Best of 2012

I am trying my best to not write an entire post about how I cannot believe how fast this year went by, so let’s talk about the fact that by the turning of this calendar year I will have lived in Memphis (and been in graduate school) for 5 and 1/2 years now. Cannot. Freaking. Believe it. That also means I only have a few more months left until I defend my dissertation and graduate for (hopefully) the very last time in my life! We’re talking serious party time. But until then, I have decided to spend NYE in Memphis this year because I never have after all this time. Guess that’s what happens when you are still very much attached to family and friends who live elsewhere. But obviously I have friends in Memphis too, so I want to share this holiday with them for a change.

But before I venture off into the night and enter a new year by watching a giant guitar drop on Beale Street, let’s go back and take a look at all the best recipes from 2012 on The Spiffy Cookie. I have included a list of your favorites based on visits and also a list of my favorites that didn’t make the cut. Gotta show them some love too!

Best of 2012 – Your Favorites

1. Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip – This recipe exploded on Pinterest and was only the beginning of my adventures into cake batter dips!

2. Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Bricks – I have to agree with you on this one – definitely a drool worthy treat.

3. No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars – Best homemade granola bars I’ve had

4. Stromboli – It certainly was one of the prettiest things I’ve ever made as wel

5. Pizza Quinoa Casserole – This was the most popular Secret Recipe Club pick I’ve made. I guess I should make more things with quinoa!

6. Shortbread Cookies – I made these to serve with the red velvet cake batter dip so it’s not all that surprising to see this one in the list as well.

7. Peach Greek Yogurt Pie – It’s hard to know if this pie only made the list because it was also associated with a Chobani giveaway, but I certainly liked it.

8. Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas – After the huge hit that the cream cheese enchiladas were last year, I knew you would be ready for an alternative.

9. Loaded Baked Potato Dip – This tailgating favorite got lightened up!

10. Cake Batter Puppy Chow – Cake batter strikes again! This time in the form of puppy chow.

Best of 2012 – My Favorites

1. Malted Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – Seriously the best cookies I made all year. The malted flavor along with the peanut butter got to me.

2.  Goat Cheese Ricotta Gnocchi with Walnut Thyme Butter Sauce – It was hard to pick which gnocchi was my favorite, since I made so many different great flavors.

3. Bleu Cheese Ball – The cheese ball that performs disappearing acts! A good thing too, because nothign else would’ve stopped me from eating it all by myself.

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter 7-Layer Bars – Addictive award.

5. Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls – I was sad when I ran out of these leftovers.

6. Mini Pumpkin Black and White Cookies – Fun variation from the traditional. I actually liked it better!

7. S’mores Molten Lava Cake – Need I say more? Apparently since it didn’t make your top 10! It’s a molten lava cake with a graham cracker crust and marshmallow cream cheese filling. You cannot resist.

8. Pumpkin Bagels with Cinnamon-Walnut Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread – The combination of these two items together is what made them on the list.

9. Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Cream – Made this for a Valentine’s Day dinner with friends and it still has a special place in my heart.

10. Baked Oatmeal with Blackberries and Bananas – A great breakfast recipe that can be changed up with different berries. I know because I’ve remade it with others! Yummy.

Here’s to a happy new year in 2013 full of lots more delicious food!