Our Favorite Recipes of 2015

Rich cream sauce stands in for canned soup in Minnesota chef Amy Thielen's spin on classic chicken and wild rice hotdish. The recipe comes from Amy's book The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com).Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish

Pillowy Morning Burns, inspired by the original Brittany Buns from Madison, Wisconsin, need no caramel or pecans. They're perfect in their buttery, sugar-crusted simplicity. The recipe is from The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com) by Minnesota chef Amy Thielen.Morning Buns

Our hearty salad tastes equally good warm from the pan, cold from the fridge or even at room temperature, so it's perfect for make-ahead meals and leftover lunches. Other grains, such as barley, faro or wild rice, also work well in this salad.Roasted Kale, Tomato and Chickpea Salad with Wheat Berries

This creamy, crazy-delicious lasagna is simple, too, thanks to jarred Alfredo sauce and no-boil noodles. If you're lucky enough to have a specialty grocery store or Italian deli that sells all-natural refrigerated Alfredo sauce without preservatives, this is a great way to use it.Ham and Mushroom Lasagna

Loaded with protein and fresh greens, this is a simple yet flavorful potato salad. Paired with a fruit salad, it's almost hearty enough to eat as a meal.Greens, Eggs and Ham Potato Salad

When did being vanilla become an insult? This stack of golden crepes and creamy mascarpone is simple, elegant and deceptively delicious. Supermarket crepes are larger than homemade ones, so if you use purchased, you'll need to make an extra half batch of filling, or just make a cake with fewer layers.Vanilla Bean Crepe Cake

It's not just a salad-it's a crunchy, juicy, sweet, salty, tart, buttery, nutty potluck dazzler.Mexican Citrus Salad with Avocado

A Mexican standard and guaranteed backyard crowd-pleaser, our brown-sugar sheet cake is soaked in milky syrup, chilled, then topped with whipped cream and berries.Tres Leches Cake

Cumin- and orange-perfumed pulled pork tastes great topped with sliced green onion, jicama and our salsa verde.Slow-Cooker Carnitas TacosNo-Cook Salsa Verde

One-pan cooking, summer-style: As the vegetables and brats finish grilling, nestle them in a pan of seasoned sauerkraut.Grilled Veggies and Brats in Kraut

FrozBroz, an underground ice cream biz in Minneapolis, has a Wonka-meets-Robin Hood spirit. Every week, Ben Solberg and Erik Powers give away pints of wildly inventive new flavors like Toasted Grits with Maple Syrup or this scrumptious Jam 'n' Graham Buttermilk Ice Cream, rippled with strawberry jam and graham cracker piecrust crumbles.Jam ‘n' Graham Buttermilk Ice Cream

These sundaes are more than just another excuse to ride the Mason jar wave. There's genius under that screw-top, thanks to inspiration from Silver Lining Creamery in Rapid City. Bake the cake batter in the jars; pile ice cream, fudge and nuts on top; then stash them in the freezer to serve later. They're perfect for serving at outdoor parties in large silver tubs filled with ice.Red Velvet Sundae Jars

Pumpkin-pie spice is the secret ingredient in this nutrient-packed side dish.Wilted Asian Kale

Dry-cured country ham adds smoky-salty flavor to veggies, but regular ham will work as well.Brussels Sprouts with Ham and Leeks

The bitter earthiness of Swiss chard hides under a healthy dose of garlic and crushed red pepper in this soothingly satisfying weeknight supper dish.Chard, Mushroom and Cannellini Beans over Parmesan Polenta

Horseradish adds zing, celery adds crunch and pickles add tang to this addictive cream cheese spread. We prefer to serve it with unsalted crackers or flatbread. Look for smoked whitefish at specialty groceries, or substitute another hot-smoked fish (such as salmon).Smoked Whitefish Spread

Luxuriously silky leeks-slow-cooked in butter and seasoned with lemon juice and thyme-ripple through sweet potatoes. Feel free to substitute ordinary potatoes if you prefer.Mashed Sweet Potato with Melted Leeks

This grand finale of a dessert features maple-burnished pears, drifts of lemony whipped cream and a sprinkling of candied pine nuts. It's all about contrasts-warm and cool, creamy and crunchy, sweet and tart. And best of all, all three components can be made ahead of time.Roasted Pears with Lemon Cream and Candied Pine Nuts