Well, what can I say, it's been a heck of a year! (I'm Canadian, we don't swear or try to offend people, really!)

There has been a TON of cooking and baking going on. I've made myself a list, and checked it twice, or probably a good few more times than that. My list consisted of classic meals (30) and desserts (27), like Beef Stroganoff and Baked Alaska, that I've heard about, some of which I've not even tasted yet (Semifreddo and Irish Soda Bread), but wanted to make.

Glad to say I've finished the list for all but Tamales and Jam (don't worry, those recipes are coming!)... and had loads of fun along the way (eg. trying to keep a beer can chicken standing up in the oven!).

Big thanks as well to friends who joined me in the kitchen or invited me to theirs this year to try out all sorts of goodies! It's always more fun to do these cooking adventures with others!!

And, so, through all the cooking and baking during this last 6 mth period, I've been able to make the largest foodie addition to my aboutnatia.com website in history (or rather herstory in this case) with about 50 new recipes added this holiday ! Believe it or not, I still will only add the recipes I really enjoyed.

So, samba drum roll please, here is this latest list of new recipe additions for your bellies...

Turkish Shakshouka Baked Eggs - Looking for a healthy and yet hearty way to start your day? This delicious dish will be sure to warm up your belly and tantalise though tastebuds with all of it's unique flavours, not commonplace for breakie. So try this out for an early start to an adventurous day!

Buttermilk Scones - I have heard people rave about lemonade scones and other types of scones, but I can't get passed the light buttery flavours of a buttermilk scone. The taste difference is so significant ! These are a little tricky to get the flour balance as you don't want to add too much or too little flour.

Roast Garlic and Fennel Soup - Roasted veggies seem to always make a delicious soup, and this recipe is no exception. Just beautiful !

Malaysian Laksa - Definitely a favourite for me and very quick to make too. You can make it with prawns or opt just for a vegetarian version by adding more veggies like pumpkin. This soup beats chicken soup hands down any day I have a cold! It's also wonderful on days when I don't have a cold.

Thai Style Pumpkin Soup with Coconut & Chilli - Loved this Asian twist on a traditional pumpkin soup. Secret ingredients are coconut water & milk, lime juice and fish sauce (fish sauce can be excluded for vegetarians).

Irish Soda Bread - One of the easiest and fastest bread recipes that I've ever made. Makes for a dense but tasty loaf within 45 mins.

Duck a L'Orange (with Blood Orange) - Duck and oranges are a match made in heaven. And even better with the exotic blood oranges, when in season. This recipe is pretty easy and just ridiculously tasty.

Lemon, Garlic & Thyme Roast Chicken - Can't find any duck? Or looking for a dead simple roast chicken recipe? Then this one's got your name on it. It's zesty and flavourful, and one of the easiest roasted meat recipes I've made to date.

Beef Stroganoff - Now I understand why this is such a classic. That cream sauce is just so moorish !

Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles & Cream Sauce - Another delicious classic and such a great combination with the egg noodles. These are just not used often enough.

Red Thai Curry with Duck & Lychees - Gorgeous flavour and great technique for cooking the duck... why not have your meal and your dessert altogether at once.

Chinese BBQ Pork - Wow, who knew it would be so easy to make and so tasty. Got to try this one - best enjoyed the day it is made!

Seared Scallops with Garlic & Herbs Butter Sauce - A nice option for a light dinner that is still so full of flavour.

Southern American Fried Chicken - Takes two days to prep and takes up room in the fridge but absolutely worth the wait ! The chicken comes out so juicy on the inside and has a delicious crisp texture on the outside. Plus you can definitely get creative on the breading and blend your own mix of 12 secret herbs and spices if you like.

Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings - Do you like Sriracha sauce, the ubiquitous red garlic & chilli sauce found at yum cha and Chinese restaurants? Well, you're going to love this meaty treat ! Beautiful balance of hot and sweet... and if you tend to like it hotter, feel free to adjust it as you like.

Island Corn Pilhi - An unlikely combination of ingredients (polenta, sweet potato, cheddar and caraway seeds), but surprisingly resulted in such a delicious and flavourful platter.

Cinnamon Raisin Buns - We have a chain in Canada called Cinnabun. These taste just like these (though with a little less caramel sauce... I'll be working on that!). The dough comes out just so light and fluffy, just like brioche.

Jewish Rugelach Cookies - One of my favourite cookies in the world. I grew up enjoying these from the local Jewish deli. The secret ingredient is the philadelphia cream cheese in the cookie dough, though the cinnamon & walnut brown sugar mixture doesn't hurt either.

Island Banana Fritters - Kids (big and small) will go bananas for this recipe. Pun intended of course. Seriously though... it has a lovely sweet flavour that reminds me of the islands and it's super easy to make. Just keep the kids away from the hot oil !

Hummingbird Cake - This gorgeous two-layered banana and pineapple cake with pecan-enriched cream cheese icing has a serious amount of sugar, so it's not for the weak-hearted... surprisingly, it doesn't taste ridiculously sweet or rich. It's just delicious !

Italian Cannolis with Lemon Ricotta Filling - Just like the ones in those fancy italian shops. Fun, delectable and satisfying to make, but it does take time and you need some special equipment (those these cannoli tubes are not too expensive).

Raspberry & Chocolate Baked Alaska - Guaranteed to get you lots of "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" at a dinner party or for your family, before and after eating. Pretty straightforward to make though best to start the day before. And best to have one of those little creme brulee torches to make this monster showstopper !

American Marshmellows - Never knew making marshmellows was so easy - great for kids here too. You'll need a candy thermometer. And you can add all sorts of tasty flavours too.

Australian Pavlova - Quick to make and a great way to bling up a simple fruit dessert for a summer or light meal.

French Rum Savarin - It's the bundt sponge cake that keeps on giving, or rather taking... it drinks up about 2 cups of flavoured sugar water like a sponge. And it certainly doesn't taste like one of those sponge cakes from the supermarket ! It's a gorgeous light sponge cake with a lovely rum flavour, or you can experiment with another type of flavoured liqueur or non alcoholic flavour blends even rosemary & lemon.

Italian Double Amaretti Semifreddo - Not quite an ice cream as it can sit on a plate for much longer, yet it's still a lovely light and refreshing dessert.

Five Spice Flourless Chocolate Cake - I didn't think flourless chocolate cakes could get any better but then I tried this recipe. Woah. A must try to really raise those eyebrows and get their tastebuds smiling at a dinner party !

Chocolate Truffles - I've made quite a few this holiday season, so you'll just have to see which one you like best : Caramelised Coconut, Hazelnut Praline, Nutella, Candy Cane, Peanut Butter or Coconut & White Chocolate Snowballs.

Watermelon Granita - Best thing to have on a hot day. It's simple (very few ingredients), so very refreshing and a nice change from ice cream!

Well I hope that provides some great inspiration for you... if not, there's certainly much more to peruse on the www.AboutNatia.com website.

And don't hold back if you have lovely recipes you'd like to share, feel free to send them over for me to try (thank you to those who have already!).

I'm also open to recipe challenges where we could try out a new recipe together (ie. "I've always wanted to make XYZ recipe but not really sure how or maybe I just need a cooking buddy!"). I'll be happy to be your co-chef !

My Virtual Cookbook - Foodie Newsletters

Top Classics and New Techniques in the Kitchen (Dec 2014)