Whether your winter entertaining leans more toward casual gabfests with friends or TV-themed gatherings to watch awards shows or the Super Bowl, a big batch of chili is a sure bet for satisfying guests. This hearty three-bean recipe, featuring mushrooms and seitan, is chunky and chewy, with just the right balance of heat and spice. Paired with homemade cornbread muffins, Key lime pie, and a big tossed salad, it’s a party meal that’s worthy of a trophy, an award, or a toast from fellow diners.

This chili is made with a base of seitan and mushrooms for a rich, thick dish that is, for lack of a better word, meaty! If you like your chili three-alarm hot, add an extra chipotle chile or two.

Nutritional information: 276 calories, 24g protein, 5g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 33g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 844mg sodium, 9g fiber, and 4g sugar

Yield: 1 cup packed cookie dough

Serve in a bun with vegan mayonnaise, mustard, and lettuce, or slice and serve over a salad with a mustard-based dressing.

Alternatively, you can make hot unwings by smothering slices of the fried seitan in sauce and baking them at 300° for a few minutes (to warm and thicken the sauce). A cashew-based “blue uncheese” sauce will pair nicely with the spice, serving as a cool accent. Just don’t forget the celery!

This recipe is genius. I used bottled sauce, but there are also plenty of vegan Worcestershire recipes online that I’m sure would work great.

Colcannon is an Irish dish traditionally served on Hallowe’en, with coins hidden in the mash for children to find, but has also served as a regular staple. It’s similar to the English dish Bubble and Squeak, which was popular during WWII as a cheap and nutritious combination of leftovers. There are lots of variations on the dish, so experiment to see what suits you best:

You can use cabbage or kale. Onions, leeks, and green onions can be used interchangeably in this dish.

Some insist that the potatoes must be mashed smoothly, but the kale breaks the smoothness up enough not to notice some potato skin.

It’s spicy — there’s a lot of nutmeg and cinnamon — and it just has a great, warm flavor. It’s also got a great texture; it’s fluffy and moist with a nice crumb. It kind of just melts in your mouth. A slice of this is the perfect way to wake up in the morning.

The ingredients are also pretty darn wholesome, so if you’re looking to sneak in a few extra veggies onto a picky eater’s plate, this might be just what you’re looking for. If that’s the case, you should probably just call it “Spicy Awesome Bread.” Or if you’re looking to instill fear, Midwestern grandma-style, call it “Spicy Surprise Bread.”

Yield: 2 loaves

Try this fresh and flavorful salsa as a side dish, a tasty topping to your tacos, or simply scoop it up with some tortilla chips for a delicious snack.

Yield: 2 cups (serving size: about 1/4 cup)

This fresh dish is full of flavor and easy to whip up. Seitan has a neutral flavor and a chewy texture.

This fresh recipe embraces summer and ramps up the flavor! Pico de Gallo is best when made the day you plan to serve it. Prepare it early the morning of the party.

Makes 3 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Nutritional information: 83 calories (0.0% from fat) 6.9g fat, 0.9g saturated fat, 4.5g monounsaturated fat, 0.9g polyunsaturated fat, 1.2g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 2.8g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 0.4mg iron, 5.7mg sodium, and 12mg calcium.