My Favorite "Go To" Meals

I know I post new meals and recipes each week but I wanted to let you know that I'm not always trying something new and that I have some favorites that I eat each month for one reason or another. Some are easy to throw together, others just plain tasty! So here are my Top 10 recipes that I make on a semi regular basis.

Jillian's Top 10 Favorite "Go To" Recipes:

10. Roasted Carrots - Such a simple dish with a whole bunch of flavor. It isn't much easier than rinse, peel, bake and the pay off for the time it takes to cook the carrots is definitely worth it. The carrots get caramelized and almost take on the quality of a sweet potato without the calories.

9. Asian Sesame Chicken - Often I will thaw a few chicken breasts over night, then stick them in a marinade while I am at work so I can bake them when I get home. One marinade I love is the Kraft's Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing, it has a great Asian flavor that seeps the whole way through the chicken.

8. Shrimp & Grits - I'm sure you've noticed that I love to make shrimp and grits and have tried them various ways. My favorite is still the simplest with olive oil, garlic and some seasonings. It is a great 15 minute dinner that I make on days I don't want my kitchen too hot.

7. Pancakes for 1 - For years I would make a half batch of pancakes never realizing how to split a single egg in half so I could have a single serving of pancakes. I've never been able to find a nice way to reheat pancakes the next day so when I realized I could scramble the egg and pour half of it out to make a single serving I was real proud of myself. I love to add apples, strawberries, blue berries, even corn kernels to the batter to switch it up.

6. Guacamole - When I get home from a long day at work I often want something to munch on before I get started on dinner. Living alone I have found that I can make a great guacamole for 1 with a small avocado, some salsa, garlic, lime juice and salt. Served with Baked Blue Corn Chips it makes a festive bowl to munch on while getting ready for dinner.

5. Zucchini Pancakes - A great side dish that I saw on Ina Garten's show on Food Network. I have been making this dish for 2 summers now and really enjoy the different use of zucchini.

4. Roasted Cabbage - This is a wonderful dish on its own and extremely easy to throw together and forget about while it cooks. I find that it reheats really well and can be added to other recipes in the days to follow.

3. Vegetarian Yaki Soba - I am actually making this tonight for myself. It is very similar to lo mein and offers a great way to get in a lot of veggies to my day. The red peppers really add a spicy kick to the dish and I have never missed having chicken or shrimp on my plate, though it could be easily added. This also reheats very well either in a microwave or in a saute pan over medium heat.

2. Chicken Taco Pizza - I came up with this recipe just a little bit ago but have already made it 3-4 times and know it will be on my regular rotation. It offers all the wonders of tacos: guacamole, spicy chicken, rice, salsa, onions and cheese on a crisp pizza crust. I've always liked tacos but disliked how I never seemed to get a little bit of everything in each bite, but with this pizza you get the perfect bite every time.

1. Teriyaki Chicken Legs - Every few weeks chicken legs go on sale for $.99 / pound and I always take advantage by getting a pack or two of them. My old roommate introduced me to this recipe and I have found that it is great to let it sit for 2-3 days ahead of time then stick in the oven on the day I want to have it. 45-60 minutes and dinner is ready with very little prep on the day I want it. It is delicious on the day you make it or even cold the next day by itself or in a salad.

Well there you have it, my very own Top 10 List. I hope you find some favorites above or elsewhere on my site. Happy Cooking!

- Jillian