Top Recipes in 2016

I posted more than 100 different recipes in 2016.  In late 2016 I started to sort and organize my immense collection of recipes (it fills 4 filing cabinet drawers,) so in 2017 we will be sharing even more from that enormous collection.  These are the top 10 recipes from my posts last year.  I thought I would gather them together so if you missed them, you can see what others are enjoying as well.

This year we will continue to dig into our stash of recipes and post one at least every weekend with more shared in the Herb of the Week posts too!

Here is a countdown of the top 10:

#10 In November 2016 I posted Five herbs of holiday wellness with a set of recipes in in and it ranks among the highest of the year, even though it was not posted until November.

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/11/five-herbs-of-holiday-wellness.html

#9 Spices must have been popular in 2016 because this post for Herb and Spice Day with recipes was also among the top 10 in 2016

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2015/06/8-herbs-and-spices-for-herb-and-spice.html

Appetizers were very popular this year.  The 2 most clicked were

#8 A hummus recipe

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/04/basic-hummus-weekend-recipe.html

#7 Muffalata Salsa

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/08/mushroom-muffalatta-salsa-weekend-recipe.html

Chicken was a popular ingredient this year and this recipe was among the more visited.

#6 Chicken with Pineapple Sage

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/10/pineapple-sage-and-marjoram-chicken.html

#5 Crockpot Chicken

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/01/crock-pot-sweet-garlic-chicken-weekend.html

#4 The most popular single recipe in 2016 was Charcoal Grilled Chicken

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2015/03/charcoal-grilled-chicken-weekend-recipe.html

#3 And one popular recipe was not to be eaten but to be enjoyed, this bath salt blend was first posted in June as one of our Bath Blends of the month.

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/05/relaxing-herbal-bath-mixture-bath.html

#2 This Punch was the second most popular recipe

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/06/weekend-recipe-tea-champagne-punch.html

#1 The top recipe with the most visits was my tribute to Dr. Seuss with a Ham and Green Herb Paste recipe!

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2016/03/happy-birthday-dr-seuss.html

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

“I do not like Green Eggs and Ham, I do not Like them Sam-I-am.”

 "Try them, try them, and you may! Try them and you may, I say."

"Say! I like green eggs and ham! I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!"

 ---- Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

This is my favorite Dr. Seuss book, probably because it was my final assignment to present the book entirely in sign language for my Sign Language Class in college.

To celebrate the great doctor of  personal change and seeing yourself in a better light! I give a green ham recipe to try.

So Try It! for the 112^th Birthday of Dr Seuss!

Ham slices with Green Herb Paste

5 cloves garlic, peeled

About 5 to 7 sprigs rosemary to yield 1/4 cup needles

1 handful of fresh oregano, yielding 1/4 cup leaves

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 to 3 Tbls. olive oil olive oil

½ tsp salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ham slices, bone in is nice but not required

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  To make the green-herb paste, combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube, and process until just combined but some texture still remains. Green-herb paste can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, until you're ready to cook the ham.

Spread the green herb paste reserving some to use after as a garish on the ham (both sides) and bake in the oven.  If using a cured pre-cooked slice of ham then you simply spread the paste on the ham and bake until warmed through about 15 to 20 minutes depending on thickness.  If it is an uncooked slice of ham you will need to cook longer.  Refer to your packaging or butcher for more instruction, but you want the internal temperature of the ham to reach 150 degrees.