinaigrette. You can find the story, and an approximation of the ‘classic’ recipe here at the Texas Monthly, but it looks less than appetizing, at least to me. Modern online recipes...…I’ve been looking around on the internet for a while, and it seems the definition of “Cowboy Caviar” is pretty loose. There’s a “real” version called Texas Caviar, which was supposedly created in the 1940’s by a transplanted New Yorker working at the Neiman Marcus in Dallas Texas. That original incarnation, which seems to be adjacent to Hoppin’ John, was a simple salad of black-eyed peas lightly pickled in a vinaigrette. You can find the story, and an approximation of the ‘classic’ recipe here at the Texas Monthly, but it looks less than appetizing, at least to me. Modern online recipes...WW…

I love cookies. I also love ice cream. I love cookies and ice cream together. I also love the kind of evening when I meander into the kitchen, notice a box of jumbo, grocery-store bakery cookies lingering on the counter, and then – as I reach for one – remember that we have a few new pints of ice cream in the freezer, nestled snugly beside a few pounds of pork butt (try the carnitas). As I fish the ice cream from it’s frosty abode, I push aside the consideration that my impending snack will necessitate extra gym time. Honestly, who cares? I love the gym. Just like I love cookies. The...…I love cookies. I also love ice cream. I love cookies and ice cream together. I also love the kind of evening when I meander into the kitchen, notice a box of jumbo, grocery-store bakery cookies lingering on the counter, and then – as I reach for one – remember that we have a few new pints of ice cream in the freezer, nestled snugly beside a few pounds of pork butt (try the carnitas). As I fish the ice cream from it’s frosty abode, I push aside the consideration that my impending snack will necessitate extra gym time. Honestly, who cares? I love the gym. Just like I love cookies. The...WW…

It’s a little unfair to call an open-faced offering a “sandwich”, considering that connotates a filling contained within two pieces of bread. Honestly, there’s no reason you couldn’t toast up a second piece and mush it down on top of this bad boy, but – having tried that – it makes it *just a bit* too unwieldy to eat in a less-messy fashion. So for our purposes, this sandwich is the best way to go. Piling your filling atop a single piece of crunchy bread lets you heap on the delicious layers, and allows you to cut off one perfect bite after another. Besides, if you want a second piece of...…It’s a little unfair to call an open-faced offering a “sandwich”, considering that connotates a filling contained within two pieces of bread. Honestly, there’s no reason you couldn’t toast up a second piece and mush it down on top of this bad boy, but – having tried that – it makes it *just a bit* too unwieldy to eat in a less-messy fashion. So for our purposes, this sandwich is the best way to go. Piling your filling atop a single piece of crunchy bread lets you heap on the delicious layers, and allows you to cut off one perfect bite after another. Besides, if you want a second piece of...WW…