It's January, which means we are all craving food that is a little lighter, a little healthier, and a little more in line with the way we've resolved to eat this year. But at the same time, it's January and when we're wrapped up in sweaters and blankets, it's comfort foods we're dreaming about. That's where this recipe comes in. With its rich, mushroom-studded filling tucked under a layer of soft mashed sweet potato, it has all the hallmarks of a good shepherd's pie, but it's completely vegan — and includes a secret ingredient that adds body and creaminess to the filling, without any cream. More

It's gluten-free, nubby in shape and earthy in flavor. What are we talking about? Buckwheat, of course! While most folks think of buckwheat as a grain, it's actually a plant similar to rhubarb. And while many Americans use it ground into its characteristically silky purple/gray flour for crepes and pancakes, today bakers are moving far beyond pancakes to give buckwheat its day in the spotlight. More

If there was ever such a thing as legal crack, I think brown sugar-glazed bacon would be it. Not that I have much of a reference point, but I could.not.stop shoveling these sweet, savory strips of heaven into my mouth. Truth be told, I had to hide it from myself, which left me thinking about it, dreaming about it, until I had some more. More

I find it impossible to pass by a bakery selling macarons and resist stopping in for a sample. Or two. Making them at home isn't all that difficult, but there are a few tricks of the trade that can set you up for success. Equal parts enlightening and inspiring, this colorful cookbook from the French blogger Mercotte is all you need to get started making your own crunchy cream-filled confections. More

Recently, while nosing around in the freezer section of the market, I noticed that frozen fruit mixes labeled "tropical" always contain banana, pineapple and strawberry. I found the same thing in the dried fruit section. Strawberry? Doesn't "tropical" refer to the steamy and fertile band of earth near the equator, between the tropics of Capircorn and Cancer? This is not a place where strawberries thrive.

So I began to ask myself about truly tropical food combinations, and I thought of doctoring up some banana bread. More

I first came across "Aunt Cleo's Chicken Pie" while digging through my fiancé's tattered purple recipe folder, filled to the brim with handwritten index cards that his mother, Tina, had originally sent with him to college. We were only in the beginning phases of dating when I rummaged through the file, but I figured out pretty early that he was a sucker for his mom's home cooking. More

I've been doing a lot of cooking this week, and it's been really nice. When my marriage ended a year ago, I was suddenly thrown back into cooking by myself again, and at first I was lost at sea. I had forgotten everything I'd known -- the touch and the feel of cooking -- that I'd had ten years earlier when I was single. More

I'm not sure what it is lately, but cinnamon rolls have been on my mind. I charged into January with granola and satsumas in the morning, but the time has come for a quick foray into something a bit sweeter. More

I came up with this recipe after one of my trips to Italy during which I discovered the appeal of cooked grapes. In this cake, the grapes stay whole, but soften into juicy, ruby orbs. More

We're big believers in dessert here on The Kitchn, but there were a few particularly indulgent treats that stood out from this past year. There was that insane banana cake decked out with caramel sauce and those Boston cream pie cupcakes. I'm definitely going to need a big bowl of the coconut chocolate pudding, though the chocolate-flecked skillet blondies are mighty tempting. We have a few days before the start of the New Year and we return to our more normal eating habits. Let's make them count. More