This month, we’re sharing our all-time favorite recipes on The Candid Cooks blog. Try these ASAP and they’ll soon be your favorites, too!
This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associates and through other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a link – at no extra cost to you. We only promote products we actually use and truly love!
It’s been a little over a year now since we started our Monthly Morsels series (and over 2 years since we started this blog!), so we figured it’s about time we re-introduce ourselves. And what better way to do that than through food?
Every time we come up with a delicious new recipe, we reflect on how far we’ve come as home chefs and reminisce on our favorite dishes. While we always strive for perfection and will never share a recipe here that we don’t think is tasty, there are a few dishes that hold a special place in our hearts for one reason or another.
So for this month’s edition of Monthly Morsels, Alex and I both created a list of our top 10 favorite recipes, so we could see how our picks stack up against one another and share our favorites with you! Whether it’s because we love the flavor, it’s easy to make, or we’re proud of the recipe we created, there are so many reasons why these dishes are our all-time favorites.
Shared Picks
Sweet Potato Black Bean Rice Bowls
Nicole & Alex: #1
“This is hands-down my favorite recipe because it has so many delicious flavors and textures, it’s warm and comforting, but it’s also super nutritious. It’s our go-to when we need a reset after a string of unhealthy days.” – Nicole
“I wish every healthy dish could be this delicious. This is the definition of a comforting cheat meal, except it isn’t cheating at all. The creamy sweet potato and tangy goat cheese combine to make an incredible dish that is entirely guilt free.” – Alex
Blueberry Lemon Goat Cheese Burger
Nicole & Alex: #3
“This burger is so unexpectedly delicious – the combination of goat cheese, blueberry preserves, and lemon zest on a savory burger is like nothing else. I think it was also the first time I had goat cheese on something, and learned that I love goat cheese.” – Nicole
“I was really proud after making this burger as it tastes like a dinner you’d get from an upscale restaurant. While I love a classic pub burger, the combination of blueberry preserve, goat cheese, lemon zest, and baby arugula just takes this burger to a whole different league.” – Alex
Goat Cheese & Tomato Gnocchi
Nicole: #8, Alex: #2
“Gnocchi is one of my favorite pasta dishes, and this goat cheese tomato sauce is so creamy and decadent. It’s the best combination.” – Nicole
“This was a recipe we created for a contest which I was almost happy to not win so we could post it here on the blog. This dish is on par with some of the best Italian restaurants I’ve eaten at. Tomato and goat cheese make the creamy and spicy sauce that the gnocchi deserve.” – Alex
Shakshuka For Two
Nicole: #2, Alex: #9
“It’s so warm, cozy, and comforting, and I love that this dish is basically just tomato sauce and bread – for breakfast. It’s one of my favorite weekend treats and it’s great for sharing with friends and family.” – Nicole
“Shakshuka is the type of dish you want to eat sitting on the floor with the pan pulled as close to you as possible. A spoonful of spicy shakshuka on a piece of fluffy bread might be the best start to the day you can have.” – Alex
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls with Sriracha Mayo
Nicole: #5, Alex: #4
“These egg rolls are the best finger foods to snack on during a football game, and they’re surprisingly easy to make for how good they taste! We really hit ‘restaurant appetizer’ on the head with this one, which makes them feel like an extra special treat.” – Nicole
“These are really just cheeseburgers stuffed into a crunchy egg roll wrapper and dipped in sriracha mayo. If that doesn’t sound good I don’t know what else to tell you.” – Alex
Spicy Szechuan Dumpling Soup
Nicole: #4, Alex: #8
“I can’t think of anything more comforting than spicy soup with pork dumplings. I just love digging into this flavorful soup after a long day, or when it’s cold outside.” – Nicole
“Savory, hot, and spicy, this soup is basically liquid comfort. Plus, it comes with dumplings. What’s not to love?” – Alex
Nicole’s Picks
Burrata Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes
“This is one of those recipes I’m super proud of, because it came out of a vague idea for a fresh, summery pasta with creamy burrata cheese and developed into a decadent dish bursting with flavor. It’s the best when you have some fluffy bread to soak up all the extra sauce with.” – Nicole (Pick #6)
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
“I’m a huge fan of slow cooker recipes because they’re so hands-off, and this chili is so tasty I don’t mind having a huge batch of it in the fridge. We’ll eat this for days in a row and not get tired of it!” – Nicole (Pick #7)
Spinach Tomato & Olive Oil Pasta
“This one had to make my top 10, because it’s one of the first ‘recipes’ I ever really created. I made this all the time in college when I needed a quick and easy dinner, and it’s still our go-to because it’s so fresh and delicious.” – Nicole (Pick #9)
Mediterranean Chicken & Rice
“This recipe is one of my favorites because of how simple yet flavorful it is. When we need a healthy chicken and rice dish, this is it! A little hummus and pita bread make all the difference and turn a potentially ‘boring’ dinner into something creamy and satisfying.” – Nicole (Pick #10)
Alex’s Picks
Pineapple Mezcal Old Fashioned
“The old fashioned is such a fun cocktail to spin off of due to its simplicity and need for quality ingredients. The smoky mezcal and hint of pineapple play together so well and create the feeling of sitting by a beach bonfire on a warm autumn night.” – Alex (Pick #5)
Sweet Potato White Chocolate Chip Cookies
“I think my favorite part about these sweet potato cookies is the reaction they get when someone tries them for the first time. You can actually watch the skepticism change to astonishment after the first bite. The sweet potato, white chocolate chips, and vanilla just create a beautiful blend of flavors that captures the essence of fall in a dessert.” – Alex (Pick #6)
Soft Pretzel Bites & Beer Cheese Dip
“These soft, pillowy little pretzel nugs are so easy to make and even easier to keep eating. The salty pretzel pairs perfectly with a classic beer cheese. There’s really nothing better when it comes to a game day snack.” – Alex (Pick #7)
Loaded Baked Potato Tacos
“When we first made this recipe, we knew it was a little out there and could either be great or super weird. It ended up being both. While these tacos are a unique twist on potato tacos, they’re also a fun variation on loaded potato skins that deserve to be enjoyed with a beer and a football game.” – Alex (Pick #10)
Honorable Mentions
You know it was impossible to pick just 10 of our favorite recipes! So we also have to give a few more of our favorite dishes an honorable mention. Check them out below, organized by category!
Best Breakfast
Best Noodles
- Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese
- One Pot Spinach & Artichoke Pasta
- Garlic Noodles
- Italian Sausage & Peppers Pasta
- Caprese Pesto Pasta
- Easy Baked Gnocchi for Two
Best Mexican
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Carnitas Burrito
- Carnitas Torta
- Chicken Tinga Tostadas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Best Game Day Food
Let us know in the comments – are there any recipes you think are missing from these lists? Were you shocked by any of our picks? What would your top 10 recipes be?
We started Monthly Morsels to share our thoughts, experiences, and opinions on all things food – from plating, to meal prep, to what the word “healthy” means to us. Our goal is not only to provide helpful, valuable content that can help you wherever you are in your culinary journey, but also to spark honest conversations about our own ups and downs in the kitchen!
Whether you’re new to our community of readers or have been following along since the beginning, we hope you find these articles helpful, relatable, and lighthearted enough to make you smile while reading. To stay up to date with all our latest recipes and future editions of Monthly Morsels, make sure to sign up for our email newsletter here.
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Head over to our shop to see what we cook with every day, plus recommendations for foodie gifts and eco-friendly products.