Best of 2012: Blogger's Choice

I try to screen out the recipes that I share so that each one is sure to be great if you give it a try yourself.  However, some of them stick out as real winners each year so I write this particular post in order to make sure they're not missed.

Here are the top 10 best things that I made this year shown in the order in which they were posted on my blog.

#1: Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.  I have a slight obsession with  stuffed recipes (like Stuffed Crust Pizza, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Buns, Stuffed Chicken Marsala, and Gruyere and Bacon Stuffed French Toast...more on that one shortly) .  This stuffed sweet potato totally did not disappoint.  I could have eaten that filling straight up with a spoon.  Delicious.

Photo Credit: Emily H.

#2: Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps.  Guess I also have a love of sweet potatoes (and lettuce wraps).  This was one of those recipes that was so good I had to drop everything once we were done stuffing our faces so that I could immediately share it with you.

#3: Macadamia Lemon Bars.  I FINALLY made lemon bars!  Every time I serve this recipe it's a hit and everyone wants the recipe.  Thank you so much Emily for sharing it with me!

#4: Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese Ball with Basil Oil.  Tangy, sharp, and plain pretty.  This appetizer will make a great first impression with guests.  Perfect served with Daelia's Biscuits for Cheese. (Read my full review of their biscuits here.  Sorry, giveaway has long ended.)

Photo Credit: Emily H.

#5: Magic in the Middles.  One word to describe this cookie: irresistible.  Who can resist the temptation of a chocolate sugar cookie with a hidden peanut butter center?  Not even me, the Savory Queen.

#6: Farro Spaghetti with Beets, Browned Butter, and Poppy Seeds.  This brought me out of my comfort zone and ultimately converted me to being a beet lover.  Seriously!

#7: Gruyere and Bacon Stuffed French Toast.  There's that other stuffed recipe I was talking about.  The perfect combination of sweet and salty.  I love breakfast.

#8: Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans.  One of the best stir fry sauces that I've ever had.  Mix it up by using your favorite meats and veggies!

#9: Chicken Marsala Risotto.  Hands down my favorite entree that I made all year!

#10: Cinnabon Caramel Corn.  And for balance, this was my favorite sweet from the year....possibly my favorite over all??  I don't know.  That's a pretty bold statement.  Either way, everywhere I brought this easy treat, it was gobbled up far too quickly!

Since my husband also has the honor of tasting all the food that I make, I decided to allow him to share a couple of his favorites, as well.

Chris' Savory Pick: Buca di Beppo's Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. We love pasta and all things spicy.  We love saving money by making restaurant copycat recipes at home even more ;).

Chris' Sweet Pick: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Cake.  Does this really come as a surprise to anybody?  I didn't think so.  This is also the cake that gave me the honor of being compared to her abuelo (grandmother) by our friend's daughter.  If that's not the gold standard...the highest compliments to the chef...I don't know what is.  I was touched.

Photo Credit: Emily H.

So there are our favorites from 2012!  I hope you give them a try and let me know how you like them :).

Oh, and just in case you missed it, here are the Readers' Choice Best of 2012 Picks!