Sweet 16: March Madness 2019 Dessert Bracket

Well, it’s NCAA tournament time! After rounds one and two of the men’s draw, the Sweet 16 is set, and there aren’t a whole lot of surprises. In fact, outside of Auburn and Oregon, the tournament has gone chalk. So, to add some excitement, I put together my own Sweet 16. But instead of hoops, I thought it’d be fun to consider something that is actually sweet—desserts!

What I’ve done is compile a list of some of the most popular desserts I have encountered, seen featured over the last year, or found on Google. From there, I consulted the greatest dessert aficionado I know—my sister—to help me fill in any gaps. Then, I whittled the list down to the top 16. Finally, I seeded each of them, and arranged a bracket-style tournament where the masses will decide on this year’s champion. The king of the sweets. The top treat. The most dominant dessert. In case you’re curious, I seeded based on what I had read, my experience, and what matchups seemed reasonable.

As you can see, this was an official process. However, as with any tournament selection, there are going to be controversial choices. Some desserts may have found themselves on the bubble, and did not get in this year. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. That’s not to say they aren’t stellar options. They just didn’t make it. Maybe next year. So, without further ado, here’s the Sweet 16 for 2019.

If all you care about is casting your vote, go pick your winners for Round 1! But for stats on each contender, keep reading.

1. Chocolate Cake

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Chocolate Cake earns the top seed in this year’s tournament. Featured at birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, retirement parties, and most restaurants, fancy or fun, this crowd pleaser is going to be tough to take down.

2. Apple Pie

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There aren’t many things more American than apple pie. Which is why making it our number two seed was easy as pie. It’s a fall staple that has a standing invite to the biggest food holiday there is—Thanksgiving. I pity the dessert that has to face apple pie. Anything but the championship would be a disappointment.

3. Chocolate Chip Cookies

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No one can argue that these hand-held goodies are a dessert classic. Batter delicious enough to throw in ice cream? Check. Chocolate as a featured ingredient? Check. Too good to eat just one? Check. Giving chocolate chip cookies the three seed seemed like a no-brainer. Can they emerge victorious and win the whole thing? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t bet against them.

4. Brownies

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Another handheld treat is the brownie. Their versatility is something to look out for. Like something cakey? They can do that. Prefer them more gooey? No problem. Like them with nuts? Me too! Need them without? That’s fine. Heck, you can even put icing on ‘em, sprinkle ‘em with powdered sugar, or serve ‘em plain. Their downfall could just as easily be their saving grace. While close to cake, they aren’t cake.

5. Hot Fudge Sundae

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Our number 5 seed is where ice cream makes its first appearance. But this is no ordinary ice cream. It’s topped with hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, the nut of your choosing, and, if you’d like, a cherry. Each, on its own, is good. Put them together, and you have a stellar dessert. While a number five seed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the hot fudge sundae advance far into this tournament.

6. Cheesecake

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Perhaps the dessert that showcases the graham-cracker crust the best, cheesecake will be a formidable opponent for whichever dessert(s) it faces. Made with graham crackers, butter, vanilla, eggs, and sugar, its success will be dependent on how many people like its primary ingredient—cream cheese.

7. Crème Brûlée

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Crème brûlée takes the number seven seed as a fancy-restaurant-dessert-menu staple. The simplicity of the dish is what makes it great. Custard topped with caramelized sugar, served chilled in a dish. It’s elegant, sweet, and satisfying. But, does it have enough to make it all the way?

8. Strawberry Shortcake

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Strawberries seem tailor-made for dessert, and there’s perhaps no dish that highlights strawberries like strawberry shortcake. What do you call shortcake biscuits, topped with ice cream or whipped cream, then finished off with macerated strawberries? Heavenly. It might not have the cachet of chocolate cake, but watch out for this sleeper pick!

9. Oreo Shake

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If there’s a drink out there that deserves consideration as a dessert, it’s the milkshake. And there may be no better milkshake flavor than Oreo. This simple concoction of vanilla ice cream, Oreo cookie crumbles, and milk is inspirational. While folks might not traditionally think of a drink as the best dessert out there, this one might sneak up on you!

10. Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate, egg whites, cream, and sugar. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But a mousse, well-prepared, is a thing of beauty. There’s an elegance about mousse that leaves little doubt that it deserves a spot in this tournament. But is it mainstream enough to make it into the next round? We’ll see.

11. Vanilla Ice Cream Cone

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Whether you’re a baby, an older kid, or a full-grown adult, you’ve likely enjoyed vanilla ice cream. The cone is a bonus! Not as flashy as the hot fudge sundae, there’s something comforting and classic about his dessert that could make it capable of an upset or two.

12. Tiramisu

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When restaurants that don’t share the cultural roots of a particular dessert still serve that dessert, you know it must have made it. That’s tiramisu, and that’s why it’s our 12 seed. This perfect conglomeration of marscapone cheese, whipped cream, and coffee– and rum-soaked ladyfingers is unique and delicious, making is a tough matchup.

13. Bananas Foster

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Like strawberries, bananas are a fruit that seem tailor-made for dessert. So, it’s only natural to feature banana’s signature dessert in this year’s tournament. While you might not encounter bananas Foster as often as some other items in the tourney, its rich decadence (it features butter, brown sugar, rum, and bananas, after all) is enough to make its opponents take it seriously.

14. Red Velvet Cupcakes

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While there are those out there who think that cupcakes will never trump a full-blown, real-deal cake, there’s a growing legion of devotees who beg to differ. The red velvet variety may be the cupcake’s best hope of achieving glory. As a chocolate cake, dyed red, with creamed cheese frosting, we don’t know of any dessert looking forward to facing red velvet cupcakes, head-to-head.

15. Peanut Butter Bars

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Peanut butter fiends are ferociously devoted to peanut butter—even (maybe especially) in desserts. If you want to encounter peanut butter in all its sweet splendor, look no further than a peanut butter bar. Sugar, PB, and chocolate are the key ingredients here. Could these splendiferous squares have been a higher seed? Yes. But you can’t discount the effect of peanut allergies as a significant obstacle to overcome.

16. Strawberry Nutella Crepes

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These very thin, sweet pancakes, filled with strawberries, and ever-popular Nutella, snuck into this year’s pool. As the 16 seed, they have a tough road ahead, but if they make it through the first round, there’s no telling how far they could go.

Here are the match-ups:

#1 Chocolate Cake vs. #16 Strawberry Nutella Crepes

#8 Strawberry Shortcake vs. #9 Oreo Shake

#5 Hot Fudge Sundae vs. #12 Tiramisu

#4 Brownies vs. #13 Bananas Foster

#6 Cheesecake vs. #11 Vanilla Ice Cream Cone

#3 Chocolate Chip Cookies vs. #14 Red Velvet Cupcakes

#7 Creme Brulee vs. #10 Chocolate Mousse

#2 Apple Pie vs. #15 Peanut Butter Bars

Which dessert will go on to win this year’s Sweet 16? Only time, and your votes, will tell.

So click here to vote in the 2019 Sweet 16 Dessert Bracket Challenge, and check back often to see which sweets advance to the next round!

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Vote for Your Favorite Dessert in Our Sweet 16 Bracket Challenge

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9 Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes to Welcome Spring

Slow cookers have a rep as the carnivore’s kitchen appliance–the busy cook’s vessel for meaty, long-simmered stews and pot roast-style dishes–but vegetarian recipes fare as well, if not better, in a Crock Pot. There’s no browning step and veggies suck up a lot of flavor in the slow-cooking process. So if the change in seasons has you craving lighter and leaner meals, try a few vegetarian slow cooker recipes featuring spring vegetables.

1. Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew

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You don’t often see the words “hearty” and “vegetarian” in the same sentence, but this root veggie stew is an exception. Readers raved about the homey, sweet flavors and note that it’s the perfect base recipe for a vegetarian stew–feel free to substitute different types of squash and root veggies. Get our Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew recipe.

2. Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup

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A smidge of cumin and the crunchy, spicy chickpea garnish are a perfect contrast to the slow-simmered sweetness of butternut squash in this vegan soup. Get our Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup recipe.

3. Farro with Spring Vegetables

Fresh English peas, leeks, asparagus–these vibrant, green spring vegetables herald the end of winter and tease the coming days of flip-flop weather. If you’re suffering from cabin fever or snow fatigue, this recipe is therapy in a slow cooker. Get the Farro with Spring Vegetables recipe.

4. Slow Cooker Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

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You know how so many vegetarian recipes require 18 exotic herbs and spices you never seem to have on hand? This recipe is the opposite: the few, simple ingredients pack a wallop of flavor without requiring a trip to the store. Get our Slow Cooker Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers recipe.

5. Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

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Okay, this does call for a meat smoked ham bone or hocks to add some flavor, but you can  leave them out to keep it vegan (in which case, check out some ideas for adding back a little smoky richness). Get our Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.

6. White Bean, Artichoke, and Chard Ragout

Fennel, artichoke, and chard give this veggie-packed ragout a bit more intrigue and flavor than your average vegetable soup. Keep an eye out for bright, springtime Swiss or rainbow chard at farmers markets and put it to good use. Get the White Bean, Artichoke, and Chard Ragout recipe.

7. Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto

Sweet, sweet relief if you’ve suffered risotto elbow from stirring and stirring and stirring the high-maintenance rice dish. This recipe substitutes pearl barley for risotto to good effect and mushrooms make it substantial enough for meat-eaters. Suggested tweaks: throw in a mix of mushrooms instead of just cremini or add one cup of fresh spring asparagus tips in the last 20 minutes. Get the Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto recipe.

8. Chole Chana Masala

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This classic North Indian vegetarian dish is a powerhouse of spice and flavor. Adapt this recipe by combining all of the ingredients after Step 3 in the slow cooker and cooking the masala on high for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Get our Chole Chana Masala recipe.

9. Springtime Crock Pot Minestrone

The dump-and-run philosophy of so many Crock Pot recipes often results in a dull, mushy dish that looks like prison food or something you’d serve the dentured set. This two-stage, “embarrassingly easy” minestrone fights the slow cooker baby food syndrome–the spring vegetables stay bright and crisp because they’re added late in the game. Get the Springtime Crock Pot Minestrone recipe.

Hamilton Beach Pioneer Woman 7-Quart Slow Cooker, $38.99 at Walmart

In case you want to refresh your appliances for springtime, this programmable slow cooker has a pretty floral pattern.

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All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

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Celebrate the Most Significant Women in American Culinary History

These days, more and more women are getting recognition for their contributions to the food industry. But, it’s been been an agonizingly slow process and a long time coming. Sure, cookbook authors like Molly Yeh and Samin Nosrat are starring in their own shows on major networks, and award-winning chefs like Dominique Crenn and Gabrielle Hamilton have become household names. But women have been making huge contributions to the way we eat for centuries, if not millennia.

The Mothers of Culinary Invention

According to cultural historian Dr. Megan Elias, author of “Food on the Page: Cookbooks and American Culture,” and director of the gastronomy program at Boston University, American culinary history is a culmination of the work of women whose stories will never be told—especially women of color. “They’re women whose names we’re not going to know,” she explains. “They’re all the people who did all the cooking for everybody all the time. People’s mothers, sisters, and wives are the ones who shaped the national palate.”

While we may not be able to pay sufficient tribute to them all, we’ve put together a list of some of the most significant women in American culinary history to celebrate Women’s History Month.

1. Catharine Beecher

The author of “Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book” played an interesting role in 19th century American history. “She gave cooking a moral character,” says Elias. While Beecher’s views on the woman’s place in the home are certainly out of date—she felt it was a woman’s moral duty to learn how to run a household—she recognized that this type of knowledge was not innate, but rather something that needed to be learned. At the time, this was a radical idea. “It was a way to say, it’s okay if you don’t know everything,” Elias explains. “Just because you have breasts doesn’t mean you know how to make a cake.”

Miss. Beecher's Domestic Receipt-Book, $23.04 on Amazon

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2. Fannie Farmer

If you’ve ever baked anything, you likely used measuring cups and spoons to do it, and it was Farmer who invented these tools to make recipes more precise. And while she may be both revered and vilified for insisting that measurement matters when it comes to cooking, her classic cookbook is still in heavy use across the country. According to Elias, Farmer basically codified American food for the middle class and upper middle class in the late 19th century, including recipes ranging from simple fare, like scrambled eggs, to fancier dishes, such as chicken soufflé.

Fannie Farmer 1896 Cook Book, $11 on Amazon

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3. Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher

M. F. K. Fisher, the prolific 20th century author of such books as “How to Cook a Wolf” and “Consider the Oyster,” is often cited as a hero of contemporary food writers. “Everybody loves her,” says Elias, “because she’s the first American and woman writer to put pleasure above all else.” Although she came from a privileged background, she had a relatable, evocative style of writing and an independent spirit. Elias points out, “She discussed food in terms of physical and emotional pleasure, tying it to a person’s character. It was a new way of looking at women.”

The Art of Eating: 50th Anniversary Edition, $20.44 on Amazon

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4. Julia Child

Considered a national treasure with her “go for it” attitude, Child took things a step further than M. F. K. Fisher by introducing cooking as a form of entertainment to an American audience—especially to women creating meals at home. By the time her two volume set, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” was published, Americans of all classes were regularly dining out. Elias credits Child with helping people to understand that “you don’t have to go to a restaurant to have a fine dining experience.”

Mastering the Art of French Cooking, $22.71 on Amazon

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5. Leah Chase

Known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” Chase is a New Orleans-based chef known for her award-winning recipes. But more importantly, her restaurant, Dooky Chase, was a gathering place for organizers of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She and her husband have continuously contributed to their local community for decades, and recently established the Dooky Chase Foundation.

The Dooky Chase Cookbook, $24.95 on Amazon

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6. Ruth Reichl

While some may not yet quite realize the importance of Reichl’s writing, Elias insists she deserves a place in history. “She really forcefully shifted the recognition of American food,” states Elias, “especially when she took over Gourmet magazine…She made a case for treating all food equally. She’s undoing the hierarchy.” Also, much like Fisher, the pleasure of eating—often also connected to the pleasure of sex—features prominently in Reichl’s memoirs.

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, $14.10 on Amazon

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Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir, $17.70 on Amazon

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7. Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor

According to Elias, Smart-Grosvenor was one of the first cookbook writers to create awareness of the cultural appropriation of African American cuisine, proving that the black culinary community doesn’t have to depend on a white audience. She’s also a proponent of the idea that you don’t have measure or weigh everything to be a good cook, as evidenced in “Vibration Cooking: or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl,” her landmark cookbook and memoir.

Vibration Cooking: or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl, $20.10 on Amazon

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8. Alice Waters

Credited with making the farm to table movement mainstream through her award-winning restaurant, Chez Panisse, Waters continues to play a role in the healthy food movement through The Edible Schoolyard Project. “I think she’s responsible for the obsession with freshness, eating local produce, and also the chef as personality,” says Elias. Waters provides a detailed account of her career in her recent memoir, “Coming to My Sense: The Making of a Counterculture Cook.”

Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook, $16.16 on Amazon

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You can never have too many books—so check out our favorite classic cookbooks by women, and contemporary women-authored cookbooks that deserve room on your shelf too.

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

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13 Bar-Inspired Recipes for March Madness

Avoid bumping shoulders with the crowd trying to win the bartender’s attention to get another beer during March Madness 2019. No need to signal the overworked waitress for more wings. You an avoid that madness and watch the NCAA drama unfold on a widescreen from the roomy comforts of your own sectional. Your food is made just to your liking and your drink just a moment away when you’re the cook and master of your own basketball-watching mania.

To go with all this deliciousness below, you might need to know how to stream NCAA tournament games and watch online. (And maybe how to pick your March Madness Bracket.) Oh, and don’t forget those beverages—like these upgraded versions of your favorite college drinks.

1. Buffalo Chicken Dip

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This is a bowl of what you really want when you’re in couch potato mode: creamy, cheesy, spicy dip with chunks of chicken in each bite. Use some raw carrot and celery sticks in addition to tortilla chips or crackers and you’ve got a (ahem) well-balanced meal all in one. (And if you’re into that idea, see even more dip versions of game day food.) Get our Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.

2. Onion Rings

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A Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot along with a ton of vegetable oil are necessities to making the crispiest, best bar side to your burger or brat for this game-day spread. Onions rings are often forgotten next to fries, but don’t do that. They’re great. Get our Onion Rings recipe.

3. Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers

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You gotta have poppers for the game. And making them at home means they’re going to taste so much better. With smoky bacon and sharp cheddar plus the spice of fresh jalapeños, these little appetizer bites will go fast. Get our Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

4. Pork and Shrimp Potstickers

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This is another one/two-bite heavy appetizer many of us crave, at game time or anytime. These filling, savory, pan-fried dumplings are dipped in a savory, oniony, gingery, soy sauce with the flavor deepened even more by sesame oil. Get our Pork and Shrimp Potstickers recipe.

5. Poutine with Beef Gravy

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We’ve gotta hand it to the French Canadians: Poutine might just be the ultimate bar food. (Sorry, chicken wings.) It is a time-consuming dish, but the payoff comes with a rich, slow-simmered short rib gravy you’ll want to bathe in. Get our Poutine with Beef Gravy recipe.

6. French Fries

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Because every time you serve those frozen-then-baked crinkle fries from a bag, a little part of you dies. Whether you serve them in a platter of poutine you slaved over or just with classic homemade ranch dressing for dipping, these fries are all about kitchen cred. Get our French Fries recipe.

7. Focaccia

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If you’re thinking, “Focaccia? Bar food?” you might have a point. But this is one of those dead-simple recipes with a bajillion possibilities for customization (think: roasted garlic, briny Kalamata olives, rosemary, and sea salt), which makes sense if you’re serving a group and have more on your mind than snacks, like the 9.2-quintillion-to-1 odds of picking the perfect bracket. Get our Basic Focaccia recipe.

8. Focaccia Pizza

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Case in point on that focaccia? A sheet pan of pizza that feeds 10 (make two—you’ll thank us for the leftovers). Bonus: It goes down equally well with a cheap beer or red wine. Get our Focaccia Pizza recipe.

9. Hot Dog Buns

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Your encased meat deserves better than a processed, bland bun that disintegrates under the weight of a single condiment. Serve your brats, dogs, or gourmet sausages on these buns and bask in the glow of respect from your fellow eaters. Get our Hot Dog Buns recipe. (And then see our crazy hot dog topping combos in honor of March Madness.)

10. Mixed Nuts & Snack Mixes

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You know the siren song of the bar snack bowl: the crunchy, spicy, umami bowls of weirdness and popcorn you mindlessly plow into despite knowing that at least 15 unwashed bar patrons have pawed through it. That stuff. Treat yourself to better. Get our Creole Shrimp Pecans recipe, Tangy Ranch Cashews recipe, and our Barbecue Pumpkin Seeds recipe, just for starters on the nuts and seeds end of things, and check out our Honey Mustard Snack Mix recipe and our Slow Cooker Party Mix recipe for more savory inspiration. But don’t forget sweet snack mixes—Puppy Chow makes a perfect crowd-pleasing dessert that’s hardly any work, and you can’t get that at a bar.

11. Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings

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Let’s be honest: Unless you’re a skilled line fry cook, boiling oil in your own kitchen is a pain in the ass, messy, and never as good as you want the end result to be. Luckily, making crispy Buffalo wings in your oven is actually not that hard. Just follow a few simple—but important—tips. See how to make Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings recipe.

12. Pulled Pork Nachos

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Following a recipe for nachos is a little bit like following Google map directions to your own home. You don’t measure refried beans or count jalapeño slices. There’s a Zen intuition to building a perfect platter of nachos—it’s as much about balance and restraint as it is about cheesy, crispy gluttony. Still, making our Beer-Braised Pork recipe to shred and sprinkle on top is a good first step. You would also be well served by our Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with cumin, cinnamon, brown sugar, and chili powder. Get our Pulled Pork Nachos recipe.

13. Juicy Lucy Burger

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When it comes to regional bar food delicacies, Minneapolis—home of the 2019 Final Four—owns it with the jaw-testing, ooey-gooey Juicy Lucy, a burger with a molten cheese middle. So break out your grill (or your griddle) and prepare to stuff and be stuffed. Everyone’s a winner. Get our Juicy Lucy Burger recipe.

— Original article by Colleen Rush March 5, 2015; updated by Amy Sowder March 14, 2017.

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Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Stir-Fried Beef With Onion, Tomatoes, and French Fries)

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