This 20-Minute Mongolian Beef will make you want to skip the take-out for good. So easy and amazingly delicious. Just like your favorite Chinese restaurant … but healthier! 

You guys. I can’t stop watching Friends.

I knew that it would become my 2015 guilty pleasure as soon as I learned it was going on Netflix. But it’s getting a bit out of control. I’m only on season 2 and I find myself leaving parties early to come home and hang out with my “Friends.” Sigh.

I didn’t watch friends when everybody else watched it, so this is new for me. And I totally get the obsession. The ’90s fashion. The studio audience fake laughter. RACHEL’S HAIR. It’s all just so great.

But enough about Friends. Let’s talk about beef.

THIS 20-Minute Mongolian Beef is killer. Like … so good. I know I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but to be honest, I really just think 2015 is my year. I’ve been crushin’ it with the lightened up recipes. *brushes non-existent dirt off shoulder*

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Make this easy chicken recipe for date night, family dinner, or yourself when you need something to distract you from the snow. This Lightened Up Mushroom Asiago Chicken is a crowd pleaser and can be made all in the same pan! 

I know some a-hole out there is going to say “this looks like my cat’s throw-up,” and I can’t necessarily disagree … but this recipe is too good not to post.

Do you ever get nervous cooking for other people? I’m always the most self critical when I’m feeding people something I made. Maybe because typically I’m only cooking for myself. Or maybe because people expect me to be good at it since I blog about it? Regardless, my home cooking standards are at their highest when I’m feeding others.

Point being … I made this for a person … and they liked it!!!! Or they just told me they liked it to be nice. But either way, I liked it! So that means it was a great success. Are you following?

The first time around I used the Mushroom Asiago Chicken recipe from The Midnight Baker. It was so good that I decided to make it again, but see if I could lighten it up.

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Looking for an easy make-ahead paleo breakfast recipe? Look no further than these make-ahead paleo egg muffins. They’re stupidly easy to make and are perfect for meal prep. 

I keep seeing people posting about starting paleo and clean eating diets in the new year and it makes me excited. It also makes me think about the mass amounts of meat I consumed on the paleo diet. And the mass amounts of weights I lifted at that time.

Man … those were the days.

Now, I’m back on an eat-whatever-I-want diet, but keeping it low carb as usual.

If you’re one of the people adopting the paleo diet for the new year – you go Glen Coco …. right to your kitchen and make these Make-Ahead Paleo Egg Muffins. They’re one of my favorite paleo breakfast recipes because they’re easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and are easily customizable to fit your taste.

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This Asian salmon is marinated in a delicious soy and ginger sauce then covered in a honey sriracha glaze. This Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon might just be your new go-to healthy dinner recipe. 

You know it’s January when you’re elbow to elbow with sweaty people in the gym and there’s NO boneless skinless chicken breasts left in the grocery store.

Did that make me sound bitter? I’m totally not! Although it makes my life a tad less convenient, I love seeing people working on their fitness and caring about their health.

Okay maybe I’m a little bitter. Because really, I just needed some breasts of chicken today. But instead I did what ever resourceful 20-something would do … bought salmon instead! And thus was born the best Asian salmon recipe … ever.

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It’s officially 2015 and I’m counting down the best recipes of 2014! These were the top performing recipes on Smile Sandwich this year, and some of the best ones I made! And ate. YOU’RE WELCOME. 

Well, I meant to have this post up BEFORE the new year, but then I was just having too much fun to get to it. Better late than never, right?

It’s been such an exciting year for me and my little blog. On January 1, 2014, guess how many pageviews I had.

Seriously guess …..

You’re wrong.

It was 34. At that time, I was all like “woohoo 34 people looked at my blog today, I’m so famous.” But in reality, 15 of those were probably me looking at my own blog. And about 10 were probably my mom.

Now …. check this out. My numbers have gone up, up, up and my obsession with the Sandwich has become a little out of control. If you’re considering starting a blog, DO IT. It’s a rewarding hobby that makes you feel totally famous. Plus it might even pay for one bar tab per month. Win.

Seeeeeee! (My numbers were down in December because I was switching jobs and blogging less, but still … I came a long way this year). *Pats herself on back.*

Here are the 10 of the best recipes of 2014 on Smile Sandwich. These are the recipes that performed the best on Pinterest and brought the most eyes to my corner of the interwebs this year.

1. Amish One Pan Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

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Seriously The Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe Ever. Once you make this homemade from-scratch green been casserole, you’ll never make the kind with canned soup again! Perfect addition to your holiday dinner. 

TWO DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!

Which means you’re probably busy scrambling to decide which dish-to-pass you’re going to bring to the holiday party. Well, Jordan’s here to help.

Green bean casserole is a holiday staple that really only comes around during Thanksgiving and Christmas in my family. Since recently discovering the best green bean casserole recipe ever, it’s become one of my favorite dishes to look forward to in November and December.

The creamy homemade sauce is full of flavor, and using fresh green beans gives it a homemade taste you won’t get using canned ingredients. You can make your own crispy onion straws to go on top if you want, but we just used the store-bought kind.

Either way, I guarantee this green bean casserole recipe will turn veggie haters into lovers! Even those who don’t like green bean casserole will love this dish.

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My mom has been making these 30-Minute Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns for years. They’re super easy to make and are the perfect addition to brunch. 

IT’S CHEAT MONTH! Can you tell? I promise in the new year we’ll get back to healthy recipes, but these are tried and true family favorites that I just have to share for the holidays. Get out those extra large sweaters and your stretchy pants and we’ll make it through this month together. Come January 1, we’ll talk treadmills and leafy greens.

These hand-held bites of heaven have been the star of family brunches for years. It’s pretty much impossible to not go back for a second … err third. They’re made using refrigerated dough, so they couldn’t be easier to throw together. After baking, you have perfect warm pecan sticky buns that caramelize in the bottom of the pan that make them taste amazing.

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These Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies might be the best cookies I’ve ever made. They’re the perfect healthy Christmas cookie, but you’ll want to make them all year round. No flour or butter!

TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY. I know, I’m crazy. But I just had to share these Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies in time for your holiday baking this weekend.

I don’t lie when I say these might be the best healthy cookies I’ve made. They’re made without any butter or flour! Peanut butter oatmeal cookies are perfectly soft and chewy and full of peanut butter flavor.

These are loaded with peanut butter, which gives them an amazingly soft yet chewy texture and just the right amount of peanut butter flavor. These aren’t dry or tasteless like some other healthy cookie recipes – trust me, nobody will be able to tell they’re healthy.

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This Swiss cheese version of classic chicken enchiladas is perfect for people who don’t like a lot of spice! They’re easy to make and can even be prepared ahead of time for a quick dinner solution. 

Don’t these look ahhh-mazing? Anything that’s covered in cheese is almost a guaranteed winner in my mind. These Swiss Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas are another creation by my dear mom. I have so many great memories of the food she would make us growing up. When we were young, she would wake up every day and bake muffins hoping that we would take a few bites out of one on our way out the door.

When we got a bit older, we were all involved in sports, and we could always count on a hot meal to be ready when we got home from practice. I don’t think we ever appreciated it as much as we should have. I sure as heck wish I had that service now!

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