Yesterday, we brought you Jason’s best of choices from this year.
Today it’s my turn. While we differed pretty significantly on the salads, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and projects, you will notice some repeats here. I guess if both of us say they’re the best then that has to count for something. I won’t go reminiscing about the past year, as you’ve probably gotten enough of that from yesterday. I’ll just say I’m proud, happy, and enjoying this little outlet where I get to over-share about my life. I hope you like it too.
Top Three Breakfasts
03. Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes with Mascarpone Cream – Mascarpone seemed to be a theme this year. This is how to eat mascarpone for breakfast.
02. Smoked Salmon Stuffed Crepes with Bechamel Sauce – Not only was this meal inspired by a wonderful trip to Seattle, it also redeemed me from several past bechamel dish failures. Next time you’re hosting a fancy brunch, make these.
01. White Cheddar and Green Onion Scones – I love having these in our freezer to bake in the mornings. Serve with espresso.
Top Three Appetizers/Snacks
03. Fish Cakes with Horseradish Cream Sauce – Jason voted these into the top 10 entrees, but I really think they belong in the top appetizer category. Flaky, spicy, and horseradish. Yes, please.
02. Honey Lemon Jelly and Ricotta Crostinis – All credit here goes to The Farm Kitchen, as they created the key ingredient.
01. Cauliflower and Feta Fritters – This one sneaks up on you. It seems so simple but it tastes like so much more.
Top Three Soups
03. Борщ (Borscht) – A classic Russian recipe. I promise, it’s not peasant food.
02. Red Cabbage and Sausage Soup – This soup is my go to for when I have a big head of red cabbage. Kind of ridiculous to make in August, but it doesn’t matter.
01. Coconut Butternut Squash Soup with Rice – A totally unexpected winner. I love the combination of coconut and citrus, and the spices are just right.
Top Three Salads
03. Kale, Squash, and Quinoa Salad with Maple Citrus Dressing – Jason and I both agree. This salad is one of a kind.
02. Black & White Bean Salad with Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella – This is a heavy salad for sure, but perfect for a picnic or BBQ situation. It was also picked up by Brit&Co in their 24 best mozzarella recipes, and I tend to agree.
01. Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad – I am obsessed with the two main ingredients in this salad. Looking at this photo makes me miss summer already.
Top Ten Main Dishes
10. Ridiculously Simple Yet Totally Fancy Seafood Brodetto – I like this because, as the name would suggest, it’s too easy to be this delicious.
09. Shakshuka – Lots of spices, runny egg yolks, melted feta, and served with crusty bread? How could I not?
08. Okonomiyaki, Savory Japanese Pancakes – These are less intimidating than they sound. It’s most definitely the fritter winner of the year.
07. Fried Halloumi with Bell Peppers, Carrots, Capers and so much other good stuff – Lots of veggies, lots of herbs, and some friend cheese. It’s summer dinner heaven.
06. Indian Spiced Chicken with Tomatoes and Cream – It seems like this year was packed with Indian dishes, and this was the standout winner in my book.
05. Tomato and Anchovy Butter Pasta with Swiss Chard – Maybe it’s because tomatoes were peaking when we made this. Maybe it’s because I think anchovies are so delicious. I hardly ever choose pasta dishes, but this is a winner.
04. Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas – This is one of those “when in doubt” recipes. Lots of flavor, hard to mess up, and sounds impressive.
03. Roasted Chicken Thighs with Clementines – Pernod, fennel, and fennel seeds. Seems crazy, I know, but the combination with the citrus and chicken is nothing short of amazing.
02. Mushroom Mascarpone Tart – I’ve made this multiple times now, and I can’t get enough. It’s rich and deep but not overly heavy, and works warm or cold. I absolutely love it.
01. Apple Cider and Maple Syrup Brined Bone-In Pork Chops – So unlike me to choose pork as the number one dish. But I end up making this once a month these days, even when apple cider is hard to find, because it’s that good.
Top Five Side Dishes
05. Pisto Manchego – Think Spanish ratatouille. Lots of veggies, a little bacon, and topped with Manchego cheese.
04. Charred Green Beans with Spicy Garlic Aioli – Here come two green bean recipes in a row. We had so much opportunity to practice with green beans this year (they were abundant in the CSA) that we were able to come up with some great recipes.
03. Ginger Garlic Green Beans – As I said, there are two in the top five. This one was the original hit.
02. Warm Brown Butter Sweet Potato, Pancetta, and Arugula Salad – A sweet potato recipe that both Jason and I can agree on. A little salt from the pancetta and some bitterness from the arugula are a perfect accoutrement to the delicious sweet potatoes.
01. Creamy White Beans with Wilted Greens – A surprising winner, as white beans are usually nothing to brag about. In this recipe, they’re slow cooked with some anchovies and the result is glorious.
Top Three Desserts
03. Lemon Curd and Blackberry Pavlova – Who knew whipped egg whites could be so delicious?
02. Childhood Berry Crumb Pie – Even though this recipe is far older than just one year, I have to pay it homage as it finally made it on the blog. Smiles.
01. Carrot Almond Cake with Ricotta Cream – Not your average carrot cake, let’s just make that clear. It also desperately needs to be rephotographed*. I have no hesitations about making it again. *And it’s now been rephotographed.
Top Three Projects
03. Reupholstered Office Chair – I get to sit in this project every day, and it continues to make me smile. Plus it was featured on Apartment Therapy this year, and that was pretty cool.
02. Mini Picture Island – This project changed how this blog looks pretty significantly. It’s my staging area for most of my photos. A big thank you to Jason.
01. Built-In Bookshelves – I was shocked that this wasn’t Jason’s number one, but it was certainly mine. He put so much work and effort into making these beautiful bookshelves, that they have to win.
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