Chuck Wagon Cooking for Cowboys, Part One
by John Raven, Ph.B.
In Part One of a multi-part series, Dr. John traces the history of the legendary chuck wagon, cowboy life before it and all that came after.

Texas and cowboys have a place in people’s hearts around the world. Texas is Texas, no other description needed. A cowboy is a man or boy who works with cows or cattle. The name cowboy probably grew out of the Spanish word "caballero", meaning "horseman".

Chuck Wagon Cooking for Cowboys, Part Two - Chuck wagon meals and trail menus.

Summer Salads
by John Raven, Ph.B.
In this, the hottest of the hot months, Dr. John walks through five different salad recipes that will help keep the temperatures down. Stay at the height of Texas food fashion with the cold barbecue salad.

Pot Roast: Always in Season
by John Raven, Ph.B.
An old favorite, pot roast, is just a chunk of meat cooked in a pot. The actual process is braising; that is, cooking in a limited amount of liquid. If you use a lot of liquid you are boiling. My method of making pot roast is using a combination of braising and steaming. This method guarantees tenderness of anything you cook.

Trusty Coleman Lanterns Shine When Camping
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Camping is not what it used to be. When I was just a child my daddy would take me on overnight fishing trips. The supplies and equipment we took was a quilt each. We could have done with one quilt but Daddy snored something fierce.

Condiments for Compliments
by John Raven, Ph.B.
We all know what condiments are. They are things put on the dining table that are added to your food to improve or mask the taste. The big three of condiments are ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard. You can bet the ranch that you or someone you know will be using one or more of the big three today.

Smoker Evolution
by John Raven, Ph.B.
My good friend and neighbor George Pearce inherited the job of being Camp Boss down at Luckenbach, Texas for the Hug-In. The Hug-In is what remains of an old tradition started by chili heads way back when. It is still about the most popular event for Luckenbach.

Nutty About Fruitcake
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Tis the time for UPS and the mail carrier to be burdened with that much maligned holiday treat, the fruitcake. I don't know why fruitcake became the butt of so many jokes. I like it, and I have never seen anyone turn down a slice.

Thanksgiving Dinner Reviewed
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Whether preparing the turkey (fried, smoked or baked), making the dressing, giblet gravy or more of the traditional dishes that grace the Thanksgiving table, John Raven shares his wealth of experience, along with his memories of childhood Thanksgivings when the men ate first, but the women had more fun.

Sandwich Time
by John Raven, Ph.B.
The most popular version of the invention of the sandwich is that John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, ordered sliced cold meat between two slices of bread so he could eat and not get his hands greasy while playing cards.

Jicama & Opuntia (Prickly Pear): Flavors of the Southwest
by John Raven, Ph.B.
With the coming of spring, it is only natural to want to do your cooking outside and avoid all the heat and smoke in the house. If you have a patio, it's the perfect place to assemble and consume your meals. If you don't have a patio, the back yard will have to do. In either case as long as you are under clear skies, the meal will taste a lot better.

Texas Christmas Fare
by John Raven, Ph.B.
The way lots of Texans celebrate Christmas has evolved from European traditions, mainly the Germans. The largest influx of German immigrants to Texas started about 1850. Texas Christmas dinner has evolved into pretty much standard fare through the years. The turkey is the star of the program. Cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and potato salad are near required. Green beans, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes are regular included items. The Tex-Mex influence includes tamales on a lot of Texas Christmas menus.

Tools of the Trade
by John Raven, Ph.B.
The first kitchen tool was more than likely a sharp rock. The rock was used to cut or chop food into pieces small enough to handle. It was also good for hacking hoof and hide off mammals on the menu. Shortly after cooking food was invented, a sharp stick was the important tool. It kept you from burning the hair off your hands and arms while cooking.

Meet the Squash
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Squash have been cultivated by man in the Americas for some eight to ten thousand years. To the Native Americans their "Three Sisters", who fed them and kept them healthy, were squash, corn and beans. The most important feature of the Three Sisters was the fact that they could be stored for later use. Once dried and kept in a dry place, corn and beans would keep for years.

Buck and Ozzy's Last Chance
by John Raven, Ph.B.
There is a new kid on the Texas Barbecue Restaurant scene. A little over a year ago, Buck and Ozzy's Last Chance opened on Highway 46 at Sun Valley Drive, which is about two and a half miles east of Highway 281. The "city" is listed as either Bulverde, Spring Branch or Smithson Valley, depending on where you look it up. The restaurant is of interest to me, as it is owned and operated by Todd Page and Vickie Cooper, two children of the guy who was my best friend in Temple.

The History of Chili Cook-Offs
by John Raven, Ph.B.
John Raven's five-part series relates how the chili cook-off came to be, together with all the colorful characters, controversies and chili politics that have resulted in the chili cook-off phenomenon of today. Numerous prize-winning chili recipes are included.

Part One: In the Beginning
Part Two: Chili Competition Erupts in Terlingua
Part Three: The Sixties; Terlingua Cook-Off Grows
Part Four: Upheavals, Female Competitors and a Parting of the Ways
Part Five: The Chili World Split in Two

Cornmeal: A Texas Kitchen Staple
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Every respectable Texas pantry has a supply of cornmeal. In Texas, it is yellow corn meal. White corn meal is favored east of the Mississippi and north of DFW. There are advocates of the less popular blue cornmeal in New Mexico and Arizona, but there is just something about blue cornbread that doesn't agree with me. Here's why we love yellow cornmeal, with recipes for hush puppies, cornmeal mush and others.

Christmas Sweet Treats
by John Raven, Ph.B.
John Raven reminisces "In the times before everything became literally sugar coated, sweets were a real treat. There was not a bowl of sugar on the table at every meal. Sugar was very expensive and used sparingly." But he liberally sprinkles his holiday article with a shower of sweets, including Chocolate Custard Pie, , Holiday Spice Cake, M&M Cookies, Pecan Pralines and Rice Krispies Treats.

Drying Food: Ask Santa for a Dehydrator
by John Raven, Ph.B.
I wanna talk to you today a little about drying foods. Drying came about as a way to preserve food when it was plentiful for hard times when it wasn't. Hardcore traditional drying is done outside by the sun or with dry smoke from a fire. Here are the wonders I discovered from my new, small home-style dehydrator.

Eggzactly Like This: Eggs Part Two
by John Raven, Ph.B.
In Texas, anytime you have folks bringing food, there will be at least one plate of deviled eggs. John continues his egg spread with recipes for Deviled Eggs, Huevos Rancheros, Egg Salad and Migas.

The Yolk's on Me
by John Raven, Ph.B.
In the first of a two-part series, John Raven holds forth on eggs and their virtues, of which there are many. As many, in fact, as there are ways to cook them, and John covers them all. Further, as a long-time consumer of eggs (and barbecue and chili), he throws down the gauntlet to all 125-pound vegetarians to outdo him in the low cholesterol department as he otherwise extols the nutritional benefits of eggs, both white and brown.

Keepin' It Cool
by John Raven, Ph.B.
When I was a kid, if you needed ice you went to the icehouse in town. The icehouse was where ice was made. I don't know what the process was, but every town had an icehouse. Ice came in twenty-five, fifty and one hundred pound blocks. You told the icehouse attendant how much ice you wanted, and he would pull one of several levers on the side of the building and you could hear things going on inside. In an instant a block of ice slid out of the chute where it was caught in a large tub.

Chips and Dips
by John Raven, Ph.B.
The next time you dig a crispy chip into some tasty dip, give a little thought to how it all started. John Raven did, and he shares some of the chip history he came up with. And what's a chip without dip? Fortunately, he shares some winning dip recipes, too.

Texas Shrimp
by John Raven, Ph.B.
I grew up and formed my dietary ways a long way from the Texas coast, where the best seafood in the world is harvested. I was full grown before I ever tasted a shrimp, which is the topic of this month's installment.

Soup's On
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Doctor John splits a few hairs to determine the difference between soup and stew, and goes on to share his improved version of the already-perfect stew his mother made. Add to that his recipe for Raven's Butterbean Soup, and you end up with a potful of good eating.

America's Favorite Pie
Part 2: Grilled Pizza
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Like a good man, a good pizza is hard to find. The chain pizzas I've sampled all taste pretty much the same and vary only in crust texture and toppings. Our homemade pizza can be anything we want it to be. Let's look at making pizza on the grill, and barbecue pizza.

America's Favorite Pie
by John Raven, Ph.B.
Yesterday I made the best pizza ever made in Blanco County, Texas. I was inspired to share the tips with my readers at Texas Cooking so they too can brag on their pizzas.

Christmas Gifting
by John Raven, Ph.B.
If you want to be the most popular kid on the block, give that loved one who likes to cook something special this season. A pair of socks or a tie can't compete with a kitchen gadget as a sure favorite. A cherished gift does not have to be expensive, but if you feel you need to give a stainless steel grill from Needless Markup that costs as much as a two-door Buick, go right ahead.

Pan de Campo: The Official State Bread of Texas
by John Raven, Ph.B.
The classic pan de campo is baked in a Dutch oven. It comes out as a round loaf the diameter of your Dutch oven and about an inch and a half or two inches thick. Dr. John walks through why this delightful bread has recently been deemed the State Bread of Texas.

Going Whole Hog: Cooking for a Bunch
Dr. John says that one of his most frequent queries is, "I want to cook a whole pig in a pit in the ground for my daughter/son's graduation next Saturday. Please send directions and recipes." You know, boys and girls, some things can only be learned from experience.

Rice Recipes: The Art of Reconstitutiong Your Dinner
Dr. John takes a trip through the land of rice, an enduring staple that feeds the world. Rice is always an easy and appetizing production for the dinner table. Learn here about preparing wild Mexican rice, and check out John's dynamite recipes for Rice Pudding, Dirty Rice and Chicken and Rice.

Hot Dachshund: Sausage in a Roll
July is National Hot Dog Month. If you don't like hot dogs, there is something wrong with you. We are talking about the assembled product -- not the bare sausage that goes by many names. It can be wiener, weenie, hot dog, frank or red-hot. They are all the same name for the sausage.

Sourdough Baking: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
This is the first in a series of articles on sourdough baking. The whole thing started when a nice gentleman named John from Montgomery, Texas sent me a picture of his prized sourdough biscuits. John volunteered to share his wealth of sourdough experience with me, and I was inspired.

Dutch Oven Cooking: Cast Your Irons in the Fire
Dutch oven cookery has gained a real following as outdoor cooking grows in popularity. It's an ancient method of cooking. When man learned to cast bronze and iron, first he made bells. From the bells, it was a short step to cannons, and then on to all the other things that are made of cast iron.

Talkin Turkey
The holidays are upon us, and this is the best time to make use of turkey fryers. Of course, there are other ways to prepare a bird, like roasting and smoking. John Raven covers all the bases in his article Talkin' Turkey.

Dutch Oven Drill
Join John Raven around the campfire as he holds forth on one of his favorite cooking containers, the cast iron Dutch oven. According to John, "the Dutch oven is sort of squatty. Even with the largest models, the lid is no more than six or eight inches above the bottom. There is a reason for this. Coals are meant to be placed on the top of the oven for baking operations, and the distance must be kept to a minimum for the heat to radiate down. "

Barbecue Joints I Have Known
Join John Raven's tour of some of his favorite and most memorable Texas barbecue joints -- past and present. Even if you're nowhere near Texas, you may learn how to recognize a good "joint," if you know the earmarks. He will also teach you to distinguish between a barbecue joint and a beer joint -- as opposed to a honky-tonk.