Soup Chick®

Slow cooker beef and refried bean chili with salsa and lime, from Kalyn's Kitchen

Just in time for Super Bowl party menu planning, this slow cooker beef and refried bean chili from Kalyn's Kitchen is a proven crowd pleaser. A can of refried beans thickens the chili, and salsa gives it kick. Set the ingredients in the slow cooker first thing in the morning, and your chili will be ready to serve at halftime. Top with a squirt of lime, or set up a toppings bar with slices of avocado, sour cream, grated cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Chunky beef chili with butternut squash, from Sass & Veracity

In the beans-or-no-beans debate, where do your chili preferences lie? I love my chili both ways, but there's something about the purity of no-beans chili that I find irresistible. This chunky beef chili with butternut squash, from Kelly at Sass & Veracity, packs plenty of heat from both canned green chiles and dried ancho chile peppers, and features chunks of beef brisket and sweet butternut squash. Set this to cook in the late morning, and it will be ready in plenty of time for dinner. Or, make it ahead and freeze in small portions to enjoy for lunch during the week.

Slow cooker pumpkin black bean chicken chili, from Eat at Home

When canned pumpkin purée goes on sale every October, I fill the pantry so I can make soups and breads right through the winter. If you have canned pumpkin and a rotisserie chicken, or leftover roast or baked chicken, you can toss them into the slow cooker with a few more ingredients from the pantry, and five hours later, you'll have this gorgeous chili that's sure to please the entire family. If you're serving this for a grown-up crowd, you can add a few shakes of hot sauce, to your taste.