Earlier this week I shared your favorite recipes here at Tide & Thyme in 2012. However, some of my absolute favorites weren’t on the list and I couldn’t let the end of the year go by without sharing those too! I know if you enjoy any one of these recipes, half as much as we do, it’s sure to be a winner in your home too!
Beatty’s Chocolate Cake – this is the cake that my family always requests for birthdays. It’s moist, rich, and decadent. The addition of coffee to the cake batter and frosting sets it apart from any other chocolate cake I’ve had. It’s wonderful.
Shrimp Enchiladas – this dish has “wow”-ed everyone that I’ve served it to. In fact, it’s actually rendered a couple of people speechless. I never thought that a shrimp rendition would turn out to be my favorite enchilada, but it certainly has.
“Animal” Double-Doubles – I’d been craving In-N-Out Burger for a solid two years before I finally got the nerve to try to re-create them at home. These burgers are pretty damn close, and it’s definitely one of the recipes I’m so glad I added to my recipe box this year!
Buffalo Chicken Pizza – My favorite pizza of the year, hands down. The buffalo pizza sauce is amazeballs, then to top it with sliced chicken and red onion that gets crunchy in the oven? Crazy good.
DIY Margarita Mix – it was definitely the year of the margarita in our house. No matter what seasonal fruit I was whipping into a marg, this was always the base component. It’s great as a mixer for other things too, like lime daiquiris. We always have a bottle in the fridge!
Chicken Marsala – my signature dish. Well, one of them at least! I’ve made this time and time again, and we never get tired of it. The sauce is so silky and rich, and the chicken tender and flavorful. Kids, this is one for the books. Make it!
Raspberry Cheesecake – the picture pretty much sums this one up. A thick, rich cheesecake topped with mounds of gorgeous sweet/tart berries? It doesn’t get any better than this.
Blackened Fish Tacos – while my love for fish tacos was born out of the beer-battered variety, these blackened fish tacos quickly became our favorite. They take a few minutes to throw together, are about a million times healthier, and have more flavor. The mango salsa on top is killer too!
Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl Bread – We enjoy a loaf of this bread at least once a week. It’s perfect for an easy breakfast or snack, and everyone always loves it. Definitely one of recipes I’m most proud of for making myself home (instead of buying at the store) in 2012!
Pork Tenderloin with Madiera Fig Gravy – my favorite new recipe that I tried this year, and I totally didn’t see it coming. Prior to this year, I hadn’t been a fan of pork tenderloin. But, when seasoned and cooked properly – it’s a wonderful, lean cut of meat. I’m already looking forward to spring when our fig tree will produce again!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies – I entered these cookies in my small town’s fair this year, and they won Reserve Champion. They’re big, they’re rich, and one is all you need. Our favorite cookie!
Porcini and Pumpkin Ale Macaroni & Cheese – we eat a considerable amount of pasta dishes in a one-year time frame, but this one really sticks out with me. All the flavors just work so beautifully together to create a dish that’s so satisfyingly delicious. I need to make this one again soon!
So, there they are. It never ceases to amaze me – all the wonderful food that I’ve made at home as a result of doing this little food blog. It’s definitely forced me to go out on a limb more, and try recipes I wouldn’t normally try. I can’t wait to see all the wonderful things we whip up in 2013!
