best of 2011 | best eats

So the real reason I made those cooking collages each month was because at the end of the year I wanted to do this:

Our year, in food. 136 new recipes tried. BAM! It was a difficult task to narrow it down to just ten eleven favorites!

Best Recipes of 2011 (clearly, we're not vegetarians):

SPICY APRICOT WINGS
This was our most frequently made recipe of the year.


LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE
Technically, this was a 2010 recipe since we made it for New Year's Eve last year. But it was so good that we made it again. And again. And I thought I didn't like lamb!


KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN
OMG. These are messy. And awesome. They turned me into a gnawing-meat-off-the-bone carnivore.


CHICKEN TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS
Our first international meal and first experience cooking Moroccan food. We're hooked.


PORK MEATBALL BANH MI SANDWICHES
Damn, these things are SPICY. Too spicy for Larry, but definitely one of my favorite recipes of the year.


GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH CHEDDAR AND SMOKY AIOLI
This is our new favorite burger recipe. You'll never want a beef burger again.


CHIPOTLE KETCHUP
I ate this more than any other food this year. I put it on burgers, french fries, latkes, EVERYTHING. I haven't eaten Heinz in months and don't plan on ever going back to regular ketchup.


CATALAN FISH STEW WITH PIMENTON MAYONNAISE
Fish stew? Topped with mayonnaise?! Trust me, it's delish.

CHORIZO AND POTATO TACOS WITH AVOCADO AND TOMATILLO SALSA

Easy and delicious! Rick Bayless will never steer you wrong.

CHICKEN GOULASH WITH BISCUIT DUMPLINGS
Spicy, loaded with paprika, awesome.


JACQUES TORRES CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
These are ridiculous.

......................................................

Most of our food experiences are focused on cooking at home, but we do love to go out to eat, whether it's searching for the best donut, tasting wines, grabbing a bite and a beer at our favorite local dive, or having a fancy meal out for a special occasion.

Our favorites of the year:

Best Burger | Burger Tap & Shake (Washington, DC)

Best Cheese | anything from Red White & Bleu (Falls Church, VA) 

Best for Fresh & Local | Falls Church Farmers Market (Falls Church, VA)

Best Restaurant Meal | Volt (Frederick, MD)

Best Scenery | Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, VA)

Best Mac and Cheese | Cheesetique (Alexandria, VA)

Best Store Bought Cake | Wegmans Coconut Cake

Most Explosive Dessert | Celebration Cake at Central - it has a Roman Candle in it! (Washington, DC)

Best Food Festival | Truckeroo (Washington, DC)

Best Place to Stuff Your Face | The Apple House (Linden, VA)

Best Neighborhood Restaurant | Sea Pearl (Falls Church, VA)

Best Wine | Corcoran Vineyards (Waterford, VA)

Whew! I'm stuffed. Due to the aforementioned recipes and restaurants, Larry and I are each looking to lose 20+ pounds this year, so our focus in 2012 is healthy and low-cal. We're off to a good start, but I'm already missing bread and desserts...