To be honest, it was tricky to narrow the list to ten foods that are favorites in our home. With a little help from my hubs and kids, I've compiled a list of the top favorites, and where I don't link to a recipe, I'll be adding them in separate posts over the next month or so. After the wedding ;)

10. BBQ Chicken Salad from Two Peas and Their Pod - I serve this and everyone, guests included, goes a little crazy.

9. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Made with ground chicken, water chestnuts, and a great sauce, these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a satisfying light supper any time of the year (but we especially appreciate them in warm weather). Recipe coming soon.

8. Thai Chicken Pizza on the Back Porch - I can't transport the brick oven on my in-law's back patio (across the lawn from ours) but I can and will give you the recipe for the most popular pizza we serve on our back porch.

7. Cinnamon Rolls - This recipe has kept us happy every Thanksgiving and Christmas morning, and anytime someone gets a birthday hankering for cinnamon rolls. The brown sugar caramelizes, the rolls are fluffy, and the icing has cream cheese in it. How bad can that be???

6. American Lasagna - We have to make ours with gluten-free pasta these days, but that doesn't stop us from making our cheese mixture of cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese. It's dairy insanity (but amazing stuff).

5. Judy's Granola - I grew up watching a dear friend of my mom's work her magic in the kitchen (she is also a crazy-good seamstress and pianist; some people get all the talent!) This granola recipe has been a mainstay in our family for decades, and even though we've had to tweak ours to be gluten-free, it's still killer good.

4. Creme Brûlée - I never stray from Julia Child's recipe. Why mess with perfection?

3. The Recipe - "The Recipe" is a perfect ice cream, made in my parents' home, in the homes of my brothers, and here. When we serve it, we explain that my family just refers to it as "The Recipe", because, really, why would we make anything else?

2. Spicy Szechuan Chicken - This is newer to our repertoire, added after missing our favorite little spot in Santa Cruz, California. We seriously crave the food from Charlie Hong Kong so much that we contemplate making the 2-hour drive often. This recipe is close to the awesomeness that is CHK.

1. Frozen Chocolate Velvet Cream Pie - It is as fabulous as the name makes it sound. Don't worry; I'll definitely be adding this recipe soon!

Ten of Our Favorite Family Foods (and Recipes!)

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