The Best Recipes of 2013

RX_1312 Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Our editors test and approve all recipes featured in our magazine, but these picks stand out above the rest.

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Maple-Pecan Sticky Buns

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Maple-Pecan Sticky Buns

Enjoy these morning glories without skimping on size. The secret? A low-fat roll mix creates extra-indulgent (and easy) sticky buns. To make ahead, assemble unbaked rolls in pans, cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight. Let stand 1 1/2 to 2 hours to rise; bake as directed.

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Sautéed Greens with Olive Oil-Fried Eggs

Photo: Johnny Autry

Recipe: Sautéed Greens with Olive Oil-Fried Eggs

The key here is to fry the eggs fast (listen for the sizzle) and baste the yolks with the hot oil until they're opaque. Serve over Saut é ed Greens and with a side of crusty bread.

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

This stovetop-to-oven method yields crisp, dark-golden skin and juicy, tender meat.

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Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

For an even chewier texture, substitute 1/2 cup hazelnut or almond flour for 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.

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Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon Bar Cheesecake

This indulgent recipe marries two delicious desserts: lemon bars and cheesecake. Using a dark springform pan ensures a golden brown crust without having to bake before adding the filling.

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Collards and Kimchi

Photo: Robbie Caponetto, Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Collards and Kimchi

Edward Lee, chef and owner of 610 Magnolia (Louisville, KY), celebrates two humble ingredients, using sautéed country ham and onions to create a robust harmony of sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors.

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Piña Colada Icebox Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Piña Colada Icebox Pie

Forget the rolling pin and tricked-out lattice topping—just pat the crust in the pan, add a little tropical flair (we're talking a delicious pineapple-coconut filling here), then bake and chill.

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Roasted Carrots with Avocado and Feta Vinaigrette

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Roasted Carrots with Avocado and Feta Vinaigrette

In this salad, char, spice, and creaminess meld. The key to roasting veggies is to use similarly sized pieces. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet, and roast in a very hot oven until just tender.

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Pepper Jelly and Ginger Glazed Ham

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pepper Jelly and Ginger Glazed Ham

You can use any supermarket bone-in or semi-boneless smoked ham for this recipe, but choose one brined in natural juices. Or order from one of our favorite small Southern producers. (For a list, visit southernliving.com/ham).

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35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: 35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake

Over-ripe bananas (yellow peels splotched with brown flecks) are best for baking. You won't get the same depth of flavor or moistness without them.

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Strawberries and Cream Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Strawberries and Cream Cake

We used 6 (8-inch) disposable aluminum foil cake pans, so we could fill all the pans at once. This way, if you bake the layers in batches, the second batch is ready to go in the oven as soon as the first is done.

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Woodshed Margarita

Photo: Jody Horton

Recipe: Woodshed Margarita

This backyard cocktail gets its smoky flavor from cedar-infused tequila.

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Biscuit BLTs

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Biscuit BLTs

Try this Southern twist on a classic. Basil pesto gives a fresh spin on these tried-and-true flavors.

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Sweet Onion Stacks

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Onion Stacks

Salty strips of bacon and a tart Champagne vinaigrette play against the layered richness of sweet char-grilled onions and creamy goat cheese. Feel free to mix and match the stacks, maybe even slip in a sliced peach or two.

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Caramelized Sweet Onion Tarte Tatin

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Caramelized Sweet Onion Tarte Tatin

For maximum flavor, use a high-quality brand of frozen puff pastry dough that tastes of butter and gives rise to crisp, flaky layers.

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Buttermilk-Ricotta Cheese Dip

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Buttermilk-Ricotta Cheese Dip

If you've never tried homemade ricotta, then you're in for a tasty surprise. This will change the way you think about the store-bought kind. Be sure to stir only when indicated in the recipe.

Watch Us Make It: Buttermilk-Ricotta Cheese Dip

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Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

Looking for a party-perfect treat that's a cut above the classic fruit-filled cobbler? Consider it found.

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Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

We raised the ante on classic tomato pie with a sour cream crust studded with bacon, layers of colorful tomatoes, and plenty of cheese and herbs to tie it all together. For best results, seed the tomatoes and drain the slices before baking.

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Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Bragging rights for this flavor-packed, perfectly balanced favorite (from The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook) go to Blair Hobbs of Oxford, Mississippi.

Cooking Video: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

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Candied Jalapeños

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Candied Jalapeños

This is our new go-to summer condiment. Chill at least 48 hours ahead so the jalapeños have time to take on a fiery-sweet crunch.

Watch Us Make It: Candied Jalapeños

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Patchwork Cobbler

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Patchwork Cobbler

Topped with squares of sugar-crusted pastry, this cobbler shows off summer fruits in a rich, just-sweet-enough-filling.

Watch Us Make It: Patchwork Cobbler

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Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Turn out a high-rise cake with a moist, tender crumb by layering the ingredients in the bowl in the order specified. Don't have a stand mixer with a 4-qt. bowl and paddle attachment? Prep the batter the traditional way.

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Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone

Blister and burst tomatoes under the broiler to hide imperfections and concentrate flavor. Use extras to fill omelets or sandwiches.

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Melon and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Melon and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

Build the base of this sweet, salty, and crunchy salad with any melon.

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Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

Swap new veggies to transform the meal. Go Mediterranean with cauliflower florets and eggplant.

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Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

Top a showstopping crown of Mascarpone Frosting with swirls of Apple Cider Caramel Sauce and a scattering of salty-sweet Spiced Pecans. Caramel sauce, rather than fosting, sandwiches together the moist cake layers.

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Grill-Roasted Chicken

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Grill-Roasted Chicken

Grilling over the indirect heat of a two-zone fire mimics oven heat. An aromatic rack of early fall apples and vegetables catches all the chicken’s flavorful juices.

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Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders

For a cool, crunchy slider topping, toss thinly sliced celery and fresh parsley leaves with a splash of Champagne vinegar and drizzle of olive oil. Season with table salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

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Pork-and-Green Bean Stir-Fry

Photo: Melina Hammer

Recipe: Pork-and-Green Bean Stir-Fry

The key to this dish is developing a nice char on the green beans. To do so, heat the oil in your skillet until it almost smokes before adding the beans. Let them sear, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, and they'll take on color. Feel free to sub thinly sliced strips of red bell pepper instead of hot chiles.

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Skillet Cornbread

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Skillet Cornbread

Quickly incorporate the hot bacon drippings into the batter with a fork. When you pour it back into the hot skillet, listen for the sizzle. That sound means your crust will be dark golden and crisp.

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Tex-Mex Chicken Chili with Lime

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tex-Mex Chicken Chili with Lime

Store-bought rotisserie chicken shortcuts the cook time, while white ale adds spice, body, and flavor.

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Buttermilk-Glazed Mini Fig Cakes with Vanilla Hard Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Buttermilk-Glazed Mini Fig Cakes with Vanilla Hard Sauce

Muffin pans make the perfect baking vessels for these little fig cakes. Gussy them up by spooning a dollop or piping a silver dollar of hard sauce on top, and then garnish them with halved fresh figs, fresh herbs, or even pecan halves.

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Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pecan Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pecan Pie

A cross between a fudge pie and pecan pie, you can experiment with different looks by arranging the pecans however you like.

Cooking Video: Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pecan Pie

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Coconut-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Make and refrigerate without the topping a day ahead. Whip and add the topping before serving.

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Naughty Olives

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Naughty Olives

This spirited olive garnish makes a tasty and delightful food gift.

Package Them In: Weck Tall 9.8-oz. Glass Jar ($3.50; westelm.com)

Download the Tags: Naughty Olives

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Pecan-and-Dill-Crusted Salmon

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pecan-and-Dill-Crusted Salmon

This refined whole side of salmon takes only 10 minutes to prep and makes for a stunning presentation. Whether you serve it for a holiday dinner, casual brunch, or Sunday supper you and your family will definitely want to keep this one on the rotation.

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Pizza Casserole Deluxe

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Pizza Casserole Deluxe

Win over all of the kids and grown-ups in your house with this new instant classic that feeds more than two everything pizzas. Fresh and packaged mozzarella give it the best melty consistency.

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Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake

The trick to creating looping swirls is to gently layer the batter around the Bundt pan with a small cookie scoop. No need to swirl with a knife; it will marble as it bakes. Finish it off with a Snowy White Vanilla Glaze.

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Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Whimsy meets elegance in all five layers of this red velvet-white chocolate wonder.

Watch: Assembling Our White Layer Cake

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The Best Recipes of 2013

1 of 40

Maple-Pecan Sticky Buns

1 of 40

2 of 40

Sautéed Greens with Olive Oil-Fried Eggs

2 of 40

3 of 40

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

3 of 40

4 of 40

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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5 of 40

Lemon Bar Cheesecake

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6 of 40

Collards and Kimchi

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7 of 40

Piña Colada Icebox Pie

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8 of 40

Roasted Carrots with Avocado and Feta Vinaigrette

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9 of 40

Pepper Jelly and Ginger Glazed Ham

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10 of 40

35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake

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11 of 40

Strawberries and Cream Cake

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12 of 40

Woodshed Margarita

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Biscuit BLTs

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Sweet Onion Stacks

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Caramelized Sweet Onion Tarte Tatin

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Buttermilk-Ricotta Cheese Dip

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Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

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Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie

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Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

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Candied Jalapeños

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Patchwork Cobbler

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Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

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Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone

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Melon and Crispy Prosciutto Salad

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Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

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Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake