From the Editor

Every year, we round up our all-time favorite Cooking Light recipes in one special issue. “But,” you might ask, “aren’t they all favorites?” Of course— we love every single recipe developed and tested by our expert Test Kitchen staff. These are just a few of the highlights, the ones that stopped us in our tracks with exclamations of deliciousness and reliability.

You might also wonder how an all-time favorites list can change so frequently. One answer is that our palates shift and develop over time: What we craved last year, or even last week, won’t be the same today. The annual look back also gives us a chance to welcome our most recent triumphs into the fold.

We begin with beloved breakfast and brunch recipes. Then, because traditional meat proteins continue to move off the plate, a chapter of meatless mains covers our latest vegetarian favorites. A chapter of ever-popular meat and poultry recipes follows. Next, a chapter of fast, easy fish and seafood recipes, a much more frequent player in our weeknight dinner rotation. Finally, because a side dish or appetizer can often steal the spotlight from the main course, we finish up with a chapter of our most memorable grains, salads, and sides.

Whether you’re nostalgic for classics such as Chicken Cutlets with Tarragon-Mustard Sauce or looking for something entirely new, like Fennel Soup with Almond-Mint Topping, you’ll find it here. That’s because when it comes time to eat, favorites are all the same to us.