Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook

Jane Butel's
Quick and Easy
Southwestern Cookbook

By Jane Butel

Southwestern Cookbook
Southwestern cooking is at its peak these days and enjoying a popularity all its own. Food items like nachos, taco salads, and chili have become such staples on menus across the country that if they aren't there, it looks like there has been an error. Best-selling author Jane Butel, who is credited with starting Tex-Mex mania in the United States, couldn't be happier. Her sixteenth cookbook, Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook, will be published in April 1999. Here Jane offers more than 100 classic and delicious Southwestern recipes that are simple but bursting with flavor. Best of all, they can be made in less than twenty minutes and, in most cases, require no more than five easy-to-find ingredients!

"I have had a lifelong love affair with the Southwestern 'taste'-whether you call it Mexican, American-Mexican, or Tex-Mex," says Jane. "Many of my happiest childhood memories are of the aromas of chile-laden dishes. I grew up in a food-loving family and mastering Southwestern dishes was a must." She continues, "I have always felt that Southwestern foods are fun. The spicy flavors, bright colors, and contrasting textures make for a fiesta every time one eats."

Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook opens with an elaborate introduction, in which Jane gives advice on timesaving cooking equipment, food preparation, fat reduction, and even meal planning. She talks about what every pantry should contain to make for a fully-equipped Southwestern kitchen and offers great tips on cooking with green chiles and cilantro-two of the most flavorful ingredients in Southwestern cuisine.

Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook is then divided into fourteen chapters covering everything from appetizers, soups, and pizzas to entrées, vegetarian dishes, and of course, desserts. Who can resist Chile Sage Pork Chops, Blue Corn-Crusted Red Snapper, or a Pasta Toss with Seared Veggies and Black Beans? Jane lends her signature style to these and other tasty but easy-to-make Southwestern dishes such as Salsa Snapper Soup, Turkey Chili with a Margarita Splash, and Lamb Chops with Jalapeño Jelly. Finish off the meal with Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate Roll-ups, Caliente Manzanos, or a Berry Brûlée with a Spanish flair. From quesadillas and burritos to chili and refried beans, Jane brings a fresh twist to many old Southwestern favorites.

Jane even devotes an entire chapter to "Sauces, Salsas Galore, and Spicy Pantry Pleasures." Who doesn't want to know how to make the perfect salsa or rub? Here Jane gives the basic recipes for these, along with much fancier versions including Chipotle Cantaloupe Salsa, Cilantro Pesto, Black-eyed Pea Salsa, and Hot Honey. In the last chapter, "Menus," Jane puts together full party menus consisting of various recipes from the book. From the appetizers and drinks to the main course and the dessert, each dish is made to complement the others on the menu. Whether it's an ethnic Cinco de Mayo Party or a more traditional Summery Southwestern Barbecue Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook has menus for any holiday or party.

Every recipe included Jane Butel's Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook is complete with the nutritional information and cooking time-from five minutes for a Terrific Scallop Tostado Salad to twenty minutes for the more elaborate Spinach and Corn Rolled Enchiladas. After tasting the selections from Jane's latest Southwestern cookbook, it is clear that- once again-she celebrates her enthusiasm for Southwestern cuisine.

Jane Butel's
Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook
By Jane Butel
Published by Harmony Books
Hardback, $23.00
246 pages
Publication date: April 1999
ISBN: 0-609-60228-4
Information provided by the publisher.