Recipe Challenge Final Thoughts & Favs

Well, well, well, it's done.  This post is a little late though as I was recovered from the meat coma I've been in since finishing up Street Food Chicago.  Yup, meat every single day.  And I was bringing leftovers for lunch too!  LOL

Anyway, this was a lot of fun.  I loved being prepared each week with my shopping list and bookmarked recipe pages.  Despite having to prepare something each night, it was actually easier.  No thought involved.  This is the one aspect of the challenge that I'm going to continue with each week.  Less money at the grocery store on things we may end up tossing and having to use much less of my brain each evening when meal time rolls around is awesome.

Although there were really only a few recipes I truly disliked over the past month, here are a few of my favs.  I hope you enjoyed all the recipes over the past four weeks and will dust off those magazines and cookbooks on your shelves, open 'em up and give something new a try!

Martha's chili and focaccia

Martha's shrimp pot stickers (probably the one I'm most proud of and the most time consuming)

Coconut pancakes with citrus salsa from Bon Appetit

Rachel Ray's Sausage & Pepper Pizza

Chicago Street Food's Chicken Shawarma

Which week was my favorite?  They were all fun for different reasons.  I will tell you that my body felt the best during the Martha Stewart week.  Probably due to the "light" recipes?  And Bon Appetit was fun because it was new and always so scary for me.  Chicago week was great because it was all kid friendly (at least for my fairly picky kiddos anyway).  Rachel comes in last.  :(  Sorry Rachel, it was just a bit boring now that I'm a fancy cooker lady.  LOL