I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday. My boys are out of school and my husband has the rest of the week off, so we are still enjoying our time together. I love it!!
Since we are getting close to the end of 2009, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes from the past year. It sounded like a great idea, I just had no idea how hard it would be to choose!!! Finally I decided to just pick one recipe from each month. I know that a lot of you are new to my blog, so I'm hoping that you haven't tried these yet. You should now. 
January: Butter Brickle Pie
Cool and creamy with a heavenly crunch topping, this dessert is always a hit. I love that it is frozen, so it can be made ahead of time. So delicious!!
February: Outback Chicken
This is a copycat recipe from one of my favorite restaurants. With bacon, honey mustard, and mozzarella cheese, every bite is divine. It was one of the first recipes that I won a contest with. You've got to try it!
March: Pizza Factory Bread Twists
Another restaurant favorite, these bread twists are so good that I could make a meal out of them. But I don't. I'd never do anything like that. It took me lots of trial and error to come up with the topping ingredients, but I think they are very close to the real thing.
April: Chinese Chicken Salad
Growing up, I hated cabbage, so it's a little surprising that this salad is one of my favorites. I've been making it for several years now and every time I serve it I forget how much I love it. Not only does it taste great, but it is good for you. You gotta love that!
May: Ranch Chicken Pizza
I don't even remember where I got this recipe, but it is another restaurant copycat. Creamy ranch with chicken, tomatoes, and cheese on a homemade crust is hard to beat. I actually prefer this version to some that I have tried at pizza places. Yummy!
June: Coconut Cupcakes
Cupcakes have not always been one of my favorite desserts. (I think it has something to do with the crumbs I would find all over the floor.) Now that my boys are older, cupcakes are starting to make a more regular appearance at our house. I loved this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. The cupcake is moist and flavorful, and of course cream cheese frosting makes everything better. A real winner in my book.
July: Blue Ribbon Strawberry Cake
This heavenly dessert couldn't be more simple. It starts with a cake mix. The topping is so darn yummy that you could eat it by the spoonful. Not that I tried that or anything. I can't wait for strawberry season next year so I can make this again. And again. And maybe one more time for good measure. 
August: Blueberry Cream Cheese Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream is one of my all time favorite desserts, so I couldn't post a year of favorites without at least one recipe. I tried this one from Our Best Bites and it is some of the yummiest ice cream I have ever had. Seriously good stuff. If you love ice cream like I do, you have got to try this one!
September: Meatballs in Cream Sauce
This recipe from My Kitchen Cafe has become a new family favorite. Simple, yummy, and inexpensive, it is a perfect main dish. Everyone who has tried it has loved it.
October: Magelby's Parmesan Rolls
Wow, I've really got the restaurant theme going, don't I? This is another copycat recipe that I found at Your Home Based Mom. They are garlic-y and cheesy and super easy to make. One batch is definitely not enough at our house.
November: Crock Pot Chicken Roll Ups
Who knew that something from the crock pot could look this fancy? These chicken roll-ups take a little bit of prep time, but they are so worth it. Everyone in my family loved them!!
December: Double Mint Surprise Cookies
Being that cookies are probably my most favorite thing to bake, it is surprising that I don't have any featured so far. I could have done just a whole year of my favorite cookie recipes. These just happened to be the ones I tried in December, so they're getting the spotlight. I love chocolate and mint together, so I thought these were to die for. Plus they make a beautiful presentation and look like you slaved. But you didn't, just don't tell anyone.
Hope you all have a fun time celebrating New Year's Eve tomorrow. I'll see you next year! Yippee!!
