Today marks 8 years of blogging for me.
Wow!
I can almost just imagine my 8-years-younger self, mulling around my 1-bedroom apartment in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I was at a job that I hated. I worked 3:30-11:30 p.m. and my off days were during the week.
That left me with lots of pockets of time by myself, which I hated. But I turned to cooking and experimenting in the kitchen as a little free, creative space.
And then I decided to start a food blog (after watching Julie & Julia). It not only filled my time, but it filled my life with a challenge and a way to keep writing creatively. It also taught me how to build a website…and then switch that website several times over in the past 8 years.
To this day, although my photos and design are a bit better, I still keep blogging because I love it and love sharing food and life ideas with you. You may notice that I don’t have ads on the site. This is my hobby, still my free space to do creatively what I want to do, and what I hope you enjoy reading and eating!
Thank you for sharing this 8-year journey with me.
Now, let’s celebrate with the top recipes on the blog over the past few years:
8. Mac & Cheese Tater Tot Casserole
I don’t need to say much about this recipe other than it’s a fall/winter staple in our house, and you absolutely need to try it! Macaroni + cheese + broccoli + tater tots = the casserole of your dreams.
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7. Pulled Pork Tacos
These slow cooker pork tacos and chicken tinga tacos have become a go-to for us for entertaining and feeding a crowd. There’s nothing better than throwing a few simple ingredients in a slow cooker and smelling it cook over the next 6-8 hours.
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6. Chocolate Brownie Cake
I’ve actually been meaning to make this cake again because it’s so easy and so rich and delicious. Grab some good dark chocolate and you’re on your way to a wow-worthy chocolate brownie/cake dessert.
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5. Falafel-Style Chickpea Fritters
I was surprised to see this one on the list, but I’m so glad! Falafel is one of my favorite foods, so this is a great way to get those flavors without frying. Thanks to Bon Appetit for the tip on this flavorful recipe!
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4. Chocolate Chip Pancakes
I can’t remember the number of times I’ve made these pancakes, which means they’ve stood the test of time. If you like a nice cakey pancake and a hint of creamy chocolate, then you will love these. Who knew that recipes on the side of flour bags were so spot on?!
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3. Slow Cooker Recipes
This isn’t one recipe per say, but rather 10 slow cooker recipes that are worth lugging your appliance out of the cabinets for. From soups to chicken tikka to pot roast, there are some stellar recipes on this list!
2. Slow Cooker Deconstructed Lasagna
Speaking of slow cookers, this deconstructed lasagna is another favorite of mine (and yours, apparently)! It’s one of those recipes where you dump a few ingredients into the slow cooker and let it meld together perfectly. I love making this pasta for guests because it feeds a crowd and is cheap and easy.
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1. Arkansas Black Apple Crumb Cake
It is just too fun that this is the top post on the blog, since it pays homeage to my home state and one of my favorite fruits (how appropriate)! This is the perfect season to be hunting for heirloom or interesting varieties of apples, so get out to your farmers market and start exploring!
Once you nab a good variety, bring it home and use it to make this sweet, spiced and just-crumby-enough crumb cake.
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Thanks again for taking this blog journey with me!