2017 was a bit of a rough year
at The Messy Apron. I missed the first two months, getting no posts in
whatsoever, being overwhelmed with my day job. That day job got even worse in
the fall, when I accepted a promotion that totally ate my life.
If there is a silver lining
to that particular cloud, however, it is that there was a greater concentration
of good stuff that got onto these pages. I was surprised at how many of the
recipes that I did manage to test, photograph and post were for really delicious
dishes. From cakes and breakfast foods to salads and even jam, I had a lot of fun
playing with my food this year, and I’ve missed being able to put more time into
doing just that. Here is a list of 9 of the absolute best recipes posted from
January to December 2017.
I’ve never really thought that
a Messy Apron year had a “Recipe of the Year” before now, but I’m ready to name
one for 2017: Lemon Layer Cake! With lemon curd sandwiched between lemon-infused
white cake layers brushed with Limoncello, it’s truly, madly deliciously
delicious.
Another fabulous and much
simpler cake: Rhubarb Pudding Cake. This was one of the most popular recipes
(based on clicks) this year.
Marmalade Baked French Toast
is a warm and comfy bread and butter pudding infused with cream cheese and
orange marmalade. I’m sure it could be varied with your favorite sweet jams and
preserves.
And speaking of jam, this Easy Apricot Jam is simple to prepare, but could make you look like a kitchen pro. I
also used the same basic recipe method to make lovely jams with other summer
fruits.
I love hearty, main-dish
salads and this Lentil Salad with Curry Lime Yogurt Dressing was a pleasantly
spicy and creamy surprise.
Many recipes I tried this
year were fabulous finds on Pinterest. This Shrimp and Pea Macaroni Salad is one
such delicious adaptation for The Messy Apron.
These Orange and White Chocolate Cookies were some of the most satisfying eats I produced in the
sweets department (and I have high expectations for cookies.)
I’d love to have these Barley Flour Scones on my breakfast table or ready to accompany an afternoon cup of
coffee more often.
Last, but not least on the
list is Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal.
Of course, there were a few
other things I mucked about with over the last 12 months, including homemade sourdough
bread (actually pretty great!), a cranberry marmalade that wasn’t quite right,
and some cookies that needed a tweek or two. And what’s to come on The Messy Apron?
If I had my way and my time was my own, a lot of big changes. I’m afraid to promise
you these things, however, because my time is way more limited than I would
like. Sigh.
I do have a cranberry
cheesecake pie to tell you about, and I’m going to collect together some archive
recipes for winter salads and other winter vegetable favorites. I want to tell you about a peanut butter version of the baked oatmeal above. I have two new
cookbooks I want to dig into. I’m trying to use social media, like The Messy Apron Blog Facebook page more effectively. One thing is for sure: seasonal cooking
curiosity with a bit of a messy spin will carry on!
Happy New Year!
