I don’t
keep a personal diary. This humble record of recipes is the closest thing to a journal
I’ve ever consistently kept for more than a few days. It is a bit difficult,
therefore, to look back at a whole year and contemplate what has happened. I
simply can’t seem to remember much.
Mostly,
The Day Job ate 2018, and the news and politics were disgustingly stressful. (None
of those things appears to be headed for much of a change in character for 2019,
alas.) I did make and eat some delicious things, and I did a better job of
posting this year than I did last year. I added a “Friday Night” feature, that
functions as a journal of sorts, and gives me a space to sort some things out, whether
they be personal or edible. It is also the place where I write about some of
the other things I am interested in, such as reading, gardening, and the small
amount of traveling I get to do.
Every
season produced favorite recipes, with a winter CSA share contributing to hearty
roasted vegetable mixtures and comforting soups, the farmer’s market making spring
bright and fresh, my own garden adding to summer excitement, local apples
making fall as special as always, and tasty baked goods making the holidays dangerously
delicious. Here are the 15 recipes that I feel best represent 2018 at The Messy
Apron, my favorites from the whole year, such as it was.
Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal is sweet and rich, and perhaps not as distant from cookies
as breakfast ought to be.
Hot,
thick, stick-to-your-ribs soups were needed for comfort this year, especially
Curry Carrot Soup, which went over well with a crowd of friends,
And
for a classic sandwich bread for a soup and sandwich lunch, I offered this recipe
for White Sandwich Bread.
For
a bit more winter vegetable adventure, there was Maple Glazed Winter Squash and Potatoes
Lighter,
fresh fare, like this Radish Cilantro Salsa characterized the transition to
spring and summer.
Once
summer was in full swing, things could really take off, with fresh produce
dominating the style and flavor of what came out of my kitchen, like Scalloped Corn with Sour Cream and Chile
And
Roasted Tomatillo and Chickpea Curry, with the tomatillos I grew on the mad bush-vines
in my garden.
My
own garden also produced plenty (plenty!) of zucchini which featured
deliciously in Blueberry Lemon Zucchini Bread
And,
my surprise favorite of the whole year, Zucchini Cheddar Risotto, which I can’t
wait to make with 2019’s fresh zucchini (such a long wait!!!).
When
the apples came in, I finally got around to a cake recipe from my grandmother,
which was amazing: Glazed Apple Walnut Cake.
Finally,
cookies, bars and other sweet treats featured in my baking all year round. Four
great ones stand out: Fudgy Mint Brownies,
And
my favorite for the holidays this year, Brandied Fruit and Nut Bars.
There
are lots of other things I messed with throughout this year that didn’t make the
pages quite so prominently, such as my somewhat successful attempts at homemade
sourdough, some baking with roasted sugar, and caramel sauce with cubic yards
of room for improvement. Plus, there was, and will continue to be variations on
tossed pasta dishes, soups that aren’t really a recipe, pot and pots of beans, impromptu
bean and/or grain salads, and frittatas stuffed with leftovers.
As
always, I have so many hopes and plans for the coming year. I may try to keep a
journal for once, if for no other reason than to have something to help me
remember anything that may happen. I regret that the spin for the near future on
The Messy Apron pages will have to include some healthy eating for weight loss.
I’ve fought that battle my whole life (except when I was a fat kid and didn’t
bother fighting), but my age and lifestyle (The Day Job!) are conspiring to
make things especially critical. I hate diets, scales, resolutions, self-hatred,
and, frankly, exercise for the sake of exercise, so I don’t really know where
this is going to go.
But
go it will. It must. Let’s go exploring in 2019!
No comments:
Post a Comment