Best of 2013: Reader's Choice

Happy New Year!

First, let me start out by saying thank you for following my little blog.  I know that 2014 will be challenging for me to keep up with posting with the same frequency as I did in 2013 given I now have a little guy to care for.  I hope you can bare with me and promise it will be worth it to keep following along :).

Each year I do a little recap of the top recipes as chosen by the readers and then separately, myself.  You can find the others by clicking on the Recap tag.

Here are the Top 10 Reader Favorite Recipes in 2013:

#10 - Salted Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats. Kicking off the list strong with this simple "gourmet" twist on traditional rice crispy treats!  If you all didn't pick it for your Top 10 list for the year, I certainly would have.  Once you get a taste of the nutty browned butter, you'll wonder why you didn't always make rice crispies this way!

#9 - Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip. Seriously guys, we're on the same wavelength here!  Love!  Out of all of the easy savory recipes from this year, this was one of my absolute favorites.  If you're lazy, you could skip the balsamic reduction and it'd still be delicious.  Now go put that slow cooker to work all day so you can take a dip into nirvana tonight!

#8 - Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake. Move over grocery store cookie cakes!  From the outside it looks like a regular single layer cake but just wait until you cut it open.  It's a giant cookie with a crunchy exterior, chewy interior, and enveloped in a luscious frosting!

#7 - Ginger Chicken Jook (Chinese Rice Porridge). Spot on with this pick again, my friends.  This is the equivalent of Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup and will definitely take the chill of your bones.  Some swear it even cures the common cold.  Since I've discovered this recipe I just make it anytime I have a rotisserie chicken carcass on hand...

#6 - Cadbury Creme Mini Egg Cupcakes. A Secret Recipe Club Editor's Choice recipe!  This is sure to brighten up your child's Easter basket.

#5 - Chocolate Oreo Poke Cake. Doctored cake mix, Cool Whip, and Oreos never looked so good (or so easy)!  I'm not sure if this one is popular because of Pinterest (follow my boards here!), my blogiversary giveaway, pure delicious, or maybe all of the above.

#4 - Peanut Butter Cup Bars. I'm not usually a big sweets fan but this one certainly won me over.  Very rarely do I make a recipe more than once and this is one of them that had the honor of being a repeat in my kitchen.  Click the link to find out what gives this recipe its surprisingly special texture in the peanut filling!

#3 - Grilled Cheese Donuts. I'm not at all surprised to see this recipe make an appearance on this list.  After all, who doesn't love grilled cheese?...and donuts?...buttered and then smashed together into a single sweet and salty delight.  It may sound odd but I assure you your taste buds will sing when you take your first buttery bite into this Tom+Chee copy cat recipe!

#2 - Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes. A twist on the traditional Joe!  This was not only a reader favorite but also a household favorite.  Fans have written to tell me that when you're feeling especially lazy, you can skip the sauce and just add a slice of cheese.  But then that would be too neat...

#1 - Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake. My husband's pride and joy.  His first post to my blog and subsequent claim to internet fame.  There was no doubt in my mind that this recipe would take the title of 2013 Reader Favorite Recipe!  This photo (and recipe) has been shared on facebook, pinterest, twitter, etc more times than we can count.  Sadly often times it is done without any link back to us :(.  And yet, over 66,000 of you eventually made it to this post on my page (and hopefully became loyal readers because you saw what you liked!).  Thank you so much for the love!  It's popular because it's mind boggling to think about and looks (and tastes) really freaking delicious.  In fact, my husband once told me that when someone eats his desserts, he only wants them to think about how deliciously over the top it is.  It's a brownie crust, ganache, peanut butter cheesecake, more ganache, and lots of Reese Peanut Butter Cups.  Don't even think about the calories...something this indulgent just needs to be enjoyed without remorse!