I’ve rounded up the most popular posts published on The Rising Spoon in 2020! These recipes had the highest number of visitors and shares on social media in the past year, so if you haven’t tried them yet…there’s no better time than now.
2020 was quite the year, but we made it through. I’m most grateful that my loved ones are in good (or at least decent) health. I’m alive and they’re alive. We’re not starving. We have a warm & safe place to shelter us. Essentially, our base tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are being fulfilled. That’s the most important thing.
As my dad likes to remind me, growing older is a privilege. And many don’t have that luxury. He is ever the pragmatist and I love him for it. Heavy loss jades you for life but also wakes you up from auto-pilot. And in that newfound awareness, you (hopefully) learn to appreciate what others take for granted (time with your loved ones + living as your true self). No easy task, but it’s worth pursuing.
Ahem.
The Year of Home Cooking
As millions of people stayed home for much of the year, cooking & baking became a cathartic outlet for many (lot of dalgona coffee & sourdough bread), and a necessary evil for others. Amidst all the craziness, it’s been an honor to see folks from all over the world making my recipes or DIY crafts in their homes.
Or even just reading my natural living articles and sharing them on Pinterest or Twitter. If you’ve made one of my recipe or crafts this year, thank you for trusting me with your hard earned dollars. I hope it’s given you some measure of comfort.
Last December, I shared a homemade food gifts round-up and a DIY self-care gift basket post, both of which starting gaining traction on Pinterest this fall. I had no idea what 2020 would bring when I published them, but I’m glad I was able to provide inspiration & ideas for gift giving since it’s one of my favorite things.
Life This Year
My biggest life event of the past year was buying a house with my beau. We’ve always rented so it was a huge deal! We closed on it in March and moved in mid-April after the new flooring was installed & the interior painting was completed.
It’s been quite a learning experience for me. I had major decision fatigue during reno and made a dumb choice that I regretted for many months after. I struggled to forgive myself as in hindsight it seemed soooo obviously wrong. But what can you do? Cry a little (emotional release), adapt, and move forward.
Eventually, I was able to get back in my kitchen (I enjoyed lots of delicious local takeout in the months prior) and I’ve been busy since then cranking out new recipes + re-doing some older ones.
As a food blogger, when you publish new content, you never know what’s going to take off. Sometimes it’s a simple recipe that didn’t take you long to photograph & write. If you’re lucky, it’s the ones that you spend multiple days testing, photographing, editing, and writing. Or a recipe that you know is sooo tasty & are supremely confident in, even if it’s not trendy.
I shared my creamy one-pot spaghetti (link below) in April this year, hoping it’d be well-received because it’s one of my all-time favorite recipes. I’m thrilled to say it’s gotten quite a bit of traction and rave reviews on Pinterest from ladies who said they made it for their picky husbands and it’s now going into their regular meal rotation. That’s what I like to hear. 😀
And tons of people were making charcuterie boards for the first time this year, so my how to make a charcuterie board (summer-themed but you can swap out with any seasonal ingredients) and fall charcuterie board posts did well, also! I spent a ton of time writing the first one, so if you have any questions, hop over and check it out.
What about the recipes I posted in November & December? Well, they rarely make the « top 10 » list since they’re so new and don’t have enough time to gain traction, but if you’re still in the warm & cozy mood, I’ve got two you should try!
The gingerbread syrup + gingerbread pancakes are soooooo good. You know how pumpkin spice gets a whole season? Well…gingerbread should, too! Let’s not reserve it for Christmas-time only. 🙂
Honorable Mentions
Two of my top posts from 2020 were actually DIY related, so they didn’t make it into this recipe only round-up. But they definitely deserve some love!
Note: If you’re a new reader, check out my past « best of » round-ups to see what was popular then. Some of them are still my all-time top posts even if the photos aren’t great. The further back you go, the more obvious it is I took pictures at night with my old cellphone camera under a yellow kitchen light. 🙂
Are you a new reader or want to catch up on posts you missed throughout the year? Here are the top ten most popular recipes from The Rising Spoon that were published in 2020 (according to y’all)!
I am SO happy these pumpkin apple muffins made the number one spot because it’s one of my all-time favorite recipes! This was originally published in 2012 and I updated it this year by making a few tweaks to improve the recipe.
I swapped the applesauce for avocado oil to add some healthy fats (which make the muffins more filling) and bumped up the sugar so the warm spices are more balanced. These muffins are seriously amazing and make your kitchen smell super cozy. I always eat the whole batch myself within 3-4 days.
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I’ve been making variations of this recipe for years now with penne pasta and finally shared a spaghetti version since folks typically keep a box or three in their pantry. This is such a simple dish but it packs a TON of flavor! And it’s super easy to adapt based on whatever ingredients you have on hand. If you only try one thing on this list, make it this. 🙂
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With so many folks staying at home and focused on saving money on food & being more self-sufficient, I decided to update my dehydrator round-up post. It’s full of a ton of ideas for preserving food using an inexpensive dehydrator or even your oven on the lowest setting.
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Lots of parents had to juggle working from home while also helping their kids learn remotely (or homeschool) so I knew it’d be helpful to come up with some simple, yet healthy make-ahead lunches to keep in the fridge. Idea fatigue is a thing! I’m not always good about meal prepping or planning, but when I do…my tired and hungry future self is certainly grateful!!
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I rephotographed one of my tried-and-true favorite soup recipes and republished it this winter. This smoked sausage and vegetable soup is hearty & healthy and uses simple ingredients. I’ve been making it for over 10 years now. The hardest part is a bit of slicing & chopping at the beginning, then you let the ingredients fuse together on the stove and create a delicious, beef & tomato-based broth that is heavenly. I hope you try this one, as it tastes even better the next day and is so cozy for lunch or dinner.
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Whole chickens cooked in a crock-pot never turn out Martha Stewart pretty, but they sure are delicious! And easy, which is of the utmost importance when you want a nutritious and comforting dinner but don’t have a lot of time to prep or babysit a meal.
This is one of my favorite ways to meal prep a whole chicken because it creates moist & tender meat that works great in a variety of recipes but also collects the delicious schmaltz and gelatin from the whole chicken, which adds a ton of flavor to the potatoes and carrots.
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I love sandwiches loaded with salty, spicy, and briny goodies, so I was excited to finally share a hearty version you can make that will feed loads of people (8 to be exact) with minimal prep work. This is inspired by the muffuletta sandwiches I had in New Orleans several years back, so if you’re a fan – definitely give this a try!
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White wine has been my drink of choice for the past few years, and fruity spritzers are my favorite way to jazz it up. This berry spritzer is so pretty and yummy and SUPER easy to make. I made it for July 4th, but it’d be perfect for a Valentine’s Day celebration, as well.
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Two muffins in the top 10 list? YES. I’ve been on a muffin kick and I have no plans to stop. Pie > Muffins > Cupcakes. Now you know where I stand.
This is a really solid basic banana bread muffin recipe, but I like to add strawberries + citrus to jazz it up. They pair so well together! If you like muffins as a breakfast, snack, or dessert (I like to smear mine with butter or peanut butter), these freeze well for 2-3 months so you can prep them ahead of time.
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Since so many folks were staying home this year and searching for pantry recipes or made-from-scratch recipes, I decided to curate this round-up as a resource. If you’d like to swap out a few storebought foods with homemade versions to save yourself some money, definitely check it out.
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BONUS: Top 10 Most Popular Posts (Published Before 2020)
Some of my most popular posts this year were published in years prior (I’ve been blogging since 2012), so if you’re new to The Rising Spoon or haven’t tried them yet, definitely check these out:
- Easy Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs
- Chicken Hummus Naan Wraps
- Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder (For Pulled Pork & Carnitas)
- Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic, Butter & Parmesan
- How to Make a Charcuterie Board (Meat & Cheese Platter)
- How to Cook the Perfect Steak in a Cast-Iron Skillet
- Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
- Homemade Queso Dip (Made with Real Cheese)
- Fifteen Kitchen Hacks to Save Money, Prevent Food Waste & Make Your Life Easier
- How to Make Hot Cocoa with Cacao Powder
Have you tried any of the top posts from this year? Let me know in the comments!
Again, thank you so much for supporting The Rising Spoon. Cheers to 2021 and may your new year be filled with good health, peace, and abundance!
<3,
Elaina
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. However, I ONLY recommend helpful products that I myself would use!
MEDICAL DISCLOSURE: The information included on this website is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions expressed here are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.
