Taking a look back at the most viewed recipes of 2013

Wow- 2013 you were a delicious year! Before we take a look at the most viewed recipes of 2013 let me just take a moment to say thank you. Thanks for reading my silly stories and laughing with me. Thank you for celebrating my joys and helping me through the tough times. This year was certainly one of highs and lows. You all followed along my journey as I trained for and completed my first half marathon. Wow. That was amazing. And you even hung around when I got very very sick and spent the better part of 3 months in and out of the hospital. Through months and months of surgery and recovery I had many many people send me encouraging emails, write delicious guest posts, and send me care packages that made me cry like a baby.

Alright- let’s take a look behind the apron!

10. I LOVED these Fruit and Yogurt Cupcakes! I think it was my most favorite thing I photographed for the blog this year.

9. These S’mores Cereal Treats for 2 were an afterthought. I made a big pan of these treats to send to a bake sale, but when I saw the defeated little looks I was getting from my little boys because they couldn’t sample the goods I just had to throw together another batch.

8. I am addicted to the tart and sweet flavor combination of cherry and lime together so this Cherry Limeade Fruit Dip hit the spot for me this summer. I sent it to work with my mom and they gobbled it up too so I thought it was delicious enough to share with you!

7. My husband just gave me the funniest looks when he saw me standing over a bowl of broken candy canes and water as I made this Candy Cane Simple Syrup. My love of flavored coffee runs deep so this did not disappoint.

6. I made A LOT of popsicles this summer. I’m so glad that you all loved these Kool-Aid Yogurt Pops as much as I did! A nod to my favorite summertime treat as a kid, I added Greek yogurt to these pops to bump up the protein. Yum!

5. I almost didn’t post these Frozen Triple Berry Smoothies! I whipped these up one morning for my sons and a few of their friends coming over. Ten minutes before my house was being torn apart by 5 boys I decided to snap a few shots of these smoothies. I’m so glad I did too because I just think they are gorgeous.

4. Wow- you guys LOVED these Candy Cane Steamers! Hot frothy milk steamed to perfection and flavored with candy canes- what’s not to love?! My kids devoured the pink one right after I took the last shot, while I enjoyed the mocha one and avoided wrapping Christmas presents.

3. Okay this one surprised me. Posted only 10 days ago these Grinch Cookies flew up to third place of my Top 10 recipes for the whole year! They are cute and delicious…I made them 3 times in 10 days. The Grinch movie is one of my favorites every Christmas. I don’t know if it’s the hand-holding and singing, the sweet voice of little Cindy Lou Who, or Grinch’s heart being 2 sizes too small but it just gets me teary-eyed every time.

2. What can I say? I have little boys who love to play video games, and this is one I can play with them and somewhat understand what’s going on. These Candy Crush Color Bomb Candies were fun to make and eat. I think I loved the pretty sprinkle-fied peanut butter cups and kisses even more though.

1. Little did I know the day that I posted this amazing Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup that I would be going into the hospital later that morning. So began my journey that took me on a very painful path for the remainder of 2013. Unfortunately this story is not over. I will again be meeting with my doctors early next week. As we enter 2014 I am hoping for some answers and some relief.

I would love to publicly thank my good friend Christi who blogs at Love From the Oven. Although Christi and I have never met her friendship is so dear to me. You know all those months that I was sick- well SHE kept this little blog going by setting up guest posts, formatting them, publishing them, and promoting them. All the while she was running her own life and blog. Oh- and writing her first cookbook. (Yes she’s pretty much Super Woman.)

Finally, the social media favorite of the year was this recipe for my family’s Best Sugar Cookie. Thank you for making it your family’s favorite too! ♥

 Cheers to 2014!