Zagat Houston: You can find a classic dish, such as chicken and dumplings or chicken-fried steak, in a variety of restaurants in Houston. Some places you can get it on the cheap, and some places have taken the classic dish to new heights (with prices to match). Zagat Houston's Amber Ambrose lists two versions (high-end and low-end) of seven classic dishes you can find in the Houston area.
The Pancake Princess: Erika reinstates her Pancake Fridays and dedicates this post to one of her original pancake recipes, Honey Apple Pancakes. These whole wheat cakes are filled with finely chopped apples, honey, cinnamon, and a mix of almond milk and apple cider vinegar. They're also healthy! No butter or oil, and they still turn out thick, soft and fluffy.
Wall Street Journal: Last week we gave you five great Brussels sprouts dishes to try in Houston, and this week, the Wall Street Journal has three recipes showcasing the green vegetables. The first is fried Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions, garlic confit, lime, mint and Aleppo pepper. The second features shaved Brussels sprouts forming a salad with Marcona almonds, hard-boiled eggs, Pecorino and a citrus vinaigrette. The final recipe is another fried Brussels sprouts recipe, but the sprouts are pickled before being fried.
Houston Chronicle: Alison Cook recommends you order the Akaushi chili from newly opened 60 Degrees Mastercrafted. The chili is quite different from what most Texans are used to; it is made with Wagyu meat, red chile and spice, and the bottom of the bowl is lined with slices of avocado; chef Fritz Gitschner tops the bowl with pico de gallo and Mexican crema. You won't find any tomatoes, chile powder or broth in this recipe.
The Pioneer Woman: This week, Ree Drummond is cooking up a classic Texas dish: Spicy Dr Pepper Ribs. She starts with brown sugar and a can of Dr Pepper in a saucepan, followed by a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (here's the spice), minced garlic, brown mustard and vinegar. She then coats the ribs in this sweet and spicy sauce, covers them in foil and lets them cook for two hours at 275 degrees; then she adds more sauce and cooks the ribs uncovered at 300 degrees for another 15 or 20 minutes. Once they're done cooking, it's time to dig in.
H-Town Chow Down: The guys from H-Town Chow Down visited China Garden Restaurant, located across the street from the Toyota Center. China Garden has been in the same location since the 1970s and appears not to have changed its decor since the 1980s, but that doesn't mean the food isn't up to par. The guys began their meal with the Spicy General Tso's Chicken, saying it was "considerably superior to the generic stuff served at most Chinese-American spots."
