The Top 30 Favorite Recipes of 2016
With so many great recipes in 2016, it's hard to pick just a few. Here are 30 that I've made again already, or plan on making them again in the near future. Many of my favorites come from Cooking Light magazine. I find their recipes so well written, super approachable, and extremely flavorful!
Favorites
Beer Braised Chicken Thighs - I absolutely loved the flavor that the dark beer brought to these braised thighs.
Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken - this recipe was sweet, spicy, and salty all in one.
Express Taco Soup with Pork - this is a two for one. I used pork from this recipe Pasilla Pork Tacos.
Baked Eggs with Onion and Cheese - I added a little diced up ham to this recipe the second time around. Wow did that add some flavor! It's great as written though.
Lobster Pasta with Tomatoes Basil - I picked up some yellow tomatoes at the farmers' market last summer. This was an excellent way to use them!
Rajas con Crema - a few years ago on a trip to Cabo, a chef made us some Rajas. Since then, I've loved every recipe I've ever stumbled upon that uses roasted poblanos.
Roasted Shrimp with Foaming Butter Sauce - the simplicity and quick cooking time is what I enjoyed about this recipe. Roast the shrimp and butter over high heat and you're ready to eat.
Spice Grilled Chicken Thighs - I loved the creamy, japaneno sauce that was on the side of this one.
Golden Chicken Thighs with Charred Lemon Salsa - if you'v never charred or grilled a lemon or lime, try it. The amount of juice is astounding! Pair that citrus with all the herbs and spices here, and you can't go wrong!
Zucchini Noodle Veggie Lo Mein - I love the mirin in this recipe. It really makes the sauce complete.
Eggs in Tomato Sauce - this is a great way to use up a jar of leftover marinara sauce if you don't want to take the time to make homemade. I tried this recipe with store bought and homemade sauce. Both were a hit.
Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad - this chicken salad has become a lunch staple of mine. The feta absolutely pops!
Vietnamese Pork Chops - such a quick and easy recipe for pork chops. It's a great weeknight recipe.
Salmon Salad - leftover baked salmon is phenomenal in here!
Indian Salad - I probably made this salad 20 times over the summer. The apples and cumin are just stunning!
Garlic Sticky Noodles - I spotted this little gem on Pinterest. Just 15 minutes and you're done is for real!
Ranchero Beans - beans with bacon. Okay!
Spicy Black Beans with Onion & Bacon - more beans with bacon. Double okay!
Corn Cucumber Peach Avocado Salad - one of the, if not THE, best summer salad you can make.
Grape Bacon Feta Salad - grapes and bacon? Sounds weird... but oh-so-tasty!
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes - I will never make regular mashed potatos again. Browning the butter adds a depth of flavor that is completely unreachable in regular mashers.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Green Onion & Cilantro - this was super tasty with all the fresh flavors.
Baby Lettuce with Strawberries, Feta & Almonds - looks like I'm officially on the fruit in my salad bandwagon.
The Cheeseburger Salad - absolutely an amazing salad! It's really just a bunless burger.
Sweet Korean Lentils - I enjoyed the texture of these lentils with the sweetness.
Cauliflower with Cilantro Sauce - I actually still have some of this cilantro sauce in the fridge. It's so incredibly flavorful! If you've read through the lists, I think you all see my love of cauliflower, espcially roasted.
Potato Gratin Sovoyard - this was a Christmas hit! Pretty much swap beef stock for cream in potatoes au gratin. I'd even make this a day ahead next time because the next-day potatoes were even better!
Peach Dressing - see the fruit and salad comment above. Now add fruit to the dressing! Super fresh.
Herb and Goat Cheese Omelet - one of my favorite brunch places makes a killer goat cheese omelet. I tried my own at home and it was just as good! (If not better.) I used goat cheese rolled in peppercorns. Wow.
