10,000 pepper recipes

Browned chicken and Italian sausage simmer with peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms in a tomato-herb sauce that practically cooks itself in your crockpot.

Ground beef packs with frozen corn, diced green chiles, shredded Monterey Jack, and picante sauce for a Southwestern-spiced meatloaf that's anything but boring. Black olives and cayenne kick up the heat.

Adolph Frey owns one of the few Michelin-rated 2-star restaurants in Germany. He made this dish at the lodge for Carl's birthday celebration one year. Quenelles are poached fish and egg mounds traditionally made with pike.

Restaurant-style meatloaf with beef and sausage baked in a water bath for a silky, custard-like texture. Seasoned with cumin, nutmeg, three peppers, and sauteed vegetables throughout.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's Barbecue Sauce: a smoky, sweet-tangy Cajun sauce built on bacon, pecans, honey, and citrus rinds. Pureed silky for chicken, pork, or ribs. Makes 5 cups.

This is as good as any Italian sandwich I have eaten in Chicago! Even my grandkids loved it! PK

Slow-smoked pork shoulder with oak and apple wood, finished in a Dutch oven with vinegar and red pepper flakes. Real-deal pulled pork barbecue, smoked 8 to 10 hours until fall-off-the-bone tender.

Shredded buffalo style chicken in creamy mac and cheese.

Jumbo shrimp sautéed with poblano and red bell peppers in a bold, peppery Worcestershire-lemon barbecue sauce finished with cream. Brennan's Texas-Creole fusion at its finest, ready in 30 minutes.

Sri Lankan omelette, a thick, savory egg pancake studded with onion, green chili, and curry leaves, stabilized with a teaspoon of cornstarch for that firm pancake-like bite. Ready in 15 minutes.

Blackened chicken breast seared in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet with a Cajun-style spice blend of paprika, cumin, thyme, and red pepper, then finished in the oven. No butter needed.

Had this at my friend's place, and it was so delicious! Now I have the recipe too, and I will try to make it again very soon.

Homemade buffalo wing sauce: hot sauce melted with butter, vinegar, and layered spices into a tangy, buttery, properly hot glaze for wings. Make-ahead and ready in minutes.

Homemade ground beef salami cured with tender quick salt, liquid smoke, mustard seed, and garlic. Shaped into logs, refrigerated 24 hours, then slow-baked in foil.

Pure vegan gumbo with a slow-cooked nutty brown roux, sauteed okra, and a generous mix of greens like kale, collard, and chard. Plant-based Louisiana classic served over rice.

Chickpeas simmered in a slow-cooked Spanish sauce of bell peppers, green chili, tomatoes, garlic, and parsley. A simple, vibrant vegetarian dish ready in 45 minutes.