6,100 hell recipes

Slow-roasted beef tenderloin paired with wine-simmered mushrooms and zesty Texas Caviar made with black-eyed peas, cilantro and picante sauce. A Lone Star showstopper that feeds a crowd.

Duck gumbo simmers deboned duck in a dark butter roux with okra, tomatoes, and the Cajun holy trinity for a rich bayou stew. Ladle over rice for a Louisiana cold-weather classic.

Authentic Texas border chili with coarsely ground beef shank, chorizo, fresh serranos, and toasted cumin seeds simmered 4 to 6 hours in pureed tomatoes and beer. No beans. No apologies. This is the real thing.

Mulligatawny soup blends chickpeas, root vegetables, and coconut milk with turmeric, coriander, and fresh chili. Pureed silky-smooth and brightened with lemon at the finish.

A hearty two-meat chili: ground round and hot Italian sausage simmered with pink beans, black beans, peppers, and a cornmeal thickener. Feeds 15, perfect for game day or a freezer stash.

Ground buffalo chili with red beans, black beans, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and cilantro. Leaner than beef, deeper in flavor, and spiked with honey, cumin, and chili powder. Heartland comfort.

A big-batch beef chili with 5 lbs of ground beef, three kinds of beans, jalapeños, and three types of onions simmered in chunky tomatoes. Feeds 12 and freezes like a champ.

Cold pasta salad with wine-poached chicken, capers, lemon, and red peppers in a bright olive oil vinaigrette. A Sicilian-inspired piccata twist on classic pasta salad.

Maple pecan pumpkin pie layers spiced pumpkin custard with raisins and chopped pecans, topped with maple-scented whipped cream and toasted pecan halves. A Thanksgiving upgrade on the classic.

Grilled swordfish steaks marinated in soy sauce, fresh ginger, dry sherry, garlic, and lemon zest. An Asian-inspired marinade with bold umami flavor and a quick grill.

Crunchy cabbage slaw with shredded carrot, green pepper, and currants in a tangy vinegar-mayo dressing with celery seed. Light, crisp, and better after a good chill.

A low-fat vegetable soup loaded with zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, leeks, and stewed tomatoes, spiked with chili powder and oregano. A crumble of blue cheese on each bowl adds a savory finish.

Grilled black bean pizza swaps tomato sauce for a smoky black bean spread, then piles on Monterey Jack, roasted peppers, tomatoes, olives, and pickled jalapeños. A Southwest take on grilled summer pizza.

Provencal vegetable ragout slow-roasted for four hours with eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, squash, potatoes, red wine, and twelve cloves of garlic. Vegan and deeply flavored.

This meal can be made with chicken, beef or shrimp. See note below about grilling. This is a great make-a-head meal. Meat and marinade can be frozen ahead of time and will continue marinading as it defrosts.

Try this light, but savory dish that is made with snow pea pods, green peas and chickpeas.