As often as recipes make their way onto the pages of the magazine, they make their way into our editors’ kitchens (and hearts). We were fortunate enough this year to have some of Western Canada’s best chefs and recipe developers share their talents with us for food stories that inspired. As the year wraps up and we’re planning our last meals of 2022, our editors are looking back at the dishes that have happily become a part of our home-cook repertoires.

Strawberry Shortcake 

When the great Pie Versus Cake War happens (2035), I will happily take up arms for Team Pie, but I’ve gotta admit that this strawberry shortcake from Flourist Bakery turned my head. I mean it’s got oodles of whipped cream and piles of fresh fruit, so in many ways, it’s a cake with the spirit of a pie. Serve me up a slice of this fluffy, mile-high dessert and I’m certainly not going to scoff; in all honesty, I’ll probably have seconds. Perhaps it’s the perfect thing to serve at a Pie-Cake-War peace-brokering summit? —Stacey McLachlan, editor at large

cheesy chipotle quinoa bri beaudoin

Cheesy Chipotle Quinoa Bake

I love Bri Beaudoin’s take on vegetarian cooking: pack in as much flavour as you can, and you’ll never miss a thing. The Evergreen Kitchen blogger recently release her first cookbook, and this comfort-food dish was part of our September issue—and man, is it a winner. One of my friends brought it to a potluck we held in the fall, and I kept coming back to her dish for seconds, thirds… It’s that perfect combo of cozy, with its bubbling cheese topper, and warming with that surprising heat from the chipotle. I’ll be making this many, many times to get through the chilly months ahead. —Anicka Quin, editorial director

Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Sausages

I am all for a longform cooking project: I think that recipes that have multiple steps, and require multiple sets of hands, are a wonderful way to slow down and spend time with loved ones (or in my case, slow down and micro-manage loved ones). And I know for a fact that these cheddar jalapeno chicken sausages courtesy of Juke Fried Chicken are insanely good—I had them at Brewery and the Beast in August. So, I think making these spicy, cheesy, BBQ-friendly sausages is the ideal goal for 2023.—Alyssa Hirose, assistant editor

 

Cookies on a baking tray

Chocolate Crackle Cookies Recipe

I love a Christmas cookie—and an all-year-round cookie for that matter—and this recipe won my heart as soon as I saw it. These snow-dusted chocolate treats are the perfect mix of not-too-sweet and rich with a hint of salt. A friend made this recipe for an early Christmas gathering, and they slapped harder than I thought they would (and were a clear favourite among guests, so obviously I wasn’t alone in my fandom). Despite the winding down of the holiday season, these cookies are going to be a staple in my baking. Christmas doesn’t own these cookies, and I plan to enjoy this chocolate crackle any time I want. — Kerri Donaldson, assistant editor