Loaded Huevos Rancheros with Roasted Poblano Peppers developed by Joan Hallford of North Richland Hills, Texas, won the top spot from a field of 10 recipe finalists selected by Taste of Home editors.
The winner was selected through a combination of factors, including online voting, ratings and reviews, web traffic and lively discussion and debate among our Taste of Home editors. The competition was tough, but Joan’s Southwestern-inspired recipe rose above the rest.
Our editors hopped on a Zoom call with Joan to share the news.
Meet Our Winner, Joan Hallford
Joan is a longtime Volunteer Field Editor for Taste of Home and has submitted—wait for it—more than 1,250 recipes over more than 20 years. She loves to develop recipes with the flavors of Texas, much to the delight of her family and Taste of Home readers. Her winning recipe is in heavy rotation at her house.
“My husband loves breakfast. We could eat breakfast three times a day and he’d be happy,” she said with a laugh. “This recipe has everything in it that we like. I thought that switching the corn tortillas with potatoes brought a different twist to it.”
Why We Picked Joan’s Loaded Huevos Rancheros
Our team loved the combination of flavors and textures and felt that a hearty, satisfying breakfast is just what we all need right now. “It’s such a good mix of using a convenient product (hello, frozen potatoes!) and creative ingredients to make it feel special,” said Taste of Home Senior Editor Rachel Seis.
Digital Senior Editor Emily Parulski said a plate of loaded huevos rancheros with a cup of coffee on a lazy weekend morning “sounds dreamy.” And Executive Culinary Director Sarah Farmer called this the ultimate “blunch”—late breakfast/early lunch.
Deputy Editor-Culinary James Schend loves this recipe because it’s simple to make and “easily customizable to your family’s tastes.”
The recipe starts with roasting the poblano peppers in a skillet, which Executive Editor-Digital Ellie Martin Cliffe noted is a great trick to have in your culinary toolbox. “Once you know how to roast a pepper, you’ll want to use the technique in all kinds of recipes.”
This may be the first time Joan’s been a top winner in a Taste of Home contest, but our editors are very familiar with her recipe-developing skills. We’ve published nearly 130 of her recipes (including these) over the years, often featuring her favorite ingredients like jalapenos and pecans. “She’s such a star at creating fresh, interesting recipes that still feel comforting and attainable,” Rachel said.
For taking top honors, Joan will receive a set of Taste of Home cookware, and, of course, the gratitude of many who will enjoy this recipe for years to come.
Check out the 2020 Recipe of the Year Runners-Up
The post Introducing Our 2020 Recipe of the Year appeared first on Taste of Home.
Jeanne Sidner