I gotta say, 2013 was pretty rad. Here are some highlights:

• Ginger Kitchen Gourmet Ice Cream took off, requiring us to take a chance and go all in with Jon working there full-time
• I ran my first half marathon and logged 467 running miles
• We built a beautiful front porch on the house
• I accepted a new position at PUNCH Films and officially became a downtownian
• We purchased a building that will become Ginger Kitchen headquarters and an incubator for other food entrepreneurs
• We strengthened friendships and developed a few new ones that already feel like family
• I fell even more in love with my life partner.

I have a feeling 2014 is going to be just as rad.

2013 was another good food year for us too. Though we didn’t cook as much as we usually do because of hectic schedules, we still managed to create some winners. Another big change: the blog got a new name and a makeover.

Here are some stats from our year of blogging:

• We blogged 44 times and had 24,000 views. (fewer posts than 2012 and WAY more views!)
• Facebook fell from the top spot for referrals to make way for Urbanspoon.
• Folks from 111 countries visited our site.
• Our top commenters were Wendy, Cathy, and Virginia.
• The busiest day of the year was January 2, with 321 views.

Thanks for a great year. To ring in the New Year, here are our top five recipes and top five Recker-mendations.

Top 5 Recipes

1- Brown Sugar and Chili Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Even though I just posted this recipe, it propelled to the top of the list for number of views. It’s not surprising, since I consider this the ultimate comfort junk food. Super easy to make and extremely delicious!

2- Baked Potato, Beet, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Pizza

The most popular vegetarian post of the year, this pizza rocks. Several people reached out to me after having made it and said it was the best pizza they’ve ever had. I’ll take that!

3- Paleo Friendly- Roast Beef with Scallion Caper Sauce and Coconut-Bacon Kale

This is one of the first paleo meals I posted to the blog and it continues to receive hits several months out. Modified from a recipe I saw in Epicurious, it combines savory flavors and tender meat for a near perfect meal.

4- Paleo Friendly- Sauteed Scallops with Rainbow Chard

We just made this dish last week, using fresh rainbow chard from Get Fresh farms, and it might be my favorite recipe ever posted here. I highly recommend adding this to your weekly meal plan soon.

5- Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles

I made these for friends and they were devoured quickly, a testament to their yumminess! These will definitely become an annual treat for me during “pumpkin season.”

Top 5 Recker-mendations

1- Ma-hnin Asian Restaurant

Sadly, we made it to Ma-hnin only once but it sure made an impression. Perhaps I should add “visit Ma-hnin” to my New Year’s Resolutions. If you haven’t been, maybe you should add it too.

2- Pad Thai

A new restaurant in 2013, Pad Thai quickly became one of faves and is on heavy rotation. The Thai Beef Noodle Soup and the Thai Pork are two of my top ten dishes.

3- Joseph Decuis

This one is a no-brainer. If you go to Joseph Decuis, it will be the best dining experience of the year. It’s so good, I blogged about it twice this year and included it in a whatzup Dining Out review.

4- Joseph Decuis Easter Brunch

If you have a chance to attend one of Joseph Decuis special menu events, do it. Easter Brunch was the best meal we had all year.

5- Sahara- Michigan City

I rarely write reviews about restaurants in other cities, but Sahara deserved some recognition. I hope we can make it back there this year.

Heading into 2014, we will continue to focus on Ginger Kitchen Gourmet Ice Cream and I’ll get back on the paleo wagon. Stay tuned, and thanks for all of your support this year. Happy New Year foodies. Thanks so much for being a part of our year.