Reader’s Favorite Recipes from 2011

Today I’m going to share the top reader’s choice recipes from each month in 2011. By the way, I only considered new posts from 2011. In some months, old posts rated the highest, but I ignored those.

January: This Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine) was the first recipe I made in my new dutch oven. Braising beef in wine for hours is a great way to make dinner. The meat was so tender and it made for such a hearty meal in the middle of winter.

February: Hubby loves caramel and dulce de lecehe. I made this Dulce de Leche in the Crockpot to use in some cupcakes for his 30th birthday party. It was so simple to make, there’s no reason I’d ever buy dulce de leche again.

March: You all know I’m a huge fan of the combination of sweet and salty. These Sweet, Salty, Chewy, and Crunchy Brownies take that combination to a whole new level. The brownies are topped with caramel, pretzels, and more chocolate and are so indulgent.

April: I have enjoyed making layer cakes over the past couple of years. After getting some 6″ cake pans for Christmas last year, I used them to make this Coconut Layer Cake Filled with Lemon Curd. It was a perfect spring cake to enjoy with friends.

May: It seems that cake batter and funfetti flavored everything were all the rage this year. I gave in to the trend and made these Funfetti Blondies. I loved these colorful treats that were so easy to make.

June: I created a to-go tag this year to tag some of my favorite recipes. My Favorite Brownies are seriously so simple to make, there’s no reason to make brownies from a box. And they’re just delicious.

July: As I mentioned the other day, we really enjoyed all sorts of fresh produce thanks to our CSA last summer. This Summer Shrimp Salad used quite a few vegetables from our CSA box and provided a great salad for lunches. And, it gave me a chance to try a new food – radishes!

August: I had a lot of fun participating in Secret Recipe Club this year. It gave me a chance to “meet” some new bloggers and try plenty of new recipes, like this Egg, Avocado, and Apple Salad. It was like a cobb salad, but healthier. And just look how pretty it was!

September: I went to a potluck picnic with some girlfriends over the summer. Part of my contribution to the picnic was Baked Zucchini Sticks with Caramelized Onion Dipping Sauce. The sticks were amazing, but seriously, that dipping sauce was out of this world.

October: In October, I made a bunch of pink food for my Power of Pink challenge. This Berry Cream Cheese was such a no-brainer, I can’t believe I’ve never made it before.

November: It’s no wonder this Pumpkin, Cranberry, and Pecan Pie was so popular in November. I mean, just look at it. It’s beautiful. And it tastes even better than it looks. In fact, I made it again for Christmas this week and Hubby’s family agreed that there’s simply no reason to ever make a plain old pumpkin pie again.

December: Last but not least, this Peppermint Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake made the top choice for December. I had been lusting over the Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake recipe for years and finally made it for our holiday party. It does require a decent amount of effort because of all the components, but believe me it is WORTH IT.