Warm Cauliflower Bacon Salad with Ranch Dressing (low carb)

This is comfort food!  Try it soon.

Heat some olive oil and butter, OR bacon grease (yeah!) in a skillet

over medium heat. 

Add chopped cauliflower, diced onion, and some julienned radishes

(just happened to throw these in on a whim).

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Heat until the vegetables are tender. 

Remove from heat and spoon into a warmed dish. 

Top with real bacon pieces, shredded cheese,

and homemade ranch dressing.

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Warm Cauliflower Bacon Salad with Ranch Dressing

goes well with

steak, tenderloin,  pork chops, or meatloaf!

Warm Cauliflower Bacon Salad with Ranch Dressing

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1 pkg cauliflower (frozen, then thawed)

3 radishes

1/4 cup diced onion

bacon grease, olive oil, or butter for sauteeing

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

bacon pieces

homemade ranch dressing

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Heat some olive oil and butter, OR bacon grease in a skillet over medium heat.  Add chopped cauliflower, diced onion, and some julienned radishes.

Heat until the vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and spoon into a warmed dish. 

Top with real bacon pieces, shredded cheese, and homemade ranch dressing.

 

Vintage Recipe: Pineapple Cheese Ball

The holidays are just around the corner

and eating delicious goodies that we only make on special occasions has become a tradition.



Cheeseballs, Spinach Dip, Peanut Butter Balls, Spiced Pecans...these are a few of my favorite things.

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The special occasion was a wedding on Saturday night.  My friends Terry and Angie decided to tie the knot.  I wanted to help them celebrate by bringing a treat to the reception.  It was all eaten up.   Pictured below was the little bit I had left at home for a midnight snack or early morning breakfast.

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This started out as my friend Laura's recipe.  I've made some tweaks of my own with favorable results.



 

Pineapple Cheese Ball
 
cream cheese, 16 oz
crushed pineapple, (small can) drained dry
pecan pieces, 2 C
chopped onion, 1/4 cup
shredded cheddar, 2 oz
seasoned salt, 1 T
 
Mix all togther.  Refrigerate and roll in chopped pecans.
Serve with crackers.

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Watch for more vintage recipes and hopefully a give-away in the near future!

Cheesy Sausage Balls

The high carb version of this recipe has been a family favorite for years now.

Usually we get together the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas to cook for the holiday family dinner.  While we're putting Mom's Potato Salad together and making her fabulous Coconut Cream Pie, we stick a pan of Sausage Balls in the oven to snack on.  It's become a family tradition.

 

Having a little extra sausage on hand, I attempted a low carb version of this easy recipe.

 

They turned out fairly tasty, tho I think I can back off the onion powder next time or leave it out all together.

 

All you need is sausage, grated cheese, and something to bind it all together.  I've read where some use eggs and others use crushed pork skins.  I used a bit of Carbquik (similar to Bisquik and can be purchased at Netrition) and some parmesan cheese to make up the dry ingredients. 

 

It worked and they were quite tasty, although they didn't have the traditional sausage ball taste, because of the added spices, I think.  So in the future, I think I'll skip the spices and hope for that famous sausage ball flavor.

Other tasty low carb snacks and appetizers:

Deep Fried Cauliflower

Aussie Squash Fries

Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Poppers



Cheesy Sausage Balls

1 lb. sausage
12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of your choice low carb baking mix, such as Carbquik and parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 º F.  Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.   Mix well with your fingers. The mixture may very crumbly.  Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.  Place the balls on the baking sheet.  Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown.  To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking or use parchment paper to line your pan.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

Enchiladas for everyone!

These are made using low carb tortillas.  No non-low carbers complained.  This is a very tasty dish and higher carb low carb treat.  :)



I followed no particular recipe, just tried to use lower carb ingredients. 

Enchiladas

Ground Beef

Enchilada seasoning

Enchilada sauce or crushed tomatoes

diced onion

Low Carb tortillas

Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Brown the ground beef and onion.  Drain; add the enchilada seasonings and sauce (follow package instructions if using a prepackaged seasoning blend).  Simmer beef mixture.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of beef into tortillas, roll up, place into 9 x 13 dish, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake at 375 º until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

For the Enchiladas with a side of Caesar Salad, Lime, Avocado, Rotel Cheese dip and LC baked tortilla chips, see my low carb page here.

Cheesy Potato Pie

This pie is a result of a "clean out the fridge" night.

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Cheesy Potato Pie

3 lb.  potatoes, peeled & sliced
3/4 stick butter
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. cream
2 eggs
1/2 sm. onion, chopped
Salt & pepper
1 c. Cheddar cheese (1/4 of a pound), grated
1/2cup mozzerella, grated

2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

2  tbsp. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, cut in pieces

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Butter a glass pie dish. Put potatoes in water and bring to a boil, until potatoes are tender. Drain. Place in buttered pie dish. Dot with butter.  Top with diced tomatoes.  Mix cream, eggs, salt, and pepper.  Add onions. Spoon mixture over potato slices.  Spread evenly. Cover with cheeses and crumb mixture and dot with butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

3 Ingredient Cheesy Burger Skillet (low carb)

Three ingredients! 

That's all it takes to make this delicious low carb dish. 

3 Ingredient Cheesy Burger Skillet
 
1 lb. Ground Beef, cooked and drained
1 can french style green beans, drained
4 oz.  shredded cheese
 
After browning and draining the grease off the ground beef, add the green beans; stir.  Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes or until grean beans appear tender.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Cover for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

*I know I'm bad, but this  is really good with Velveeta cheese, too.  :)

Steak and Onion Salad with Creamy Homemade Dressing

I like to use leftovers and I love salads!

What better way to use up the leftover grilled ribeye steak than on a bed of crispy salad greens and top it with homemade salad dressing, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon pieces?

We had some leftover steaks  that kinda cooked longer than we like'm to, (it wasn't quite as "done" as it looks in these pics, really) so I decided to make Steak and Onion Salad.

Usually I stir-fry a cheaper cut of steak for this dish.  Sometimes I sauté the onions or sometimes I used fresh green onions or sliced Vidalias.  Sometimes I even throw both on there!  I'm liking onions, okay?

Sorry, there's no real recipe for this.   I just throw together a salad using my favorite salad ingredients, top it with the grilled steak, dressing, and peppercinis.

Steak and Onion Salad with Creamy Homemade Dressing (Lower Carb)

Your favorite salad greens: baby lettuces, radicchio, endive, butter...

I used Fresh Express prepackaged.

Shredded cheddar cheese

real bacon pieces

cucumbers, peeled, sliced, quartered (my DD did this :) )

sliced radishes

grape tomatoes, quartered

sliced yellow onion or green onions

sliced peppercinis.

steak, grilled or stir-fried and sliced into strips

To serve: Toss tomatoes, cucumbers and salad greens and other salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Place portions in individual salad bowls.  Add steak and onions.  Serve dressing alongside.

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Ok, don't laugh, this is not a fancy-schmancy recipe, I usually just throw together some type of mayo based salad dressing.  I can't stand the bottled stuff.  Not sure if this is kinda like a homemade Thousand Island, maybe?  Nevertheless, it's pretty good.  :)

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Creamy Homemade Dressing

1/2 cup mayo

1 T Heinz LC ketchup

1 tsp mustard

1 T peppercini juice

a dash of spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder

1 pkt Splenda, optional (if you prefer a sweeter dressing)

Mix all together in a small bowl.  If you prefer a thinner dressing, add some water or milk.

For a great low carb dessert, what about Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Pie?

Deep Fried Cauliflower Florets (Low Carb)

As I was deep frying these little golden bites, different ones wandered through the kitchen and asked what it was that I was cooking. My Handyman finally decided that this was our pre-dinner appetizer.  I didn't tell him they were low carb.  They wouldn't have come within an inch of his mouth had he known.  ;)

These can be served without or with any tasty dipping sauce you like.  We chose Ranch and Heinz LC Ketchup.

Deep Fried Cauliflower Florets (low carb)

One 16oz bag frozen cauliflower

1 egg

3 T cream, half and half, or water

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated romano cheese

seasoning spices (garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, etc)

hot oil for deep frying

Rinse and thaw the frozen cauliflower.  Drain off the water.  With a fork or whisk, mix the cream, half and half, or even water with the egg.  Set aside.  Add your preferred spices to both cheeses, stir and set aside.

Put about a cup of cauliflower florets into the egg mixture, stir around until the florets are coated with egg.  Next put the florets into the cheese mixture (I put the cheese into a quart size freezer bag) and shake around until the cauliflower florets are well coated with the cheese mixture.

Carefully drop into the hot oil.  Deep fry 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.  Continue until all the cauliflower is cooked. Drain on paper towels and serve with your preferred dipping sauce.

Cheesy Sausage Egg Muffins (Low Carb)

There are several versions of the Low Carb Sausage Egg Muffin out there.  I came across this recipe a few years ago and have continued to use it when I have a desire for an easy take-along breakfast.

Cheesy Sausage Egg Muffins (Low Carb)

6 Tbs crushed pork skins
1/2 cup chopped veggies of your choice
sausage or bacon, cooked and crumbled
5 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Using a 6 cup muffin pan, place about 1 tablespoon of crushed pork skins in the bottom of each muffin cup.  Next, place meat and veggies on top of the pork skins.  Pour the beaten eggs over the pork skins, meat, and veggies layers, enough to fill the cup.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins have puffed up and look set (done).

Sorry there's no specific measurements.  I usually just guesstimate on the amounts.  That means the muffins are usually different, but always good.  There's so many possibilities. 

One of my favorites combinations is pizza toppings where I use pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers and onions.   Another possibility is a savory cheesy chicken and broccoli muffin.

After baking, I let them cool, then bag them up by twos.  That gives me three days of a ready-made low carb breakfast that I can take along to work with me to have with my coffee.

Happy Low Carbing!

For more low carb recipes, go here.

Pepperoni Bread (Bread Machine)

Pepperoni Bread

Ingredients:

 

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water (70° to 80°)


• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


• 2 tablespoons sugar


• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt


• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano


• 3-1/4 cups bread flour


• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast


• 2/3 cup sliced pepperoni

Directions:

In bread machine pan, place the first seven ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose medium crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Just before the final kneading (your machine may audibly signal this), add the pepperoni. Yield: 1 loaf (about 1-1/2 pounds).

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home.

My Low Carb Story

February 15, 2001 was when I first started Low Carb. 

It was the day after my youngest daughter’s 3rd birthday.  We had her party at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  I made her a 2 layer cake decorated with buttercream icing colored pink.  It had the sprinkles that she loves so dearly all over it.  It was rich and delicious, but I had already made up my mind to start low carb eating the next day.  I had bought the book and had been reading it and was really excited to be making a change.  I had reached the point in my life where I was always tired and had ballooned up to my highest weight at that time.  I was ready for a change.

By September of 2001, I had lost 28 lbs.  I was feeling and looking so much better.  I kept the weight off for a year or so, then in 2003 I started a job where I sit most of the day.  I would grab anything I could find for lunch and the weight started coming back.  I gained 5-10 lbs per year until I gained it all back plus some.  My body no longer responds to diet attempts.

Every year around this time, I get that certain euphoric feeling I had when I first started low carb and my mind seems to be made up to try it one more time.  The pounds come off a whole lot slower now, but I must keep trying.  I lose inches now and my clothes feel looser, but the scale discourages me and usually by the weekend, I’ve given up once more.  Hopefully this time I can make it.  I can never give up totally.

So, I’m trying the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet, by Drs. Richard & Rachael Heller.  That allows me to have a treat at one meal, usually dinner.  I had good luck with this last spring.

From The Low Carb Friends website...This diet works because it controls your insulin release, which is related to how you store and use body fat. (See the book for all the scientific references!) You are allowed only three meals and one optional snack on CAD. This is how the insulin releases are controlled. Two of the meals are called “Complementary Meals” (CM’s) and the third is called a “Reward Meal” (RM.) There is no calorie counting, no carbohydrate counting… it is a very simple diet so none of that is necessary. If you follow the rules, everything falls into place.

CM’s are essentially very low carb meals. You divide your plate in half, and ½ your meal is protein, and the other ½ is low carb veggie. Simple. There is a specific list of veggies to choose from, called “crave –reducing” choices. The list is pretty extensive, but it does not include all low carb veggies. You are allowed to eat from this list, and that is all. If it’s not on the list, you don’t eat it. (But rest assured, there’s so much to choose from you won’t feel restricted.) It’s easy and flexible, it just needs to be balanced, protein & veggie. It is very much like an Atkins meal.

The optional snack is the same as the CM, just smaller.

An RM is a flexible meal you can have for your choice of Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. This makes it easy to plan for events like restaurant meals or parties. For the RM you begin your meal with a salad.  Then you divide your plate into thirds. 1/3 is protein, 1/3 is low carb veggie, and that last 1/3 is ANYTHING YOU WANT. If it fits in that 1/3 balance, you can have it. Potato, Bread, Cake, Cookies, Candy, Noodles, Rice, whatever you feeling like having.

This does not give free license to pig out on carbs. It must be BALANCED. If you want more cake, you also have to take the same portions of chicken and green beans, too.

One more catch: This RM must be completed within a one hour time limit. This has everything to do with controlling the insulin release. This is very important. Also, you are not allowed to snack (aside from the optional complementary snack.) You eat three to four times a day, and that’s it. Believe it or not, this will not be a problem. Your meals should carry you easily to the next meal. It’s all about that insulin control.

Aussie Squash Fries (Low Carb)

I was really wanting some of Outback's Aussie Fries and had some fresh yellow squash. Here's what I came up with...

I didn't measure anything.
"Aussie" Squash Fries

Long neck yellow squash (or possibly zuchini)
cheddar cheese, shredded
bacon, cooked and chopped
Olive oil, salt, & pepper (plus other spices to your taste)

Cut squash lengthwise into fry shaped pieces
Fry in olive oil until browned and done.
Remove from skillet and place in oven proof baking dish.
Sprinkle with cheese and bacon pieces.
Heat in oven until cheese is melted.
Serve with spicey ranch dip (I added some extra spices to my homemade ranch dip)