Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. 25 Staff-Favorite Recipes

25 Staff-Favorite Recipes

September 23, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
We combed the archives, grilled readers, polled online users, and interrogated staff with one goal in mind: Find the all-time favorite Cooking Light dishes.
Start Slideshow

1 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

How We Picked

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
Define "favorite," you say. It turns out there is more than one definition. Some cited no-fail standbys, dishes they make over and over. Others nominated recipes that represent an ideal expression of a dish, be it casual, fast, or fancy. Eventually we had a too-long list, so we retested everything. Some fell out under hard judging; some got flavor tweaks or nutrition makeovers. A few passed with no alterations at all. The final 25 are, no matter the definition, true favorites.

1 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Beef Daube Provençal

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Beef Daube Provençal

First Featured in 2004

The definition of a meaty stew: great today, even better tomorrow. We just love this recipe, and according to the online reviews, so do many of you. It's foolproof, surefire, an absolute winner. We wouldn't change a thing.

2 of 26

3 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Brioche Rolls

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Brioche Rolls

First Featured in 2010

When we retested these rolls (originally a recipe makeover) for this story, we were unanimous in our praise: They are perfect as is. Each roll has about 75% fewer calories and 80% less fat than classic brioche rolls, but all the flaky, buttery essence is thankfully still there. An overnight proof in the fridge builds depth and flavor; don't be tempted to skip that step.

3 of 26

Advertisement

4 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

First Featured in 2010

Crispy breaded fish is a weeknight favorite, and you can have it without reaching into the freezer case. What we love about this recipe is that you don't even need to pan-fry the fillets; they get breaded and go right under the broiler. Be sure to use a broiler pan; the air vents keep the fish from getting soggy. Our only change was to slightly decrease the amount of salt—it's still fantastic.

4 of 26

5 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Catalonian Pepper and Nut Sauce (Salsa Romesco)

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Catalonian Pepper and Nut Sauce (Salsa Romesco)

First Featured in 2008

Making this recipe is time well spent: You'll be rewarded with lots of smoky-garlicky-peppery sauce, which keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for a couple of months. There are lots of delicious ways to use it: Dip veggies or steamed shrimp in it, use it to flavor omelets, thin it with a little vinegar and water for salad dressing, try it as a sandwich spread, or smear it over pizza dough for a Spanish pie.

5 of 26

6 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

First Featured in 2006

This recipe received multiple nominations for its family-friendly appeal. It's lick-your-fingers good, with a sweet-spicy sauce draped over spice-rubbed chicken. We tweaked it just a bit to make it a little less sweet, and we love it even more.

6 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pork Posole

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Pork Posole

First Featured in 2011

It's amazing how much flavor there is in such a humble (and, by the way, inexpensive) dish. The star of the soup is hominy, with its chewy texture and toasty-corn character; you'll find it with the Latin foods in the supermarket. Updates were minor: We simply omitted some oil and meat drippings for a cleaner broth.

7 of 26

8 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
View Recipe: Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños

First Featured in 2011

With their cheesy bacon filling, these poppers are addictive. While we didn't want to futz with this recipe, we recognize that jalapeños vary wildly in heat level—sometimes incendiary and sometimes mild. So here's a suggestion: If you'll have guests who are sensitive to heat, try doing half the batch in jalapeños (for the chile-heads) and half in mini sweet peppers. That way, everyone wins!

8 of 26

9 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fresh Pear Cocktail

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Fresh Pear Cocktail

First Featured in 2010

We adore this drink, with fresh pear juice (easy to make!) lending its unmistakable sweet flavor and fragrance. It still makes us swoon exactly as we first published it.

9 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Herbed Cheese Pizzas

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Herbed Cheese Pizzas

First Featured in 2002

These pizzas were originally part of a story on Turkish street food, and boy did they steal the show: We talked about them for months. With a crisp-tender crust and savory-tangy topping featuring deliciously salty kasseri cheese, they're simply divine. The recipe makes eight individual pizzas, enough for an interactive cooking party. The original recipe didn't meet our current sodium and calorie guidelines, so we adjusted a few ingredients. Great news: The pizzas are still show-stealers.

10 of 26

11 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Brazilian Feijoada

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Brazilian Feijoada

First Featured in 2011

In our experience, slow-cooker recipes can sometimes be a little disappointing—flavors a bit exhausted, textures a bit too soft. Not so with this recipe, a standout in every way. It's a classic Brazilian dish (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) that is pure porky perfection, one we'll happily enjoy whenever we get the chance. Serve over rice, and be sure to spritz with the orange wedge for a fresh, sweet finish.

11 of 26

12 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Saucy Chicken Marsala

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Saucy Chicken Marsala

First Featured in 2010

When we revisited David Bonom's 2010 recipe Chicken and Mushrooms with Marsala Wine Sauce, we loved it but wanted more of the earthy, wine-licked sauce. Our update keeps the soul of the original dish, but with more luscious, 'shroomy goodness. You simply must serve it over mashed potatoes, polenta, or spaghetti to catch all the sauce.

12 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Slow-Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

First Featured in 2009

Though we adore the recipe these are based on (David Bonom's Aromatic Slow-Roasted Tomatoes from December 2009), we wanted a faster update. So in place of plum tomatoes went little grape tomatoes, which roast to concentrated sweetness in less than half the time. Serve as they are for a side dish, on crostini with ricotta for an appetizer, or tossed with pasta and oil for a main dish.

13 of 26

14 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cumin-Crusted Sablefish

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Cumin-Crusted Sablefish

Round out the moneymaking sides at your New Year’s Day feast with a simple main of baked cod or sablefish. Fish is often seen at Jewish or Chinese New Year’s celebrations, a symbol of fertility, abundance, and—you guessed it—good fortune. This recipe uses just five ingredients, but the flavor payoff is huge, especially if you take an extra minute to toast and grind the whole cumin seeds.

14 of 26

15 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chicken, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Chicken, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

First Featured in 2013

We took four of the top recipe search categories from our website—chicken, kale, quinoa, and soup—and combined them into one tasty dish that we think will become your new favorite. Rinse the quinoa to ensure that any bitter coating is removed.

15 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chicken Enchiladas

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas

First Featured in 2012

For many staffers, this is the go-to make-for-company dish—a sure bet. Once you taste the mix of spicy jalapeño, tangy salsa verde, tender chicken, and luscious cream cheese, you'll be as hooked as we are.

16 of 26

17 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Green Curry Fritters

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Green Curry Fritters

First Featured in 2012

Talk about flavor! Green curry paste (found in the Asian-foods section) and chile paste impart tons of savory-spicy-fragrant hits to ground chicken. Only a tiny tweak to this recipe: Our fritters got a little too browned, so we reduced the cooking temperature from medium-high to medium and cooked them a little longer.

17 of 26

18 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze

First Featured in 1996

Mom's Banana Bread, a recipe dating back to 1996, when it was submitted by reader Stacey A. Johnson, has been a consistent staff and reader favorite. The new chocolate topping makes it even more irresistible.

18 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip

First Featured in 2000

This has been a staff favorite ever since we first tried it 13 years ago. It's rich, savory, and supercreamy, with a nice hit of garlic. We made a few small tweaks—increased the amount of spinach and decreased the mozzarella to lower the sat fat to an acceptable level. Serve with tortilla chips.

19 of 26

20 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Whole-Wheat, Buttermilk, and Orange Pancakes

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Whole-Wheat, Buttermilk, and Orange Pancakes

First Featured in 2002

Here we've updated Bill and Cheryl Jamison's fantastic Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes from 2002 with a little citrus zest. Allowing the batter to sit before cooking gives the leaveners a chance to work, creating light, fluffy pancakes.

20 of 26

21 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fresh Lemonade Cake

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Fresh Lemonade Cake

First Featured in 2002

Lemonade Layer Cake, developed by Ann Taylor Pittman as a recipe makeover, has been loved by readers since it debuted in April 2002. When we retested it for this story, we felt we could make big improvements in the texture and flavor. Instead of using a lemonade product, we've made a concentrated fresh lemonade syrup that adds zippy citrus hits to the more-tender cake.

21 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie

First Featured in 2011

No changes here: We love the combo of deep, rich chocolate and the tingly pinch of cinnamon and red pepper. We also enjoy the ease and forgiving nature of a graham cracker crust, which is less fussy than pastry. If you can't find espresso granules with the coffee, look in the Latin-foods section (that's where we sometimes find them).

22 of 26

23 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mocha Cake with Fluffy Meringue Topping

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Mocha Cake with Fluffy Meringue Topping

Since 2006, readers have professed their love for contest winner Anna Ginsberg's One-Bowl Chocolate Mocha Cream Cake, touting it as the moistest cake ever. We agree—the cake is incredible. But online reviews suggested that the topping could use some tweaking. Instead of the original "mocha cream" of whipped topping, marshmallow creme, and coffee, we now have a creamy, less-sweet meringue. We also replaced reduced-fat mayonnaise (yes, mayo—it's the secret ingredient that makes for a fantastically moist cake) with canola mayo, our current product of choice.

23 of 26

24 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

First Featured in 2001

We've adored this recipe for more than a decade. Something magical happens when asparagus picks up a little toasty flavor, then gets tossed in nutty browned butter with a splash of sweet balsamic vinegar: The vegetable outshines the entrée.

24 of 26

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mashed Potato Casserole

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole

First Featured in 2011

Give us this any night of the week—two types of spuds blended with cream cheese and crowned with a crispy, cheesy crumb topping. We changed the procedure from using a food mill to a ricer, but you can use either one, or a standard potato masher.

25 of 26

26 of 26

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bistro Roast Chicken

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Bistro Roast Chicken

First Featured in 2008

Boy, were we happy to rekindle our affair with this bird. Five ingredients (not counting salt, pepper, and cooking spray), and you have an absolutely delicious, moist, beautiful roast chicken. Fresh tarragon is crucial; don't leave it out. Our only update was to decrease the salt just a bit to bring the sodium within our current nutrition guidelines.

26 of 26

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 26 How We Picked
    2 of 26 Beef Daube Provençal
    3 of 26 Brioche Rolls
    4 of 26 Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce
    5 of 26 Catalonian Pepper and Nut Sauce (Salsa Romesco)
    6 of 26 Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
    7 of 26 Pork Posole
    8 of 26 Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños
    9 of 26 Fresh Pear Cocktail
    10 of 26 Herbed Cheese Pizzas
    11 of 26 Brazilian Feijoada
    12 of 26 Saucy Chicken Marsala
    13 of 26 Slow-Roasted Grape Tomatoes
    14 of 26 Cumin-Crusted Sablefish
    15 of 26 Chicken, Kale, and Quinoa Soup
    16 of 26 Chicken Enchiladas
    17 of 26 Green Curry Fritters
    18 of 26 Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze
    19 of 26 Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip
    20 of 26 Whole-Wheat, Buttermilk, and Orange Pancakes
    21 of 26 Fresh Lemonade Cake
    22 of 26 Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie
    23 of 26 Mocha Cake with Fluffy Meringue Topping
    24 of 26 Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
    25 of 26 Mashed Potato Casserole
    26 of 26 Bistro Roast Chicken

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    25 Staff-Favorite Recipes
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.