Down Home Dishes

ADD A LITTLE TEXAS TO YOUR TABLE THIS FALL

BY JENNIFER BAJSEL

TEXAS TWINKIES SERVINGS: 8 | PREP: 20 MIN. | COOK: 30 MIN. | TOTAL: 50 MIN.

INGREDIENTS: 1 pkg. bacon | 8 jalapenos | 4 oz. cream cheese, softened | 1 cup shredded or chopped brisket | 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese | 1 cup raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS: PREHEAT oven to 350°. PLACE bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet until partially cooked but still pliable. CUT a T-shaped slit in jalapenos and remove core and seeds. COMBINE the cream cheese, brisket, and cheese. FILL each jalapeno with brisket mixture. Remove bacon from oven, drain grease, and pat dry. WRAP each jalapeno with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. BAKE for 30 minutes until jalapenos are soft and bacon is crisp.SERVE with raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce.

TIPS & TRICKS: You can purchase the BBQ sauce or make your own. To make your own, follow the Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce recipe and, using a blender, combine 1 cup of BBQ sauce with 1⁄2 cup of raspberries and one chipotle in adobo.

OVEN ROASTED RIBS WITH DR. PEPPER BBQ SAUCE SERVINGS: 4 | PREP: 30 MIN. | COOK: 2 HR. 30 MIN. | TOTAL: 3 HR.

INGREDIENTS: 2 racks baby back ribs | 1 Tbsp. kosher salt | 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper | 1 Tbsp. cumin | 1⁄2 tsp coriander | 2 Tbsp. chili powder BBQ Sauce: 1 cup Dr. Pepper | 20 oz. ketchup | 1 Tbsp. garlic powder | 1 tsp. onion powder | 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire | 1 Tbsp. chili powder

DIRECTIONS: PREHEAT oven to 350°. REMOVE membrane from ribs. PLACE ribs in a large baking dish and rub them with dry spices. ADD 1 cup of water and cover tightly with foil. COOK for 2 1⁄2 hours until the meat almost falls off the bones. For the sauce: COMBINE all six ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for 20 minutes until sauce thickens. REMOVE ribs for the last 15 minutes and baste with sauce. RETURN to oven uncovered. When ribs are ready, let rest and glaze with more sauce before serving.

TIPS & TRICKS: For a more browned rib, remove from oven, baste with sauce, and place on a hot grill bone side up for 10 minutes until charred.

SWEET CORNCAKE WITH BLACKBERRIES SERVINGS: 12 | PREP: 15 MIN. | COOK: 45 MIN. TOTAL: 1 HR.

INGREDIENTS: 1 Tbsp. butter | 1 3⁄4 cup buttermilk | 1 Tbsp. vanilla | 2 eggs | 3⁄4 cup cake flour | 1 cup cornmeal | 1 cup sugar | 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda | 1⁄2 tsp. salt | 6 oz. blackberries

DIRECTIONS: PREHEAT oven to 350°. GREASE a cake pan with 1 tsp. butter and line bottom with parchment paper, then grease parchment. COMBINE the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. MIX the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. STIR in the buttermilk mixture until smooth. PLACE some blackberries in the bottom of the cake pan and mix the remaining into the cake batter. BAKE until the crust is golden, about 45 minutes. SERVE with more blackberries and vanilla ice cream.

TIPS & TRICKS: If you toss the blackberries in the flour/cornmeal mixture before adding wet ingredients, the berries will not sink to the bottom of the pan.

ABOUT OUR CHEF Jennifer is a private chef in Dallas, TX, with a passion for home-cooked meals with a global influence. In addition to cooking, she hosts an Italian cooking show on national streaming television. To follow her, go to JenniferBajsel.com or find her on Instagram @JENNIFER_BAJSEL