Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, A Cookbook

Foods and Flavors of San Antonio was written and developed by Gloria Chadwick, foodie extraordinaire. The cookbook prefaces the many wonderful Tex-Mex recipes – 242 to be exact - with a delightfully written overview of the city of San Antonio, Texas. Her excitement and fascination of her new hometown comes through in her vivid descriptions of the multitude of attractions the city has to offer both visitors and San Antonio natives. Her appreciation for the town could very well make her an ambassador for San Antonio.

Within the pages of this book, readers experience a wide range of attractions and are offered online links to further explore the unique areas of this exciting city. No need for maps and pamphlets here.

The Alamo, The Mission Trail, The Water Garden, El Mercado, The Riverwalk, Mariachi music and most of all the food.

The cookbook portion of Foods and Flavors of San Antonio offers its’ readers a delicious cross section of the finest Tex-Mex cuisine San Antonio is well known for.

A wide array of deliciously seasoned dishes will entice everyone from the novice to the more experienced cook in preparing recipes with a Texas – Southwestern – Mexican flair.

Some of the recipes that caught my eye were: Breakfast Tacos, Cheese and Potato Stuffed Poblano Chiles, Chimichangas, Chipotle Chicken, Margaritas, Mexican Mocha, Churros and Fabulous Flan. These are a sample of some of the most delectable recipes you will find within the pages of Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. The recipes are well written and easy to follow with readily available ingredients.

The cookbook makes an excellent addition to any cookbook enthusiast’s collection. I strongly recommend the purchase of Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. It makes an outstanding gift for the “chef” in the family.

My congratulations to Gloria: a knowledgeable writer, teacher, author, and marvelous foodie friend.

In honor of Gloria’s distinct appreciation for her Kahlua, I decided to make the Kahlua Cookies and Kahlua Coffee recipes found in her cookbook – and I’m NOT sharing!

Kahlua Coffee


2 cups hot, strong coffee
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream

Brew the coffee in a coffee maker.
Add the tequila, Kahlua and vanilla to the coffee in the carafe. Stir well to mix.
Add the sugr and stir until it is completely dissolved. Pour into cups and drizzle in the cream. Serve hot.
Variations: To make Cool Kahlua Coffee, place the prepared coffee in te refrigerator for 20 minutes, then pour into cups and drizzle the cream. Serves 4.

Kahlua Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups cocoa
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs
Confectioners' Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, brown sugar and cocoa.
In a separate medium-size bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, Kahlua, vanilla and eggs.
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Chill the dough 12 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a cookie sheet of lay a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet to prevent sticking. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar on a plate.
Using a melon baller or a small cookie scooper, make 1 cookie at a time rolling it in the powdered sugar before placing it on the prepared cookie sheet.
Place cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until the cookie is set and the centers are not liquid. Do not overbake. When the cookies are cooled, they will puff and crack. Cool 5 minutes on a cooling rack then remove cookies and place on a plate. Do not stack cookies for at least 1 hour.

Yields 3 dozen.

Carnaval - Mardi Gras

This is a puzzle I put together. Pretty isn't it?

Carnaval is celebrated in Mexico very much like Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans. Dates for the festivities this year go from February 19h to February 24th. Lent begins on February 25th.

As most Catholics are aware, this amazing party time for revelers is filled with music, dancing in the streets, parades and, yes, a lot of eating and drinking. These things are the most popular in an offering of abstinence during the Lenten season up to Easter weekend.

Some of the most popular Mexican cities for experiencing Carnaval are: Mazatlan, Veracruz, Merida, Cozumel and Campeche.

Mazatlan holds the world’s largest (after Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans) Carnaval. The custom began over 100 years ago and it is reported that over 400,000 people come to take part in the festivities. There you enjoy parades, music, culinary delights and an amazing fireworks display.



Veracruz also offers another of Mexico’s exciting celebrations. If you’ll click on this link, you see photos of past celebrations that will get you in the mood to party.

Don’t have a passport? No problem.
Ensenada, in Baja California, just south (70 miles) of Tijuana, hosts the northernmost Carnaval celebration (and a perfect choice for those traveling without a passport, because you can cross into the country by land). Ensenada's Carnaval festivities include masquerade parties, carnival games, grand balls, street dancing and parades.

El Paso will not be left behind. The El Paso Scene Newsletter reports:

“Bourbon Street on Cincinnati Street ‘09 -- The annual Mardi Gras celebration in Kern Place is Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24. For the past five years Cincinnati Street has been free of vehicle traffic to provide El Paso with the biggest outdoor celebration in town featuring food, live outdoor music, drink specials and, of course, beads. Live music by Mexicans at Night, Damian Wyld and other bands to be announced. Gates open at 4 p.m. Admission: $10.”

Enjoy this time before the coming of Spring. You don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy the festivities. Spring is a time of renewal, of a new awakening. This period offers all revelers the opportunity to enjoy one last hoorah before the Spring-cleaning of the spirit begins.

I leave you with my version of King’s Cake. This cake is also served during the Epiphany. A little plastic baby Jesus is baked right into the cake and whoever gets this piece is bequeathed the honor of hosting the following year's celebration. I don’t like this custom out of fear that someone will inevitably choke to death on the object. Perhaps replacing it with a raisin or pecan might do the trick.

However you enjoy Carnaval, or Mardi Gras, remember to always take care. Over-indulgence is humankind’s downfall.


King's Cake

3 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup non-fat dry milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
8 egg whites
Light Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)
Colored sugar crystals, in purple, green, and gold or yellow
Small oven-safe doll or coin (a pecan or raisin may be substituted)

Preheat oven to 375°.
Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Sift flour before measuring and combine with sugar, water, oil, dry milk, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Mix until smooth.

Whip egg whites until stiff. Fold whipped egg whites into batter until evenly blended. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes until cake bounces back when gently touched in the center. Turn out of pan onto cake rack; cool completely. Drizzle with Light Lemon Glaze and decorate with purple, green, and gold sugar crystals. Slice into 20 serving portions.

Light Lemon GlazeMix
1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
dash of salt
2 to 3 tablespoons hot water until mixture is smooth and can be drizzled onto cake.

Breakfast Enchiladas

For Super Bowl Sunday, we knew there would be a lot of finger foods after the game got started. But that wasn't going to be until 4 in the afternoon. So to keep my family going, I provided a Superbowl Brunch of Breakfast Enchiladas, Mini Cinnamon Rolls and some Mango Bellinis (these were my daughter Lily's specific request).



Later in the day the table was stocked with sodas, hot wings, hamburger sliders, queso and brownies. OMG. I was very good about not eating everything. But I did enjoy a little of what my daughter and her honey prepared.



Hope everyone had a great game day. Go Steelers!!! I'll be out of town for a couple of days, Bob and I are going to see my brother in law who just happens to live in Las Vegas! Cool, huh? Talk to you again next weekend. Hugs.

Breakfast Enchiladas
(inspired by a recipe in Southern Living)

1 (1-pound) package sausage, or chorizo
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 green onions, thinly sliced
8 large eggs, beaten with a little cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños
Cheese Sauce*


Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove from pan; drain well, pressing between paper towels.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté 1 minute. Add eggs, salt, and pepper, and cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set on bottom. Draw a spatula across bottom of pan to form large curds. Continue to cook until eggs are thickened but still moist; do not stir constantly. Remove from heat, and gently fold in 1/2 cup cheese and sausage.

Spoon egg mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in a lightly greased 13- x- 9-inch baking dish. Pour Cheese Sauce evenly over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with remaining Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

Cheese Sauce

1 large can evaporated milk
1 small box Mexican Style Velveeta, cut in cubes

Heat milk over low heat. Add cheese and stir until melted.



Mini Cinnamon Rolls
(inspired by a recipe from Southern Living)

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 drop almond extract

Unroll crescent roll dough, and separate into 4 rectangles; pinch seams to seal.
Stir together sugar, cinnamon and pecans; sprinkle evenly over rectangles.
Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting with a long side; press edges to seal. Cut each log into 5 slices, and place in a lightly greased 8-inch round cakepan.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.
Combine powdered sugar, milk, and almond flavoring, stirring until smooth; drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Mango Bellinis

These are extremely simple. Take one ripe mango and process until smooth using 2 tablespoons juice (mango or orange) and 1 teaspoon sugar.

Place a tablespoon of the pocessed mango at the bottom of fluted glasses and top with Prosecco. I didn't have any Prosecco at home so I just top our off some Beringer Sparkling Wine and added a slice of fesh mango to the glass. Delicious!