Did you know that Pre-Columbian Mexican cuisine was low in fat and high in fiber and vitamins? Based on corn, squash, tomatoes, beans, and lean meats, the everyday diet of the first Americans was remarkably close to the recommendations for healthy eating we hear about every day. Now for the first time, cooks can use the secrets of the Aztecs in today’s kitchen, thanks to Kris Rudolph’s thoroughly researched cookbook. And because cooks from both sides of the border will be eager to try these recipes, Rudolph presents the recipes and text in Spanish on facing pages. The book opens with a short introduction outlining the history of Mexican cooking, followed by an overview of healthy eating habits, a description of the most common ingredients, and a useful guide to planning for parties. The fifty recipes cover everything from appetizers to after-dinner refreshers and each includes the number of calories, amounts of total fat and saturated fat, grams of carbohydrates, and amount of fiber. Rudolph suggests low-fat and low-carbohydrate alternatives, as well as ways to vary the spiciness.

Award-winner Jean Andrews has been called “the first lady of chili peppers” and her own registered trademark, “The Pepper Lady.” She now follows up on the success of her earlier books, Peppers: The Domesticated Capsicums and The Pepper Trail , with a new collection of more than two hundred recipes for pepper lovers everywhere. Andrews begins with how to select peppers (with an illustrated glossary provided), how to store and peel them, and how to utilize various cooking techniques to unlock their flavors. A chapter on some typical ingredients that are used in pepper recipes will be a boon for the harried cook. The Peppers Cookbook also features a section on nutrition and two indexes, one by recipe and one by pepper type, for those searching for a recipe to use specific peppers found in the market. The majority of the book contains new recipes along with the best recipes from her award-winning Pepper Trail book. The mouth-watering recipes herein range from appetizers to main courses, sauces, and desserts, including Roasted Red Pepper Dip, Creamy Pepper and Tomato Soup, Jicama and Pepper Salad, Chipotle-Portabella Tartlets, Green Corn Tamale Pie, Anatolian Stew, South Texas Turkey with Tamale Dressing, Shrimp Amal, Couscous-Stuffed …

This delightful collection captures the flavor and diversity of the cuisine of the Lone Star State. The Texas Cookbook presents recipes ranging from down-home cooking to high-class affairs, from regional favorites to ethnic specialties. Mary Faulk Koock traveled throughout Texas gathering recipes from ranch kitchens and city hostesses. Scattered among these are the author’s anecdotes from her vast and varied encounters with the famous and influential. In Austin John Henry Faulk, the author’s brother, savors Quail Pie with J. Frank Dobie, Walter Prescott, Roy Bedichek, and Mody Boatright. Fort Worth’s Van Cliburn enjoys the hostess’ biscuits and offers his own recipe for a whole-wheat variety. Here is Lady Bird Johnson’s Peach Ice Cream (the LBJ Ranch) and some expected classics such as Lee’s Chili (Amarillo), Venison Roast (the King Ranch), and Black-eyed Peas with Okra (Austin). But you will also find the unusual in Roasted Wild Turkey (the Hill Country), Fried Apricot Pies (Fredericksburg), and Watermelon Rind Preserves (Luling). Regional contributions shine in Sauerbraten (Kerrville), Salsa Brava (Brownsville) and Crawfish Etouffee (Beaumont). At the home of friends in Dallas Koock reveals the recipe for Chicken Cannelloni served after an opera. We share in her delight with Persimmon Salad in San …