When I was little, I used to want my birthday to last forever.
Now that I’m an adult, I’m okay with a dinner out and one new piece of sparkly jewelry. My blog, however, demands two days of celebration. Yesterday, Jason paid tribute to Things I Made Today’s third year and today, it’s my turn. We covered a lot of the accomplishments and general wins yesterday too, so today, before launching into the best of list, I thought I’d fill you in on what happens when things don’t go right.
For every recipe that makes the blog, there is at least one or two nights in the kitchen where I’m covered in flour or paprika, transferring dinner from one plate to another (wrong color) and getting pissed when I realize my camera batteries aren’t charged. There are a lot of recipes that don’t make the blog. Some of them are just total disasters (strawberry and candied ginger ice cream…you officially suck) and some are just not special enough (if you knew how many versions of broccoli mac and cheese I made before I realized I cannot reinvent the dish in any worthwhile way to post it here). I could go on.
Next year I intend to do a better job capturing all the fails and perhaps do a post dedicated to everything that went wrong, but for now, let’s get positive again.
Like always, Jason and I independently scanned through the archives to pick our best of choices. But unlike our lists for year one and year two, we actually have a lot more in common this year. So pardon the repeats, but let it be known that if it made both lists, it’s got to be good.
Without further ado, I present to you my best of choices.
Top Three Breakfasts
03. Caramelized Leek, Pea, and Pancetta Galette – galettes are the lazy person’s pie, which is exactly why I love them. This one is all about spring flavors.
02. Вареники (Varenyky, Or Russian Sour Cherry Dumplings) – dumplings for breakfast are certainly a thing you should do, especially when you can make a giant batch in late summer and eat them all through the winter.
01. Apricot, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Scones – I have a hard time picking what I like best: savory or sweet breakfast. This scone solves the dilemma by offering both in one.
Top Three Appetizers
03. Golden Beet and Smoked Paprika Hummus – for when you get sick of regular hummus.
02. Dijon Chickpea Fritters with Harissa Aioli – I’m on a mission to turn every vegetable into a fritter of some sort. And also chickpeas. Those can be fritters too.
01. Chicken Pâté – this is my mom’s recipe, which she refers to as “the poor man’s pâté,” because that is a thing.
Top Three Soups
03. Avgolemono – it takes me back to my days working in Greek restaurants but mainly I love it because it’s the Greek version of comfort food.
02. Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider Cream – when you’re in full fall mode and you want to snuggle up with a bowl of soup, this is your answer.
01. Creamy Salmon and Leek Soup – my favorite fancy soup to start a dinner party off right (or make it a meal in and of itself with some crusty bread).
Top Five Salads
05. Beet and Rhubarb Salad – I have quite a few Ottelenghi recipes making the best of list, and this is one of them. Sweet, creamy, and just a little acidic, this is a fantastic salad for when you’re sick of greens.
04. Tomato, Red Onion, and Roasted Lemon Salad – and Ottolenghi salad number two. The dressing on this is killer (pomegranate molasses! YES!).
03. Golden Beet, Halloumi, and Walnut Salad – there’s a little bit of everything in this one: sweet beets, fried salty cheese, and a warm dressing on top of slightly bitter greens.
02. Fennel and Orange Salad with Mint – it’s a classic Italian combination and it works perfectly together.
01. Grilled Romaine, Charred Corn, Tomato, and Fennel Salad – I just discovered that grilling lettuce is the greatest trick in the world.
Top Ten Main Dishes
10. Ground Cherry and Plum Chutney on Grilled Cheese – the grilled cheese is good but the chutney is absolutely amazing, and can be used on so many other things (#1 choice = pork chops).
09. Lentils with Bacon and Poached Egg – this is what comfort food amounts to in my world.
08. Grilled Steak with Carrot Top Chimichurri Sauce – I rarely vote red meat into the top ten, but this recipe does it. The sauce works double time as marinade and topping.
07. Grilled Sausage with Potatoes and Garlic Scapes – garlic scapes came into my life this year, and my favorite way to have them ended up being grilled.
06. Carbonara with Mushrooms and Peas – when the fridge is looking empty, I can usually still pull together some pasta, bacon, eggs, and Parmesan to make carbonara. Additional veggies are just a bonus.
05. Prosciutto, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, And Gorgonzola Pizza With An Egg On Top – it started as an accident and ended up being our favorite pizza. And it’s basically yolk porn.
04. Indian Butter Chicken – just make sure you make enough rice or naan to sop up all the amazing sauce with this one.
03. Roasted Root Vegetable and Chicken Tacos with Chili Mayo – what amounts to a “staple” in our household, this taco dinner is one we make often.
02. Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Carrot Romesco – this is a go to dish to make for guests because it looks and tastes so much more complicated than it actually is to make. It’s a consistent hit.
01. Russian Salmon Pie – I once made this for a dinner party and it’s literally the only thing that people ask me about when I invite them over for dinner.
Top Five Side Dishes
05. Cauliflower Gratin with Mornay Sauce – because cauliflower is usually boring, but not when smothered in a classic French sauce.
04. Mashed Turnips with Goat Cheese and Leeks – I love turnips simply braised in butter but I challenged myself to transform them into something else and this is what I ended up with.
03. Harissa Spiced Roasted Carrots and Lemons – a super easy and quick side dish that never fails.
02. Grilled Cabbage with Anchovy Sauce – even if you don’t make the sauce, grilled cabbage will be the best thing to come off your grill.
01. Grilled Summer Squash and Peaches with Blue Cheese and Herbs – okay apparently the best thing to come off your grill will be this dish. Sweet, savory, and salty all at once.
Top Three Desserts
03. Sweet Potato, Chocolate, And Hazelnut Cake – because who says cake shouldn’t have vegetables in it?
02. Rhubarb Curd – I may have eaten most of this straight out of the jar. You can put it on a scone or croissant, but really that’s just a vessel to get curd into your face.
01. Plum Walnut Cake – for a more sophisticated dessert, you can try this one (it’s another Ottelenghi).
Top Three Projects
03. Dining Room Refresh – I have been planning this revamp for years, and then we added all the beautiful Toast Ceramics pieces to pull it all together!
02. Musical Dressers – nothing makes me happier than repurposing something I hate into something I love (and Theo also approves).
01. Locally Sourced, Small Batch, Artisanal Baby Theodore – of course this is the best thing I’ve made all year.
Oh gosh, this is wonderful! First of all, you photography is absolutely wonderful! Also, I think I’m going to need those fritters for dinner and I would like to wash it down with the ground cherry chutney :)
writes Abby @ The Frosted Vegan1muhammad
writes 2delirious