On the occasion of my first year of blogging, I decided to put together a list of my top ten recipes. Let me explain what this does not mean: these are not the hands-down most delicious ones of all. Since I only share recipes that I think are fantastic and mouth-watering (seriously, it’s part of my personal manifesto), I would be in worlds of trouble trying to rank them in any kind of objective manner. So I decided to pick according to which recipes I have actually made the most times (a rare occurrence in itself, since I’m always chomping at the bit to make something new).

Without further ado, here are my 10 most frequented!

1. Chili-Cheese Etouffée: I have made this dish so many times I can’t count ’em. Okay, maybe six or seven. It’s the perfect recipe for large gatherings–it makes a ton of food, and the flavors are friendly to almost all.

2. Dhal Makhani: I’ve made this about 3 times and just love it. The simplicity, the flavor, the inexpensive ingredients, the health value. Yes.

3. Perfect Mushroom Soup: It’s creamy, it’s got Parmesan, and it’s loaded with mushrooms. If that doesn’t sell you, well, you’d better go see a counselor because you need serious help.

4. Pôts de Crème: this chocolatey marvel is my go-to dessert for dinner parties. It can be made and refrigerated the night before, so all you have to do before it’s served is whip the cream. It takes about 5 minutes to make in a blender, and the results are groaningly good.

5. Veronica’s Buttery Beer Bread: this bread is also so easy and quick to make, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to that Perfect Mushroom Soup up yonder. And probably any soup. I think I’ve made it about 3 times, which is 3 times more than any other bread I’ve attempted.

6. Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Nutmeg: this delicious veggie side is friggin’ addicting. I could eat shovelfuls of the stuff. Seriously. The meatiness of the bacon, the freshness of the lemon juice and ground nutmeg–it’s the stuff obsessions are made of.

7. Chess Pie: this was the first recipe I shared, and I posted it on my blog’s 3rd day of life. It’s another easier-than-easy dessert: it takes probably 10 minutes total to get the pie in the oven and take care of the byproduct called ‘dirty dishes’. It’s easy to make a double or triple batch for a party or potluck, and I’ve probably made about 8 of them in the past year.

8. Mushroom Sage Pasta: it’s an old favorite, and not much needs to be said about it except for these few words: mushrooms. Gorgonzola. White wine. Garlic.

9. Mush: I mused yesterday about the hideousness of my food photography at that point in my blogging efforts. However (with one exception which I’ll get to in a minute) this is definitely the recipe I have made the most in the past year–heck, it’s the recipe I’ve made the most in my life. It took shape during our first year of marriage, and my husband and I get excited every time we put it on the menu. Envision this: cherry or grape tomatoes and zucchini slowly cooked in butter and garlic, and subsequently piled on rice. Top it off with a couple fried or poached eggs and it’s simply incredible. Just try to get past the picture.

10. Szechwan Green Beans: you know how they say it’s the exception that proves the rule? Well I’m cheating with this final selection. I’ve only made this recipe once–but it’s because I only discovered it last month! It’s quick, perfect for a weeknight dinner, and so delicious that my taste buds are about to stage a rebellion in my mouth unless I feed it to them right now.

Well my friends, I’m signing off. Not before giving a quick plug to an eleventh recipe which I endorse all the time however has some of the worst pictures I’ve ever taken. If you can get past my amateur efforts with the ole Nikon, you will realize that this dish is amazing. It’s my personal Old Faithful and solution to that jolt of Oh Crap What Am I Going To Eat that we sometimes experience when dinner time is nigh. Tip: the blue cheese crumbles on top are 100% necessary.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!