Wow.  I can’t believe this baby of mine is two years old.  Thank you all so much for all of the support and interest.  Your comments and questions mean the world to me.  Have you seen the sheer number of recipes that have been produced in this kitchen in the last two years?! As of right now, there are over 200 recipes posted to chaos in the kitchen and while I would recommend every one of them there are a few that I consider to be my favorites.  If you have only recently found this site then you may have missed them.

Here are a dozen of my favorite recipes from the last two years-the recipes we make over and over behind the scenes.  There are so many more I could point out but these are the ones I couldn’t live without!  Also, you’ll notice there are no desserts on this list, the desserts need another list all of their own!

Heavy photo content coming!

1.  Tacos are one of our quick, go to crowd-pleasing meals.  They are cheaper and faster than our other frequently made favorites-chicken fajitas and steak fajitas-and they can be a really fun, special meal when you make your own crunchy shells.  And don’t forget freshly made pico de gallo on the side!

2.  Stuffed Pepper Soup is one of my most popular recipes-not only amongst my family but among friends and readers as well.  It is healthy and homey and filling and makes a great big batch for storing in the freezer.  It’s a cheap meal too, especially when stoplight bell peppers are on sale.

3.  Chicken Stir-Fry is another one of our quick, easy meals that everyone loves.  Any meal that gets my kids to clear their plate and ask for more?  That is a real winner.  Luckily the adults love it just as much.

4.  Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa is a staple in our fridge.  We make a double batch weekly and eat it as a snack, over eggs, or poured over goat cheese and baked until bubbly.

5.  Chicken Pot Pie is my absolute favorite comfort food.  It is easy to keep the ingredients on hand, in the pantry or the freezer, and this recipe has saved me numerous times when I needed to serve guests on the fly.  When I am craving comfort food and don’t feel like making a pie, I make Chicken Pot Pie Soup which is just on a whole ‘nother level.

6.  Spaghetti and Meatballs is the most requested meal in my house.  The kids absolutely love it and see #3 above regarding meals my kids love.  They also love this meat sauce but I think there is just something special about meatballs that makes the meal more fun.

7.  Hot Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip is another one of those highly requested party recipes.  It’s creamy and sinful and definitely for sharing!

8.  My Spicy Mexican Coleslaw is a staple at our barbecues and parties.  Many coleslaw hating friends and family love this salad and will check, when offered coleslaw, “Is this the one Katie makes?” before allowing it to grace their plates.  It’s a fresh and flavorful and bright salad compared to the creamier traditional version.

9.  French Dip Sandwiches are a favorite quick meal for mrChaos and I.  What’s easier on a busy weeknight than a sandwich?  Reubens are equally popular, although we make ham and cheese versions for the kids.

10.  Chipotle Chicken Salad is a light, healthy meal that is spicy and satisfying-especially with a scoop of Cilantro Lime rice.  It’s a salad that even mrChaos asks for and that is a very good thing!

11.  Baked Chicken Legs and Homemade Rice a Roni is one of the easiest, best meals you can whip up.  Kids and guests love it and the oven does all of the work, leaving you free to make the rice and relax for a few minutes!  How many meals can do that for you?

12.  Crockpot Stock isn’t really a recipe but has become something I make constantly.  Many nights a month, the crock pot gets loaded up with whatever bones we’ve collected throughout the week and the result makes all of our recipes so much richer and better.

What are your favorite recipes? These are just some of mine and my favorite way to keep track of them is via Google Reader.

Do you like chaos in the kitchen?  If you do and you’re on Facebook, why don’t you stop by and “Like” chaos in the kitchen’s fan page?  It makes me feel special and who knows, you might have an opportunity to win something every now and then.  Of course it also gives you a sneak peek at what I’m working on long before it appears on the homepage, here.

If you are already a fan of chaos in the kitchen-thank you by the way, much love-then you already know that Tres Leches cake is my undoing.  I am the proud baker of numerous sponge cakes that all together would measure about three inches high.  Unfortunately, traditional tres leches is a delicious, light sponge cake soaked in a sweet mixture of “three milks.”  So, no sponge cake = no tres leches.  Luckily, I have friends in high places now.  After hearing my latest spongecake sob story, my friend Rebecca sent me yet another recipe-one she assured me she had tested herself and was just great.

Of course Rebecca’s ability to make a sponge cake does not translate equally to me making a sponge cake, but I summoned up the last shreds of my confidence and tried it.  And what do you know?  It worked! And it was delicious!  And it was everything I wanted it to be.  Finally!  Thanks so much Rebecca, truly.

Tres Leches Cake

• 6.25 oz (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 6 tbsp cold water
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond flavoring
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 small can (5 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 tsp brandy or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp brandy or cognac

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour a 9×13 pan.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Set aside.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with a hand mixer until they’re pale yellow and fluffy.  This takes longer than you think.
5. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is very thick.  Beat and beat and beat and beat and beat some more.
6. Add the cold water, vanilla and almond to the yolk mixture, then stir in the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites with a spatula until combined.
7. Spoon the batter into the pan and level it with a spatula. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
9. Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake and let cool an additional 30 minutes.
10. While the cake is cooling, combine heavy cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and brandy in a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout.
11. When the cake has reached room temp, pour the milk mixture over it slowly, pausing occasionally to allow it to soak in.
12. Refrigerate for several hours before frosting, allowing the cake to absorb the milk.
13. When ready to serve, add heavy cream, sugar, and brandy to a mixing bowl.  Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
14. Spread whipped cream over the top of cake and top with fresh sliced fruit.

This cake works great for casual outdoor parties.  I served mine straight from the pan, which helps hold in the milks mixture, but you can turn it out onto a platter for serving if you want a fancier presentation. The sponge cake holds the milks mixture really well but you may still want to use a rimmed platter, just in case.

On the other hand, if you are as spongecake defective as I am, you can also make any white or yellow cake (yes, even a boxed one) in a 9×13 pan then continue with the recipe above starting at step eight.  The white cake will get a lot moister so I would definitely serve from the pan.

P.S. Did you know chaos in the kitchen is two years old this week?  How should we celebrate? Should I post my favorite recipes or yours?

When we barbecue we don’t use barbecue sauce except as a condiment for serving.  Yet a good barbecue sauce is as important to the final product as a good rub.  Our favorite sauces are spicy and just barely sweet-and we’re still looking for the best one.  We made three sauces for our last brisket and all three were delicious and easy, although they were all just a tad sweeter than what we were looking for.

The first sauce we made was posted by Jen on use real butter.  Big Bob Gibson’s Memphis-Style Championship Red Sauce was delicious and complex and by far the sweetest of all three sauces.  This was the sauce all of the kids wanted for their plates.  It also makes a ton, which is great for serving chopped beef sandwiches to a crowd.  Jen has so many barbecue sauces in her archives that I will definitely be back to sample more of them!

The next sauce was a copycat of a local barbecue joint, Rudy’s.  While not exactly Rudy’s sauce, this sauce was the best compliment to the brisket.  It was the least sweet with plenty of spices.  This sauce was the one most of the grown-ups chose to pair with their sliced beef.

Rudy’s

• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp course black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Simmer until slightly reduced.

The third sauce we made was my favorite-a sweet, slightly vinegary, spicy blend that I was content to eat with a spoon.

Texas Style

• 4 cups ketchup
• 1 bottle beer
• 1/2 cup  butter
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp (or to taste) cayenne pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer 45 minutes.

We’re still looking for the perfect sauce, but all three of these sauces are fantastic (especially if you like a sweet sauce) and I highly recommend trying one for your next barbecue.  Homemade barbecue sauce couldn’t be easier and tastes so much better than the store bought stuff.  If you are going to buy your sauce, this is my favorite.

Here is the most fantastic way to savor your leftover barbecue: the barbecue sundae.  Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy, barbecue sundaes are a great one-handed way to enjoy the best of your barbecue.

Barbecue Sundae

• barbecue beans
• coleslaw
• chopped beef (or other barbecue)
• barbecue sauce
• jalapeno pickles

1. Layer your barbecue sundae in a clean glass jar, with beans on the bottom, a layer of coleslaw in the middle, top with chopped beef or whatever barbecue you have on hand.
2. Add a spoonful of barbecue sauce and top with jalapeno pickles.

Jalapeno Pickles

• enough sliced jalapenos to fill a half-pint jar, about 6
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• pinch ginger

1. Pack a clean half-pint jar with sliced jalapenos and garlic cloves.
2. Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a small pot.
3. Add spices and stir until combined.
4. Pour boiling mixture over jalapenos, you will not use all of the sugar mixture, then tightly seal.
5. Allow jalapenos to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.