Danica's Kitchen is Sweet Sixteen!
Break out the birthday cake because today this blog is turning sweet sixteen! For my birthday I’d love to know about a recipe you’ve enjoyed enough that it’s become a favorite on your family’s menu rotation!
I’m old-fashioned in the blogging world with these birthday celebration posts, but I love taking a moment each year to think about how happy I am I started this site back in April of 2005! And I say it every year, but I had absolutely no clue about how starting a blog would end up changing my life.
The blog is a constant work in progress, and in January I celebrated completing the nutritional information for every recipe! In that post I mentioned that I was cutting back on my posting schedule. But (much to my surprise) I am finding I prefer the old schedule with recipes on M-W-F, and the weekly round-up post on Saturday, so starting next week I will be switching back to that schedule.
Those who follow the blog by e-mail will get the round-up in your inbox on Sunday morning. If you decide you prefer less e-mail, every e-mail from me has a link at the bottom that says “Too Many E-Mails? Try Weekly.” Just one click and you’ll be switched to a digest version that gives you one e-mail on Sunday with all the recipes from that week.
One Question I’d Like to Ask My Readers:
This is the sweet sixteen question I’d like to ask my readers: Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve made from my site that you’ve enjoyed so much you make it over and over? (Knowing what recipes people have enjoyed most can help me develop more recipes like that, thanks!)
And Something Else I’d Like to Say to My Readers:
And more than anything, I’d like to say thanks for the support! I’m grateful for every person who comes here and tries my recipes, especially all the nice people who take time to give me feedback on what they’re making from the site!
Danica's Kitchen Through the Years:
- Danica's Kitchen Turns One
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Two
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Three
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Four
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Five
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Six
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Seven
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Eight
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Nine
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Ten (!)
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Eleven (!!)
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Twelve (!!!)
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Thirteen (!!!!)
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Fourteen (!!!!!)
- Danica's Kitchen Turns Fifteen (!!!!!!)
122 Comments on “Danica's Kitchen is Sweet Sixteen!”
LOVE YOUR RECIPES! Thank you!
Thanks Janie! So glad you are enjoying them!
Congratulations on 16 years!! I have loved so many of your recipes!! Green chili enchiladas is one of my favorites.
Thanks Vicki, so glad you have enjoyed them.
Congratulations and Happy Blog anniversary Kalyn!
My husband and I both love your recipes!
GROUND BEEF TACOS WITH TOMATO-AVOCADO SALSA
CHEESY BAKED CAULIFLOWER TOTS
GREEK SALAD SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOWLS
GREEN CHILE AND CHICKEN MOCK ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
INSTANT POT SOUTHWESTERN PORK STEW
These are the favorites that I have made MANY times.
I always look forward to reading your latest recipes.
Thank you for them all.
Thanks Sue! So glad you are enjoying them!
I’ve made several of your recipes over the years and they’ve all been great. One of my favorites is the Hungarian Pot Roast. I just bought the ingredients to make it this week!
Thanks Kim, so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I love your blog. Here are some of our favorites:
1) Barely-Cooked Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
2) Penne Pasta with Spicy Italian Sausage, Mushroom, and Spinach
3) Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pecans
4) Recipe for Roasted green Beans with Mushrooms, Balsamic, and Parmesan
5) Roasted Wild Salmon with Soy-wasabi-agave Glaze and Green Onions
6) Chicken Breasts with Cilantro and Red Thai Curry Peanut Sauce
I love hearing your choices! So glad you are enjoying the recipes.
We love the Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad. Such a yummy way to eat zucchini.
Thanks Karen! Fun hearing from you! Wine on the porch soon at the SLC house!
Happy Birthday to Danica's Kitchen! I always find something good here.
Thank you for the support and the nice feedback!
We have at least five that we make regularly:
1. Sausage and Kale Mock Lasagna
2. Cauliflower and Ham Au Gratin
3. Better Than Mom’s Chicken, Broccoli and Quinoa
4. Amy’s Amazing White Chicken Chili
5, Mujaddara
These are the one’s the my teen enjoys as well.
Thanks Nicole! That Mujadarra recipe is one of my favorites and I’ve wanted to upgrade the photos on it for years!
A favorite Kalyn recipe, oh my, this is tuff! We love your recipes, but if I had to pick one that is our favorite, go to, it would have to be the Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (full disclosure – I use corn tortillas). Just made them last week for my daughters birthday dinner, as she requested!
Some others that deserve a mention are – the Chicken Broccoli Curry Casserole, the Chile Rellenos Bake, the Red Lentil Chickpea Stew, the Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey, the Gyro Meatball Lettuce Wraps and the Sesame Chicken and Broccoli Sheet Pan – all of these are delicious dinners that we have enjoyed many times over!
We appreciate all that you do and just love the meals you come up with!
Thank You Kalyn,
Bill and Maureen Ogilvie
Thanks for the nice feedback Bill and Maureen! And I believe firmly that everyone gets to make their own food choices, so no judgement from me on using corn tortillas. Glad you are enjoying the recipes!
The first time I was shopping for ingredients for the low-carb sausage and kale mock lasagna, my husband literally said “What? No noodles in lasagna?” He likes it so much now that it’s a part of our regular rotation and he requests it if I haven’t made it in awhile
How fun, so glad you are enjoying it!
Kalyn, I’ve cooked so many of your recipes over the years that I don’t know where to start in identifying a favorite. I’ve certainly used a number during the pandemic lockdown. We are just beginning to enter a grocery store again. We’ve been very cautious because of our ages—I turned 81 earlier this month. Anyway, when I saw the happy occasion and the recipe, I went right to my bean recipes to see if I had the one in the article. No and it will be made as soon as I replenish my pine nut supply. I ran out a week or two ago and we don’t just run to the store anymore. I also learned from your article that I need to sign up for your recipes. I’m Laura and my husband is Phil and he’s enjoyed your recipes too. I don’t have a website. Thank you for being so generous with your time and best wishes in the future.
Thanks Laura, so glad you are enjoying the recipes! It sounds like you are making it through the pandemic quite well, and I am happy about that. Best wishes to you and Phil. I am 72 and hope I am still doing this site when I get to 80!
We just started following your blog and recipes in Feb this year. We are trying to lose weight and love that you have South Beach recipes as this is what we are following mostly with some Keto components. We have loved almost everything we have tried from this website.
The Turkey Larb Salad sticks out as a real favorite and we had it for lunch today.
Thanks Robin, so glad you are enjoying the recipes. I do love that Larb Salad so much!
I’ve enjoyed so many of your recipes over the years, my son loooves the instapot Greek chicken bowls recipe I honestly just make the chicken for him and he will gobble it up. This weekend I’m making the layered chicken green Chile casserole and I’m already looking forward to the leftovers. Which I hardly ever eat leftovers. sausage bean and kale soup! And a number of your salads the spicy tuna pinto bean or the one with arugula mozzarella and chicken! I found penzeys because of you! You have so many good things going on! I appreciate so many of your recipes!!
Thanks so much Tawnya, I love hearing how many recipes you have enjoyed!
Kalyn, our life changing recipe is Better Than Mom’s Chicken and pick your variant casserole. We’ve used quinoa, cauliflower rice, and couscous on the bottom and have always loved it. Thanks for what you do so well!
Thanks for the nice thoughts, and so glad you have enjoyed that recipe with all the variations!
Congratulations! Thank you for all of your recipes. We love your Shepherd’s Pie with Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower Topping and the Pesto Chicken! Shepherd’s Pie is frequently on the menu. It is one of the first things I made with cauliflower substituting for potato.
How fun, I have literally had that Shepherd’s Pie on my list of recipes to update the photos for years, so maybe this can inspire me to get it done!
Have loved your blog from the beginning!! Thank you keeping me on track with your delicious posts! Joy
Thank you Joy! So glad the blog has been so useful for you. It does keep me on track too, at least some of the time!
pesto chicken at least every other week…..and make enuf to freeze for another meal!!!!
So happy to hear you’re enjoying it so much!
Fish taco bowls are on regular rotation at our house!
Happy to hear that!
I have made the vegetable dip recipe you gave Geri probably 40 years ago. I love it so much I make it at least once a month (a big batch) or sometimes every 2 weeks. When they quit making the McCormick Bon Appetite spice they gave the ingredients so now I make my own just so I can keep the original recipe. It is still the best dip ever!
Susan, how fun! Every one in my family (including me) still makes that regularly too. I use Beau Monde seasoning now to replace the Bon Appetit! Fun hearing from you!
Kalyn, congratulations on such a successful & popular blog! I’ve been receiving your recipes since jumping on the South Beach bandwagon around 2008, and have always welcomed your friendly and detailed posts. Appreciate the addition of nutritional info, too! Some of my favorite Kalyn recipes and tips: how to grill chicken breasts, savory low-carb marinade for chicken and pork, chicken & avocado salad with lime dressing, sugar-free coleslaw with agave.
Hi Maureen, so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I discovered SBD in 2004. I have followed you since you started your blog. I’ve made so many recipes. I always have a batch of your taco seasoning in the pantry. I have made it for gifts as well.
Thanks for being such a faithful follower! Glad you are enjoying the recipes!
All of your recipes are tasty and easy to make because of your pictures, directions, and ordinary ingredients.
Most recently, however, I have enjoyed your recipes using the Casserole Crock Pot.
My favorite is the Vegetarian Greek Lentil Casserole.
Thank you, and Happy Birthday!
Thanks Lynn, and especially fun to hear you are enjoying the Casserole Crock Pot recipes!
Congratulations! I don’t remember how I stumbled across your blog. But I’m glad I did.
Favorite? Baked Pesto Chicken. If you received a quarter for everytime I’ve suggested this recipe to someone you’d be richer than Mr. Bezos. 😉
Thanks Mark. Glad to hear you have enjoyed that so much; that’s my number one searched recipe in google!
Happy sweet 16 Kalyn! I’ve been a subscriber to your recipes since 2005 when I stuck to the South Beach diet. I’ve followed your progress as you incorporated insta pot meals, but appreciated that I could still cook ‘old school’. I’m incorporating an air fryer into my meals. I love all your egg dishes. I enjoy your foray with spices. I discovered Penzey’s spices thanks to your recommendations. I save many of your recipes using my yummly account. Your website is super organized by diet types, so it’s always easy to find inspiration. I like your use of veggies – have tried many sheet pan recipes too. “love people, cook them tasty food.”
Hi Carol. So glad the site has had such an influence on your cooking. I went into mourning recently when the Penzey’s store in SLC shut down due to the pandemic.
Happy Sweet Sixteen!!
We have two super favorites: your kale, bacon, and cheese egg casserole is my husband’s favorite egg casserole, hands down. He even requested it for Easter morning this year.
And I make your Greek whole wheat Orzo salad regularly, adding in chopped cooked chicken breast and serving on lettuce to make it a delicious summer dinner. That recipe disappeared from your blog and you kindly gave me a link to an archived copy so I’ll be able to make it for years to come.
Thanks Cathy, fun hearing about your favorites!
We have loved your recipes! Most especially the
EASY BROWN RICE CASSEROLE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND BELL PEPPER one. I make that constantly because it’s so easy and delicious! And the left overs are the best!!
I love the recipe too, so glad you have enjoyed it!
Happy Anniversary! I am so glad I found you! Our family’s favorite recipe is Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza-Stuffed Peppers! Thank you!
Oh, that is a good one, thanks for taking time to tell me!
My favorite recipe (so far) is the Barely Cook Asparagus with Lemon Mustard sauce. It’s delicious warm as well as cold the next day! My husband asks for it once a week!
Thanks Cathi! I love that asparagus with the mustard sauce too.
My family has enjoyed your recipes for years. Just last night we had your meatloaf. A few others we love are the deconstructed pizza casserole, the italian sausage and kale mock lasagna, and the green chile and chicken enchilada casserole. Thanks for all you do!
HI Amy, thanks for following for so long. Fun to hear about what you have enjoyed!
Pesto chicken is a family favorite.
Thanks, that is definitely super popular!
Easy Taco Soup from A Pinch of Salt Lake is my absolute favorite. I’ve made it so many times over the years that I usually don’t look at the recipe! It’s so flavorful and reheats perfectly for leftovers. I add extra tomatoes and small white beans after blending. Can’t wait to try some other fan favorites. Thank you for all the great recipes and happy blog-iversary!
Sue, how fun you are still enjoying that after all these years!
Happy anniversary! Your twice-baked cauliflower is a family favourite.
Thanks Anna, glad you are enjoying it.
Happy Blog Birthday! Your sheet pan chicken and broccoli has been put into our meal rotation. And my family has enjoyed most all the recipes I’ve tried from here. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
So glad you have enjoyed the recipes!
Your twice baked spaghetti squash with pesto is a family favorite. I made it once on a whim, not sure how the kids would feel about it. Turns out, they love it, and it has become a regular part of our meal rotations. We love so many of your recipes, thank you for your blog, it’s the best, Happy Sweet Sixteen!
Very fun, I love hearing that the kids like that one!
We have been using your Fabulous Steak Marinade for many years. Everyone loves it. We’ve tried many recipes that we love. Thank you for your wonderful blog!
So glad you have enjoyed it!
You have been my go-to source for South Beach/low carb and DELICIOUS recipes for so many years now, our menu is FULL of Kalyn goodies! Probably the biggest one is the Red Beans and Rice, which we make for family get togethers since my parents love it, too. The breakfast casseroles are regulars around here, and I can’t even tell how many times I’ve shared your recipe for soups with people, especially Cannelini Bean, Sausage & Pepper Stew (we call it Birthday Soup because my twin daughters used to ask for it for their birthday meal) and Black Bean Chicken Stew with Roasted Red Peppers. The Arugula and Sweet Pepper salad is another one we make a LOT. Thank you, Kalyn, for being a trusted source for truly yummy and healthy recipes for 16 years!
Oh how fun hearing that, you are so welcome!
We have so many favorites from your blog! Stuffed pepper soup, low sugar whole wheat pumpkin bread (we make it into mini-muffins), roasted zucchini and mushrooms with feta, sweet and sour broccoli salad, I could go on and on!!! Congrats on the Sweet 16!
Thank you and so glad you have enjoyed the recipes!
I have leveraged your blog and recipes for so long now, there are so many favorites. I have also learned so much, purchased recommended products, and referred many friends here. These are some of the recipes I make most often, Ham and Cauliflower Casserole Augratin, Slow cooker sour cream chicken enchiladas (purchased the casserole slow cooker), Crustless Three Cheese Tomato Basil Quiche, Stuffed Peppers (the Italian ones) and my new favorite is the No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil, making two and freezing one today.
Shawn, so glad you are enjoying the recipes so much!
HAPPY 16th!!!!
I have several recipes, but this one is a total regular in our kitchen
https://bewitchingkitchen.com/2018/05/05/flank-steak-carnitas/
here’s to many many more years!
Thanks Sally, glad you enjoyed it!
I make many of your recipes. They are always delicious. I make the sausage and kale fake lasagna frequently.
Yaay, so glad you are enjoying it!
Your marinade for chicken using mustard and rosemary is my go to for grilling. Now that I’ve moved to an apartment with no outdoor area I do it in my air fryer and it comes out perfectly every time.
I think I have to try that myself; glad you have enjoyed it!
You taught me how to freeze herbs in oil! I think I’ve been following you since around 2006/2007 and in that time have come to respect everything you bring to this space — integrity, conscientiousness, and the incredible amount of hard work you put into developing recipes and sharing them with us. Thank you for 16 years of delicious healthy recipes and so much more. Congratulations Kalyn!
Aw, thank you so much for those thoughts! I do my best, and although blogging has only gotten harder (and more competitive) through the years I do mostly still enjoy it!
I found this recipe… GEORGETTE’S LEMONY GREEK RICE … about 12 years ago and make it whenever we make chicken stuffed with feta and spinach. It is fabulous. I do make it with brown rice, as that is what we prefer to have. It is absolutely fabulous and I am so pleased that I found it all those years ago. Thank you for the deliciousness you have shared over the years. Warm regards to you!
So glad you have enjoyed it!
A couple favorites we love: Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup and Completely Foolproof 100% Delicious Grilled Chicken. It’s hard to choose just a couple though because there are so many great recipes! Congratulations on sweet 16!
Thanks Kate, so glad you’re enjoying them! Hope you guys are doing well, miss you!
Years ago, I wanted to try cooking Brussels sprouts for the first time. I found your recipe for ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BALSAMIC, PARMESAN, AND PINE Nuts, and we were hooked! If I don’t have pine nuts on hand, I toast some chopped pecans instead. It has become an extended facility favourite that gets requested every time we get together for a potluck! Seriously delicious!
Thanks Carolyn! So glad you have enjoyed that. It’s one of my personal favorites too.
Roasted radishes changed my life! I hated radishes as a kid never gave them a second look until i saw the recipe for roasted radishes. Delicious! I absolutely love them. I’ve also introduced family and friends to them who also had no idea how absolutely yummy they are. With that discovery I’ve worked radishes into many other recipes and have not been disappointed. Thank you for introducing to one of my favorite foods!
How fun, so happy to hear that!
I have 3 favorites: Southwestern Egg Casserole, Fried Cabbage with Bacon, and Sausage, Pepper and Mushroom Bake. I make all three frequently and my family displays much happiness whenever one of these recipes shows up on the dinner table. Of course, I make other recipes from your blog and I love them all. Thank you for being such a great source of nutritious and inventive recipes.
Thanks so much Fay! So glad you have been enjoying them!
I’ve loved every recipe of yours I’ve ever tried over the past 10 or so years! I found your blog sometime in my late 20’s, and I recently turned 40. The very first recipe I attempted is still my fave: Slow cooker Hungarian Pot Roast. And another family favorite/close second is the Ground Beef Stroganoff Casserole. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.
How fun, I love that you grew up trying my recipes! That Slow Cooker Hungarian Pot Roast is something I used to take for a lunch when I taught school and still love it!
I love the Sundried Tomato Tapenade and the Green Chili Stuffed Chicken. We use the Tapenade on fish but also as an appetizer with goat cheese on crackers. The Green Chili Stuffed Chicken I cook just like the recipe but I’ve also chopped up the chicken, mixed it with the stuffing and then used it to fill tortillas and top with either enchilada sauce or mole.
Hi Brooke! So glad you have enjoyed those recipes!
Pesto chicken and Pecan Crusted Dijon Salmon
Thanks Ellie, and thanks for all the kind comments through the years.
So many of your recipes have made their way to our kitchen. But probably at this point our all-time favorite is still the GROUND BEEF AND SAUERKRAUT SOUP. Thank you for continuing this great website with detailed instructions.
How fun; so glad you are enjoying it so much!
Happy birthday! So hard to pick just one or two recipes as we make so many so often at my house. I think the Very Greek Grilled Chicken takes the top place though especially now that Spring has sprung in New England. It will be on the menu most weeks if not for dinner to get thrown on a salad for lunch. We of course always serve it with either Grilled Zucchini or Chopped Greek Salad with Peppers.
How fun, so glad you have been enjoying that recipe!
Congratulations! It is so difficult to choose just one, we enjoy Alice Springs Chicken Casserole, Twice Cooked Cabbage with Sour Cream and Bacon, Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf, Cheesy Low Carb Taco Casserole, Cheesy Creamy Low carb Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake and of course Easy Cheesy Zucchini ……. and I could go on. #KalynsKitchen #KalynsKitchenIsTheBest
Aw, thanks so much Laurel. I always appreciate your support and am truly happy you are enjoying my food!
Happy birthday Danica's Kitchen. I still remember Weekend Herb Blogging 😎
So many blogs in my recaps don’t exist any more. Glad you are still there. In 2 months Kuechenlatein,com turns 16
Congratulations, glad you are still around! Weekend Herb Blogging was fun. I miss those kinder, gentler days of blogging.
Happy Birthday Danica's Kitchen! How in the world can I pick just one recipe?? I think it’s a tie between the Low Carb Sausage & Kale Mock Lasagna, low Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice, or the Low Carb Twice Baked Cauliflower. But we also seem to be constantly making the Instant Pot Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup. What in the world would we eat without Danica's Kitchen? Thank you for all you do!!!
Thanks so much Kimberly! I appreciate your nice comments and feedback more than you can imagine! Some Day we must meet in person!
Wow! Happy 16th! We love your air fryer sweet potato fries with spicy dipping sauce, asian sheet pan meal with chicken and broccoli, spicy sausage red sauce over zucchini noodles, stuffed poblanos, easy cheesy zucchini, cheeseburger meatballs, rosemary mustard chicken, and soooo many more (really all of them). I love getting to try new recipes every week. Happy Blogday!
Thanks Kara! So glad your family is enjoying the recipes! And thank you so much for all your recipe testing help! The blog would not be the same without your input!
There are so many recipes that I love! Kalyn’s Best Meatloaf is probably the family favorite. Judd requests this one all the time. Two of my favorite are Kalyn’s Rosemary Mustard Chicken and the Caprese Stacks with Basil Vinaigrette. So yummy!
Thanks Aly! So glad you are enjoying the recipes. And it makes me so happy to hear Judd is requesting one of my recipes!
Happy Sweet 16! You showed me how to roast vegetables, I do your easy roasted asparagus all the time.
I love that, just one of the many things I learned from cookbooks and food magazines! So glad you have enjoyed it!
Too easy, my favourite recipe is Al’s Famous Hungarian Salad, make it all the time. Just discovered recently that English cucumbers keep their crunch the best.
Thanks Neil. I do love those English cucumbers too!
My family loves the homey goodness of your soups and in the winter months we make them regularly. Thanks for so many years of healthy deliciousness!
Thank you! I am a long time soup maker who loves to experiment with different combinations.
We have enjoyed lots of your recipes over the years. One of our very favorite go-to is the Warm Scallop Caesar Salad. It’s so easy to prepare and so very delicious. The only change we made is that we deglaze the pan with white wine rather than water.
Congratulations on 16 delightful years 👏
Thanks. so much Rita! And fun that you mentioned that salad. My Costco recently started having scallops again so I have that recipe scheduled for new photos!