That's a Spicy Meat-a-ball!!

There's nothing that makes me want to cook and bake quite as much as an extended cold snap. So needless to say, I've been happily spending lots of time in the kitchen over the past week. There are lots of delicious and hearty casseroles and soups that will warm you to your toes, but in really cold weather, there's nothing like a spicy dish to warm you up, body and soul. Here are some of my favorite spicy dishes - although the heat level can always be adjusted to your personal preference.

Costa Rican Dinner

I don't usually think of fish when I think of either spicy food or cold weather food, but this recipe - which I created by combining several other recipes - is delicious and warming without being too heavy. It's good even if you completely omit the cayenne, but if you like spice, feel free to increase the amount. 

1-1/2 cups water
1 Tblsp butter or margarine
¾ cup long grain rice (uncooked)
Juice of 2 fresh limes (~3 Tblsp)
3 Tblsp olive oil, divided
4 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
4 tsp minced garlic, divided
kosher salt
¼ tsp sugar
2 to 6 haddock (or cod or tilapia) fillets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Add ½ tsp salt and the butter to the water and bring to a boil. Add rice; reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until water is fully absorbed. Keep warm until ready to use.

In a shallow dish large enough for all the fillets, combine lime juice, 1 Tblsp olive oil, 2 Tblsp parsely or cilantro, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Marinade fillets for 15-30 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onion, pepper, and remaining garlic for 5 minutes, until tender. Add black beans, oregano, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Place rice in baking dish large enough for fillets. Add bean mixture and blend together. Lay fillets on top and pour over excess marinade. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes, until fish is fully cooked (thicker fillets may take a few extra minutes).


Note: I used two half-pound fillets, which made two adult servings and two small children's servings, and there was enough rice left over for two additional servings.

Fiesta Chicken

This recipe is great because it's so versatile: You can serve it over rice, wrapped in a tortilla, over salad, with tortilla chips, or just as is topped with cheese. And the ingredients can be adjusted to whatever you like and have on hand. Use mild taco seasoning if you don't like a lot of spice, or use spicy seasoning - or even add some extra chili powder or cayenne - to ramp it up. Plus, it's made in the crock pot so it's mostly set it and forget it.

2 to 2-1/2 lbs chicken breasts, fat trimmed
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (10 oz) cans corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg taco seasoning mix

Throw all ingredients except chicken in the crock and stir until combined. Add chicken breasts. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and stir to combine. Serve wrapped in flour tortillas, over rice, over salad, or as a nacho topping. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

Three Bean Chili

I like my chili made with ground turkey, but you can substitute ground beef if you prefer, or even omit the meat entirely for a hearty vegetarian version. There are multiple spicy elements you can adjust to your preferred heat level; use plain diced tomatoes instead of Ro-Tel, substitute sweet bell peppers for jalapenos (or simply omit them), or cut down on the amount of chili powder. I also like serving chili over rice, which counteracts the heat somewhat. Another crock pot recipe, because chili is better the longer it simmers.

1 lb ground turkey (or beef, or omit)
2 stalks celery
1 large onion
1 jalapeno pepper
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can RoTel tomatoes with green chilies
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1-3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 (14 oz) cans beans (different types), such pinto, black, kidney, or garbanzo
Sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, if desired

Brown the meat thoroughly, drain fat, and set aside. Dice celery, onion, and jalapeno and set aside.

Line a crock pot with a plastic liner (if desired), and add all remaining ingredients except sour cream, cheese, and chips. Drain and rinse the canned beans before adding. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serve topped with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips, if desired.

White Chicken Chili

I was a little hesitant the first time I made white chicken chili for my kids, but they both loved it! Somehow the creaminess of the sauce counteracts the spice, even though the heat is still definitely there.

1 lb chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 2 teaspoons minced garlic)
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper , to taste
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine), cut into 12 slices
1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp lime juice
Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in a 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute chicken and diced onion until chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Add cream cheese and stir until nearly melted. Stir in corn and 1 can cannellini beans. Puree 3/4 of the remaining beans along with 1/4 cup broth from the soup in a food processor (or use an immersion blender), then add bean mixture to soup along with remaining 1/4 can of beans. (You can omit this step for a chunkier texture.) Simmer 15 minutes longer. Mix in lime juice and serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro and tortilla chips for dipping, if desired.

Thai Sesame Lime Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

The spiciness is all in the sauce, but the chicken itself has a wonderful flavor, so heat-averse eaters can have the chicken plain, and spice lovers can dip away. This recipe calls for grilling the chicken on skewers, but you can simply fry it on the stovetop in a well-greased pan if your grill is buried in snow.

For the Kebabs:
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
salt & pepper

For the Sauce:
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger {or ½ teaspoon of ground ginger}
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon lime juice

In a large bowl, mix sesame oil, lime juice, salt, & pepper. Add cubed chicken to marinade mixture, toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. In the meantime, in a small bowl mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, water, and lime juice. Whisk together until smooth and set aside.

Place chicken cubes on skewers. Heat grill to medium high heat or 400 degrees. Grill each side for 3-4 minutes. Alternatively, fry chicken in a well-greased skillet. Serve with sauce.

Firecracker Chicken

Disclaimer: I have not made this recipe myself, but I have had it at a friend's house. The main source of heat is the hot sauce, so choose your brand according to your preferred heat level. The tartness of the vinegar and the sweetness of the brown sugar are a fabulous combination with the spice of the hot sauce and red pepper.

For the sauce:
½ cup hot sauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)

For the chicken:
4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil

In a sauce pan, combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes over medium high heat. Allow to come to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes if you plan on making the sauce ahead of time or for 12-15 minutes if you’re serving immediately. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Heat a skillet with the oil over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes per side (chicken will not be cooked through). Place the chicken breast on the prepared baking sheet and bake the chicken at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, baste each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of sauce. Reserve remaining sauce. Place the chicken back into the oven and continue to bake for another 11-15 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with reserved sauce and steamed rice.

Flu Fighter Chicken Noodle Soup

You know how chicken noodle soup is the best thing when you've got a cold or the flu? Well, you haven't tasted chicken noodle soup until you've tried THIS soup when you're feeling lousy. The spices cut right through that congestion and help you shake off those shakes. Chili, cayenne, and cumin all combine to nudge your appetite and drive away the germs.

For the chicken:
1 pound chicken breast tenders (or cut whole breasts into chunks)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the stock:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 very large onion, finely diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
Big pinch of salt
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 cups uncooked noodles (elbows, bow ties, and rotini all work well)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

Place chicken in a large baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with spices. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, flipping the chicken at the half way point. Once cooked, pull into small chunks using two forks.

While the chicken is roasting, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a dutch oven over a medium flame. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-9 minutes. Add garlic and salt and cook for another minute before adding the bay leaf, water and chicken stock. Increase heat to high, bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, stir in noodles, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the pasta al dente. Stir in cooked chicken, dill, and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve immediately.