2015 in Review

  

I finally got all my new calendars up, so I’m very much aware that 2016 is well underway (as if the explosion of political ads weren’t enough of a clue). I’m finally getting a chance to review all the good stuff that went across these pages last year, however, so allow me a few moments to reminisce.

Here, with no fanfare, is a simple list of my 13 favorite recipes from 2015. There’s no significance to the number 13. This is just the list I came up with when reviewing posts from the last year.

Flourless Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Bourbon-Vanilla Pumpkin Pie

Pear and Apple Crumble Pie

Wheat Berry and Squash Salad

White Bean Salad with Green Olives and Tarragon

Barbecue Beans

Bean Salad with Mole Vinaigrette

Creamy White Onion Soup

Oatmeal Cherry Bars

Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake

Irish Cream Brownies

Orange Pound Cake

Crispy Light Wheat and Cinnamon Waffles

Really, 2015 was a very busy year, sometimes painfully so. It wasn’t always easy to post regularly, and this space became more about how to get things on the table quickly than I ever thought it would. Not all of my favorite posts from last year fall into that category, however, such as a couple of delicious pies, cheesecake, and a fancy soup, so I still had time to mess about a little. That’s the kind of lovely cooking I really enjoy, and the kind of cooking I hope to do more of in the coming months.

Something, some little tickle in my subconscious, tells me that The Messy Apron may be a bit different in the days ahead. That it may evolve a bit as a journal on cooking and eating, become less rigidly about recipes, celebrate ingredients and lifestyle. But I don’t know. We’ll just have to see. How exciting!

Gingerbread Pancakes

 

I have lists and bookmarks and files of recipes for all kinds of delicious confections that are perfect for the holidays. When Thanksgiving flies by and Christmas comes in, I find it difficult to fit those exciting things into my schedule, or, really, my calorie budget. And so, I find simple ways to get holiday flavors into more or less everyday dishes. Such is the case with these Gingerbread Pancakes.

All I did here was take my usual buttermilk pancake recipe and doctor it up with the flavors of gingerbread: molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. I also substituted the buttermilk with a mixture of yogurt thinned with milk, just because that’s what was in the refrigerator, and part of holiday simplicity involves limiting trips to the grocery store.

The mix and balance of flavors in these pancakes were exactly what I was looking for, especially for the ease in which they came together. They’re warm and comforting, delicious and satisfying. They’re full of the great taste of gingerbread, just right for Christmas breakfast.

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Pancakes

You could substitute the yogurt-milk mixture with an equal amount of buttermilk.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¾ cup plain or vanilla yogurt

¼ cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral oil)

2 tablespoons molasses

1. Preheat an electric griddle to 350 F or a large skillet on the stove to medium heat. Preheat the oven to 200 F (to keep the pancakes warm for service). In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk together to combine. Set aside.

2. In a measuring cup (or in a small bowl) combine the yogurt and milk. Stir together until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the egg, oil and molasses. Whisk together until very smooth. Whisk in the yogurt mixture. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. The batter will be somewhat thick. If it is too thick, add some additional milk.

4. Pour a little oil into the preheated griddle or pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour a scant ¼ cup batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the edges of the pancakes look dry and the tops are bubbly. The bottoms may appear quite brown, but don’t worry. Flip the pancakes and cook on the other side until browned and cooked through. Repeat with all the remaining batter. Keep warm in the preheated oven. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Makes about 8 4-inch pancakes, about 2 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Gingerbread Muffins, Butter Pecan Pancakes

Butter Frosting for Sugar Cookies

 

If I did a lot of frosting, this would be my go-to frosting. It’s good on cakes and cupcakes, but, of course, I’ve most recently used it to decorate Christmas Sugar Cookies. I was so happy with it there, that I don’t know why I never did such a thing before!

This is a very simple frosting, known as “buttercream” in the book from which I adapted it. While I’ve seen other frostings called buttercream, this is what I usually think of when I’m looking for buttercream. The recipe below makes a fairly small quantity, but it can be easily doubled (and then used to frost a layer cake). It’s sweet and easy to spread when at room temperature, and lasts quite a while in the refrigerator if you don’t want to use it all at once.

I think this frosting could be flavored just about any way you like with different flavored extracts or liqueurs. You could also add cocoa powder or melted chocolate to make a rich chocolate frosting. Citrus juice or instant coffee crystals would also be good additions. Of course, the plain frosting can be tinted with food coloring as desired as well. 

I loved this frosting plain and simple on my Christmas cookies. I decorated them with pretty sprinkles on top the frosting (I put mini M&Ms on some, too). The toppings will stick well to the frosting when it’s first applied, then will hold on as the frosting dries ever so slightly (it stays light and fluffy if the cookies are well wrapped). This quick and easy, creamy, sweet frosting is just the thing to make simple cookies into festive treats for the holidays.

Simple Butter Frosting

Adapted from Pillsbury: The Complete Book of Baking

This recipe is easily doubled.

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy.

2. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until very well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Add the milk and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Refrigerate any unused portion.

Makes a scant 2 cups.