Top Ten ... er, Baker's Dozen

Not a top-ten post, but this photo amuses me.

Yeah, everyone's doing TOP TEN posts, and I figured I might as well jump on the bandwagon.
So, with no further ado (except a really big "Happy New Year" to you), here's my top-ten (ish) pick of blog posts from 2013 (and beyond). Not necessarily top ten in traffic, but top ten in ... something.

First, traffic. Although it was published in January of 2011, this post about the correct water temperature for yeast consistently ranks in the top ten of my posts almost every week, thanks to its high ranking in Google searches. At one point, there was a link to it in a school curriculum. It's been steadily climbing above other popular posts, like my Bunny Bread and a biscuit recipe.

Then, Wikipedia. Okay, this post about annato oil is another one, but it's one that's mentioned as a reference in this article on Wikipedia so I'm rather fond if it. I'm sure there are plenty of blog posts about annato oil on the web, but for some reason this one from 2010 was chosen as a reference. I don't get a lot of traffic from being mentioned as a resource, but it's kind of cool, anyway.

Magic Cake is magic.

Peanut Butter Cup Magic Cake was a high-traffic post from 2013. It's one of the few times I've jumped on a trendy bandwagon, and the only time I bandwagoned fast enough to get any traction from it. I still haven't made cake pops, and I might never jump onboard that one.

Chicken breast stuffed with rice and broccoli might not sound all that interesting, but I loved the photos I took. It was a cold day and the hot food next to the window where I shoot photos created a wisp of steam. In the early days of this blog, I was lucky to get photos in focus and with correct color. Now I'm getting wisps of steam.

When the idea of the Turham struck, I was giddy excited about it. I sort of expected it to go viral or at least get crazy on Pinterest, but it remained an average-viewed post on my blog. But you never know - this could be one that goes crazy next year. Meanwhile, I can say that I may have coined a new word. A search on Google didn't turn up any similar food monstrosities.

I baked a chocolate cake for my BFF Carla's birthday, and my husband raved about it. THIS is the birthday cake he dreamed of. I guess I'll be making it again.

Amy had a wicked sense of humor.

I haven't used any guest posts since my husband got out of the hospital (back then, I used a LOT of guest posts because I just couldn't manage ... but that's another story), but I did use someone else's recipe on this post. My friend Amy had just passed away and I posted one of her recipes and photos as a tribute. I still miss her quirky humor on Facebook.

Speaking of my husband, in this post from late January, I announced the countdown to his arrival at home, after five months in three different hospitals. It's still emotional for me...

In July, I announced that I had signed a deal to write a cookbook. I thought I wouldn't be able to keep up with daily posts on my blog, and I wanted to let people know why I was slacking. Turns out that I did manage to post most days, missing just a few days and ending the year with 355 posts. Not too shabby.

Tweedle-ee-deedle-ee-dee!

I loved-loved-loved these little cinnamon birdhouse cookies. I used a mini gingerbread house cookie cutter and adapted it to look like a birdhouse. The cookie cutter came from Good Cook, a company that I had been previously aware of as a grocery-store brand of gadgets and bakeware. But then I started doing a few sponsored posts for Good Cook and pretty soon I became friends with the company's media guru.

So ... that's ten noteworthy posts ... but ... but ... I'm a baker, so I feel inclined to give you a baker's dozen.

There was a time when everyone was talking about the book Herbivoracious, and I had to see what all the fervor was about. This grilled cheese sandwich is a prime example of the genius in these pages. Simple, but amazing.

And then I threw caution to the wind and made pressure-fried chicken. A lot of people thought I was crazy, but it worked. And the chicken was fabulous.

When Crown Maple Whisky ads were running on the radio, I became obsessed with finding it. But ... it was nowhere. For months. When I finally got my hands on a bottle, I made Maple Whisky Ice Cream. It's one of my all-time favorite ice creams that I've made. And I'm still obsessed with the whisky. Only now it's a lot easier to buy.

So that's it for post, but I want to leave you with one final photo ... Snickers, all dressed up in her Christmas finery. Heh. 

Have a GREAT 2014!

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