Favorite Cookbooks

Favorite Southwestern Cookbooks

I’ve been testing recipes in a variety of different cookbooks and keeping my
eye out for which I would recommend as Christmas presents. These are at
the top of my list. If I don’t already own them, they are at least on my wish list!

	Wonderful cookbook! This would make a delightful present. Jane Butel excels at simple, quick, nutritious, and tasty recipes. She also tells about her life with chiles and features other women and their stories. The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes inviting. Most recipes use 5 ingredients or less and can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Preparation time, number of servings, and nutritional information are included. There are both basic and unusual recipes. This book has the visual appeal of a coffee table book yet is easy enough to grab when you need to put dinner on the table in a flash. Recipes we’ve enjoyed include Turkey Chili with a Margarita Splash and Turkey Enchiladas.
	I love this cookbook. It has no pictures, very few recipe descriptions, and it is inexpensively printed (with plastic binding); but it has lots of interesting yet simple recipes. I view this as a workhorse of a cookbook. This is the cookbook I would reach for if I want an interesting variation that I can prepare quickly without running out to a specialty store. This cookbook features recipes from restaurants and cookbooks throughout New Mexico. Some come from 5-star restaurants and some from the Kiwanis Club. This is not a fancy cookbook, but would make a great inexpensive present for anyone who loves Southwest cooking as an everyday activity.
	This is an interesting, entertaining cookbook. This is a compilation of favorite recipes from Colorado restaurants, requested by readers of The Rocky Mountain News. This is not a cookbook I would use everyday, but I would pull it out frequently when I want to find something interesting to prepare. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the recipes are quite easy to make. The descriptions and backgrounds are entertaining reading. This is an inexpensive paperback with no pictures, but it has the added attraction that you try out these dishes at the restaurants before you make them. Try out two of the recipes at denvergreenchili.com: Anasazi Chicken Enchiladas, and Southwestern Cheese Dip
	This cookbook would be a fabulous inexpensive present for anyone who loves both cooking with a crockpot and Southwest fare. It is attractive, easy to use, and has great recipes using common ingredients. It is a small perfectbound paperback, but has a sturdy cover and is full of enticing photos. There are wonderful detailed descriptions of each recipe, and the recipes are easy to follow and interesting.
	This gorgeous cookbook features a variety of interesting recipes from 10 prominent chefs affiliated with the Santa Fe School of Cooking, considered by many to be the mecca of Southwest Cooking. The photos of the food are stunning and basics of the ingredients and tools used are explained fully.Some of the recipes are fairly easy to prepare, but many have a long list of ingredients that include items that may not be available at the local grocery store.My favorite Calabacitas recipe is from the recipe on page 44.