It's that time of year again. Highlights (and lowlights) of the past year are flooding my newsfeed. New diets and detox regimens for a "new you." New Year Resolutions. For me, I like to review some of my best meals and with that, moments in the past year. Drum roll please...

#10: Matzo Ball Soup - this was my second time ever making matzo ball soup. I made them with schmaltz (melted chicken fat). No matzo ball mix here. The result? Crazy good.

#9: DIY Rice Bowls with Fried Egg - Such a humble dish but all-around family favorite. Rice topped with some stir-fry veggies and a fried egg. One dish you won't need a recipe for.

#8: Scallion Pancakes - These golden beauties from Joanne Chang's Flour, Too cookbook are now a must-have during Chinese New Year celebrations.

#7: Roasted Pumpkin Soup at Henrietta's Table - I had the good fortune of getting a cooking demonstration by Chef Peter Davis for making this luscious soup. It's a bowl full of Autumn.

#6: Asian-Style BBQ Chicken - from one of my 2014 favorite cookbooks, Dinner: The Playbook, this BBQ chicken dish is packed with flavor. Plus my kids love it and it's so easy to make. Yep, it's a keeper.

#5: Warm Couscous Salad with Roasted Autumn Vegetables and Ginger-Scallion Dressing - from my other favorite 2014 cookbook, Flour, Too, this dish is hearty but so good for you, you can't help but love it.

#4: The Countdown - this was my favorite cocktail at one of my new favorite restaurants this year - Alden & Harlow. I can't recall what's in this drink (their drink menu changes regularly). What I can remember was this was a perfect drink for raising a glass to turning the big 4-0.

#3: Momofuku Noodle Bar's Shiitake Bun - this was a bittersweet meal. My long-awaited first visit to Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC only happened because we were in the city for my grandmother's funeral. It was sad having to say goodbye, but so lovely being with family over some of the best food I've ever had.

#2: Sharing platter - there was nothing extraordinary about this charcuterie and cheese board. What makes it one of my favorite meals is the fact that this was our last picnic dinner on one of our favorite beaches on Cape Cod. Sigh.

#1: Mother's Day Breakfast - Oh my God, was this good. Umdaddy surprised me with the best breakfast a mom could ask for: Fried egg over baby arugula, skillet fried fingerling potatoes and monkey bread french toast. Not only was this out-of-this-world-good, but I got to share it with my family. I am so very lucky.

Here's to even more delicious meals with those you love in 2015!

Ginger scallion noodles w. quick pickles, roasted cauliflower and nori

"Koreans are notorious noodle eaters. I am no exception." 

This is David Chang's opening words in his best-selling cookbook, "Momofuku." For those unfamiliar with this James Beard award-winning chef, Chang came onto the NYC restaurant scene back on 2004 and hasn't looked back since. He has catapulted to celebrity chef status, with 11 locations world-wide, and a media empire of his own.

"Momofuku" is the story behind his culinary empire. Oh yes, there happens to be some recipes too. And not just your typical recipes for the home cook, but also some scare-you-out-of-your-pants recipes that require a blowtorch and procuring transglutaminase. It the kind of cookbook that you can’t put down, not only for the photographs, story (and profanity), but the sense for Chang’s love of good food.

So when I read the first sentence, I did two things: 1) corrected him by adding the Chinese are also notorious noodle eaters and 2) found the one noodle recipe that I can make easily and have my boys scoff up quickly.

Momofuku’s Ginger Scallion Noodles are insanely easy to make. All you need is a ton of scallions and ginger (duh), some oil, soy, vinegar and salt. Combine it with some good Chinese egg noodles and you too will be joining the ranks of Koreans and the Chinese as notorious noodle eaters. Don’t forget some hoisin to finish – this is key!

Click here for the recipe.