Voila: A salute to Tom Harte's favorite recipes made last year

By Tom Harte

The end of the year is a time when we look forward to the year to come, and yet, as you may have noticed, it's a time to look back as well. Thus we've already been treated to compilations of the year's top movies, songs, news stories, even presidential tweets. Herewith is my contribution to the custom, a compilation of some of the favorite things I made last year in the hope that they might become some of your favorites this year.

Matzo Toffee

I discovered this recipe while working on a column about Passover. It's as simple as it is delicious: no candy thermometer required. You simply lay matzo (saltines work almost as well) in a sheet pan, pour over a brown sugar and butter mixture, bake until bubbly, and cover with melted chocolate and chopped nuts. (See semissourian.com/story/2401519)

Carrot Soup with Meatballs & Spinach

Carrot Soup with Meatballs, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year, is almost as easy to make as opening a can of Campbell's, yet it's beautiful enough to be served in a rimmed bowl rather than a mug.TOM HARTE

This soup is about as far from a can of condensed Campbell's as you can get, yet it's almost as easy, and it's beautiful to boot, worthy of a rimmed soup bowl rather than a mug. If you don't want to make your own meatballs, as the recipe directs, you can use ready-made ones instead. (See communitytable.parade.com)

Israeli Couscous Salad

One of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year, Israeli Couscous Salad, is really a meal in itself.TOM HARTE ~ photos@semissourian.com

Giada De Laurentiis doesn't look like she would know as much about cooking as, say, Ina Garten, but many of her recipes give the Barefoot Contessa a run for her money. This one is a case in point. Specifying pearl couscous as opposed to the diminutive and less satisfying regular kind, this salad is a meal in itself. I substitute sliced almonds for the slivered called for in the recipe and use just a little less smoked paprika, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing. (See foodnetwork.com)

Prosciutto and Manchego Cheese Straws

More elevated than a mere Cheezit, Prosciutto and Manchego Cheese Straws, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year, require some work, but are well worth the effort.TOM HARTE

Let's face it. The traditional cheese straw is essentially nothing more than a glorified Cheezit. But this recipe elevates the snack to something truly special and well worth the little extra work it takes to prepare. If you serve them as an appetizer there likely will not be any left by the time the meal is served. (See southernliving.com)

Melted Tiny Tomatoes

Melted Tiny Tomatoes, here augmented with a round of Brie, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year, make a stunning appetizer.TOM HARTE

If you don't want to go to the trouble of fashioning cheese straws, for which you need make no apology, this recipe makes as big an impact for a lot less effort. I like to add a round of brie at the last five minutes. The rusticity of the dish is so enticing, you may want to simply serve it right from the pan. (See bhg.com/recipe/melty-tiny-tomatoes)

Smashed Pavlovas

Smashed Pavlovas, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year, show that you don t have to make a full-sized pavlova to create an impressive dessert.TOM HARTE ~ photos@semissourian.com

I can't think of a better recipe to illustrate the ingenuity of Donna Hay than this one. Rather than piping meringue onto a baking sheet to make an elaborate pavlova, you simply bake blobs of the stuff, smash them slightly, and cover with raspberry jam and whipped cream. The effect is every bit as stunning as a full-sized pavlova and just as delicious. (See donnahay.com.au)

Fluffernutter Tart

Though the term Fluffernutter can connote something lacking substance, that's not the case with this Fluffernutter Tart, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year.TOM HARTE ~ photos@semissourian.com

Finally, I offer this recipe, a favorite of the year even though I discovered it only recently. Originally used to refer to a peanut butter and marshmallow crème sandwich, the term "fluffernutter" is sometimes used disparagingly to refer to something that lacks substance. That meaning absolutely does not apply to this recipe, which I've adapted from Naomi Robinson's glorious new book, "Baker's Royale."

A slice of Fluffernutter Tart, one of Tom Harte's favorite recipes of the year and, despite its name, not at all insubstantiTOM HARTE ~ photos@semissourian.com

• 1 stick melted butter
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 and 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup marshmallow crème

Combine melted butter, cracker crumbs, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and press into 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely. Combine peanut butter, cream, powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined and thick. Spread evenly into baked crust and chill until firm. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt to egg whites and beat until soft peaks form. Add marshmallow crème a little at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Swirl over filling and toast with a kitchen torch.