Corn Salad

A delicious, refreshing summer salad. Kick it up a notch by adding some fresh chopped jalapeno!

CORN SALAD

3 cups fresh corn kernels (roughly 6 ears) OR 16 oz frozen corn, slightly cooked
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 avocado, diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced OR 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

LIME DRESSING
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

In a large serving bowl, combine corn kernels, tomato, avocado, scallions/onion, and cilantro. To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Combine the dressing with the salad and gently mix. 6 servings.

Mary and Mommy's Super-Duper-Deluxe Mousse Stuff

This was invented in 2008, for the triplets' 7th birthday. We love chocolate mousse cake from a local bakery and wanted to make our own. We used this on top of a sheet cake, but I think it would have held up as a filling between layers. It's also delicious as a pudding on its own! Leave out the powdered sugar and use sugar-free pudding mix and it's even low carb. 


Mary and Mommy's Super-Duper-Deluxe Mousse Stuff
1 pkg, instant chocolate pudding mix
2 T cocoa powder
4 T powdered sugar
1 -1/2 cups heavy cream

Put it all together, and beat until it's thick - then it's done!

Low Carb "Stuffed Cabbage"

The family voted this a keeper. :)

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
1 medium cabbage
4 T butter
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 t salt
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
1/2 t pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chop cabbage. In a dutch oven, cook the cabbage with 4 T butter and 1/2 cup water, until tender (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and drain well. Add tomatoes (undrained) and seasonings. Add cabbage and mix until combined.

Place 1/2 of meat mixture in a 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350 for one hour, uncovered.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

6 strips bacon
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1 - 4.5 ounce can diced green chilies, undrained3/4 cups Greek yogurt or sour cream
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
2  cups cheddar cheese, grated

Tortilla Chips for serving

Cook bacon until crispy. Crumble.

Stir together yogurt, cream cheese, and 1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Fold in peppers and bacon.

Put in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 350 until lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.

Serve with chips or vegetables.

** Here is our favorite way to fix this! Prepare mini sweet peppers: cut off end, then cut in half lengthwise and de-seed. Stuff with cheese mixture and bake until browned. Yummm!!

Pumpkin Cake

A delicious paleo, gluten free cake. My pumpkin lovers heartily approved.

2 c. almond flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1/2 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9x13 inch cake pan, or spray with non-stick spray. 

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, with electric beaters on medium, mix together eggs, pumpkin and honey until smooth.

Add dry to wet and combine on low speed until smooth.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth with spatula.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Completely cool on rack before cutting and serving.

Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

** You could probably substitute sweeteners, but you need to compensate for the liquid. I have not tried any other sweeteners in this.

Italian Salad Dressing

I already knew that homemade salad dressing is better and healthier than storebought, but it's one of my last holdouts of "trash" on my grocery list. I'm going to try to find recipes for all my favorites (if anyone can duplicate the Asian Toasted Sesame, please let me know!).

This was super easy to make and keeps for a long time in the fridge. The only thing is the oil solidifies in the fridge so I have to get it out early or set in a bowl of warm water to melt. Not a huge problem, as long as I remember! It's so delicious it makes up for it.

Italian Dressing 

1 cup apple cider vinegar (honestly any type is fine, but I do try to incorporate lots of unprocessed ACV into my diet. Just choose your favorite.)
1 1/3 cup olive oil 
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
2 drops liquid Stevia (or about 1/2 tsp of your sweetener of choice)
1 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons sea salt

Pour ingredients into a glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid (you need to shake without leaking)
Cover and shake well. I used my stick blender but I don't think it made a difference and gave me one more thing to clean.
Store in refrigerator.

* You can adjust seasonings to your liking or based on what you have on hand. Really, it would be hard to mess this up. Even with no seasoning at all it would be a tasty oil/vinegar blend!

* It also makes a great marinade. I've used on pork and chicken so far. Add a little lemon juice if you like.

*Variations are endless! 

* This makes about 2-1/2 cups - not enough for my quart jar, but too much for my Good Seasons Cruet. 

Ginger Cranberry Sauce

We have lamb for Christmas dinner, and we go out of town for Thanksgiving, so we always buy a turkey to fix later in the winter so we can have the yummy leftovers. Today is that day! I always make my own cranberry sauce, but haven't fallen in love with any one recipe so I usually wing it. I write in down in case it's good, and today, it is!

My husband and I are eating paleo at the moment, so that makes sweetening a bit more difficult. This batch turned out with exactly the right ratio of sweet and tart for me.

Ginger Cranberry Sauce

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped (I used a naturally sweetened kind I got at the health food store. I can't remember the brand.)

1/2 cup orange juice

10 drops liquid stevia

Put everything in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Cool and enjoy!