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Peanut Butter M&M Blondies

April 26, 2012 ·
peanut butter M&Ms peanut butter blondies bars

Many months ago, I made peanut butter cup blondies.  They were incredible, but also left me wondering about other candy possibilities.  The options seem limitless.  Since Peanut Butter M&Ms rank in my top 5 favorite candies, if not top 3 (after Nutrageous and Peanut Butter Cups, of course), Peanut Butter M&M Blondies were a logical progression.

peanut butter M&Ms peanut butter blondies bars

Let’s just say the experiment was a success.  I used a generous helping of M&Ms instead of peanut butter cups.  I also used peanut butter chips to boost the peanut buttery goodness.  The result was dangerous.  Lots of tasty M&Ms in every bite, lots of good peanut butter flavor…yet they still come in around 210 calories.  Gotta love it!

Peanut Butter M&M Blondies
 
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Yields: 16 bars
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ brown sugar, packed
  • ½ granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup peanut butter M&M candies, divided
  • ¼ cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir to combine butter, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla.
  4. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture, stirring until combined (do not over mix).
  5. Fold in ½ cup peanut butter M&Ms and peanut butter chips.
  6. Pour mixture into baking pan and spread to fill pan. Top with remaining ½ cup peanut butter M&Ms, pressing them into the batter.
  7. Bake for 19 minutes, or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

 

Filed Under: dessert, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

April 24, 2012 ·
healthy mexican sweet potato and black bean enchiladas

Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite foods, though the thought of combining the two had me wondering.  I like my sweet potatoes plain and my black beans spicy…would they be good together?   When I came across a recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, they looked so good, I had to to give it a try.  And I’m so glad!  Whoever decided to put these two flavors together in a tasty Mexican-inspired dish is pure genius.  The sweetness and spicy pair beautifully in this dish, and the queso fresco rounds everything out quite nicely.

I like that you can make the sauce and/or filling ahead of time, since they are the most labor intensive (by labor, I mean time to stand over the stove…they’re really quite easy).  Assembly is a cinch, and then bake until warmed throughout and the cheese is all bubbly.  This recipe makes a lot, which is a very good thing ~ leftovers heat up perfectly!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
 
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Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
Sauce:
  • 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1⅓ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Filling:
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
  • 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
  • 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 16 ounces prepared medium salsa
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
  • ½ cup vegetable broth (or water)
  • 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 10 ounce round queso fresco, divided
  • Cooking spray
Enchiladas:
  • Cooking spray for baking dish
  • 16 16-inch corn tortillas warmed
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • 1 avocado sliced (optional)
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • Cilantro (optional)
Instructions
  1. Make sauce: Whisk all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until slightly thickened (about 3 to 4 minutes) and then remove from heat.
  2. Make filling: In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
  4. Mash mixture with a potato masher until combined. Add black beans and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes, or until black beans are heated throughout. Stir in 6 ounces of queso fresco and remove from heat.
  5. Assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ cup sauce in bottom of dish. Fill warmed tortillas with filling (about ⅓ cup), roll and pack close together, seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
  6. Broil: Adjust oven to broil and broil enchiladas for 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Banana Cornbread Muffins

April 20, 2012 ·

These  Banana Cornbread Muffins were whipped together as a result of a request from my little Adam.  For weeks, he had been asking me to make cornbread ~ specifically rosemary cornbread.   Since I did not have any fresh rosemary on hand (and let’s be honest…it’s just not the same with dried), I decided to come up with something new.  I spotted an overripe banana, got out a pen and a yellow sticky note and started jotting down what became this recipe.

The result is a muffin with a nice balance of banana and cornbread.  They are light and fluffy, like any good muffin should be (so more muffin-y than cornbread-y).  I made half with a banana slice on top and half without.  They look nicer with a slice, but the banana turns brown after a day or so.  It still tastes good, but just not as pretty.

Banana Cornbread Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
thin banana slices (optional, for topping)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners (or spray with cooking spray).  Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the banana, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended.
  4. Add the banana mixture to the cornmeal mixture and fold until combined.
  5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.  Place a slice of banana on top of each muffin.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

April 17, 2012 ·
healthy lighter pulled chicken sandwiches

Our weather has been all over the place lately. We had a stretch of 80-degree days in March, yet just awe got some snow. It’s all a bit confusing, but we know summer is near.  This has me thinking about summertime eats, which led me to these Pulled Chicken Sandwiches.  These healthy sandwiches taste like a summer barbeque, but can easily be enjoyed all year long.

Inspired from my Chicken Tostada Salad, I decided to poach the chicken breasts and then used 2 forks to shred the chicken. Actually, Mike shredded the chicken while I wiped out the pan and heated up the sauce. At that point, it’s just a matter of minutes until dinner is served.  The original recipe calls for shredded rotisserie chicken, which would be a great time saver (just skip to step 3).  Either way, these Pulled Chicken Sandwiches can be made in less than 30 minutes, making them a great weeknight dinner, or any time!

lighter healthy pulled chicken sandwiches

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless
  • Salt
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (or regular hot sauce), adjust to taste
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 whole wheat buns, toasted
  • 1 cup broccoli slaw (optional, for topping)
Instructions
  1. Put chicken in a large sauce pan and then add enough water to cover the chicken. Add a couple pinches of salt. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  2. Put cooked chicken in a separate bowl and, using 2 forks, shred chicken. Wipe out sauce pan to use for sauce.
  3. In sauce pan, whisk the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cumin until combined. Put over medium heat to bring the sauce to a simmer until slightly thickened (about 3 minutes).
  4. Add chicken to the sauce, tossing to coat and to warm up the chicken (about 1 to 2 minutes).
  5. Divide chicken evenly among buns and top with slaw, as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a lighter alternative, use a low-carb tortilla instead of a bun and call it a taco!

Nutrition Info per serving of chicken/sauce
Calories: 200
Fat: 1.2g
Carbs:  21g
Fiber: 0g
Protein:  26.2g

Amounts for your bun or tortilla will be in addition to the above.  The whole wheat bun I used was 160 calories, which was average-sized.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Oreo Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

April 12, 2012 ·
oreo cupcakes with white cake and a cookie at the bottom

As I’m sure you’ve heard, the Oreo cookie has been celebrating a big birthday.  As a result, our local grocery store was giving away a free package of Oreos.  That’s my kind of celebration!  I never buy Oreos, so wanted to make something special.  In the keeping with the festive spirit, I decided Oreo Cupcakes were definitely in order.

oreo cupcakes with white cake and a whole cookie at the bottom

These Oreo Cupcakes were an indulgence, and an absolute treat.  The vanilla cake and the cream cheese frosting complement each other perfectly, while letting the Oreo cookies shine through in all their glory.  It doesn’t hurt there is half a cookie (the cream-filled half at that!) resting at the bottom of the cupcake, there are big cookie chunks studded throughout the cakes, and there is a dusting of chocolate cookie crumbs on the top.  These are the ultimate cupcakes for cookies and cream lovers!

oreo cupcakes with white cake and a whole oreo and cream cheese frosting

So, back to birthdays…it just so happens today is my brother’s birthday. It’s a big birthday too ~ the kind with a 0 at the end. We can’t let a day like that go under-celebrated. He lives on the West coast, which makes an in-person cake celebration a bit tricky. So instead, we can celebrate with a virtual birthday cake, and these Oreo Cupcakes are posted in his honor!  Happy Birthday!

white cake oreo cupcakes with a whole cookie at the bottom and cream cheese frosting
Oreo Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
 
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Yields: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
  • Cupcake:
  • 24 Oreo cookies, separated (carefully twist for 1 side with filling intact, 1 side just cookie)
  • 24 Oreo cookies, quartered
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for quartered Oreos
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup milk (I used skim)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1⅔ cups sugar
  • Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (I used the ⅓ less fat variety), at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. With the Oreos that have been separated: 1) Place each cream-filled half of the separated Oreos at the bottom of each paper liner. 2) With the chocolate cookie halves, cut 12 in half and crush the remaining 12, and set aside for garnish.
  3. Toss the quartered Oreos in flour and set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
  5. In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add milk, sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined.
  6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing until well-blended. Add the egg whites, and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in quartered Oreos.
  7. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  8. To make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add butter, and cream until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until you reach desired consistency.
  9. Frost cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and top with a half of the chocolate cookie halves.
Notes
There were a few comments on the original recipe that reported occasional cake sticking to the cupcake liners. While I did not experience this issue, I wanted to bring this to your attention so you carefully peel your liners. Also, I stored my cupcakes in the refrigerator, but do not know if that helped the paper liners release. They're good...enjoy!

Source:  Beantown Baker

Filed Under: dessert, Popular, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Chicken Tostada Salad

April 10, 2012 ·

This Chicken Tostada Salad recipe uses a technique for chicken that simply doesn’t cross my mind often enough – poaching!  Poaching is an easy and healthy way to cook chicken, without any added fat, in about 20 minutes.  In this recipe, the poached chicken is shredded and serves as a perfect blank slate for the salad, which combines simple but flavorful ingredients, such as red onions, chili powder, garlic, and lime juice.

The base of the salad is a crispy, toasted tortilla, with cheese baked right on it.  I have used both romaine lettuce and mixed greens.  It is good either way, but since I have mixed greens on hand at all times, that is what I tend to use.  Go with what you like best!  We enjoyed this tostada salad so much for dinner, I decided to make it for lunch again the next day.  It was that good!

Chicken Tostada Salad
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless (or rotisserie chicken breast)
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • Cooking spray
  • ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, plus additional for topping (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup water
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • ½ head of romaine lettuce, shredded OR 5 ounces of your favorite mixed greens
  • 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in medium pot, and add enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let chicken stand, covered until cooked through (about 12 to 14 minutes). Remove chicken from liquid and shred with 2 forks.
  2. Spray corn tortillas with cooking spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Baked until golden and crisp (about 8 to 10 minutes).
  3. While tortillas are in the oven, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add chili powder and garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add chicken and the water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is warmed through and water has evaporated (about 2 to 3 minutes). Stir in 1 teaspoon lime juice and remove from heat.
  4. After tortillas are toasted, sprinkle each tortillas evenly with cheese and bake until cheese is bubbling (about 3 minutes). Remove from oven.
  5. In a large bowl, combine lettuce and remaining lime juice, season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat and divide evenly among tortillas; top each with chicken mixture, tomato, avocado, remaining onion, and cilantro or cheese (optional, for topping).

Slightly adapted from Everyday Food Light

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, salad Tagged With: , ,

Mushroom and Leek Pita Pizzas

April 4, 2012 ·

After a long day of work and play, it’s nice to have some healthy quick and easy meals ideas on hand.  These Mushroom and Leek Pita Pizzas fit that bill quite nicely.  Mushrooms and leeks are a delicious combination, and a little garlic and crushed red pepper give this pizza a little pizazz.  The whole wheat pitas serve as a sturdy crust.  Topped with some low fat ricotta and lots of vegetables, these pitas turned pizzas become a healthy dinner in less than 20 minutes.

Mushroom and Leek Pita Pizzas
 
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Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup leeks, sliced (approximately 1 leek)
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (5 ounces)
  • Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 whole wheat pitas
  • ¼ cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, for drizzling
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
  3. Add leeks and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully to not over cook garlic). Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place pitas on prepared baking sheet. Spreach each pita with 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (if using).
  5. Bake until pita is golden and cheeses begin to melt, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Whole Living

Filed Under: appetizers, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Your Online Recipe Box with ZipList!

April 3, 2012 ·

I am excited to tell you about a new feature here at Alida’s Kitchen.

As you may have noticed, I added a handy little button  at the bottom of each post (It’s right next to the ‘Print Friendly’ button, pictured below).

You can now can save your favorite recipes to your very own personal recipe box!  You can also save recipe ingredients to an online shopping list with just one click.

I’ve teamed up with ZipList to make this happen.  ZipList is a free online recipe box. They have free mobile apps, or you can use their website. You can access your recipe box from your phone or computer any time you want.

ZipList powers the online recipe boxes and shopping lists you see at MarthaStewart.com, The Daily Meal and Joy of Baking, as well as many food blogs. You can save recipes from any of these websites, including mine, and they’ll all be saved in one place. No more hunting from site-to-site to track down your favorite recipes.

To make it easy for you to access your recipe box and shopping list, I have added a couple places for you to access them on the website:
In the navigation bar, you will find the link ‘Recipe Box’

And on the right sidebar, under ZipList, you will find links to your Recipe Box and Shopping List.

As mentioned, you can also access your recipe box from ZipList.com and using free mobile apps so you have what you need to plan meals and grocery shop wherever you go.  I have been using ZipList for year and love it.  So go click on the icon to create your personal recipe box..and let me know what you think!

Filed Under: news Tagged With: ,