best bites of 2009: homemade division

Shoot! 2009's almost over! And two more year-end roundups to do!

So last week I ran down the best restaurant dishes I had this year, and tomorrow I'll list out miscellaneous deliciousness, but today you get this: my favorite things I made, and ate, at home this year.

1. Man-Catcher Brownies (even though the recipe figures prominently in my novel, I'd never made these! Now I have. And they are GOOD.)
2. As always, bacon-wrapped dates
3. Cheddar shortbread from Rose's Christmas Cookies (I tweak it with extra cayenne and smoked paprika) 
4. Cinnamon Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop (I make a lot of ice creams, but this was especially delicious)
5. Clementine Cake
6. Steak salad: steak rubbed with chipotle and ancho powder, sliced over romaine and watercress, with bleu cheese, cranberries, and pecans
7. Guinness & Cheese Fondue
8. The Barefoot Contessa's Feta & Orzo Salad
9. Rye Triscuits with melted fontina. Is it a dish? No. Is there a recipe? No. Is it one of my favorite things? Absolutely.

Tune in tomorrow for the last of the roundups, including a spicy meat paste (yeah, a spicy meat paste) and my new favorite appetizer...