Weekend Cooking: The Austin Cookbook by Paula Forbes

Dare I say that it's still snowing around here? The only good thing about cool weather is that heating up the kitchen for dinner is welcome right now--not so much, however, in summer in my air-condition-less house.

If you follow me on Twitter or Litsy, you may have caught a couple of mentions of Paula Forbes's The Austin Cookbook (Abrams, March 20), one of the wonderful cookbooks I got as part of the Abrams Dinner Party program.

We love Southwestern flavors, so I was sure this cookbook would be a hit. I'm not going to write up a formal review, but I can tell you the beans and rice, the chipotle grilled lamb chops, and the enchiladas Tejanas (a kind of enchilada casserole) were all fantastic.

I have a bunch more pages marked to try, such as a meaty cheese dip, gingerbread pancakes, and a whole variety of tacos and enchiladas and their sauces.

The Austin Cookbook is more than just recipes, and I've been enjoying the tips and stories that are sprinkled throughout the pages. I especially like the informative graphics, like this mix-and-match enchilada chart.

This week, as I'm finally winding down my busy season, I planned for simple weekday meals. The following vegetarian soft tacos came together in just minutes and tasted great. I added oregano and cumin to the mushroom filling for a flavor boost, and included sliced avocado as one of the toppings. The book says it serves 6, but my husband always overfills his tacos, so we got only 4. Regardless, it was a fast and delicious weeknight dinner. (photo from the cookbook)

Tacos de Hongos
Makes 6
For the Hongos

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 small onion thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces mushroom, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used 10 ounces of baby bellas)

For the Tacos

• 6-inch soft taco shells (heated)
• 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (I used more)
• Lime wedges
• Hot sauce or salsa

Heat a skillet until very hot, nearly smoking [I used cast iron]. Add the oil and immediately add the poblano and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly, until the vegetables begin to soften and brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and repeat with the mushrooms, cooking until the edges just start to brown. Combine the mushrooms with the other vegetables. To serve, fill the warm tortillas with the hot filling and desired toppings.

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