We are having loads of fun with our Blog Talk Radio Shows each Tuesday at 5:30 PM MDT and would just love for you to listen in and give us a call at 347-855-8325 and be a part of the show.  You can ask any question you wish and we will try our best to give you a great answer or find it for the next week's show.

You can listen to our shows at Blog Talk Radio on your computer. To find Blog Talk Radio, just google it.   We are listed under food. 

Each week we talk about timely topics, such as this week we made the Bytes July ssue recipes come alive with hints and tips for making each, plus more recipe ideas from me.

Then, Jim Hammond gives practical information on really good and reasonable wines that would be fantastic pairings with the foods we are preparing.  We have loads of fun presenting the shows and all who listen tell us they learn a great deal of good to know information about both wine and food.

We love to share and just know you would feel listening in is very worthwhile.  You just have to get the habit of tuning us in every Tuesday at 5:30 to 6:00 PM MDT--7:30 EDT.  You can also listen to the archived shows as well.

Also, I give recipes for the dishes we are preparing to go with the wines.  If all the information is coming too fast, the recipes are on my website, www.janebutelcooking as well.

We would be happy to take your requests, just send your  cooking requests to me at info@janebutelcooking.com. 

And send wine requests to Jim Hammond at jhammond59@comcast.net.

We look forward to hearing from you next week.

Recipe here is Aztec Pork Chops from"Real Women Eat Chiles" cookbook by me.

Getting back from my vacation--the first in 10 years where I could truly vacation--has been full of surprises from my husband's estate.

However, the vacation--a cruise on the Ruby Princess to the Eastern Mediterranean was truly fantastic and full of many, many memories I will never forget.  By the way, I would really recommend the cruise--we (my girl friend Jane Bradley and I) started in Venice, cruised to Ephesus, then a day in Istanbul, on to Mykonos, which is like a fairy tale island and then on to Italian ports. 

I found Capri just amazingly beautiful and idyllic--what a place to get away!  Being half Swedish, the Swedish Doctor's home and gardens and his life of giving to the people's of the Mediterranean was truly fantastic and impressive.  The formal gardens are considered one of the ten best in Italy.  The home and gardens are at the tippy top of this gorgeous island in the town of Ana Capri.

We chose to not go into Rome, as we had both been there lots.  So we spoiled ourselves with a spa day and just enjoying our beautiful balcony.  The next day, we were at the port for Florence and I decided to go be in Florence for the day--which was fabulous and of course included a great lunch at a darling restaurant overlooking the Pone Vecchio--the old bridge where lots of jewelry and souvenirs are sold.

Then we cruised to Monaco--the tiny principality where Princess Grace was married and lived.  It is so beautiful, well marked for touring and amazingly clean.

Our 12 day cruise ended in Barcelona where we extended for another 3 days.  The food on the cruise was really, really good--I just missed red and green chiles.  And, of course the food and wine in Barcelona was fabulous.

Now to the margaritas and margarita pie which we make in our week long class.  We are having our week long class July 11-16 here in my Corrales, New Mexico home.  We still have a very few openings and would love for you to come cook with us.  All of the menus are on my website at www.janebutelcooking.com.  By calling me at the office at 505-243-2622 and mentioning this Blog, I will give you a very special Blogger's price of $400.00 off.  Just check out my website at www.janebutelcooking.com.

Anyone attending my week long or weekend cooking courses from 1991 in Santa Fe and Woodstock, NY until 2008 remember Gordon's quick smile and his amazing wit.  He loved to be sure the margaritas were made just right and even loved kibitzing everyone while they were cooking--helping where it was needed.

I remember vividly as though it was yesterday when in 1991  I had a cracked rib and had a full schedule of cooking classes.  At one fun class in Greenwich, Conn., at the Hay Market,   he insisted on lifting all the trays for me to cook from so it would not hurt my painful side.  One lady commented as she was so impressed--she said, "You are so nice and helpful, you should be called Mr McNice, not Mr. McMeen--his actual last name.

And so it was--as long as he was physically well, he loved the classes and going and doing things with people of all sorts.  After a very long, 6 year illness,  Gordon's body said its final good by, while tightly holding my hand last Tuesday, April 13, 2010.

To the right is Gordon with me, his family and friends at his 80th birthday--two years ago.  We were all glad we went all out for his birthday in our home. 

I have been a bit tardy and uneven with writing these blogs as I was so torn, time-wise with running the business and home front and saving time to be with him. For the past year and a half he was forced to be in a Nursing Home and he hated the isolation from all he had formerly known.  His health just wouldn't allow any other. 

Alumni, friends, students and staff each got an opportunity to taste "honest to God chili"--the Bowl of Red, with fixins' 'n mixin's and Blue Corn Parfait Bread complemented by Cilantro Cole Slaw and Virgin Margaritas.  Even though Kansas is not far from New Mexico--the nuances, flavors and benefits of chiles were just not known.

A few members of the crowd had heard the "chile gospel"--how good chiles are for your health and well being, but most had not.  I am always pleased to see how people who are almost totally afraid of chiles, once they have tasted our pure fresh Pecos Valley Spice Co chiles, almost always become converts.

And not surprising, when you couple the fresh flavors of pure chiles with the knowledge of how helpful they are to your body in preventing disease and maintaining well being.  I always recall the study which revealed that those who ate chiles at least 24 days out of 30 had so uch better health and most had no stress induced disease.

Jane giving class 

Tamale rolling was tremendously popular with the crowd.  Due to physical limitations--only a limited number could take each of the classes and each class was sold out. Here you can see some of the fun that was had by all.

You may ask, why K-State?  K-State is my alma mater and I am a third generation graduate Home Economist from K State--though the name of the major has changed several times---when my Grandmother graduated, her degree was called  a Bachelor of Science in Domestic Science, and when my Mother and I graduated, it was called Home Economics--now Human Ecology.

                                                                                                                                 Tamale Making Demonstration

I was very honored, while there, to be selected by a joint decision of the Deans of the Hale Library (at K-State) and the Dean of Human Ecology to be the third ever Home Economics graduate  to have her works selected for the Permanent Collection of the Library.  So soon, I will be boxing up tons of files to be housed there.

Happy Easter,  Jane

Virgin Margaritas

Snowflakes, big, gorgeous velvety ones were lazily drifting upon us the beginning of Spring here in New Mexico signalling a very different mood--more cozy than beckoning outdoors.

With this chilly start, spicy dishes came rushing to mind--easy one-dish dinners that could warm one up with the comforting--yet exciting taste of chiles.  (Chiles you know do so much for our bodies--from warding off infection to curing whatever ails us--making them just perfect for kicking off a new season.)

I recently made a Tamale Pie for an easy buffet party I did for watching the Academy Awards.  Everyone liked it so much--I am sharing it here.  It is actually patriotic looking with a blue corn crust made with our very own Blue Corn Flour (listed on our products page) and lots of our pure Pecos Valley spices.  The beauty of this dish is that it keeps for over a week in the refrigerator and at least 6 months in the freezer.

To keep from having your favorite casserole dish stay in the freezer, lightly butter the dish, then criss cross heavyweight aluminum foil, spraying it with shortening and make the casserole as usual.  Freeze solid and then when solidly frozen--remove from the freezer and wrap in vapor proof packaging...labeling it of course.

Enjoy!

Buffet Tamale Pie

This dish couldn’t be better named—it definitely will serve a crowd—at least 10 to 12 hungry “chile-starved” appetites. I particularly like it made with blue corn flour as the blue crust is especially appealing with the chili filling and cheesey top. The spicy goodness is sure to please most everyone. A tossed green salad completes the meal.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings or one 10 x 14 inch casserole

Temperature: 325 F

Baking time: 2 or more hours

8 cups water

3 cups blue corn Pecos Valley Spice flour or meal

2 teaspoons salt

2 pounds ground lean beef

1 pound chorizo, fried and well drained

½ cup chopped onion (1/2 of medium onion)

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped green chile (about 4 fresh parched, peeled and chopped) or 1, 4 ounce can

1 cup whole kernel corn

1 cup grated sharp cheese

1 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced in two

1 cup chicken broth

3 ½ cups canned tomatoes

1/4 cup pure ground hot Pecos Valley chile

2 Tablespoons crushed caribe Pecos Valley chile

1 Tablespoon Pecos Valley cumin

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

12 jalapeno or pimiento stuffed green olives, optional

1. Heat 5 cups of the water to boiling. Mix corn flour or meal, salt and remaining 3 cups water together and pour into boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened. Cover.
2. Before mixture cools, use it to line a very large casserole dish. Reserve one-quarter of the mush for the topping.
3. Brown the ground beef, stir in the cooked and drained chorizo and onion. Saute two to three minutes or until the onion is clear. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the Monterey Jack cheese and the green olives.
4. Simmer until somewhat thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Spoon the mixture into the mush-lined casserole and top with spoonsful of the reserved mush, smoothing it to make a uniform topping. Garnish with the Monterey Jack cheese and sliced green olives.

Notes: This can be made up to 3 days ahead for baking 2 hours before serving. Leftovers freeze up to 6 months.

February has been wonderful for us--we had a fantastic group for our February weekend class.

Each participant was so interested in cooking their best, creating delicious New Mexican traiditional dishes.  Just for fun, I am including some photos of the class in action.

The next Monday, I gave a Chile Techniques class for Chefs attending the American Culinary Federation Southwestern Regional Conference, held here in Albuquerque.  It is always so much fun to share the nuances of both how to cook with pure chiles as well as the wonderful healthful benefits of chiles.  Already, some of the chef's are ordering our pure Pecos Valley Spice Co. products and cooking my recipes.

At week's end, we had the great pleasure of conducting an Iron Chef class of sorts for 24 clients of a local Financial Advisory company, Wealth Management, Inc.  The group was divided into 6 teams of 4 each and they cooked amazingly beautiful and flavorful foods. We gave each group a starch, a vegetable and a main dish ingredient and they had to go to the commissary and select their chosen ingredients and collectively prepare a  dinner to be judged.

For those that might get stuck, we supplied a "Just in Case" envelope.  It was so much fun watching the dynamics of the groups take place, developing their action plan and creating their masterpieces.  An election was conducted among the entire group to determine which team had the best creations.

The team that won did an adaptation of my Aztec Pork Chops using pork tenderloins, glazing them with the honey-chipotle-cinnamon mixture and inserting grilled jicama between the slices.  This is one of my very favorite dishes I have developed  and I am including it here. 

They used my Bourbon Buttered Sweet Potatoes and prepared Green Beans Almondine.  The spicy-sweet glaze of the pork is scintillating with the rich, buttery sweet potatoes and offset with the crispy green beans.  What a night!

To top off the evening, a treasure chest full of $100 bills was created by a local bakery using a beautiful white butter cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and fondant.  It was spectacular. 

I hope your year is off to a wonderful start!

So much has happened to me and my companies that I really and unfortunately have not blogged in way too long!

My goal is from now on to blog at least once a week, hopefully twice a week. 

On the news front, I have a new partner and address for the spice business, so our goal by February is to be all settled into our new building at 6918 Cochiti SE and start developing new products and bringing back old favorites like the original Chili Madness kit in no frills packaging.  That used to be my best product when we had the gorgeous red foil laminent packaging.  The new kit will come with the same ingredients and recipes as it did, for your pleasure.  Each kit will make one delicious batch of chili that you can make as hot or mild as you like, as we will still keep each ingredient separate to maintain our signature--pure, fresh flavors with no additives or preservatives.

The November weekend was a hoot!  We had 2 restauranter partners here from Ecaudor join us, making for an international flavor to our class. 

Last week, we fine-tuned our tour for October 16-22 to Northern New Mexico.  It is going to be first class and oh so much fun with fabulous restaurants-- the best of Taos--Lambert's and the new rage in Santa Fe--Martines--plus dinner with Estafan in the St. Frances where he is the Executive Chef known for native New Mexican cuisine.

I will also be presenting a demonstration of the favorite traditional foods of Northern New Mexico--including Carne Adobado and Posole and much more.

This tour is designed to give you a really high level introduction to the Best of Northern New Mexico with  tours to historic and beautiful sites, wineries and chef's demonstrations where we dine.  We already have a list of those wishing to join us.  You can now register and view the many wonderful aspects of this tour.

I will personally be escorting the tour--we will have so much fun!   

Jim Hammond, the Southwestern Wine Guy and myself are still hosting and look forward to your joining us on our Blog Talk Radio Show, "Bold Foods with Bold Wines".  It has been Wednesday's at 2:30 PM MST, as it will be this week, switiching to 5:30 PM on Tuesday's next week or the 26th  You can join us at BlogTalkRadio.com and by calling 347-855-8325.  It is lots of fun and you can ask any spicy food and accompanying wine question you can think of and if we don't have the answer--we will work to get it for you!  Call us, we would love to have you join us.   

Our October 9 - 11, 2009 weekend, full-participation cooking class was such fun and just a hoot.  We cooked with the colorful balloons overhead on Saturday.    In all, we had 11 participants.  Four were one day attendees and the balance took all three sessions.  Those attending were all such good cooks and enjoyed each other's company so much.

Terry Gary from Oklahoma City came back for the Sunday session just to learn tamales again--she attended in February, 2008,  also.  She is planning a festive tamale party for several friends and really wanted to make sure she knew how to make them.

And, then we had the flour gals from Texas and Florida, Beverly and Sandra, both formerly from Texas, who made the most amazingly fluffy, golden puffs of sopaipillas and yummy, soft, round and thin homemade flour tortillas--both during the Saturday session.  And then, they volunteered to make the empanadas on Sunday and created tender, moist and flaky pastry for the delicious apricot and raisin filled little delights dusted with powdered sugar.

Sue May from Colorada has been such a loyal and enthusiastic spirit.  She has taken my on-line school, subscribed to my "Cooking with Jane" and then came to this class.  Sue is a terrific chile cook and cooked away with great success in each class.

A Mother, daughter and Father, the Crase family,  all came from California and made  beautiful composed nachos the first night that really set off the "Perfect Walk Home Margaritas", made with Reposada Herradura tequila--the good stuff.

Roz from Albuquerque cooked with Sue May and with both of them being excellent cooks, all of their dishes were totally amazing.  They made the beautiful and crispy chicken tostados perfectly. 

Rounding out the group were two friends from Southern California, Shawn Lee and Marijia Micic, who came on Saturday only and really cooked up a storm, creating the carne adobada and the Green CHile Chicken Enchiladas, which were so delicious.

We have one more weekend cooking class this year and have made it half price or $525 which is the last half price school I will do.  I would love to cook with you all--this last class is November 13-15, 2009.

You can join us for a free demonstration of New Mexico's most popular foods--sopaipillas, blue-corn crusted chiles rellenos and the original salsa--salsa fresca this Wednesday morning, October 7 at the Balloon Fiesta at 10:30 AM or shortly thereafter, right after the Mass Ascension.  It is International Day, so balloonists from all over will be participating.

You would never believe the beautiful, brilliant jeweltone colors of the hundreds of balloons against our purply blue skies.  The weather this year has not been as perfect as usual, however we have now had a Mass Ascension every day.  This year there are 550 registered balloonists.  Both the usual teardrop shapes and the special shapes of all descriptions are all here.

The event attracts thousands from all over the world.  We would love to see you there, but if you don't make it, here is a special picture of the balloons.  We featured them this month in our Butel's Bytes and in our Cooking Club.  The  special event for the Cooking Club this month is a Balloon Launch Brunch that starts with Sunrise Sippers followed with Cannellini Chile  Bruschetta followed by Blue Corn Crepes, with scrambled eggs and green chile filling and a Blue Cheese Sauce napped over them.  A luscious Pear Breakfast Cake completes the menu.  There are tons of other recipes from clever recycling of leftovers to a range of Burritos and quick and easy soups.  THis month we filmed all of the videos in my kitchen instead of using ones from my PBS show series.  Would love to hear what you think.   You can subscribe to the Club free for the first month, just go to our website at www.janebutelcooking.com.    The second month is only $1.00.  Of course this month we are featuring the balloons.

At week's end, we have a weekend cooking class.  I will teach the class in my own kitchen and the fun part is that we can watch the balloons over head and landing all around us.  We still have  an opening or two if you would like to cook with us.  You can can register online at www.janebutelcooking.com or by calling us at 1-800-473-8226.

September is such a month of new beginnings--school, new season and new schedules for at least some of us.  With the new season fast approaching, I am always reminded how good it is to eat whatever fruits and vegetables are in season.

Having just picked our pears last Sunday and carefully wrapping the greener ones in paper--I started thinking how good those pears are going to be all winter in pear preserves and pear honey.  And, right now in a Pear Cake or Pie.  A good friend, Jackie Bryant,  up the street wants to share her pear pie and another friend wants to make Pear Preserves from her Grandmother from Missippi's recipe which features red hots.  Can't wait to taste both of them.  We just might have a pear party where we all get together and make them one of these Sunday afternoons or weekday evenings.  I will be sure to share the recipes.

The Pear Cake is a recipe I just love and am featuring as a great dessert for the Balloon Tail Gating Party I am featuring in the October Cooking Club.  You can get a free peek at the Cooking Club just by going to our website at www.janebutelcooking.com and get the rest of the recipes from the brunch if you join the cooking club, just click on Join Now and the first month is free, second month is $1.00.

PEAR BREAKFAST CAKE

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Pears always seem like fall. However, I like them any time of the year. Their mellow, earthy sweet taste is wonderful in salads, a wide range of desserts, and just simply fresh, eaten out of the hand. This cake is best if allowed to set after baking and served either warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings

1 ½ cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar, divided (2 Tablespoons for batter, 1/3 cup for topping, 2 teaspoons to sprinkle over the top)

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup (1/2 stick) sweet (unsalted) butter, cut into ½ inch squares)

½ cup milk

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla, Mexican if possible

¾ cup sour cream

3 firm, ripe pears

A sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Confectioners’ sugar

Paper doily

1.      Preheat the oven to 375F, making sure the rack is in the upper third of the oven. Butter a 9 x 9-inch square cake pan. Combine the dry ingredients, reserving 2 Tablespoons of flour and 1/3 cup, 2 teaspoons of the granulated sugar in a separate small bowl. Stir in the salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.

2.      Using your hands, a pastry blender, or the beater blade of the mixer, cut in the butter. Mix until uniform and no large particles of butter remain. In a separate small bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla and stir into the above dry ingredients. Spread the batter evenly into the buttered pan.

3.      Combine the reserved 2 Tablespoons of flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and sour cream and pour this over the batter.

4.      Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Then cut into long medium thick slices and arrange overlapping in a large circle just inside the edge of the pan. Place the remaining pears in a circle inside that one. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

5.      Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon. Bake for another 30 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean and the pears are tender and lightly browned.

6.      To serve, place a paper doily on the cake and sieve some powdered sugar over it using the holes in the doily to make a pattern. Remove the doily and place foil over the top if you are transporting the cake. Otherwise serve it warm right from the oven or serving tray.

 Did you know that you can get free samples of our spices every month with membership to our Cooking Club?  I have had several tell me that they did not know that was part of the "deal"--so I decided I had best tell you all.  You do have to place an order for us to ship them, however, you do get a good sized discount on ALL orders when you place them through your password and login information.

I have started a new program on Blog Talk Radio.  I would love for you to start listening.  Just go to their site on the internet.  Also love to have you as friends on facebook and linked in and we twit on twitter.

Until next time, 

Jane Butel, the Queen of Southwest Cooking

Jane Butel Cooking School • 2655 Pan American NE, Ste F • Albuquerque NM 87107  • Office: 505-243-2622  
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