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This year, I tried some new recipes that have become family favorites and go-tos, which is exciting. I’ve definitely transitioned in recent years from “let’s try as many different recipes as possible” to “let’s find a recipe for ____ that is really good, and then just make that recipe”. I’m really leaning into my Lazy Genius “Decide Once” era and I’m not mad about it. It’s also possible that Smitten Kitchen is my Decide Once recipe source, because Deb’s recipes dominated the year.
Crispy Kielbasa Crumbs and Pierogi – Jaju Pierogi
I happily married into a family of kielbasa and pierogi fans, and then moved to western Massachusetts which also has a high population of kielbasa and pierogi lovers. Jaju Pierogi posted this “recipe” on Instagram this spring and it looked delicious. The dish is just a rearranging of the usual ingredients, but it’s a fun way to make one of our favorite dishes in a new way.
Turkey Meatloaf for Skeptics – Smitten Kitchen
I like meatloaf, but I wasn’t generally making it. When I stumbled upon this recipe with its simple steps and ingredient list, it seemed worth a try. This meatloaf has come out great the multiple times I’ve made it (I’ve used just light meat without issue) and everyone in my household has enjoyed it. I now keep an eye out for sales on ground turkey, because I know exactly what to make with it.
Cannoli Pound Cake – Smitten Kitchen
This is the strongest example of the Decide Once recipe strategy in practice. I made this pound cake for at least 3 different occasions this year that called for me to “bring a baked good” and often doubled the recipe. Since not everyone in my home can eat nuts, I always leave the pistachios out and it comes out fine. My colleagues at work have been recipients of this cake multiple times and this one bowl recipe is always a hit.
Latkes – Basics with Babish (I use the recipe printed in the cookbook)
This recipe lacks a photo, but I’m not sure I could have taken a photo that made these potato pancakes as good as they taste. I’ve been making latkes for years, but the recipe I was using didn’t call for grating the potatoes with a box grater or squeezing liquid from the potatoes before mixing them with other ingredients. The result is crispy, salty, delicious latkes that I have made several times and will continue to cook up.
Slow-and-Low Dry Rub Oven Chicken – Smitten Kitchen
This recipe takes a little planning and time because you have to brine the chicken first, but all of the steps are easy. For my family, I use one package of 8 drumsticks and half of all the ingredients. The kids get a kick out of picking up their drumsticks and I generally have of the dry rub ingredients on hand. This chicken is great any time of year served with rice and a vegetable.
Want more inspiration? Check out the lists from recent years:
