Best Posts of 2012 and an Annoucement

I love looking back at my blog and seeing all the wonderful things that I have cooked up over the past year. Here is my selection for my favorite posts of 2012.

1. Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix in a Jar: This delicious recipe got a lot hits this year. This cookie mix was easy enough for little hands to prepare, and the cookies tasted great.

2. Mediterranean Partida Style Olives: Curing my own olives has been on my bucket list for several years now, so I was excited when I got a box of olives from Penna Olives. These olives were like nothing I have ever tasted from a store bought jar. These olives tasted fresh and picked up the flavor of the lemon and herbs that I used beautifully. These olives are a wonderful addition to any anti pasta platter.

3. Strawberry Key Lime Pie with a Coconut Pecan Crust: I love key lime pie, but the addition of strawberry syrup to this recipe made the pie even more decadent. I also loved the coconut pecan crust that added an nice tropical touch to the pie.

4. Canning Honey Sweetened Strawberry Lemonade and Strawberry Limeade: This recipe has been placed on the must make list every year. This strawberry lemonade and limeade has an intense strawberry flavor that will remind of spring time on even the snowiest winter day. This was Dr. Lazy Palate's favorite canning project of the year. He can not wait for me to make him more this year.

5. Easy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies: These delicious cookies were better than any white chocolate macadamia nut cookie that I have ever had at a bakery. I will definitely be making more of these simple drop cookies again this year. Plus, you can make a large batch and freeze the cookie dough for baking later if you prefer your cookies fresh out of the oven.

6. Healthy Vegan Pistachio and Kale Smoothie: Last year I found myself with an abundance of kale after my daughter dropped the entire seed packet on the garden. I found myself looking for creative ways to use more kale, and this smoothie was perfect. The smoothie combines salty pistachios with healthy kale and banana for a thick creamy green smoothie. This smoothie has become one of my favorite smoothies to make during the long kale harvest season.

7. Soup and Smoothie Enhancers: Every year I find myself with a very large supply of greens coming out of my garden, so I have found that one of the best ways to add nutrition and use up my garden greens is to puree the greens and then freeze them in ice cube trays so they can easily be added to soups and smoothies later.

8. Hummus Sandwich: This beautiful sandwich is healthy and flavorful. With an abundance of greens and protein from chickpeas to keep you full, this sandwich will quickly become one of your favorite meals too. I love this sandwich during spring and fall when I have lots of tender baby greens coming out of the garden.

9. How to Start Seeds Indoors Cheaply: Last year my garden was larger than ever, so I wanted to stay away from expensive transplants. I also wanted to grow some delicate heirloom seeds that required some extra care and love to grow, so I chose to start my own seeds indoors using a grow light and some cheap cups. I got plenty of transplants for my garden, and I enjoyed an abundance of fresh produce all season long this year.

10. Powdered Laundry Detergent Recipe for High Efficiency Washers: In my never ending quest to save some money I decided to start making my own laundry detergent, and I have never looked back since. I no longer have to wait for sales of laundry detergent and pair it with a coupon to get the best deal on laundry detergent. Now I just whip up a batch of this homemade detergent from things that I already have around the house for a fraction of the cost and less hassle.

And now for the big announcement: I am pregnant! I will be having baby number 3 in April 2013!

Posted on Market Yourself Monday, Made by You Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday