Cheese and Dairy
Vegetarian Nachos Supreme Stuffed Bell Peppers
Nachos supreme stuffed bell peppers! Outtake from the Taste of Tucson cookbook. Recipe and food photography by Jackie Alpers. […]
Dinner
Comfort Food
Beef Patty Tacos
A plant-based, high-moisture ground beef alternative such as Beyond Beef also works well in this recipe. […]
Chicken
Chicken Molé Amarillo: Cookbook Preview
Chicken Molé Amarillo | Recipe by Jackie Alpers from the cookbook Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona. […]
Chicken
Sonoran Style Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
There are Southwestern regional influences that vary from New Mexico to Arizona, Texas, and Southern California. Here in Tucson, our regional cuisine is defined by fresh veggies, grilled meats and all of the delicacies that a mid-sized, sunshine filled desert city/college town, 60 miles from Mexico, has to offer. It’s summertime eating all year round. This recipe was There are Southwestern regional influences that vary from New Mexico to Arizona, Texas, and Southern California. Here in Tucson, our regional cuisine is defined by fresh veggies, grilled meats and all of the delicacies that a mid-sized, sunshine filled desert city/college town, 60 miles from Mexico, has to offer. It’s summertime eating all year round. This recipe was originally developed for Today.com. […]
Atkins Friendly
Comfort Food
Recipe for Healthier Tuna Noodle Casserole
How to make tuna noodle casserole. […]
Atkins Friendly
My mom’s Marinated Flank Steak, “Sonoranized”
Recipe for marinated flank steak using my mom’s recipe from the 80s, adding in some Mexican oregano and extra citus so now it’s an Ohio meets Tucson recipe. […]
Chicken
The Italian Stallion Hot Dog
This no-recipe recipe is my tribute dog to Sweathog, Vinnie Barbarino. Slice an Italian roll across the top, not the side. Spoon a tablespoon of warmed marinara sauce inside the cut roll, then tuck in […]
Celebrations
The Mexican Street Corn Hot Dog
Inspired by Mexican Style Street Corn, this whole beef jumbo hot dog is topped with roasted corn, mayo, lime and spices and served in a top-cut, whole grain bolillo roll. Food photo and recipe by Jackie Alpers. […]
Comfort Food
Quinoa Burrito Bowl With Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
This recipe originally was written for and published on Refinery29 as part of an article on easy and affordable grain bowls. Check out the rest of the recipes on their site. The Greek yogurt adds a little […]
Baked Goods
Recipe: Three Sisters Pizza With Corn Masa Crust
Corn, beans and squash are three of the earliest domesticated crops grown by Native Americans in the Sonoran region. For this recipe, prepared corn masa, which is usually used to make tortillas or gorditas, is […]
breakfast
Recipe: Grain Bowl With Green Quinoa, Tepary Beans and Egg
Grain Bowl With Green Quinoa, Tepary Beans, Avocado and Egg Start your day with this Sonoran style power breakfast. It’s high in protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Serves 1. Ingredients 1/2 cup dry quinoa […]
Baked Goods
Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough
This recipe has only two ingredients! The fine folks at @refinery29 made made the video. With this pizza dough trick, you’ll be a pie-making pro in no time. Prep Time: 10 Minutes Yield: One large or two […]
Cheese and Dairy
Spinach Linguine with Walnut Pesto
Walnuts are less expensive and easier to find than the traditional pine nuts and I think they taste even better. Plus they’re loaded with healthy fats. This recipe originally was written for and published on Refinery29 as part […]
Baked Goods
Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug
For centuries, people believed that it was impossible to make a chicken pot pie in the microwave. I have proven them wrong. This recipe first appeared in the article “10-Minute Dinner Recipes That ANYONE Can […]
Chicken
Italian Style Grilled Chicken with Parmesan and Sun-dried Tomatoes
This is a healthy and extremely flavorful way to dress up boneless skinless chicken breasts. Adding just a small amount of butter on top, and using grated parmesan for a garnish, keeps the fat and […]
Chicken
Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs
All of the ingredients for authentic Thai cuisine are available at most grocery stores. Sambal Oelek and Thai fish sauce can be found in most Asian food sections. This recipe was originally published on iVillage.com […]
breakfast
Spicy Southwestern Style Mashed Potatoes With Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
There was a time in history when an all white meal consisting mostly of flour and milk was the most depressing idea imaginable. In Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge famously sat down to a […]
Appetizers
Sonoran Style Chipotle Chicken Salad
Like all regional cuisines, Sonoran style Mexican food is evolving. My spicy Sonoran style chicken salad could easily be served in tortas (sandwiches) alongside the pork or beef varieties, or in tacos, which are now available served on lettuce leaves at local restaurants as well as on traditional corn or flour tortillas. I used store-bought rotisserie chicken which has become a staple in Mexican home cooking. […]
Appetizers
Easy Grilled Mini Pizzas With Edible Flowering Herbs
One of the best ways to learn how to cook is to follow other people’s recipes, and since I cook, style and then photograph chef’s recipes for the Food Network’s website, I’m constantly learning new things. […]
Atkins Friendly
Monster Eggs
Looks can be deceiving; my favorite monsters are scary looking, but innately good. Just like these monsterized eggs, which have been turned green and frightening looking, but are completely delicious. They are also monstrously easy to make. Save […]
Atkins Friendly
Baked Goods
Crustless Quiche With Five Kinds of Peppers
Sometimes in the morning when I want a little treat, I drive down the street to my favorite coffee shop where they make the most amazing quiche. I’ve been doing it so much lately that […]
Dinner
BLT Lettuce Wraps: THE BEST Late Summer Meal
I had no idea when I made this yesterday that today, AUG. 31st, was NATIONAL BACON DAY. All I had been thinking was how the BLT is the perfect end-of-summer meal. Tomatoes are at their best, […]
Chicken
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner: New Grilled Chicken Recipes for iVillage
Apparently, in the olden days, every casino in Las Vegas offered a $1.79 chicken dinner. If you won a $2.00 bet, you’d have enough money to buy one, so the dealer would shout, “Winner, winner […]
Baked Goods
Low-carb Bacon-Wrapped Mexican Hot Dogs on Cheesy Cloud Buns
I made this low-carb bread replacement (often called “Oopsie Bread”) out of eggs and cream cheese from a recipe I’ve seen all over the internet. It turned out great. It smells like cheesy-bread while it’s […]
Chicken
Buffalo Chicken: Tenders & Tacos Recipes
I have an on-going, and pretty much constant craving for buffalo wings. I’d alway thought that buffalo wing sauce was one of those fast food enigmas (like the McRib) that could never be replicated by average people. It’s […]
Appetizers
Recipe for Fennel, Blue Cheese & Spanish Chorizo Mini Pizzas
This week I’m a guest writer/photographer for heart-stoppingly beautiful new magazine about rural culture, Broadway+Thresher. Here’s a link to the article, featuring my photos and the recipe I developed for “Fennel, Blue Cheese & Spanish […]
Dinner
Carne Asada Tacos
Yay! It’s National Taco Day! Here’s a recipe of one of my favorite kinds – Carne Asada, from the book Knack Mexican Cooking by Chelsie Kenyon. Save to BigOven Yum October 4, 2012 by Jackie Alpers Category […]
casserole
Quick & Easy Recipe for Low Carb Chicken Parmesan in Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
October 1st I want to eat warm hearty meals in Autumn colors. Casseroles baked in stoneware dishes with rich sauces. Meat, cream, smoked cheeses, tomato sauce, and, I want the recipe to be fast, and […]
Appetizers
Coctel De Camaron: Mexican Style Shrimp Cocktail
The shrimp cocktail I grew up with in Ohio was reserved for special occasions. It was served in a chilled martini glass filled with crushed ice topped with a dollop of horseradish and lemon juice […]
Cheese and Dairy
Red Wine Sausages With Creamy, Cheesy Noodles
It’s the middle of the end of summer and it’s insanely hot. Today it was 112 in the shade (my thermometers under an overhang); and yet, I still felt the urge to cook up this […]
Dinner
Sicilian Shrimp with Hot Peppers and Lots of Garlic
There was a line in front of the fish case at the market today and everyone in front of me was buying the rock shrimp. As soon as I got up to the counter I […]
Comfort Food
Cincinnati Style Turkey Chili
Cincinnati chili does not exist in Arizona, except for in a suspicious canned variety, so I went on quest and figured out how to cook it myself. I made 4-way (spaghetti, beans, onions, cheese) Cincinnati […]
Atkins Friendly
Salsa Chicken Lettuce Tacos
I was very surprised to find that one of my favorite Mexican restaurants now offers their famous tacos nestled in a large lettuce leaf instead of a tortilla. I was even more amazed at how […]
Cheese and Dairy
The Best Fettuccine With Whole Clams
I came up with this recipe because I wanted a more creamy, cheesy sauce than the traditional version. I started with a really basic cream sauce using a combo of milk and some of the […]
Dinner
Red Curry Shrimp With Pineapple from Quick & Easy Thai
I’m a pretty good cook, but there is something about Thai food that’s always seemed complicated and exotic to me. That’s why I LOVE this book : Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott, (Chronicle Books, […]
Chicken
“Cake is Not my Downfall” — Jackie Kashian’s Recipe for Paprika Marinated Chicken
I’m a fan of comedian Jackie Kashian. I knew we were kindred spirits when I heard this “Cake and Chicken” bit on her “It’s Never Going to Be Bread” CD: “I was at my first […]
Comfort Food
Quick and Easy; Rotini Pasta with Caviar and Parmesan
I had a lot of left over caviar from my deviled eggs recipe so I boiled up some pasta and mixed it in with a hearty dose of Parmesan cheese. This recipe is super simple […]
Baked Goods
Homemade Thin Crust Pizza
More often than not, Sunday night is Pizza Night at my house. It took me forever to figure out how to make a thin crust pizza at home. I practiced stretching the dough for months. […]
Comfort Food
Classic Caesar Salad Recipe and Photo by Jackie Alpers
CAESAR SALAD DAYS This is a story about choices, creativity, personal power, and a salad. Specifically, the Caesar salad from the 1967 Joy of Cooking. My mother made it table side at a dinner party […]
Comfort Food
Onion-Barley Matzoh Ball Soup Recipe
I’m craving soup. Here’s a hearty vegetarian version of traditional matzoh ball soup. I modified it from an onion/mushroom soup recipe that my mother used to make when I was a kid. For the matzoh […]