540 hot red pepper recipes

Low-calorie gumbo-style vegetable soup with okra, tomatoes, corn, celery, and rice. A thin, snackable broth for when you want something hot and filling but light on calories.

Cajun artichoke salad mashes fresh artichoke hearts with garlic and salt to build a punchy dressing for canned artichoke quarters. A bold marinated salad with lemon, vinegar, and hot sauce.

Everything tastes better with bacon. Needless to say when bacon meets beef tenderloin, it's an ultimate combination. We made this during the weekend, it was delicious.

This sautéed babaganoush skips the grill and cooks cubed eggplant with onions, garlic, cumin, and coriander in a wok. Mashed with tahini and fresh lemon, it's a smoky, chunky dip served with warm pita.

Wayman chili with chunked sirloin steak, green peppers, onions, garlic, and parsley in a tomato and Tabasco base spiked with cumin and chili powder. Beanless Texas-style chili with real bite.

Soft steamed buns filled with mushrooms, water chestnuts, bell pepper, and hoisin sauce, served with a soy-chili dipping sauce. Homemade Chinese bao that freeze beautifully for later.

Pon pon chicken (bang bang chicken) shreds poached chicken over salted cucumber ribbons with a warm sesame-soy-ginger dressing. Classic Sichuan cold-plate appetizer or main.

Low-cal crustless quiche packed with green chilies, Monterey Jack, roasted red peppers, and Dijon mustard. Spicy, cheesy, and lighter than traditional quiche.

Tangy bleu cheese spread blended with cream cheese, white wine, and Worcestershire. Served with sliced California dried figs and crackers for an elegant cheese plate appetizer.

City chicken skewers (mock chicken) made with ground turkey and pork meatballs on bamboo skewers, breaded in corn flake crumbs, and baked in chicken gravy. A Rust Belt regional comfort classic.

Brookfield's meatloaf with Monterey Jack cheese, sourdough bread soaked in milk, and a bold mix of steak sauce, Worcestershire, and Tabasco topped with chili sauce.

Deep fried whole turkey injected with a buttery Cajun-style marinade of garlic, onion, Worcestershire, taco sauce, and white wine. Crackling skin, juicy meat, bold Southern flavor in every bite.

Basic peanut-style dipping sauce (no actual peanuts) with cashew butter, tahini, coconut milk, lime, miso, and ginger. A richer, Thai-leaning satay sauce for grilled skewers, coconut shrimp, or crudités.

Chile cheddar burgers stuff seasoned ground beef patties with sharp cheddar and diced green chiles, then grill until the cheese melts in the middle. The Southwest take on the stuffed burger.

A classy but succulent chicken dish made with white wine, black olives and red hot pepper sauce.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit is an open-faced grilled cheese. A thick slice of whole-grain bread is topped with a delicious cheese sauce made from beer, cheese, butter, mustard, and broiled to bubbly perfection.