Brunch may be our favorite meal here at The Kitchn; we love the relaxed pace, the chance to catch up with family and friends, and the variety of sweet and savory choices in what to serve. Here are 15 comforting, brunch-worthy dishes we shared in 2011, from eggy, crispy polenta to the apple pancake and a bubbly elderflower and lemon sipper. More

Popular recipes of June 2011 included cheesy Tex-Mex rice, a smoky corn and pepper dip, stuffed flatbread and BBQ chicken pizza. There were classic pralines, a rosemary-citrus spritzer and more.

TOP ROW
• 1 Smoky Corn and Jalapeno Dip
• 2 Cheesy Tex-Mex Rice
• 3 Classic Southern Pralines
• 4 Flatbread Stuffed with Curried Potatoes, Spinach, and Chickpeas
• 5 BBQ Chicken Pizza With Caramelized Onions More

May had one of my favorite kitchen tours of all time: A renovated Bed Stuy kitchen with a perfect little city garden out back. Read on for these plus a cooperative student kitchen in California and a supper club in London.

TOP ROW
• 1 Sara and Tom's Cooking Wonderland
• 2 Germaine's Renovated Sydney Kitchen
• 3 Penelope & Andy's Heirloom-Filled Kitchen
• 4 Pistachio and Pickle's London Supper Club
• 5 Katy's Cooperative SoCal Kitchen More

Our spice cupboard got a little fuller this year. There were peppers from Korea and Turkey, herbs from plants growing around the yard, and new discoveries from travel and visits to the spice shop. Did you try any of these 12 ingredients after we posted about them? More

You don't have to be a vegetarian to appreciate these dishes, which are flavorful and satisfying with hearty ingredients like chickpeas, mushrooms, and cheese. Fresh, seasonal vegetables appear, too, from bright summer tomatoes to earthy autumn beets. Give one of these recipes a try on a Meatless Monday – or any day of the week! More

Popular recipes in May 2011 included a glorious dish of lemon pesto pasta, and a tray of Derby pie bars. There was a vegan avocado mousse, and a cake inspired by Funfetti and colorful sprinkles. There were coconut milk cupcakes, two ways, and a classic Southern coleslaw.

TOP ROW
• 1 Funfetti Cake From Scratch
• 2 Avocado Cacao Mousse
• 3 Lemony Pesto Pasta with Edamame and Almonds
• 4 Derby Pie Bars
• 5 Ricotta Dumplings with Chevre and Herbs More

We had a small collection of excellent kitchen tours in April, including this first one — a modern, glossy white kitchen that still manages to feel warm and friendly. There was a tour of Caroline Nation's healthy-living kitchen, and another of a jam-maker in Los Angeles.

TOP ROW
• 1 Daria and Ben's Glossy White Kitchen
• 2 Lisa's Homage to Her Mom's Kitchen
• 3 Jessica's Expansive and Experimental Remodel
• 4 Caroline Nation's Healthy Kitchen More

From a 99-cent pan scraper to a $93 thermometer, this year we shared many of the tools that improved our lives in the kitchen. We also wrote about well-loved and frequently used favorites like Dutch ovens, mandolines, pepper mills, and more.

• 1 The Kitchn Reviews: Our Favorite Knives
• 2 The Kitchn Reviews: Our Favorite Pots & Pans
• 3 The Kitchn Reviews: Our Favorite Pepper Mills
• 4 The Kitchn Reviews: Our Favorite Offbeat Tools
• 5 The Almost Essentials: 5 Second-Tier Kitchen Tools We Love More

Popular recipes in April 2011 included a plain and simple yogurt cake, lovely apricot yogurt scones, and a a batch of hot sweet potato biscuits with maple butter. There was French onion chicken, rye toasting bread, and salted almond ice cream. Read on for these and more.

TOP ROW
• 1 Sweet Potato Biscuits and Maple Butter
• 2 Shirred Eggs with Toast Soldiers
• 3 Apricot Yogurt Scones
• 4 Sweet and Crunchy Quinoa Salad
• 5 Salted Almond Ice Cream More

Kitchen tours in March included one with Josh and Maria of the popular food blog Two Peas and Their Pod, as well as one of cookbook author Ivy Manning's Seattle kitchen. There was a small, light-filled family kitchen in New York, and one of my personal favorites in Portland. Take a peek at all eight kitchen tours from the month of March.

TOP ROW
• 1 Food Writer Ivy Manning's Portland Kitchen
• 2 Adrian and Gregg's Pacific Northwest Kitchen
• 3 Kirsten and Kyle's Friendly Kitchen
• 4 Ariana's Charming Bavarian Kitchen
• 5 Danae Learns From Her Kitchen More