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Celebrate our 15th anniversary with our 15 best family favorite recipes! These are the tried and true favorites that we make again and again.
We're celebrating our 15th blog anniversary this week! You can read all about and see the 15 top reader favorites in this post. But to continue the celebration, our Café team went deep into the archives to pull out 15 of our favorite, tried and true recipes, the ones we make over and over.
Whether you've been with us since the very first post in 2011 or you just joined us yesterday, thank you for being the most delicious part of this journey. Cheers to 15 years! And now let's get to the food!
From Chris
Pepita Pecorino Kale Salad (Hillman's Pub Copycat Recipe)
This kale salad is one of those recipes I can happily eat my weight in. It's fresh, vibrant, and packed with flavor, and somehow feels both wholesome and completely crave-worthy. It's the kind of salad that makes you forget you're eating something so good for you, and I never get tired of it!
Ridiculously Easy Microwave Lemon Curd
Lemon curd always seemed temperamental until I discovered this ridiculously easy microwave technique. It comes together in about 10 minutes and is silky, bright, and practically foolproof. I love it in baking and desserts, but it's also wonderful with fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola for breakfast.
Ridiculously Easy Rosemary Shortbread
If you've been following The Café for any length of time, you probably know I'm a shortbread aficionado. I discovered this recipe years ago in the New York Times and simplified it to fit into our Ridiculously Easy collection. Buttery, crisp, and flecked with rosemary, it's one of my go-to recipes when I need an easy but impressive treat!
From Scott
Easy Blackberry Crumble Pie
Long before The Café was a blog, or even before blog was a word, at the beginning of our marriage, Chris was inventing dessert delights. I can remember her getting so excited about a simple can of cherries, fresh strawberries, or picking the fruit du jour of the season. She'd make a crumble as fast as you can say humble and we'd plop a rather large scoop of ice cream on top and melt into sugar nirvana! This recipe will take you there!
Honey Maple Caramelized Pears
If I could only have one thing for breakfast for the rest of my life, this might be it. Chris, the Energizer Bunny incarnate, is always up before me. I gave up trying to compete with that years ago. One of the blessings of waking up second around here is the aromas drifting through the house: fresh bread, muffins, cakes, or fruit bubbling away on the stove. But when it's a cold morning, and I wake up to the smell of honey caramelized pears sizzling in a pan, it's like someone sounded a bugle next to my ear. Warm, sweet, tender, and absolutely delicious, this recipe is that good!
From Cait
Italian Chicken Meatballs and Marinara
My husband apparently has great confidence in my cooking skills...so much so that he invited the most famous chef in Asheville (go ahead, Google it) to our house for dinner a few years ago, YIKES! I went with this old favorite, and no one was sad about it.
Chocolate Obsession Cake
I have fond memories of the smell of chocolate-y goodness wafting through our family room mid-movie when I was a kid thanks to my dad's sweet tooth and his uncanny ability to convince my mom to indulge it. This recipe lives on in our house as well.
Ridiculously Easy Caramel Buttermilk Sheet Cake
And it's equally delectable sister.
Ridiculously Easy Peanut Sauce
This is a frequently requested condiment for all things Asian in our house- plues, it also makes a super quick appetizer with any veggies you have on hand. I usually make a double batch and freeze some so no one ends up disappointed!
Easy Banana Crumb Muffins
I really dug deep into the archives for this one but these muffins are still on rotation at our house to this day! My sis-in-law Trish first brought them over right after my oldest was born, and I still remember how comforting they were in those foggy newborn days. I skip the cream cheese now, but otherwise the recipe hasn't changed!
From Lindsay
Easy Raspberry Freezer Jam
My kids are quite spoiled when it comes to food and this is the only jam they will eat. We always have a stash in the freezer. I love that I can make it with frozen raspberries so we can enjoy it year round.
Arugula Corn Salad
I make this simple salad multiple times a week. It's so simple and so delicious and seems to go well with everything. My kids love it too- win win!
Strawberry Layer Cake
When my daughter, Emmy, was turning 3, all she wanted was a strawberry cake. Grammy (Chris) always makes her cake and this beautiful creation is what she came up with. It's fabulous!
Ridiculously Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
I've shared before how I make these scones for the teachers at my son's school. They come together quickly and are crazy good. This is my daughter's favorite version, she's obsessed with anything lemon poppy seed.
Easy Sheet Pan Pizza Margherita with Crispy Focaccia Crust
Every Friday night is pizza night in our house and this is our go-to pizza recipe. We switch up the toppings week to week, but the crust is perfection. I also love making it for hosting friends, it makes a ton and can be prepped ahead!
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