I always find it interesting when other bloggers share which of all of their posts throughout the year were the most popular. It's funny to see what topics and recipes people are the most interested in. So I thought I would share ours with you! Without further adieu, here were the top 5 recipe posts from The Lavender Apple in 2015:

Cinnamon Rolls 

http://thepurpleapple-lavender.blogspot.com/2015/10/lavender-sweet-rolls-cinnamon-rolls.html

Mustard Leek Shrimp Over Cous Cous

http://thepurpleapple-lavender.blogspot.com/2015/11/mustard-leek-shrimp-over-cous-cous.html

Mixed Grill Skillet with Potatoes, Peppers, & Sausage 

http://thepurpleapple-lavender.blogspot.com/2015/10/mixed-grill-skillet-with-sausage.html

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad with Shrimp and Mustard Red Potatoes 

http://thepurpleapple-lavender.blogspot.com/2015/09/crispy-goat-cheese-salad-with-shrimp.html

Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken 

http://thepurpleapple-lavender.blogspot.com/2015/07/oven-baked-barbecue-chicken-breasts.html

If you didn't get a chance to try any of these recipes last year, what are you waiting for? They are all delicious, and usually pretty easy to execute as well! Here's to hoping 2016 is just as tasty. 

For a recipe to make it into The Nelson Family cook book, you know it's gotta be good. This is Peggy's famous Thai Chicken Pasta Salad. It's a wonderful cook ahead meal that refrigerates well and makes delicious left overs. Its full of healthy vegetables and proteins and has a delightful asian flavor to it. You will be very happy to add this to your own recipe book. 

Ingredients: 

Marinade: 

1 tbs seasame seed oil

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic

1 tbs grated ginger root

1 tbs lime juice

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Dressing: 

1/2 cup oil 

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

 1 tbs fresh grated ginger

1 tbs peanut butter

2 tsp fresh lime juice

10 drops hot sauce (optional)

Salad: 

8 ounces vermicelli

1 bunch green onions (sliced) 

1 ted pepper (thinly sliced) 

1 cup carrots (shredded)

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Directions: 

Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken for 1 hour. Cook chicken until juices run clear or until white inside. Chop into small pieces and chill. Make dressing and mix well. Refrigerate and allow flavors to blend. Cook pasta, drain, and run cold water over the pasta to cool. Combine noodles, veggies, chicken. Just before serving, mix in the dressing and peanuts. Makes 6 servings. 

A delicious pasta with unique flavors that you won't soon forget. Give this recipe a whirl and let us know what you think! 

I have only ever tried one recipe for lettuce wraps. It is so delicious that I've never even been tempted to branch out and try a new one. I'm guessing if you make this for dinner tonight, you'll never want to try another recipe for lettuce wraps either. It has the perfect caramelized crunch and is surprisingly fresh and satisfying. 

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, diced
2 heads of bib lettuce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons soy suace
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
6 basil leaves, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup asian crunchy noodles
hot sauce (optional)

Ingredients for sauce:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Heat your oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add your chicken and cook until golden on all sides (about 5-6 minutes). Remove your chicken from the oil, and set aside. To your oiled pan add your onions and soy sauce. When your onions are brown and tender, add your garlic and cook for an additional minute. In a seperate bowl mix together all of your sauce ingredients and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Add the sauce and chicken back to your onions in the pan. Saute everything together until fragrant and warm. Fill your lettuce leaves with the chicken mixture and top with asian crunchy noodles, hot sauce, and fresh basil.

Super simple, super delicious. Just the kind of recipe we love around here. Hope you enjoy it!

The crock pot is very much an under utilized tool in my kitchen. I'm not sure why. I guess I think typically things come out with a little more flavor with a char or crust on them, and thats not possible in a crock pot. Plus there are so many crock pot recipes out there on Pinterest that just taste, lets be honest, plain awful. So when I find a good one, I hang onto it. This chicken teriyaki recipe couldn't be easier to throw together. It doesn't involve any other pans or pots besides your crock pot, and it seriously comes together in less than 5 minutes. Gotta love that. This home made teriyaki sauce is so full of flavor. It tastes fresh and tangy, and you'd never guess it came from the crock pot; which I love. So give it a try! 

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts (frozen is fine) 

1 package baby bella mushrooms

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp lavender salt

2 one inch pieces of whole ginger

1/2 of a purple onion, diced

fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions: Throw your chicken in your crock pot, top it with all of the other ingredients. Cook in your crock pot on high for 4-5 hours until the chicken is fall apart fork tender. Serve over rice. See? So simple, so flavorful, and so should be on your menu this week. 

Enjoy!