My very comprehensive on-line cooking class is truly in the works.  This class has over 40 lectures where I will teach you the health benefits of chiles as well as how to cook the popular chile and chili recipes. 

You will learn all about chiles and improve your health, your outlook and your waist line.  Sounds like a pretty tall order, however chiles are amazingly healthful and happy.  In my new on-line class, you will learn lots of important to know health tips such as how to eat your way to losing weight,  reverse aging and ways to use chiles for improving your heart’s health as well as your skin. 

Several have been asking how the class will work.  Once you have enrolled,  you will be given a log-in and password and will have access to the lessons as they are presented.  You can download them and cook at your convenience. 

There are 40 lectures or lessons, 35 of them have cooking assignments with my “all-time favorite chile recipes”.  There will be a chat room and a blog and I will be available for questions and assistance.

In addition, you will receive over 150 kitchen tested recipes, my comprehensive cookbook "Jane Butels' Southwestern Kitchen"  which was the book accompanying my 30 series, 8 year run on PBS, a $19.95 DVD on Bowl ‘o Red,  8 ounces each of our pure ground mild and hot chiles, 4 ounces each of crushed pequin  and caribe chiles and 2 ounces each of Mexican oregano and our very fresh cumin or comino…a total value of nearly $100.00.

As you can probably tell, I am pretty excited about getting this class completed.  We have quite a bit to do yet and have not been able to predict just when we will have it completed or what the cost will be.  I promise, I won't keep it a secret for long.

In the meantime, perhaps you might like to join us "live" for a single class or a complete weekend of full participation cooking.  The next class will be our very popular Barbeque class on August 6 and the weekend dates are August 14-16, 2020.  We are keeping our classes to a maximum of 6 in view of the COVID 19--until the pandemic is over.  Also, we are doing private classes.  Just call to review the details at 505-243-2622.

For your cooking pleasure in this very hot summer, I am discounting my "Quick and Easy Southwestern" cookbooks by $5.00 each.  The original hardbound will be $18.00 and the recently republished soft bound will be $15.00 until Saturday, July 25, 2020.  Of course, I will autograph as you wish.  Each of the recipes has nutritional annotations, is designed to be healthy--yet tasty and can be created in less than 20 minutes with an average of 5 ingredients.

 Here's a favorite salad from the book--

Fajita Pasta Salad

 Using leftover marinated meat from fajitas makes this salad quick to prepare. I like to make fajitas of all sorts—beef, chicken, shrimp, even lamb and duck and freeze one person servings in freezer-weight bags, complete with the marinade. My favorite basic recipe, which can be used with any meat ,seafood or firm tofu follows in the * Note.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

½ recipe Fajitas (recipe follows)

5 ounces dry, uncooked fusilli or rigatoni pasta

1 cup home-cooked or drained, canned pinto beans

4 scallions, white and tender green tops, thinly sliced

2 red, ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup spicy salad dressing—either the Hotter-Than-Fire or Jalapeno Lime Crème Dressing (recipe follows for Hotter Than Fire dressing)

Option: Serve on a bed of torn lettuces

1. Preferably, have the meat for the fajitas previously marinated, or prepare it and set aside. Preheat the outdoor grill or soak wood chips for the stovetop grill (preferably mesquite).

2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

3. Grill the meat or pan-sear it in a heavy, seasoned skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side for beef or shrimp, 4 to 5 minutes per side for chicken. Slice the beef or chicken into ½ inch-wide strips. Leave the shrimp whole.

4. Combine the pasta with the beans, scallions, tomatoes and meat. Add the salad dressing and toss together. If desired, arrange each serving on a bed, of torn lettuces. Serve at room temperature.

Per Serving: Calories 351, Protein 26 g Carbohydrates 39 g, Fiber 6 g, Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 44 mg, Sodium 205 mg. (Analyzed with beef fajitas and Hotter-Than-Fire Dressing.)

Fajitas

Beef is the original fajita, always being made from skirt steak. Chicken breast, Shrimp, Lamb or Duck can be substituted in this traditional fajita marinade. I have always preferred the fresh pure flavors of lime and garlic to the “foreign flavors” such as soy sauce and monosodium glutamate. My favorite way to serve fajitas is with grilled rather than sauteed vegetables. Select large red onions and the biggest bell peppers you can find.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 pounds trimmed, skirt steak, lean boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shrimp, Lamb or Duck

Juice of 2 limes

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil (omit for beef or duck)

2 large red onions, halved crosswise

1 each large red, green and yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

Pico de Gallo,

Dairy sour cream

Guacamole, optional

6 inch diameter flour tortillas, warmed

1. Trim the skirt steak, or cut the chicken breast in half, following the natural division of the cartilage and removing any fat. Trim excess fat from the lamb or duck. Pound with a Jacquard tenderizer or between sheets of plastic wrap to uniform thickness.

2. To prepare the marinade: Combine lime juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and oil in a bowl. Dip each side of the meat into the mixture and marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

3. Preheat the grill, allowing enough time to get hot. Use mesquite wood or chips to flavor the to give a real authentic flavor. Start vegetables 20 25 minutes before starting the chicken. When they are done, cut into ½ inch wide strips and mix together. Keep warm.

4. Grill chicken about 3 inches from coals for about 4 minutes to the side. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide when done.

5. Serve the meat over the grilled onions and peppers. Serve with bowl of Pico de gallo and sour cream and guacamole if desired. Pass napkin-lined basket of hot tortillas.

Hotter-Than-Fire Dressing

This salad dressing delivers what it promises.  Tightly covered, it will keep 1 month in the refrigerator.

Yield:  1 cup

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

3/4 cup spicy hot tomato juice (approximately 1, 5 1/2 ounce can)
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 fresh jalapeno, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pequin quebrado chile 
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl and  whisk together or place in a jar and shake well.

Reprinted with permission from Jane Butel’s Quick and Easy Southwestern Cookbook.