My Favorite Recipes

I know you've seen that collection of most popular recipes on my sidebar. They are all great recipes, but they are not truly the best. The same few recipes continue to be the most viewed because they are easy to access, therefore getting the most hits. So in honor of my 1 year anniversary of the birth of this blog, I want to do this little segment on my favorite recipes from my archive. I often will go back to recipes so that I can re-make them. I probably use this blog to cook from as much as (or more than) anyone else does.

1. Possibly my favorite recipe actually came from the creative brain of my boyfriend, Tom. I'm not sure if I could ever go back to Manwich.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

2. Ok, this recipe is a contender with the Sloppy Joes. Because it involves bacon.

Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

3. This one has changed how I will make burgers forever. Onion juice is a magical ingredient.

Onion Burgers with Avocado Dressing








4. Another one credited to Tom--I use this recipe all the time when I'm especially broke or not feeling creative.

Easy Pasta Alfredo








5. When the veggies in the garden are ready, I am going to make this all the time. This one has even been published.


Ratatoullie








6. I have finally found the cole slaw recipe that is no-fail perfection.


Cole Slaw
















7. I haven't made this one a second time yet, but I really really want to.

Five Layer Dip








8. Stir fry is a gift from God for poor college students. I don't like the stir fry in the dining commons, but when it's homemade you can make it any way you like.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry







9. My cousin Jessi's recipe for guacamole is THE BEST.

Jessi's Guac









10. Aaaand for dessert we have these mini cherry cheesecakes.

Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

If you like cheesecake, you will love this recipe. These individual servings of cherry tarts taste just like cherry cheesecake and although they are the perfect personal serving size, you will want to eat them all.

1 can pie filling cherries
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box Vanilla wafers
Foil cupcake liners

Makes about 12 servings

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Let the cream cheese sit until it is room temperature, then beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla until it becomes a soft mixture. Line a muffin tin with foil cupcake liners. (If you cannot find tin foil ones, you can use paper ones. The foil is just sturdier and easier to eat out of.) Place a vanilla wafer at the bottom of each liner; this acts as the crust on your cheesecake. Then pour about a tablespoon of your mixture over them. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow the tarts to cool and then top with the cherries. Refrigerate to chill.

You need to make sure that you buy cherry pie filling not just canned cherries. This way you'll get the thicker sauce and it won't seep into your filling. I've made it with canned cherries before and did not get as good of results. So I took a picture of the kind I used this time so you'll know what to look for in the grocery store. 

Happy holidays!