Best of 2010: The Top 10 Recipes

I’ve never actually written a year-end round-up over here, though I’m not sure why as I always enjoy reading them on other blogs. As I mentioned the other day, Shane’s cousin gave me a little book for Christmas collecting some of the most popular recipes from my site, and it inspired me to get this post up before the new year. I’m actually going to do this in two parts – today I’m sharing the 10 most popular recipes from 2010, and tomorrow I’m going to share my personal favorites that didn’t quite make the cut today.

Also, today marks the 3-year anniversary of this little blog – hooray!! With over 700 posts to date, it’s been an amazing ride. I’ve learned so much along the way, and met some really wonderful people I would otherwise never have crossed paths with. I thank each and every one of you for your support! I will be hosting a giveaway at the start of the new year to show my appreciation 🙂

So, without further ado, the top 10 recipes of the year…

10. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting – Without a doubt, these are my go-to pumpkin cupcakes, and when topped with cream cheese frosting, they’re completely irresistible. As luck would have it, I have a ton of leftover canned pumpkin, so I don’t have to wait until next fall to make them again.

9. Lemon Madeleines – I love madeleines; they strike me as so elegant with their gorgeous scalloped edges. This version has a subtle lemon twist and since citrus fruits will be in season soon, it’s a great time of year for this recipe.

8. Homemade Graham Crackers – It makes me so happy to replicate store-bought goodies, especially when the result is a big improvement over the original. These are buttery and crispy, and would make the best s’mores ever.

7. Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes – My mom is a good sport and eats just about anything I bake and share with her, but she has a few personal favorites, and this recipe is one of them. I’m not a huge cheesecake fan, but this recipe made a believer out of me. You really can’t go wrong with Oreos and cheesecake, I guess.

6. Lemon Rosemary & Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs – I laughed as I reread this post, in which I talked about Shane’s dislike of bone-in chicken and my hope that I could make him a convert with more tasty recipes like this one with its super flavorful marinade. Suffice it to say, it worked! Eight months later, he requests bone-in chicken thighs regularly 🙂

5. Banana Breakfast Smoothie – This is a really fun breakfast treat – creamy like a milkshake, but way easier to justify first thing in the morning. You only need a few simple ingredients and a quick spin in your blender to whip it up.

4. Mini Caramel Apple Pies – Everything is better in mini form isn’t it? Apple pie is one of my favorite desserts, and this version adds a rich caramel sauce to the filling, making it even more decadent and indulgent.

3. Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes – Who would have guessed that a recipe involving cauliflower would be so popular? This year I tried quite a few cauliflower recipes, but this is the one I’ll return to again and again when I want to incorporate cauliflower into my diet. It’s almost as good as mashed potatoes, and you can feel a whole lot better about eating it.

2. Soft Pretzel Bites – I’m obsessed with homemade pretzels, and apparently you guys are too! Seriously, I don’t think I’ve met a soft pretzel I didn’t love, and this bite-sized version is a real treat.

1. Homemade Croissants – The recipe I’m probably most proud of having tackled this year. I took lots of step-by-step pictures so I hope I inspired some of you to give them a go as well.

So, there you have it – your favorite recipes of the year! I’m looking forward to sharing my personal favorites tomorrow.