The last few months I have been totally busy editing 8 of my best selling cookbooks for republication by Turner Publishing.  My latest and newest cookbook, "Simply Southwestern" came out a year ago November and 6 of the republished cookbooks are now out!

I thought you would like to start collecting this library, which will set  you up in great style for cooking anything you wish (just about) that is anywhere near Southwestern and then some.  I started writing Southwestern  or Mexican-American recipes way back in the sixties when I was directing what was then called the Home Service Department  of Public Service Co.--the electric utility of New Mexico. 

The management of the company had built auditoriums for giving programs and before I was heading the department , they weren't being used.  And upper management was disgruntled over their non-use, so my staff and I had the brain-storm to teach  classes on New Mexican cooking and it was a huge hit  as the population of New Mexico was doubling every decade; so most knew little about making the traditional dishes.

To accompany the class,  I wrote "Cocinas de New Mexico"  with the help of my staff and the old recipes my Grandmother had developed many decades ago.

From this humble start--I expanded the Cocinas cookbook to be an almost 200 page book that became the "Tex-Mex" cookbook, a huge best seller that remained in print almost  30 years and is now the third of the series being re-published by Turner Publishing.    

The second re-published cookbook was the "Southwestern Kitchen", which was written to accompany my 30 series PBS series which is now mostly on You Tube.  This book has the fantastic endorsement from  "Publisher's Weekly" of being the "Bible of Southwestern cooking".

Following was the introduction of the 4th  edition of "Hotter Than Hell', a collection of chile laden recipes from all over the world and always an amazing best-seller,

And then to herald the barbecue season last June, my "Finger Lickin', Rib Stickin', Great Tastin', Hot 'n Spicy Barbecue" cookbook  was released.  

For the fall harvest season, I had the nostalgic opportunity to totally re-edit my 1977 "Freezer Cookbook"--a great classic.  One of the most memorable compliments was that when giving a cooking demonstration at Shillito's Department store in Columbus, Ohio, in the early 1990's,  a lady stood up during the Q and A session at the end of my demonstration.  She said that when her house was burning down--she went back in to get her copy of the freezer book.  It was more important than photographs or jewelry to her! 

The next three, yet to be re-released are the Quick and Easy Southwestern cookbook, Fiesta and Chili Madness! 

If you would like your copies autographed, order from me.  I have the soft bound versions of each and they are $19.95.  Except for Barbecue--it is a smaller cookbook and is only $15.95.  I do have the hardbound versions of "Southwestern Kitchen " at $36.95 and the "Real Women Eat Chiles"  a beautifully illustrated cookbook at $25.00 and the original  "Quick and Easy" at $25.00.

I will ship them library rate which is quite nominal.  I hope you get started collecting--the books make a great wedding present, Mother's Day present and birthday present for anyone who likes to cook.  I look forward to hearing from lots of you!