Spicy Cadillac Margarita Cocktail Recipe

Recipe for a spicy Cadillac margarita cocktail made with less sugar, freshly squeezed juice,...

Sonoran Carne Asada Burritos Recipe

Sonoran-style carne asada, burritos stuffed with charro beans, crunchy cabbage and Jackie’s famous chiltepin red salsa. Sonoran-style carne asada is not marinated. Instead the meat is finished with a bit of pineapple juice which caramelizes in the hot fire. This is one of the most popular varieties of beef and bean burritos in the Sonoran region north of the Arizona-Mexico border.

Smash Burgers Recipe with Cheese and Bourbon Braised Caramelized Onions

Recipe for thin, crispy-edged double smash burgers with cheddar cheese, bourbon braised caramelized onions and Jackie’s secret sauce.  

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

Recipe for homemade taco seasoning made with ground freshly dried chiles and Mexican oregano. Plus how to dry and grind fresh chiles.

Cornbread Bread Pudding in Cast Iron Ramekins

Cornbread casseroles made with chunks of freshly-baked cornbread cooked in a rich custard sauce in individual cast-iron ramekins, making a decadent yet rustic dessert.

Michelada vs. Chelada: What’s the difference? With Recipes for Both

Michelada vs. Chelada: What’s the Difference? Includes recipes for a michelada cocktail made with Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit and a spicy tomato mixer.

Spicy Prickly Pear and Strawberry Margaritas

How to make a spicy Sonoran-style prickly pear margarita cocktail on the rocks with strawberry and habanero infused tequila and a black salt rim using a Strawberry and Habanero Infused Tequila Recipe.

Spicy Deviled Egg Potato Salad Recipe

This spicy deviled egg potato salad gets a Southwestern twist with chipotle peppers, capers, and a creamy mustard-mayo dressing. The best, most flavor-filled deviled egg potato salad ever!

Pumpkin Empanadas: Easy Baked Mini Hand Pies

These mini pumpkin empanadas are brushed with a buttery, warming aromatic coating are fun and super easy to bake (not fried) using pre-made sheets of pie dough and a spiced pumpkin filling.

Three Sisters Power Bowl

Let the power of these three sisters fuel your day! Corn, zucchini and tepary bean breakfast bowl with quinoa, corn, avocado, spicy green salsa and eggs.

Coconut Milk and Coffee Braised Chicken Recipe

Coconut milk and coffee braised chicken thighs recipe with ancho chile, Greek yogurt and cilantro. Served with yams over rice.

Albondigas Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

Albondigas soup made with matzo balls. Two popular soups together as one – a Jewish-deli Sonoran-Mexican combination.

Campfire Coffee Recipe Made with Eggshells

How to brew a pot of coffee over a campfire with a special ingredient… eggshells! From the Arizona-Mexico borderlands cookbook author Jackie Alpers.

Sonoran Cheese and Potato Soup Recipe (Caldo de Queso)

Caldo de Queso is a Sonoran cheese and chunky potato soup with green chiles, onions, and tomatoes in a light broth. Recipe by Taste of Tucson cookbook author Jackie Alpers.

Sardine Tacos on Homemade Blue Corn Tortillas

Sardine tacos with cabbage, red onion and mustard salsa on homemade blue corn tortillas by Sonoran cookbook author Jackie Alpers.

Deli Counter Tacos with Scallion Ranch Cream Cheese

Lunchbox recipe for street tacos made with deli counter turkey and provolone cheese rolled in tortillas and topped with lettuce, tomato, olives and pepperoncini. Includes recipe for Scallion Ranch Cream Cheese Spread. 

Brie Crostini with Sparkling Sugared Cranberries

Visually stunning sugared cranberries are a study in contrast. The tart, dark berries which appear to have been encrusted in tiny jewels, add a magical quality to these brie crostini.

Masa Versus Cornmeal: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between cornmeal and masa harina? How is masa used to make corn tortillas? Can cornmeal be used in tortillas? Get the answers and recipe for Sonoran corn tortillas from Taste of Tucson cookbook author Jackie Alpers.

Spicy Deviled Eggs Recipe With Caviar

These spicy, chipotle deviled eggs topped with caviar and capers are fancy yet simple. The perfect party food or indulgent yet healthy snack.

Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Treats

No-bake Mexican chocolate popcorn treats made with pretzels, cashews, Sriracha sesame seeds, cinnamon and red chile spiced chocolate marshmallow cream Chile powder and cinnamon add some kick to these sweet and spicy no-bake Mexican chocolate popcorn and pretzel treats. Recipe developed for The Silicone Kitchen.

Tortilla Crust White Pizza with Mushrooms

Recipe for a tortilla crust mushroom pizza. This thin-and-crispy pizza is topped with lemon infused ricotta, garlic & parmesan, lion’s mane and blue oyster mushrooms. White Sonoran Wheat helps give large Sonoran-style flour tortillas their elasticity which makes a perfect pizza crust.

Goose Tacos Recipe

Recipe for Sonoran-style goose tacos inspired by Peking Duck. These goose tacos are served on flour tortillas with hoisin sauce, salsa macha, cabbage, carrots and scallions. Food photography for this recipe is shortlisted for the 2025 World Food Photography Awards in the Food Influencer category.

Lucky Cowboy Caviar Recipe Made With Black-Eyed Peas

Super-lucky flavorful Sonoran Charro Caviar made with black-eyed peas, bell peppers, serrano chiles, and onions, served on tortilla chips.

Crispy Tortilla Star Bites with Guacamole and Pomegranate Seeds

Topped with chunky guacamole and jewel-like pomegranate seeds, these crispy tortilla bites from The Unofficial Elf Cookbook by Jackie Alpers exude holiday joy. Use Jackie Alpers’ Sonoran-Style Chunky Guacamole Recipe or your favorite store-bought version.

Green Chile Tamale Pie with Molé Sauce

Sonoran-style vegetarian tamale pie recipe made with a creamy green chile and masa base and a rich, quick molé made with peanut butter, tahini, and cocoa.

Homemade Chile Powder from Fresh Chiles Recipe

How to dehydrate and grind chile peppers, with recipes for chili powder and custom spice blends using fresh homegrown and/or exotic store bought chiles. Preserve expensive and/or hard to find chiles.

Arizona Cheese Crisp with Roasted Hatch Green Chiles and Ranch Drizzle

Tucson’s Sonoran-style Mexican Arizona cheese crisp made with flour tortillas, roasted Hatch green chile strips and a creamy green chile Ranch salsa. Thank you Fry’s Foods for sponsoring this recipe.

Jackie’s Famous Chunky Gazpacho Recipe

Cold gazpacho recipe with chunky fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions and peppers. The colors in the photo are a bit of an homage to Pedro Almodovar’s wonderful film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), which was the inspiration for me making gazpacho for the very first time, years ago. (Minus the pills and drama.)

Jackie Kashian’s Paprika Marinated Chicken Recipe

Recipe for Paprika Marinated Chicken. Comedian Jackie Kashian is funny on stage but her chicken recipe is no joke.

Chipotle-Lime Grilled Corn Recipe

Recipe for a lighter version chipotle lime grilled corn on the cob from the Sonoran Arizona-Mexico borderlands cookbook author Jackie Alpers

Arizona Cowboy Caviar Recipe Made with Lentils

Arizona cowboy caviar recipe made with lentils, chiles and red onion in a spicy citrus vinaigrette. I call this Arizona Caviar because I’m in Arizona and it’s similar to Texas Caviar made with black eyed peas.

Sonoran Spicy Mexican Green Rice

Spicy, Sonoran-style Mexican green rice (arroz verde) recipe made with tomatillo salsa verde, peas and cilantro from the Taste of Tucson cookbook.

Spicy Sonoran Thai-Mex Coleslaw Recipe

Sonoran Thai-Mexican coleslaw recipe with a spicy serrano vinaigrette. Serve in tacos and tortas or on tostadas.

Salsa Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken slow-simmered in salsa, then shredded for serving in as a filling for tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, and is keto when served in lettuce cups. 

Salsa Verde Recipe: Spicy Sonoran Tomatillo Salsa from Penca

Recipe for Sonoran Style hot green tomatillo salsa developed by Patricia Schwabe for her restaurant Penca. From the Taste of Tucson Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.

Spicy Whiskey Cocktail Recipe

Bring the heat to your usual bourbon neat with a dramatic, hot and spicy whiskey cowboy cocktail inspired by Yellowstone and served in the same glassware used in the Dutton family home. Get the recipe for this spicy bourbon whisky cocktail infused with lime and chiles served over ice.

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Salad Recipe

Spicy Sonoran-style chicken salad recipe made with rotisserie chicken in a light, flavor-packed chipotle sauce for lettuce/taco wraps, salads and sandwiches. This recipe was first developed for the Glamour.com article, A Week of Delicious Chicken Recipes.

Charro Beans: Sonoran Style Whole Pinto Beans

Vegan recipe for the saucy, whole Sonoran-style pinto beans that you see cowboys (charros) eating in old Western movies, from the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers.

Topopo Salad Recipe: Tucson’s Famous Regional Salad

The Topopo salad is Tucson, Arizona’s most unique regional salad. It’s is a visually stunning volcano of chopped lettuce and mixed vegetables piled high on a bean tostada. This monumental salad was first inspired by a volcano in Sonora, Mexico.

Sonoran-Style Red Pozole

This Sonoran-style red pozole recipe is a “low-and-slow” braised pork and hominy stew/soup topped with lots of fresh vegetables and citrus from the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers.

Bison Nachos

Bison are a seminal component of Western American history. The massive bison hunts of the 19th century resulted in their near extinction. With conservation efforts in place, the Yellowstone bison are considered the last truly wild herd of American plains bison in existence. Regenerative bison farms have reintroduced this healthy beef alternative into American food systems.

Easy Sonoran Chile Colorado Con Carne Recipe

Easy Sonoran chile colorado con carne recipe made by browning beef in the same pan as a thawing frozen chile disc, melding the flavors as they cook.

Sonoran Flat Enchiladas (Enchiladas Sonorenses)

Recipe for Sonoran-style flat enchiladas unique to the Tucson/Sonora, Mexico borderlands. Fat corn masa pancakes are smothered in enchilada sauce, shredded cheese, green olives and scallions. Serve them topped with my Chile Colorado and/or an egg-over-easy for breakfast anytime.

Corn Chowder with Popped Amaranth

Recipe for a rich and creamy, Sonoran-style charred corn chowder made with ingredients local to the Arizona-Mexico borderlands and topped with popped Amaranth a gluten-free, ancient grain native to the Western and Southwestern United States that can be popped like popcorn which adds a nice crunch.

Onion and Mushroom Soup Recipe with Acorn Flour

This onion and morel mushroom soup recipe is made with acorn flour. It’s topped with a toasted baguette, melted Gruyère and Parmesan. If you can’t find fresh or dried morel mushrooms, use any wild or cultivated mushrooms available. 

Texas-Style Chili con Carne (Without Beans)

Chili con Carne recipe from The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook. In the season 4 finale of Yellowstone, the bunkhouse gets into a heated debate over whether or not chili has beans. The Unofficial Yellowstone cookbook shares a recipe for both chili with and without beans because Texas where the character “Jimmy” had recently visited, is famous for their Chili con Carne which is made without beans – it’s mainly beef and red chiles, and it is fabulous. Get the chili with beans recipe… and more in The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook.

Sonoran Hot Dog Tacos

Is it a hot dog? Is it a taco? Is it Beans & Franks? Yes, it is! My hot dog tacos are made with charro beans and topped with pickled red onion and a special sauce. This recipe is an excerpt from Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona by Jackie

Sonoran Hot Dog Recipe from El Guero Canelo

Sonoran Hot Dogs recipe from El Guero Canelo Restaurant, winner of the James Beard American Classic award. This recipe was featured in Taste of Tucson: Sonoran-Style recipes inspired by the rich culture of Southern Arizona.

Grilled Carne Asada “Crunch” Quesadillas

Sonoran carne asada, scallions, cheese and crunchy tortilla chips stuffed in quesadillas and re-grilled for more crunch. Many years ago, Ben Galaz owner of BK Tacos taught me how to make Sonoran carne and cebollas asada.

Tortilla Snowflakes Recipe

Sweet and sparkly tortilla snowflakes – an edible version of the popular Mexican folk art, papel picado which will brighten any winter holiday table.

Spicy, Smoky Mashed Potatoes & Sausage Gravy

Spicy, smoky mashed potatoes and gravy recipe made with garlic and chile infused broth instead of cream for lighter mashed potatoes that are BIG on flavor.

Mexican Street Corn Cups (Elote en Vaso)

Recipe for Elote en Vaso, Mexican street corn in cups. Pan fried corn kernels tossed  in a creamy sauce seasoned with chile and lime. From the Taste of Tucson Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.

Old West Style Vegan Chili Recipe

Old West style spicy vegan chili recipe made with plant-based meat, black beans and mushrooms. Served with vegan shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Sonoran Arroz Con Pollo Recipe

Arroz con pollo is one of the recipes most requested by locals from my Taste of Tucson cookbook and I’ve always found chicken and rice to be a comforting combo. This is a great make ahead recipe for workday lunches. At first glance El Pato salsa de chile fresco may look like pureed tomato sauce, but it’s got a medium spicy kick of heat that will convince you otherwise.

Sonoran Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas Recipe

Sonoran-style Mexican shrimp ceviche tostadas with avocado and hot sauce on crunchy baked tostada shells.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe (Coctel de Camarones)

This easy Sonoran style Mexican shrimp cocktail with crisp cucumber, creamy avocado, red onion and hot sauce is ready in about 5 minutes.

Sonoran Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Sonoran tortilla soup recipe made with rotisserie chicken, diced tomatoes, green chiles, crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado and crumbled Mexican cheese in a clear broth. Quick, easy and flavorful.

Crispy Tofu Tostadas in Chile Colorado Sauce

Crispy tofu adds just the right amount of heft and bite to Chile Colorado served on crunchy baked tostada shells.

Sonoran Ingredients Resource and Shopping Guide

Sonoran cooking resource and shopping guide for the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers, with lists of ingredients, pantry staples and photography equipment recommendations.

Molletes Recipe: Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwiches with Egg and Avocado

Molletes are open-faced breakfast sandwiches made by slathering refried beans onto toasted bolillo rolls and then heaping avocado slices, a fried egg, hot sauce, and lots of cheese on top.

Bell Peppers Stuffed With Nachos Supreme

Roasted bell peppers stuffed with creamy nacho cheese, avocado, pickled jalapeños, black beans and crunchy tortilla chips.

Taste of Tucson Cookbook: Meet the Chefs

Meet the chefs that contributed to the Taste of Tucson Cookbook.

Beef Patty Tacos Recipe

Teresa Matias told me that to help satisfy her children’s cries for burgers when buns weren’t handy, she would fold a hamburger patty into a tortilla and fry it. Topped with cheese, lettuce, and tomato, it later became a regular menu item at her restaurant, Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe. Apparently, a lot of moms had the same experience, because the beef patty taco has been standard restaurant fare around southern Arizona since at least the mid-1970s.

Strawberry Habanero Infused Tequila

This infused Strawberry-Habanero tequila makes a mean margarita or straight-up sipper.

Tequila vs. Mezcal: What’s the Difference?

Wondering what the difference is between different types of tequila and mezcal? Includes recipes for a Paloma cocktail.

Chiltepin Salsa Recipe: Spicy Sonoran Hot Salsa

Chiltepin salsa is an all-purpose salsa that can be used for dipping, for seasoning, and as a taco sauce. A little goes a long way, so if you prefer a milder salsa, cut the amount of chiles down by a half or a third. This recipe is from the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers.

Easy Chorizo, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Taco Recipe

Sonoran-style breakfast taco with a crispy egg fried in chorizo and folded with cheese into a tortilla.

Matzo Molletes Rancheros

This crispy matzo based breakfast is a cross between molletes and huevos rancheros. I used beans from a can and my homemade chiltepin salsa.

Chicken Molé Amarillo

Nuttier and less sweet than its chocolate based cousin, this version of Molé Amarillo is the personal creation of Chef Suzana Davila of Tucson’s Cafe Poca Cosa. She specializes in these complex sauces, and her recipes are longtime local favorites which is one reason why I wanted to feature the recipe in my upcoming cookbook Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona. Serve this dish with tortillas and a pretty, salad, as Suzana would. 

Sonoran Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

Sonoran-style grilled chicken made with sweet Hungarian smoked paprika mixed with hot New Mexico chili pepper, unsweetened chocolate (inspired by molés), and red wine.

Chelada Beer Cocktail Recipe

This super-refreshing citrus beer cocktail is served in a chile and salt rimmed glass over ice. It’s kinda like a beer margarita. I love it because it’s a big drink that lasts a long time and it has considerably less sugar and calories than a margarita. 

Hibiscus Agua Fresca Recipe

This hibiscus agua fresca isn’t too sweet, so you can drink it all day long and even into the night (perhaps with vodka or tequila!)

Pomegranate and Earl Grey Whisky Smash Cocktail

A Sonoran-style craft cocktail made with Earl Grey iced tea and whisky muddled with pomegranate seeds, finished with bitters and fresh ground pepper.

How to Grill The Perfect Cowboy Steak

Making authentic cowboy steaks is really easy. When I asked Bryan Keith, the Grill Master from Pinnacle Peak Steak House if he had any additional tips he said, “Put some love in it!”

Sonoran Marinated Flank Steak

I marinated myself a flank steak using my mom’s recipe from the 80s, adding in some Mexican oregano and extra citrus to #sonoranize it a bit so now it’s an Ohio meets Tucson recipe.

Elote Hot Dog Recipe

I’m pretty sure I invented the Elote Dog when I first developed this recipe for The Food Network in 2018. Since then Elote Hot Dogs, inspired by Sonoran-Mexican Street Corn have become a sensation with hot dog enthusiasts all over the word coming up with their own version. Here’s my recipe for hot dogs topped with elote, mayo, lime and spices and served in a bolillo roll.

Spicy French Onion Ranch Dip

Spicy Ranch French Onion Dip. Two Dips That Live As One, Together At Last! 

The Cheesiest Arizona Cheese Crisp

Keto recipe for Arizona cheese crisp that’s the perfect comfort food. A cross between a Mexican pizza an an open-faced quesadilla, Southern Arizona restaurants started selling the dish more than 50 years ago and it’s become a staple of our local Sonoran style cuisine. 

Quinoa Burrito Bowl with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

Healthy burrito bowl recipe with quinoa, black beans and avocado tossed in a chipotle lime vinaigrette dressing.

Sonoran Sweet Corn Paletas Recipe

Why isn’t corn used in more desserts? It’s naturally sweet, and the kernels add a nice pop. These paletas are made with sweet corn, cinnamon and Tajin.