Hello everyone,
As many of you know, I started Julie’s Kitchen Adventures back in February of 2014 as a much more informal recipe of the week email. But thanks to encouragement from friends and family, in September 2014 I decided to make it official and start this blog.
To me, this blog is kind of like a diary, recording all of my tasty memories with friends and family that I experience over the year. And oh there were so many!
So I thought to wrap up 2014, I would share with everyone what my personal favourites (not necessarily most popular) posts were over the year. Now picking favourite posts is a challenging thing to do, as each edition and recipe holds a special place in my heart. Ideally, I would like to give you a top 40 list to browse, however to spare you from such tedium, I painstakingly selected my top 6 (arbitrary number) from the year. I tried to choose a variety of posts in the top 6 that incorporate all the things that made my year special – good times with friends and family, wonderful travel and of course some tasty memories. So here they are, in no particular order:
The buttercup squash edition is a homage to the vined plant that took over a large part of our yard last summer, littering the yard with tasty buttercup squashes. This was my first time every eating buttercup squash, and I immediately fell in love with the tasty soup and pie I made from the squash. John, always a lover of pumpkin pie, claims to this day that the homemade buttercup squash pie is his favourite dessert of all time.
It just so happens that this edition also was my most popular post of 2014!
The fourth and final installment of the deep south road trip that John and I took this October had to boast the most fantastic meal of the 4 deep south blog posts. The small town feel, great Mississippi River, antebellum homes, gospel music and tasty southern cooking we experienced in Natchez Mississippi pretty much sums up what our trip was all about. The fried chicken and biscuits we made when we got home were so glorious and delicious that I know I will remember that day for a very long time.
Having both of my grandmothers over to see my garden one afternoon was something special indeed. To have both these women who have meant so much in my life come and share their passion of gardening with me was something I will always remember.
The three tomato recipes to accompany this afternoon were great too! My personal favourite are the classic fried green tomatoes, a must try during gardening season when the green tomatoes are for the pickin’.
Like my own recipes, it was hard to pick one of John’s many succulent BBQ delicacies as the best.
In John’s quest to master the art of BBQ and smoking, this year’s highlight had to come when he dazzled his family with a massive and memorable feast featuring smoked sausage, brisket and of course John’s ribs. It was indeed a memorable family barbecue where John amazed his guests with his barbecue prowess. It was a joy for John and I to host and share this experience with his family.
With all this wonderful BBQ available in my own home, I have to admit I’m a bit spoiled!
The ability to make wood-fire pizza at home has changed our lives forever, as we never will look at pizza the same. The pizza night described in this post was a night to remember as it was our first crack at wood fire pizza. 5 different pizzas made with our good friends and frequent food collaborators Cody and Jackie started something special that night. We have been making wood-fire pizza ever since, but this is where the love-affair started!
6. Mother’s Day Special: Eggs Benedict with Hollondaise Sauce
This was a very special day for me, as my brother and I had the chance to make my mom a meal together for Mother’s day. I’m proud of my little brother who is really throwing himself into the culinary arts, and I am always impressed with his creativity and adventurous attitude when it comes to trying and creating new dishes. It was a treat to be able to cook for my mom on mother’s day, and the three of us had a wonderful time and many laughs making this timeless classic together at the cabin!
So there you have it, my top 6 for 2014! Special thanks to everyone who has been following my blog over the year, and I look forward to sharing more tasty experiences with you in 2015!
Bon appetit,
Julie
Julie's Kitchen Adventures 