The Best of Created by Diane: My Most-Loved Recipes
We all have those go-to recipes, the ones we crave… can’t stop making, and happily come back to again and again. Today, I’m letting you in on my personal favorites, and trust me, you’ll want to add these to your regular lineup too! I’m celebrating my blog-anniversary, I started this recipe website in 2009. Thanks so much for visiting…
I hope you’ll sign up for my emails here!
These recipes never fail to make family and friends happy!
Today, I’m sharing some of my all-time favorite recipes that have stood the test of time and always earn rave reviews.
This food blog actually started back in 2009 with one simple recipe. I brought a dish to a party, and it was such a hit that everyone wanted the recipe. At first, I wrote it out by hand (yes, pen and paper!). But after being asked multiple times, someone finally said, “You should start a food blog!”
So that’s exactly what I did. With very little planning, I picked a name, opened my laptop, and launched what would become a place to share easy, delicious recipes you’ll want to make again and again. I’m definitely more of a “jump in and figure it out later” kind of person. (Strangely, I’ll overthink the small stuff but dive headfirst into the big things—go figure!)
And that leap has turned into something amazing…
I hope you enjoy this collection of recipes:
I broke it up into a few groups: round 1, 2, 3, and some other don’t miss recipes.
A fun read is this post on Relationship Advice and Comfort Food!
In round 1, these are the recipes that come to mind, with little thinking… they popped into my head right away!
This post is LONG… and full of lots of recipes and such, and there are some fun photos of me at the end too!
- Cake- Skillet Carrot Cake Moist, spiced carrot cake baked in a skillet for a rustic touch—topped with cream cheese frosting for pure comfort.
- Cookie- Brownie Cookies Rich, fudgy cookies with chewy centers and crackly tops—like a brownie and cookie all in one bite.
- Scone- Lemon Scones Bright, buttery scones infused with fresh lemon zest and topped with a sweet glaze—perfect for breakfast or tea time.
- Chicken- Brown Sugar Soy Chicken Tender chicken glazed in a savory-sweet brown sugar soy sauce—easy, flavorful, and a weeknight favorite.
- Beef- Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Juicy grilled steak paired with vibrant chimichurri sauce—bold, fresh, and packed with flavor.
- Pasta- Newlywed Pasta A creamy, comforting pasta dish that’s simple, elegant, and made to impress.
- Drink- Blueberry Basil LemonadeA refreshing twist on classic lemonade with juicy blueberries and fragrant basil—summer in a glass.
- Appetizer- Salsa Verde A zesty, tangy green salsa made with tomatillos, chilies, and cilantro—perfect for chips, tacos, or grilled meats.
- Soup- Zuppa Toscano Hearty Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, kale, and a creamy broth, comfort food in a bowl.
- Salad- Creamy Caesar Salad Crisp lettuce tossed with creamy homemade Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and parmesan cheese.
My all time favorite pasta salad: Feta Basil Balsamic Pasta Salad
Now onto round 2…
- Cake- Vanilla Filled Cake a tender vanilla cake with creamy filling, berries, simple, classic, and absolutely irresistible for any celebration.
- Cookie- Pecan Lassies Chewy, nutty, and sweet, these pecan cookies are a bite of cozy comfort in every piece.
- Scone- Pumpkin Scones Velvety, lightly spiced pumpkin scones topped with a drizzle of glaze, perfect for year-round, especially fall.
- Chicken- Chicken Francaise Golden chicken cutlets simmered in a lemon-butter wine sauce, this Italian-American favorite is both elegant and easy.
- Beef- Meatballs- Juicy, flavorful beef meatballs—perfect on pasta, tucked in a sandwich, or enjoyed all on their own.
- Pasta- Jalapeno Bacon Mac and Cheese- Creamy mac and cheese gets a bold upgrade with smoky bacon and a kick of jalapeño heat.
- Drink- Whipped coffee- A frothy coffee drink that’s as fun to make as it is to sip, creamy, strong, and a little bit indulgent.
- Appetizer- Crab Dip- wait until you see how cute it is!
- Soup- Corn Soup- which is really like a loaded, thick, delicious chowder!
- Salad- Chinese Chicken Salad- Crispy, crunchy, and full of color—this salad mixes tender chicken, fresh veggies, and a zesty sesame dressing that’s anything but boring. It’s the kind of salad you’ll actually crave!
and here is round 3:
- Cake- Chocolate Layer Cake– Rich, moist, and frosted to perfection—this classic chocolate cake is a slice of pure indulgence.
- Cookies- Cut Out Sugar Cookies– Buttery, crisp, and perfect for decorating—these cookies make every occasion extra sweet.
- Scones- Cream Scones– Tender and fluffy with a golden top, these scones are the ultimate cozy treat.
- Chicken- Chicken and Dumplings – A comforting classic with tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and savory broth.
- Beef- Carne Asada- this great dry rub is quick and easy to ensure tasty tacos
- Pasta- Baked Ziti– Cheesy, saucy, and baked until bubbly—this ziti is weeknight comfort food done right.
- Drinks- Kentucky Dirty Cocktail–
A bold, smooth bourbon cocktail with just the right touch of southern charm.
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Appetizers- Pizza Dip– All the cheesy, saucy flavors of pizza—served up in a hot, scoopable dip.
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Soup- Spaghetti Soup– A fun twist on pasta night—spaghetti meets hearty, comforting soup.
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Salad- Taco Salad– Crisp, fresh, and loaded with bold flavors—this salad is a meal in itself.
Another great pasta salad I make on repeat: Pesto Pasta Salad
Here are three more recipes I think you should take a look at:
Always a favorite this Whiped Coffee
It might sound simple, but it took a lot of time to learn all aspects of blogging. Photography, writing, and learning how to operate a website. How to organize the day-to-day of running a business as well as being the only person doing all the tasks. Especially when a job blogging wasn’t even a thing a couple of years prior. So it’s not like there were lots of people to ask. I started blogging about the same time Facebook started becoming familiar, Instagram wasn’t a thing yet, nor was Pinterest. Sharing sites were different; many have lost their mojo and dropped off the internet.
So I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has visited… and those who have seen me through it all… And welcome new readers. The very best way to see my new recipes is to sign up for emails.
More about this wonderful business of mine…
- I plan and prepare what I’ll be making.
- Test the recipes; sometimes they get made multiple times before they get published. To ensure you’ll get the same results as I do. Recipe testing can be time-consuming… delicious but time-consuming.
- Plate, set up, and photograph the recipes.
- The tasting part is the most fun,
- then comes the clean up… not necessarily the most fun. And oh, can I make a MESS!
- Next comes the writing, editing, publishing, and maintaining the recipes on my site, updating things as needed to comply with the ever-changing internet. Sharing them to email followers and promoting them on social media to drive traffic to my blog to earn an income.
I’m super excited whenever anyone visits my website. You’ll not only find new recipes, there are over 1500 recipe posts in the recipe index that I’ve posted over the last 16 years. I cook and bake a lot. I really love spending time in the kitchen creating new recipes as well as making my favorites.
When my kids were younger, I made this Polynesian Meatball recipe all the time, it’s based on my husband’s grandmother’s meatloaf recipe. Which I fell in love with at first bite!
So many recipes I make on repeat! I hope you’ll find some new favorites as well.
More weekly favorites:
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Asian Beef Noodles
- Salisbury Steak
- Pasta and Meat Sauce
- Taco Bowls
- Scrambled Egg Fried Rice
What do I bring to a party? If I’m bringing a snack, appetizer, ora similar item, often I’ll make one of these:
- Caprese with Balsamic Aioli
- Cottage Cheese Taco Dip
- Goat Cheese Crostini
- Chips and SalsaThe perfect last-minute item to bring…
- Bread and Butter Board- perfect for any budget!
Whenever my family needs something to bring to a potluck, cookout, or party… I make this mac and cheese, because this is the number one item they request. I typically double the recipe!
These 4 are often on repeat!
The cake I make most often for a party?
1 hour Strawberry Shortcake, why? Even though I mentioned how much I love chocolate… when I’m having a party I go for this Chocolate Cake, but his shortcut chocolate cake if I’m in a hurry.
more favorite soup recipes
A few years ago, we remodeled our kitchen (you can see more photos here). It was a ton of work, but I am so glad we did it. I love being in the kitchen, cooking, baking, creating new recipes…
Now, while I wish my kitchen would look all pretty, cleaned up, and everything in its place…
You can see me in the kitchen here.
Most of the time, my kitchen is a mess, as you can see by the photo above with all the dishes! Things can go haywire easily with everything all over the place, cabinets and drawers open, and tons of dirty dishes in the sink. But my fridge and freezer are always full of food, and I couldn’t be happier.
I do clean up the kitchen every night. I don’t like leaving a mess for the next day.