Midwest Living Winter 2022 Recipes

The combination of spiced, buttery pears; tart creme fraiche; and baked pancake is sublime, and so festive. For maximum puff, let the eggs and milk sit out for 30 minutes to take the chill off before making the batter.

This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)

This creamy, whole-grain salad earned raves in our test kitchen. It's hardy enough to be a meatless main, or enjoy it as a festive side dish or cold-weather potluck star.

Tamales are a project, but so worth it—especially with friends or family helping with assembly. This recipe comes from chef Jorge Guzmán of Petite León in Minneapolis.

Related: Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

This scrumptious, nutty and oh-so-festive biscotti is sturdy enough to wrap, store or ship for gifting—or keeping to dip in coffee!

Rebekah Stuber of Bay Laurel Baking Company in Des Moines says her flavor-packed spice cakes always earn the most raves. Her secret to airy cream cheese frosting? Folding in whipped cream.

Related: Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

This easy cheese spread from Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, author of Platters and Boards, is highly addictive thanks to the slight tang and brightness from marinated artichoke hearts and smokiness from the smoked gouda. You can make the spread a few days ahead and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Related: The No-Fail Relish Tray is Here

This delicious (and big!) celebration cake is a staple at Bake Chicago and a particular favorite at the holidays. It has a wonderfully fudgy, old-fashioned, homemade texture. The frosting has an unusual method that may feel initially like it's failing, but stick with it. Laced with sour cream, it's creamy and utterly delicious.

This pretty cake boasts dark rich layers and silky Swiss meringue buttercream. That frosting is where you get the peppermint flavor, so baker Kristine Moberg of Queen City Bakery says to use a high-quality extract like Nielsen-Massey.

Weeknight-friendly pork tenderloin, pears, potato and onion bake on the same pan—dressed in maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and herbs.

Is this cake easy? Not really, admits chef Gavin Kaysen of Bellecour Bakery in the Twin Cities. But will it blow people away with its many layers, luscious creaminess and subtle vanilla flavor? Absolutely. (And every component can be made ahead.) You can even purchase a step-by-step video tutorial on his website.

Chef Jorge Guzmán of Petite León in Minneapolis uses two kinds of toasted dried chiles in the braised brisket filling for these tamales, creating deep, layered flavor.

This festive holiday cocktail comes together quickly after you've made the rosemary simple syrup. The recipe comes from Indiana cookbook author Shelly Westerhausen Worcel.

Reine Keis of SweetArt Cafe in St. Louis says that the secret to vegan baking is not assuming that one plant-based alternative fits all recipes. In this truly cozy cake, coconut yogurt is her power play.

Tamales often feature meaty fillings, but this earthy recipe from chef Jorge Guzmán of Petite León in Minneapolis is vegetarian. The dark color comes from huitlacoche, a fungus that grows on corn and has been used in Mexican cooking for centuries. (You can buy it canned online or at some Mexican markets.)

These sweet and slightly spicy pickled carrots created by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, author of Platters and Boards, should be made at least 24 hours ahead of time so they have time for their flavors to develop. Although they will stay good in the fridge for over a week, they may lose some crunch after a couple of days.

Related: The No-Fail Relish Tray is Here