Family Cooking

Fun recipes and cook book reviews

May 29, 2010

Carbohydrate Specific Diet - Easy Low Carb Recipes

If you’re on a low carbohydrate diet program, then you know how important it is to learn some basic low carb recipes to make your meals more palatable but still as healthy. Low carb recipes allow you to prepare food with low amounts of carbohydrates while retaining all the other nutrients in the meal. The primary challenge in creating low carbohydrate recipes is to look for the right ingredients you can use that have decreased levels of carbohydrates.

Many people have the wrong notion that going on a low carbohydrate diet plan will stop them from eating delicious food, specifically desserts. This does not have to be the case. Here are two low carbohydrate recipes (one meal and one dessert) you can try.

Roast Beef
This recipe has only 5 grams of carbohydrates. Use a 2-pound roast, making sure you trim the fat. Rub a mixture of ¼ cup of mustard and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper onto the beef. Place the beef in a preheated oven and cook it to 155 degrees. Cover the beef with foil and allow to stand for approximately 15 minutes.

Next, prepare the sauce by mixing 2 cups of mushroom, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, beef broth, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and ¼ cup of water. Boil the mixture and let simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Combine ½ cup of milk and mustard, and stir this in 3 tablespoons of flour. Add this mixture to the sauce and cook until it is thick. Slice the beef and pour the sauce over it, and you’re done!

Oatmeal Brownies
For dessert, you can use this simple recipe, which contains only 18 grams of carbohydrates. First, stir together in ¾ cup of melted butter the following: 2 ½ cups of oats, ¾ cup of flour, ½ teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup of brown sugar. Bake this in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, and allow to cool after.

Next, combine together 1 pack of brownie mix and chocolate syrup, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup of oil and 1/3 cup of water, then add ½ cup of nuts. Spread this over the baked oat crust, and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Finally, cut it into brownie squares and serve!

There are many other low carb recipes that are easy to do. If you want to learn more, all you have to do is go to your local bookstore and buy recipe books specifically containing low carb recipes, or search the internet for these recipes. You will surely find a number of these that you will want to try out and enjoy!

Lose-11-Pounds.com have a FREE report “Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself” which can be downloaded Here.

May 12, 2010

Easy Crockpot Can Recipes

Did you know you can make candy in a crock pot? I didn’t - at least until I found this great article! I don’t know how good of idea that is in my house but it would be great for when you are having a party or around holiday times like Christmas and Valentine’s day and Mother’s Day and - what am I talking about. I don’t need an excuse to make candy! Going to start my shopping list…

Crock Pot Candy Recipes - EASY!

Crock pots are magical things that can welcome you home from your day with fantastic aromas and a ready to eat meal. Soups and stews, roast beef and chicken, just about anything tastes good cooked in a crock pot.

But candy?
Yes, there are recipes for crock pot candy, and they are surprisingly tasty treats.

Chocolated Nuts

12 oz white chocolate chips
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
16 oz jar of dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
8 oz cashew pieces, roasted and salted
4 oz slivered almonds
1 tsp vanilla

Place chocolates and peanuts in crock pot. Cook on low with lid on for 2 hours, or until melted. Stir at about 1-1/2 hours to be sure it is not scorching, and every 15 minutes or so after that.

Add cashews and almonds; stir in vanilla. Stir well to coat all nuts.

Unplug crock pot and allow candy to cool for 20 minutes in crock. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet and allow to cool overnight, until firmly set.

Store in container in cool, dry place.

Cherry Blasts

2 packages (12 oz each) white chocolate chips
1 small jar (about 6 oz) red maraschino cherries, drained
1 small jar (about 6 oz) green maraschino cherries, drained
8 oz chopped or sliced almonds
2 cups rice puff cereal
1 tsp almond extract

Melt white chocolate chips in crock pot on low heat for 1 hour. Stir, and continue on heat until melted smooth.

While chips are melting, drain cherries and squeeze dry on paper towels. Cut into small pieces, or chop lightly in food processor. Cherry pieces should be about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in size. Leave to drain on paper towels.

Add cherry pieces, almonds, almond extract, and rice cereal to melted white chocolate and stir until all pieces are coated.

Spread on parchment lined pan to cool completely.

Break into bite-sized pieces when cool. Store in container in cool, dry place.

Note: Red and Green cherries are nice for Christmas. Try 2 jars of red cherries for Valentine’s Day.

Sweet and Salty Crock Pot Fudge

24 oz chocolate bark, broken into small pieces
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups miniature marshmallows
16 oz can of salted, roasted in oil cocktail peanuts (not the kind with the dry coating)
7 oz bag of salted pretzels

Melt chocolates together in crock pot on low, about 1 1/2 hours, until smooth.

Unplug crock pot.

Use a rolling pin to slightly crush the pretzels. They should be in pieces, not rolled into tiny crumbs.

Add pretzel pieces and cocktail peanuts to chocolate and stir to coat.

Add miniature marshmallows and stir until coated. Quickly pour mixture into buttered 13”x9” pan, or larger if you want thinner cubes of candy. Spread and smooth evenly in pan.

Allow to cool. Cut into small squares.

Content Source: Crock Pot Candy Recipes - EASY! - Bukisa.com

May 10, 2010

Brownie Pizza

I can’t believe I haven’t blogged about my Brownie Pizza yet!  My son had a birthday party and as always this is what he asked for.  It is the easiest birthday party cake to make ever and the kids just love it.  Mostly because they get to be involved!

Ingredients:

  • brownie mix
  • miniature toppings - m&m’s, chippets, mini smarties, sprinkles of different varieties, icing tubes
  • Icing

Directions:

  1. Mix brownie mix but instead of putting it in a baking pan that you might normally use for brownies use a round pizza pan.  Don’t put it right to the edge because it will spread as it cooks.
  2. Bake for the same amount of time as you normally would but keep an eye on it because it might be done faster.  Use a toothpick to see if it is fully baked in the middle.
  3. Let cool and ice it.
  4. Let kids decorate with all the fun “toppings”.

It’s great with ice cream or on its own.

May 7, 2010

Lasagna Party

Ever had a pizza party for your kids where they get to make their own pizzas?  Well, this is a fun and nutritional alternative.  Kids always have fun when they get to make their own food the way they like it and they will often try out new things they have never tried before.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 small aluminum loaf pan (about 3 by 8 inches, preferably with plastic cover) for each guest
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (or ground beef)
  • 1 pound lasagna noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 jar (32-ounce) spaghetti sauce
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • Turkey bites (cubed)
  • Ground turkey
  • Variations of cheese - ricotta, feta, etc.
  • Veggies - they can be great in lasgna so put out a couple dishes of celery, carrots, tomatoes - all pre-diced of course
  • Pepperoni slices
  • Cubed ham

1. Prepare the sausage and the lasagna noodles. (If this is part of a party, prepare the noodles the night before.) Remove the sausage from the casing and cook over medium heat, breaking up the clumps, until completely brown. Drain the fat, set the meat in a bowl, and cover with plastic when cool. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Rinse the noodles and toss them with olive oil to prevent them from sticking together. (Tip: If the noodles don’t fit in your loaf pans very well, you may want to trim them ahead of time.) Lay the noodles in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan and cover with plastic. Then store the precooked ingredients in the refrigerator.

2. Just before the party, place the sauce, cheeses, and pesto (if desired) into bowls. Set them around the table along with the cooked lasagna noodles and sausage, and loaf pans and serving spoons.

3. Invite guests to assemble their lasagnas, starting with a layer of sauce on the bottom of their pans (to prevent the noodles from sticking). Have the kids continue layering on noodles, meat, sauce, and cheese until they are satisfied with their lasagnas.

4. Put the pans on cookie sheets and bake at 300º for about 20 minutes, or until the ingredients are warm and the cheeses have melted. Serve the lasagnas slightly cooled and let the kids eat right out of the pans. To send the leftovers home, cover the loaf pans with their plastic covers or aluminum foil. Serves 6 to 8 kids.

For more Italian recipes try
Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes

May 2, 2010

What to do with Turkey Bites

Every seen these things called “turkey bites”?  The ones I have seen are made by Pillers and they are so yummy and there are a bunch of things you can do with them.  And the best thing is they are low in calories and low in fat so you can have a few without feeling guilty.  If you are on Weight Watchers points plan they are only 1 point each.  They are like a pepperoni stick but with turkey.

Nutrition Facts/Valeur nutritive
Per 1 sausage (28 g)
Pour 1 saucissn (28 g)

Amount
Teneur % Daily Value
% valeur quotidienne
Calories/Calories 50
Fat / Lipides 3.0 g 4 %
Saturated / saturés 1.0 g
+ Trans / trans 0 g 4 %
Cholesterol / Cholestérol 20 mg
Sodium / Sodium 280 mg 12 %
Carbohydrate / Glucides 1 g 1 %
Fibre / Fibres 0 g 0 %
Sugars / Sucres 0 g
Protein / Protéines 6 g
Vitamin A / Vitamine A 0 %
Vitamin C / Vitamine C 0 %
Calcium / Calcium 0 %
Iron / Fer 2 %

 

So what do you do with them (besides munching down on one for a quick protien fix of course)?  Try these ideas:

  • Cut them up into pieces and put them in scrambled eggs.  Add a little salsa and you have a Mexican breakfast.  Put it all in a taco or burrito with some tomatoes and low fat cheese and you have a yummy and healthy breakfast on the run.
  • Add them to a salad to give it some flavor and protein.
  • Add them to soups (love it with tomato soup).
  • Cut pieces into steamed veggies (nice with peas or carrots).
  • Put them on nachos as a substitute for ground beef.
  • Add to spaghetti bolognese instead of meat balls or ground beef.
  • Put them with water chestnuts, green and red pepper on toothpicks for mini-skewers as an hor d’ourve.

There’s lots more.  What would you do with them?  Leave me a comment and let me know!