February 2013 - Alida's Kitchen

Baseball Birthday Cake

February 28, 2013 ·

We celebrated Adam’s 3rd birthday last week! Adam appreciates all things birthday, including parties, gifts and cake. As my #1 cookbook reading companion, he also appreciates the importance of a good birthday cake design.

For Adam’s 2nd birthday, I assumed he wouldn’t have an opinion about his cake yet. I worked on a plan for ball-themed cupcakes…then Adam told me he wanted a fire truck cake. I shelved those ball cake plans and found a great design for a fire truck cake. It was a fun challenge…I was determined to deliver a fire truck cake!

Considering how last year went, I should have known better. Many months ago, Adam told me I could pick his cake this year. I worked on some plans, came up with a great cake that I knew he would love. And…you guessed it. Within a couple days of his birthday, he told me he wanted a baseball cake. Easy enough. I resurrected my plans from last year to give Adam the Baseball Birthday Cake he wanted. He was so excited about his ball cake, he started making plans for future ball cakes (i.e. Grandma wants a basketball cake, what ball do you want, mama,…).

DIY how to make a baseball birthday cake

This Baseball Birthday Cake is very easy to put together. I made the cake the night before and then frosted and decorated it the morning of the birthday. While the general idea is basic, I am sharing this simply because everybody knows a baseball fan, and who doesn’t love a fun cake! This Baseball Birthday Cake is sure to put a huge grin on anybody’s face.

Baseball Birthday Cake

Directions for decorating a 9-inch round baseball birthday cake

Ingredients

1 round cake, frosted with white frosting
red licorice vines
sweetened coconut (optional, for grass)
green food coloring (optional, for grass)

Instructions

Put cake on serving plate or cake board.
Cut licorice into ½" inch pieces (approximately 72-80 pieces, depending on size of and spacing on the cake).
Take 2 licorice pieces to create a wide v-shape, like the lacing on a baseball, and place on top of the frosted cake. Repeat with remaining pieces until desired "lacing" is achieved.
To make grass, put coconut in a ziploc bag. Put a couple drops of green food coloring in bag with coconut and seal bag. Then shake and squeeze/massage together until coconut has turned green. Sprinkle along outside of cake, as desired.

Notes

I found cutting the licorice vines the night before decorating made them less sticky on the hands when placing them on the cake. Also, if you aren't able to find licorice vines, you can easily use red frosting for the laces.

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: baseball, birthday, cake

Healthy Banana Cookies

February 17, 2013 ·

Healthy Banana Cookies are a chewy, fruit-filled cookie made using some of my favorite foods – oats, dates and bananas. They are made from simple, wholesome ingredients, have no butter and added sugar, thus making them a healthier choice. I love the simplicity of these cookies and have to admit these cookies made a delightful breakfast! These Healthy Banana Cookies also happen to be dairy free and can be gluten free.

Healthy Banana Cookies from Alida's Kitchen

I have had this at the top of my ‘to make’ pile for months just waiting for some super ripe bananas. While we always have plenty of super ripe bananas in the house, they’re typically reserved for Pumpkin Banana Muffins or Pumpkin Banana Pancakes (or Strawberry Banana Pancakes once strawberry season hits). Fortunately, I was a muffin and pancake making machine in advance of our new baby’s arrival, stocking the freezer full of Adam’s favorite banana goodies. With a stocked freezer and 3 very ripe bananas, it was finally my opportunity to try these Healthy Banana Cookies!

Healthy Banana Cookies

Yields: approx. 24 cookies

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick cooking work fine)
1 cup (8 ounces) pitted dates, chopped
⅓ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add oats, dates, oil, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix well. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonful onto prepared cookie sheets. [Note: the cookies don't spread so you may want to shape them a bit]
Bake cookies for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

These are best enjoyed the day after baking.

Coincidentally, this is also the first month of the Eating the Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge for 2013, hosted by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. Each month, several bloggers will focus on healthy recipes featuring fruits, vegetables grains or legumes, from a couple different letters (this month it is A or B). I thought Healthy Banana Cookies would be the perfect healthy recipe to start off this fun series.

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Popular, Recipes Tagged With: alphabet challege, baby/toddler, banana, cookies, dairy free, dates, easy

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes

February 13, 2013 ·

While Valentine’s Day isn’t a huge deal at our house, it does give me a reason to bake up something extra special…usually involving chocolate. Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes are definitely something special. They are a simple yet decadent dessert that is pure comfort food. They are also surprisingly quick and easy to make and can even be made a day in advance (great for entertaining!). The recipe can easily be halved to serve only two, OR make the full recipe and enjoy one set of cakes one day and enjoy them again the next day. Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes are delicious as-is, or topped with your favorite ice cream. I had vanilla bean on hand, which was classic and tasty, but I am drooling over the idea of a salted caramel ice cream topping these cakes.

Since I made the full recipe for the two of us, we got to enjoy Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes two nights in a row. I’m pretty sure Valentine’s Day is going to become one of our favorite holidays now, if it means special desserts like this!

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if not making ahead). Spray four 6 to 8 ounce ramekins with cooking spray, place on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a mixing bowl placed over simmering water), melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons sugar and then egg yolks and vanilla, stirring until until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.
Fold ⅓ egg white mixture into chocolate mixture, gently stirring to combine. Add the rest of the egg whites, gently folding until combined. Divide evenly among prepared ramekins. (If making ahead, stop here. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake).
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cakes puff up and the tops begin to crack. Be careful not to over bake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out gooey. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with ice cream, if desired.

Source: Everyday Food, December 2006

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, easy, entertaining, make ahead, valentine's

Baked Balsamic Chicken

February 7, 2013 ·

Baked Balsamic Chicken is wholesome, easy and delicious! This dish can be customized to use whatever herbs you like (or have on hand) and is perfectly paired with Minute® Multi-Grain Medley! Thank you Minute® Rice for sponsoring this post.

This Baked Balsamic Chicken recipe has been a family favorite for years. The recipe was created when Greta was first born over 3 years ago and has been a regular feature on the dinner rotation ever since. The marinade takes minutes to prepare and then is poured in a zip-top bag with the chicken. Let that sit in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Then you just pour the chicken and marinade in a baking dish and bake. Simple!

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