Our BEST Recipes from the Past 25 Years (2024)

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Our BEST Recipes from the Past 25 Years (1)Ellie Martin CliffeUpdated: Dec. 13, 2023

    It's our anniversary—and we couldn't have gotten here without you! Here are our best-loved reader-shared recipes from every year we've been around.

    Moist Chocolate Cake

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    Premiere Issue, 1993

    The cake reminds me of my grandmother, because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania

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    Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes

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    Taste of Home

    August/September 1994

    Mom always managed to put a delicious hearty meal on the table for us and for our farmhands. This all-in-one comforting pork chops recipe reminds me of home. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri

    Icebox Butterhorns

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    June/July 1995

    These beautiful golden rolls just melt in your mouth! People will be impressed when these appear on your table. —Judy Clark, Elkhart, Indiana

    Cheeseburger Soup

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    October/November 1996

    A local restaurant serves a similar soup but wouldn’t share its recipe with me. So I developed my own, modifying a recipe for potato soup. I was really pleased with the way this all-American treat turned out. —Joanie Shawhan, Madison, Wisconsin

    Zucchini Cupcakes

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    August/September 1997

    I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They’re such a scrumptious dessert you actually forget you’re eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont

    Rhubarb Custard Bars

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    April/May 1998

    Once I tried these rich, gooey bars, I just had to have the recipe so I could make them for my family and friends. The shortbread-like crust and rhubarb and custard layers inspire people to find rhubarb they can use to fix a batch for themselves. —Shari Roach, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves

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    April/May 1999

    I got this recipe from my aunt when I was a teen and have made these miniature loaves many times since. My husband and three children count this main dish among their favorites. —Kathy Bowron, Cocolalla, Idaho

    Flavorful Chicken Fajitas

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    Taste of Home

    August/September 2000

    This flavorful recipe is definitely on my weeknight dinner rotation. The chicken fajita marinade in these popular wraps is mouthwatering. They go together in a snap and always get raves! —Julie Sterchi, Jackson, Missouri

    Buttery Cornbread

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    April/May 2001

    A friend gave me this recipe several years ago, and I think it’s the best cornbread recipe I’ve tried. I love to serve the melt-in-your mouth homemade cornbread hot from the oven with butter and syrup. It gets rave reviews on holidays and at potluck dinners. —Nicole Callen, Auburn, California

    Bacon Macaroni Salad

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    Taste of Home

    June/July 2002

    This pleasing pasta salad is like eating a BLT in a bowl. Filled with crispy bacon, chopped tomato, celery and green onion, the sensational salad is coasted with a tangy mayonnaise and vinegar dressing. It’s a real crowd-pleaser! —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana

    Blueberry Banana Bread

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    June/July 2003

    Blueberries and bananas combine in these tender, golden loaves. Whether you enjoy a slice as a snack or for breakfast, this bread is so flavorful, you won’t need butter. —Sandy Flick, Toledo, Ohio

    Baked Mushroom Chicken

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    Taste of Home

    June/July 2004

    This mushroom chicken recipe is the perfect way to dress up a standard weeknight dinner. It’s a recipe I can count on to yield tender and flavorful mushroom chicken every time. —Barbara McCalley, Allison Park, Pennsylvania

    Shrimp Scampi

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    October/November 2005

    This shrimp scampi recipe looks like you fussed, but it’s easy to prepare. Lemon and herbs enhance the shrimp, and bread crumbs add a pleasing crunch. Served over pasta, this main dish is pretty enough for company. —Lori Packer, Omaha, Nebraska

    Pineapple Orange Cake

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    June/July 2006

    This is one of my favorite cakes. It’s moist and light yet so satisfying. I’ve been adapting it for years and now it’s almost guilt-free. —Pam Sjolund, Columbia, South Carolina

    Buffalo Chicken Dip

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    December/January 2007

    Buffalo wing sauce, cream cheese and ranch or blue cheese dressing make a great party dip. Everywhere I take it, people want this chicken wing dip recipe. —Peggy Foster, Florence, Kentucky

    Forgotten Jambalaya

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    Taste of Home

    February/March 2008

    During chilly months, I fix this jambalaya recipe at least once a month. It’s so easy…just chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this dish. —Cindi Coss, Coppell, Texas

    Stamp-of-Approval Spaghetti Sauce

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    February/March 2009

    My father is very opinionated, especially about food. This recipe received his almost unreachable stamp of approval. I have yet to hear a disagreement from anyone who has tried it! —Melissa Taylor, Higley, Arizona

    Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

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    Taste of Home

    April/May 2010

    This rich, tempting trifle feeds a crowd and features the ever-popular combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Try this dessert for your next get-together. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

    Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

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    TMB Studio

    February/March 2011

    Creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes get even better when topped with a savory trio of cheese, onions and bacon. —JoAnn Koerkenmeier, Damiansville, Illinois

    Jalapeno Popper Spread

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    Taste of Home

    August/September 2012

    I’ve been told by fellow party-goers that this recipe tastes exactly like a jalapeno popper. I like that it can be made without much fuss. —Ariane McAlpine, Penticton, British Columbia

    Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

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    December 2013

    This pie combines the ingredients everyone loves in its classic cake cousin. It’s so silky and smooth, you won’t be able to put your fork down. —Anna Jones, Coppell, Texas

    CokeCola Cake

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    TMB Studio

    September/October 2014

    We live in Coca-Cola country, where everyone loves a chocolaty, moist sheet cake made with the iconic soft drink. Our rich version does the tradition proud. —Heidi Jobe, Carrollton, Georgia

    We made the original fantasy fudge recipe—and it still stacks up decades later.

    Can't-Eat-Just-One Cinnamon Rolls

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    February/March 2015

    My cinnamon rolls have been known to vanish quickly. Once I dropped off a dozen rolls for my brothers, and they emptied the pan in 10 minutes. —Regina Farmwald, West Farmington, Ohio

    The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup

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    February/March 2016

    My first Wisconsin winter was so cold, all I wanted to eat was homemade chicken noodle soup. Of all the chicken noodle soup recipes out there, this one is my favorite, and is in heavy rotation from November to April. It has many incredibly devoted fans.—Gina Nistico, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Bacon Pea Salad

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    June/July 2017

    My husband absolutely loves peas. My middle son isn’t the biggest fan, but he loves bacon. So, I combined the two, and it was perfect! This pea salad is an awesome side dish, especially for barbecue. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas

    Sausage and Pepper Sheet-Pan Sandwiches

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    February/March 2018

    Sausage with peppers was always on the table when I was growing up. Here’s how I do it the easy way. Just grab a sheet pan and the ingredients, then let your oven do the work. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas

    Up Next: The Best Recipes of 2023

    Originally Published: September 06, 2018

    Our BEST Recipes from the Past 25 Years (28)

    Ellie Martin Cliffe

    Ellie has spent almost 20 years writing and editing food and lifestyle content for several well-known publishers. As Taste of Home's content director, she leads the team of editors sharing tasty recipes, cooking tips and entertaining ideas. Since joining Taste of Home 13 years ago, she has held roles in digital and print, editing cookbooks, curating special interest publications, running magazines, starring in cooking and cleaning videos, working with the Community Cooks and even handing out cookies and cocoa at local holiday events. Gluten- and dairy-free since 2017, she’s a staff go-to on allergy-friendly foods that actually taste good.If she's not in her plant-filled office, find Ellie in her family’s urban veggie garden, in the kitchen trying new GF/DF recipes or at a local hockey rink, cheering on her spouse or third grader.

    Our BEST Recipes from the Past 25 Years (2024)

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