If anything good came out of 2020, it was the things that came out of our ovens. We'll never forget the banana breads, sourdough loafs, and ambitious roasts we prepared to stave off anxiety during a year we are now desperate to leave behind.
If you plan to stay busy with cooking projects this winter, as we do, we rounded up the most popular recipes we published this year, from birria tacos to creamy crab carbonara.
1. Birria Tacos
Claudette Zepeda's take on succulent, tender birria tacos was the most clicked-on recipe we published this year, and for good reason: They're perfect.
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2. Hong Kong Milk Tea Tiramisu
Top Chef All-Stars winner Melissa King uses a concentrated powdered black tea to add complexity to this rich, subtly sweet tiramisu.
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3. Summer Crab Carbonara with Lemon and Capers
This creamy, bright take on carbonara was our unofficial dish of the summer, all thanks to Best New Chef Douglass Williams.
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4. Lemon Blueberry Cake with Lemon-Zest Glaze
We like to eat this rich treat for breakfast, but it also makes an indulgent dessert.
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5. Honey Pepper Coconut Shrimp
Although his breading technique at Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack in Asheville is a closely guarded secret, chef Rich Cundiff shared this riff on his coconut shrimp exclusively with Food & Wine.
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6. Brown-Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Melting butter in a skillet until it's golden brown and nutty lends these chewy cookies an irresistible depth of flavor.
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7. Northern Standard
This full-flavored, Manhattan-like cocktail got one of our writer's through this year: "I dream of returning to my favorite seat at the bar, in the far-right corner by the fireplace, the best spot for people-watching and gossiping with the bartenders. Until then, I'll make my Northern Standards at home. They'll get me through like they always do."
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8. One-Pot White Wine Pasta with Mushrooms and Leeks
If there was ever a year we needed one-pot recipes, it was 2020. This rich, earthy pasta is the perfect low-lift weeknight dinner.
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9. Venetian Shrimp Polenta
David McAnn recreated one of the best meals he's ever eaten-schie con polenta in Venice-so we can all enjoy it at home.
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10. Potato Bacon and Cheddar Tart
Make sure to save the extra bacon drippings for toast, basting roasted chicken, or for making cornbread.
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