Best Recipes of 2012

This is your go-to recipe when you need a chicken-and-noodle comfort food fix--with a kick. The secret ingredient is the curry paste, originally from Malaysia and now popular all over northern Thailand. It keeps in the fridge for months, and once you have it, you can whip up this recipe any time. Use the larger amount if you like heat.

Recipe: Thai Chicken and Noodle Curry

We couldn't get enough of this inventive recipe from Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, who serve these juicy, well-marbled boned short ribs with housemade kimchi at their restaurant Joule, in Seattle. For grilling the kimchi, you'll need a metal rack (the kind for cooling cookies works well) or perforated grill pan.

Recipe: Short Rib "Steaks" with Grilled Kimchi

Sometimes the simplest desserts really are the best, as is the case with this homey, buttery cake laced with hints of lemon and bursts of fresh raspberries. We always came back to the kitchen for seconds when squares of this cake were offered.

Recipe: Buttery Raspberry Lemon Cake

There's something particularly comforting about this easy dish. At Staple & Fancy Mercantile in Seattle, chef Ethan Stowell makes it with fregola sarda (a toasted Sardinian pasta) and duck eggs, but widely available pearl (aka Israeli) couscous and chicken eggs work well too.

Recipe: Sautéed Escarole with Toasted Pearl Couscous and Poached Eggs

We discovered these crispy, garlicky, salty-sweet riblets from S.F. chef Alexander Ong while working on a ribs story for the magazine. They're a little time-consuming to make, but with the yummy, laquered coating, they're worth it for an extra-special treat.

Recipe: Chinese Glazed Riblets with Garlic and Thai Basil

The sweet and salty combo in this sundae is truly amazing. Serve it to special guests, or treat the family to a weeknight splurge.

Recipe: Coffee Sundaes with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel

Sure, we love many versions of chicken wings, but this extra-crispy rendition from S.F.-based chef Charles Phan has added pop with its spicy lime dipping sauce that cuts the crunch and saltiness of the wings.

Recipe: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings

We couldn't get enough of this super-simple combo from L.A.-based chef Suzanne Goin. There's just something magical about the mix of juicy, sweet figs, bitter radicchio, and bracing citrus.

Recipe: Fresh Goat Cheese and Radicchio Salad with Figs

Another favorite from L.A.-based chef Suzanne Goin, this is a grown-up homage to vanilla pudding with a richer version of the Magic Shell topping you drizzled on your ice cream as a kid.

Recipe: Vanilla Pots de Crème with Dark Chocolate and Roasted Almonds

For our June 2012 issue, we came up with several tasty hot dog toppings, but this combo of bison hot dogs, bacon, barbecue sauce, and caramelized onions won our hearts.

Recipe: The Cowboy Hot Dog

Even when we almost burned the crust of these buttery bars, we still couldn't stop eating them and ended up with a new crunchier variation. We hope you'll enjoy them as much as we did.

Recipe: Hazelnut Shortbread Bars