Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Tasty Tuesday: The Top 15 Divulge and Indulge Favorites From 2015

I should probably start this post by clarifying that these are my personal favorite recipes. And, to be perfectly honest, it was difficult to narrow it down to just fifteen. (I have no idea how I managed to make a very simple "Top Five" recipe list last year!)

I made things a little easier on myself by only including recipes I tried for the first time in 2015. Although I'd love to put something like Arni Giouvetsi or Tortellini Soup on the list, these are things I've been making for a long time ... So I felt they didn't accurately represent the "Best of 2015."

I also tried to only include recipes that I've made over and over (or that I plan to make over and over in the future!). For me, these were the true winners of 2015.

 photo Top2015DivulgeandIndulgeRecipes_zps05caau03.jpg

1. Sausage, Onion, Pepper, and Tomato Frittata

This, along with potatoes and mimosas, has become our "official" New Year's Day brunch meal. It may not be the healthiest way to start the new year, but it's worth every calorie.

2. One Pot Turkey Kielbasa Dirty Rice

I love one pot meals (trust me, there will be several of these on this list!), and this is no exception. Slightly spicy, slightly smoky, slightly healthy, and very easy, this is one of my favorite quick weeknight dinners.

3. Zesty One Pot Lemon Chicken Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichokes

This recipe really surprised me. I honestly didn't have very high hopes for it, but it wound up becoming one of my favorite new pasta dishes.

4. Grilled Steaks with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is a completely decadent meal that's perfect for a special occasion. I'd love to have it all the time, but I'd probably gain about 500 pounds.

5. Chorizo Potato Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

I'm proud to say that this something I came up with on my own. I used a sauce I already knew how to make, but I didn't use a recipe for the overall meal. The result was even better than I initially hoped!

6. Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes

This is the only side dish to make this list. I was so excited when I first made these because they were almost identical to the potatoes Eric and I get at our favorite Greek restaurant (and man, do I love those potatoes!).

7. One Pot Tortellini with Italian Sausage in a Tomato Cream Sauce

Sometimes the simplest ingredients can combine to make the best meals, and this is a perfect example. Cheesy, creamy, and super easy, this was, without question, one of my favorite one pot dinners in 2015.

8. Tex-Mex Mini Meatloaves

I combined two recipes to make these mini meatloaves, and the result was fantastic. They're spicy and smoky and will melt in your mouth. What else could you possibly ask for?

9. Crockpot BBQ Chicken Chili Mac

This meal quickly became a favorite in our house. It's a crockpot meal, so it's obviously pretty simple, and the combination of Tex-Mex and BBQ flavors is awesome.

10. Chicken Veggie Avocado Rice Bowl

This is another meal I created without the help of a recipe. It's probably one of the simplest recipes I've ever posted, but it has become a staple in our house. There's no way I was leaving it off this list!

11. Caesar Crusted Salmon

We try to have salmon fairly often, and this is by far our favorite way to make it. If you don't typically cook fish at home but think you might want to try it, don't feel intimidated ... This recipe is super simple!

12. One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

I thought I'd probably enjoy this meal, but I had no idea I'd love it. This has become one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken and rice!

13. Steak Penne with Caramelized Onions

This is one of the most unique meals I made all year, and it was amazing. It took a bit of time and effort, but it was totally worth it.

14. Red Curry Lentils with Coconut Jasmine Rice

Eric and I are both huge fans of curry, and this recipe was a big hit. I'd never cooked with lentils before, so this took me a little out of my comfort zone. I'm so glad I tried it, though ... It's delicious and definitely one of the best vegetarian meals I've ever made!

15. Crockpot Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This is another indulgent recipe that I can't make all the time (I wish!). If you're willing to splurge on some extra calories, though, you should definitely give this dish a try.

I tried a lot of really amazing recipes in 2015, and I'm looking forward to trying many more this year!

3 comments:

  1. You shared a lot of great stuff from the kitchen last year! And a lot of it was out of the box. Thanks!

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  2. whats wrong / bad about frittatas? i love frittatas. super healthy. i just printed your cheesy buffalo chicken pasta, i pinned it when you posted but haven't made it. i really want it to be healthy hahaha. i am curious to see if KC will eat it, he's not big on creamy / cheesy, but he likes buffalo stuff and chicken, so.. maybe. Also, sometimes I don't tell him something is creamy or cheesy if it's not obvious (like he won't touch lasagne, weirdo).

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  3. I pinned a couple more (and already had a couple pinned). I gotta get to cookin'! It's supposed to rain all week. I'm thinking the one-pot pasta dishes will taste pretty perfect on a rainy day. And, usually there's leftovers to bring to work. Score!

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