10,000 pepper recipes

Spiced veal chili swaps lighter ground veal for the usual beef in a chili powder-and-cumin tomato base, finished with red wine vinegar for a brighter, more refined chili. Bean-free Texas-style.

Creamy macaroni salad with a sweet-tangy dressing of mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, and vinegar. Mix, chill overnight, and bring to every cookout all summer long.

The sauce here is no kin whatsoever to the ketchupy stuff that too often swamps cold seafood; it's a good bet with cold shrimp or crabmeat, too.

Marinated tofu club sandwich on whole wheat French bread with bell peppers, red onion, arugula, and homemade basil mayo. Herb-infused, no cooking required, and packed with Provencal flavor.

Homemade turkey breakfast sausage seasoned with warming spices like ginger, nutmeg, sage, and thyme. Makes 5 pounds to freeze in portions for easy weekday breakfasts.

Broiled salmon fillets with a silky pureed fennel butter sauce seasoned with nutmeg and cayenne. An elegant seafood dinner with a French-inspired anise-sweet accompaniment.

Vegetarian tofu meatloaf with sauteed mushrooms, green pepper, mozzarella, and Parmesan baked under a tangy tomato paste glaze. Comfort food that'll fool the meat-eaters at the table.

H. Allen Smith's legendary no-bean chili: 4 pounds of coarse-ground sirloin simmered for 3 hours with dried hot chilis, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Pure Texas-style chili, the way the purists intended.

Add another dish to your summer barbecues with this scrumptious potato salad your whole family will enjoy!

Champagne-battered prawns fried light and shatteringly crisp, the bubbles in the sparkling wine making the airiest batter, served with a homemade cocktail sauce and lemon. A flirty little dish made for sharing.

Italian-style short ribs al diavolo, breaded and roasted with garlic, salt pork, crushed red pepper, and a sharp lemon-mustard finish. Fall-off-the-bone beef with a fiery, crispy crust.

Quick potato and salmon bisque made in the microwave with canned salmon, instant mashed potatoes, chicken broth, and lemon zest. A creamy, no-fuss soup ready in about 15 minutes.

A quick vegan curry with chickpeas, potatoes, tri-color peppers, and apples over brown rice. Weeknight-friendly and ready in 40 minutes.

Louisiana seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, crab, and oysters in a dark roux broth. Okra and the holy trinity thicken this Cajun classic, finished with file powder and ladled over rice.

Smoky bacon and pecan barbecue sauce with honey, citrus, and a cayenne kick, blended smooth. This from-scratch BBQ sauce makes 5 cups and transforms any chicken, pork, or rack of ribs it touches.

Breast of pheasant is served under glass to hold in the cognac flavor that makes this dish so unique.