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Radicchio, Spinach, Apricot Salad with Goat Cheese

June 17, 2011 ·

My husband and I are creatures of habit.  We have a salad with dinner (almost) every night.  It’s usually spinach or mixed greens and tomatoes with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds.  It’s simple.  It’s tasty.  It’s routine.   
So when I had leftover goat cheese from the Tomato and Leek Frittata with Goat Cheese, I wanted to shake our routine up a bit.  Radicchio, Spinach, Apricot Salad with Goat Cheese became a welcome change from our usual salad.  The creamy goat cheese with the bitter radicchio with the sweet apricots is a combination that is simply a-ma-zing!  

 

Since I had mixed greens on hand, I decided to use that in place of the spinach.  This salad is equally delicious using just spinach.  I reduced the amount of the oil in the vinaigrette, which is nice and light and just pulls everything together.  Soaking the apricots is an excellent method to plump up the fruit into soft juicy bursts of sweetness.

Have a Happy Father’s Day weekend!  

Radicchio, Spinach, Apricot Salad with Goat Cheese
Yields 4 servings
1/2 cup dried apricots
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and pepper
1 head radicchio, halved, cored and roughly torn
5 ounces fresh spinach or mixed greens
2 ounces soft crumbled goat cheese 
  1. Place apricots in a small bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand for about 5 minutes.  Drain and pat try with paper towels.  Cut into small pieces, if desired.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Add spinach and radicchio to bowl with vinaigrette and toss to combine.  Add apricots.  Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese.
Adapted from Everyday Food (November, 2007)
Filed Under: Recipes, salad, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Tomato Leek Frittata with Goat Cheese

June 13, 2011 ·

After taking a bite of this frittata, my husband sat for a minute and then said ‘Goat cheese is great, when done in the right way.’  Uh oh…and while I couldn’t agree more, I do know he’s not as fond of goat cheese as I am.  Fortunately he followed that up by saying ‘This way was definitely the right way!’ and quickly cleaned his plate!

Goat cheese is definitely an ingredient that makes a statement.  Too much can ruin a dish.  Just the right amount can take an ordinary dish and make it extraordinary.

So is the case with this frittata.  Goat cheese is the perfect complement to liven up the sauteed vegetables and eggs.  I reduced the amount of goat cheese from the original recipe, as I found it a bit overpowering.  I was a little generous when measuring the leeks because I love the subtle flavor and beautiful color.  Since I had large grape tomatoes, I halved them, and they still burst with each bite.  Beating the egg whites gives this frittata a souffle-like quality that just melts in your mouth. 

The result is an exquisit blast of flavors in a light and airy frittata.   

Tomato and Leek Frittata with Goat Cheese
Yields 4 servings

3 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups sliced leeks
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
6 egg whites
4 egg yolks
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium. Add leeks ; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Cover; cook 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and wipe out skillet.
  2. In another bowl, beat 6 egg whites with salt and pepper to stiff peaks. Whisk in 4 egg yolks.
  3. Heat skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Add eggs; sprinkle with vegetables and goat cheese. Cook over medium until sides are dry, 3 minutes. Transfer to oven; bake until eggs are set, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Adapted from Everyday Food
Filed Under: breakfast, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

June 10, 2011 ·

It is not very often that a new recipe immediately leaps way to the top of the list.  But when I saw a tasty recipe in Experience Life magazine, I think my heart skipped a beat with excitement.  I got that ‘I just found a recipe that will change your life’ feeling.  Cheese, black beans, green onions, garlic and spices, all nestled in a tasty little jalapeno?  Seriously?  Time to fire up the grill!

In fact, I was tempted to simply grab a spoon and eat the filling straight from the bowl.

I resisted and instead stuffed these beautiful jalapenos.  The result is a delightful, healthy twist on a jalapeno popper.

This heavenly dish makes for a perfect appetizer at any summer gathering, yet is easy enough to whip together for a light weeknight dinner.  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
Yields 8 (appetizer) or 4 (dinner) servings

16 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
4 green onions, chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the peppers.
  2. Make a lengthwise slit down each pepper, leaving the stem intact; carefully remove ribs and seeds.  (Tip: a quick rinse helps remove the seeds from the inside, lessening the heat)
  3. Distribute filling evenly among peppers (about 1 tablespoon per pepper).
  4. Heat grill to medium heat.  Place stuffed peppers on a sheet of foil on the grill.  Cover and cook until cheese mixture has melted and peppers are softened, about 10-15 minutes.

Adapted from Experience Life

Filed Under: appetizers, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mixed Green Salad with Dried Cherries

June 3, 2011 ·

I love this salad!  It’s simple.  It’s elegant.  It’s delicious.

mixed green salad dried cherries and pepitas with balsamic vinaigrette

What’s not to love really.  Mixed greens.  Mustard and red wine vinaigrette.  Sliced red onion.  Sweet dried cherries.  Toasted pepitas.

The tangy vinaigrette is the perfect complement to the sweetness of the cherries and red onion.  And the roasted pepitas add a complexity that tops off the salad perfectly.
Mixed Green Salad with Dried Cherries
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 8 oz mixed greens
  • ½ cup sliced red onion
  • ½ cup dried sweet cherries
  • ¼ cup pepitas
Instructions
  1. In a 350 degree oven, toast pepitas on a pie plate for 10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil and ground pepper.
  3. Add mixed greens, onion, cherries and pepitas to bowl and toss to combine.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4 servings

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Thank you for visiting Alida’s Kitchen!  Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, Recipes, salad, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: ,

Cheese Enchilada Casserole

June 1, 2011 ·
lighter vegetarian cheese enchilada casserole

Truth be told, after the birth of our son, my husband (Mike) and I fell into what some might affectionately call a “dinner rut.”  Our dinners were something quick and easy for Mike to whip together while I took care of putting the baby to bed.  And the rotation went something like this: pizza (frozen), pasta (fresh ravioli), Pei Wei (sesame chicken!), and eggs (which later morphed into “p’eggs”).  We were tired.  We were hungry.  Sometimes we had pizza 2 nights in a row.  After many many months we were ready for a change.  The baby was older and bedtime a bit more predictable.  It was time to dig into my recipe archives, and the revival of Cheese Enchilada Casserole was born.

Cheese Enchilada Casserole is an easy weeknight meal that’s full of flavor and is healthy too.  With some advance prep work it can easily be assembled and on the table in around 30 minutes.  There are countless variations that can evolve from this basic recipe – add chicken or black beans, vary the cheese or tomatoes or sauce.  Yet it’s just as tasty prepared in the version written below.

Cheese Enchilada Casserole
 
Print
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (8 oz) fat free cottage cheese
  • 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 cup taco sauce
  • ¼ cup (1 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 9 6" corn tortillas
  • Cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Mix first 6 ingredients, through chili powder, in bowl. [This step can be done in advance]
  3. Place 3 corn tortillas in baking dish. Top tortillas with ½ of cheese mixture. Repeat. Top final layer with 3 corn tortillas.
  4. Pour taco sauce over tortillas and top with ¼ cup cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Slice into 4 pieces and serve.

Adapted from Cooking Light

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

Onion Cheese Quesadilla

May 31, 2011 ·

I discovered this quesadilla recipe while searching for meal ideas for my son, and when I showed it to my husband he said “Yes, please.”  It instantly went on the menu for the week and we’re both very glad it did.

Why have I never made quesadillas before?  Are they difficult?  No.  Time consuming?  Not in the least.  Intimidating?  Maybe a little bit with the whole flipping thing.  Really, these could not be any easier and are so quick to put together. 

There are endless possibilities of fillings, but this time I wanted to keep it simple and stick close to the original recipe.  While my husband and I were eating these wedges of cheesy and onion-y goodness, I could definitely foresee more quesadillas in our future. 

Onion Cheese Quesadilla
Adapted slightly from Weelicious

4 whole wheat tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
cooking spray

  1. Saute red onion in pan sprayed with cooking spray until soft and translucent.  Place in bowl and set aside.
  2. Using another pan (I used nonstick), place tortilla in dry pan over medium heat. Place 3/4 cup cheese and 1/2 the onion on the tortilla and top with another tortilla.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until cheese is melted and tortilla is toasted. 
  3. Repeat with remaining ingredients for second quesadilla.
  4. Slice into wedges and serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or any of your favorite fixings.

Serves 2 to 4

Thank you for visiting Alida’s Kitchen!

Filed Under: Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , ,

Crustless Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

May 26, 2011 ·

Welcome to Alida’s Kitchen!  For my inaugural post, I am sharing with you a tasty crustless quiche recipe made with a few simple ingredients.  It is so easy to put together!  The cheddar cheese really adds a nice flavor to this egg dish, and broccoli adds great texture.  My husband and I enjoyed this quiche for dinner with a side salad (and leftovers made for great lunches the next day!), although it would be excellent for a brunch or anytime really. 
 

Crustless Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Adapted from Everyday Food

10 oz. frozen broccoli florets
6 large eggs
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Ground pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) cheddar cheese
Cooking spray

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 inch pie dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.
  2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  Add broccoli; cook 1 minute.  Drain well; transfer to a cutting board and blot dry with paper towels.  Chop coarsely.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half and nutmeg.  Add ground pepper to taste.  Stir in broccoli and cheese.
  4. Pour broccoli mixture into pie plate and bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Yields 4 servings

Thank you for visiting Alida’s Kitchen.  Have a happy day!

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