March 2014 - Alida's Kitchen

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies | alidaskitchen.com #recipes #lemon #cookies #SundaySupper

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies #SundaySupper

March 30, 2014 ·

Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies are the ultimate chewy sugar cookie with a lemon twist. These are a perfect Springtime treat to welcome the season!

While it may technically be spring, Minnesota temperatures remain chilly (think single digits, brr!) It is this time of year, the transition from winter to spring, that lemon desserts are wonderful. Berries are not quite in season, and lemon is like a bite of sunshine, all bright and cheery. Add lemon to the ultimate chewy sugar cookie, and it’s Springtime perfection in cookie form….

Filed Under: dessert, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: cookies, cream cheese, easy, lemon, spring, sundaysupper

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites | alidaskitchen.com #recipes #glutenfree #EatA2ZRecipeChallenge.

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites #WeekdaySupper

March 27, 2014 ·

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites are bite-sized, protein-packed mini mac and cheese muffins made with quinoa, broccoli and cheddar cheese. Easy to make, great for kids! {gluten free}

While my family is generally open to most new recipes I make, as with all things ‘new’ there can be a bit of hesitation. Even though we have quinoa on a semi-regular basis, for whatever reason it is still perceived as “new.” However when combined with a favorite flavor combination (broccoli and cheddar cheese) and made into a shape that is always popular (bite-size mini muffin), all hesitation seems to disappear. Understandably so, these Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites are addictive! They are like little mac and cheese bites, only made healthier with quinoa and broccoli….

Filed Under: appetizers, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Popular, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: #weekdaysupper, broccoli, cheese, easy, quinoa, vegetable

Overnight Blueberry Baked French Toast | alidaskitchen.com #recipes #SundaySupper #brunch

Overnight Blueberry Baked French Toast #SundaySupper

March 23, 2014 ·

Overnight Blueberry Baked French Toast is made with custard soaked French bread cubes and studded with juicy fresh blueberries and cream cheese throughout. This dish is perfect for brunch, but I love it for breakfast for dinner because it is so easy. It takes minutes to prepare, can be made ahead, and then just bake in the oven until golden and delicious. The result is decadent, yet made on the lighter side using a ‘secret’ ingredient….

Filed Under: breakfast, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: blueberries, brunch, casserole, cream cheese, easy, French toast, holiday, make ahead, sundaysupper

Balsamic Tomato Tortellini

March 22, 2014 ·

Enjoy a healthy, light pasta recipes with this Balsamic Tomato Tortellini, made with fresh tortellini tossed with roasted tomatoes and garlic and drizzled with a light balsamic vinaigrette. Balsamic Tomato Tortellini is so easy to make that it basically cooks itself.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian.

The other night, I was faced with the (sometimes) dreaded question – what’s for dinner? Dreaded only because I did not have any ideas at first. We wanted something quick, easy and healthy…should be simple right? Since we had cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, tortellini and other pantry staples, a simple yet delicious roasted garlic and tomato tortellini came together naturally. …

Filed Under: healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: balsamic, cheese, dinner, easy, garlic, pasta, tomatoes

Burgundy Porcini Risotto

March 20, 2014 ·

Burgundy Porcini Risotto is a rich, cheesy risotto made with porcini mushrooms and red wine. While risotto may seem intimidating, it truly is very easy to make and definitely something worth trying.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy via the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of the key components of risotto is wine. People always say the wine you use to cook should be a wine you enjoy to drink. I typically make risotto with white wine, but generally prefer to drink red wine over white. So I decided to experiment and take one of our favorite risotto recipes and use one of my favorite red wines – Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy. The Hearty Burgundy is a bold, flavorful wine that goes beautifully with the Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, and porcini mushrooms in this dish. I decided to leave out the spinach from the original recipe, because I really wanted the red wine to shine through. The result was an amazing, cheesy, earthy risotto with the rich flavors from the Hearty Burgundy harmonizing with each bite….

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, sides, vegetarian Tagged With: #HBturns50, easy, mascarpone, mushrooms, parmesan, risotto, wine

Chocolate Chickpea Cake

March 18, 2014 ·

Chocolate Chickpea Cake is a fudgy, rich-tasting cake made without any butter or oil. Chickpeas add some protein and fiber, while taking the place of flour. This unique cake is a real treat! {gluten free, depending on baking powder}…

Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: #EatAtoZchallenge, cake, chickpeas, chocolate, easy, quick

Almond Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

March 14, 2014 ·

Almond Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are a healthy breakfast treat made with simple, wholesome ingredients such as bananas, almond butter, and oatmeal. {vegan}

We are always looking for quick and easy breakfasts – something healthy that can be eaten on-the-go. And when that means eating (healthy) cookies for breakfast, even better! When I stumbled upon these vegan breakfast cookies, I could not get to the kitchen fast enough to whip up a batch. Almond Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are really easy to make, using ingredients commonly found in the pantry. They taste even better the second day (or third, if they last that long). Since they are so moist and chewy, I stored them in the refrigerator. They were really tasty chilled as well! From the bananas to the oatmeal to the almond butter, Almond Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are like a healthy bowl of oatmeal in cookie form….

Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes, vegan Tagged With: #silklove, almond butter, banana, coconutmilk, cookies, oats, silk

Family Meal Time with Ragú #NewTraDish

March 13, 2014 ·

I am a brand representative for Ragú and have compensated for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

As a mom to two young kids, it seems we are on the go all the time…probably because we are! From the kids’ activities to work and everything in between, there is never a dull moment. However at the end of the day, we always find time to have dinner as a family. So when Ragú asked me to write about how important family meals are to my family, the answer is easy. Family meal time is priceless.

Not only is family meal time a time to encourage healthy eating habits, conversation, and (try to) teach table manners, but family meal time creates memories. Adam and Greta are boisterous at meal time. They LOVE sitting around the dinner table together, talking to each other, at each other, over each other. Adam likes to relay random facts about his day or sing songs (or make up songs). Greta watches Adam, grinning from ear to ear, chiming in whenever she can at a volume set to be heard. This bond and the memories they create can only get better, making the time that we spend together around the dinner table priceless.

While the time around the table is important, so is finding meals the whole family will enjoy. Ragú has a variety of great tasting, quick and easy recipes that can please even the pickiest eaters, and will become family favorites! In fact, some of our favorite recipes have been inspired by Ragú (especially their No Boiling Baked Ziti!) Each jar of Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce is packed with 11 juicy tomatoes, making it richer, thicker and just taste better.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragú® Official New Tra-Dish. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: news Tagged With: #NewTraDish

Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos | alidaskitchen.com #recipes #meatless #SundaySupper

Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos #SundaySupper

March 9, 2014 ·

Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos are protein-packed with black beans and quinoa, and healthy vegetables. Easy to whip together and then baked to perfection! {great for the freezer}

We eat meatless several times a week, and one of our favorite meatless staples is black beans. Whether they are in tacos, burgers, chili, enchiladas, even brownies, we can’t get enough! While we have several recipes the we love, it is fun to try something new – especially when that something new involves two other favorites – spinach and quinoa. While they may not be your typical addition to a burrito, spinach and quinoa…well, it just works! Combined with black beans, cheese, onion, chili powder, and more, wrapped in a tortilla, Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos are not only delicious, but they are super easy to make too!…

Filed Under: healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: black beans, burritos, easy, freezer friendly, quick, quinoa, spinach, sundaysupper

Extra Sweet & Creamy Coffee Pancakes

March 5, 2014 ·

Start your morning off right with whole wheat pancakes infused with coffee and creamer to make Extra Sweet & Creamy Coffee Pancakes!

What is your favorite breakfast? Are you a cereal person? Do you like smoothies? Pancakes? My usual breakfast rotates between a few different options, however one guarantee each morning is a hot cup of coffee. There is nothing better than holding that warm mug in your hands, watching the steam rise, and taking that first sip. Then it occurred to me – why not combine a breakfast staple (coffee) with a breakfast favorite (pancakes) to create Extra Sweet & Creamy Coffee Pancakes, the ultimate breakfast treat!

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