October brings fall, football and crisp weather, which, in my book, invites a large pot of chili to slowly simmer on the stove, filling the kitchen with the heady scent of browned meat, tomato and spice on a blustery afternoon.

Now, there are many versions of chili, and I am hardly a purist. Generally speaking, a good chili includes meat, beans, chili peppers, onions and tomatoes, and, in my opinion, it should be thick and packed with goodies. From there, the variations and tweaks are up to you. Not a meat eater? No problem -- just double up on the beans. Want more substance? Add a hearty grain to thicken. Not too keen on heat? Tinker with the chilies, opting for more sweet than hot.

This is a chili template I use when I crave a spicy, hefty stew. The common denominator is the plum tomato stock amplified with a generous amount of Southwestern spice and chili heat and fortified with stout or beer. I’ll change the meat and occasionally add a grain such as barley for extra oomph. The beef chuck can be switched to pork, turkey or chicken -- or entirely omitted for a vegetarian version with an extra helping of beans. In this recipe, I added barley for texture and extra nutrients. Other grains such as farro or wheat berries can be substituted as well.

Beef and Guinness Chili With Black Beans and Barley

Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, plus 1 teaspoon salt during cooking

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 chilies in adobo, finely chopped with juices

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

8 ounces stout beer, such as Guinness

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup pre-cooked black beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup pre-cooked barley (optional)

Garnishes: Sliced jalapeno pepper, cilantro leaves, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped red onion

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add to the pot in batches and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pot. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until softened without coloring, about 3 minutes. Add the peppers and saute until brightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chilies, the chili powder, cumin and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Return the beef to the pot and add the tomatoes, stout, tomato paste, bay leaves, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more sugar or salt if desired. Stir in the black beans and barley and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Serve with the garnishes for sprinkling.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I apologize if this messes with any diet resolutions, but here is a recipe that is worth the indulgence. This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie. It has all the delicious aspects of a traditional, chewy Toll House-style cookie, but then notches it up a level with almond butter, chocolate chunks and sea salt.

The almond butter does wondrous things to the cookie dough, adding an extra layer of melt-in-the-mouth flavor. It's not as pronounced as peanut butter, which, in my opinion, can overpower a cookie. Almond butter is mellower -- enhancing rather than dominating the cookie, adding a toasty golden backdrop to the dough with the subtle hint of roasted nuts.

Chopped dark chocolate replaces tried-and-true chocolate chips. This is a good thing, because you can choose a good quality dark chocolate (I like 70 percent). When you chop the chocolate, you will be left with chunks and a good amount of chocolate dust -- this is the equivalent of chocolate gold dust -- so swipe all of the dusty bits into the batter along with the chunks to infuse the batter with the chocolate.

A pinch of sea salt flakes is the final touch, which balances out the cookie's inherent sweetness. A little salt makes everything taste better -- even sweets -- especially when chocolate is involved.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 25 minutes

Yield: Makes about 36 cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup unsalted creamy almond butter (not raw)

7 ounces chopped dark chocolate

Sea salt flakes for garnish

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the almond butter and mix until smooth.

Dump the flour into the mixing bowl and mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated, without overmixing. Stir in the chocolate, including all of the little pieces and dusty bits (they will melt into the batter). Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough on baking sheets lined with parchment. Add a tiny pinch of sea salt flakes to each cookie. Bake until light golden, 12 to 14 minutes.

Slide the parchment and cookies onto a wire rack to cool. The cookies will continue to firm up while cooling. The cookies can be stored covered at room temperature for up to three days -- if they last that long!

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

There are certain tried-and-true food combinations that should never be messed with. One classic example includes ripe, seductive figs paired with salty, supple prosciutto and fresh goat cheese. "Sweet, salty and creamy" -- you might call this trio a holy triumvirate. Add rosemary to the mix (which, technically, makes this a holy quadrumvirate), and you have a winning combination you can apply to salads, pizzas and bruschetta. This recipe, however, keeps the foursome exclusive, and simply wraps them up in a prosciutto-hugging, goat cheese-stuffed fig. Rosemary sprigs do double duty as a toothpick and an aromatic in these plump packages, securing the prosciutto and infusing their woodsy aroma into the cheese, while the figs roast and the prosciutto crisps in the oven. The short blast of heat quickly turns this delicious quadrumvirate into a sensational appetizer.

You can easily assemble the figs ahead of serving. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving and remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before roasting. The rosemary sprigs will discolor while cooking, so, before serving, discard and replace the sprigs with a few fresh rosemary leaves as a bright and aromatic garnish.

Roasted Figs With Prosciutto, Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Yield: 16 servings

8 large Brown Turkey or Black Mission figs (ripe, but not mushy)

3 ounces softened fresh goat cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

16 (3/4-inch) rosemary sprigs, with stems

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing

Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish

Runny honey for garnish

Finely grated lemon zest for garnish

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut each fig in half lengthwise and place on a work surface, cut side up. Gently make a small indentation in each center with a teaspoon. Mix the goat cheese and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Fill the indentation with goat cheese. Wrap a prosciutto slice around the fig, crosswise, like a belt. Spear a rosemary sprig through the center to hold the prosciutto in place. Repeat with the remaining fig halves.

Place the figs in a baking dish and lightly brush the prosciutto strips with olive oil. Bake until the prosciutto begins to crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove and transfer the figs to a platter. Gently remove and discard the baked rosemary sprigs; fill the incision with a few fresh rosemary leaves. Lightly drizzle the figs with honey and garnish with lemon zest. Serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS