Jalapeno Cheese Ball

This started out as several different recipes that I spent quite a few tries tweaking. I believe I have finally perfected it! It's hard to make it come out spicy. This was successful. You can adjust any of the spicy ingredients to your taste, and vary the types of cheese as well.

Edited to add: on Day 2 the spiciness is increased. It really is very spicy. Using regular pepper jack will bring that down a lot but you may want to lessen the amount of juice (none of that is necessary at all). Play with it to your own taste but i wanted to let you know that sitting overnight increases it!

Recipe Ingredients

2 cups Cream cheese, softened
2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups Pepper jack cheese, shredded (see note below)
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. jalapeno peppers, minced
3 Tbsp. juice from jalapeno jar
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Chopped or ground nuts, or crushed corn or tortilla chip crumbs, if desired

Recipe Directions

Combine all of the ingredients until thoroughly mixed and the lumps have been worked out of the cream cheese.

Serve as a dip/spread, or make into a ball:

Lightly spray food release on your hands and gather the cheese mix with your hands to form a ball.

Roll the cheese ball in ground nuts or chip crumbs until completely coated. This makes 1 HUGE or 2 normal sized cheese balls.

Notes:

• This can be made 2-3 days ahead. Seal cheese ball in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to use. Before serving, allow chilled cheese ball to sit at room temperature for an hour to soften.
• To use as a dip or spread, allow it to soften a bit before serving.
• Pepper Jack Cheese - I used 3 Alarm Pepper Jack, available at Sam's Club. This was the secret to the perfect amount of spicy, in my opinion. If you use regular pepper jack, you will need to add more jalapenos to get it spicier. Do not add more pepper juice unless you're making dip, as it will make it too soft.

Taco Skillet

Found on a low carb recipe site. Everyone loved this! The kids ate some in tortillas and some plain, and pronounced it good both ways. No one asked what the cabbage was. I suppose you could chop it really small if your kids will give you problems over it. You could not taste it but it did add some nice texture. Our kids are adventurous so we don't have to hide things from them - knock on wood!

Taco Skillet

2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 batches of Taco seasoning

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained *

16 oz. package coleslaw mix, or equivalent shredded cabbage

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Optional garnishes: sour cream, cilantro, diced black olives, extra cheese

* I used a can and a half of Rotel tomatoes.

Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in a large skillet; drain. Add the seasoning and tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and cook for 2 minutes more until the cheese melts. Stir the cheese in slightly before serving. Add the garnishes if desired.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

Really delicious and different way to fix broccoli.

Be sure and use the stems. If you haven't tried it before, the stems are really yummy. You do need to peel them to get rid of the tough outer layer. What's left inside is SO sweet and tender, even raw. I like to cut them thin and just eat them raw or dip it into something as you would a chip. Try it!

For this recipe I sliced the stems thin and cut the florets pretty small. I put everything into a baggie to shake and mix, then dumped it out onto a cookie sheet. I roasted them for about 12 minutes and they were crisp-tender. I think 20 minutes sounds like way too long, although I may give it a try to see what happens.

1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (use the stems too as described above)

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put all ingredients into a baggie, seal, and shake to coat. Spread them onto a baking sheet and roast, without stirring, for 20 minutes.

Serve warm (stir before serving).

Taco Seasoning

I haven't wanted to use the store bought stuff in ages (ever since I actually read the label, yikes!). I had been using just chili powder but this is more like the real thing!

1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne

Combine and add to 1 pound browned and drained ground beef. Add a little water or tomato sauce, if desired. Sometimes I add some V-8 or Rotel tomatoes (undrained). This will be drier than taco meat made with a commercial mix due to the lack of thickeners. It tastes just as good as the store bought kind and is a lot cheaper to make.

Makes enough for 1 pound ground beef or 4-6 servings

Nutty Broccoli Salad

I found this recipe when cooking for Dad. I was looking for vegan recipes with chickpeas. I found that it tastes very close to the broccoli salad Mom and I loved so much - you know, the mayo-full stuff you find on salad bars? But this is WAY healthier! I wish I had been able to share it with her - I know she would have loved it!

We are currently living low-carb, so this is perfect as long as the raisins are not added (we don't particularly care for those anyway). There are just 13 net carbs in a can of chickpeas, so if you use those they add only about 2 carbs per serving. It's good either way, but the peas add a really nice and different touch.

I have since added the grated cheese to the recipe since I do not need to make it vegan anymore. The salad bar kind has cheese, and this makes it even closer, while still being low carb.

Serves: 6-8

• 4 cups chopped or shredded broccoli
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins (leave these out if counting carbs)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (I like to use half each)
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce

• Mix together broccoli, chickpeas, almonds, raisins, cheese and onions.

• In a separate bowl, whisk oil, vinegar and soy sauce.

• Pour dressing over salad. Let sit for a while to meld.

• Serve.

  
  

  
  

Scalloped Turnips w/Caramelized Onions

I saved this from a low-carb recipe site a few weeks ago and just got around to trying it.

It's a keeper! Even The Teen liked it. We'll be making this again for sure!

Scalloped Turnips w/Caramelized Onions

4 large turnips; peeled and cleaned, sliced into thin slices and boiled
for 3 minutes in water with 3T cream added; drained well
2-3 slices bacon
1T butter
1 large onion, sliced into paper thin rings
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded white cheese of your choice (I used a mixture of mozzarella and Swiss)
Additional 1/2 cup cheese for top(optional)
3T butter
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper


Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2 quart casserole with cooking spray and set aside.

Dice bacon and fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in pan. Add 1 T. butter, nutmeg and onions. Saute onions over low heat until nicely browned. Crumble the bacon back in. Set aside.

In a microwave safe dish, melt the 3 T. butter and then add cream and cheese. Stir to melt, heating for 20 second intervals as needed.

Place 1/2 the turnips in the bottom of the casserole dish; then salt and pepper the turnips, followed by 1/2 the onion mix and 1/2 the cheese sauce. Repeat layers then top with additional cheese if using.

Cover well and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes or until top browns and it's all bubbly and tender.

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Italian Sausage

One of my favorite things is Italian Sausage. Since we've been low-carbing I've wanted to cook some, but I am also an avid label-reader these days and what I founf there surprised me! I found that Italian sausage has a bunch of crap in it like sugar (???????????? ) and artificial ingredients (If you NEED sausage and are buying it, bratwurst seems to have the least offensive ingredients - be sure you read as brands may vary). I was really sad because I love Italian sausage. Coincidentally that same night Alton Brown made some on Good Eats. Yay! I made it myself and it was EASY and YUMMY.

Well, his recipe was a tad more complicated. It had you grinding your own pork and stuffing into casings. If you want to do all that, just Google for "Alton Brown Italian Sausage" like I did. Here is my dumbed down / equipment challenged / (almost) immediate gratification version.

But did I say OMG YUM??!??!??!?!? I will NEVER buy Italian sausage premade again. Just saying.

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 pounds ground pork

Directions

Crush the fennel seeds: in a blender, coffee grinder, or just put in a baggie and hit it with a hammer.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Form into patties or meatballs.

Cook as you would regular patties or meatballs.

ENJOY! I know I will!

Fauxtato salad

Another low-carb gem for our tailgating picnic. This was billed as "just like potato salad! No one will ever know the difference!" We didn't agree with that, but it WAS very good. I slightly undercooked the cauliflower - I think it would have a more potato-ish consistency if it had been thoroughly cooked.

The kids liked it too. M couldn't get enough of it - he said it tasted just like deviled eggs (which he would devour by the dozen if we let him).

It's much better if you make it the day before you eat it, and is even better the day after that!

3 cups cooked cauliflower
4 cooked, chopped eggs
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup diced dill pickles
1 rib celery, chopped
2 TSP diced onion
2 TSP pickle juice
Yellow Mustard to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


How To Prepare: Cook the cauliflower and eggs, drain VERY well, then add all the ingredients and put in the refrigerator overnight.

Parmesan Chicken

A few weeks ago we traveled to Older Son's college for a football game. We wanted to have a tailgate picnic but had been told we could not use a grill in the parking lot. We adults have been on a low-carb diet for a few months so I went searching for recipes. This was a big hit, hot or cold!

The original recipe calls for wings. I used legs due to the cost. How long have wings cost twice as much as legs??

** It's imperative that you put foil on the pan - and grease the foil! Even when reheating. Trust me.


Make a dry mixture from:
1/2-1 cup powder-style parmesan cheese (such as Kraft - or put the grated style in the blender)
2 t. paprika
1 T each of dried parsley, oregano, and basil
1 t garlic powder
salt and pepper

Dip raw wings (or legs) in melted butter then coat with dry mixture.

Bake on FOIL LINED cookie sheet for 45 minutes to an hour at 350.

This recipe is enough for 10 chicken legs, so I guess about 20 wings. I had to make another batch and had only the grated parmesan to use the second time. The powder coated much better. It's crispy and delicious. It's also very yummy cold. If you're worried about using butter you could use olive oil or just a milk dip first I guess.

Vanilla Ice Cream

The easiest, most amazing ice cream EVER!!!

2 cans Eagle Brand milk (if you prefer, make your own with my recipe)
6 c. milk, half and half or combination
1 tbsp. vanilla

Mix well. Freeze according to your freezer's directions.

From my friend Kathy: if you don't have an electric maker place ingredients into a low sided metal container and place in the freezer. Every 5-10 min. scrape the sides and stir the cream mixture, when it becomes the desired frozen consistency, enjoy.

Awesome!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This is posted in my Cooking for Dad blog, but I got tired of having to hunt it down any time I wanted to make it.

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 pinch salt

Rinse quinoa well before cooking. Cook according to package directions; let cool.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1 cup green onions, greens and bulbs, diced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped


• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the above and stir into cooled, cooked quinoa. Mix well. Best if it sits for at least an hour before serving.

Cottage Pudding

Just like Mom used to make. Total comfort food! The cake alone is on the dry side. I figure because it's meant to be served with a sauce. It tastes great though - and takes no longer to whip up than a cake mix would. Serve it with the nutmeg sauce like my Mom made, or any sauce you like. Last night we used it to make Strawberry Shortcake, using the Berries and Custard recipes I posted earlier. Yummy!! I cut the cake in small pieces and then cut those in half, like a sandwich. The next day the kids were taking the leftovers, cutting them in the middle and adding a spoonful of custard for a sandwich. Cute! So this is really two recipes in one! Use the nutmeg sauce posted here for traditional Cottage Pudding. Skip that and use the berries and custard for an awesome shortcake. Enjoy!

Cottage Pudding

Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 stick butter 

1/2 cup milk 

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter and lightly flour an 8-inch square cake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan, remove from the heat, and stir in the milk and the egg, beating well. Add to the flour mixture and blend. Pour into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (use jarred if needed)

Combine the sugar and cornstarch and blend with the water. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter or margarine and nutmeg. Serve warm over the cake.

Girl Scout Cookie "Tornados" by Stephen

• Girl Scout cookies of your choice, about 3 per person, chopped
• Ice cream of your choice, about 1 cup per person
• Milk - Just enough to blend the ice cream

Blend the ice cream and milk into a thick shake, using only as much milk as you need. Pour into cups and put the cups in the freezer while you eat supper.

After supper: remove from the freezer and stir in about 3 spoonfuls of chopped cookies. Our favorite was Tagalongs and they were good in either chocolate or vanilla Tornados.

~ Recipe by Stephen, age 8

Roasted Kale

I discovered this recipe while cooking for Dad's special diet. The kids (I am blessed with kids who like to try new things!) all wanted to taste it that first night. I had to get up and put more in the oven!

My 12 year old asked for it the other night. When a 12 year old boy asks for kale, you know it has to be good. So try it, you never know! Kale is super healthy and most people think of it as a garnish, not an actual food!

Don't use the pre-packaged, pre-washed stuff with this, though. It's chopped too small and doesn't work well with this. You want to buy the whole leaves and rip into smaller pieces.

Roasted Kale with Sea Salt

* 4 cups firmly-packed kale
* 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp. sea salt (regular salt will do)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and trim the kale: Peel off the tough stems by folding the kale leaves in half like a book and stripping the stems off. Toss with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for five minutes. Turn kale over. Roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.

** watch it carefully, I cut and pasted this but it seems I didn't cook it nearly this long. It should be crispy and a little bit brown, and it burns easily once it's done!

** I use a large Ziploc to toss it, it seems to coat it more evenly.

** don't salt it before cooking. It shrinks a lot and will end up way too salty.

Berries and Custard

I've had a hankering lately for my Grandmother's "Boiled Custard" - a thick custard sauce she would cook up whenever I went to visit. I remember her stirring and stirring at the stove (sometimes I would help) and when it was still warm we would spoon it over a dish of vanilla ice cream (Yarnell's, of course!) where it would slightly melt the ice cream before forming little ice crystals in the custard. Pure heaven!! Then the other day I happened to be watching Food Network and saw a berry recipe I wanted to try. I picked up a small container of fresh raspberries and a couple of pints of Louisiana strawberries. Tonight while the guys were at baseball practice I decided to whip up both for dessert. They were great together / with ice cream (though we don't have Yarnell's here) or separately! The kids had seconds on both and pronounced them both "keepers". 

(See thicker variation at the bottom!)

  Boiled Custard 

 3 eggs 

1 cup sugar 

2 tsp. cornstarch 

1 quart milk 

2 tsp vanilla 

 Beat eggs until creamy in a heavy saucepan. Mix together sugar and cornstarch and add gradually to the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add milk and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil, turn heat off. Stir until thickened. Cool slightly; stir in vanilla. Chill - or serve over ice cream while still warm. 

  Fresh Berries in Syrup 

 2 pints fresh strawberries, raspberries or mixture, sliced 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

 juice of one lemon 

 Stir together and refrigerate for one hour. Stir before serving. Perfect over ice cream or cake!

**put in the ice cream freezer for a delicious frozen custard! 

** This can easily be made lower carb by using sugar substitute instead of sugar. I have not tried it using low carb milk alternatives, but that would be another option to try.

**for thicker custard - add two more eggs and 2 tsp. cornstarch to the above recipe. This will be thicker, but still pourable. If you want a really thick (like pudding) version, double the amount.

Buttercream Frosting

I've made 2 birthday cakes this weekend. It's also been a very busy weekend! So for the first cake I caved and bought a can of chocolate frosting. I hated to do that. For a few years I've been making my own frosting. Seriously, it makes sense. Ever read the ingredients on the can of frosting?! Once you do, you will want to wash your eyes out with soap, and never-ever buy another can of commercial frosting again.

It is SO easy to make buttercream frosting. It doesn't take 5 minutes, including cleanup, in my experience. It tastes amazing - and you KNOW what's in it!

This is a basic vanilla recipe. You can tweak it any way you like. I'll add some suggestions after the recipe.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 package powdered sugar (16 ounces) (3-3/4 cups)
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat sugar, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer at low speed until well blended and smooth. If frosting becomes too thick, beat in additional milk by teaspoonfuls until the frosting is of spreading consistency.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups frosting.

• Many recipes say you have to sift the sugar. I never, ever sift the sugar. I never do a single thing to get extra lumps out of the sugar. If you do sift, it will take extra time.
  

Variations:

Peppermint: Omit vanilla. Add 1/2 cups finely crushed peppermint sticks (about 7 sticks) and 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract.

Almond: Omit Vanilla. Add 2 tsp.s pure almond extract.

Lemon: Omit vanilla and milk - add 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest, and1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.

Chocolate: Add 1/4 cup powdered unsweetened cocoa for light chocolate. Add more if you would like a darker, less sweet frosting.

Mocha: to the chocolate buttercream light variation, add 1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules.

Fruit: Omit the milk. Add equal amount of strained fruit preserves of your choice.