A Less Processed Life: top ten

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What Made the List: A Less Processed Life's Top Ten Posts of 2016

Oy, this has been some year, hasn't it? I'm not entirely sure what next year will bring, but I'm hoping for the best. I thought as the year draws to an end I'd take a walk down memory lane with a look at this year's most popular posts. Unlike last year's Top Ten, which was full of sweet baked goods, this year's list has a little bit of everything.

Slow-Cooked Hasenpfeffer Stew

Coconut Curry Ramen Noodle Soup

Hot Fudge Sauce

No-bake Power Protein Balls

Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Ginger Syrup and Ginger Ale

Creamy Parmesan Dressing

Easy Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

Pita Bread

Maple-Bourbon Pulled Pork

Um, how is 2015 nearly over? Wasn't it just January? Shoot. I guess I need to just transfer all those abandoned New Year's Resolutions over to 2016. However, before this year is completely over, let's take a look back at A Less Processed Life's Top Ten posts from this past year. And, as always, thanks for stopping by! Happy New Year!

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Donuts - Is it coffee cake or is it a donut? Uh, yeah, it's better than either; it's both!

Pimm's Cup - One of my favorite summertime coolers. And with cucumbers, lemons, oranges, it's basically like drinking spa water. With, uh, a little Pimm's in it. Basically, best spa day ever.

Ramen Noodle Soup with Crispy Tofu - Oh, man, this ramen noodle soup was delicious. And so easy to make. I really need to remember to make this more often. Particularly now that winter is upon us (finally some snow!), and hot soups are the best way to warm up from the chill.

Baked Lemon Poppyseed Donuts - Of course more donuts made the list! Baked donuts are my favorite go-to when I'm looking for a post-breakfast treat. And since we don't have a decent donut spot in town, if I want a donut, I've got to bake my own.

Bucatini with Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, and Basil - My favorite summertime flavor combination is fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. I can't wait for next season's tomatoes to come in so that I can make this pasta dish again. (Oh, sure, I could make it with winter market tomatoes, but it just really isn't the same.)

Brown Butter Crispy Rice Treats - If you like crispy rice treats (or you know, the kind made with that brand name cereal), the next time you make them you should definitely use browned butter. Life-changing.

Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Pecans - We eat a lot of oatmeal in our house. Like, on the daily. While we most often eat the stovetop variety, I need to remember to get up a little earlier in the morning to make baked oatmeal. The best part being that once you make a batch, you've got breakfast for the rest of the week!

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie - This year we celebrated Derby Day by drinking mint juleps and eating slices of this chocolate pecan bourbon pie. A most decadent day, indeed. But, wow, this pie is goooood!

Boulevardier Cocktail - This year I worked to further educate myself on the art of the classic cocktail. This boulevardier cocktail, which features Campari, got a little extra love when Campari USA shared my instagram photo on their account.

Blue Ribbon Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - I finally got my act together (at the eleventh hour!) and submitted a few items to this year's Oneida County Fair. These brown butter chocolate chip cookies earned a first place blue ribbon.

I know it's so trite to say, but seriously, this year has flown by. Wasn't it just March? I thought I'd spend the last day of the year taking a walk down memory lane with a look at this year's most popular posts. This year's top ten is rife with sweet baked goods -- which comes as no surprise to me, as they're my favorite thing to make in the kitchen and they are easiest to photograph. For me, it's way easier to take a glamour shot of a chocolate donut than of a beef stew or casserole. (Although there are plenty of delicious savory recipes on this blog!)

I'm looking forward to bringing more delicious recipes and plenty of entertaining and educational content to the blog in 2015. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Baked Buttermilk Chocolate Donuts - Chocolate cake donuts with a chocolate glaze are my go-to choice when I hit up a donut bakery. Since the nearest place to get delicious donuts is about an hour's drive south, I find that if I want a donut, I've got to make it myself. These donuts are full of rich chocolate flavor, get a little tang from the buttermilk, and the chocolate glaze lends itself well to a generous covering of sprinkles.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp Bars - I love when ruby-red rhubarb stalks hit the market. I can't help but pick up several pounds' worth, and without fail some of the rhubarb finds its way into a sweet baked bar recipe, most often with strawberry as its accomplice.

Cowboy Caviar - Ah, summertime in a bowl! While I suppose I could make this throughout the year, this cowboy caviar is really best when summertime rolls around and fresh locally-grown tomatoes abound.

Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread - I had a blast participating in Joy the Baker's baking bootcamp series. This triple berry cinnamon swirl bread looks spectacular but surprisingly isn't that difficult to make.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bites - I made these eggnog cheesecake bites three times in the past month -- once for a holiday get-together in Wisconsin, once for my family in Ohio, and finally for a get-together with D's family in Michigan. More one-bite dessert recipes in 2015? I think that's a good plan.

Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Pancake - Back in the spring I experimented with a gluten-free diet. This gluten-free Dutch baby pancake was one of the resulting recipes. It's so good! Particularly with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Blueberry Chia Jam Bars - I need to make these luscious blueberry chia jam bars again. And also some more blueberry chia jam! I'm definitely looking forward to returning to Blue Vista Farm in Bayfield next summer for some more blueberry picking.

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding - This pudding is perfect for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack. Is it strawberry season yet? A look out my window at the snow tells me an emphatic "no." I may have to give this recipe a whirl with frozen berries.

Pumpkin Dog Treats - Leroy gave these pumpkin dog treats two paws up. I baked up this batch of treats before Franka joined our family -- looks like another batch is in my future.

Blueberry Donuts with a Lemon Glaze - Another donut recipe in the top ten -- who woulda thought? Though these donuts may look sinful, their looks belie a rather healthy ingredient list. Man, now I really want a donut.

What was your favorite post from 2014? What recipes would you like to see in 2015?

It's the end of another year, and I can't help but reminisce over the last twelve months. With the help of Google Analytics, I thought I'd share with you A Less Processed Life's top 10 posts of 2013. As always, thanks for stopping by my little corner of the web!