These stuffed chiles were a staple of our holiday table growing up. We called them "jalapeño poppers" because we always had a contest to see who could pop the most in their mouths without bringing out the fire extinguisher.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3 ounces chorizo sausage
3 ounces goat cheese
1 tablespoon sour cream
Salt to taste
12 fresh or pickled jalapeños halved, seeded, and deribbed

Heat the oil in a skillet; add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes or until done, breaking up the meat with a fork as it cooks. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool slightly. Stir in the goat cheese and sour cream; season with salt. Spoon the mixture into the jalapeño halves and serve.

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Excerpted from New Tastes From Texas by Stephan Pyles, Photographer Ben Fink Copyright© 1999 by Stephan Pyles, Photographer Ben Fink. Excerpted by permission of Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.