• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sweetphi logo

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Five Ingredient Fridays
    • Reader Recreations
  • About
    • About & Contact
    • Partnerships
  • Cookbooks
  • Life
    • Love Lists
    • Catching up with the Kelnhofers
    • Travel
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Top Recipes of 2019 (with highlights and failures)

Dec 26, 2019 · 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my privacy policy for details.

First of all, thank you!  You have made 2019 the best year yet for SweetPhi.com and I can’t wait to see what 2020 will bring!  I love writing this post because it always allows me to step back and reflect on the fun we all had throughout the previous year.  I am sharing the top recipes of 2019 and also including some of my biggest highlights and failures of the year below! 

SweetPhi Top Recipes of 2019

  1. Crockpot Potatoes – made in a slow cooker and the recipe has a top tip that makes these the best potato recipe to make
  2. Spinach Salad & Dressing recipe – this is a great salad recipe, but an even better dressing recipe!  It’s always the best when you know just what goes in to your food, so I love when I make my own dressings.
  3. Greek Chickpea Salad in a Jar – I am focusing more on packing my lunches for the work week and salads in a jar are one of my favorite ways to do that!
  4. Easy Baked Brie Appetizer – you simply cannot beat this recipe because it is ONLY TWO INGREDIENTS!
  5. Chicken Enchilada Casserole – I make this meal pretty regularly and prep ahead of time to keep in the freezer for any super busy day when I don’t have time to make a great dinner.
  6. Burger Seasoning Mix – This recipe is a super easy way to take a burger from bland to amazing in a few incredibly simple steps.
  7. Eggless Waffles – these are seriously the best.  Ben loves to make them and eat them, so you can almost always find them in my freezer.
  8. Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash – a dish that holds a special place in my heart and reminds me of my childhood.
  9. Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo – A 5 ingredient dish that is put together in an Instant Pot, making dinner a breeze on any night of the week.
  10. Cuban Air Fryer Empanadas – I am going to work on making more thing sin my air fryer in 2020 because they always turn out so great, like these 5 ingredient empanadas!
  11. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole – This is another recipe that I made in my Instant Pot and everyone in the family loved!
  12. Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup – Are you sensing a theme here?  The Instant Pot was very popular in 2019!  I am still amazed at what a delicious, healthy soup you can have for any meal, without having to cook it all day long.
  13. Fish Stick Wraps – A great after school snack that only takes 5 ingredients to put together.
  14. Iced Salted Honey Latte – I love making my own coffee at home, in an attempt to spend a little less at Starbucks! 
  15. Freezer to crockpot Jambalaya – Another great freezer meal that can simply be taken out of the freezer and put directly into your slow cooker.

And because it was such a good year, I’m sharing two more bonus recipes that just missed the top 15, but were too tasty not to include!

The best SweetPhi recipes of 2019

  1. Iced Maple Latte – like I said, more homemade coffee! 
  2. Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels – these are seriously to die for!  They’re so addicting and perfect for a party, but can also be made for a light lunch.

Now that you’ve had a chance to peak through all of the best of 2019, did any of your favorites make the list?

It’s easy to get lost in how perfect everything looks online.  But remember, there are plenty of fails to go along with the successes you see photographed. 

FAILURES

This year, I attempted to make an Instant Pot cheesecake with a gingerbread crust.  I had a friend who’s sister in law swears by making cheesecake in her Instant Pot, so I thought I’d give it a try.  It certainly did not work!  Basically, the cheesecake exploded in the Instant Pot. It was so vile looking and just a complete failure (picture below is of all the cute gingerbread people that were a casualty lol).

Instant pot cheesecake failure

I was doing a photoshoot for a client, where I had to bring cooked meatloaf to my studio.  Well, I put it in my car to transport it and it dripped all over the back of my car.  Let me tell you  just how terrible it STUNK!

Earlier this year, I made these Sun Butter Cookie Bars that tasted so good, but a little known effect of sun butter is that, over time exposed to air, sun flower seeds turn green.  Eeekk!  So, these delicious kid-friendly bars actually turn a funky color over time.  But, don’t worry, they still taste great!

I’ve made eggless waffles countless numbers of times, so I wanted to finally photograph them for the blog.  When I sat down to make them, the recipe kept turning out incorrectly and I couldn’t figure out why.  I would try and try, but the waffles were turning out floppy and just not quite right and tasted bitter.  Well, it turns out that I added baking soda instead of baking powder.  I was very pregnant at the time and just wrote the recipe down wrong.  One ingredient makes all the difference!

The best eggless waffles recipe 

In the wins column, I have a tote bag project that I’ve been loving – you can read more on that below.  But before I counted it as a success, it was a major fail.  Basically, I ordered the first set of bags, but when I received them they looked nothing like the online picture!  They were so small and the handles were way too short.  I was so disappointed, so I re-ordered from a different site and now I love them!  It’s always great when you can turn a fail into a highlight!  Read on for a few more of my favorite success from 2019.

I love this recipe for Tiramisu Layer Cake, but the pictures are pretty outdated so I wanted to do a recipe re-do.  I attempted this, just the other day actually.  Welp, the egg whites wouldn’t beat properly, which pretty much sets up the whole recipe for failure.  I figured I would try to bake the cakes anyway, so I threw them in the oven.  Let’s just say the did not work.  They were delicious tasting, but the didn’t rise the way they were supposed to.  Oh, I also forgot the almond and vanilla extract until the batter was already in the pan, so I had to mix it in while in the pans!  I will try it again and can’t wait to share

The best s'mores m&m bars

Every year, the local power company comes out with a cookbook with a whole bunch of Christmas recipes.  I always get so excited to try some of the recipes.  This year, I read about a delicious-sounding S’mores bar.  The recipe was filled with ooeey gooey marshmallows and chocolate, plus they looked festive with red and green M&M’s on top, so what could go wrong!?  Well, they just didn’t taste right.  I tried to modify the recipe, but they didn’t ever pull together.  Can’t win ’em all!

But, even though there were hilarious fails, I was also able to celebrate quite a few highlights that I’m very proud of!  

HIGHLIGHTS

The cutest SweetPhi tote bags

I know I mention the tote bags in the fail section, but they were also one of my favorite highlights of the year!  I have been wanting to create something as a thank you to my loyal readers and the tote bags are just that.  Read here to find out how you can get one for yourself!

I had a long term partnership with Pick n’ Save this year.  Each month, for five months, I created and photographed a recipe.  I think my favorite was was these amazing red wine brownies.  Another favorite main meal recipe is a super simple one pot sausage and rice casserole, I loved all the recipes!

An idea that actually came from Nick, I launched the Catching up with the Kelnhofers series on the blog.  It’s so fun to share a bit of our crazy little life with you all each week!

Catching Up With the Kelnhofers in Milwaukee

This year, I was chosen as one of the winners of a small business month challenge that I had entered in April.  As part of being chosen as a winner, I won a trip to Austin and got to meet Noah Kagan.  Read all about the contest and my trip here.

Trip to Austin, TX

I had TWINS!  It’s hard to believe that was just this year as time has just been flying!  But welcoming Freddie and Frankie into our lives has made our family complete and so full of joy.

Life with boy girl twins

I wrote my second cookbook!  I was so excited to write the Baby Food Maker cookbook, but even more excited when I was also awarded the contract to photograph the book.  If you didn’t know, this is my second cookbook.  My first is all about Fast and Easy Five Ingredient Recipes.

SweetPhi cookbooks

One last exciting thing is that I started incorporating more videos into my work this year, so you see recipes with videos (like here, here, and here).  The’ll all be featured on my new YouTube channel (that I’d love for you to subscribe to) this coming year!

So, that’s a wrap folks!  It  has been a great year for SweetPhi.com and I owe so much of that to each of you!  Thank you so much for reading, making my recipes and following along.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Related Posts

  • Top recipes of 2017
    Top Recipes of 2017

    I look forward to sharing the top recipes of 2017, it's where I share the…

  • SweetPhi top recipes of 2018
    Top 10 Recipes of 2018

    This is one my favorite posts all year!  I love to look back and see…

Blog Posts, Main Meals, Recipes highlights and failures, top posts from 2019, top posts of 2019, top recipes from 2019, top recipes of 2019

Did you make this recipe? Hashtag with us! Be sure to follow/tag @PhiliaKelnhofer and hashtag #sweetphiblog – we love to see what you’re cooking up!”

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil and Vegetable Soup - Sweetphi says:
    July 13, 2020 at 11:40 am

    […] of the previous year (see here for 2017 top reader favorite recipe, 2018 favorite recipes and 2019 favorites). I like to shut down my computer and only check email via phone, […]

    Reply
  2. Catching Up With The Kelnhofers-24 - Sweetphi says:
    January 25, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    […] Each Friday, on Facebook, I ask my followers a question of the week and I absolutely love reading the responses. Recently, I asked if anybody had ever cooked in an Instant Pot and if there were any recipes they’d like to see. I got a lot of requests for soups and any simple recipes, so keep an eye out for more of that to come in 2020. One of my favorite responses was about a cheesecake recipe made in the Instant Pot, which was actually one of my biggest fails of 2019 – read about it here! […]

    Reply
  3. Catching Up With The Kelnhofers-21 - Sweetphi says:
    January 3, 2020 at 12:18 pm

    […] Top Recipes of 2019 […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Sweetphi - Philia Kelnhofer - food blogger head shot image

Welcome to the SweetPhi blog, I’m Phi! I live in Milwaukee, WI. I’m a busy working mom (and cookbook author x2) to boy-girl twins and a toddler.

I am all about helping make mealtime a little easier and sharing inspiration for those with a busy lifestyle!

Learn More

This Month's Most Popular

Related Posts

  • 1 Love List-36; Cookbooks and Coffee Orders
  • 2 Back of the Bag Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
  • 3 Salad with Candied Nuts and/or Seeds Recipe
  • 4 Catching up with the Kelnhofers-81
  • 5 Catching up with the Kelnhofers-79

Get the exclusive content you crave straight to your inbox.

 

Footer

‼️Fun giveaway alert for a diy terrarium kit‼️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I had so much fun making a DIY Terrarium Kit with Ben from @modernterrariumbar! 🌿
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’d like to give one of you a kit! To enter, make sure you follow me, leave a comment letting me know - are you a plant person? 🌱
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Also, weekly love list is live 👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/love-list-36-cookbooks-and-coffee-orders/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
US residents only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Instagram or anyone else, just me wanting to give you guys something cool.  Giveaway will be closed at 11:59 pm CST on 3/5. Good luck ❣️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 #giveaway #plants #terrarium #diyterrarium #instagramgiveaway #craftswithkids #kidsactivity #activitywithkids  #coffeetime #crystals #goodvibes #coffeebreak #momlife #workingmom #bosslady #lists  #pursuepretty  #sweetphiblog  #momof3 #momoftwins #twinmom #favoritethings
Here's a peak at this weeks’ meal plan menu whic Here's a peak at this weeks’ meal plan menu which I’m currently using like no other because it helps me get some meals on the table without too much thought 👀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
These free weekly meal plans include the flexibility to choose which recipes you'd like to make and to create a shopping list!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Each week includes 5 days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as a snack or dessert.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do you meal plan or prep?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clickable link in profile 👉🏻 https://www.sweetphi.com/meal-plans
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#freemealplan #familymealplan #mealplanandshoppinglist #freefamilymealplan #foodiepics #yummyyummy #deliciousandhealthy #foodloversofinstagram #snackrecipes #healthyfoodie #lunchmenu #tastytasty #homemadecooking #foodpicsdaily #snacks #foodpicture #yummyfoods #smallbusinesslove #cuisines #breakfast #dinner #recipes #mealplan #mealprep #avocadotoast #mealprepideas #mealplanningideas #mealplanning #mealpreprecipes
This recipe is SO EASY to make! You simply melt c This recipe is SO EASY to make!  You simply melt chocolate and add toppings = chocolate coins. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Plus, you can use almost anything you like as a topping – even better!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clickable link in profile 👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/chocolate-coins-recipe/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#chocolaterecipe #sweetphiblog #5ingredients #healthyrecipe #mealprepsnack #mealprepideas #foodblogeats #5ingredientrecipe #easyrecipe #snackideas #darkchocolate #recipes #fiveingredients #snacks #snackrecipe #chocolate #chocolatecoins #kidssnacks #kidfriendly #glutenfree #easyrecipe #easysnack #glutenfreerecipes
The twins have been picking out their own outfits, The twins have been picking out their own outfits, weird pantry ingredients that turned into an amazing meal (ever heard of “knödel and more on this weeks’ Catching Up With The Kelnhofers
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
P.s.- Frankie’s cute vegetable dress is from @blackbearboutique 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/catching-up-with-the-kelnhofers-81/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#cookbookauthor  #cookingwithkids #sweetphiblog  #familylife #kids #twins #lifeupdates #recipes #easyrecipes  #lifestyleblog #familyfun #twinstyle #boygirltwins #motherhood #reallife #familyof5  #twinmom #twinmomlife #boymom #girlmom #twinsofinstagram #twinstagram #twinmama #lifewithtwins #twinsandatoddler #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #milwaukeemom #knodel
Want to hear the horrible thing that happened in m Want to hear the horrible thing that happened in my house this week? 🎻 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
First, I ran out of coffee beans 😳😩😢
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Then, as I was washing dishes late at night, my French press slipped through my hands and shattered 🙀😭😫
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just kept repeating a German phrase my mom used to say “sherben bringen Glück” which means “shards bring luck” (it’s usually applied to like porcelain- which is why plates and mugs are thrown on the ground ahead of weddings... but my mom would apply it to glass/plates/whatever broke) 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So...I’m going to go ahead and make some sweet cream, bust out my old coffee machine until the new French press arrives <-because apparently now I’m someone who makes French press coffee every morning! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m going to drink my coffee and make my meal plan and shopping list for the week ahead (if you need some inspo the latest free meal plan and which has the ability to create a shooting list with the click of a button is live on the blog! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
How are you spending your weekend?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clickable link in profile 👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/weekly-meal-plan-3-1-3-7/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#mealplanning #coffee #coffeelover #sweetphiblog #easyrecipes #easymealideas #recipes #icedcoffee #coffeecreamer #sweetcream #breakfast #brunch 
#mealplan #mealprepsunday  #mealprepideas #freemealplan #familymeals #instayum #easyrecipes #foodphotographer #instafood #foodblogger #midwestblogger  #foodblogeats #workingmom  #theeverygirlcooks  #theeverygirl #recipedeveloper #milwaukeefoodblogger  #glutenfreerecipes
What would you dip in this pimento cheese spread f What would you dip in this pimento cheese spread first? 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ crackers
🧡 veggies 
💛 fries
💚 chips 
💙 pretzels
💜 a cheeseburger <- so good
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Recipe here: https://sweetphi.com/5-ingredient-pimento-cheese-spread/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#pimentocheese #pimentos #sauce #saucerecipe #easyrecipe #secretsauce #dip #glutenfree  #burgersauce #easyrecipes #foodphotographer #foodstylist #foodblogger #milwaukeeblogger #wisconsinblogger #sweetphiblog #mealprep #glutenfreerecipe #mealpreprecipe #mealprepsunday #appetizer #appetizerrecipe
Did you know? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today i Did you know? 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Today is #NationalChiliDay !!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So to celebrate I’m sharing this crazy delicious vegetarian vegan chili!!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This Instant Pot vegetarian chili (eggplant chili) is definitely going to be you make regularly. 🍅🧅
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s full of vegetables and healthy ingredients, plus it makes a generous batch; perfect for leftovers!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I love serving this with cornbread and avocado as a topping and you can also add sour cream or Greek yogurt.🥑
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clickable link in profile or 👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/instant-pot-vegetarian-chili
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#chilirecipe #chili #eggplantrecipes #veganrecipes #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes #glutenfreerecipes #deliciousfoods #foodiepics #yummyyummy #delicious #foodloversofinstagram #healthyfoodie #healthyrecipes #tastytasty #eatsmart #homemadecooking #foodpicsdaily  #vegan #glutenfree #foodblogeats #smallbusinesslove #instantpot #instantpotrecipes #foodphotographer #milwaukeefoodphotohrapher #familymealideas #recipedeveloper
Wanna know a secret? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P Wanna know a secret?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Perfectly baked salmon is only 22 minutes away!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is my go-to baked salmon recipe. 
1 Lb Center Cut Salmon about 16 oz
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1 Tbs Mediterranean Sea Salt (or spice mix of your choice)
1/2 Lemon sliced and slices halved
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, let rest for 2 minutes, enjoy!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Clickable link in profile or 👉🏻 https://sweetphi.com/perfectly-baked-salmon-recipe/
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 #salmon #salmonrecipe #healthyfood #recipevideo #5ingredientsorless #seafood #seafoodrecipe #howtovideo  #healthyeating #healthyeats #mealprep #mealprepideas
#foodphotographer #instafood #instayum #foodblogeats #wisconsinblogger  #sweetphiblog  #workingmom  #theeverygirlcooks  #theeverygirl  #easyrecipe #recipedeveloper #30minutesorless #bakedsalmon #workingmom #20minutemeals #salmon #whatsfordinner⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  • Recipes
  • Baby
  • Cookbook
  • Five Ingredient Fridays
  • Travel

Copyright © 2021 · SWEET PHI