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Jane Butel Spices Up Public Television with America's Most Popular Cuisine

Jane Butel, internationally recognized expert on the regional cuisine of the American Southwest, will host a new series on PBS that features the earthy and resonant flavors of authentic Southwestern cooking. KUHT-TV, HoustonPBS, will offer the initial season of 26 episodes of Jane Butel's Southwestern Kitchen beginning this fall. With margaritas currently the most requested mixed drink in this country, salsa sales eclipsing those of ketchup, and tortillas outselling bread, this flavorful cuisine is more popular than ever in the U.S.

Series creator and host Jane Butel is a cookbook author, teacher and television personality whose first cookbooks--Cocinas de New Mexico (1961), Favorite Mexican Foods (1965) and Jane Butel's Tex-Mex Cookbook (1980) sparked nationwide interest in Southwestern cooking. She has written 16 cookbooks, including six best-sellers. Butel also owns and manages the Jane Butel's Southwestern Cooking School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which she opened in 1983, and which was profiled by Bon Appétit magazine as one of the best vacation cooking schools in the world. She applies every bit of this vast experience as she shows viewers how to recreate authentic dishes and create new ones based on Southwestern traditions and ingredients.

The program is an informative half-hour of recipes, tips, history and fun, with each episode organized around a single theme, whether a staple ingredient (as in "Green Chiles from the Field") or a complete menu (as in "An Old El Paso Border Dinner"). With her deep knowledge of the cuisine and culture, and her teaching and communications expertise, Butel packs each program with information. Viewers will be able to learn everything from the secrets of making tortillas to the techniques used in both traditional and innovative new chile dishes. They'll also learn about the "whys" of traditional methods, as Butel weaves in the history and traditions of Southwestern cooking. The series will spotlight the region's most popular dishes, including chili, enchiladas, tamales, seafood, and even the basics like guacamole and frijoles.

"Southwestern cooking's memorable tastes, simple ingredients and ease of preparation have helped to make it the most preferred in the country," according to Butel. "That's a pretty remarkable testament to the enduring appeal of what is essentially a humble style of cooking that originated centuries ago in the pueblos of New Mexico."

Jane Butel's Southwestern Kitchen is a production of Southern Life Styles Corporation and HoustonPBS, presented by LARK International, distributed by American Public Television.

Season One Episode Descriptions

World-renowned author, teacher and Southwestern cooking authority Jane Butel brings her expertise and encyclopedic knowledge of recipes, techniques, culture and history to this first season of Jane Butel's Southwestern Kitchen. Credited with spearheading interest in this memorable cuisine, Butel knows the ingredients, the recipes and the techniques that have made Southwestern cooking the most popular style in the United States.

#101 An Old El Paso Border Dinner
Butel prepares a showy and delicious dinner that celebrates the boisterous fun of the border. The menu includes Frijoles Negros Tostaditos, Chorizo and Piñon Nut-Stuffed Loin of Pork, Tiny Green Beans and New Red Potatoes in Salsa Vinaigrette, and concludes with Apricot Stuffed Dessert Empanadas--definitely not your same old dessert!

#102 Pueblo Indian Summer Dinner
This menu will transport viewers into pueblo life as it has existed for the past 800 years, and includes Pueblo Indian Green Chile Stew, Calabacitas and Bear Paw Bread right out of the horno (oven). The traditional meal wraps up with a wonderful Isleta Bread Pudding that is in all probability unlike any bread pudding that viewers have ever tasted.

#103 Southwestern Patio Party
This colorful menu will evoke the sounds of authentic mariachi bands gaily plucking their guitars and singing Rancho Grande. Dishes include Guacamole, Flautas, Rio Grande-Style Calabacita Bites in Crispy Blue Cornbread Coating, Carnitas, Nachos and Chile con Queso, the spicy melted cheese appetizer for dunking.

#104 Super Southwestern Main Dish Salads
For lunch, brunch or even a light supper, it's hard to beat a main dish salad entrée, especially when it is highly flavored like the ones Butel prepares in this program. Dishes include Corrales Chicken Salad, Ensalada Guaymas Shrimp Taco Salad and Fajita Salad. This is definitely not "rabbit food."

#105 Winter Brunch
What better way to start the day in the chill of winter than to conjure dreams of sandy shores and marimba bands? Tequila Sunrises and Fresh Pineapple Stuffed with Tropical Fruit kick off this dreamy brunch menu. Butel shows viewers how to make a beautiful Ham and Egg Pinwheel Rolled Omelet on a bed of Salsa followed by Hot, Hot Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting.

#106 A Bowl of Red with Fixins 'n Mixins
Butel gets down to the basics of what is probably the single most popular Southwestern dish--chili. This program features her favorite chili recipes, including a classic "Bowl of Red" that has been in her family for three generations. In addition, viewers will learn all the right things to serve in, on and with chili, along with the history of this hearty dish.

#107 Burritos, Big and Bueno
Burritos were named after the little boys who tended sheep while riding burros. From the earliest burritos through the latest innovations, this simple dish has myriad variations, and viewers familiar only with the bean-and-cheese-stuffed tortilla will have their eyes opened. Butel shows how to make Green Chile Chicken, Carne Adobado, Gulf Coast Shrimp, Traditional Bean and Dessert Burritos, and also presents serving ideas and suggestions.

#108 Gifts from a Southwestern Kitchen
Viewers learn how to prolong summer's bounty long after the season has gone with specialties from the Southwestern kitchen. Butel demonstrates how to make Mesquite Marmalade, Hot, Hot Honey, Special Herb and Chile Vinegars, Southwestern rubs, hot oils and more. Recipients will be clamoring for more of these unique creations from the Southwestern kitchen!

#109 Don't Let the Chocolate Fool You
Americans are likely to be cautious at best when they hear that the Salsa Mole (mo-lay) used in meat dishes contains chocolate. The bitter chocolate, which was discovered by the Aztecs in Mexico, blends beautifully with chiles and spices to create a hauntingly delicious taste treat. It's the highlight of a meal that starts with Mexican Style Cream of Corn Soup, followed by the Traditional Chicken Mole, Sweet Rice and Chile Chocolate Ice Cream.

#110 Celebration Dinner
Imagine luminarias dotting the walkways and red chile lights setting the scene for this easy, do-ahead dinner. Featured are Guacamole with Cherry Tomato and Jicama Dippers, Green Chile and Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and a Salad of Red Sweet Peppers with Belgian Endive and Salsa Vinaigrette. The meal concludes on a festive note with Bizcochitos and New Mexican Hot Chocolate.

#111 Let's Have a Tamale Roll
Here's entertainment with a purpose, because everyone goes home with freshly made tamales! Just like a cookie exchange or a quilting bee, tamale preparation can be an enjoyable group activity, and Butel shows viewers how to structure this working party to make Blue Corn Green Chile Chicken Appetizer Tamales, Red Chile Beef Tamales with Red Chile Sauce and Cinnamon-Almond and Christmas Dessert Tamales.

#112 The Whole Enchilada
Rojo or verde, with meat, cheese or vegetables, enchiladas are a perennial favorite, and Butel shows viewers enough variations on this classic filled tortilla dish to please everyone. Recipes include Red Chile Enchiladas with Beef, Green Chile with Chicken, and Enchiladas Suizas. All-important preparation tips cover both rolled and flat enchiladas made with regular corn and blue corn tortillas.

#113 Fajitas
Fajitas are still the favorite of the white-tablecloth class of Southwestern restaurants. No wonder--they are flavorful, low in fat and just fabulous paired with the right salsa. Viewers will learn how to create their very own patio party, as Butel shows how to make the original, traditional Beef Fajitas and Chicken Fajitas on Tri-Color Pepper Sauté with Pico de Gallo, Lamb Fajitas with Mint Melon Salsa and Duck Fajitas with Orange Raspberry Salsa.

#114 Spicy Southwestern Luncheon
This program features a menu that is easy to prepare and serve for the busy host or hostess. Butel walks viewers through a complete menu that doesn't sacrifice flavor for convenience. Dishes include Spicy Butternut Soup, Southwestern Baked Chicken Thighs, Jicama and Grapefruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and a show-stopping finale--Margarita Pie.

#115 Salsas . . . Not Just Red, Green and White
Salsas all have a political past, and Butel explains that rich history and more. Along the way, she shares some of her favorites--Golden Salsa, Kiwi Orange Salsa, Seckel Pear and Tomatillo Salsa, Chimichurri Salsa, Salsa Tequila and Fresh Peach and Grilled Corn Salsa. With all these varieties, viewers will need to conduct a runoff to select their favorites!

#116 Grillin 'n Smokin'--From All Points on the Compass
Grilling and smoking don't require fancy or complicated techniques, and can be done outside or in. Stovetop grill adapters and quick-smoking methods can produce results that are remarkably similar to outdoor grilling and slow smoking. In this program Butel shows how to quick-smoke trout, prepare Fiery Hot South Carolina Barbecue Pork, Florida Orange Sauce for Shrimp, and a Texas Rub for grilled Chicken, which is served with Salsa Chiltomate and Grilled Mexican Corn.

#117 A Tale of Two Tortillas
Two basic types of tortillas are used in Southwestern dishes--corn and flour. There are variations of each, including blue, white and yellow corn and various flour combinations, such as whole wheat and exotic flours such as amaranth and artichoke. Viewers will learn uses for tortillas beyond the predictable, as Butel demonstrates creative dishes like Pizzitas, Tortilla Meat Loaf and many ways with Quesadillas, and also makes Salsa Verde and Salsa Rojo.

#118 Perfect Guacamole
Everyone's familiar with guacamole, but great guacamole needs to have just the right consistency. Butel demonstrates her technique for preparing it perfectly, and also shares some tips on how to store it, and for how long, while featuring a variety of creative uses for this popular dish, including Guacamole Tacos, Burgers, Omelets, Taquitos and Salad Dressing.

#119 One-Dish Dinners
Tamale Pie, the "macaroni and cheese of the Southwest," is an age-old favorite for regular family meals as well as for more elaborate dinner parties. Butel demonstrates this and other old favorites and new innovations like Southwestern Seafood Lasagna (where tortillas substitute for pasta), a Blue Corn Crusted Chicken Pie, and Black Bean, Chipotle and Turkey Pie. These dishes take well to mass production, so viewers can stock their freezers with quick, convenient and delicious dinners for those busy days.

#120 Beans! Frijoles! Refritos!
A dietary staple of the Southwest, beans take many forms and are served with nearly every meal. Viewers will learn how to extend their range far beyond the standard fare, as Butel shares some of her favorite bean dishes: Black Bean Soup; Black Bean and Green Chile Chicken Chili; Black Beans, Pintos, Garbanzos and Rice; Sweet Onion Bean Salad, and, of course, Flavorful Refritos.

#121 Posole--The Dish of All Blessings
Posole, a peasant dish made with dried corn, has such a rich and significant past that it is a touchstone of Southwestern cooking. And its resonance and flavor belie its humble ingredients. Butel focuses on the traditional and innovative in this program with her New Mexican Posole, Posole Escabeche, and Vegetarian Posole. She even demonstrates how to grind cooked posole to make tamale masa as the Pueblo Indian natives do.

#122 Festive Winter's Dinner
What could be better than hot and spicy food on a cold and chilly night? Butel puts a Southwestern spin on cold weather fare with Chile Chorizo Empanadas, Red Snapper in Tomatillo Sauce, Mushroom Piñon Rice, Hearts of Palm Salad with Salsa Vinaigrette, and Jenny's Cheesecake Flan to top it off.

#123 Never a Dull Veggie
Calabacitas have long been popular in New Mexico, where they are traditionally served to celebrate the beginning of the summer's harvest. A simple squash dish with native American origins, it harmonizes well with other regional vegetable dishes, such as Seared Carrots with Onions Mexican Style, Chile Corn Custard, Chile Corn on the Cob and Texas-Style Green Beans and Potatoes with Bacon.

#124 Low-Fat Fiesta
Southwestern cooking offers a wealth of secrets for cutting fat without skimping on flavor, and this program delivers a complete dinner menu that is low in fat. Dishes include Cilantro Cucumber Soup, Citrus-Marinated Turkey Breast in Champagne Vinaigrette with Golden Salsa, Peppered Rice, Mexicali Salad and, as a finale, a goblet of Mango Tropical Cream.

#125 Ground Beef with a Spanish Accent
Hamburger, that staple of the American kitchen, takes readily to the Southwestern touch, and Butel highlights it in both traditional (Enchiladas, Tacos and American Chili) and more adventuresome ways, including Avocado Stuffed Meat Loaf with Salsa, Freddy's Favorite Macaroni Beef Casserole, Chili Burgers and Picadillo, a Toast to Texas!

#126 Monday Night Southwestern Dinner
After a maybe-too-festive weekend of dining and drinking, sometimes a light dinner on Monday is just the thing. Butel shows how Southwestern flavors come to the rescue with Cream of Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Grapefruit, Watercress and Jicama Salad, Pecos Chicken with Vegetables and a light but flavorful dessert, Naranjas a la Mexicana.

Find out more about the woman who started our nation's love affair with Southwestern cuisine.
Click here to download Jane's biography.