creamy mushroom stroganoff

when i first made mushroom stroganoff a mere four years ago, it was good - how can pasta tossed with mushrooms cooked in dry sherry and butter be bad? - it didn't have the creaminess that stroganoff is known for. i tucked the thought of a remake into the back of my mind. where it then sat for years until i was thumbing through cooking light's fresh food fast, a book i picked up in the bargain bin of my local bookstore, thinking it would help reinvigorate my weeknight meals. and that it did. this version did not disappoint - the addition of sour cream added the perfect amount of creaminess i was looking for. the butter and dry sherry didn't hurt either. 

whole wheat banana bread scones

last august we packed up the kids and drove a few hours to pennsylvania where we met up with my side of the family for a good old fashioned camping trip. while the weather was awful - coats & long pants were required wear, like a typical camping trip when i was a child, and it poured rain for a day or two - we had a great time. the kids laughed and played and we adults snuck sips of our "juice", hoping not to get kicked out for drinking adult beverages. it was perfect.

i made a double batch of these scones for the occasion. they came in handy on the car ride down, especially with a two year old scone lover in tow. i didn't mind him eating them multiple times a day since they are full of whole wheat flour, yogurt, and bananas.

your favs of 2014

a lot of old, a few new, these are the 12 most viewed posts in 2014:
1. meyer lemon iced raspberry cake [march 2014]
2. creamy tomato pasta [september 2010]
3. creamy mints [may 2011]
4. brown sugar poundcakes with brown butter icing [april 2010]
5. holiday shortbread cookies [december 2010]
6. baked's aunt sassy cake [pistachio cake with vanilla honey buttercream] [january 2011]
7. white layer cake with blackberry buttercream [august 2010]
8. dr pepper cake [march 2010]
9. chicken with 33 cloves of garlic [february 2012]
10. coconut lovers cake [january 2014]
11. risotto with peas & chicken [march 2012]
12. creamy barley with tomatoes, chicken, and spinach [march 2011]

past year's favorites: 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010.

my favs of 2014

coconut lover's cake. this year's birthday cake was a coconut dream. definitely one of my favorite layer cakes ever.

polenta with roasted mushrooms. this recreation of our meal at scarpetta more than three years ago was perfect. 

peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal scones. make these as soon as you can. is there really anything else to say?!

pot roast with mushroom gravy. eight basic ingredients + 3 hours in the oven make a heavenly winter dinner. and the leftovers are to die for!

mini peanut butter caramel & ganache tarts. yes, peanut butter caramel. it's as obnoxiously good and rich as it sounds. these were perfect for valentine's day this year & i'm looking forward to finding another excuse to make them.

pork tenderloin with mustard maple sauce. a simple, flavorful, and quick weeknight dinner. 

secret recipe club: mini cinnamon roll cakes. i turned a kitchen - more precisely, an oven - disaster into these delicious mini cakes.

sweet & sour pork stir fry. this one still makes it on to our table at least once a month. 

bacon cheddar waffles with apples. bacon & cheddar for jason, apples & maple syrup for me. and toddler approved!

my favorites, previously: 2013, 2012, and 2011.

secret recipe club: italian sloppy joes

i had a hard time this month making my choice from wildflour's cottage kitchen for the secret recipe club. it was a toss up between savory - italian pizzeria style sloppy joes or philly cheesesteak sloppy joes - or sweet - peanut butter bars with cinnamon or amaretto russian tea cake cookies. ultimately, and somewhat surprisingly, savory won out.