The Kitchn Collective Shares the Recipes They Made the Most This Past Year During the Pandemic
Every person I’ve spoken to the past few weeks has been thinking a lot about what they were doing exactly a year ago. My husband, a college professor, bolted to the library to grab every book he could get before the campus closed because of the pandemic. One restaurateur described suddenly having to figure out how to turn her upscale restaurant and craft cocktail bar into a takeout joint. I picked up my 5-year-old from kindergarten, and her backpack was ominously stuffed with all her school supplies and the change of clothes that normally stayed in her cubby. The school had not yet made any announcements, but I looked in that backpack and thought, “I don’t think she’s going back.”
The past year has been awful, and it has taken a lot from everyone — some much more than others. For the first few months of it, I threw myself into cooking. It did not give a sense of normalcy, because nothing felt normal, but it did give a vague feeling that there was something I had control over or somewhere I could be helpful. I couldn’t do anything about the world, but I could cook.
My now-6-year-old says the thing we’ve cooked most during the pandemic is pancakes, and she’s right. What used to be a special Saturday breakfast now turns up on any day of the week. In the past year, I’ve also made many slow-cooking stews, and plenty of frozen pizzas — really anything that was fast or provided some sort of comfort.
When I talk with my friends, many have mentioned coming back to particular favorites over the past few months, and that’s why we asked the Kitchn Collective what recipes they made most during this past year. Here’s what they had to say.
1. My Fudgy Brownies
“We all probably ate our feelings a bit over the last year, and I was definitely no exception. I made lots and lots of brownies and just added additional flavors based on my mood. This is my all-time favorite recipe. It’s so easy and perfectly fudgy.” — Jocelyn Delk Adams from Grandbaby Cakes
Get the recipe: Fudgy Chewy Brownies from Grandbaby Cakes
2. Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
“This creamy chicken spaghetti is pure comfort food. It’s one of my husband’s most requested recipes, so I make it time and time again. It’s thrown together in minutes and makes great leftovers. It’s a winner.” — Becky Hardin from The Cookie Rookie
Get the recipe: Creamy Chicken Spaghetti from The Cookie Rookie
3. Pizza
“I made the King Arthur Flour crispy cheesy pan pizza recipe about 20 times. It was their 2020 recipe of the year. I made the pizza with my own variations on the toppings.” — Alice Choi from Hip Foodie Mom
Get the recipe: Zucchini Ribbon Pizza from Hip Foodie Mom
4. Banana Oatmeal Muffins
“Honestly, I think I made boxed mac and cheese and warmed up Rao’s marinara sauce more than anything in the past year. But if I had to pick something on my blog, I’d go with this banana oatmeal muffin recipe. This is what I make when I’m out of breakfast and lunch staples because it’s easy enough that I can make it at 6 a.m. when I’m not fully awake — or if I have my toddler hanging onto my leg. The ingredients go into the blender and then you can just pour it right into the muffin pan. I love them as much as my kids love them, and they’re great warm or cold. ” — Amy Palanjian from Yummy Toddler Food
Get the recipe: Banana Oatmeal Muffins from Yummy Toddler Food
What recipes have you made most often this year? Let us know in the comments!