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There’s little better than a nice bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold day. This recipe is a bit non-traditional, but it is satisfying and rather quick and easy to put together. I could eat chili most any time of year, though many people like to save it for the colder months. As often as I cook chili, though, I am on the lookout for creative variations on the traditional recipe, and this is a nice one.

Here’s what our friends over at Domesticate Me had to say about this amazing chili:

I’m pleased to report that this chili is a vegan wonder, but you can easily beef things up with any type of meat you have handy. I’ve made it at least four times over the past few weeks with different fillings, and it never disappoints. Try simmering it with top round steak, ground turkey, shredded chicken, lightly browned chorizo or some spicy chicken sausage. (The Dude really lost his cool over the chicken sausage version.) Feel free to get creative.

 

Recipe and photo courtesy of Domesticate Me

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of chili powder and crushed red pepper to your taste.

Lovers of more traditional Italian spaghetti and meat sauce may cringe a bit when they see this at first, but don’t worry: you can love your original spaghetti recipe and still find plenty to enjoy about this Wild West Spaghetti.  This dish can be ready in about half an hour, meaning you can find time for it on even your more hectic days.

I do love the version of traditional spaghetti meat sauce that Mother used to make, and I still do make it frequently.  It’s good for when you have a fair bit of free time to make something that will provide a meal or two a day for several days.  You do have to be patient with it, though.  This Wild West spaghetti works much better if you are in a particular rush or if you just want to mix things up a bit from the traditional.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste and Tell

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking.

My husband is begging me to make these twice a week.

This Buttermilk Fried Chicken is a classically Southern twist on the usual American fried chicken recipe.  It makes for a great main course for lunch or dinner at home, but with the right sides, it also makes for great picnic and tailgate food. My great-grandmother in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, made some fabulous buttermilk fried chicken.  Alas, she closely guarded all of her best recipes (to the point, in some cases, of going to different grocery stores for different groups of ingredients, so no one person working there would have the full list of ingredients) and would only share them with fellow culinary artists who were very close to her.

Unfortunately, she passed away before I properly got into cooking.  I can’t say for sure that it’s an exact match (time blurs certain details and enhances others), but this buttermilk fried chicken does come close to her old recipe, at the very least, and I assure you that it is quite delicious.

I mean, all you can do is make this recipe for yourself and sample it. I guarantee you won’t be sorry! Grandma certainly knew what she was doing in the kitchen and her recipes prove this sentiment time and time again. Enjoy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jo Cooks

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Quick tip: Mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for these!

Well, I Haven’t Had These Quite Like This Before – WOW!

Forget making them the plain way – kick the appetizer tray up a notch and make some Breaded Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs.  Sure to wow your palate, neither you nor anyone else will be bored by these yummy treats.

These will be the center of attention at the dinner table, but not for long. They will be gone in a heartbeat! You could say that deviled eggs are victims of their own success in a way.  Though they look just lovely on a plate and could hardly be said to taste bad as-is (if you like egg and a touch of spicy flavor, that is), they’ve become such a commonly seen and eaten item at parties and tailgates that they’re kind of a yawner.  “Oh, okay, great.  Now what’s next?”

Well, it turns out, with just a little twist (an extra step or two, basically), you can make this classic but a bit clichéd party food item into something extra-savory and exciting. I’ve made these for a few parties already, and they were a great success!

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Temptations

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Quick tip: If chili powder isn’t your favorite, use pepper instead.

Turn the humble same-old, same-old into a family favorite. This Ginger and Orange Glazed Pot Roast puts a great spin on a classic family dinner item, and since the recipe is for your slow cooker, it is super-convenient, as well–no need to worry about burning anything in the oven!

Looking back, I can see that Mother really did spoil me for food choices, growing up.  Bad as it sounds, I admit, I remember her pot roast being a bit, well, forgettable.  Not that it was bad–none of her standard meals were ever bad, and her roast always came out rather tender and made a good gravy.  It just didn’t have that “umph” that so many of her other recipes did.  I think that this recipe gives this hearty chunk of beef that “umph”–and thanks to the Crock-Pot, it is about as low-hassle as it gets.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Recipe Girl.

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking.

If you need some finger food for your next big event (or just enjoy munching on nice appetizers with the family) and are in a bit of a rut, consider going Asian with this recipe. These Ginger-Shrimp Pot Stickers With Peanut Dipping Sauce are sure to be a big hit with even the pickiest of eaters!

After char siu ribs, pot stickers may well be my favorite Asian appetizer.  They are part crunchy, part chewy, and 100% delicious.  I love them at least as much as I do egg rolls (and I could eat plenty of those any day of the week, too). Serve up a big tray of these, and neither you nor your guests will go hungry or be bored with the food.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  MyRecipes.com.

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of chili paste to make this dish milder or spicier.

I Had to Slap Myself to Keep From Eating a Whole Plate of These

These Southern Beer-Battered Onion Rings are all kinds of deep-fried delicious!  They make for a great at-home snack. Deep-fried food may not be the healthiest in the world, to say the least, but it is hard to beat that rich, savory flavor.

The beer batter and seasoning really send this recipe over the top.  I whole-heartedly recommend it. And as long as you’re not eating deep-fried dishes every single day, you’ll be fine! These onion rings will make you everyone’s favorite chef at your next game night or a dinner party. And if you really want to make an impression? Make your favorite spicy dip to go with these! I promise you, they’ll be gone in minutes so make sure you grab some for yourself before it’s too late!

But you don’t have to worry even if they’re all gone. These are so easy to make, you can whip up another batch while your guests are waiting!

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen.

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Quick tip: Double the batch – you won’t regret it!