It’s been a crazy year for sure trying to manage three kids in the house, school schedules, sports, ballet, therapies and making food for a hungry family. This has always been my creative space to test out new recipes, try old family favorites and showcase fun foods that we may not always be willing to try.

This year I was able to travel to LA with United Supermarkets and then off to the Gaylord Texan twice with family. My husband and I got to take a little getaway trip, sans kids, to Belize this summer as well. There weren’t as many trips for the blog, but I didn’t seem to mind so much as we took quite a few little ones around the State this year.

For 2017, I’m hoping to pick up more on the video side of things, more travel (family & adult), possible site redesign and getting my husband involved more on the cooking side of things. He is an awesome cook and I would love to showcase what he can do with the grill and cast iron skillet.

I’ve rounded up a list of the 10 Reader Favorites for 2016! I was quite surprised on how much you all like simple foods and sweets. I’ll see what I can do for you in 2017. Now let’s get started with the list.

1. Chia Yogurt Breakfast Bowl – A flavorful way to start your breakfast with yogurt, chia seeds and lots of fruit. You can even take this on the go.
2.  Chia Yogurt Breakfast Bowl – I’ve fallen in love with chocolate tarts. This year was no different with this easy Chocolate Pumpkin Tart.
3. Tex-Mex Hummus – A year ago I went to Sabra headquarters and created a hummus dip mirrored after this one. I’m always game for anything Tex-Mex.
4. Tex-Mex Mule – After finishing your hummus you can sit back and relax with this beverage.
5. Sheet Pan S’mores – Bring the s’mores inside with this sheet pan s’mores recipe. More like grab a fork and get ready to dive in.
6. Easy Egg in a Mug Breakfast – This healthy breakfast takes a minute to make and is loaded with vegetables.
7. Classic Chewy Brownies – My kids are always begging for brownies. I finally needed a go-to recipe for this decadent treat.
8. Sun-dried Tomato Crusted Salmon – This was an old recipe that needed a little update to it. We love salmon in our household and the tomatoes add a nice flavor to it.
9. Asian Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs – This almost deserves spot #1 in my opinion. It’s a simple chicken recipe that is packed with flavor.
10. Italian Cream Cake – I typically leave cakes to the professional bakers but this one is perfect for any skill level. It’s moist and is a great cake to have on the table for the holidays.

My PERSONAL FAVORITES for 2016 that didn’t make the cut!

Boozy Hot Chocolate Floats

Chicken, Kale and Butternut Squash Soup

Greek Lamb Hummus Pitas

Hatch Chile Hush Puppies