Wheat Berry Chili

Tasty and warming, this vegan comfort dish is perfect for Meatless Monday

Can the world ever have too much chili? We think not. Especially during these long, cold winter months.

Chili is often heavy on meat, but it doesn’t need to be. Much of its rich flavor actually comes from dried chile powder or fresh chile peppers. So it’s well suited to vegetarian or vegan variations. Meaning everyone can enjoy it.

So when it’s chilly out, you need chili in (your bowl).

Tex-Mex Sloppy Joe Cobbler

Fancy enough for your Super Bowl party, easy enough for weeknight dinner

Seasoned, saucy, and tomato-fueled, Sloppy Joes are ground beef fun on a bun.

But we like to play with our food, so we couldn’t resist a few tweaks. The result is a Tex-Mex casserole version that adds spicy flavor and a presentation twist.  

Kids will love these. But maybe have Margaritas on hand for the grownups in the room.

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Chili

Spicy and soothing, this is winter comfort food

When the weather turns cold in our part of the world, we like to head south of the border. Culinarily speaking, at least.

Mexican chorizo sausage makes a dynamite chili – especially when you combine its spice with sweet potatoes. Add some tomatoes, beans, and jalapeño pepper for a dish that will warm your heart and make your taste buds smile.

You like to smile, don’t you?

Chili-Spiced Vegetable Stir-Fry

All the flavor of chili in a fraction of the time

It’s cooling off in our part of the world. And chilly means chili!

But what if you don’t have time to make a big pot of the hearty stuff? Enter this Chili-Spiced Vegetable Stir-Fry. It has all the ingredients you’d find in vegetarian chili. Minus the liquid — and the simmering time.

Chili you can eat with a fork? Works for us.

Lamb, Lentil, and Green Chile Chili

Not the usual chili

Cold and snowy? That means it’s time for chili! Spicy and hearty = warm.

But why go for the same old same old? Today we’re using lamb and lentils – two ingredients that pair extremely well. You don’t often see them in chili, but why not? Both play beautifully with spice.

This chili would make a terrific main dish for your Super Bowl party. It’s something most people won’t expect, so it can be your own personal trick play. Sounds like a touchdown in our book.

Carnitas in Adobo Sauce

A richly flavored Mexican favorite

Most of us know about adobo sauce, right? It’s the stuff that canned chipotle chilies are packed in. But have you ever made homemade adobo? It’s a great sauce or marinade for meat, especially pork.

Our method for making adobo sauce is quick and easy. And in this post, we serve the sauce with its best friend, carnitas.

So get ready to pig out for Cinco de Mayo.

Cajun-Spiced Chicken and Andouille Chili

Zesty, flavorful – and perfect for Mardi Gras or the Big Game

So we have the Super Bowl this Sunday, followed soon after by Mardi Gras. Calling all party planners!

This Cajun-spiced chili serves up New Orleans in a bowl, which makes it perfect for both events. Best of all you, can make it a day or two ahead of time – because the flavor only improves as it rests in the fridge.

All planning should be this easy.

Jalapeño Black Bean Dip

Easy and spicy, this Tex-Mex fave also makes a terrific spread

The Super Bowl is rushing toward us like a 300-pound lineman. So get those party platters spinning!

You’ll need plenty of munchies and goodies. One of our favorites is this spicy Jalapeño Black Bean Dip. It’s an easy recipe, and fast to make. So you’ll have more time to spend with your guests.

And watch your team win. Or not.

Chunky Chicken Chili with Green Chilies

Warm up with a spicy and flavorful bowl

This time of year, the days are short in our part of the world. And the nights are cold. Fortunately, we have chili to keep us warm.

Chicken chili is a bit lighter than the beef version, so we don’t sink down in our snowshoes. But green chilies and white beans make it plenty tasty and hearty.

Good thing this recipe yields a big batch. You’ll want seconds.

Cabbage Chili with Spicy Sausage

Black-eyed peas add savor to this healthy cold-weather pleaser

Cabbage chili? Yeah, not something you’re likely to find in Texas. But totally worth having.

Particularly since cabbage has almost no calories. Many of us are diet conscious this time of year, so that’s a winner.

But the biggest winner is the flavor. We’ve loaded this dish with lots of dried chile powder and other spices, so it has all the deep chili flavor you expect from, well, chili.

This dish makes a great weekday meal, but it’s good enough to serve at an informal weekend gathering with friends. Like, maybe, for football playoffs or the Super Bowl. Score!

Pumpkin and Pork Chili

Perfect for Halloween. And you can freeze the leftovers for Thanksgiving eve!

It’s pumpkin season in our part of the world. Chili season too.

So, hey, pumpkin chili. Pumpkin adds unique flavor (not to mention a rich, creamy texture), and it plays well with pork.

Sounds like a trick, we know. But it’s a real treat.

BBQ Beef Brisket Chili

Beer and barbecue sauce add zip to this cold weather pleaser

Using up leftover BBQ Beef Brisket generally isn’t a problem. Still, a brisket yields a lot more meat than most of us can eat at one meal.

You could make a sandwich (or two) the next day, of course. But how about trying something different? When the weather is cold (as it currently is throughout most of the US), nothing warms you up better than a bowl of chili. So why not use your leftover barbecue brisket to make chili—complete with sauce. It’s like barbecue in a bowl.

And speaking of bowls, if you haven’t already planned the menu for your Super Bowl festivities, this would be a great dish to serve. You can easily prepare it ahead of time and then reheat it on game day.

Plus, it’s a dish that will be new to many of your guests. And since both teams in this year’s Super Bowl have been there before, it’s nice to see at least something new, right?

Green Chile Chili Beans with Bacon

The perfect side dish for your Super Bowl shindig

Here in the US, we’re starting to plan Super Bowl parties. Down under, folks are finalizing plans for Australia Day barbecues. And most of us know what we’ll be serving for the main course. But, hey, party feasts are all about those sides.

So if you’re looking for a flavorful dish that will complement a wide variety of foods, you won’t go wrong with spicy Green Chile Chili Beans. We love to serve these beans with BBQ Spare Ribs or BBQ Pulled Pork. They can even be a meal in themselves—just add a slice of cornbread, and you’re all set.

Best of all, these chili beans are cooked with bacon. Enough said.

Texas-Style Chili con Carne

Warm up with a meat-based classic

With autumnal equinox receding in the rear-view mirror here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re entering a period of chilly (not to mention gloomy and rainy) weather. Which is good news, in a way. Because chilly season means chili season.

During the cooler months, we have chili frequently—at least once a week. And although we make chili using all sorts of ingredients (including a mean vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili with Black Beans), there’s something special about a chili that’s heavy on the meat.

And when it comes to meatiness, nothing beats Texas chili. It typically contains loads of meat and chilies—and not much else. Just the thing to take the chill off.

Meat and Potatoes Chili

Winter comfort food 

Need some down-home cooking to combat the cold weather we’re having throughout much of the US? Well, there’s nothing better than good old meat and potatoes.

We could just fill our plates with a slab of beef and a mound of spuds. But why not go for something with more flavor? Like this chunky Meat and Potatoes Chili. It has all the savor of traditional meat and potatoes, with the zing of chili. Win win.

And speaking of winning, if you haven’t already planned your eats for the Super Bowl festivities, this would be a great dish to prepare. You can cook it a day ahead, then reheat it—so you won’t miss a minute of the game. That’s a touchdown in my book.

Chunky Pork and Sweet Potato Chili

Black beans add rich goodness to this spicy blend

Fall means the beginning of chili season—at least here at Kitchen Riffs central. When the weather turns cooler (as it’s finally beginning to in most of the US), nothing is more satisfying than a hearty bowl of chili.

We like chili season even better when we can try some new variations. Like this succulent recipe. Pork adds a deep flavor that’s irresistible. It also combines beautifully with traditional chili ingredients—as well as some not-so-traditional ingredients, like sweet potatoes.

Chili takes a while to prepare. But you can make it when you have some cooking time, then stash it in the freezer. Because, as good as it tastes when freshly made, it’s even better reheated. So you can use it for quick weeknight dinners or as tailgate fare for watching the big game. It’s even special enough to serve to good friends at a casual weekend dinner party.

And once they taste your Chunky Pork and Sweet Potato Chili, they’ll become even better friends.

Chili Basics

How To Make the Chili We All Know & Love

The nights are turning cooler, and we’re beginning to hanker after heartier food.  Few dishes are heartier — or deliver a bigger flavor punch — than homemade chili.  And if you haven’t already begun thinking about making a batch, maybe you should.

Although Texas chili (which contains meat, chiles, and little else) is perhaps the most iconic version of the dish in the United States, it’s not the chili that most of us crave.  For the majority of us, chili means ground beef, tomato, onion, and beans.  (Beans are heresy in Texas chili.)  Spice levels can vary from mild to incendiary, though most of us prefer a moderate level of heat.

Chili is an easy dish to make.  Learn the basics of this recipe, and you can make any chili — even that no-bean Texas stuff.

Sweet Potato Chili with Black Beans

Sweet Potatoes Make Great Vegetarian Chili

Cold weather has returned here in St. Louis  — so naturally I’m craving a hearty dish.

When the temps turn chilly, I turn to chili.  But with sweet potatoes?  Sounds weird, I know.  They work brilliantly though, as I discovered.

Most of us know that the naturally sweet flavor of sweet potatoes is enhanced by even more sweetness.  Think Thanksgiving candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows.

Less well known is the sweet potato’s affinity for spicy flavors, particularly dried chilies.  To see what I mean, try adding a dusting of ground cayenne pepper to the top of those candied sweet potatoes.  It’s an amazing combination — and a revelation.

Sweet potato chili perfectly showcases the marriage of spicy and sweet.  The first bite will make your tongue smile.

The second bite?  You’ll probably decide this is the best vegetarian chili you’ve ever eaten.

Vegetarian Chili

I lived for a spell in Texas.   There I learned the canonical Texas chili liturgy.

The dish contains chilies, obviously, and in quantity.  Probably onions and garlic (though some purists insist that spices can include only cumin, coriander, and oregano).   Salt and pepper.  Maybe tomato, in moderation (we’re not making stew here). 

Definitely no beans.  Unless you feel like it, of course.  You’re a Texan, dagnab, so you have the God-given right to eat your food how you like, even though your curious bean hankering may make you a social pariah.  If you persist in this peculiar craving, kidney beans are the best choice (preferably dark red).  Pintos will work too.

And meat.  Always meat.  Coarse ground or hand cut into ½ inch cubes.  Beef is typical.  But there’s also pork, goat, venison, buffalo.  You name it, it almost certainly has been made into chili. 

That’s it.  No additions.

Vegetarian chili?  Perish the thought.  It might be a tasty dish, but to call it chili would be nothing short of blasphemy.

Well, as Huck Finn said, “All right then, I’ll go to hell!”  Because vegetarian chili, done right, is excellent — and much less heavy than the meat version.