Countdown to 2014: Reader Favorites

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

Today is the last day I have a round up for the Countdown to 2014. Tomorrow I'm posting a Bucket List where the other Countdown-ees will be posting the Best "other" recipes that didn't fit into the categories above. I always find it fascinating what gets the most views here on my blog and this year was pretty surprising. I definitely didn't expect the potato soup or KitchenAid mashed potatoes to be in the top ten most viewed recipes. So without further ado, here are YOUR favorites this year!

Countdown to 2014: Best Dessert Recipes

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

And no Countdown would be complete without some sweets! I included some milkshakes in this round up since most people, I believe, also consider milkshakes to be desserts. Stop by tomorrow for Reader Favorites where I will show the most viewed 2013 recipes and also be sure to stop by the host's blog to check out all the amazing recipes from other bloggers!

Kahlua Cake // Strawberry Nutella Milkshakes // Cosmic Brownies

Birthday Cake Oreo Cake Mix Cookies // Coconut Cream Cake // Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Death by Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies // Ghirardelli Sea Salt Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Milkshake // M&M Oatmeal Bars // Totally Addicting Snickerdoodles

Nutella Cupcakes // Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars // Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Peppermint Mocha Milkshake for One // Rolo Cupcakes // Twix Caramel Brownies (not pictured)

[Find more DESSERTS here]

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | twitter | pinterest | bloglovin

Countdown to 2014: Best Snacks & Appetizer Recipes

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

If y'all are still scrambling for something good for New Year's Eve, look no further...well, actually, be sure to go to the host's page, Finding Joy in My Kitchen, and check out all the Snacks & Appetizers posts today! I'm sure all of the bloggers participating have some incredible treats for you to test out!

Fried Mozzarella // Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip // Cookie Dough Dip

Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cornbread Bites // Better Than Cookie Dough Cheeseball

Cherry Cheesecake Dip

[Find more SNACKS here and APPETIZERS here]

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | twitter | pinterest | bloglovin

Countdown to 2014: Best Main Dish Recipes

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

Although I have an abundance of dessert recipes hoarded up to make, I obviously make more main dish meals, as it's not acceptable to have cake for dinner. (I so wish it was!) Because there are so many favorites and bests, I'm splitting the main dishes up into categories: pasta, sandwiches, pizza, and then just general main dish. Have at it, people! All these recipes are amazing!!

Countdown to 2014: Best Soup & Bread Recipes

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

I've split up today into two little collages, one for each soup and bread. It's the perfect weather to enjoy a bowl of soup and what's soup without some bread to dip in it? Well, I'm not sure because I don't dip bread in soup, but Nick and the kids do! haha

Countdown to 2014: Best Breakfast Recipes

It's time again to participate in Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to. This is my 3rd year participating. It's probably my favorite part of the year. I love to share all the good stuff that's been on the blog in the year.  Here's what to expect this week:

Dec. 26 - Best Breakfast Recipes
Dec. 27 - Best Soup & Bread Recipes
Dec. 28 - Best Main Dish Recipes
Dec. 29 - Best Snacks and Appetizer Recipes
Dec. 30 - Best Dessert Recipes
Dec. 31 - Reader Favorites

Change is Good.

Hello all! I hope 2013 has been kind to you :)

Yesterday's Funfetti Waffles will be the last actual recipe post of 2013. Starting the day after Christmas (next Thursday), I will be participating in Countdown to 2014 (3rd year participating in the Countdown) hosted by Finding Joy In My Kitchen. I will be rounding up the best of Fantastical of 2013.

Next news, some change to Fantastical in 2014: I will be starting a new weekly post called Fantastical Fridays.

They will include blog love, behind the scenes, and extra goodies that may be non-food related. The reason behind me starting Fantastical Fridays is that I actually have had two full-time blogs for a long time now and it's wearing me down very quickly. I decided 2014 is the year to reduce the stress of two blogs :)

The first Fantastical Friday should be a very memorable one because from the time period of today and that first Friday of 2014, my husband, Nick, will be returning from his third and last deployment!! So be ready for some homecoming pictures!!

And before I go, thank you to all of you readers out there for sticking around and sharing the food love. I wouldn't have near as much passion for sharing my recipes if it weren't for you all :) So THANK YOU!!

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | twitter | pinterest | bloglovin

Funfetti Waffles with Cotton Candy Frosting

So a few months ago I posted a recipe for Vanilla Cake Mix Waffles with Cinnamon Roll Frosting (not an original recipe, but still AMAZING)...and then I started brainstorming. This is my first variation - and the first recipe of the new year will be the second. I need to go to the cake mix portion of the store and see what else I can come up with. This one...I mean could it get any better?? Funfetti and Cotton Candy and Sprinkles!!!

Chewy Italian Bread

It's not every day you stumble upon a really amazing bread recipe. Does anyone else have horrible experiences with bread recipes? Maybe it's just me.

I'm really picky on my bread and like for it to taste a certain way. Be the perfect amount of crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. There is NOTHING better than your house smelling like freshly baked bread. Ahh, I'm drooling just thinking of it. Gives me the warm fuzzies.

This recipe is FANTASTIC! Seriously!

It's perfect.

French Bread Pizzas

When I saw this recipe on PDub's site, I almost died. Especially when I saw the variations! When I made mine...I did a couple with pesto and pesto AND pizza sauce. The one with both also had sausage and pepperoni...it was my favorite.

So basically these are a quick fix for when I don't want to make homemade pizza dough and don't want to hear complaining about what's on the pizza (which is rare, but it does happen). And depending on how much time you have and which toppings you use, this can be done in a pinch, like with the pepperoni or basil & tomato toppings. Maybe 10 minutes prep time and 10 minutes cooking time tops. So 20 minutes away from heaven!

Maple Bacon Donuts

As per the Awesome Wifie Code, I have been experimenting with different maple recipes before Nick gets home from Afghanistan. He loves maple everything! Me personally, I will eat maple nut goodies (I think that's what they are called), but that's about it. I barely put syrup on my pancakes and waffles, while Nick and the kids drench theirs.  I'm the weirdo in the family.  He even for a while smoked maple-flavored nicotine juice in his e-cig - which by the way, I hated. The smell of maple makes me nauseated and apparently it made his coworker hungry all day long for breakfast! :)

I love making donuts. They are such an easy thing to make and there's so much variety. I knew these would be a huge hit with the kids because they'll eat anything with bacon. These are more dense donuts instead of light and fluffy, but it really goes with the maple and bacon. I'm hoping to make them again soon when Nick is home :)

Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese

To finish out the week, I had to share this yummy macaroni and cheese that my kids were just raving about. I've gotten to the point where I've ruined many foods I once liked because the homemade version is so much better. This includes chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, macaroni and cheese, and about a million other things. It's ridiculous, but I don't think I can get too busted up about it because it means 1) I'm really good at making food and 2) making things homemade means I have way more control of the quality of ingredients.

This recipe is very simple and can be made in about the same time as a box mix. BUT and that's a big but (and of course, I like those, I can't deny)...this is so much better than the box mix. If your kids are anything like mine...or if you don't have kids and you just love pizza...then you (and your kids, if you have them) are SURE to love this macaroni and cheese.

Milky Way Muddy Buddies

I'm trying to expand my horizons when it comes to Muddy Buddies/Puppy Chow. Me personally, I call them Puppy Chow and I about died the first time I had them as a kid. I've only made one other variation of the traditional Puppy Chow - Thin Mint. Around the time I came up with that recipe, there was an explosion of different versions (which inspired me to make my own).

This was one of the first versions I pinned to make later. They were super yummy!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013: Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have seen the cookie swap in previous years, but I guess I didn't realize it was something you could sign up for or I missed sign ups..something. However, this year I was on top of things and it was perfect timing for me to participate. I decided to make Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies for my three secret blog partners.

I actually had to make a second batch because I kept eating the cookies as they got transferred to the cooling racks. They are one of the best cookie recipes I've ever tried.

I sent a dozen of these cookies each to Mary Kay of Homemade Cravings, Victoria of Wilde in the Kitchen, and Elana of Stir & Strain. I found some very adorable Wilton packing items and some matching bubble wrap! I used little notes I found in the Target $1 bins :) It was a ton of fun to package everything up and ship it out.

Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sandwiches

I grew up in Minnesota and it was a very tight-knit community of less than 400 people. What I really loved was how there was always a baby or bridal shower to go to and it seems like you could always count on the same food at each one. There were always these amazing mint chocolate bars, Special K bars (which were peanut butter Rice Krispie treats topped with chocolate), and ham sandwiches like these.

I decided to put a spin on the traditional version and used horseradish mustard, Bourbon ham, and Provolone in place of Dijon mustard, shaved ham, and Swiss cheese.

Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix

I can't believe it's already the second week of December - this year has just flown by....so unbelievably fast. This year will be the first since I have been married that I won't be spending Christmas with my in laws and it's a bummer. Each year, my mom-in-law makes some of the most amazing snacks and treats ever! One of the snacks we look forward to is her chex mix. It's a savory sort and very delicious.

I've only made one type of chex mix myself and I've always wanted to make a sweet kind. I couldn't get this recipe out of my head. It was an easy first choice for a sweet chex mix.

Not only was this Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix just as good as I thought it was going to be - it was so addictive!! The batch was a good size and it kept very well.

Cherokee Street Pizza

2013 has been the year of trying new foods. I've tried quinoa, risotto, eggplant, and quite a few other new things. I just recently tried feta cheese - a food I said I would never try because it looked/sounded gross. And now I love it! I had it in a recipe that I haven't posted before I tried it on this pizza in a large capacity. It was perfect with all the toppings on the pizza. In fact, this may be my new favorite pizza.

What is a new food you tried this year that you love?

Southern Fried Chicken

When my husband gets any time off from his unit, we head straight down south to his mom's house to stay for a 2 week vacation. I've lived with her a few times in between trainings and moves and during the first deployment. She makes the most amazing food and one of my favorites is her fried chicken.

When I made this recipe, I didn't expect to have found something that is so closed to what my mom-in-law makes and that made it that much better. The ingredients are simple, but the flavors are amazing!

Lemon Berry Twist Pancakes

When I was younger, I had a real aversion to lemons. It continued until Nick's return from his second deployment when he was obsessed with lemon on everything. Because I am an awesome wife (tooting my own horn here) I started to gather up lemony recipes to make for him. Then his magical "making-me-like-foods-I-don't-like" powers took over and I am loving lemony recipes! It's fun to get a whole new slew of things to eat because of my new found love of lemon :)

These pancakes are really simple to make and really refreshing!

Mom's No-Bake Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is slightly different than my tried and true stuffed pepper recipe - in that, you cook them in a skillet instead of in the oven. In fact, because I skip the boiling part of the preparation (I like my peppers with a little crunch leftover) this recipe dirties a skillet and a bowl. THIS is a major selling point for me because I hate dirty dishes.

I enjoyed using yellow bell peppers, which have a little bit sweeter taste than the other colors. This would also be fabulous with ground turkey instead of beef.

Andes Mint Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes as part of our one month down in the deployment cake a few months ago. Mint and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. And much like my 6 year old, I will choose chocolate cake over any other type of cake when given the choice.

What is great about these cupcakes is that not only is it a rich devil's food moist cupcake, but it also is filled with a mint chocolate ganache and topped with a mint buttercream frosting. Could you think of anything more delicious?!

Raspberry M&M Banana Bread

I am a very stubborn person.

VERY.

I am set in my ways about a lot of food, although I have recently become a little more daring and decided to try new things. I have posted 3 banana bread recipes of 4 that I have tried. My tried and true is not on the blog and the other three were great. Only one of the 4 are different from regular old banana bread (Strawberry Cake Mix Banana Bread) because I like regular ole banana bread.

When I had a craving for banana bread, I decided to see what recipes I had on my bread board on Pinterest and really wanted to make the Raspberry Dark Chocolate Banana Bread , however I only had frozen raspberries and semisweet chocolate chips. I did have a bag of Raspberry Dark Chocolate M&Ms and that was good enough for me, so I made the adaptation. It was delicious banana bread and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable about trying new banana bread flavor combinations.

For all those celebrating tomorrow, Happy Thanksgiving!! :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Refrigerator Oatmeal

When I search for new recipes to make, I find myself being a very visual searcher. I like to see pictures of the food. It's kind of like judging a book by its cover, which I also totally am guilty of doing.  I found a picture of Refrigerator Oatmeal on Pinterest and that led me to The Yummy Life blog where it came from. There are actually a ton of variations of flavor combinations to test out...but I went rogue, y'all. I went rogue and created something that I had been craving.

I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with the flavor combination to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - to sweeten it up, I used brown sugar. I added a touch of homemade vanilla extract (I think it was the rum vanilla extract) and then, of course, chocolate chips. This was AMAZING! I'm so glad I experimented because it was easily the best oatmeal I had ever had.

I cannot wait to try out more variations of the refrigerator oatmeal - it's an easy fix and it's ready to go in the morning. There is no prep!

Secret Recipe Club: Elvis Pancakes

It's time for yet another Secret Recipe Club reveal day. For those of you wondering, Secret Recipe Club is a group of a couple hundred food bloggers separated into 4 groups. Each month, each blogger gets assigned to a different blog in the group secretly and they make a recipe or two for reveal day. Each group posts on a different Monday - today is Group D's day to reveal what blogs we had and what we made.

This month, I was assigned Emily from Life on Food - luckily enough I happen to save recipes from fellow Group D members' blogs and had Emily's Elvis Pancakes on the menu the week assignments went out, so there was no contest! But just for the heck of it, Emily also has some other amazing recipes I've saved from her blog too: Blueberry Banana Bread, Danish, and Maple Pecan Granola. Clearly, I was on a breakfast kick when I looked through Emily's blog :)

We have brinner every once in a while, so we actually had these for dinner and they were great! Fluffy pancakes, salty crunchy bacon, smooth peanut butter, and sweet bananas - I mean what else could you ask for?!

Homemade Pancake Mix

Everyone needs a good shortcut to those box mixes - it's nice to be able to control what is being put into your food! I am in love with this pancake mix!

Copycat IHOP Pumpkin Pancakes

I think this is the last pumpkin recipe I have to share for the season. I personally cannot get enough pumpkin. I try to have it all year round, so I don't binge once October hits. These pancakes are perfectly fluffy and every bit as good as they sound and look! I've never had a stack of IHOP's pumpkin pancakes due to the fact that the closest IHOP is over an hour away. Let's face it, for someone who hates mornings, I'm not driving an hour to get breakfast I can make at home!

Sweet & Sour Pork

I love sweet and sour chicken and pork - and generally any type of Asian stir fry. What is it about the combination of soy sauce, meat, and veggies that is so addictive? I've posted quite a few different kinds of stir frys, but they've all been recipes with rice. This one uses pasta and I LOVE that. I'm a pasta fiend :) This is right up my alley.

Mango Coconut Smoothie

It just got cold in New York and I'm dreaming of warm summer days already. Some of our local grocery stores have some great frozen fruit mixes - this particular one is a favorite: mango, papaya, and pineapple.

This is just the most perfectly tropical, delicious, refreshing smoothie ever. I think it was the first thing I made in my Ninja blender when I first got it. If you use a blender/food processor a lot or have gone through too many, invest in a Ninja. They aren't sponsoring me or compensating me to say that, I'm just saying it from purchasing my own Ninja Kitchen System and using it :)

Fancy Mac & Cheese

Gruyere is Nick's favorite cheese. After I finally convinced him to try gouda, he's more trusting of trying new cheeses. The first time he had Gruyere...I created a monster. He is a Gruyere aficionado. A very very enthusiastic aficionado. He's made everyone try Gruyere! We like to refer to it as fancy Gouda because it tastes a lot like Gouda...a little more mild, in my opinion. It's a great cheese for macaroni and cheese. This type of recipe has really ruined boxed macaroni and cheese for me. Homemade macaroni and cheese doesn't take that much longer to make than the boxed mix and the outcome is worth it. It's so much more worth it!

Grilled Cheese Week: Fancy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I'm ending Grilled Cheese Week on a fancy note with these delicious fancy sandwiches. I'm not sure what's really fancy about it, but it has definitely made me rethink how I make regular ole grilled cheese sandwiches. From now on, the addition of garlic will be needed for ANY grilled cheese sandwich. It was nice to have spinach and three kinds of cheese with this sandwich too.