Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Feature Your Recipes on Messy Aprons!

Messy Aprons wants to feature your recipe! Everyone has a favorite dish, a special family recipe, or even just something you came up with on your own.


We’ll feature everyone who wants to participate. Leave us a comment on what you would like to post and a way for me to get in touch with you and we’ll work out the details from there!

Don’t be shy…

We’re looking forward to getting a glimpse of your kitchens!

{PS – you don’t have to be a blogger to participate. Simply follow the commenting instructions above and I’ll be in touch!}

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

White Queso {Restaurant Style}

After years of wasting money on store bought white queso, I have finally found a close to legit white queso recipe! It makes a ton, so try it out at your next party.


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Ingredients:
1 lb white American cheese (found at the deli counter)
1 to 1-1/2 cups half and half
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans chopped green chiles

Directions:
In a small frypan saute the onion in the butter until translucent. In the microwave or on top of a double boiler, melt the cheese with the half and half. You can judge how much to use on how thick or thin you like it. Add the onion and chiles and stir until all incorporated. Serve with tortilla chips.


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Monday, May 2, 2011

Fried Green Beans & Japanese Ranch


I wanted to re-create the fried green beans from PF Chang's so I found this recipe online. These taste good, don't get me wrong; however, they are not like PF Chang's. If anyone has the recipe, please share!

Fried Green Beans {Printer Friendly Version}
Ingredients:
-Peanut oil, for frying
-1 cup beer
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
-1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

Directions:
1. Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk the beer, flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Dip green beans into batter to coat, letting excess drip off. Fry in the peanut oil in batches, until they are golden and crisp. Remove from oil with a spider strainer to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

***

The sauce is called 'Japanese Ranch' and it is a knock-off the Benihana's white sauce. This was really close to authentic.

Japanese Ranch {Printer Friendly Version}
Ingredients:
-1 ¼ cup Hellman's mayo
-¼ cup water
-1 tsp tomato paste
-1 tbs melted butter
-½ tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp sugar
-¼ tsp paprika
-dash of cayenne

Directions:
1. Using a fork or a whisk, blend all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and the sauce is smooth. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.
2. The sauce will NOT taste right if you don't let it sit overnight. And please don't try to substitute ketchup for the tomato paste! The water is needed to bring this to the right consistency.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Ham Delights


These are quite possibly the best ham sandwiches that I have ever tasted. Don't be scared about the butter. The taste is all you need to worry about! I got this recipe from a lady at my church and they are all the rave!


Ingredients:
1 stick butter (melted)
1 tbs mustard
3 tbs poppy seeds
1 medium onion or 9 green onions (chopped fine)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb ham (chopped fine)
5-6 oz shredded Swiss cheese
3 packages Hawaiian rolls (or dinner rolls)

Directions:

1. Melt butter. Add mustard, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce.
2. Mix ham, cheese & onion. Pour butter mixture over ham mixture.
3. Mix & spread in rolls.
4. Place on a cookie sheet & cover with foil.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. If you freeze them, bake about 15 minutes.

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Banana Bread

Martha Stewart knows how to bake!  This may be the first Martha recipe that I've ever tackled and it turned out great.
I love banana bread made with sour cream. It gives the bread a little somethin' somethin'!  The hardest part of this whole process was slicing the banana bread. It was primarily due to my lack of patience in letting the bread completely cool. What can I say? I was hungry!
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.


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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Buttermilk Pecan Chicken

This recipe comes from the Indy Star. Besides having to let the chicken soak for an hour, the rest was easy peasy and super yummy!

Ingredients:

  • 4 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup toasted pecans
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic and gently flatten with a mallet to an even ⅓ inch thick. Marinate chicken in buttermilk for 1 hour in refrigerator.
2. In a food processor, pulse the pecans and panko together until fine. Transfer to a large rimmed dish. Remove chicken breasts from buttermilk and shake off any excess. Dip chicken in breading, coating both sides.
3. In a large skill, heat oil. Fry chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden in color. Remove from pan, drain on a paper towel lined plate, season with salt and pepper and serve.


**Instead of frying, chicken can also be baked for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.**

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Mustard-Dill Tortellini Skewers

I was looking for a recipe that would be OK to sit outside at our crawfish boil. I stumbled upon these easy and tasty skewers here. They really turned out great!





Skewers:


Ingredients

  • 1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 1 (8-oz.) package frozen sugar snap peas
  • 68 (4-inch) wooden skewers ( I used toothpicks)
  • 1 pt. grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • Mustard Dill vinaigrette

Preparation

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Rinse under cold running water.

2. Place sugar snap peas in a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes. Rinse under cold running water.

3. Thread each skewer with 1 sugar snap pea, 1 tortellini, and 1 tomato half. Place skewers in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette over skewers, turning to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours. Transfer skewers to a serving platter; discard any remaining vinaigrette.


Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 pressed garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups olive oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Whisk together vinegar, fresh dill, Dijon mustard, garlic, and sugar. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until thoroughly combined. Whisk in kosher salt and pepper to taste.