best of 2011: readers' choice

Welcome to Change the Word's Best of 2011, where I will recap the best moments from the blog and entertainment community. Today, we count down my top five most viewed posts on the blog from 2011.

5. The Teacher and the Doctor
I love Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. And so did you, it seemed. The couple appeared in Project Boy Meets Girl at No. 3 on my list.

4. Plotting for NaNoWriMo

With NaNoWriMo looming, I decided to be prepared for my 2011 venture into 50,000 words of mania. Using note cards, pens and a note card holder, I created a mobile plotting device that enabled me to plan my characters, major scenes and chapters. I received great feedback from fellow writers who used this and succeeded at meeting their goal. I can't think of a better compliment than that.

3. Book Review: Destined to Fail
Samantha March — the pen name for the creator of Chick Lit Plus — shared her debut novel with me, and I gave it a four-star review. The story tackles tough issues that make it a a good read for anyone with a high-school or college-aged daughter.

2. Something Delicious This Way Comes
Another "Reading in the Kitchen" post, in this edition I made cauldron cakes from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. They were delicious, fun and a great treat to share with my friends for Halloween.

1. American as Green Pumpkin Pie

The post that started it all. To kick off my "Reading in the Kitchen" series I made green pumpkin pie from Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Long Winter. While I think I will wait for my pumpkins to ripen every year before making traditional pie, this treat was tasty and a fun break from the norm. I also learned how to make pie crust — a skill I have already put to good use.

Thank you for continuing to read my blog. I look forward to the posts and changes the new year will bring.