At the end of every year, I take some time to pull up the numbers and see what the most popular recipes were. It's always a fun, and sometimes surprising, exercise. So, this is a fun post to write!

Many of these recipes are also staples in my kitchen... Crispy fried potatoes because they go with pretty much anything, crispy chile rellenos to soak up some of the giant pot of green chili I made earlier in the week, the lettuce wraps and BLT's we have for lunch at least once a month, and the enchilada sauce that I try to keep in my freezer at all times.
All of these recipes have added more delicious enjoyment to my life and I love that they've added some to yours as well. Wishing all of you peace, love, and more time sharing good food with good people 2023.
xo
Top 22 Recipes of 2022
Crispy Fried Potatoes {Country Potatoes}
I've never met a potato I didn't like, but Crispy Fried Potatoes, also known as Country Potatoes, just might be my favorite way to eat them.
This simple technique results in the most delicious potatoes that are soft and creamy on the inside, and golden and crispy on the outside. Eat them any way you choose - on their own, with eggs for breakfast, alongside Roast Chicken or any other main dish, or as a delicious topping for soup.
"I followed your method and got crispy-browned exterior and soft interior. This is what I've been looking for, Thanks!" - Swen
How to Cook Any Kind of Beans in a Slow Cooker {Crock Pot}
Cooking dried beans in a slow cooker produces richly flavorful, tender beans that will save you money and taste better than anything you'll ever find in a can.
With just a bit of foresight and about 5 minutes of prep work, you can have a pot full of slow-simmered beans, flavored with whatever spices you like.
Asian Short Ribs {Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Oven Braised}
These Asian Short Ribs are melt-in-your-mouth tender and super easy to prepare in the Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or in the Oven.
"These Asian Shorts Ribs are my new obsession!! Next time I need to double the recipe, my family loved them. The smell while these are cooking is intoxicating!! The is the best short rib recipe I have ever tried." -Debbie
Indian Rice
This fragrant Indian Style Rice Recipe is flavored with Indian spices, onion, garlic, and sweet peas. It's better than takeout, simple to make, and the perfect accompaniment to any Indian-inspired dish.
"I never usually write comments on recipe sites but I just want to thank you for this recipe!! I have failed so many times at making Indian dishes and this is the first one that has turned out perfectly!" - KL
Best Classic Meatloaf with Sausage
The secret to making amazing classic meatloaf is to use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, plus plenty of finely chopped herbs and vegetables to keep every bite moist and flavorful.
Topped with the best sweet and tangy glaze, this classic meatloaf recipe is pure homemade comfort.
"I tried this last night and I am over the moon with how flavorful it was. I loved that it contained vegetables and fresh herbs! My husband could not stop going on about how good it was. I will certainly be making this again." -Toni
Crispy Chile Rellenos ~ Fast, Easy, Extra Crispy Method
There are few things better in life than a Crispy Chile Relleno {Chili Relleno}, fried to golden perfection, stuffed with roasted chilies and plenty of melted cheese.
This simple recipe uses egg roll wrappers to make homemade Chile Rellenos so fast and easy you just might be tempted to make them every week.
"Using egg-roll wrappers to make these is a stroke of genius! They are so easy and so good. I've made them 3 times in the past 2 weeks!" - Joni
Pork Carnitas Recipe ~ Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
I have made this Carnitas Recipe more times than I could possibly count for more occasions than I could possibly remember. The meat is crispy on the outside, super flavorful, fall-off-the bone tender, and couldn't be easier to prepare.
The recipe makes enough for a crowd or for plenty of leftovers that you can use throughout the week or freeze for later, and includes instructions for making them in your slow cooker or instant pot. And, crisping the carnitas in the oven all at once instead of frying them in batches makes this recipe even easier.
"Best carnitas I have ever made! This is the only recipe I will use from now on, Thank you!!!" - Cynthia
Spanish Potato Soup
This creamy, warm and slightly spicy Spanish Potato Soup is comfort food at its best. Buttery Yukon Gold potatoes are cooked in a broth flavored with onion, red pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, and paprika.
Add some sour cream, cheese, and pork carnitas, and serve with warm tortillas or bread to sop up all that delicious broth.
"This soup is absolutely amazing!! My parents will spend all day crafting carnitas for a fine dinner on its own, and then beg me to make this soup with the leftovers. The soup gets all the glory and love. I feel like I'm practically cheating because they did all the hard work the day before. I just swoop in with potatoes, cheese, bacon, and broth." - Mike
How to Cook Any Kind of Beans in an Instant Pot
If I only used my instant pot to cook dried beans, I would still consider the purchase 100% worth it.
For years, I used my slow cooker to cook dried beans. Then I got an Instant Pot, and now that's all I use.
Most of the time I use this super quick method to take beans from rock hard to soft and buttery in about an hour. But, sometimes I use my Instant Pot's slow cooker setting to cook a pot of beans low and slow. It really just depends on the day's schedule.
Either way, the hands-on time to prepare a flavorful pot of beans is about 5 minutes, making this one of the easiest, most accessible recipes in my toolbox. 🙌
Agrodolce ~ Sweet & Sour Italian Condiment
Agrodolce is one of those things that once you make it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without its amazingness. This deliciously sweet and sour Italian condiment is easily the most versatile way I know to add instant color and flavor to a dish.
Its name comes from "agro", Italian for sour, and "dolce", Italian for sweet, and it's made by combining vinegar with sugar, honey, or syrup, then adding fruit, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices.
"Heard of agrodolce but have never made it. Now I'm asking myself why? Love sour and sweet and how it can be added to almost any dish." - Liz
Aperol Spritz Cocktail (Spritz Veneziano)
This classic Italian aperitif cocktail is the color of a sunset and is capable of brightening any ordinary afternoon with its light and refreshing mix of sweet, crisp, and bitter.
"I spent a month in Tuscany with two of my BFF's, and immediately got hooked on Aperol Spritz Cocktails!! SO refreshing, and so much lighter than the hard liquor cocktails I was used to!! I've now continued the ritual after returning home to Minnesota!!!" - Kathy
Latvian Stew {from A Gentleman in Moscow}
This Latvian Stew recipe is based on a dish from the pages of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.
It's a simple, comforting combination of tender, slow-cooked pork shoulder, carrots, onions, apricots, and prunes that's warm and flavorful, and even better the next day.
"Tonight we served it with roasted Yukon potatoes with herbs Provence, Anne Burrell's Creamed Spinach. Divine. Thanks to the original poster for posting this recipe! I too went looking for the recipe after my 3rd read!" - cindy
Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce {Italian Style Recipe}
This Italian meatball marinara recipe includes a delicious balance of ground beef, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, buttermilk, cheese, onion, garlic, and tons of Italian seasoning.
After briefly frying or broiling the meatballs, they are slowly baked in rich homemade marinara sauce until they are tender, juicy, and mouthwateringly delicious.
"I just can’t bring myself to put sauce on these meatballs, the flavor is so good. Perfect with pastas in garlic and oil or with crispy gnocchi in brown butter! (But, they are delicious in your marinara, too!) - Don
BLT {Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato} Sandwiches with Secret Sauce
It's hard to beat a good Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich. While this humble sandwich is free from pretense and fuss, it's simplicity demands the highest quality ingredients and a really, really good sauce. Here's how to make a kick-ass BLT.
"Very good recipe. The sauce is the star of the show here. Nice twist on a classic, and I even caught my daughter sneaking spoonfuls of the sauce straight from the fridge lol. I will be making this sauce for other sandwiches as well from now on." - Jason
Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers (Capsicums)
Marinated Peppers (Capsicums) add bright, fresh flavor to salads and sandwiches, and are a delicious addition to appetizers and cheese boards.
They are easy to make and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Simply roast a tray of bell peppers then let them marinate in a simple vinaigrette flavored with garlic and fresh herbs.
"We made these and served them over toast as an appetizer with friends last night. It was a huge hit. Several people asked for the recipe and I shared your website. One of our friends liked it so much they took the leftovers to another party to share with a different group of friends!" - Adriane
Perfect Homemade Marinara Sauce
This marinara sauce is guaranteed to make your house smell like an Italian grandmother moved in and started cooking for you.
This recipe for marinara sauce includes a bit of red wine, garlic, onions, crushed red pepper, Italian herbs, and plenty of fresh basil and parsley. The sauce requires only about 15 minutes of hands-on time, but should simmer for at least 2 hours, even longer if you wish.
"The best marinara sauce! I did not have the wine and it was still delicious. I will never buy jar sauce again. Thank you so much." - Alejandra
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine Cherry Sauce
This simple Roasted Pork Tenderloin is tender and juicy, and covered in the most delicious Red Wine Cherry Sauce. It's one of those quick and easy recipes that's both elegant and basic, simple enough for a causal weeknight meal and gorgeous enough for a dinner party.
"I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was insanely good. And that red wine cherry sauce....wow! This is now a Christmas must make for our family. I have some cherries we have harvested this summer left in the freezer and I am now super excited to use them to make this. Thank you!" - Ramona
The BEST Green Chili with Pork Ribs and Hatch Chile
This Green Chili Recipe (Chili Verde) is the result of years of tweaking and testing (and eating!), until it was packed with as much rich, meaty chili flavor as I could cram in there.
"This chili was so delicious. My family loved it and begged me to make it again soon." - Sara
{BEST} Classic Lasagna with Sausage, Marinara and Cheese
The secret to the most delicious classic lasagna is to start with really, really good Homemade Marinara Sauce that's been slow simmered until it's rich and thick, and filling your whole house with the most intoxicating aroma.
Stir in plenty of Italian sausage and then layer it up with sheets of pasta and lots and lots of cheese.
"Wow, I can't believe that a lasagna this good came out of MY kitchen!! The recipe is foolproof - other than I should have started with a larger pot for the sauce 🙂" - Cindy
The Ultimate Sheet Pan Dinner {Your choice of Protein, Veggies, & Greens}
This is the only sheet pan dinner recipe you'll ever need.
This anything-goes sheet pan dinner recipe will show you how to use whatever protein, veggies, and greens you like for the easiest, no-fuss, one-pan way to get dinner on the table tonight.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken
These Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps use rotisserie chicken, or any kind of leftover chicken, to create a quick, intensely satisfying meal that will be on the table in about 15 minutes.
Simply stir pre-cooked chicken into a quick and easy Asian sauce flavored with ginger, soy, chili, garlic, and honey, and serve with crisp lettuce leaves, chili garlic sauce, and roasted peanuts.
"I have probably made these 12 times this year. They are SO easy and SO delicious. Plus, my whole family loves them and that doesn't happen very often!" - Kim
Enchilada Sauce {Easy & Made with Real Red Chili}
There are two different types of Red Chili Enchilada Sauce:
1. Authentic Red Chili sauce that requires an involved process of toasting, soaking, and pureeing dried red chilis.
2. Easy, simple "cheater" enchilada sauce recipes that rely on dried spices and/or tomato paste as a replacement for puréed red chilis.
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds. It's BOTH quick and easy AND made from real red chili.
"Seriously the BEST enchilada sauce I've ever had or made." - Isabella
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