A Texas-style chili with stewing beef, ham rind, dried pinto beans, and red wine simmered low for hours with cumin, cayenne, and oregano. No tomatoes, all meat, pure grit.
Green bell peppers stuffed with a tangy cabbage, onion, and chili filling, pickled in spiced cider vinegar. Old-fashioned canning at its crunchy, fiery best.
White chicken chili with great northern beans, poached chicken, green chiles, cumin, and a full pound of melted Monterey Jack. Served with sour cream and jalapenos for a hearty Southwest crowd-feeder.
Pasta Mexicali is a cold penne salad loaded with black beans, cannellini, corn, red pepper, and cilantro in a cumin-cayenne vinaigrette. Vegetarian, protein-packed potluck stunner.
Baked macaroni and cheese loaded with red, yellow, and green bell peppers in a creamy feta cheese sauce with dill and Dijon mustard. Golden breadcrumb topping with a cayenne kick.
A competition-style Texas chili with coarse-ground beef chuck, no beans, and a bold spice blend of cumin, oregano, woodruff, and pequin chilis. Simmered for hours and thickened with corn flour.
Quiche-grits combines a classic egg and Swiss cheese quiche with hot grits in a pie shell, loaded with ham or tuna, onion, and a kick of cayenne. Southern meets French.
Spicy Southwestern chili is real-deal Texas chili: chunks of sirloin browned and simmered low in tomato and beef stock with a deep, layered chile blend. No beans, plenty of heat, and big bold flavor for chiliheads.
Vegan black bean chili with corn, zucchini, beer, and a cornmeal thickener. Hearty meatless one-pot dinner that feeds 16 with bold Tex-Mex flavor.
Shrimp tossed in curry powder, cayenne, and flour then sauteed in olive oil until golden and crisp. Five ingredients, 15 minutes, zero leftovers. A spicy, quick weeknight dinner or appetizer.
A quick no-cook lunch: canned tuna, white beans, and peppery arugula tossed in a lemon-garlic dressing, stuffed into whole wheat pitas with red onion. Ready in 15 minutes.
Pounded chicken breasts rolled around a spiced spinach filling with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, then baked and sliced into pinwheels. Served over rice with lime juice and fresh cilantro.
Shahi Korma is a rich Mughlai curry with browned lamb or beef simmered in almond-cream sauce with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and garam masala. A luxurious slow-cooked Indian feast.
Cajun rice dressing with apples, raisins, pecans, and a cayenne-white pepper seasoning mix. Sweet-savory-spicy side dish cooked in stock until tender and fluffy.
Peachy salsa blended with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. A fruity, no-cook salsa that doubles as a fresh pasta sauce in 5 minutes.
Parmesan bread with a full cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano baked into the dough, plus a hint of cayenne. A savory yeast bread with an egg white glaze and slashed top.