Our Favorite Recipes of 2016

Start with a darn-good glazed meat loaf. Add toasted French bread, melted Muenster and peppery arugula (to make it fancy). Then douse it all in special sauce (because fancy needs to loosen up).Cheeseburger-Style Meat Loaf Sandwich

We put everything we love about fall into this easy side dish- a riot of bright colors, hearty veggies, woodsy sage, and a brown sugar-sweetened hard cider glaze.Cider-Glazed Vegetables

This isn't a watery cocoa for the kids on movie night. It's a fully adult dessert that you just happen to sip from a cup. A dash of cayenne pepper makes the drink extra-warming without being overtly spicy.Double-Hot Drinking Chocolate

One of our testers described this tart's filling as "chocolate butter." We couldn't agree more. It's fantastically rich, with roast-toasty salted almonds in the crust and flaky sea salt on top to balance the sweetness.Salted Almond Truffle Tart

If mousse vacationed in a Sicilian villa, this is how it would taste when it came back. Olive oil lends sultry silkiness and fruity complexity. The apricot and pine nut topping is a sun-soaked (but optional) delight.Mediterranean Chocolate Mousse 

Many vegetarian chilies eat more like soups, but ours is built to satisfy a meat-lover. Bulgur wheat and mushrooms combine to mimic the texture and flavor of ground beef; chili powder, smoked paprika and chocolate stout lend deep, authentic flavor without a long simmer.Hearty Vegetarian Chili

This is caramel corn all grown up-studded with salted peanuts, flecked with rosemary and kissed with cayenne. Make a double batch to pack as gifts, or set a bowl on the coffee table as a way-fun alternative to Chex Mix.Spicy Rosemary-Peanut Caramel Corn

Don't be fooled by appearances. This dessert couldn't be easier. Vanilla ice cream, pistachios and crisp purchased meringues match wits with a triple threat of raspberry sorbet, jam and fresh fruit. Such an effortlessly glamorous dessert shouldn't taste this good.Frozen Raspberry Pistachio Terrine 

Minnesota blogger Molly Yeh often twists her challahs into simple spirals. This recipe-adapted from her cookbook Molly on the Range ($32.50, Rodale)- makes four small loaves, perfect for freezing or sharing. (Slightly stale challah also makes dreamy French toast.)Classic Challah