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Showing posts from April, 2011

Royals choose chocolate wedding cake.

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The British royal family on Buckingham Palace balcony after Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. Kate wears a wedding gown by Sarah Burton. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Hi sorry I haven't posted for awhile but I could not resist this story not a recipe I'm afraid but still a interesting story for those foodies that do not all ready know. Well as you all know Prince William married Kate yesterday and became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridgeshire. but did you know that because of Prince Williams affection for rich tea biscuits,Mcvities were asked to produce an alternative wedding cake to the original cake and they did and here it is. Photos courtesy : The British Monarchy      About the cake:  McVities crafted the cake at one of its UK plants from a recipe received from Buckingham Palace kitchen chefs. The flawless, square cake rose up three tiers above its golden stand at the afternoon reception. Detailed with white chocol...

KEY LIME CAKE

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The smell of a Key Lime Cake cooking in the oven stirs up not only my taste buds but my senses. Here is an easy recipe for you to try. 1 (18.25oz) pkg. lemon supreme cake mix 1 (3.4oz.) pkg. lemon instant pudding mix 4 big eggs 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 cups sifted powdered sugar 1/4 cup Key lime juice Combine first 6 ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of an electric mixer. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9-inch pan. bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack. Combine powdered sugar and 1/4 cup Key lime juice; drizzle over cake. Cut into squares to serve. 15 to 18 servings

Strawberry, Almond and Cream Cheese Salad

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1 1/2 cups crushed Almonds 4 1/2 tablespoons Splenda 3/4 cup butter, melted 1 tsp salt 1 cup Splenda 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 1 (8 ounce) container frozen lite whipped topping, thawed 1 (6 ounce) package sugar free Jello brand strawberry flavored gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together the almonds,1 tsp salt,  4 1/2 tablespoons Splenda and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely. In a medium bowl, beat the Splenda and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30...

Pizza

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Normal Pizza doesn't have many very many carbs except for what is in the crust.  I modified the crust and it worked out pretty well. Low Carb Pizza Crust 1/2 Tablespoon yeast 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Splenda 2 eggs 2  Cups of Almond Flour 1 Tablespoon Oil This 'dough' will not act like other dough because it doesn't have gluten.  I buttered a pie pan, poured the 'dough' into the bottom and baked it for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Then I added the tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, ham and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and baked it again for 15 minutes.  The crust sticks together nicely when it is baked because of the eggs.

Meatloaf

This recipe replaces breadcrumbs or oatmeal with Parmesan or Romano cheese. You can also add a variety of low carb vegetables to this and I think it would taste fine. Ingredients 2 lb ground beef 8-oz can tomato sauce 3 or 4 tbsp tamari sauce (soy sauce is fine if you are not avoiding gluten) 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tbsp dried parsley salt & pepper to taste 3 or 4 cloves garlic minced very fine 2 eggs slightly beaten 1/2 to 3/4 cup Parmesan / Romano / other shaker-style cheese (or combine!) 1 slice chopped uncooked bacon Instructions 1. Mix all the ingredients together. Don't overhandle the meat, just mix enough to incorporate the ingredients. 2. Shape lightly into a casserole or other deep dish. 3. Bake uncovered at 350* for approximately one hour. 4. About 10 minutes before removing from oven, add a thick layer of grated cheese, preferably cheddar, and allow it to melt.

FRESH EGG OMELET with ASPARAGUS, SWISS CHEESE & TURKEY

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A girl who has neighbors who bring her 10 dozen fresh eggs from their own backyard is a very lucky girl indeed. They called yesterday and said, "We are getting 3 dozen eggs a day, please come and take some of these off of our hands". The rest is history and this recipe is the result of what was in my fridge that was turned into last nights supper. Enjoy! 6 big fresh eggs butter 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus 4 slices baby Swiss cheese 8 thin slices deli turkey breast Beat the eggs with a little water in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Saute the washed and trimmed asparagus in a little butter until just tender, slice into thirds; set aside. Melt enough butter to cover the bottom of an 8-inch skillet, about a tablespoon. When the eggs start to set around the edges, tilt the pan and use a spatula to lift up the edges and allow the egg to run underneath the omelet all the way around it. When it is to your desired degree of doneness, still a little wet on top preferably, top with the aspara...

CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE

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I have always believed in the barter system and when my husband came in today with some beautiful flats of flowers for my gardens and requested a Chocolate Pudding Cake in return, I happily obliged. 1 cup self-rising flour 3/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons cocoa-divided 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 3/4 cup very hot tap water In ungreased 9x9 pan or baking dish, mix flour, sugar and cocoa with a fork. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Spread smoothly in pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons cocoa. Pour hot water over batter. do not stir. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream. Serves 8 "Where we love is home...home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts...

CHOCOLATE~COVERED PRETZELS

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I simply adore a chocolate covered pretzel....here is an easy recipe for you to try your hand at. These make very nice gifts when placed in plastic baggies with a pretty colored ribbon. 1 (5.75-oz.) pkg. milk chocolate morsels 2 tablespoons shortening 24 (3-inch) pretzels Combine chocolate morsels and shortening in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove double boiler from heat, leaving chocolate mixture over hot water. Dip each pretzel in chocolate; allow excess to drain. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets; chill until firm. Arrange pretzels between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container; store in a cool place. Yield: 2 dozen

Vatteppam / Vattayappam - Indian Cooking Challenge, March 2011

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Srivalli chose Vattepam / Vattayappam as the Indian Cooking Challenge recipe for Mar 2011. Vattepam / Vattayappam is a delicious and traditional recipe from Kerala. It is basically a steamed rice cake, made from raw rice flour, grated coconut, cooked rice, sweetened and garnished with nuts and raisins. It is a popular delicacy served for breakfast / tea time snack during Christmas time in Kerala. The recipe is adapted from Shn of Mishmash . Ingredients: To Grind: Raw rice: 1 cup Coconut, freshly grated: ? cup Cooked rice: 2 tbsp Water: ? cup water to grind and make batter To proof yeast: Active dry yeast: ? tsp Water: 1/3 cup Sugar: 2 tsp To make Rice Porridge / Thari Kurukku: Coarse ground paste: 1?-2 tbsp Water: 1/3-1/2 cup To sweeten and flavor Vatteppam: Sugar: ? cup or more (to taste) Green Cardamom, crushed / powdered: 10-12 Cashew nuts: 8-10 Raisins: 8-10 Ghee: 1? tbsp Method: Soak raw rice for 6-8 hours, drain and grind rice in a blender, adding very little water to a coarse ...

Stuffed Mushrooms

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16 oz  whole mushrooms (not the sliced ones) 1  8 oz package cream cheese 1 T finely chopped green onion 3 T crumbled bacon freshly cracked pepper Grated Cheddar Cheese 1. Wash your mushrooms and remove the stems.  2. Chop up a green onion into tiny, tiny pieces. Add 1 T of the green onion to your cream cheese.   3. Add your 3 T of bacon. Throw in a tiny bit of freshly cracked pepper. Mix it all around to combine.   4. Place your mushrooms on a sprayed cookie sheet. Fill the insides with your cream cheese mixture.   5. Bake at 400 for 15 -20 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese the last four minutes of baking. Eat nice and hot from the oven. They cool down very quickly and aren't quite as tasty eaten cold.

EASY PEACH COBBLER

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This peach cobbler is just exactly what it says it is...EASY....and I am throwing in DELICIOUS! The recipes comes from Southern Living 1997 Annual Recipes. Be sure and buy high quality vanilla bean ice cream to go with it. 1 stick unsalted butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar, divided 1 tablespoon baking powder pinch of salt 1 cup milk 4 cups fresh peach slices 1 tablespoon lemon juice ground cinnamon Melt butter in a baking dish. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir). Bring remaining sugar, peaches, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over butter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with Vanilla ice cream. 8 servings COOKS NOTE: I used self-rising flour and omitted the baking powder and salt. I also did not have fresh peaches and instead used a big can of sliced peache...

Mug Cake

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2tbs almond flour, 1 tbs cocoa, 1 tbs coconut oil or butter softened, 1 tbs Splenda. 1 egg, 1.5tbs half and half.. Mix until smooth, microwave in a mug for 90 seconds! You can top this with Lite Whipped topping or make your own Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting.

Cocoa Crack

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  2tbs butter melted in a pan, add powdered Splenda, about 3tbs, 2 tbs cocoa and unsweetened coconut and almonds.. pour on waxed paper and freeze. Tastes just like almond joy. You can leave out the coconut, I do ;) This looks kind of like a pile of poo but it tastes great.  You can add any kind of nut you would like.

BUFFALO CHICKEN TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

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Who amongst us does not love a twice baked potato? Team it up with the makings for Buffalo Chicken and you will be doing a two-step around the kitchen shouting "OLE!" 4 russet baking potatoes 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon Buffalo-style hot sauce 1 lb. skinned and boned chicken breasts-cut in chunks 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoons white vinegar 3 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce 2 tablespoons butter Toppings: Sour cream, chopped green onions and diced cooked bacon Bake potatoes on a baking sheet at 425 degrees. Cut in half lengthwise; spoon out pulp into large bowl, leaving shells intact. Stir together pulp, 3/4 cup of the shredded Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Spoon mixture evenly into potato shells; sprinkle tops evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Return potatoes to baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is nicely ...

PASTA PRIMAVERA REVISTED (April 12th, 2011)

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PASTA PRIMAVERA This is one of our top 5 pasta dishes ever. I guarantee that if you try it, it will be yours as well. Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread. 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 lb. fresh snow pea pods, trimmed 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 sweet red pepper, cut into julienne strips 1 small yellow squash, thinly sliced 1 cup small broccoli florets 3 Tbsp. melted butter 1 Tbsp. canola oil 1 (16oz.) pkg. linguine 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese freshly ground pepper to taste Heat whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat until warm Set aside. Saute vegetables in butter and oil in a large skillet until almost crisp-tender. Add cream, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cook linguine according to package directions; drain well. Place on a large serving platter. Top with vegetable mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper, toss gently. Serve immediately. Serves: 4 to 6 "Life is a combination of mag...

LEMONADE MERINGUE PIE

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Call in the Lemon Meringue Pie police because this pie will definitely set your taste buds to tingling! 3 eggs, separated 1 pkg. cook & serve vanilla pudding mix 1 1/4 cups milk 1 cup sour cream 1/3 cup thawed lemonade concentrate 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/3 cup sugar 1 (9-inch) pie crust-baked Allow egg whites to stand in small bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large saucepan, combine pudding mix, milk, and sour cream until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk 1 cup hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan. Bring to gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes, remove from heat and gently stir in lemonade concentrate, keep warm. Add lemon juice and cream of tartar to egg whites; beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time on high until stiff, glossy peaks form. Po...

French Dip Sandwiches

I have a short but checkered history with crockpots, though I admit that the blame for my early failures rests largely with me. In one case, I made pot roast in my crockpot, complete with the roast, veggies, and gravy. The recipe turned out fine, I think, but as I was transporting my crockpot meal to a gathering of friends, carefully steadying the container as I drove, I reached a point where I thought I had made it safely to my destination, and so I let go of the crockpot to pull into a parking space. However, in making the final turn, the crockpot somehow tipped over (why do they often have only three legs?) and the entire contents spilled all over my car floor. And in another instance, I used my crockpot to try a new recipe for Lime Chicken that had been recommended by a friend. I was so excited by the prospect that I made a whole crockpot full of Lime Chicken. But for whatever reason, the chicken was inedible. It was so awful that I couldn't even force myself to eat a single pi...

Mashed Cauliflower

Pureed or mashed cauliflower is a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Low in carbs and high in nutrients, the "cauli-taste" is very mild. Try it even if you think you won't like it.! You can flavor it up in any way you like adding garlic is a great addition, or Parmesan cheese, or both! Ingredients: raw Cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes any combination of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes - about 1/4 cup salt and pepper If you have low carb "instant mashed potatoes", add up to 1/4 cup for texture* Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese Preparation: *I like to use instant "potatoes" made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers . Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don't need any of these things. Break the cauliflower up into ...

Cauliflower Fritters

4 cups steamed cauliflower (roughly chopped) 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup whole wheat flour (Substitute 1 cup of almond flour) 2 eggs 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped 1/4 cup hot water salt and pepper 1/4 cup olive oil In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter. On medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of oil in a 10 inch skillet coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time. Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes. Add a little more oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter.

Steak with Onions and Tomatoes

1-1/2 lbs grass fed sirloin tip steak, sliced very thin salt to taste garlic powder to taste cuminto taste 4 tsp olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced thin or chopped 1 very large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin or chopped. You could also used a can of drained stewed tomatoes. Season steak with salt and garlic powder. Serve this over rice or for a low carb option serve over low carb noodles.

Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin Temp: 350 degrees F Bake Time: 35-40 minutes Ingredients: 1 pork tender loin (1.7 lbs) 4 oz Cream Cheese 8 oz Goat Cheese 1 Pkg Chopped Spinach (frozen) 10 oz 1/2 c. 4 cheese blend ) 1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs (Substitute ground almonds here) Salt & Pepper to taste Directions: Drain Spinach of any water by squeezing it tightly and in a strainer. Mix Spinach, Cr. Cheese, Goat Cheese & 4 Cheese blend. Salt & Pepper to taste Mix well Cut pork loin in 1/2 but not all the way- open it up (filet) and place it on plastic wrap, and lay another layer of plastic wrap on top. Using meat tenderizer pound out the meat to 1/4 inch thick Remove plastic wrap, and spread in spinach & cheese mixture Roll up pork loin Tie off loin with cooking twine or secure with toothpicks Cover the outside of the pork loin by dipping in your choice of bread crumbs. Discard the remaining bread crumbs and place pork loin in a 9�13 glass pan Bake for 35-40 minutes...

CROCKPOT CORN CHOWDER

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The crockpot is a wonderful invention and my favorite piece of kitchen equipment. Just dump everything in, turn it on, leave it alone. This corn chowder is highly delicious and easy to put together. Have a loaf of crusty bread waiting on the sidelines. 6 slices bacon 2 pkgs. frozen corn (10 oz. each) 1 can cream style corn (16 oz.) 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 c. water 1/2 c. onion, chopped 2 c. potatoes, diced 1 tbsp. sugar 1 tbsp. seasoned salt 1 can chicken broth (16 oz.) 1 c. milk 1/4 c. butter In skillet, fry bacon until crisp, remove and reserve. Add onion and potatoes to bacon drippings, saute for 5 minutes. Combine everything in Crockery Pot except butter and milk. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into blender and puree until almost smooth. Return to Crock Pot with milk and butter. Cover and cook on high one hour more. 6 to 8 servings.

Creamy Lemon Dressing

I stole this recipe from Stacy.  I hope that is okay.  It just fits so nicely with the low carb food. Whisk together ~ 1/4 cup sour cream 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp shredded or grated Parmesan 1 tsp dijon mustard salt and pepper to taste

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY CUPCAKES~YUM YUM~EAT UM' UP

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For those of you who love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich...don't just stop there...make these Peanut Butter & Jelly cupcakes and I guarontee' you will be floating around on a cloud of peanut butter and jelly heaven! 1 stick butter~softened 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 1/3 cups sugar 2 big eggs 2 cups self-rising flour 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract strawberry jelly or homemade strawberry freezer jam Peanut Butter Frosting Cream butter and peanut butter with electric mixer, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla. Fill paper-lined or well greased muffin tins 3/4 full of batter and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Allow to cool completely then slice in half and put a generous spoonful of the strawberry jelly in the center of the cupcake. Frost the tops with PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING and top with a ...

Almond Crusted Chicken

Almond Crusted Chicken 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts 1/2 cup finely ground almonds 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 beaten egg mix almonds and cheese with any spices you choose (I thought Italian seasoning and garlic salt would be good) dredge the chicken in the beaten egg and then in the almond mixture. Fry in olive oil .