August 2011 - Page 2 of 2 - Alida's Kitchen

Baked Penne with Cheddar & Leeks

August 12, 2011 ·

Hi friends, are you still with me? In yesterday’s food-free post, I promised you a tasty recipe. What can be more tasty than cheese…and lots of it! Not much if you ask me. This upscale version of macaroni and cheese has plenty of cheese and a twist to boot.

Actually the twist in this dish is two-fold. For one, eggs, in lieu of a roux, are used as a thickener which creates a gooey custard. For two, the addition of sweet leeks provides the perfect counterbalance to the cheddar. All together it takes your everyday macaroni and cheese comfort food to a whole new level of cheesy goodness.

While it takes a little extra effort to make this dish, it is definitely worth it. It makes enough to serve a crowd, a couple of hungry teenagers, or simply to reheat throughout the week for lunches. Served with a side of green beans, a salad or whatever is your favorite vegetable, Baked Penne with Cheddar and Leeks is sure to become a family favorite!

Have a fabulous weekend and thank you for visiting Alida’s Kitchen!

Baked Penne with Cheddar and Leeks
Serves 8 to 10

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (I used light butter)

5 cups chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only; about 5 large
2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 1/2 cups skim milk

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated, about 4 cups packed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Fresh ground pepper

2 large eggs

1 pound penne pasta

Spray baking dish with cooking spray 13 x 9 baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
Add leeks; stir to coat. Cover saucepan and cook until leeks are tender, stirring occasionally (about 12 minutes; do not brown). After about 10 minutes, add minced garlic to the leeks to cook for the final 2 minutes.
Then uncover saucepan; add flour. Stir 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to simmer, stirring often. Add cheese, mustard, and pepper sauce. Stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Season cheese sauce to taste with salt.
Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cheese sauce. Stir egg mixture into cheese sauce in saucepan.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to pot.
Stir cheese sauce into pasta in pot. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Bake pasta until cheese sauce is bubbling around edges and some ends of pasta are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Adapted from Bon Apetit

Filed Under: main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: baby/toddler, dinner, pasta

Kodak Photo Book: A carb-free, calorie-free post!

August 11, 2011 ·

Hey everyone, as you may have guessed, today’s post is not about food. But it is pretty exciting, and there is something in it for you at the end. I promise you a tasty recipe tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this carb-free, calorie-free, [insert here whatever you want]-free post!

Mike and I were married nearly 3 years ago and went on our honeymoon shortly thereafter. It was an absolute dream vacation exploring Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. We were busy! We hiked many miles up volanoes, through jungles and canyons; we saw dolphins jumping and whales breeching; we went kayaking and snorkeling; we wined and we dined. Like I said, we were busy!

We were so busy that by the time we got home, I realized we took over one thousand pictures. *gulp* It was overwhelming to think about the time it would take to narrow down the pictures and then figure out how to preserve the memories in an album. So we went without an album…until now!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was given the opportunity to create a Quickstart Photo Book using fun, new photo book creation features. It was time to tackle the beast of the honeymoon photos. I couldn’t wait to create an album to preserve and relive those fun memories!

So I started to play. I uploaded pictures, created pages, and then showed Mike. His response was “Wow! That’s awesome!’ He was right. It was awesome!

With KODAK’s album creation software, I was able to choose the number of pictures per page in a variety of formats, had the option to use a caption, and had a variety of covers, colors and backgrounds from which to choose. The website was also very easy to use, which definitely enhanced the experience.

What might have otherwise been a daunting task became something really exciting and fun! The photos throughout this post are of various pages of the finished album. Mike and I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of the final product!

So my friends, now you can have some fun too! The generous folks at KODAK Gallery have given me an exclusive offer to extend to you. Now through 8/31/11 go to www.kodakgallery.com/creativity and receive 40% off a medium hardcover or a large photo book.

Aloha!

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was given the opportunity to create a medium-sized, hardcover KODAK Gallery photo book for free (including free shipping). The details of my experience are exclusively my opinion, and I was not otherwise influenced or compensated.

Filed Under: Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: Uncategorized

Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Mozzarella

August 10, 2011 ·

The first time I made this pasta, I was a little underwhelmed. It was good, but not great. While I love pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella and chickpeas, there was something that just wasn’t doing it for me. However, I was not willing to give up on this recipe so easily. It had all the potential to be something fantastic, just clearly needed a little tweaking.

First, I decided to marinate the tomatoes and mozzarella in the vinaigrette while I cooked the pasta. I also added some garlic for good measure. It then became obvious. While thyme may offer a unique flavor, it was just not right in this dish. What goes best with tomatoes and mozzarella is…basil! Nothing beats classic caprese-inspired flavors.

As I hoped, with just a few changes, this dish became something extraordinary. It was simple, delicious and very easy to make. We enjoyed this pasta warm as an entree, but it would also be excellent served as a pasta salad. This quick and easy pasta has definitely landed a spot in our weeknight dinner rotation!

Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Yields 4 to 6 servings

1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed

12 ounces pasta (any shape short pasta, any flavor; I used whole wheat & flax rotini)
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic and basil. Add tomatoes and mozzarella and toss until combined. Set aside.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Add chickpeas to pot for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta mixture and return to pot.
Add tomato mixture to pasta. Toss, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a thin sauce to coat the pasta (you may not need all of the water).
Season with salt and pepper, as desired and toss to combined. Serve, garnished with basil leaves, if desired.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Filed Under: Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: beans, cheese, chickpeas, easy, pasta, quick, tomato

Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes

August 8, 2011 ·

My Adam is a pancake-eating machine. Though he is pretty set on eating his favorite Cottage Cheese Pancakes every morning, I like to encourage a little variety. So when I had some extra strawberries, I decided to give strawberry pancakes a whirl. I figure Adam loves strawberries. Adam loves pancakes. It just might work. I scoured the internet, found some inspiration, and crafted this recipe with fingers crossed it would be a success.

I had Mike test the first pancake. After one bite, he asked for another. 🙂

I gave a pancake to Adam…instead of pushing away the new pancake, he ate the whole thing. Success!

Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes are packed with an abundance of juicy strawberries and simply delicious. I used whole wheat pastry flour, but you can definitely substitute all-purpose flour if that’s what you have. I diced the strawberries (in eighths), though sliced strawberries would work just fine and yield a beautiful result. Using orange zest is optional. You could substitute any other citrus zest or simply omit the zest if that’s your preference.

There is no question that Cottage Cheese Pancakes are Adam’s favorite, but these Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes may someday rival that top spot. Mike and I definitely love them, so here are tasty fruit-filled pancakes that will please everyone at the table, big and small.

Strawberry Vanilla Pancakes
Yields 32 small pancakes

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups strawberries, diced or sliced
1-2 teaspoons granulated sugar
zest of 1 orange (optional)
powdered sugar or maple syrup, for serving (optional)

In a small bowl, mix strawberries and orange zest (if using) with 1-2 teaspoons of granulated sugar (adjust the sugar based on the sweetness of your berries).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar and baking powder. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla until combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Fold in strawberries and orange zest, if using.

Heat griddle to medium heat (add oil and/or use cooking spray as needed). Pour about 1 tablespoon of batter onto griddle for each pancake.

Cook until you see bubbles appear (about 2-3 minutes), flip and cook on the other side until set (about 2 minutes).

Adapted from All Recipes

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, pancakes, strawberries

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

August 5, 2011 ·

My maternal grandmother was incredible in the kitchen and notorious for her baking. She always had a vast array of ‘Grandma Goodies’ on hand, which certainly pleased her lucky grandchildren! She knew everyone’s favorite goodie (granted it was near impossible to choose just one) and loved to make sure those favorites were always available. One of my favorite goodies was a peanut butter rice krispie treat she made. Much to my delight, she once told me it was okay to have one for breakfast. “It has cereal after all!” is what she told me. Who was I to argue with such reason! I tried using that rationale to convince my parents, but it didn’t quite go over the way I hoped. I found myself faced with yet another bowl of cereal for breakfast.

My grandma was a wise woman and definitely on to something, if you ask me. I think she would support me wholeheartedly today, because I am going to tell you IT’S OKAY TO HAVE CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST!

Chocolate in the form of Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins, that is! After all they are made with banana, peanut butter and whole wheat! I think individually each would be reason enough to forego your everyday cereal in favor of these muffins. Together, there is no excuse really.

These muffins are phenomenal. Chocolate and clove are a genius combination. The spices, along with the banana, take this muffin from a chocolaty dessert to a chocolate spice muffin. Combined with the peanut butter, it becomes the perfect breakfast muffin. My grandma would have definitely approved of this!

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white whole wheat flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground clove
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed ripe banana (approximately 2 large bananas)
⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 large egg
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
8 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners or by spraying with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if using), cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture and fold gently until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with the batter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butte into the center of each cup. Evenly divide remaining batter to cover the peanut butter.
Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Christina Marsigliese and Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, chocolate, muffins, peanut butter

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos

August 1, 2011 ·

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos are a delicious meatless taco recipe filled with black beans and vegetables. {gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, depending on toppings}

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos | alidaskitchen.com

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos are my favorite dish for meatless Monday, taco Tuesday or any day. They are fabulous! These tacos are made with mashed black beans, onions, peppers, chipotle peppers, spices, salsa, some broth, and then topped with any of your favorite taco toppings. The taco filling reheats well, and I often enjoy leftovers for lunches throughout the week (that is if there are any leftovers).

These Chipotle Black Bean Tacos can be vegan and gluten free, depending on the tortillas and/or toppings. I enjoy them as a vegetarian options, since I like to add a bit of cheese. The taco filling reheats well, and I often enjoy leftovers for lunches throughout the week (that is if there are any leftovers).

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos

Author: Alida Fischbach

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
⅓ cup vegetable broth
2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup salsa
6 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
Topping ideas for serving: spinach or lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped green onions, salsa

Instructions

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers to pan and saute for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and chipotle chilis, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in salsa. Mash lightly using a potato masher (or fork).
Stack tortillas, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 45-60 seconds.
Serve ⅓ cup filling for each tortilla along with desired toppings.

Notes

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Cooking Light