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This stew starts with tender strips of beef in a savory broth with caramelized onions and mushrooms, then it is scooped into a bread bowl and topped with a gooey layer of melted cheese. Philly Cheesesteak Stew is a cross between your favorite Philly cheesesteak sandwich and french onion soup. The flavor combination is perfect together. I can't even tell you how thrilled I am with this recipe. My entire family loved this meal.

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Warm sticky-sweet chicken, sweet oranges, crisp green lettuce, cilantro and almonds are piled high in this simple salad. I made a quick White Balsamic Dressing to toss with the salad and the flavors worked great together.

When Lori Lange offered to send me a copy of her book, The RecipeGirl Cookbook, I jumped at the chance to check it out. I love Lori's cooking style and I knew that I'd find countless recipes to tempt me. I had a heck of a time deciding what to make first! I've already bookmarked the Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Cream, Slow Cooker Carnitas, Cranberry Almond Granola, Triple Berry Salad, Orange Basil Mojitos, Irish Cream Brownies, Sugar Spice Drop Doughnuts and many more I want to try soon!

My family has a thing for sticky sweet chicken, so as soon as I saw Lori's recipe for Sticky Sweet Chicken Wings, I knew that was the one for us. The chicken turns out so tender, it will almost fall apart on you when you are ready to serve it.

I tossed the cooked chicken into a very simple chopped salad with mandarin oranges, almonds, cilantro and a white balsamic vinaigrette. I really enjoyed this salad and happily ate it for lunch the following day as well.

Now for my favorite part! Lori has been so kind as to offer her cookbook to one lucky Barefeet In The Kitchen reader.

All you need to do to be entered to win is leave a comment on this post. Make sure there is an email address included so that I can contact the winner!

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Do you make your own salad dressings? It takes just minutes to whisk a dressing together and I promise you it will taste at least ten times better than store-bought. A few years ago, I made my first salad dressing from scratch and I could hardly believe how simple it was!


This Honey Mustard Poppyseed Salad Dressing is tangy, slightly tart, and sweet at the same time. I originally served this dressing with a Chicken and Black Bean Garden Salad. I've also served it with a simple salad of mixed greens, cucumbers and tomatoes. The dressing is delicious however you choose to serve it. Like most homemade dressings, it will keep well in the refrigerator for at least a couple weeks.

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Brown sugar and butter simmer together and create a caramel toffee flavored syrup like nothing you've ever tasted. This sauce is no substitute for maple syrup, maple syrup is it's own bit of wonderful that nothing can replace. This syrup is awesome all by itself.

I drizzled this syrup over some Banana Nut Oatmeal last week and my boys liked it so much, they requested it on their oatmeal again the very next morning. I couldn't resist making a batch of our favorite waffles for the last of the syrup. This is on par with our family's beloved Waffle Sauce; it's a completely different kind of deliciousness and I already love it.

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Do you remember the One Pot Pasta that I shared with you last year? Have you tried it yet? 20 minutes start to finish and dinner is served. It's almost ridiculously simple to make. Toss everything into one pot, add water, cook and serve. The last time I made this, my boys had requested a cheesy pasta, so I stirred in a generous handful of cheese at the very end and then topped each bowl with more cheese. I added pine nuts as well, just because I love them. The pine nuts added a lovely nutty bite to the noodles and we made it again to share with you.

This pasta is unbelievably rich and creamy and saucy, without any cream or actual "sauce" in the recipe. The tomatoes and the cooking liquid will reduce down as the pasta releases starches that thicken the liquid and make it creamy. Take care not to overcook the pasta, taste it as it cooks and as soon as the pasta is as soft as you like it, remove it from the heat. The remaining cooking liquid will cling to the pasta making it's own sauce.

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Do you ever find yourself wanting to do more to help those in need but not knowing where to start?  Or feeling overwhelmed by the immense need in your community?  I hate the empty feeling of seeing someone in need and looking the other way. Several years ago, I found an easy way of giving back.

I keep sack lunches in my car to give away when I see homeless people around my city.  It doesn't take much effort to prepare them and my children like participating too. I usually prepare 10-12 bags at once and keep a few in a bin in my car at any given time.
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This is sweet and tangy chicken, perfectly caramelized and fall off the bone tender. If you've been following this blog for very long at all, you probably have an idea of how much we enjoy chicken. With over a hundred chicken recipes that I happily recommend, I think you'll understand the seriousness of my next statement.

When I first tasted this chicken, I couldn't resist raving about it on Facebook! (If you aren't already hanging out with me on FB, I really wish you were there! I love chatting with you all throughout the day.) This is some of the BEST chicken I have ever tasted. The sugar in this recipe is perfectly balanced by the vinegar, resulting is a sweet and slightly tangy caramelized chicken that is like no other!

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Small bite-size meatballs filled with plenty of Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese are combined with fresh vegetables and more cheese to make this richly flavorful beef and tomato soup. I'm hopeful that if I keep making soups, chili and stews, winter will last here in the southwest for at least a few more weeks. With highs already in the 70s, the odds are slim that will happen, but I'm hopeful. For those of you in the colder and snow-filled parts of the world, I wish you all the sunshine that you are hoping to see!

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Roasted garlic, sauteed mushrooms and quinoa are tossed together in a hot skillet to create a memorable side dish (or main dish, if you're like me and it proves irresistible!) This is a recipe that might be overlooked initially, but once you've tasted it, it will become a fast favorite. I have some quinoa saved in the refrigerator right now, so that I can make this again this week!
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Roasted garlic. Just adding those two words to a dish takes it up a notch. Have you roasted garlic before? I have no idea why it intimidated me, but until about a year ago, I'd never even tried doing it. Now that I know how easy it is, I can't get enough of it. I have to resist roasting every head of garlic that enters my house. (You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.)

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Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has been given a lot of attention over the past few years. Have you tried it yet? While technically not a grain (quinoa is really a seed) it can be prepared as both a side dish and a main dish. (Side note, did you know there are 8 grams of protein in a cup of cooked quinoa?!) It is a healthier, higher protein substitute for the starchier rices and pastas.

I have some new quinoa recipes coming up on the blog in the near future and I decided that a quick how-to for basic quinoa would be a simple way to start.  Are you a fan of this nutty grain?

Already familiar with quinoa? Check out these great recipes for more ideas: Lemon Herb Quinoa, Mango Quinia Salad and the Unforgettable Chocolate Quinoa Cake. (Don't be a doubter, that cake is truly fantastic and the readers that have tried it have been just as impressed!)

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Much closer to a milkshake than our typical smoothies, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie is made rich and creamy by adding frozen bananas. My kids were so excited the first time I handed them these drinks with chocolate drizzled on top. Even now that I've made it multiple times, this smoothie always disappears in the blink of an eye!

I love this treat almost as much as my kids do. The banana contributes a mere hint of flavor in the background of the smoothie. For a healthy two ingredient ice cream without any sugar added, check out the PB Banana Ice Cream I made last year!

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Tender chunks of beef, potatoes and vegetables are simmered in a spicy beef broth for this stew. My husband was craving a beef stew and I was in the mood for something a bit spicier. We really liked the slightly spicy version of this classic hearty meal. Everyone in the family was happy with this dinner!

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Fresh green beans are tossed with Sriracha, honey, soy sauce and sesame oil and then roasted to hot, crisp perfection. I can't believe it took me this long to try a different vegetable variation on my favorite broccoli recipe. Now that my eyes have been opened, I'll be trying this sauce on every other vegetable I roast! I served these green beans with Pan Fried Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potato Bites for a simple and delicious weeknight meal.

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Simple roast chicken is coated in Mexican spices and brown sugar creating a sweet, slightly spiced crust on the chicken. The coating keeps the chicken moist and incredibly juicy while it bakes. Just a few ingredients are all in takes to wow your family with this easy meal.

This chicken was a spur of the moment dinner decision. I had just made a fresh batch of the Mexican spice mix (aka Homemade Taco Seasoning) and I decided to try it on the chicken much like our Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Roast. My entire family gave the meal two thumbs up and my boys have already asked when we can have it again.

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Do you love pickles? If so, then this Dill Pickle Dip is especially for you. A few weeks ago, I was chatting with my friend Rebecca and she told me that she had a recipe for me to try. She prefaced that with the question, "Do you like pickles?" Well, yes. As a matter of fact, I do like pickles. I'm not sure I would have called myself a serious pickle fan before tasting this dip, but clearly I have become one. This dip is for serious pickle lovers.

I like this dip so much, it has replaced the usual ranch dip for our afternoon snacking. I've dipped hundreds of carrot sticks into this deliciousness over the past couple of weeks and I like it just as much now as I did the first time I made it. I've now served this with crackers, carrots, chips and pretzels. I'm planning to spread it on a bagel very soon and I'm guessing it will be fantastic on a burger as well.

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Fresh green beans, ginger and garlic are quickly sauteed with tender strips of beef before being tossed in a light and savory sauce to create this quick and easy dinner.  Just a splash of fish sauce adds a unique savory flavor to this dish. Fish sauce is frequently used in both Thai and Vietnamese foods. If you are unsure of the fish sauce or unable to find it, soy sauce can be substituted. I've made this recipe both ways. (My kids actually prefer the soy sauce version.)
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Cheesy eggs with broccoli and bacon was one of the best ideas that I've ever had for using our dinner leftovers. I'm not much of a calorie counter (and you'll likely not see many recipes here on the blog with that information included), however I do stay aware of what I am eating most of the time. This came in at 260 calories with 18 grams of protein. That's a complete win in my book. I've made this two days in a row now and I'm guarding the last strip of bacon and the last handful of roasted broccoli for tomorrow's breakfast!

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Peanut Butter and Honey Yogurt Dip has officially been named a favorite snack in our house. My kids and I have eaten this every single day for the past week or so. I've made this dip several times now, and I still can hardly believe that it actually works. When I first saw this recipe shared by Two Peas and Their Pod, the combination sounded unique enough that I couldn't resist trying it. Who knew that yogurt was such a great match for peanut butter? I don't know why I'm so surprised, but I am.

The yogurt makes the dip smooth and creamy and adds a slight tang that is balanced by a bit of honey. (I increased the peanut butter a good bit in our version of this recipe, because we are serious peanut butter lovers!) In case you can't tell, I really like this dip! My kids inhaled this the first time I made it and each time since as well.

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Spinach artichoke dip meets chicken in this absolutely delicious meal. I ran across this recipe on my friend Robyn's blog and immediately added artichokes to my shopping list. I made this the week before Christmas and then I made it again last week. My oldest son is not a big fan of chicken and he requested the leftovers both times.

I served the chicken with roasted potatoes and a salad the first time I made it. The next time, we chopped up a couple of the pieces of chicken along with the sauce and we scooped it up with tortilla chips. This chicken also pairs nicely with pasta or rice. I'm sure it's going to be on our menu many times in the future.

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After sharing the Top 13 Recipes of 2013, (as chosen by Barefeet In The Kitchen readers), I heard from many of you requesting a post with my personal favorites. I chose one from each of the main categories in the Recipe Index and I restricted my choices to recipes that were shared for the first time in 2013. Creating this list was a lot of fun and it has made me crave these dishes all over again! Enjoy!

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