Around My Table In Texas
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Lifestyle * Cooking * Gardening * Traveling The sights and smells from my earlier years, brings me great joy. I am from a large family of amazing cooks.
From my corporate office to the kitchen
This is my escape....
Growing up, I spent many hours cooking, gardening, having afternoon tea, traveling, and shopping with my grandmother. Sharing this experience in my home with family and friends is extending the love and kindness shown to me by my grandmother. I can solve the world‘s problems with a day of cooking, reading recipes and strolling through beautiful gardens! We spend many hours around the dinning room table for family dinners and holiday gatherings. My children have grown to treasure these moments. My parents entertained weekly at our home with dinner parties or get togethers to stay connected with friends and family. My Mother had “all hands on deck“ and we helped! Looking back, it taught me so much. I often have my children help in the kitchen. We sit at the kitchen table for dinner each evening, as their schedules allow. They are responsible for setting the table. Many evenings, they will help cook. After college graduation, I worked for a large public accounting firm and focused on financial modeling in litigation matters. I continued my education as a graduate student in business school with an MBA in Corporate Finance and a Masters in Accounting and Tax. I‘ve had the opportunity to travel worldwide. It has allowed me to discover foods and flavors from many different cultures. I am Blessed with my work, but being in the kitchen cooking allows my mind to “rest”. My escape from the world of numbers and court dates. I’m doing what I love and sharing with those I hold dear.
08/30/2026
Saturday night dinner on the grill—and I’m honestly just winging it 🥴 From 44 Farms
But wow… it turned out so flavorful: a perfect char on the outside and juicy goodness inside. Time to keep learning, one cook at a time!
08/29/2026
This makes me so happy!! 😄
A delivery from @44 Farms—trying something new this time: brisket! 👩🏻🍳 I’ve never cooked a brisket before, so I’ll definitely need to do some research on the process 🥴 Any guidance or tips are greatly appreciated—drop them in the comments below! 🙏
08/29/2026
Fresh out of the oven! Slow fermented ciabatta bread and chocolate chip cookies at a moments notice. My son came home for the day to pick up a few items and have lunch with his Mother ❤️. Before heading back to college, I made him a few items to go 👩🏻🍳 from Wildgrain 🌾
08/24/2026
Happy Monday! I’m not sure what my plan is for dinner, but it’s a good start 😊👩🏻🍳 Roasting veggies. As an empty nester, and cooking for one, it’s easy to do pickup or delivery. I’m determined to be intentional about my meals.. not perfect, but trying.
08/23/2026
Zesty Asian Chicken En Cocotte (Candied Jalapeño Topping)
A bright, cozy cocotte-style chicken simmered with ginger-turmeric warmth, coconut silk, and aromatic star anise—served over brown rice with a punchy, sweet-spicy jalapeño finish. This recipe freezes well for all the empty nesters looking to meal prep for healthy options. And, I love cooking in my .
Ingredients
For the Chicken Cocotte
1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lb), patted dry
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2–3 inches fresh ginger, sliced (plus more to taste)
1–2 tsp turmeric (or more to taste)
1 can (13–14 oz) coconut milk
2–3 star anise
3 cups Brodo Chicken broth
1 cup Brodo Ginger & Turmeric broth
1–2 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
1 small napa cabbage, sliced into quarters
6 cloves garlic, smashed
For the Candied Jalapeños
2–4 jalapeños, thinly sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or lime juice)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Prep the jalapeños (so they’re ready to top)
Simmer sugar + water until dissolved.
Add jalapeños and cook until glossy and slightly softened, about 6–10 minutes.
Stir in vinegar (and a pinch of salt). Cool completely, then slice.
Build the cocotte chicken
Preheat oven to 350°F (163°C).
In a Dutch oven, place the chunks of celery, carrots, onion, sliced ginger and turmeric, smashed garlic, then pour in coconut milk, Brodo Chicken broth, Brodo Ginger & Turmeric broth, and the star anise.
Place in the chicken. Nestle in the Napa cabbage around the chicken.
Drizzle in fish sauce (start with 1 tbsp, add more later to balance).
Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through:
About 90 minutes (timing depends on chicken size).
Check once or twice: you want gentle bubbling, not a hard boil.
Place back into the oven at 425F for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Serve
Spoon brown rice into bowls.
Ladle the chicken + vegetables and broth over the rice. Top generously with candied jalapeños.
* This recipe came from Coco Larkin, but made some adjustments based on what was in my pantry and refrigerator.
08/18/2026
Back to college week calls for comfort food first!
I made a Beef Pot Roast with mushrooms, onions, and carrots, plus creamy garlic mashed potatoes. Big cozy flavors before my children head out.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Walnuts & Flaky Salt
On repeat in my household!! Indulge in the perfect blend of nutty brown butter, rich chocolate, and crunchy walnuts! These cookies are a must-try!
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly until it turns a lovely golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
Gently fold in the chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight for deeper flavor!).
Preheat your oven to 330°F. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving space in between. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt on top of each cookie.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may look a bit undercooked—this is perfect!
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container!
07/26/2026
One-pot comfort that hits like a hug: roasted chicken thighs nestled over russet potato cubes, with sweet onions and savory vibes—sitting in a rich chicken bone broth base. All the cozy, all the flavor, minimal cleanup. Perfect for busy weeknights, family dinner, and “I need comfort food” nights.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs - bone-in, skin-on if you can): 5-6 thighs
Russet potatoes - 2 lb, cut into large chunks (about 1–2 inch)
Yellow or sweet onions - 2 medium, sliced or thick-cut wedges
Chicken bone broth - 1 cup
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced (or 1–2 tsp garlic powder)
Salt & black pepper
Smoked paprika - 1–2 tsp
Dried thyme - (or rosemary): 1 tsp
Instructions
Heat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Use a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid (or foil).
Pat chicken thighs dry.
Rub with olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme (and garlic if using minced fresh).
In the pot, add russet potato chunks and sliced onions.
Season the potatoes/onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Place chicken thighs skin-side up (or top-facing) directly over the potatoes and onions.
Pour in chicken bone broth carefully until
Cover and bake 35–45 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more, until: Chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal)
Potatoes are tender and slightly crisp at the edges
Rest 5–10 minutes (helps the juices settle). Spoon broth and pan juices over everything.
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