Relishments

Savoring life in the Berkshires

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Start Here
    • Relishments Around the Web
    • Flexitarianism
      • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Reviews
  • The Berkshires
    • Boothbay, Midcoast Maine and More
    • Adventures in Other Places
  • Contact
    • Sponsor

My Favorite Recipes of 2021

Published on December 31, 2021 By Emily. Updated on December 31, 2021

As is clear from my lack of menu plans this year, 2021 found me trying fewer new recipes than probably any year in the past decade. We ate a lot of meals that were decided on the way home from work. Macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, pasta and sandwiches were part of the menu rotation in ways they never were before.

Somehow I did manage to try a few new (to me) recipes in 2021 that I especially enjoyed:

Easy Chicken Quesadillas – Wholefully

I made these quesadillas in the spring as part of a contest that Wholefully was running and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoy quesadillas, but the ones I was making were pretty bland. This recipe helped me discover that I could get restaurant-like flavor in my homemade creations and they were the perfect thing to serve at our family’s post-vaccine vacation in April.

Balsamic Chicken – Naptime Kitchen

My slow cooker got a lot of use this fall and this is the best new recipe I discovered. It’s made with ingredients I almost always have on hand, makes lots of food and is so delicious. My version uses a 28 ounce can of tomatoes. I prefer to serve the chicken and accompanying sauce over pasta, but it’s also great on it’s own, in a wrap or over another grain.

Ultimate Zucchini Bread – Smitten Kitchen

This recipe was so good it earned a whole Relishments Bakes post. To summarize the post: this zucchini bread creates minimal dirty dishes, doesn’t require wringing out the zucchini and has a delicious crunchy top. I’m looking forward to making it again this summer.

Want more inspiration? Check out my past posts:

My Favorite Recipes of 2020

My Favorite Recipes of 2019

Did you enjoy this post? Share it!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

« Relishments Bakes Results: Tea with Cream + Sugar Cake
My 2022 Theme Word: Resume »

Welcome!

Welcome to Relishments! Follow along with my adventures in cooking and eating in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

The Berkshires
Recipe Index
CSA Menu Plan
First Time?
 

Support Relishments on Patreon

Just so you know…

I’m just a girl who loves to cook and eat. This site is not a source for nutritional information.

Relishments is affiliated with various sponsors. Some product links on this site are affiliates; I may get portion of the sale. All opinions on this site are honest, regardless of revenue opportunities. Find out more about my policies here

relishments

Emily
Though it had been a few years since we'd visited, Though it had been a few years since we'd visited, @themountlenox is one of my favorite places in the Berkshires. In addition to Edith Wharton's incredible restored home, the estate features beautiful grounds and gardens. This year, The Mount was added to our summer bucket list when my daughter saw an ad for the @sculpture.now exhibit featuring a dragon sculpture. Today we ventured to Lenox to see the dragon, as well the 29 other fascinating pieces of large outdoor art. The Mount's grounds and gardens, including the SculptureNow exhibit, are always free and open dawn to dusk. All of the sculptures were accessible by stroller. The current sculptures are up through October 19.
.
.
.
#igers413 #LenoxMA #TheMount #EdithWharton #SculptureNow #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires
New on the blog: a 2 week menu plan featuring the New on the blog: a 2 week menu plan featuring the vegetables from our CSA share at @mightyfoodfarm. Link in my profile.
.
.
.
#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare  #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
We finally made it to the @berkshiremtdist tasting We finally made it to the @berkshiremtdist tasting room in Sheffield today after years of talking about it. The indoor and outdoor atmosphere was lovely and we took advantage of the complimentary tasting to try some of the products we haven't had before. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and enjoy distilleries.
.
.
.
#BerkshireMountainDistillers #igers413_food
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #DrinkLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #SheffieldMA
On Friday we headed to Springfield for an appointm On Friday we headed to Springfield for an appointment and made a day of it by visiting @forestparkzoo afterwards. For us, the Zoo in Forest Park's size, layout and number of animals (over 225 exotic and native animal residents) is the perfect size for our 2 and 5 year old kids. We went in the afternoon, when day camps were wrapping up and it wasn't busy overall. We were able to easily view all of the exhibits and let our children move at their own pace without interfering with other people. Despite the heat, the animals were pretty active and it was a joy to see my kids spot, identify and appreciate them.
.
.
.
#ZooInForestPark #SpringfieldMA #igers413 #WesternMass #WesternMassachusetts
Brian and I had lunch at the @firehousecafebistro Brian and I had lunch at the @firehousecafebistro in Adams today. We enjoyed falafel bites, cocktails, papas bravas, and a buttermilk chicken sandwich. All of the food was really delicious and the service was excellent, despite very limited staffing. The patio seating was fun for people watching and enjoying the sunshine. I highly recommend the Firehouse Cafe and Bistro if you're looking for a more upscale lunch or dinner in the northern Berkshires.
.
.
.
#igers413_food
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #AdamsMA #FirehouseCafeAndBistro
It's blueberry season in the Berkshires! My favori It's blueberry season in the Berkshires! My favorite girl and I headed to @mountainviewfarm413 this week to pick ours, as is our tradition. We had a great morning resulting in 7 pounds of berries. Some blueberries will be frozen and others turned into muffins, but most of them will be eaten just the way they are. The season is short, enjoy it while you can. @whitneysfarmmarket and @seconddropfarm are doing picky-your-own as well. 🫐
.
.
.
 #igers413_food
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #blueberries #BlueberryPicking #MountainViewFarm #LanesboroughMA
We're back from vacation and back to picking up ou We're back from vacation and back to picking up our weekly share of @mightyfoodfarm produce. My latest menu plan using these vegetables is live on the blog, link in my profile.
.
.
.
#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare  #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
Tomato season is my favorite season. If there is t Tomato season is my favorite season. If there is the opportunity to eat something that features a combination of tomato, mozzarella and basil, chances are good that I'm ordering it. Yesterday I needed to make a dish to share for a church gathering so I put together this incredibly simple pasta salad. I hope it's useful to you during this time of summer heat and summer gatherings.

RECIPE:
1 lb pasta (I used bowties) 
7 oz fresh mozzarella
1 pint grape tomatoes 
30-50 fresh basil leaves 
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste 

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and place in a large bowl. 
2. Prep the other ingredients: cut the mozzarella cheese in bite size pieces if needed, quarter the grape tomatoes, finely cut the basil with scissors or a knife.
3. Add the quartered tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to the pasta. Drizzle the olive oil into the bowl and miX well.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Enjoy!

.
.
.

#igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies #caprese #CapresePastaSalad #PotluckFood #SummerFood
I could watch birds on the beach all day long. We' I could watch birds on the beach all day long.
We're wrapping up our time in Wilmington, North Carolina with lots of time at Wrightsville Beach. The ocean never ceases to impress.
.
.
.
#WilmingtonNC #WrightsvilleBeach #BeachBirds #Beach #Sandpiper #NorthCarolina
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in