M is for: My Top Ten from 2011

(Courtesy: CU Independent art/Beth Schonberger)

I’ve noticed a lot of my favorite food blogs are putting together “best of” lists this time of year. I decided to join in the fun even though my blog has only been in existence for about three months. But I’ve been busy during that time…65 posts with most of them being recipes! And with “M week,” coming to a close, it marks the halfway point for eisforeat.

Since I have a smaller sample size, I was going to just do a Top 5. But it was too hard to pick only five, so I decided to do 10. Some of it I based on popularity on the blog (ahem…jello shots), and part of it was based on my pride in coming up with that particular recipe.

So without further ado…(drumroll please)….I present My Top Ten Recipes from 2011.

#10 Ike’s Place (The Jaymee Sirewich)

One of the coolest food moments for me in 2011 was designing my own sandwich at Ike’s Place in San Francisco. I know this isn’t a recipe per se, but I did come up with the Jaymee Sirewich on my own (with a little help from my man Ike). Also, ever since “B” week, I’ve started incorporating a restaurant each week to go with my recipes. So even though it’s not a recipe post, I just had to give a shout out to Ike, Chase, and all of the lovely people at Ike’s for helping the Jaymee Sirewich become reality.

#9 Homemade Hotpockets

I was so tickled with how these turned out simply by using pre-made pie crusts and leftover chicken and veggies. So easy, yet so good!

#8 Pumpkin Fondue

Not only was this cheese dip baked inside a pumpkin the most adorable Thanksgiving appetizer you’ve ever seen, but it was delicious as well. My family gobbled it up as I slaved away in the kitchen.

#7 Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Ingredients

My mission this Thanksgiving was to recreate my favorite childhood comfort food using homemade ingredients instead of canned. Mission accomplished!

#6 Kahlua & Oreo Pie

This one shocked me with how many hits it received. Sure, Foodgawker helped, but it went crazy on Pinterest too. It’s currently the third-most popular post on my blog right now behind the two jello shot recipes. Maybe because it only has five ingredients? Maybe because it also has alcohol? Maybe people just really like oreos and dessert. Whatever the reason, it definitely deserves a spot in the Top Ten.

#5 Inside Out Bacon Cheeseburgers

To tie my food blogging experience in with my job, I started a tailgating feature every Friday on csnbayarea.com called Authentic Eats. I’ve managed to come up with ideas that coincide with my alphabet theme on this blog…and Inside Out Bacon Cheeseburgers were probably my most creative way of using the letter of the week. (Not to mention extremely tasty!) They were also recently featured on TailgatingIdeas.com.

#4 Macaroni and Cheese

I had “Mac ‘n Cheese” written in my ideas page almost since Week 1 of the blog. I knew I was going to make macaroni and cheese for “M week,” but I wanted something a little more unique than just the old standby. Roasted jalapenos and pancetta gave it just the perfect amount of smokiness, and the cheese sauce turned out so creamy and delicious! (Also was featured on Tastespotting).

#3 Turkey Lettuce Cups

This creation was born when I was trying to think of creative ways to use up my leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I spent a good portion of time mixing and matching different Asian condiments and seasonings from my cupboard to find the perfect combo…all the while taking careful notes. I will definitely be making these in the New Year as I try to get back on track after the holidays.

#2 Enchiladas Verdes

After years of using canned green sauce, I challenged myself to make it from scratch by roasting the chiles in my oven. I can never go back to canned stuff after making my own. Plus, by learning how to roast chiles, I can now make them, freeze them, and use them in other recipes which call for roasted green chiles (or jalapeños!) 

#1 Jolly Jello Shots 

This won by a landslide. These things went viral…Tastespotting, Foodgawker, Pinterest, Tumblr…you name it, these delicious little Christmas tree jello shots were showing up everywhere! It definitely encourages me to think of more creative drink (and jello shooter) recipes for 2012!

And because I’m the most indecisive person you’ll ever meet, I just couldn’t narrow it down to only ten, so I have three honorable mentions….

Honorable mention #1…Melted Snowman Cookies

I didn’t put these on the Top 10, because it wasn’t my idea. Not even close. I totally copied it from some similar ones I saw on Pinterest. However, my cousin and I had a blast experimenting with different icings and using our family sugar cookie recipe. They turned out so adorable, I just couldn’t leave them off the post. (Also featured on Foodgawker).

Honorable Mention #2…Lemon Peel Jello Shots

Also not my original idea, so I didn’t feel comfortable putting them in the Top 10, but they are the second most popular post on my blog (behind the Christmas jello shots), so I couldn’t leave them out. One thing I learned in 2011: people on the internet dig jello shots. (Also featured on Tastespotting).

Honorable Mention #3…Key Lime Pie Martinis

OK, so truth be told, this one probably should’ve made the Top Ten, but I kind of forgot about it until I was already doing the Honorable Mentions. Another Tastespotting and Pinterest favorite, one of my own personal go-to party cocktails became a hit on the web, and was the 6th most popular post on my blog this year.

How did I do? Did one of your favorites miss the cut? Anything you’d like to see in 2012? Thanks again to my loyal and growing audience. It’s been a lot of fun and I can’t wait for a full year of food blogging. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year…See you in 2012!