Top Recipes of 2010

Wow, readers.  I cannot believe this year is over.  And, my goodness, what an emotional year it was.  It started out with three family deaths in a five-week period.  As horrible as it was, I came through the sadness stronger.

Through it all, I cooked.  I cooked through the sadness and the mourning.  I made chicken noodle soup.  I made oatmeal raisin cookies.  I made a feast. 

Throughout this year, I've made some recipes that really stood out.  Here they are, readers.  I hope you'll like them just as much as I do.  

My year in the kitchen started off with this delicious slow cooker pulled chicken.  Not only is it economical and ridiculously easy to prepare, it's tasty and freezes perfectly for a weeknight dinner down the road.

Believe it or not, there are people out there who will say white cake is their favorite kind of cake.  I knew I had to up the ante on white cake and I knew Dorie Greenspan was just the person to help me with it.  Her Perfect Party Cupcakes were made even tastier with the addition of raspberry buttercream.  

Sometimes simple really is best, and this simple citrus salmon proves it.  With about three minutes of prep time, this recipe is as quick and easy as they come.  It's tasty, healthy, and presents beautifully.  The night we ate this, I already knew it'd be in my year-end roundup.

I just couldn't talk about my favorite recipes of 2010 without including this breakfast quinoa.  I first ate it for breakfast before heading out on a twelve-mile bike ride.  I loved the taste and the protein in the quinoa kept me fueled up throughout the ride.  I was sold that day and I've enjoyed this breakfast with the season's best fresh fruit all year long.

As a child, I loved going to the lake with my mom.  many times, we'd stop for a cherry limeade from Sonic along the way.  In June, I turned my beloved treat into a frozen cherry limeade pie and boy, did it bring back great memories.  I can't wait to make it again this summer!

Another great summer dessert was this delicious bumbleberry pie.  With five fantastic fruits combined in one pie, it was bound to be good.  When all all those fruits were baked between my favorite pate brisee, it was a definite winner.  Trust me on this one, readers, and bookmark this one for next summer.

I recently saw a study that said the general population is split 50/50 on choosing chocolate vs. lemon in desserts.  I'm a chocoholic, but others love lemon.  (For you, I offer up these lemon bars.)  I've also got these lemon-ricotta pancakes with fresh berries.  They're lemony, breakfasty heaven.

This salmon florentine needs to be in your arsenal.  It's packed with flavor and nutrients, but not fat and calories.  As if that wasn't enough, it's quick enough for an easy weeknight meal.  Perfect!

Oh wow.  Oh goodness.  These pumpkin chai blondies with spiced cream cheese frosting were off the charts.  In fact, they were one of my most popular recipes of the year.  The blondies are dense and moist and full of warming chai spices.  The frosting adds a spicy tang that is the perfect topping.  I am 100% sure I'll be making these again come fall 2011.

The smell of these pear and apple upside-down gingerbread cakelets brought me right back to the holidays of my childhood.  The flavor didn't let me down either.  Even though I made these "just because" they'd be wonderful for an evening gathering of friends and family.  After all, who doesn't love getting their own miniature nostalgic dessert?

Looking for another holiday winner?  How about these cranberry turtle bars.  They were fun to make and were a huge hit with everyone who tasted them.  They are quite rich and one batch really does go a long way, making them perfect for a holiday party or potluck. 

After all the fall desserts I was making, it was time to lighten up a bit.  After seeing chef Bobby Flay make Mesa Grill's pumpkin soup on CBS' "Sunday Morning", I knew I'd make it.  I went right to my bookshelf and looked up the recipe in The Mesa Grill Cookbook.  Simply put, it was outstanding.

Another dinner hit in 2010 was this Moroccan-spiced chicken tagine.  One-pot meals are perfect for weeknights and this one was no exception.  I loved the flavors, which were out of the ordinary for me.  This recipe made enough to heartily feed six, and the leftovers made for delicious lunches.

The year came to and end with a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner of tamales and posole finsihed off with this sopaipilla cheesecake.  I thought it was an outstanding end to a fabulous meal.

 Readers, I hope you've enjoyed this year at "Apple a Day".  I know I have.  I certainly appreciate you sticking with me and reading my blog.  I love when I hear that you've tried the recipes I feature.  I especially like it when you and your families enjoyed the recipes.  I'm looking forward to my kitchen adventures in 2011.  I hope you'll come along on the journey!