A cowboy and a word slinger walk into a test kitchen in Giddings, Texas. Frank Malinak III and Lorie A. Woodward, respectively. They are equipped with a pound of Lee county’s finest ground beef and wild game meat from a medium size Nilgai (also known as a South Texas Antelope). They come locked and loaded with stories of Frank’s service with the Texas Rangers and a deep reverence for the land and people that sustain Texas communities.

This is a story celebrating 200 years of Texas Rangers history. Because of the time tested service of the men and women of the Texas Rangers, our small group of Texans had the freedom to share a meal in comfort. Actually, the ultimate comfort food – chili. 

At Gourmet Divas’ fabulous kitchen store and demonstration kitchen, I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with Frank Malinak III, Assistant Chief Texas Rangers, Retired in Giddings, Texas. Moving through the distinguished ranks of the Ranger organization, Frank ended his career as second in command – Assistant Chief.  He is now County Judge of Lee County. You see, Frank and I both have roots in Lee County, our Great-Grandfathers Will and Englebert Reuther were brothers. So I asked him, what would a Texas Ranger cook?

According to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco,  everything we know about the earliest days of the Texas Rangers comes from memoirs of individuals who served. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum preserves history through pictures, stories, and memorabilia. According to the TRAF, “During the early years of the Frontier Battalion, the battalion’s quartermaster supplied each Ranger company with a set ration consisting of flour, bacon, beef, coffee, sugar, salt, soda, soap, vinegar, pepper, candles, potatoes, onions and rice. A ration was the amount of each of these items an individual Ranger would consume in one day, and the company orderly sergeant was required each month to write out a list of how much was on hand of each item. Many accounts mention the ease of finding wild game and fish.”

Now, back to our modern kitchen in Giddings. Wild game? Check. Beef? You bet. Get Frank’s “On the Trail” Chili recipe at the bottom of this article and watch our cooking episode on our Texicureans youtube channel. 

Sometimes the best recipe is knowing where your ingredients come from and cooking them up the way only you know how. Bonus if you’re in the kitchen with people who share your traditions. There is beauty in consistency. There is longevity in honoring the basics. 

Frank said it best, “Ranger history is framed by traditions going back 200 years, including our unmistakable western heritage. The pathway of our future is made all the brighter by those who walked before us. Nothing is so powerful as knowing past generations are counting on you to accept the baton and carry it forward. I hope future historians look back at our time and see an unbroken chain of dedicated men and women who wear a badge that stands for justice and freedom.” 

200 Years of Texas Rangers

Assembled in 1823 to protect the early settlers of Texas, Stephen F Austin was given command of this legendary law enforcement agency.  Drawing on their collective skills, Native Americans, Tejanos, Anglo-Europeans, and African Americans signed up to “range” and protect the colonies.  Hence it was said that a Texas Ranger could “ride like a Mexican, trail like an Indian, shoot like a Tennessean, and fight like the devil.”

Legendary Texas Rangers John Coffey Hays, “Bigfoot Wallace” and William McDonald helped form the enigma of the Texas spirit.  The Institute of Texas Cultures states that “Next to the Alamo, the Texas Ranger is the best-known part of the Texas Legend…”

This legacy continues with training that is considered second to none, for the 172 highly selected men and women who proudly wear the boots, white hats and pistol belts of their predecessors.  And of course, there is that iconic Cinco Peso badge.   

“The Texas Rangers are among the most revered law enforcement divisions in the country for a reason.  The elite and storied Rangers are men and women of integrity and moral fortitude, willing to risk their lives in selfless service to the state of Texas”.  Steve C McGraw, Director, Texas Department of Public Safety 

Organized into 6 companies: Company “A” Houston, Company “B” Dallas, Company “C” Lubbock, Company “D” McAllen, Company “E” El Paso, Company “F” Waco, and Headquarters in Austin.  The Rangers continue the traditional jobs conducting criminal and special investigations, apprehending wanted felons, suppressing major disturbances, protecting life and liberty, and rendering assistance to local law enforcement officials. 

A Special Operations Group has been formed in recent years to counter terrorist activity, criminal threats, and drug trafficking organizations. 

Explains Lacy Finley, executive director of the Texas Ranger Association Foundation, “We know these things about their service:  There is no time off, one Late-night call easily becomes many more, Rangers find themselves in difficult situations, they have a servant’s heart, and could easily have followed careers in the private sector.”

The enigma of the Texas Ranger has inspired novelists, actors, and film-makers.  The Lone Ranger, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Lonesome Dove have all dramatized the heroic mystic of the Texas Ranger.  In the 1936 movie The Texas Rangers, Fred Mac Murray who portrays a Texas Ranger is met by leading citizens who are alarmed that there is only one Ranger to clean up their town.  “Only one fight, ain’t there?” replies McMurtry in a paraphrase of the famous “One riot, one Ranger” line.

Texas Rangers are a seamless, selfless, ambassador for our way of life back to the earliest days. Can of beans and all. Thank you for your service, Frank, and reminding us what Texas cooking is really all about — the people you’re feeding.

For more Texas recipes, tips, and stories, sign up for our recipe club emails and follow Texicureans on all social platforms.

Spicy with cayenne, these crispy cheese crackers boast only five ingredients.  And they freeze well to pull out for quick wine accompaniment.

Another Tyler Junior League cookbook recipe, this traditional southern fare is worth revitalizing when you have left over cheese that needs to be used.  Or simply snag a 3 cup bag of shredded cheese.

I used a Mexican blend cheese, but you can get creative with cheese you have on hand.  The intensity of heat can be adjusted as well by adding or subtracting cayenne.  I have also thrown in red chili flakes in addition to the cayenne.

Don’t get caught up on the perfectness of each straw, you can buy that in a box at the store – celebrate your homemade spirit!

Click here for How-to video

They are pretty, They are chocolaty bites of goodness.

Silicone molds are a game changer for pretty individual cakes.  Spray the mold with an oil, fill, and pop in the oven for a quick, attractive presentation. Once they cool from the oven, you can push the cakes out from the bottom. This chocolate cake recipe requires no icing.

We are talking about the Texas Rose Festival this month and this recipe comes from an old Tyler Junior League cookbook.  Sometimes the tried and true recipes combined with a new twist (silicone molds) do the trick!

Click here for How-to Video

I spent a lovely afternoon with Tyler native daughter, Anna Katheryn Schultz.  A 5th generation Texan, her great-grandfather in the 1920’s was one of the founding members of the Rose industry in Tyler.  The sandy, acidic soil on their land was perfect for roses and he began shipping roses world-wide in the 1930’s.

Inspired by both her parents and particularly her grandmother who was a quintessential southern cook, Anna Katheryn founded Tuesday Takeout. Cars line up for her delectable dishes designed to be a taste of home, without the work.  She conceived the idea that enjoying a quality meal at home should be open to the busiest of folks.

Anna says, “Everything I do is from scratch and it’s something I would serve at home if you were my guest.”

We prepared Roasted Poblano Corn Pudding – a staple on her Fall menu.  Perfect as a side dish anytime, and particularly enjoyable for Texas holiday, it is a comforting conglomeration of flavors.  And did I mention your kitchen will smell wonderful?

Thank you Anna Katheryn!

 

Colorful, easy, and with only three ingredients – this salad will stand the test of a shower, luncheon, or dinner party.  And its just an easy recipe for your home meals.

When my Mom was running the wedding shower/bridesmaid luncheon circuit with her friends, this salad was a mainstay.  It adds vibrant color to the serving table and your plates.  You wouldn’t think of grapes and cabbage going together, but the poppyseed dressing is the tie that binds.

So, next time you need to bring a salad to an event or gathering – you might choose this one.  Your friends will think you worked much harder than you actually did!

Here’s a hint – if you use a clear bowl, the colors will show through in technicolor!

Click here for the video:

It’s Hot!  But this is COOL!

Add Roasted Corn Salad as a side dish to anything – chicken, fish, or beef.  It’s also great for a quick lunch with a slice of luncheon meat.

You may hesitate starting up the grill, but here’s a hint – roast a dozen or so ears of corn, cut it off the Cobb and freeze extra for future use.  You can also throw your protein on the grill for a complete meal.

“North to Alaska”

I can hear the 1960’s movie theme song setting the background for this iconic western.  Sam McCord along with George and Billy Pratt hear the call to adventure and cross the Yukon river in 1892 in search of gold below a mountain southeast of Nome.

In true romantic western fashion, George falls in love with a girl named Jenny and declares he would trade all the gold for a ring to place on sweet little Jenny’s hand and build for her a honeymoon cabin below that same mountain.

What does this have to do with Texas?

A newly married 5^th generation Texan along with her Texan husband, Sommer (Seidel) and Brent Adcox heard the call to Homer, Alaska 12  years ago.  Brent, an Orthopedic Surgeon was recruited after medical school to practice in this beautiful town located on the Kenai Peninsula.

Sommer says of her time in Alaska as a Texan, “As a fifth generation Texas who is living in Alaska, our Texas heritage remains important to our family.  In an effort to keep our heritage alive, we often use food as a connection to our roots.  Brent takes every opportunity to smoke a brisket while I put on a pot of beans to share with our local friends. He enjoys teaching many of our Alaskan friends how to properly smoke a good brisket (which he makes with seasoning we import from Cooper’s BBQ).  I often invite others over for enchiladas or a good German Schnitzel and hot potato salad. We still enjoy food that has been provided by the land and we spend time as a family in the process of making sausage, chorizo and memories.  While we may live 4,000 miles from home, our hearts remain in Texas”

Known as the Halibut fishing capital of the world, Homer carries the motto “Where the land ends and the sea begins”.

Making a conscious decision to fully enjoy all the experiences Alaska has to offer, the Adcox family bought a fishing boat and learned the secrets of halibut fishing in Kachemak Bay.

My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of joining “Captain Sommer” on her boat for a day of Halibut fishing on the Kachemak Bay. We cruised the bay searching for the perfect fishing spot. Majestic glaciers framed our view while we watched otters swim and play on their backs.

I’d have to say that although I’m not really a fisherman, reeling in one of these large flat fish is a highlight of my life.  Sommer skillfully pulled the halibut into the boat, talking to it the whole time like a mom soothing her child.

Back at the Adcox kitchen, Sommer and Brent donned Oktoberfest aprons representative of their home towns – New Braunfels and Fredericksburg. We prepared halibut with the simple, yummy recipe Sommer and Brent have found to be tested and true.  You can also apply this recipe to Texas gulf or river fish.  After all, a Texas fish fry has been at the center of many a family and friend gathering.

So, here’s the secret straight from a transplanted Texan:

What tastes better in the summer than peach cobbler?  This recipe makes use of a couple hacks to simplify prep.

Hack #1: Buy H-E-B bag of frozen sliced peaches – a 5 pound bag is perfect for this recipe

Hack #2:  Use 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, roll out on a silpat or parchment paper, and place on top of peaches

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell) for a cooling end to a summer meal.  You “may” have some left over!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click below for a quick demonstration: