Texas Barbecue in DFW International Airport

What is there to do at DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas) when your flight is cancelled, and the first available flight is the next day? 

When my wife, Linda, and I had hours to fill, the search was on for authentic Texas Barbecue in the many airport terminals.

We were stuck in Terminal C, near gate 22. I parked us at a table with AC power plugs so I could while away the hours on my laptop computer working on my 99 Cent Chef YouTube videos and Blog Posts.

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Thanks to Linda's persistence online and phone calls with our airline, she wrangled two $12 meal vouchers and a hotel voucher for our overnight stay nearby. 

She out-cheap$kated me!

We stayed overnight at airport-adjacent Comfort Suites - I had a Texas Waffle for breakfast.

Back to DFW, the hunt was on for Texas Barbecue when pangs of hunger hit. I found a Bánh Mì restaurant counter where Linda ordered a Bánh Mì Vietnamese Salad with Tofu. I kept going, sniffing the air for the tell-tale aroma of hickory smoke. 

I hit the jackpot when I saw the Dickey's Barbecue Pit sign - look no further! 

Go to the counter to order. The barbecue will be waiting for you by the cash register before you get your credit card back. I'm sure they smoke the meats off-site and bring it in. 

The thing about Texas Barbecue is that it's ready to eat after hours of slow-cooking over smoky hickory coals. The meat stays moist, wrapped up then reheated. A whole beef brisket is smoked, then sliced or chopped to order. 

I spent a few of my younger years in Texas and have indulged in many slices of smoky, lean, tender, and moist Barbecue Beef Brisket. I like the Barbecue Sliced Brisket piled high in a hamburger bun smeared with tangy barbecue sauce, sliced raw onion, and pickle. 

For a heaping full-on order, tackle the 1, 2, or 3 Meat Plates with 2 Sides, and Texas Toast. Similar to a Prime Rib station, all that's left is slicing the whole brisket, then adding the sides.

I skipped the $18 tap beer at the bar nearby, and used the airline $12 voucher on a 2-meat plate of Sliced Beef Brisket and 2 Pork Ribs. My 2 Sides were Green Beans with Bacon and Mac & Cheese. Barbecue can be expensive, but worth it. My $12 Voucher saved the day - 99 thanks, Linda!!

The Pork Ribs are not as meaty as larger beef ribs, but they were tender with plenty of smoky flavor.

The thickly Sliced Barbecue Brisket had a thin, red, tender rind between the seasoned, crisp, dark outer bark and succulent lean beef.

This is a real Texas-style Barbecue Brisket restaurant oasis, slotted into a cacophonous airport.

The sides are almost beside the point, but a tasty distraction.

I selected the Signature BBQ Sauce, which is sweet and tomatoey tart.

The Mac and Cheese would be better with a baked-on crust of cheddar. The cheese sauce was creamy, the macaroni tender. A fine Mac & Cheese similar to any fast food joint like KFC.

My small side of Green Beans with Bacon was missing bacon - I did detect a couple of small pieces, but the flavor of bacon grease was there. The Green Beans were tender and smoky. Quite tasty.

A thick slice of white bread, Texas Toast, served its purpose of sopping up any leftover beef juices, barbecue sauce, green beans juices, and yummy streaks of mac & cheese.

 

If you are going to be stranded in an airport, DFW is the one! Moist, smoky, lean Beef Brisket from Dicky's is amazingly delicious, even in a busy airport setting.

I would hop the airport Skylink tram no matter what terminal you are in. The tram is quick, so head to Terminal C and about Gate 6. Look on the restaurants/shopping side for the signage of Dickey's Barbecue Pit. You will see the long bar, then look for the food display counter to order.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit has 2 locations in Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: Terminal C near Gate C6, and Terminal E near Gate E27.

Skylink trams are on the upper level for fast transport to all Terminals. 

Airport Address: 2400 Aviation Drive, DFW Airport, TX 75261

Dickey's Phone Number: (972) 973-4799

Website: www.dickeys.com

Hours: Monday thru Sunday 5 AM–10 PM

Christmas Recipe Month - Green Beans with Almonds

Check back for a weekly dose of Christmas recipes all this month - it's a digital all-you-can-eat holiday brunch at the Cheap$kate Chateau!

Here's a perfect side dish for your Christmas Day feast. Fresh steamed green beans with crunchy almonds pair perfectly, and garlic gives it all a finishing flavor kick. My Green Beans with Almonds travel well, so bring a casserole dish full if you are a guest. Your host will surely place it between the centerpiece roasted turkey and sweet potatoes with marshmallows.

The green beans are steamed for a couple of minutes while some almonds are sauteed with garlic in a frying pan. Finally, spoon out the cooked green beans, mix them all together, and serve. I used fresh green beans, but for an easy and cheap substitution, it's okay to use fresh frozen green beans.

Green beans are a little more expensive than dried beans, but they frequently come on sale at my local Latin grocery store, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Frozen green beans even show up at my local Dollar Tree.

Nuts have been in the news lately, touting their health benefits and as a diet aid to your appetite. Read about it by clicking here. You only need a 2.5-ounce package of almonds (a handful).  I used unsalted ones, but it's easy enough to rinse off typical oversalted ones. 

I used to get small packages of Almonds from the late, great Los Angeles 99c only Stores. 

Now I get a tiny package of nuts from my local Dollar Tree. You can use almost any nuts on sale, including cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and pecans would take this side dish in a Southern Cuisine direction.

Add my Green Beans with Almonds to your Christmas dinner menu. I'm sure the bottom of the bowl will be scraped by hungry diners looking for seconds.

Ingredients (about 3 servings)

• 1 pound green beans - stringy stems removed. Okay to use frozen green beans. Canned green beans may be too mushy for this recipe.
• 1 small package of almonds - I used a 2.5-ounce package. They were unsalted and whole. I chopped each almond in half. If you get salted almonds, then do a quick rinse and drain. Okay to use any nuts on sale, including walnuts, cashews, pecans, or peanuts.
• 1 teaspoon garlic - I used chopped garlic from a jar.
• 1 teaspoon oil - I used olive oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste - optional. For salted almonds or nuts, leave out the salt in this recipe.

Directions
Rinse off fresh green beans. Cut off stems and any brown, discolored parts. If green beans are very long, it's okay to chop them in half.

You can remove the green beans' stems, then place the green beans in a couple of cups of water or put them on a steam rack with water. Steam covered for 2 to 4 minutes to the desired tenderness. I like them a little crunchy.

If you are using frozen green beans, then follow the package directions to heat them up - usually, just steam in a 1/4 cup of water for about 3-5 minutes until defrosted and warm. Drain green beans when done.

While green beans are steaming, chop each almond in half (or most of them). You could buy slivered (pre-cut) almonds, but they are much more expensive.

In a large frying pan, add a teaspoon of oil over medium/low heat. Add chopped almonds; stir and lightly toast them for about 2 minutes. You are just heating them through until just starting to brown - you will keep sauteing them with garlic and steamed green beans.

When the almonds are done, turn down the heat to low and add a teaspoon of garlic. Stir as you add the garlic so it doesn't splatter out of the hot pan. Sauté for about one minute.

Green beans should be done by now, so add them (without the water) to the frying pan with the garlic and almonds. Mix well.

Ready to serve when green beans and almonds are mixed together and warmed through.

Hindsight

If you don't have access to almonds, almost any type of nuts will do. Just remember to rinse off salted nuts. If you use peanuts, just call the dish Southern-Style Green Beans with Peanuts, or Chinese Stir-Fry Green Beans with Peanuts -- it'll taste delish with any name.

Thanksgiving Recipes Roundup!

It's the busiest and most overwhelming cooking day -- well, don't fret, The 99 Cent Chef wants to take the stress out and make it a bit easier for you. It's all here, my holiday recipes, along with a cupboard full of money-saving tips for you during this Thanksgiving season.

Read on and click on any highlighted recipe name to gobble up my original blog post for the recipe, illustrated with yummy photos, fun videos, and tasty text.

Below is everything you need to serve a sumptuous and cost-saving dinner table feast. And make sure you bookmark this page because Christmas is right around the corner -- yikes!

First up, get all your goodies this week when every local market and chain grocery stores have the deepest cuts in produce prices. If you live in Los Angeles, the Grinchiest Chef would recommend getting fruits and veggies at any Superior Grocers -- just click here to see the great deals to be had, it's incredible.

They cater to a Latin clientele, but everyone is welcome. If you have an ethnic market nearby, do give them a visit -- you'll be surprised what you may find on sale.

In the recent past, Superior Grocers has sold russet, yams, and sweet potatoes at 1 pound for 79 cents, and yellow onions at 2 pounds for 99 cents - oh boy! 

Turkey is on sale this week at chain grocery stores and local markets, so make sure to read the fine print. Usually, a $25 purchase is necessary to get a cheap big bird. Walmart is straight up with their prices on the bird - no minimum purchase necessary. Below are Walmart prices per pound for a whole frozen turkey that I saw in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee.

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When I visit Louisiana, Rouses Grocery Store is my favorite for local produce deals. Their Thanksgiving turkey sale includes a free turkey with the purchase of a whole ham (I just checked the online Weekly Ads).

I'm sure there are turkey deals to be had wherever you are during the holiday, so this week, check out those grocery flyers in the mail before you give them the heave-ho.

The main event is the centerpiece, a fat turkey overloaded with stuffing. Now, wouldn't it be great if you could get away with just setting out a stack of heated Banquet Turkey Dinners? That really is the cheapest way to go.

Well, I know that won't fly, but one year in my bachelor days, I had one. My wacky review of this frozen fiasco poultry dinner is a click away here.

But seriously, I posted my version of a Turkey with Stuffing recipe, and click here to read all about it. My blog post also features my late Mother-in-law's decadent Sausage Stuffing. I shot a video below for you, and it's done in my movie technique of stop-motion animation to boot.

Gravy with Mashed Potatoes is a favorite part of the holiday meal. Hey, I'll end up dragging everything on the plate through the Gravy. Check out the most pungent holiday recipe you'll ever taste, my Giblet Gravy recipe video, below. 

Often, you will find a whole turkey too much to handle, or your guest list is just yourself and maybe one or two other guests. In that case, it is easy and often cheaper to bake a whole Turkey Breast.

The last time I cooked a Turkey Breast, it took about 2 hours at 350 degrees to roast. I simply seasoned it with salt and pepper, leaving it uncovered. You can also add some herbs, or do it with your own family recipe way.

Check with a thermometer for a reading of about 155 degrees. I usually just slice into a thick part of the Turkey Breast and make sure there are no pink juices. When done, remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes so juices settle back in the meat. Click here to see my recipe video, photos, and tasty text. 

The same goes for Turkey Legs. They may cook a little quicker, though, so start checking for doneness after an hour and a half. For a change of pace, I have a tasty recipe called Mexican Cola Turkey Carnitas. I just cover and braise a couple of Turkey Legs for about 2 to 3 hours in Mexican Cola with herbs. I shredded the Turkey Legs for tacos, but you can serve them fall-off-the-bone whole for a proper Holiday presentation. Check out the sweet recipe video below.

My recipes are stuffed with cooking tips, and cheap shopping sources like my local Latin Grocer and neighborhood Dollar Tree have stepped up their holiday food deals as well.

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Come take a walk on the wild sides with The 99 Cent Rebel With a Cause Chef. And you can be sure the following links will go over big with your hungry family and visiting neighbors. You've never seen stuffing made like this: Stuffing Cupcakes with Cranberry Topping & Gravy.

To get the step-by-step directions for this most deliciously unique savory and sweet stuffing recipe, click here. It's easy and quick to make; all you need (to borrow) is a cupcake pan. Stuffing Cupcakes are portable for an office party or a potluck dinner. If you are like me, stuffing, next to the roasted turkey, is the main event for my ravenous taste buds.

Stuffing Cupcakes

Make your own Homemade Cranberry Sauce by simmering two cups of fresh cranberries in a simple sweet syrup. My original recipe uses fresh strawberries, but you can use almost any fresh fruit, including cranberries.

Everyone knows how to make Mashed Potatoes, right? Well, if you are a newbie to pulverizing tubers, I've got your back! And you gotta have gravy to go with Mashed Potatoes. My Turkey with Dressing link has a Homemade Gravy recipe, too.

Mashed Potatoes

Boring Creamed Spinach is a typical Thanksgiving side, but I have a Hindi twist. One of my favorite Indian restaurant side dishes is Saag Paneer, which is just like creamed spinach, but with cheese and the added spice punch of ground cumin. My version is made with easy-to-get (and lower-fat) cottage cheese instead of Indian Paneer (cheese) and Ghee (butter). Once you and your family try my cheesy and creamy Saag Paneer, you won't go back to Creamed Spinach. And the recipe is a click away, here.

If you are looking for traditional sides, I have the old-school French Fried Onions and Green Bean Casserole, which is right out of the 1960s-themed Mad Men TV series. Yeah, all you need is a can opener for the green beans and Campbell's Mushroom Soup. This is a classic recipe where Betty Crocker has it right -- creamy, crunchy, and so satisfying. Click here to see the Cheap$kate Chef's version.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts are edible Christmas ornaments that you can add to the oven during the last 30 minutes of roasting your turkey. Just drizzle them with oil and dust with salt and pepper. It couldn't be simpler to do, and here is my stop-motion animated video to prove it.

 
Of course, I have some more sides for you, just click on any of the following names: Green Beans with Almonds,  Whiskey Yams with Brown Sugar Pumpkin Seeds, Squash, Tomatoes and Onions, Brussels Sprouts in Sour Cream, Roasted Potatoes with Carrots, Honey Orange Glazed Carrots, Collard Greens with Molasses, Asparagus and Red Potato Salad,  Pear and Spinach Salad with Creamy Dressing, Fresh Fruit Salad.

Green Beans & Almonds

And don't forget the appetizers like Warm Artichoke Dip, Black Olive Tapenade with Crostinis,  Bacon Wrapped Dates with Cream Cheese, and Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Salami.

Warm Artichoke Dip

And if that isn't enough -- it's dessert time! After you push yourself away from the table and waddle to the couch to catch a holiday game on the TV, be sure to grab a handful of my late wife's Cranberry Orange and Coconut Cookies (click on the name for the recipe).

But you can't do better than desserts made by Mom. They know what makes a family happy, and mine has been generous enough to show me how she does it. Here are a couple of videos I made of her homemade Pumpkin and Mini Pecan Pies.

Now is the time to hit up your local grocery for cans of pumpkin or, if you are cheap like me, less expensive cans of sweet potato. You can use either, as the taste is almost identically delicious (that is, when canned yams are in a sweet syrup).

Read the recipe details of my Mom's luscious Pumpkin Pie by clicking here. And watch the video below to see how she does it. 

Every Thanksgiving holiday, I used to eagerly await a package from Mom of her famous Mini Pecan Pies. A dozen of them travel well inside a shoebox from Louisiana to Los Angeles. These small pies are the tastiest present one can receive, and I got her recipe for you -- all you have to do is click here.

This is a great Thanksgiving party dessert, but make sure to give your host a few, as they will disappear way too fast. If you don't believe me, just check out the video I made of Mom setting out a plateful -- and watch my relatives devour them in no time flat! (By the way, I think you will be impressed with how the Chintzy Chef gets around paying typically exorbitant pecan prices).

 
I hope you all have a great holiday. Keep checking back here for more budget recipes and loads of new food videos.