What was CL's Recipe of the Year?

[stefania4]

I'm torn this year; on the one hand, I've made the Crustless Garden Quiche at least 4 times, and it has only been out since September or so. It's just such an easy, nutritious lunch - bake it on Sunday night, bring it for lunch during the week!

However, the Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin (or something similarly named) really knocked our socks off. I had to bring the amount of honey in the recipe down by half, but once I did it we really enjoyed it.

[teetee]

There were quite a few CL recipes from this year that blew me away. It's too hard to pick just one!
Walnut Coffee Cake from April
Green Pumpkinseed and Cranberry Crispy Bars from May
Pulled Chicken Sandwiches from June
Sausage and Vegetable Deep Dish Pizza from September
Chicken Piccata with Capers from September
Oven Fried Chicken from October
Sweet Potato Casserole from November

I'd love to read others' favorites--I haven't tried the crustless quiche and herb pork tenderloin yet, but now I've put them at the top of my list to try!

[DCook]

My vote is Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

[drewberry4]

I can't say I really had a lot of great dishes that I made from this year's CLs, but some do stand out:

Whole-Grain Blackberry Spice Muffins - January
Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing - March
Roasted Beet & Citrus Salad - May

[TKay]

You know, I'm not really sure what my favorites were. I cooked from so many sources this year, I'd have to sit down and figure out what came from where. I am really interested to see all the answers you get though. I will have to earmark each recipe to try. It'll inspire me to go back through all my issues.

[PattiA]

Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic has been a huge hit with my clients. For the ones who don't like shrimp, I made it with chunks of chicken.

Roasted Baby Spring Vegetables

Whole Wheat Apple Scones

Mexican Sausage and Black Bean Chili - with changes (leaving out the broth and water and adding more tomatoes).

[DCook]

Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic

This is probably one of my favorite recipes of the year. I was about to be all anal and tell you it was a 2005 recipe - but I checked and you are right - March 2006!

[drewberry4]

This is probably one of my favorite recipes of the year. I was about to be all anal and tell you it was a 2005 recipe - but I checked and you are right - March 2006!

I made that and wanted so badly to like it but I was pretty disappointed! I must have done something wrong since it was so highly reviewed.

[cherylopal]

i also think that

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing - March

was the best. i tried the shrimp with caramalized garlic and thought it was so-so but my mom and brother and his family rate it as one of their all time faves.

[gabbyh]

I'm torn this year; on the one hand, I've made the Crustless Garden Quiche at least 4 times, and it has only been out since September or so. It's just such an easy, nutritious lunch - bake it on Sunday night, bring it for lunch during the week!

However, the Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin (or something similarly named) really knocked our socks off. I had to bring the amount of honey in the recipe down by half, but once I did it we really enjoyed it.

The tenderloin is on the menu for tomorrow, our "pork on New Year's good luck meal" :D

And I've not tried the quiche, but now I will!

I love this thread!

~Gail

[stefania4]

The tenderloin is on the menu for tomorrow, our "pork on New Year's good luck meal" :D

And I've not tried the quiche, but now I will!


Enjoy the tenderloin! I usually serve it with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

As for the quiche, I believe the original recipe includes potatoes. I leave the potatoes out and usually make it with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. I also spice it up a little with some thyme and a little Worcestershire.

[Rhi-Anon]

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, or whatever the actual name is. I can't believe how much everyone, including those who turn up their little noses at whole wheat anything, loved it.

[gabbyh]

Enjoy the tenderloin! I usually serve it with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

As for the quiche, I believe the original recipe includes potatoes. I leave the potatoes out and usually make it with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. I also spice it up a little with some thyme and a little Worcestershire.

Too funny! I making roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli for dinner tomorrow!

And I was going to ask you about the potatoes....I was planning on leaving them out!

Thanks so much for you posts stefania4!

~Gail

[swedish cook]

We liked the African Chicken in Spicy Red Sauce so much, I made a gift-box of all the spice jars and sent to DD together with the recipe.
For some guests we have toned done the amount of red pepper. The dish is still incredible.

[Kristal]

The Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic also gets my vote. I actually didn't cook as much from CL this year as I have in the past, but that's the one recipe that really stood out for me.

[BarbaraL]

This is a timely thread for me. I'd let my CL subscription lapse, because I just didn't have time to read it or make any of the dishes. DH gave me the annual cookbook for Christmas, so I was thinkig of asking this board for their 2006 favorites.

Here's to good eating in 2007!

[Hoodone]

Pear and Walnut Muffins from Jan/Feb (I think without checking for sure)

[Julzer]

It's hard to pick just one but the one recipe that stands out to me is the Sauteed Tilapia with Honey-Scallion Dressing from August. This recipe converted me to eat fish and is a regular on our menu now. I knew I needed to get some fish in our diet and this recipe did it for us. I have since put some new fish recipes in my "to try" pile.

[pilgrim719]

I also didn't try too much from CL this year, but my favorite of what I did try is the recipe for Pulled Chicken Sandwiches from June. They were my birthday dinner in July and I can still remember how delicious they were!

Kari

[potato_moose]

I wasn't sure I had a favorite from this year, until I sat down w/ my recipe binders and figured out what recipes were from this year, and which of those were from CL.

My favorite?

Thai-Style Ground Beef (we made w/ chicken) from Jan 2006 (http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1141966)

[sdcook]

Nothing fancy, but the one recipe I've repeated a number of times is the Beef Carnitas from September.

[Aninha]

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing - March


This was by far my favorite dish of the year, however, I like it better with chickpeas instead of black beans.
I made it various times this past year, and just talking about it makes my mouth water!
(my version with pictures and all is posted here: http://kitchenspace.blogspot.com/2006/07/super-yummy-salad-this-was-one-of-best.html)

Ana

[Paula H]

I wasn't sure I had a favorite from this year, until I sat down w/ my recipe binders and figured out what recipes were from this year, and which of those were from CL.

My favorite?

Thai-Style Ground Beef (we made w/ chicken) from Jan 2006 (http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1141966)

Ohhhh yum - I make this at least once a month. It's just so good!!

Off to look at the recipe for the Crustless Garden Quiche...

[Holly in KC]

Interesting. I looked at my log, and while I tried several recipes from 2006, none were very highly rated (at least compared to other sources). Best of the bunch was the Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce. (Rating based on combo of ease of prep (easy/fast) and taste (very good)).

[Joyce]

It may not have been the fanciest recipe, but the Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast has definitely entered rotation in our house.

[memartha]

Slightly OT, but with all these great recipes from 2006 floating around, I wanted to mention that I saw the 2006 Annual on sale at BJs yesterday.

[neeter]

ana - thanks for posting your link to your quinoa salad. i love chickpeas too (and i don't like black beans) so i was eager to give it a try! it was delicious! its tastes like something at the whole foods prepared foods counter - yummy. this is a great meal to bring to work. thanks again!

[Aninha]

ana - thanks for posting your link to your quinoa salad. i love chickpeas too (and i don't like black beans) so i was eager to give it a try! it was delicious! its tastes like something at the whole foods prepared foods counter - yummy. this is a great meal to bring to work. thanks again!

Hi Neeter!
You are so welcome! I am really happy you tried it that way and liked it too!!!
That was one of my favorite CL recipes of all times, I really enjoyed the flavors of the salad and the vinaigrette was extremely delicious too!
I am glad you liked it, I am a huge fan of chickpeas, and although I do like black beans they certainly are not my first choice.
I too think the salad looks great and is very healthy and good for us, what else can you ask right?!!
Ana

[drewberry4]

Hi Neeter!
You are so welcome! I am really happy you tried it that way and liked it too!!!
That was one of my favorite CL recipes of all times, I really enjoyed the flavors of the salad and the vinaigrette was extremely delicious too!
I am glad you liked it, I am a huge fan of chickpeas, and although I do like black beans they certainly are not my first choice.
I too think the salad looks great and is very healthy and good for us, what else can you ask right?!!
Ana

It's so funny, because I just read your review on the link you posted and we made the same substitutions! I put chickpeas instead of black beans, and edamame instead of lima beans. Awesome. :)

[SugarNSpice]

I'm terrible at keeping track of the CL recipes I make and which ones were keepers, but I can't remember any failures. I remember I really loved their Apple Date Bars, I think they were from the Sept. or Oct. issue. The bars had great buttery flavor and a nice crunchy crust.

[Aninha]

It's so funny, because I just read your review on the link you posted and we made the same substitutions! I put chickpeas instead of black beans, and edamame instead of lima beans. Awesome. :)

How cool!!
Chickpeas are great, aren't they!!
Ohh, and the Apple Date Bars that SugarNSpice mentioned are truly good too! I made them many times since they appeared, however I might say that I am not a fan of dates so I like them waaaay better without the dates added to it. I add more apples instead and get a sort of yummy "appley" cake!
Ana

[FoodieInCA]

I love cooking, so I try a different recipe almost every time I cook. A couple exceptions are the Orange Couscous from the Crunchy Shrimp recipe (I don't know the whole name!) and the Beef Carnitas. My favorite is the Beef Carnitas. I love it! The recipe makes a lot, and each serving is generous. Plus, you can have it in tacos for dinner or scrambled with Egg Beaters for a breakfast burrito. You can put it in nachos with refried beans or boil it with green salsa and tortilla chips for chilaquiles. So versatile. I usually let it simmer an extra half-hour to an hour so it gets really tender.

[ChinaLady]

Can someone post the recipe or a link to the receipe for the Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin? I can't find it using the Search function.

TIA!

[lisas3575]

I found it in the Kitchen Assistant (CL home page).

Grilled Herbed Pork Tenderloin

From Cooking Light
The pureed marinade paste permeates the pork with flavor.


1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Combine first 9 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until almost smooth. Pour mixture into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove pork from marinade. Discard marinade. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink), turning pork after 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork)

CALORIES 214 (24% from fat); FAT 5.8g (sat 1.5g,mono 2g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 24.4g; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 29mg; SODIUM 168mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.7g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

[Amy3745]

The Sesame Noodles with Chicken is the recipe I make most often from 2006.

This goes together quick and tastes great.

[Paula H]

The Sesame Noodles with Chicken is the recipe I make most often from 2006.

This goes together quick and tastes great.

Sounds good - what issue is this recipe in?

[golden1225]

This was by far my favorite dish of the year, however, I like it better with chickpeas instead of black beans.
I made it various times this past year, and just talking about it makes my mouth water!
Ana
Ana (and the others that gave this recipe high marks), I made this last night but had some problems. I have not been able to find quinoa on its own here, so I used a box mix that's a quinoa "blend" - with rice and millet in it. I just used the grains and tossed the spice packet. Ok, so that could be affecting this. We found that the dressing isn't liquid at all, so it didn't provide a whole lot of flavor. We added about 3x the amount of mustard, more salt and some pepper. Was yours kind of dry? :confused:

:) :)

[badunnin]

Sounds good - what issue is this recipe in?

According to CL, Jan 07...

Sesame Chicken and Noodles
From Cooking Light

This simple, Asian-inspired pasta toss contains less fat and sodium than similar take-out fare without sacrificing its flavor. For added taste, toast the sesame seeds first.

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup natural-style, reduced-fat creamy peanut butter (such as Smucker's)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups matchstick-cut carrots, chopped (about 4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions (about 1 bunch)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons cooking liquid.

Combine broth, peanut butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, and next 5 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce).

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Add chicken to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add carrots and onions; sauté 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in broth mixture.

Add reserved cooking liquid and pasta to pan, tossing to coat. Top with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds; serve immediately.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 480(23% from fat); FAT 12g (sat 1.7g,mono 6.2g,poly 3g); PROTEIN 33.5g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 58mg; SODIUM 538mg; FIBER 5.3g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.6g

Maureen Callahan
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007

[blazedog]

My vote is Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

This was a knock out recipe for sure -- everything integrated so well from the watercress to the toasted couscous to the shrimp and sauce.:)

[Aninha]

Ana (and the others that gave this recipe high marks), I made this last night but had some problems. I have not been able to find quinoa on its own here, so I used a box mix that's a quinoa "blend" - with rice and millet in it. I just used the grains and tossed the spice packet. Ok, so that could be affecting this. We found that the dressing isn't liquid at all, so it didn't provide a whole lot of flavor. We added about 3x the amount of mustard, more salt and some pepper. Was yours kind of dry? :confused:

:) :)

Hi Golden!
I am sorry to hear the recipe didn't work quite well for you... I really loved this recipe and haven't had a problem when I made (and I have made this at least 4 times last year...)
My dressing was liquid but more on the thicker side, and if it ended up too thick I just added a bit of water to thin it down, but on the flavor department it was one of the best dressings I have had, really good in my opinion.
My salad was not dry at all.... I really don't know what to say, but maybe the mix you used soaked up more of the liquid than if quinoa was used by itself. But again, this is just a guess...
I hope it works if you end up trying it one more time. It was definitely my favorite recipe of the year, if not from the past couple years! Can't wait to make it again! :)
Ana

[Amy3745]

Sesame Noodles with Chicken (June 2006).

Look for bottled toasted sesame seeds for a quick garnish. Toss cucumber, tomato, onion, and cilantro with rice wine vinegar and a little toasted sesame oil for a snappy side dish.

8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
2/3 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson's Certified Organic)
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add carrots to pasta during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain well.
Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine pasta mixture, chicken, and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle broth mixture over pasta mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 456(27% from fat); FAT 13.9g (sat 3g,mono 6.1g,poly 4.1g); PROTEIN 31.1g; CHOLESTEROL 48mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 645mg; FIBER 5.2g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.8g

Melanie Barnard
Cooking Light, JUNE 2006

[Amy3745]

Asian-style meat loaves( March 2006) are a nice change, and easy to make.
Another one I make often for a side dish is the Garlicky roasted potatoes with herbs(December 2006). Tonight I am making the Pulled chicken sandwiches(June 2006) with Tender Yeast rolls (January 1996).:)

[nydish]

I always host Thanksgiving for out-of-town relatives and am always thinking of cook ahead ideas and memorable dishes. This casserole was definitely a big hit and I was able to do a lot of prep work the day before so I can enjoy my company. This will be on the menu every Thanksgiving.

[donnam]

This was in the June recipe, and we've made it several times. (just a few weeks ago, in the dead of winter - it tasted so delicious and like summer!). Served with Ina Garten's basic couscous recipe, sooo good.

Going to have to make a list of everyone's favourites!

[tennisashoe]

I try to make at least 1 CL recipe each week. My hubby doesn't eat red meat, so my top 5 are influenced by that. Regardless, the crunchy shrimp recipe is absolutely outstanding. If you haven't made it yet, you should!!

1. Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous & Ginger/Orange Sauce (use arugula instead of watercress! you can substitute any type of firm white fish for the shrimp with good results too.)
2. Shrimp Florentine with Carmelized Garlic
3. Chicken Poblano Casserole
4. Chicken Piccata with Capers
5. Asian Coleslaw

[dunak]

This is a great one that I make regularly during the cold months. The carrots are delicious, so I recommend adding a few more.

Basic Beef Stew with Carrots and Mushrooms

A crowd-pleaser, this recipe is justifiably a classic. Purchase precut lean stew beef, or cut lean beef sirloin or chuck into bite-sized pieces. White potatoes, not to be confused with baking potatoes, are waxy in texture and hold up well in soups and stews; you can substitute red potatoes. Halve any mushrooms that are larger than 1 1/2 inches.

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 pound small cremini mushrooms
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled white potato (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) slices carrot (about 12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and sauté for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown. Spoon mushrooms into a large bowl. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add onion mixture to mushroom mixture.
Place flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of beef mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned beef to mushroom mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining beef mixture and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Add 1 cup wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add thyme, broth, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Stir in beef mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is just tender.
Stir in potato and carrot. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beef and vegetables are very tender and sauce is thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 303(29% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 3.2g,mono 4.7g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 54mg; SODIUM 494mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.8

[dunak]

This dish is also DELICIOUS - seriously, shockingly good (Nov. 06). And I get rave reviews every time I make it.

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cassoulet

To get a head start, roast the garlic, caramelize the onions, and even assemble this robust casserole the day before you plan to serve it. Use leftover roasted garlic to flavor soups, or combine with olive oil as a spread for toasted baguette slices. Pancetta is Italian unsmoked bacon. You can substitute regular smoked bacon, but use less, as the smoky flavor is more assertive.

1 whole garlic head
4 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (16-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.
Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Set half of garlic pulp aside; reserve remaining garlic pulp for another use. Discard skins.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion and 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 25 minutes or until onion is very tender and browned, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Add garlic pulp, pancetta, squash, and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf) to onion mixture, stirring well. Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure about 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; sprinkle evenly over squash mixture. Cover and bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until squash is tender. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until topping is browned. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 259(27% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 9.5g; CHOLESTEROL 11mg; CALCIUM 131mg; SODIUM 679mg; FIBER 8g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.8g

Charity Ferreira
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006

[spagoer]

My vote is Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

Totally agree - we made this last night. As always, I use whole wheat couscous to up the nutrition. It was absolutely delic!! It does makes a lot of couscous per shrimp (3/4 cup serving size).

The other memorable recipe for me was the Argentinean Flat Bread (contest finalist or winner). with roasted red peppers. I've made it a couple of times and have avoided the crust by using an organic red pepper tortilla from wild oats as the base which was equally good and a lot more time effecient! MUST TRY! I can't believe no one else mentioned it - OR maybe it was a 2007. Either way try it.

The florentine shrimp with carmelized garlic did not fair well in my book. I too, wanted to love it but didn't. It lacked flavor beyond the garlic and the garlic chunks were too much - definitely didn't complement the delicate shrimp. I've been toying with some adjustments, but decided not to bother as there are too many other good shrimp recipes.

One other recipe that I FINALLY tried (2003) this year and LOVED is the Thai Chicken Barley Risotto.

[LakeMartinGal]

Interesting. I looked at my log, and while I tried several recipes from 2006, none were very highly rated (at least compared to other sources). Best of the bunch was the Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce. (Rating based on combo of ease of prep (easy/fast) and taste (very good)).This one gets a vote from everyone who's tried it!:D

We also like the spicy pizza sauce -- I make 6 batches at a time! yummie!

[Bailey4]

Try making quiche with zucchini & yellow squash, onions and mushrooms (much like the original recipe)....it's awesome! Potatoes make it a little on the borrring side.

Definately my fav of the year for ease, taste, flexibility.

[tonir]

I also vote for the Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce. SUPER fast, easy and tasty!

[colleency]

I'm not sure if I'm keeping track of my recipes very well, but I think my favorite from last year was the Cranberry Coffee Cake, even if the topping did fall off!