Recipe Roundup - Top 16 from 16

Yeah, I know. I should have posted this last week. What can I say, I'm a busy lady! :)

A very sweet and talented friend and blogger suggested that I should do a recipe roundup. Thanks for the suggestion, Kim!

I went back through all my posts for 2016 and decided to repost the top 16 from 16 because I'm cheesy like that.

Yup, that's me. Mmmmmmmmmmm.......cheese!

Ok, so here we go, counting down from 16 to my number one recipe! Grab a beverage of choice and settle in....this is going to be a long post and you're going to be drooling by the end!

First up we have my Red & White Winter Salad, coming in at number 16 on the list.

Red & White Winter Salad

For those of you that may be trying to drop a few pounds after the holidays this is a great way to start! I love mixing textures and tastes in a salad, and incorporating savory and sweet makes this salad far more interesting than a plain green salad.

You can find the recipe by clicking here.

Number 15 on the list is my Pumpkin Lasagna.  Yes, you read that correctly - Pumpkin Lasagna.

Pumpkin Lasagna

This recipe was one of my more adventurous experiments....especially since I'm not a huge pumpkin fan. But I'll tell you what, it was truly fabulous!! Check out the recipe in this post.

Coming in at number 14 is my Potato Soup.

Potato Soup

I'm an Irish girl, through and through. And I love me some good potato soup! I love potatoes in many forms, but when they are cheesy, hot and creamy in soup form and topped with bacon bits and scallions oh my! This truly is a simple recipe, and if you've never made potato soup before, now's your chance!

Click through to this post to find the recipe....and a few photos of the furbabies, as well!

Time for another soup for number 13....what could be better for a simple winter meal, while the snow piles up outside?

Sausage & Bean Crockpot Stew

Ok, so it's more of a stew than a soup, but either way it's delicious! This is an easy peasy crockpot recipe, my favorite kind for busy weekdays. The aroma in the house when I came home from work was simply heavenly! You can find the recipe for my Sausage & Bean Crockpot Stew here.

Number 12 on the list is another lasagna recipe - Lasagna Bolognese.

Lasagna Bolognese

There's just something about layers of noodles, sauce, and ooey gooey cheese that makes me happy. When I'm making lasagna, I'll always make more than one so I have a super simple meal ready to go in the freezer. Lasagna is also one of those perfect meals to serve when you're having guests. It gets prepped the day before, and it's simply popped into the oven when you're waiting for your guests to arrive. No mess, no fuss! Serve with some crusty warm bread, a green salad, and some nice Barbera wine and you'll be a hero! Check out my recipe here.

Number 11 is another soup recipe - Butternut Squash & Apple Bisque.

I know it sounds complicated, but it really is quite simple to pull together. And just look at how gorgeous it is! Not to mention, this is a very healthy soup....Weight Watchers approved, for sure!

This is my favorite zero point soup....which reminds me, I must whip up another batch soon! Not only is it super healthy, it tastes like heaven!

Click here to find the recipe for my Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque.

Guess what's next? We're heading into the top 10!

Zucchini & Roasted Veggie Lasagna

Number 10 is.....yet another lasagna! This time it's my Zucchini & Roasted Veggie Lasagna, and I guarantee that even if you think your family doesn't like zucchini they will LOVE this and not even realize there's zucchini in there! It's a healthier lasagna....and a great way to sneak in a few more veggies!

Come on, give it a try - we could all use a few more veggies in our diets. You can find the recipe in this post.

I know you're going to think that I make nothing but soups and lasagnas, but I promise that's not true. Last night I made roast chicken and baked potatoes. The night before we had Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin.

However, the next recipe I have for you here is yet another soup. I promise it's worth it!

Tuscan Beef & Vegetable Soup

Say hello to my Tuscan Beef & Vegetable Soup, at number 9 in the countdown.  Let me tell you something, this was GOOOOOD!! So hearty and satisfying, it was the perfect meal for a miserable, damp, dreary day. I still have some in the freezer and it's going to be pulled out soon because now I'm craving it! This is another incredibly hearty and healthy soups that is a meal all by itself. I used to think of soup as a 'starter' when I was younger, but the older I get, the more I crave a nice hot bowl of hearty soup as a meal.

With some really good bread, of course, warm from the oven.

No, I don't make my own....although I'd love to....but I have some great sources for excellent whole grain bread, and I stock up and keep it in the freezer.

Check out the recipe for this amazingly delicious soup here.

For those of you that have been following my blog for a while, you know that I'm a gardener. I have a little fenced veggie garden at the back of my house, and my sweetie has one at the back of his house as well. Sometimes we get a little overwhelmed during harvest season, but it's truly a blessing to be able to grow so much of our own produce.

Five Ways To Use All That Zucchini

Which is how this post came about - Five Ways To Use All That Zucchini. This post ranked at number 8 of all my recipe/food posts.

Oh my gosh, our garden kept spitting out monster zucchinis. We had the best harvest yet this year, and I'll be planting those same seeds this season because this was a terrific variety with really tender skins and sweet flesh.

Find out what to do with all your zucchini in this post from August.

Are you sick of all these recipes yet? Well, we're getting there - next up is number 7, also from harvest season - check out my Summer Garden Ragu.

Summer Garden Ragu

I must have been feeling especially creative when I was posting this recipe - most of my photos don't get the royal treatment like this!

I'm a pasta fanatic. For an Irish girl, I cook more Italian dishes than any other Irish girl I know! I do try to stick with organic whole grain or whole wheat pasta to keep it a little healthier, but I'm also not a purist.

For this meal, I created a chunky garden fresh sauce to put over whole wheat shells - this was a hearty, satisfying bowl of yumminess! I still have a couple of containers of this in the freezer, yay me!

Find the recipe for my Summer Garden Ragu in this post.

Moving on to number 6 - finally something other than pasta or soup!

Mouth Watering Meatloaf

I think one of the ultimate comfort foods in the universe is meatloaf. Not everyone is a fan....but those of us who are, well, we tend to truly LOVE meatloaf! This is one of Sweetie's favorite meals....and mine, as well.

In my house it's always served with mashed potatoes and brown gravy, because that's the way Mom always made it. I loved my mom's meatloaf. She doesn't cook often any more, Dad took over when he retired, but she taught me well.

Check out my recipe for Mouth Watering Meatloaf here......and remember to call your mom.

We're heading back to the soups again with another easy peasy crockpot soup. Aren't they just the best? That must be why it made it into the top 5 recipes of the year on MountainMama!

The Most Amazing Split Pea Soup

This time, I'm sharing The Most Amazing Split Pea Soup. And it truly was the best I've ever tasted, if you don't mind me tooting my own horn!

I know a few of you have made this, because you were so sweet to email me and let me know how much you loved it! For those of you that haven't, well you're getting another chance!

You'll find the recipe along with a story about conquering my fear in this post.

Coming in at number 4 is another version of my Bolognese - this time it's my Summer Garden Bolognese.

Summer Garden Bolognese

Please try not to lick your computer screen when reading this post. This is a truly amazing pasta sauce, and far healthier than a traditional Bolognese because it's so veggie heavy. However, when you're eating it, you're not thinking 'veggies' - you're thinking 'DECADENT!'

This is another fabulous way to sneak some extra veggies into your family's diet.

Click over to this post to read about how the magic happened in my Summer Garden Bolognese.

Counting down to number 3 of the year - my Farmer's Market Kabobs.

Farmer's Market Kabobs

 Which is pretty funny, really, because it's really more of a tutorial rather than a recipe. More like assembly instructions, but hey, it got so many views it came in near the top of the list!

If you'd like to see how I made my Farmer's Market Kabobs take a little wander over to this post.

Are you holding your breath for the top two recipes in 2016?

Well, I'm not going to keep you in suspense - number 2 is my Healthy Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup.

Healthy Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup

That's pretty funny since I am actually thinking of making this soup tonight! I have a crockpot of chicken broth simmering since yesterday and I've been thinking this might be just what this rainy day calls for!

This soup is creamy and satisfying, yet not heavy. And, like most of my recipes, truly easy peasy.

Check out the recipe by heading over to this post from April.

Drumroll please.......

The number ONE recipe for 2016 was.......

The Most Amazing Quiche Recipe

Ta-Da!!  The Number ONE recipe on my blog this year was my Most Amazing Quiche Recipe!

I made this quiche again on Christmas Eve this year, to warm in the oven on Christmas Morning while we opened our gifts. It was the absolute perfect meal for Christmas Morning, without a doubt!

I made quite a few quiches in the spring, and then kind of forgot about them again for a while, when the house got too hot to put the oven on. Now that they are back on my radar, you can expect some more quiche recipes to pop up this year!

Meanwhile, if you'd like to make this amazing quiche you can find the recipe by clicking here.

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of Mountain Mama's Top 16 Recipes in 2016!

Don't forget to pin your favorites!

Happy New Year, Everyone!