Our Best Recipes of 2014

This flavorful soup from Mary Ann Van Wassenhove of Mitchell, South Dakota, is a breeze to make and is heartier than other, similar soups thanks to kidney beans and broccoli.Italian Soup

Bacon, grilled chicken, crisp romaine and a fried egg crowd inside a flaky croissant. Our dressing includes anchovy fillets for authentic Caesar flavor; if you'd prefer to leave them out, increase the Worcestershire sauce to 2 teaspoons. (Or you can substitute bottled Caesar dressing for the homemade to make the recipe more streamlined.)Chicken Caesar Egg Sandwich

A dollop of whipped cream foam crowns this rich, chocolatey mousse. For maximum fun, serve the mousse in mugs.Dark Mocha Mousse

This hearty, healthy salad combines juicy fruit, flavorful fresh herbs and warm spices. Even people who are skeptical of the nutritious bulgur wheat will be surprised how much they like it.Orange Tabbouleh

What's Maltaise Sauce, you ask? It's just hollandaise sauce with a bit of orange zest and juice added. But you wouldn't believe how that bit of zing transforms this brunch standard.Eggs Benedict with Maltaise Sauce

This North Woods-inspired recipe from Cheryl Francke of Arden Hills, Minnesota, was a finalist in our Best of the Midwest® recipe contest. Cranberry-Orange Wild Rice Muffins

Classic strawberry shortcake reveals its dark, chocolatey side with these luscious mini cakes. The recipe makes 18, so they're perfect for parties.Chocolate-Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

Simple and perfect are the only way to describe this fabulous salad from chef Michael Ollier of Certified Angus Beef in Wooster, Ohio. The steak, blue cheese and garden-fresh veggies meld beautifully with the honey-sweetened balsamic dressing.Steakhouse Salad with Ribeye and Blue Cheese

Ready in 30 minutes, this restaurant-style noodle bowl is a breeze to throw together. Coconut milk and fish sauce-Thai staples available at the supermarket-impart authentic flavor.Coconut Chicken Noodle Bowl

If you love Thai peanut sauce, you'll go nuts for this simple pizza. We especially love how the veggies go on after the pizza bakes, so they stay fresh, crispy and colorful.Spicy Chicken-Peanut Thai Pizza

Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Strawberries lend sweetness to this marmalade, though enough bitterness remains to satisfy purists. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.Strawberry Marmalade

Although this recipe looks long, the sandwiches are actually quite efficient to make, even on a weeknight, because you saute the veggies while the meatballs bake.Mexican Chicken Meatball Subs

Soy sauce, ginger, sugar and nutty almonds lend this cabbage mixture a sweet and salty appeal.Nutty Asian Cabbage with Plums

Salty bacon and Cajun seasoning liven up this roasted veggie mixture for a hearty side.Cajun Sweet Corn and Bacon Jumble

This über-sweet pie is essentially a traditional pecan pie made with hazelnuts. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies (tauntonstore.com).Redemption Hazelnut Pie

These ultrarich, nutty bars are a great addition to your brownie repertoire.Scandinavian Brownies

We used this rich, nutty-tasting whole-grain dough for iced picture-frame cookies, but the cookies taste great uniced, too.Cardamom-Rye CookiesSee a short video on how to paint these cookies.

A marinade made of rosemary, orange juice and sorghum (a syrup that is stronger tasting than honey but less bitter than molasses) infuses the dish with sweetness and color. Chef Edward Lee swears by sorghum'’s flavor, but if you can'’t find it, molasses works.Cornish Game Hens with Root Vegetable Hash

It's time to retire your cocktail sauce. Chef Anne Kearney'’s slurp-worthy twist on a classic French condiment is outstanding with cold boiled shrimp. It does have a lot of ingredients-typical of ravigote-but the method is easy. You’'ll be rewarded with an empty dish at the end of the party.Creole Ravigote Dressing