Top 10 Recipes of 2015

2015 was a wonderful and blessed year for our family. I didn’t cook as much as I normally do, because I didn’t have the best health for most of  the year, but I still spent time in the kitchen, because I genuinely love it. For me, cooking is therapeutic and my creative outlet.  I thought I would share our top 10 recipes, that were loved so much by our family and I make over and over again. (By the way, they are not in any particular order.)

1. Blueberry Cream Cheese and Almond French Toast Casserole French toast is one of my favorite breakfast treats, but making it into a casserole only makes it better. It’s custardy and creamy, but has a crunchy topping too. With the addition of cream cheese, blueberries and almonds, it’s such a great flavor combination. If I have a lot of people over for brunch, this is one of my top picks to serve them. 
2. Grilled Vegetable and Mushroom Kebabs We love to grill, and whenever we have family gatherings, 90% of the time, the grill will be involved in some way. I love vegetables anyway, and grilling them gives them so much flavor. 
3. Saucy Shrimp With Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta This dish was a big hit with both Sergi and myself. Juicy, plump shrimp sautéed with so many aromatics and then immersed in a sun dried tomato creamy sauce – it’s just divine, I promise. Plus, the slightly briny, crumbly feta cheese is perfect added at the very end and just starting to melt around the edges. 
4. Tuna Deviled Eggs Perfect as a appetizer, snack, lunch or picnic, these deviled eggs will be made in our home for years to come, I’m sure. Plus, I used pantry staples, so I can whip this up anytime. 
5. Golden Beet Soup I can eat soup all the time and it’s something that I crave more than anything else. That’s probably why from all the recipes of 2015, 2 of them are soups. This soup was created from a fun grocery shopping trip and my curiosity to try out golden beets. It was a big success. The combination of a myriad of vegetables gives this soup so much flavor, texture and freshness. It is very unique, in  my opinion, but tastes AMAZING. 
6. Creamy Potato, Leek and Celery Soup This soup really quickly become a favorite as well and my whole extended family loves it too. I served it to them on a whim, just because I had some in a pot when everyone came over one day. Ever since that day, I’ve been texting the recipe to family members and then, of course, shared the recipe here on the blog too. Creamy, hearty but very healthy too, it’s so soothing and comforting, just the way a good soup should be.
7. Slow Cooker Chicken and Peppers Slow cooker meals are great because you can throw the ingredients into the pot, go enjoy your life and come back to a warm, delicious meal. I have really high standards for slow cooker meals, and this one lives up to them. The meat is juicy, the vegetables crisp and the sauce really flavorful. I usually serve it over rice, couscous or even as a fajita filling. 
8. Beef Fajitas These fajitas absolutely blew us away. Yes, there are some steps involved to creating this dish, but it’s so worth it. Every single component is so tasty, making every bite a heavenly experience. I’m sure I’ll be marinating meat in this marinade forever. All the toppings are the ultimate fajita dream: fresh pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, charred peppers and onions and of course, some fresh herbs and grated cheese.
9. Apple Almond Cake This multilayer cake of tender shortbread consistency, with lots of crunchy toasted almonds, and the slightly tart applesauce and fluffy cream cheese frosting is so unique and beautiful. I really appreciate when a cake isn’t too sweet and this one definitely isn’t. It’s a combination of great flavors and textures. 
10. Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake Cheesecakes are my favorite desserts by far. If there’s cream cheese, ricotta or farmer’s cheese involved, it has my name all over it. This chocolate ricotta creation is so easy to put together. I love when I can get awesome results with minimal effort. Did you discover any new recipes this year? Or maybe you created some great recipes yourself? I would love to hear about them.