Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt ~ #SundaySupper

April 28, 2013 By 59 Comments

I’m finally participating in #SundaySupper again. I usually participate every week, but recently I’ve been posting sporadically because life has been busy. Finding balance has been tough. I’m getting ready to graduate (May 14th is my last day!), I’m currently training for a 5k, and I’ve been developing several new recipes for various companies I’m working with. It’s all very exciting, but also very time consuming. I’m just happy to be back in action with my virtual family this week!

This week we’re being challenged to make something outside of our comfort zone. Maybe try a new cooking method, saute instead of whisk, bake instead of fry, tackle a new cuisine, or cross something off of your bucket list. No matter how we do it, we’re pushing fear aside and trying something new.

Since a majority of my baking is decadent, full-fat recipes, I decided to challenge myself with a skinny recipe. I have several ice cream recipes on my site, but no frozen yogurt. As Barney Stenson would say, “Challenge accepted!”

Frozen yogurt is a bit tricky. You wouldn’t think it would be, but there are certain rules that need to be followed for frozen yogurt success. Of course I didn’t do my research before I dove in full force–typical! The first time I made the yogurt, I used fat-free greek yogurt. The yogurt base tasted amazing. I took it out of the freezer the next day to taste it, and it was rock solid–hard as a brick! I let it sit at room-temperature for half an hour and tried again with no luck; it was still frozen solid.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt | www.themessybakerblog.com -7098

“What’s a girl gotta do to get a taste of frozen yogurt,” I yelled. Was it lady like? No. But who can be lady like in a time of yogurt desperation? Back to the drawing board I went.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt | www.themessybakerblog.com -7100

After some extensive research, I learned that fat-free yogurt freezes into a massive solid brick. Duh! That’s like the weather man telling me it’s raining outside when I’m clearly staring out my window at the monsoon that’s happening on the other side.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt | www.themessybakerblog.com -7106

When making frozen yogurt, you’ll want to use whole-milk, total-fat Greek yogurt. In this instance, fat is a good thing. The fat prevents the yogurt from over freezing, getting icy, and turning into a blunt instrument. Seriously, I could have inflicted some significant pain with my first batch of yogurt. The fat keeps the yogurt soft enough to scoop.

You want to be able to scoop the frozen yogurt, not use it as a murder weapon. The fat keeps the yogurt at a scoop-able consistency.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt | www.themessybakerblog.com -7113

I gifted this frozen yogurt to my grandfather, and he loved it…as did everyone else in my family. The Greek yogurt gives this frozen treat a lovely tanginess. The lemon pairs perfectly with the strawberries and brightens it up a bit.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt | www.themessybakerblog.com -7094

Enjoy!

Check out the other #SundaySupper recipes:

New Expeditions (Sides, Starters & Staples)

Homemade Corn Tortillas from Pescetarian Journal

Easy Oven Polenta from Shockingly Delicious

Homemade Spiced Flour Tortillas from Chocolate Moosey

Naan from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Homemade Tofu from Kimchi MOM

Savory Mushroom & Herb Steel-Cut Oat Risotto from Foxes Love Lemons

Indian Moong Beans from Magnolia Days

Baked Lemon Coconut Risotto from Soni’s Food

Homemade Peanut Butter from Home Cooking Memories

Homemade Ricotta Cheese from Webicurean

Portuguese Chorizo Bread from Family Foodie

Grand Quests (Main Dishes)

Traditional Pork Tamales from Gourmet Drizzles

Braised Lamb Brisket with Lemon Oregano Yogurt Sauce from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Rice Burger from The Urban Mrs.

Pan-fried Scallops with Garlic Chili Linguine from Food Lust People Love

Miso-Glazed Salmon from The Foodie Patootie

Penne with Mustard and Chives from My Other City By The Bay

Arepas Rellenas (Stuffed Arepas) from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Spanish Baked Scallops from Momma’s Meals

Black Beans and Cheese Empanadas from Basic N Delicious

Pork Dim Sum from Small Wallet, Big Appetite

Venison Steak Gyros from Curious Cuisiniere

Baked Tilapia with Parmesan Basil Sauce from Growing Up Gabel

Vegetarian Hortobagyi Pancakes from Happy Baking Days

Caribou & Andouille Chili from The Foodie Army Wife

Escapades (Sweet Treats & Spirited Companions)

Vegan Chocolate Mousse from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen

Zebra Cake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Multilayer Bars from What Smells So Good?

Meatball Grinders & How to Grind Meat from Cravings of a Lunatic

Rut-Busting Wines For New Cooking Adventures from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows from Vintage Kitchen

Strawberry Raspberry Fruit Leather from Juanita’s Cocina

Making Macarons – FAIL! from girlichef

Macaroons from Noshing With The Nolands

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt from The Messy Baker

Bircher Muesli from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Hello Kitty Rice Krispies from The Ninja Baker

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from In The Kitchen With KP

Dorie Greenspan’s Orange Almond Tart from Hip Foodie Mom

Ombre Mini Cakes from Daily Dish Recipes

Chocolate Dipped Madeleines  from Big Bear’s Wife

5.0 from 3 reviews

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Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Author: 
Recipe type: Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream
 

Ingredients
  • 32 oz. plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla paste
  • 2 cups strawberries, chopped
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • zest of 1 lemon

Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, sugar, and vanilla paste. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  2. In a small bowl, mix strawberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Allow the mixture to macerate for 10 minutes. Using a fork, slightly mash the strawberries.
  3. Freeze the yogurt mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers’ instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the strawberries.
  4. Transfer the yogurt to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
  5. Notes- You may need to allow the frozen yogurt to set at room-temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping.

 

Filed Under: Ice Cream Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

“Eat Me” Blueberry Lemon Scones ~ #SundaySupper

April 14, 2013 By 68 Comments

Happy Sunday! This week the #SundaySupper crew is going to the cinema. Heather from Girlichef is hosting a movie-themed #SundaySupper this week. We’re making movie-inspired recipes. I just about jumped for joy as I was signing up to participate this week.

I don’t watch a lot of television, but I do like a good movie. Squirrel and I signed up for Netflix about a  year ago, which means we get to watch as many movies as we like. Usually, Friday night is our movie night. Sometimes it’s just the two of us, but most of the time we head over to my mom and dad’s house to watch a movie with the family.

I’m a wee bit obsessed with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. As you can probably guess, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland is my favorite movie. I love the Alice books so much that I decided to use the movie as the topic for my 20-page research paper that I wrote last semester.

In honor of Alice and our movie-themed #SundaySupper, I decided to make “Eat Me” blueberry lemon scones. If you’re familiar with Disney’s Alice in Wonderland or the Alice books, then you know that Alice is forced to consume little cakes scrolled with the words Eat Me and cocktails (non-alcoholic, of course) scrolled with the words Drink Me in order to fit through the various doors and holes throughout the movie. I thought scones would be an appropriate choice to celebrate Alice and the rest of her “mad” friends. Besides, I adore scones; especially these, because they’re healthy.

I was originally supposed to make you strawberry orange scones, but I couldn’t find any decent strawberries. After I couldn’t find strawberries, I decided to make blackberry orange scones. Well, that didn’t quite work out as planned. I made a boo-boo during the mixing process; I forgot to add the sugar. I tried slipping the sugar in at the end (knowing that this was a bad idea to begin with and that my efforts would be futile), but I proceeded, keeping my fingers secretly crossed behind my back like a sneaky school girl breaking a promise. The universe didn’t have my back. Instead, it kicked me to the curb and didn’t return. The result wasn’t pretty. The scones looked like crater-pitted blobs.

So, I started over again. Come, join me for a “Mad” tea party…

Blueberry Lemon Scones | www.themessybakerblog.com -6975

The second time was a charm. Just look at that lemon glaze dripping off the sides. Yum!

Since I’m trying to eat better, I decided to create a healthier version. These are full of whole wheat flour, greek yogurt, fat-free butter milk, and fresh blueberries.

Blueberry Lemon Scones | www.themessybakerblog.com -6959

The result is a guilt-free, moist hunk of carbohydrate. Warning: Don’t be surprised if you go “mad” while nibbling on these.

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Enjoy with a cup of tea or a big mug of coffee.

Check out the other movie-inspired recipes:

Toast (bready things)

No Reservations (soups and salads)

Today’s Special (fish, chicken, beef, and pork)

Forks Over Knives (veggie-heavy dishes and sides)

Udon (pasta and noodles)

Just Desserts (sweet treats)

Bottle Shock (beverages)

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday, April 14th to talk all about movies that have inspired us to head into the kitchen – and the food that comes from that inspiration (7pm EST)!  We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world.   Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

5.0 from 3 reviews

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“Eat Me” Blueberry Lemon Scones
Author: 
Recipe type: Scones, Quick Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 11
 

Ingredients
Scones
  • 2½ cups white whole wheat flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tbs. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1¼ cups fat-free buttermilk
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (do not thaw frozen blueberries)
Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 3½ tbs. lemon juice

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles very coarse sand (the mixture will still be a bit dry).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries. Scoop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet using a large ice cream scoop.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the scones are golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Drizzle the glaze onto the slightly warm scones.
Glaze
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon zest. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice until smooth.

 

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: , , , ,

Citrus Scented Cheese Babka ~ #TwelveLoaves

March 18, 2013 By 17 Comments

Easter is right around the corner. I can’t believe it! Next thing you know it will be June and Sunny.

The mention of June conjures up thoughts of flip-flops, pink sunsets, and sandy beaches. I can’t wait for flip-flop weather. I know some people like to wear flip-flops all year long, but I’m not that gal. My toes would freeze right off.

Before I even think about wearing flip-flops, I have to do something about my tootsies. I hate to admit it, but they may need a hack saw or power sander taken to them. I feel bad for the poor soul that has to tend to my feet. Fact– I haven’t had a pedicure since my foot injury last October. Eek! It took forever for the poor injured toe to heal, and I’ve been hesitant to let anyone near the thing. So, before I go showing off my feet, a pedicure is a must.

This month Lora challenged the #TwelveLoaves group to make a type of Easter/Passover bread. I’ve never actually made Easter bread before, so I was excited for the adventure. I did a little research and came up with cheese babka. Babka is a sweet yeast cake that varies depending on the origin of the bread. The legend suggests that the sweet bread was accidently invented by an exiled Polish King. I decided to create the Polish version of cheese babka for this month’s Easter/Passover themed #TwelveLoaves.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this bread. The aroma of the dough was utterly intoxicating as I was slowly stiring the mixture with my wooden spoon. Wafts of vanilla and sweet sugar billowed through the air as I was kneading the rich, buttery dough. As I was kneading the dough, I was thinking, ”If the dough smells this good, it has to taste amazing!”

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6674

It does. This bread tastes amazing! It’s mildly sweet and slightly dense, stuffed with a creamy lemon scented cheese mixture. I could’ve eaten the entire loaf by myself.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6673

I could live off of bread. Seriously, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and not complain once.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6683

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6668

I spiked the cream cheese filling with homemade citrus marmalade to brighten it up a bit for Easter. One bite of this bread, and you’ll be hooked.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6685

Enjoy!

CheeseBabkaCollage

We would love to have you join our #TwelveLoaves group. It’s easy!

#TwelveLoaves March: Holiday Bread. Bake a bread, yeast or quick bread, loaf or individual. This #TwelveLoaves is all about the incredible holiday breads featured in March. Do you have a favorite Easter or St. Patrick’s Day Bread? We would love to see it. Let’s get baking!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your Bread is inspired by the theme!
2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this March, 2013 posted on your blog by March 31, 2013.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Citrus Scented Cheese Babka
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 8-10
 

Adapted from allrecipes
Ingredients
Dough
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • ¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup lukewarm milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Filling
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, at room-temperature
  • 1 tbs. sour cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbs. orange or citrus marmalade
  • 2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Instructions
  1. Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Let stand for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, ¼ cup sugar, salt, vanilla extract, milk, and eggs. Stir in 1 cup of flour.
  3. Add the yeast mixture and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the remaining flour to form a soft dough (the mixture will be a little sticky at this point).
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of flour to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a round and place it in a large greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a dry towel and place the bowl in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
  5. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in egg until incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract and marmalade until smooth. Set aside.
  6. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
  7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with melted butter. Spread the cheese filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, starting from the long end, roll the dough towards you. Pinch the ends closed. Pull the long edge of the dough up and pinch to seal. Carefully lift the rolled dough into the prepared bundt pan. Cover with a dry towel and let rise for 1 hour.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  9. Bake the babka until deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes; invert the babka onto a wire rack and remove the pan. Allow the babka to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

 

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: , , , , , ,

#SundaySupper~Lemon Meringue Pie for #BakeforaCure with Chantal

October 21, 2012 By 54 Comments

Happy Sunday, all!

This week the #SundaySupper crew is teaming up with Chantal for a #BakeforaCure #SundaySupper. October is Breast Cancer Awarness month, and Chantal is working to create awareness with their baking products and is encouraging their audience to bake something for someone who is undergoing cancer treatment or has been affected by cancer. What says “get well soon” better than a baked good straight from the heart?

Chantal was generous enough to give 20 lucky #SundaySupper team members one of their Easy As Pie Dish to take for a test run, and I happened to be one of the lucky 20. Can I just tell you how thrilled I was to receive one of these gorgeous pie dishes…very! Baking is what I do best, so I was tickled to receive such an amazing pie dish. I may have even done a little dance when I found my name on the list of chosen bloggers. It’s the little things that thrill me most.

About Chantal:  Chantal Cookware was founded by Heida Thurlow, a German-born citizen who relocated to the United States in 1971. Heida is considered to be the first woman in the U.S. to launch and run a cookware company.

Chantal is known for their innovation in kitchen cookware development and have achieved several firsts for the kitchen; including, introducing dramatic color to the table, designing tempered glass lids and stay-cool handles for cookware, and designing several intuitive features for cooking, serving, and storing.

About the Easy As Pie Dish:  The newest innovation for bakers everywhere is the Easy As Pie-Dish™ from Chantal. The patented design simplifies the art of baking the perfect pie. Designed for ease, the interior ridges conveniently hold the dough in place and provide an even, uniform mold for the outer crust. A raised rim on the outside of the dish allows for precise trimming of excess dough. 9″ interior Diameter. Microwave, Oven, Freezer and Dishwasher safe (Chantal).

The Messy Baker’s Review:  Chantal has created a gorgeous and user-friendly pie dish. I was lucky enough to receive their signature Apple Red color, which resembles the deep red of a red delicious apple. Its high shine glaze creates an appealing exterior, but also makes it easy to slice and remove a piece of pie effortlessly. The dish is extremely durable and is an item you’ll have in your collection for a lifetime.

The fluted rim is what makes this pie dish so special. The mold is stamped directly into the dish, making it easy to shape and trim the crust. It’s the perfect pie dish for a novice baker.

I decided to test out the pie dish with a lemon meringue pie.

Chantal’s Easy As Pie dish was a pleasure to bake with and is easy on the eyes. My pie came out of their dish effortlessly.

I may have gone a bit wild with the meringue. As you can see, the meringue is piled high on top of the lemon custard, which is the way I like it.

It reminds me of the lemon meringue pie on the spinning carousel at the diners.

The lemon custard is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It almost didn’t make it into the pie crust…almost!

A bit of leg work (or should I say arm work) went into this pie, but, I promise, it’s definitely worth it.

Enjoy!

Check out what the other #SundaySupper members are baking up:

These bloggers received the new Chantal Easy As Pie Dish to bake with:

And don’t miss out on the rest of the #BakeForACure recipes from the other #SundaySupper participants:

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#SundaySupper~Lemon Meringue Pie for #BakeforaCure with Chantal
Author: 
Recipe type: Pie
Serves: 8-10
 

Custard and meringue adapted from Baked
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 9 graham crackers
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 2 tbs. brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tbs. melted butter
  • Lemon Custard
  • ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 7 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 4 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
  • Meringue
  • 7 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp. almond extract

Instructions
  1. For the crust:
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish.
  3. Add graham crackers, pecans, brown sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to a fine crumb. Drizzle in the melted butter while pulsing until it looks like wet sand.
  4. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pie dish and up the sides.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is brown.
  6. Lemon Custard
  7. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the zest to soften.
  8. In a medium, heat proof bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Add the lemon juice and whisk until combined.
  9. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl). Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 13 minutes.
  10. Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the softened butter until melted. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  11. Almond Meringue
  12. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a heat proof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 140 degrees F. on an instant or candy thermometer, about 11 minutes.
  13. Remove the bowl from the pan and pour into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form, adding the cream of tartar when the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. When the mixture begins to hold soft peaks, add the almond extract, then continue to mix until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes total.
  14. Assemble Pie
  15. Preheat the broiler to low. Place the oven rack so it’s sitting in the center of the oven.
  16. Take your lemon custard out the of the fridge and whisk until smooth. Add the custard to the cooled graham cracker crust.
  17. Place a generous helping of meringue on top of the custard and form peaks with the spatula.
  18. Place the pie under the broiler until the meringue begins to turn light brown. Make sure you don’t’ take your eye off of the pie while it’s under the broil. Once the meringue reaches a light brown color, turn the broiler on high to toast the tips of the meringue. Take out of the oven and let sit at room temperature until ready to eat.
  19. Pie best served same day.

Chantal will be running an online promotion during the #BakeForaCure event. The promotion includes a discount coupon code- BAKE4CURE. The discount will be 20% OFF of ALL Chantal Pie dishes on www.chantal.com. The code must be entered at checkout to receive the pie dish discount. The coupon discount code is active October 16, 2012 through October 30, 2012.

Follow Chantal on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

Filed Under: Pie Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Hazelnut Crusted Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

September 6, 2012 By 21 Comments

It’s back to school for me. I’m not excited about it, but I’m an adult, and adults have to do things they don’t always want to do. At least that’s what they tell me. You know, the undefined “they.” Who do they think they are anyway?

This semester happens to be my last semester. Yippee! Soon I’ll be deemed smart by Towson University and rewarded my Bachelor’s degree in English. The picture to the left is the building I’ll be spending my entire Tuesdays and Thursdays until mid December. If you need me, that’s where I’ll be, studying and watching the youngins strut their stuff down the halls with their sunglasses on. Hello! We’re inside, there’s no need for protective eyewear in the building. This is one trend that completely eludes me.

I’m getting off track. Sorry.

I’ll be hitting the books for the next three months, which means I’ll be a busy gal. Finding time to cook can become a bit problematic, so I tend to resort to no-fuss meals during the semester and become very close with my crockpot.

I made a no-fuss hazelnut crusted tilapia over the weekend. The entire meal only took 30 minutes from start to finish, and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Delicious doesn’t have to mean laboring over a stove for 4 hours.

This dish derives from my husband’s love of Carrabba’s tilapia nocciola. If you’re not familiar with tilapia nocciola, it’s a hazelnut crusted tilapia topped with a lemon butter sauce. My husband orders it every time we eat at Carrabba’s. Once my husband finds a dish that he loves, he doesn’t deviate from it. He’s so predictable.

My husband practically swooned over this dish when it was done. He said he couldn’t tell the difference between my version and Carrabba’s. I’m not going to lie. I felt like a total rock star after that comment.

The hazelnuts toast up as you sear the tilapia, giving the outside layer a warm, nutty crunchiness. Then it gets drizzled with the tart, buttery lemon sauce.

First you’re hit with the tart sauce, then your teeth sink into the nutty crust, and finally into the moist, flakey fish. The combination is absolutely divine.

Enjoy!

Hazelnut Crusted Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

Lemon Butter Sauce:

2 garlic gloves, minced
4 tbs. butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbs. Sherry
1 tbs. chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, add butter and garlic. Sauté until garlic softens. Add lemon juice, sherry, and chicken stock. Reduce by half, about 4-5 minutes. Whisk in cream and lemon zest and reduce to thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Take the mixture off of the heat and add the basil, whisk to combine.

Tilapia:

6 tilapia fillets
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely ground
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3 eggs
canola oil
salt and pepper
Grape tomatoes for garnish (optional)

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat. Place two shallow dishes by the stove, closest to the burner you’re going to sear the tilapia in. Add ground hazelnuts and panko to one of the dishes and the eggs to the other dish. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a pinch of pepper to each dish and whisk. Dip tilapia fillets into the egg mixture, turning to coat, then directly into the hazelnut mixture, making sure to thoroughly coat each side. Place the first 3 fillets into the hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, adding a sprinkle of salt to the fillets after you flip them. Repeat with the next three fillets.

Drizzle the tilapia with lemon butter sauce and garnish with fresh grape tomatoes.

 

Filed Under: Savory Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Birthday Lemon Bars

August 17, 2012 By 26 Comments

I’m busting out the cone hats, the party horns, the goodie bags, the party streamers, and the birthday balloons on the blog today. Why such a festive celebration? Well, today is one of my very best foodie friend’s (BFF) birthday.

Happy birthday, Jen from Juanita’s Cocina! *Horn blowing*

Jen may be in Texas, but that’s not stopping me from celebrating her special day. I’ve got my cone hat on, and I’m ready to paaartay!

If you know Jen, then you know that she’s bonkers for anything lemon. Lemon cake, lemon pie, lemon, lemon, and more lemon. The girl loves her some lemon! So, in honor of Jen’s very special day and love of all things lemon, I made her birthday lemon bars with a pecan crust. Stick a candle in it and make a wish, Jen!

These lemon bars pack a huge punch of tart lemon flavor. Pow, right in your kisser tart!

The buttery pecan crust melts in your mouth and pairs perfectly with the sweet, tart, gooey lemon custard that tops it. And if that weren’t enough, the baked bars get drizzled with a sweet lemon icing.

They’re a lemon lovers dream come true.

Happy Birthday, Jen! Enjoy your special day and eat cake… lots of cake!

 

Lemon Bars

Crust

1 cup flour
1 cup ground pecans
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. lemon zest

Filling

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. lemon zest

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: In a large bowl, beat flour, ground pecans, powdered sugar, butter, and lemon zest until combined. Press into the bottom of a greased 9-by-13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk eggs to break the yolks. Add sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice, and lemon zest, whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over crust, immediately after removing from oven. Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. Let cool for at least one hour before topping with glaze.

For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Adapted from Baking Serendipity

 

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Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet

July 17, 2012 By 18 Comments

Welcome to day 3 of #icecreamweek!

Can we all agree that this is the best week ever? All ice cream, all week. What’s not to love?

I’ve been so busy churning up ice cream that I’ve be slacking in the housework department just a tad. There may be piles of laundry waiting to be washed, floors that need to be vacuumed, tables that need dusting, and dishes that need scrubbing. There may even be a lingering Skittle or two on the floor that my cat keeps swatting around.

Okay, so I’m a big fat slacker! It was either make ice cream or clean. Psht, ice cream totally won that battle. Seriously, who wants to clean when you can make and eat ice cream?

I made a very exciting, very different ice cream flavor for day 3 of #icecreamweek. It’s a lemon buttermilk sherbet. Now, I know it sounds different, but I promise you it’s delicious. Delicious with a capital D.

Buttermilk and lemon complement each other extremely well in this ice cream. The buttermilk is creamy and tangy, while the lemon is tart and refreshing. The combination is perfect.

I’m not kidding you when I tell you that this is the easiest ice cream I’ve made this week. It only requires three steps. Three steps! How easy is that?

Add some fresh berries and you have yourself a perfect frozen treat. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out what my #icecreamweek counterparts, Jen from Juanita’s Cocina and Carla from Chocolate Moosey, are churning up.

Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet

1/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, add water, sugar, and lemon zest. Heat until sugar is just dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from eat and let cool to room temperature (I placed the mixture in the fridge to cool quicker).

Whisk the buttermilk and lemon juice into the cooled syrup. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place in an airtight container and store in your freezer until ready to serve. Serve with fresh berries.

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop

 

Filed Under: Ice Cream Tagged With: , , ,

Cherry Sour Cocktails & Exciting News

July 11, 2012 By 19 Comments

Guess what next week is on the blog. Go on, take a guess. All right, I’ll tell ya. It’s #icecreamweek!

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!

At least that’s how I’m imagining your reactions to this exciting news. You know, doing the wave, pumping your fists in the air, stomping your feet to “We Will Rock You.” Hold on, that’s football, isn’t it? Either way, this is exciting news, so feel free to go wild and do all of those crazy gestures, especially the wave. I’d love to see a #icecreamweek wave.

In preparation for #icecreamweek, I painted my nails ice cream parlor turquoise with glitter sprinkles. Whoa! Nerd alert. What can I say, I take my themes seriously.

To tide you over until next week, I’ve made y’all some cherry sour cocktails. I know we had the discussion about me being a lush, and all I can say is I’m trying. In my defense, this recipe was just too delicious to pass up. I promise I’ll try to be a better person next week. Pinky swear!

This cocktail is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, and tart.

I found this recipe on Chasing Delicious. Russell is the creative genius over at Chasing delicious and, if you’re not familiar with Russell’s site, I highly suggest you go on over and give him a visit. He takes the most beautiful food photos I have ever seen. On his site you’ll find towering blueberry pies, doodle instructions on chalkboards (my favorite is his picture of the drill), and fancy do-it-yourself mason jars.

Lemons.

Limes.

Two things you’ll need to make your lips pucker when you sip on this cocktail.

Beautiful ruby red cherries.

I pitted cherries. Then, I pitted some more cherries. After that, I mashed the cherries into a deep, crimson liquid with the citrus juice and simple syrup. Talk about a gorgeous color. My next shoe purchase is going to be a pair of cherry red pumps.

This here’s my cocktail makin’ station. It’s where all the magic happens.

Pitting cherries is hard work, but, for this cocktail, it’s worth it.

Cheers!

Cherry Sours

2 cups cherries, pitted

2 lemons, juiced
3 limes, juiced
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup simple syrup

In a large bowl, add the pitted cherries, lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Mash with a potato masher to break up the cherries. Add the maraschino cherry juice, bourbon, and brandy. Stir to combine. Pour into a pitcher and pour over ice. Garnish with a cherry.

 

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Blueberry Soda

June 21, 2012 By 38 Comments

It’s officially summertime here in Baltimore. Today, it’s a smeltering 100 degrees and the humidity is out of control. It feels like hot dog breath outside- blek! Let me just tell you, this weather is not helping my hair situation. I have a mini fro going on, and it’s a frightful sight.

I made a refreshing summer soda to help beat this dreaded summer heat. It’s blueberry, it’s super fresh, and screams summa summa time!

I made a simple blueberry syrup that I found on Joy the Baker. It’s delicious and fruity with a touch of mint. I sweetened it with agave syrup to keep it all natural.

All you have to do is add a little syrup to a glass of ice and top it with club soda. Voila, homemade soda! You control how sweet you want your soda by adding as little or as much club soda as you like.

Blueberry Syrup

adapted from Joy the Baker

3 cups water
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen blueberries
1 lemon, juiced
6 mint leaves
3/4 agave nectar

In a medium-sized saucepan, add water, blueberries, lemon juice, mint leaves, and agave. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer into a large bowl (preferably one with a spout for easy transfer). Using a spatula, press down on the blueberries to release all of their juices.

Transfer the strained mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the mixture reduces to about 2 cups of liquid.

Chill the syrup in the refrigerator until completely cool, about 2 hours. Add ice to a glass, pour in desired amount of syrup, and top with club soda. Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Drinks Tagged With: , , ,

Buttery Herbed Potatoes ~ #SundaySupper

June 10, 2012 By 56 Comments

It’s Sunday, and you know what that means… #SundaySupper. Today we’re celebrating #SundaySupper with LAND O LAKES® in honor of their new Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter.

Summertime is my favorite time of the year. There’s an abundance of fresh produce, lazy days spent on the deck with family, and outdoor cooking- my favorite. I enjoy making recipes with fresh herbs grown right in my own garden. Today I made buttery herbed potatoes. They’re light and buttery with a hint of lemon. This recipe is perfect for family barbecues and only takes a few minutes to throw together, and the outcome is delicious.

Mmmm, there’s nothing like using fresh herbs and produce to create the perfect summer side dish. The LAND O LAKES® Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter made the perfect sauce to toss the potatoes in.

I made a light sauce with the Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, garlic, and fresh herbs. It was yummy.

My grandmother and mom stopped by while I was in the process of photographing this dish and, of course, I offered them a taste of the final product. I find it very helpful to get an unbiased opinion of my food. Well, they loved these potatoes. My grandmother said, “You tell LAND O LAKES® that these potatoes are grandmother approved.” Bless her heart. I love that woman. I’m the type of person that will worry about my food until someone tastes it and gives me feedback. I’m always secretly keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that everyone will love my dish. It’s not enough that I like the dish; someone else has to verify that it’s delicious before I actually believe it to be true.

Not only is this dish delicious, but it’s aesthetically pleasing with the vibrant green flecks of fresh herbs and bits of garlic.

I’d like to give a big thank you to LAND O LAKES® for joining the #SundaySupper group in bringing back Sunday supper around the family table and for allowing us to develop a simple and fresh summer recipe with their Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter. I had a blast being creative with your product.

LAND O LAKES® has been so kind as to give all of the #SundaySupper participants a free Olive Oil & Sea Salt coupon to give away to one of their lucky followers. In order to win, please leave a comment telling me what you would make with the LAND O LAKES® butter if you won.

For more chances to win:

Follow LAND O LAKES® on twitter: @LandOLakesKtchn
Follow LAND O LAKES® on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LandOLakes
Follow me on twitter: @messybakerblog
Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themessybakerblog

Don’t forget to leave me a separate comment telling me you have done so.

Make sure you check out the other talented foodies Simple and Fresh Summer Recipes:

Buttery Herbed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. baby yukon gold potatoes

4 tbs. LAND O LAKES® Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter

1 tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. garlic, minced

2 tbs. capers

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a large pot, add the potatoes and fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Bring to a boil and let cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and cut potatoes in half.

Heat a large saucepan. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter is melted, add the garlic, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Saute for 3 minutes until the sauce has reduced some. Add the cooked potatoes, chopped dill, and chopped parsley. Toss to coat and let cook for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Best served warm. Enjoy!

 

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