SMOKEY PUMPKIN CASSEROLE

Boy life has been hectic but I'm trying to get back on track with finishing my cookbook and blogging. Anyway, here is a WONDERFUL new side dish that I experimented with in the last few days. It's going on the table for THANKSGIVING. I can't wait. It's different and does have a little warm kick to it-but it's not to spicy by any means. I can't wait to get my family's opinions on it. PLUS, it's so fast and easy. That's a side dish we all need for any dinner-especially Thanksgiving. I'm sorry I don't have a pic--I ate it too fast.

1 CAN PUMPKIN (15OZ)
5 PIECES OF BACON COOKED AND CHOPPED UP-separated
3 TABLESPOONS OF SUGAR FREE MAPLE SYRUP
2 LARGE EGGS-separated
1/4 TSP SALT
1 PEPPER-chopped- FROM A CAN OF CHIPOLTE PEPPERS IN ADOBO SAUCE
1/2 TSP OF THE JUICE FROM THE ADOBO SAUCE

Spray a 2 qt casserole dish. Mix pumpkin, syrup & 1/2 of the bacon right in the dish.Mix in salt and egg yolks, pepper and adobo sauce. Beat up the 2 remaining egg whites(until stiff peaks show) and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Then sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top. Bake in oven at 350 for 20-25 min.

Enjoy!

LOW CARB BROWNIES

Well I was in the mood for some chocolate. I need to work on my desert selections. I played around and came up with these yummy brownies. To make them more cake like bake them a little longer and if you want them chewier then bake them a little shorter. Chris said they were good-a little sweet but very good. You can't taste the soy flour either. Now of course you can try almond flour and I'm sure it would be fine-actually that's what I usually use when I bake. But I wanted to try some soy flour since it's finer.

1/4 cup butter

1oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup erythritol

2 scoops Designer Whey chocolate powder

3 egg whites

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c soy flour

1/2 unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the butter and chocolate until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in erythritol until blended. Cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the egg whites, egg and vanilla; stir into chocolate mixture until blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, protein powder and baking powder; gradually stir into chocolate mixture until blended. The mixture will be very thick. AT THIS POINT YOU CAN ADD SOME CHOPPED NUTS -I did!

Transfer to a 8-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not over bake). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Cut into 12 squares
 
Enjoy!

SWEET BREAD

I thought I would experiment with some coconut flour that I had on hand.  A lot of people in the low carb world like it but I've never in my years doing this have used it. I adapted a recipe I found for a coconut bread and made it sweet. This is like a pound cake/sponge cake texture. It's really good. I put my homemade jam on it with butter. VERY GOOD. Would also be good for a strawberry shortcake. Hmmm, I wonder how it would be toasted up a bit in the toaster oven?! Chris loved it. He had 3 pieces right away and another 2 pieces later in the day. So I had to make another. He said "write this recipe down--it's a good one." He says this because when I normally experiment I don't always write it down and then can't exactly "remember" how it was made-especially weeks later when he requests a dish. LOL!

6 eggs
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp Carmel DaVinci syrup
2 tablespoons Splenda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick of salted butter (softened)

Ok, now coconut flour either needs to be sifted or you just do it the easy way and make this all in your food processor! I took the easy way out. My hand always hurts after sifting...I hate it.

So...put the eggs in the processor and pulse a couple of times. Add butter and pulse again-and then add the rest of the ingredients. It will be thick. Spray a loaf pan (or you can do little muffins) with Pam and spread in the mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. It will get a really nice brown on top. Let cool a few minutes and them take it out of the pan and put on a rack to cool down. Once it's cool it's easier to handle and less fragile.

p.s it just as good with JUST BUTTER ON IT!
p.s.s-make some ahead and freeze them.
p.s.s.s-you can add chopped nuts to this also(almost like amish friendship bread)
Enjoy!

EGGPLANT PARMESAN ALA CROCKPOT

A friend of mine gave me some eggplants. I don't mind eggplant-Chris is not found of it but will try it. So I thought what better way to use it up and to get Chris to eat it then-PARMESAN STYLE. Well you all know I love my crock pot so I thought I would give it a try. Of course there is no breading like the traditional dish. Of course you can always use low carb bread and make your own bread crumbs--but I find extra Parmesan works great in cases like this-and it did. Chris liked it-he said it reminded him of lasagna. I still don't think eggplant will ever be on his favorite list but if I get free eggplant this is what I'm making with it-and he will eat it! Works for me.

2 EGGPLANTS -SLICED 1/4 INCH THICK
1 CAN(26OZ) NO SUGAR ADDED HUNTS SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
1 TSP DRIED THYME

Spray a 4-5 quart crock pot with Pam. Mix the sauce with the thyme. Layer in the crock eggplant slices, sauce then cheese. You should be able to do this 3-5 times depending on the size of your eggplants. Don't worry if every slice isn't totally covered--it all spreads and cooks together. Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Enjoy!

TOMATO DIP

I was in the mood to try a new dip. I usually make a ranch dip for our veggies-but I wanted to try something different. I'm a HUGE fan of sun dried tomatoes. I love them-ever since I had them with fresh basil on a burger at MAX & ERMAS. Love them! So, I now always keep a jar on hand. I got to playing around and came up with this so simple and yummy dip.

1 8oz cream cheese/softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes-drained and patted dry
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/8 tsp tabasco
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Place all the indrediants in the food processor and blend well. Serve with cut veggies of your choice.

Enjoy!

THE BEST BLUEBERRY COBBLER

OMG, you will love this recipe. I had a friend give me some blueberries and I was so in the mood for a cobbler or a pie. Well a cobbler is faster and easier then a pie-so WA LA!
It's so good my husband asked me to make another right away before the smaller first one I made was even gone. He's not a huge blueberry fan....but he loved this. Soooo good!

FILLING:
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Splenda
1 tsp Thick n Thin thickener

TOPPING:
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup Splenda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 tablespoons cold butter cut up in small pieces
2 - 3 tsp heavy cream

Combine all the filling ingrediants and spread in a 2qt baking dish sprayed with Pam. In a medium bowl combine the first 6 ingrediants for the topping and then cut in the butter until crumbles form. Add the cream until nicely moistened. Drop the topping over the filling in tsp and I kind of smoosh it down. Bake it for 30-35 min 375 degrees. Serves 6-8. Yummy warm and with fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy!

TANGY & SPICY BBQ SAUCE

I played around with a recipe and came up with this yummmy-all in one bbq sauce. It's sweet, tangy and spicy. Tons of flavor. You can put it on chicken, pork or beef. So good.

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup lc ketchup
3 tablespoons Splenda (or other sweetener equivalent)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder

Mix everything together in a non reactive pan. Cook on low heat at a simmer for about 15 minutes. It will cook down and thicken up. It's enough to cover 3 skinless chicken breasts. Remember it has a lot of punch!

Enjoy!

OVEN BAKED FRITTATA

Well eggs have been pretty cheap lately so I stocked up big time, hence this is wear this frittata came from. This can easily be doubled for a brunch. I used left over chicken from a roasted chicken I did earlier in the week.  You can really play with this as much as you want with different meats and cheeses.

6 eggs
1/4 cup butter
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Take a 8x8 baking dish and slightly melt the butter and spread it around the dish-cover the sides well. Layer the cheese first in the bottom, then chicken on top. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour on top of chicken. I sprinkled a little more paprika on top. Bake at 375 for about 35-45 min.

Enjoy!