Chili

Home turf: New Mexico
Local flavor: Southwestern-style chili is all about the chiles (with an "e"), as in this pillar of regional cooking, chile verde. The chiles are green and mild (New Mexico's famous hatch chiles are perfect), and the meat is pork. Tangy tomatillos balance the chiles and coat the slow-cooked pork. To up the regional cred, serve it "Christmas" style—with a combo of green and red chiles.
Make it a meal: Serve with warm corn tortillas, avocado and spinach salad with honey-lime vinaigrette, and a dark beer like Negra Modelo (Mexico, $8 per six-pack). If you can find it, use dried Mexican oregano in this recipe. It has a smoky flavor that dried Mediterranean oregano doesn't have. Look for it at Latin markets.

Home turf: California
Local flavor: In health-conscious California, chili is as likely to be made without meat as it is with it. No self-respecting Texan would sign off on chili with beans, squash, and bulgur—but this lean, mean dish is as delicious as it is healthful.
Make it a meal: continue the Cali fantasy with whole grain bread, an arugula salad with mushrooms and garlicky vinaigrette, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (California, $8 per six-pack).

Chile verde—slow-cooked pork in a tomatillo sauce—gets a speedy update.

This richly flavored chili pays homage to the Texas "bowl of red," in which meat is the star. Mole paste, ancho chile powder, and cumin add depth of flavor. Set out bowls of beans, cheese, onions, and other garnishes so that guests can have their chili just the way they like it.

The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson. Fred Thompson, the kitchen wizard behind this project, wanted to make sure to include a recipe for all the bean-loving chili fans out there. His time-tested recipe has seen its fair share of Tar Heel games and Appalachian State University parking lots.

A cold-weather favorite, this all-beef, no-bean chili gets added appeal from a seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. For best results, make the chili at least one day ahead so that the flavors have time to meld.

Set out all of the components of this fun and delicious dish and allow guests to add their own toppings. Because the chili is meatless, the vegetarians in the crowd can also enjoy this meal by simply omitting the crispy cubed-pork topping.

Eat this hearty chili as is or over rice.

With its notes of cumin, cinnamon, and chocolate playing off the gentle spice, this meatless chili combines the best parts of a mole sauce and a Cincinnati-style chili. Its rich body makes it a seriously satisfying dinner any night of the week.

Thickened with peanuts like some Veracruz sauces, and made with the classic Mexican technique of blending and then frying the sauce ingredients, this mild chili makes for an earthy modern-day meal.

Tired of chili con carne? This warming pozole-inspired stew is a welcome departure. Its spiciness depends on the heat of the jalapeños you use.

Stout makes the beef taste beefier in this chili. For best results, pick out a five-pound boneless chuck roast and have the butcher grind it for you. WHAT TO DRINK: Sam Adams Cream Stout has a malty sweetness that's just right.

Normally we consider ourselves chili purists, but this quickie version — made with a really good bottled salsa — satisfied our craving.

When you crave something hot and filling, a bowl of this chili will do the trick.

Get a better body at the grocery store. Just as certain exercises strengthen your stomach muscles, certain foods protect specific parts of your body. (Your tummy gets benefits from sit-ups and garlic.) A top-to-toes rundown based on new research includes the following: Eggs banish blurry eyes. Cranberry juice brightens smiles. Chocolate is your heart's friend. Carrots preserve lungs. Water is a hipbone buddy. And you get all these super foods in one bowl.

Like any chili, this is even better the second day. Warm corn tortillas are the perfect accompaniment.

Top with chopped fresh cilantro, red onions, and grated cheddar cheese, if you like.

No one is going to ask "Where's the beef?" when confronted with this chili. Slowly cooking the meat with lard, peppers, and spices creates a wonderfully complex sauce that's topped off with tender corn-flavored dumplings.