Best of 2012: Readers' Choice

Here I am sharing the best of 2012...again when it is already the following year, 2013.  When will I finally get on the ball and get this up before the year's end?  Probably never...I'm just not that organized and holiday madness gets in the way.  Surely you know how it is, right?

I love doing these posts because it allows me to see the types of foods that you enjoy best.  Because, even though I cook with the purpose of feeding my husband and myself, I do the blogging part for you all!  I also like to see how I've grown as a blogger each year.  Just looking at the photos in this roundup, I can tell I've made great improvements to my food photography this year.  This is only made more evident by the fact that several of these photos were accepted by "food porn" sites like Tasteologie and Serious Eats.  But they're still generally not good enough for the prestigious Food Gawker and I know there's room for improvement.  In 2013, I can only hope that the light box my brother bought me for Christmas will be a tool to help with that goal.  They are especially useful in the Winter when natural light is generally unavailable come dinner time.

So now, here they are, your Top 10 favorite recipes from 2012 done countdown style!

#10: Brat Burgers with Drunken Onions.  This year was the year that I joined the Secret Recipe Club and this particular recipe was an instant Summer hit due to its bold, gourmet-burger-shop-style flavors.  If there's one other thing I revealed about myself this year, it's my love for drunken foods.  But believe me, my love for alcohol stops there!

#9: Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts.  Another recipe swap that I participate in is the What's Cooking Recipe Swap and my favorite theme is Blogger's Choice.  This sweet treat was practically guilt-free ;).

#8: Homemade Nutella.  The one and only international sensation of velvety smooth chocolate and hazelnut spread.  Once you make it at home with a few simple, pure ingredients, you won't be buying the jarred stuff again.

#7: (Lightened Up) Loaded Baked Potato Salad.  Get all the rich flavor of a loaded baked potato but while tricking your guests into something healthier by using this secret "sauce" ingredient!  It's an easy ingredient substitution that you'll find yourself using to lighten up recipes in the future.

Photo Credit: Emily H.

#6: Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches.  So simple.  So delicious.  I got this for a recipe swap and am so glad that I did because just thinking about this sandwich makes me wish it were grilling weather right now.  Hmmm...maybe this will be the perfect recipe for using my new Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan that I got for Christmas...

#5: Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken.  This is like BBQ Asian style.  Don't have the infamous Thai hot sauce Sriracha?  Buy some here then thank me later.

#4: S'mores Pizza with Graham Cracker Cookie Crust.  I love it when I find inspiration in other blogs.  This is my own creation and I couldn't have been happier with the result.  A homemade graham cracker cookie crust is what makes this dessert pizza extra special and since it's made entirely in the oven, you can enjoy the campfire tradition of s'mores even in the dead of Winter.

#3: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Buns.  My first ever Secret Recipe Club pick and definitely one of the most decadent things to have ever been made on my blog.  This recipe is exactly as it sounds.  It's a traditional cinnamon roll that's filled with chocolate chip cookie dough in addition to the regular cinnamon sugar gooey goodness.

#2: Mini Corn Dog Muffins.  Adored by children and adults alike.  This healthier version of a carnival classic also makes a great freezer meal or gift for expectant/new parents that need quick, one-handed snacking options.

#1: .  Given the splash it made being featured in the FoodBuzz Top 9 (now DailyBuzz Food), it's no wonder that this is the top recipe on my blog for 2012.  Pizza and steak lovers rejoice because now you Grilled Steakhouse Pizzacan have both together!

BONUS RECIPE!  The above may have been your top 10 favorites that *I* made on my blog this year but none of them really hold a candle to the true top recipe of the year, a guest post by fellow Secret Recipe Club Group C member Mother Thyme.  I think we can all agree her Cream Cheese Coffee Cake that looks just delectable!  Plus, this is the type of blogging caliber that I aspire to be like someday...

There you have it, your Top 10 favorite recipes plus a bonus from 2012!  Stay tuned and tomorrow I'll share my personal favorites from the year and then Monday will be the great Mac and Cheese Contest winner announcements!  Last chance to enter to win!

What was YOUR favorite recipe from 2012?  Want to see favorites from previous years?  Click the recap label link below!