FAIRHOPE, Ala. — No one ever accused Jane Butel of not putting enough kick in her recipes. The internationally recognized authority on the regional cooking of the American Southwest will take part in Chili for Charity, the annual fundraiser for Ecumenical Ministries Inc.

Butel will sign her chili cookbooks during the event, to be held Feb. 14, 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., at Oak Hollow Farm on Highway 98, south of Fairhope. Her appearance is sponsored by Page & Palette Bookstore, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book will go to EMI.

According to Butel, who teaches cooking classes across the country, it’s important to liberally sample while you’re preparing a dish.

“I’m amazed how many people don’t taste as they cook,” she said during a recent phone interview. “I’ve always loved the taste of chili.”

Butel’s latest offering is actually an old favorite of many. “Chili Madness: A Passionate Cookbook” was released as a second edition paperback in October. She must have chili peppers running through her veins.

The daughter and granddaughter of home economists, Butel is also a television program host, whose most recent project is “Jane Butel’s Southwestern Kitchen.” Her interest in spicy Southwestern cuisine developed long before it became so widely popular.

Butel was the first to write about the cooking style that evolved in the Southwestern border area, and is credited with helping start our love affair with what is better known as Mexican food.

From her first cookbooks, “Cocinas de New Mexico” (1961) and “Favorite Mexican Foods” (1965) to “Jane Butel’s Real Women Eat Chiles” (2006) and her most recent, she has continued to explore the region’s unique ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques. In all, she has written 19 cookbooks, including six bestsellers.

“I was born into it,” she said. “I’m a third generation Southwesterner. My mom was born in Texas, and my dad loved spicy food.”

Butel was an executive with American Express, General Electric, Con Edison and Public Service Co. of New Mexico. At both AMEX and GE, she was the first female corporate executive. Though successful in the corporate world, she wanted more satisfaction in her career.

While at the New Mexico utility company, she conducted cooking classes, and they proved to be quite popular. She followed that up by founding the Jane Butel School of Cooking in Santa Fe, N.M. in 1983, relocating to Albuquerque 10 years later.

Butel’s effort was recognized by Bon Appétit magazine as one of the best vacation cooking schools in the world. Gayot.com recognized her Scottsdale school as the best in the U.S.

She somehow found the time to establish Jane Butel’s Pecos Valley Spice Co., now a trusted source of the unique ingredients critical for authentic Southwestern fare. Her expertise has put her in high demand as a consultant, and she has worked with companies like Del Taco, El Torrito, Zona Rosa and Luxury Hotels.

The newest book is an expansion of the 1980 edition of “Chili Madness,” with 150 new recipes added to those from the original volume.

Among the returning classics are Reno Red, Navaho Green and Buzzard’s Breath chilis. Newfangled entries include Moroccan Chili and White Lobster Chili. Not all recipes in the book are chili, but it is the headliner.

Savory bread recipes are offered in this updated cookbook, along with side dishes, soothing salads and six kinds of margaritas. Dessert recipes are plentiful, and there are ideas for what to do with leftover chili.

Butel said, “I’ve always loved chili, tacos and enchiladas.” She pointed out that chili helps one’s digestive system, and she said it can cauterize ulcers, help keep skin healthy and act as an anti-aging agent.

“Chili is pretty straightforward,” Butel said. “Just put it together and let it simmer for two or three hours. We tried really hard to make the recipes as clear and understandable as possible.”

She said chili is passionate, as is “Chili Madness.” The book is full of tips and information that will keep the interest of the gourmet and layman alike. Butel said, “It’s an affordable and exciting dish. It excites your endorphins, and it’s easy.”

Butel said chili should be cooked in a pot with a flat bottom and straight sides. Cook the hamburger first to seal in the flavor. Leave some fat, she said, in order to act as a transportation system for the chili peppers. Cook the onions down in solid shortening, and do all chopping and dicing in advance.

“You can make large pots of it, so it’s a convenience food,” she said. “Bag and freeze it in small amounts. I always like to have chili in my freezer.”

Butel said pure, ground chili peppers are far better than chili powder because they deliver a cleaner flavor. Processed chili powder can contain as much as 40 percent salt and a shopping list of other additives.

She stressed, “Get pure chili that has no additives for the best flavor.”

For more information about Jane Butel, or to get a subscription to her online cooking club, visit www.janebutel.com.