2016 Top 10 Blog Posts

2016 was a very good year for me personally as well as my blog.  I had more traffic to the blog than I've ever had. This is now my 5th anniversary of food blogging, which seems like such a long time, but then again, it has gone so fast too.  I still enjoy cooking and writing about it... with as much travel thrown in as possible too!  I didn't do as many posts as I have historically, but working full time and taking some night classes can wear a girl out.  

It's a crazy variety of recipes that made my Top 10 in 2016, but here they are!

 

Strawberry Arugula Avocado Tostados
I received a call out of the blue from the California Giant Strawberry farmers, asking me to create a recipe for their fresh berries.  I received a huge book of fresh strawberries shipped to my door, which is quite inspiring for sure!  I had a blast and earned a little cash.  I really thought of something outside of the norm for doing with these berries, this was a fun, fresh and different appetizer to have. 

Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
It all started with a huge bunch of leftover croissants.  Everyone knows they get a little stale after the first day, and honestly, how jazzed can you get about leftover croissants over and over?  Well, I must say they taste quite terrific made into ham and cheese sandwiches, soaked with eggs and baked as a casserole.  A keeper for sure.
 

Butterscotch Walnut Oatmeal Cookies
Just something I made for work one day, they taste pretty terrific, I must say!

 

Paige’s French Onion Soup
Made with love for my darling daughter.  It's the soup she likes best!


 

Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions
One of those meals where you have a pork tenderloin to cook but no inspiration... hmmm, a couple of apples hanging in the fruit bowl as we didn't like the texture.  Roasted and sauteed up with onions, those apples became the best side dish/seasoning for roasted pork tenderloin.


 

Pear Blue Cheese Salad with Maple Dressing
Another inspiration from a long weekend in the Columbia River Gorge and a great lunch salad that I had on a beautiful sunny almost Fall day. Pears, Blue Cheese and Pecans are augmented deliciously with a bit of maple in the dressing.

 

Honeydew Caipirissima

Inspiration from the Summer Olympics in Brazil, a very yummy cocktai!

Bratwurst Burgers

I had a great business trip to Germany, including Munich's Oktoberfest and remembered a great burger I had in our own Leavenworth Bavarian village. Very soon we were eating Bratwurst burgers of our own!

Sauteed Artichokes- Venetian Style

We had a wonderful time in Venice with our good friends, renting a darling 2 bedroom hotel room complete with a mini kitchen and living room with balcony's overlooking the canal.  Seemed like the perfect dish to make in Venice. It was.

Chicken, Spinach & Artichokes Baked in Foil
Sometimes the best "keeper" recipes are born from laziness... this is one of those.  It tasted delicious and more complex than it took to throw it together.  I highly recommend this!

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