Woah…I cannot believe we are here again doing a “top fifteen of the year” post! It feels like I just made one of these only a few months ago for 2017…it’s crazy how fast time flies! But here we are again, welcoming in a new year! I am very excited to see what this year brings for our family – it’s going to be a big one! A brand new baby, brand new job for Seth, cross country move…there’s a lot of super big changes coming our way this year, and it’s exciting and scary at the same time 😬💃🏻.
I hope you have all had a fantastic year and are looking forward to 2019, too!
When a new year comes around, I love looking back through all my blog posts from the whole year and marking the best of the best so I can collect them together for you. It’s fun to reminisce through old recipes and all the life that’s happened over the past year. And DANG, friends – lemme tell ya…there was some pretty boss food that went down this year. It was very hard for me to choose just fifteen from all of them. BUT – I managed, and I’ve got a collection for ya that you FOR SURE need to bookmark so you can add each and every one to your meal plans soon – ASAP – stat. Make it happen, yo.
Let’s do this thang…
#1: Instant Pot Carnitas
I thiiiiiink this might have been the first recipe I posted with my new Instant Pot…but I could be wrong…don’t quote me on that. Either way, this recipe converted me into a HARD CORE Instant Pot lover. The fact that these carnitas (which usually take hours in the oven) have a 45 minute cook time in the Instant Pot and are literally just as good if not better than the low and slow oven version made me THE HAPPIEST of all time. Hello, Instant Pot, new best friend – so nice to meet you. Let’s hang out every day forever.
Seriously, people. These are so so worth the try.
Grab this recipe here!
#2 Roasted Tomatillo Stewed Chickpeas
You know how it’s really hard to decide what to make when you have people over for dinner or for an event like Mother’s Day or a birthday celebration? This is one of my go-to’s for those situations. And that should say something, because I have a million and one recipes that I love. I always, always, always make this if someone is vegetarian or vegan and are coming over for dinner, because honestly, this is probably my all time favorite vegetarian/vegan recipe that I’ve ever made or eaten.
But regardless of whether or not you’re a vegetarian, the flavor here is absolutely insane, and you need to try it right this second!
Grab this recipe here!
#3: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
This is legit one of my all time favorite soups in the entire world that I’ve ever made EVER. The combo of alllll the different roasted root veggies, the texture of the velvety, pureed soup, the pop of apple cider vinegar…y’all. Y’ALL. What dreams are made of. And – hello!! – it’s the perfect weather outside for this right now!
Make. It. Happen.
Grab this recipe here!
#4: Creamy Vegan Cashew Curry Sauce
Now this one is just straight up crazy. The fact that this sauce is made up of primarily cashews? Like…mind blown. We created this sauce while doing Whole 30, and wowza…I couldn’t stop eating it on anything and everything in sight. So good – so creamy – so flavorful – so impossible not to devour by the spoonful!
Grab this recipe here!
#5: Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Can I just start by saying again how amazing Instant Pots are? We’ve got a 20 minute cook time on this baby, so it’s done in no time and tastes like a hug in a bowl. Is there anything more comforting than thick and creamy chicken and wild rice soup? Yeah…I didn’t think so. This stuff is THE BEST.
Grab this recipe here!
#6: The ULTIMATE Artichokes (Instant Pot + Grilled)
Excuse me…*cough* – *sniff*…getting slightly emotional while reliving these artichokes. I’m good now…I’m good. I need everyone to listen to the following very important information: if you have never had these artichokes, you literally have not lived, and your primary new years resolution for 2019 needs to be MAKING THESE IMMEDIATELY and then eating them weekly for the rest of the year.
These artichokes are covered with garlic and lemon juice before getting a quick pressure cook in the Instant Pot and then are thrown on the grill. The leaves are then dipped in a crazy easy, two ingredient lemon butter sauce. The whole situation will just have you crying tears of artichoke joy. It it a mandatory addition to your household, people.
Grab this recipe here!
#7: Bruschetta Panzanella Salad
This salad is the BOMB DOT COM because it combines two of my absolute favorite things in the world: panzanella salad (aka bread salad…need I say more? Thank you, Italy) and bruschetta. I absolutely love both of these food items, and when you throw them together into one delicious match up? Dreams. Dreams…that is all.
Grab this recipe here!
#8: Curry Chicken Salad
Say goodbye to every other chicken salad you’ve ever eaten. You might as well burn the recipes, because once you try this one, you’ll never go back to a regular chicken salad again. It’s creamy, it’s loaded with all kinds of delicious curry flavor, and it’s packed with all kinds of crunch from the green onions, almonds, cucumber, and cilantro.
It is #lunchgoals.
Grab this recipe here!
#9: Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Hi again, Instant Pot 👋 – not surprised to see you making another delicious appearance. Y’all – this sauce is just insane. It’s unctuous, rich, has such deep flavor, and coats any noodle that is lucky enough to be the base for this sauce with perfection.
It knocks any other red pasta sauce out of the water…byeeeee.
Grab this recipe here!
#10: Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread
This mouthwatering fall dessert is ridiculously easy to make and is so good that you will feel the need to hoard all the cans of pumpkin puree from your grocery store so you can make it every single day of the fall season. All you have to decide now is when to eat it. Breakfast? Sure. Snack? Obvi. Lunch and dinner in the same day? Of course.
You’ll be in love.
Grab this recipe here!
#11: One Pot Cast Iron Chicken Pot Pie
Not only is this chicken pot pie the most delicious chicken pot pie in the whole world, it is also so easy that it’s almost not even fair. We use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, a bag of frozen, pre-mixed veggies, AND pre-made pie crust. But guess what? I’m saying it again – it’s the best chicken pot pie ever.
Bonus: it’s made all in one pan AND baked in that same pan. Like…what is this life?
Grab this recipe here!
#12: Pumpkin Mug Cake
Like…if I’m being totally honest…this is the coolest thing I’ve ever done 👆🏼…
It took me five million recipe tests to get the recipe perfect, and once I did, I was so excited to post it and share it with you guys that I could hardly contain myself. This mug cake is moist, perfectly dense, loaded with pumpkin + pumpkin spice flavor, and done in the MICROWAVE before you can even say the words “Pumpkin Mug Cake.” This is my proudest moment as a food blogger….PROUDEST.
Grab this recipe here!
#13: Absolute Easiest, No-Fuss Lasagna
If you think you’ve made “easy lasagna” in the past…think again, because this one is seriously THE easiest. The extent of your prep work is one thing…one – thing…browning your sausage. Other than that, we use jarred sauce, no boil noodles, a pre-mixed Italian cheese blend, and cottage cheese straight from the carton – no mixing in eggs or herbs. It’s like not even cool how easy this is. And guess what? It tastes BANGIN’.
You need – I repeat: need – this in your life if you are busy and crave easy weeknight meals. AKA every mom ever + any working person ever + just any human being period.
Grab this recipe here!
#14: Instant Pot Beef Stew
Do I even need to say any words here or can you just look at the picture and tell how delicious this beef stew is? I mean, if you don’t feel like you need rich, thick gravy + tender, buttery beef + soft, perfect vegetables, then that’s fine. Don’t make this. But if you are a living, breathing person and delicious food makes you happy, say hi to your new favorite dinner 👋.
Grab this recipe here!
#15: Beef Stroganoff
Last but definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY not least = this beef stroganoff. My main experience with beef stroganoff is basically cafeteria or freezer meal versions, so this homemade stroganoff was revolutionary for me, and I will never go back.
Seriously…I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone to try because it is just PERFECT in every single way. Hearty, creamy, SO flavorful, and comforting to the absolute max. All the love for this one, you guys. All. The. Love.
Grab this recipe here!
And that’s a wrap! My all time favorite blog recipes from last year! Seriously – try them all if you at all care about your own happiness and well being. I can only hope that 2019 brings just as much delicious food. Happy New Year, my lovely, wonderful internet friends!
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