Best Recipes of 2016: Reader’s Choice Award Winners

The results are in! Thank you SO much to all of you who voted for the best recipes of 2016 in my 6^th annual Reader’s Choice Awards! I love seeing which recipes were your favorite from the year. I always point new readers to the Reader’s Choice Award Winners as a great place to start when they discover my blog, so I really appreciate you taking the time to select your favorites and guide everyone else toward my “greatest hits” from each year. In case you missed it, you can also look at the 2015 winners, 2014 winners, 2013 winners, 2012 winners and 2011 winners.

While I’m giving out thanks, YOU deserve some. Whether it’s your first time visiting my blog or you’ve been cooking along with me since the beginning, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for reading my posts and for cooking my recipes. Thank you for asking questions, leaving comments and sharing your feedback. Thank you for sharing my site with friends, posting pictures of what you’ve made on Instagram, pinning the recipes you want to try and sharing my posts on Facebook. Thanks for emailing me your stories and ideas and for sharing your successes. You motivate and inspire me so much and I’m genuinely thrilled that you’re here. I am grateful for you.

Six years ago on Christmas Eve 2010, I decided to start a blog. I could never have imagined that my fun little pet project would grow to become such a huge and important part of my life and of who I am! I’m so excited to start 2017 with some fresh new recipes, but it’s also really cool for me to look back on how far my site has come. For the past few years I have recapped some readership, social media and posting stats, mostly for me to look back on. While I certainly don’t blog for the numbers, it’s fun to check in every year and see how much we’ve grown. Here we go again: Six years. 495 posts. 37 million+ blog pageviews (according to Google Analytics). 91,500 of you like me on Facebook. 85,000 of you are my Instagram friends (my favorite!). 69,300 of you follow me on Pinterest. 15,600 of you subscribe to my recipes by email.

I can’t say this enough: It overwhelms me that so many of you out there read my blog, make my recipes and give me such great feedback, encouragement and inspiration. THANK YOU!! If you don’t already and you want to follow my site on social, here are the links: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Email Club.

Without further mushy reflection, on to the Reader’s Choice Award Winners! The results are below and for each category I’ve pictured the winner and then listed the runner up along with my own vote (which didn’t count in the standings, I’m just listing it for fun).

1. Best Appetizer Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza Dip

   Runner Up: Loaded Potato Rounds

   Emily’s Pick: I’m with you guys…I love that Pepperoni Pizza Dip and it is one of my go-to party recipes! Strawberry Balsamic Bruschetta or Caprese Wonton Bites are up there too. Yum.

2. Best Breakfast Recipe: Maple Bacon Breakfast Wraps

   Runner Up: Apple Streusel French Toast Muffins (just one vote behind first place!)

   Emily’s Pick: I have to go with the Orange Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Singles. I’m obsessed with them.

3. Best Salad Recipe: Taco Chicken Salad

   Runner Up: Broccoli Salad

   Emily’s Pick: I’m torn about this one. I love both of the top two recipes but I think I’m picking the Roasted Beet Salad because I was really feeling that one and also because goat cheese.

4. Best Soup Recipe: Sausage and Tortellini Tomato Soup

   Runner Up: Chicken Corn Chowder

   Emily’s Pick: I dream of a never-ending bowl of Sausage and Tortellini Tomato Soup. Swoon.

5. Best Pasta Recipe: Beefy American Goulash

   Runner Up: It’s a tie! Slow Cooker Kickin’ Chicken Pasta and Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells

   Emily’s Pick: I’m going to champion my Beef Stroganoff here – such good comfort food. I’m not surprised the goulash won though, it has been a huge hit!

6. Best Chicken Recipe: Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken

   Runner Up: Cheddar Ranch Chicken Tenders

   Emily’s Pick: This one is tough, I love chicken. I am tied between my Mediterranean Topped Grilled Chicken and Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken. I pick both. This is why I have you all vote!

7. Best Side Dish Recipe: Cheddar Bay Pull Apart Muffins

   Runner Up: Cheddar Broccoli Orzo

   Emily’s Pick: This year I resolve to post more side dish recipes. I agree with Cheddar Bay Pull Apart Muffins as the winner!

8. Best Casserole Recipe: Layered Chicken Enchilada Bake

   Runner Up: Chili Cornbread Bake

   Emily’s Pick: Hm. I’ll agree with these choices.

9. Best Meaty Main Dish Recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Bacon BBQ Pulled Pork

   Runner Up: Slow Cooker Korean-Style Beef Tacos (from my review of the Skinnytaste Fast and Slow cookbook affiliate link)

   Emily’s Pick: I agree. Slow Cooker Apple Bacon BBQ Pulled Pork is my jam – it’s so easy and delicious! I do want to give a shout out to my Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms in this category though because the stuffing is amazing.

10. Best Handheld Recipe: Easy Taco Cups

    Runner Up: It’s a tie! Equal votes were cast for Ham and Cheese Twists and Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

    Emily’s Pick: I’m going rogue and picking either the Spicy Southwest Chicken Wraps or Spicy Steak Tacos with Southwestern Guacamole. Evidently I really love spicy southwest flavors!

11. Best Pizza Recipe: Sausage and Ricotta Pizza

    Runner Up: Three Cheese Mushroom Flatbread

    Emily’s Pick: I’m actually torn between the more seasonal flatbreads! I loved the Turkey Cranberry Flatbread and the Savory Sausage Pumpkin Flatbread.

12. Best Dessert Recipe: Pecan Pie Bites

    Runner Up: Peppermint Cheesecake Cups

    Emily’s Pick: I knew Pecan Pie Bites would win, they’re amazing! I am a fruity dessert person at heart though, so my vote goes to the Mixed Berry Mini Tarts.

     

    Thank you so much again for reading my blog, cooking my recipes and encouraging and inspiring me with your comments. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2017 and I hope you’ll stay tuned for more lightened up comfort food recipes in the new year!