Certain places stay tucked into your story long after you leave them, and for me, TCU will always be one of those places. Being invited to be part of TCU Magazine’s food issue and share a little of my own world through food felt especially meaningful and, in many ways, full circle.
College is such a unique season of life. Everything feels brand new — new friendships, new routines, new dreams taking shape, even if you don’t fully realize it at the time. You’re becoming who you’ll be, often without knowing where any of it is leading. I certainly couldn’t have imagined all those years ago that what began as a simple love of gathering people around a table would grow into such an important part of my life.
How could I have known that my love affair with food would continue all these years later and eventually grow to include wine, travel, and the joy of creating experiences for others? Today, through A Taste of Paris, I have the privilege of taking travelers to France, sharing meals around long tables, discovering vineyards, wandering markets, cooking with local chefs, and helping people experience a place through its food and culture. Looking back, it’s funny to think that somewhere on that campus, pieces of that future were already quietly finding their way to me.
As part of the feature, I was asked to create recipes inspired by my time as a Horned Frog, and I had so much fun dreaming these up.
This morning on Instagram, I’m sharing Horned Frogs — sweet little bites made with pretzels, caramel, and dark chocolate. They’re every bit as cute as they are delicious, and you can find the recipe below.
Coming Sunday, be sure to tune back into Instagram. I’ll be sharing TCU Tacos, a terrific weeknight or game-day meal featuring chicken and a bright, beautiful slaw, purple and white of course! You’ll find that recipe below as well.
It’s been such a joy to revisit old memories and turn them into something you can gather around the table and share. Food has a beautiful way of carrying us back to places, seasons, and people we’ve loved. If you’d like to read the feature and learn a little more about the story behind A Taste of Paris, the article is now available online, and I’d love for you to take a peek.
TCU Frogs
12 soft caramel candies
48 mini braided pretzels
1 cup Ghirardelli chocolate chips, 60% cocoa
1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
Unwrap the caramel candies and press them flat into a square. Press 4 mini pretzels into the back corners of the square. Melt the cup of chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each interval and using the lowest heat possible. When the chocolate is melted, spoon a small amount of chocolate onto a parchment-lined surface. Top with the pretzel caramel square. Spoon more chocolate on top of the caramel, pushing it around to cover the caramel surface. Using the spoon and more chocolate, create a head at the top of each frog. Using kitchen tweezers, top each frog head with 3 mini chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
TCU Tacos with Slaw
Chicken
2 large chicken breasts
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
½ teaspoon of each salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Slaw
¼ cup red onion
10 radishes cut into a julienne
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic, pressed
Salt and pepper to taste
Tacos
6-8 flour tortillas
½ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
To prepare the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix lime, olive oil, and seasoning in a bowl. Toss the chicken with the seasoning mixture and place it in a baking dish. Cook for 20-30 minutes until it is done. Allow the chicken to stand 5 minutes before slicing or shredding it into the pan juices.
Prepare the slaw by whisking the lime, garlic, honey, and olive oil in the bottom of a bowl. Add the onions, then the rest of the vegetables. Allow the slaw to stand until ready to serve.
Assemble the tacos by placing a generous amount of sour cream on each tortilla. Add chicken, and the tossed slaw before sprinkling with cheese and green onions. Serve at once.
Dreaming of a trip to France? A Taste of Paris small group trips are OPEN for registration!
Want more information and to see the gorgeous digital brochures? CLICK HERE!
April in France 2027
Paris FLAGSHIP — April 18 – 25th, 2027
We’ll cook and taste our way through Paris while seeing the major sites and museums. This trip is ideal for first timers and guests who simply LOVE Paris
The Loire Valley — April 9th – 15th, 2027
Cook. Sip. Chateau, repeat!! A week spent in this charming area of France will inspire and invigorate gardeners, history buffs, wine lovers, and food aficionados.
I can’t wait to welcome you to the group!
Tune into Good Day, Fox 33 Channel 4, on Friday, May 29th, around 9:00 am to see me cooking with Berries, along with the outstanding Good Day team! It’s going to be delicious!
XOXO Lorie
