Friday, December 31, 2010

Best of 2010: October, November, and December

This toffee apple dip is so sweet and creamy, and it's the perfect dipper for tart, crisp Granny Smith apples. I will confess to eating spoonfuls of this right out of the refrigerator.







I tried a lot of different macaroni and cheese recipes this year, since my son is entering that picky toddler phase of eating. The one thing he'll always eat is mac and cheese, and this ranch macaroni and cheese is by far his favorite -- and ours! I love the creamy, cheesy, ranchy goodness of this recipe.




Aside from my mom's meatloaf recipe, this recipe for chipotle cheddar meatloaf is by far my favorite. It's flavorful and spicy, and the gooey cheese and tortilla chips give it the perfect texture.





I love the balance of flavors in this chicken with pesto mushroom cream sauce. It's perfect comfort food, but it's also worthy of company. Win-win!






I tried something different with my pumpkin seeds this year: I took them in a sweet direction rather than a savory one and made these pumpkin pie-spiced pumpkin seeds. Andrew went crazy over these, and Joe and I really liked them too. I'll definitely be roasting them this way from now on!




On the subject of pumpkin, these pumpkin doughnut mini muffins are by far my favorite sweet recipe of the year. I've made these half a dozen times, and everyone who's tried them asks for the recipe. I'm happy to give it out, because these muffins are too delicious to keep to myself!





This black bean and salsa soup is ready, from start to finish, in 10 minutes. The addition of chicken stock makes it taste like it's been cooking a lot longer than that, though. You won't believe how flavorful this soup is!





I made this Southern praline cake for my stepmom's birthday this fall, and it went over incredibly well with everyone who tried it. The icing tastes exactly like a praline, and the cake itself is so moist. My stepmom has already asked that I make this for her every year, and I'm happy to oblige.



I'm not a huge coffee drinker, so these coffee chocolate chunk muffins are a great alternative for me in the mornings. They taste exactly like a mocha, but in muffin form. Delish!






Move over, cornbread: Ever since I discovered this recipe, this Monterey ranch bread has been our preferred side for chili. The bread's topping -- a combination of ranch dressing and tons of cheese -- is so melty and gooey and flavorful, and it's balanced nicely by crisp, buttery bread. We just can't get enough of this stuff.







Our barbecue-loving family adored this BBQ beef shepherd's pie: a mixture of ground beef, vegetables, and barbecue sauce topped with mashed potatoes that have been spiked with ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, and bacon. This one is well on its way to becoming a family favorite!





This salsa ranch burger is my husband's new favorite, and I can absolutely see why. Salsa and cheese is mixed right into the meat, making the burgers incredibly juicy and giving them unbelievable flavor. They're topped with more cheese and a quick sauce made with salsa and ranch dressing. So, so delicious.




This Nutella hot chocolate is a rich, decadent, nutty twist on classic hot chocolate. It's the perfect drink to curl up with on the couch while winter rages outside.






And of course, no Best of 2010 list would be complete without a photo of the absolute best thing I made this year:


From our whole family to yours, Happy New Year. I hope 2011 is filled with blessings and dreams come true for each and every one of you. Thanks for stopping by this year. Your visits and comments mean so much to me, and I'm so excited to share even more delicious goodies with you in 2011!

2 comments:

Leigh said...

I have totally eaten that dip with a spoon too! don't feel bad :)

Monica H said...

Your baby boy definitely looks like the best of 2010!

Gonna have to try that mac and cheese though!