When you consider that we have tested and published more than 15,000 recipes during the past 20 years, you can appreciate what a daunting task it has been to identify our 20 all-time best. We polled our staff for their favorites, analyzed reader feedback, and went through each issue, page by page, to nominate contenders for the list. The result is our very best recipes in 20 categories, from our favorite beef, chicken, pork, and fish entrées to the best bar cookie and cake.
Here's to 20 years of great cooking. We hope you enjoy these favorites as much as we do.
Best Beef Recipe
Beef Daube Provencal
Best Appetizer
Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip
Best Vegetarian Entrée
Falafel with Avocado Spread
Best Vegetable Side Dish
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
Best Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Best Fish/Shellfish Recipe
Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli
Best Ice Cream/Sorbet
Fresh Orange Sorbet
Best Yeast Bread
Hawaiian Bubble Bread
Best Grain Side Dish
Creamed Corn with Bacon and Leeks
Best Potato Dish
Garlic Fries
Best Bar Cookie
Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies
Best Pork
Lombo di Maiale Coi Porri (Pan-Roasted Pork Loin with Leeks)
Best Salad
Green and Yellow Bean Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing and Feta Cheese
Best Quick Bread
Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
Best Chicken Dish
Roasted Chicken with Onions, Potatoes, and Gravy
Best Chili Stew
Chunky Two-Bean and Beef Chili
Best Pasta Dish
Cavatappi with Spinach, Beans, and Asiago Cheese
Best Soup
Baked Potato Soup
Best Rice Recipe
Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone
Best Pie/Cobbler
Coconut-Peach Cobbler with Bourbon-Peach Ice Cream