Before we embrace the New Year and all 2018 has to offer, today I’m taking a look back at all the top posts on Kitchen Concoctions for 2017! Check out the Top Top 17 Blog Posts of 2017, plus some of my personal favorites! Did your favorite recipe, craft or travel adventure make the list?
WOW! What a year 2017 has been! To be honest, 2017 was rough, from dealing with health issues, to losing family members and watching helplessly as multiple friends and family dealt with devastating natural disasters.
But 2017 was also filled with lots of good, wonderful things; from getting married, to welcoming a new niece, to an epic road trip through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming! Plus, many wonderful work opportunities, from working with brands on projects for this blog, to getting back to publishing my work for other publications, including the local newspaper; to seeing so many examples of good in friends, family and perfect strangers.
Even with all that has been going on in my personal life, I managed to maintain this blog and publish at least one blog post a week. The past few weeks, I’ve spent time reflecting about the past year and planning and preparing for 2018 and what I want it to be.
As part of this reflecting on the old year and planning for the new year, I like to take a look back at all the content I shared here on Kitchen Concoctions. Some of the top blog posts for 2017 kind of surprised me. While I had fun honoring my pup with this DIY Custom Dog Placemat, I’m surprised it made the top 10 list. Also, I’m happy so many new blog posts were your favorites, and love that a few older blog posts remain on the top 10 list.
Since I’m in a major planning and organizational mood and mind set; what are some things you would like to see in 2018? Any particular types of recipes (more slow cooker recipes, Instapot, unique desserts)? More Austin/Texas stuff? More crafts, holiday or party planning type posts? And are you interested in seeing more personal posts, like my Dishin’ It Up series? Let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do!
In the meantime, here are YOUR favorite Kitchen Concoctions blog posts of 2017!
10. Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Butter Sauce – I shared this simple, yet flavorful salmon recipe way back in 2015. Personally it is one of my favorite salmon recipes and even though it is an older recipe on Kitchen Concoctions, I’m glad you all are loving it too!
9. Blackberry Lime Napoleon Recipe – This recipe is light and lovely (not to mention easy!) and is the perfect dessert recipe for a spring dinner party!
8. DIY Custom Dog Placemat – I absolutely adore our pup Mojo, even when he gets a little sloppy when he eats. This simple and cute custom dog placemat was a fun craft tutorial to make and something we use daily!
7. Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls – I just shared this homemade cinnamon roll recipe back in November and I was shocked at how it took off! But I guess we all love cinnamon rolls for the holidays and there is something so comforting about that maple pecan flavor combination!
6. 10 Road Trip Games and Activities for Couples (in the top 10 two years in a row!) – As evident by our multi state road trip adventure earlier this year, we LOVE to road trip! This special travel blog post was a fun one to write and obviously one that you all love too!
5. Monte Cristo Pinwheels (in the top 10 two years in a row!) – Y’all these Monte Cristo Pinwheels are INSANELY easy and are a favorite appetizer of not only all you readers, but all my real life friends and family too!
4. White Chocolate Mocha (in the top 10 four years in a row!) – Do you know how I know we could all be friends in real life? It’s because some of my top recipes and blog posts are all about coffee, quite possibly my favorite drink! This White Chocolate Mocha recipe (using real white chocolate) has been a reader and personal favorite for years! I even dabbled in recipe videos this year and this was my first video to create! Check it out!
3. White Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies – Another popular white chocolate recipe! These cookies took a few times to perfect but the end result was a soft and buttery cookie with a rich white chocolate filling!
2. Tres Leches Coffee Creamer Recipe – Normally I just buy store bought coffee creamer for my coffee, BUT sometimes I make my own and this Tres Leches Coffee Creamer recipe, is my go to homemade coffee creamer recipe.
1. Cheesy Beer and Bacon Sloppy Joe Sliders – I am not surprised at.all. that these Cheesy Beer and Bacon Sloppy Joe Sliders were the number one recipe for this year! They received so many great reviews from all of you that made them and were loved by my friends and family!
MY favorite blog posts of 2017 (in no particular order!):
This year I shared almost 90 blog posts. Between tried and true recipes, to crafts and lots of adventures in Austin and on the road; there were so many (so freakin’ many) good recipes, fun crafts and party tutorials and lots of fun adventures, that I had a hard time picking just seven favorite blog posts. But I managed to narrow it down some of my favorites (that didn’t make this top 10 list above). Check them out below!
1. Pink and Gold Baby Shower – A highlight from this year was welcoming a new niece and celebrating her and my sister with this beautiful (if I do say so myself!) pink and gold baby shower!
2. Places to Eat in Breckenridge, Colorado – As I’ve mentioned, another highlight of 2018 was taking our epic road trip out west and spending some much needed relaxation in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This blog post highlights some of our favorite eats from our time there.
3. Corn, Prosciutto and Caramelized Onion Pizza – I was so incredibly happy with how this pizza recipe came out! The flavor combination is unique, at least for pizza, yet work beautifully! Probably my favorite pizza yet!
4. Baked Funfetti Donuts – This year I finally mastered the baked donut with these Baked Funfetti Donuts! I’ve been playing with other baked donut flavors and can’t wait to share some new versions in 2018!
5. The Best Lemon Bars – I’ve eaten and made a ton of different lemon bars in my life (it is a favorite dessert!) and this recipe for The Best Lemon Bars, truly is the best! It has been my go to lemon bar recipe for years now and I haven’t looked back!
6. French Toast Casserole with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel – I LOVE this easy French toast casserole recipe! I make it all the time for friends, family and client events and it always receives rave reviews!
7. The Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe – This classic Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe truly is the BEST! But don’t just take my word for it, all my Italian in-laws agree, this recipe rivals Nonna’s famous recipe!
Whoa! That was a lot of food and fun! How was your 2017? What are your hopes and dreams for 2018? Hope you each of you have a wonderful new year and I can’t wait to share some new fun and exciting announcements in 2018!