25 lemon pepper dip recipes

Celebrate the holiday by serving up this decadent delicious crab cake.

Layered Tex-Mex dip with bean dip, guacamole, taco-seasoned sour cream, tomatoes, olives, and sharp cheddar. A no-cook party platter that feeds a crowd in 15 minutes.

This rib-sticking dish was given to me by a Southern relation.

Irish fadge is a traditional potato bread made from mashed potatoes, egg, butter, and herbs, then fried in bacon fat until golden and crusty on both sides. Simple, hearty, and satisfying.

Texas-style basting sauce with butter, bacon drippings, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Makes 3.5 cups, enough to mop a whole 5-pound brisket through a long, slow smoke.

Sybil Carter's homemade barbecue sauce starts with bacon drippings and builds layers of tangy tomato, brown sugar sweetness, mustard bite, and hot pepper heat. Doubles easily and keeps in the fridge for weeks.

International meatballs in vodka: beef and pork meatballs seasoned with lemon zest and nutmeg, simmered in a sour cream sauce with vodka and vermouth.

Louisiana-style crawfish chili with ground beef, bacon drippings, and a kick of cayenne. A bayou twist on classic chili that simmers low and slow until the crawfish meat surrenders to the broth.

This scrumptious chili is made with succulent pork sausage, pinto beans and a nightmare of spices!

Louisiana BBQ shrimp skewers with a homemade sauce of ketchup, cider vinegar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and bacon drippings. Sauce mellows for a week before grilling for deep, layered flavor.

Texas-style chili made with coarse-ground brisket, no beans, and a full bottle of beer. A deep, meaty bowl of red simmered low and slow with cumin, oregano, and a fistful of dried chiles.

Turkey gumbo built from a leftover carcass with a dark roux, okra, smoked sausage, bacon, and Cajun spices. A rich, hearty way to use your holiday turkey.

Pacific Northwest smoked salmon chowder with red potatoes, fish stock, dill, tarragon, and a finish of half-and-half. Smoky, herby, and built on bacon fat for layered depth.

Red chili nightmare: a wild Mexican-style red chili with beef, sausage, pinto beans, almonds, sesame, chocolate, and a dozen green chiles. Mole-inspired, fiery, and not for the timid.

Red pepper hummus blends chickpeas with sweet sauteed red peppers, tahini, lemon, and cumin into a smooth, smoky dip, served with crisp homemade garlic-salt pita chips. A fast, vegan appetizer.

Satay peanut chicken skewers marinated in peanut butter, soy, lemon, garlic, ginger, and red pepper, then grilled and served with the reserved sauce for dipping. A Southeast Asian classic with a kick.