Amaretto Snowfall Cookies and the December Diner News

Amaretto has an odd meaning in my clan. Sure, it is a sweet, almond-flavored, Italian liqueur. But in my family, it is a sign of deep emotion. As we are not drinkers, this is about at hard as we get. A sip of Amaretto is our admission of the need for a little relief from a moment of intense sadness. But that is just the liqueur itself. We love the Amaretto flavoring in coffees and desserts--no emotional trauma necessary.

Not that this past month has not be traumatic at our house. A son undergoing two cancer surgeries will do that to a mom. Not to mention extended family issues at Thanksgiving, and my sweet dog having a medical emergency Thanksgiving night. Then I had to go and have that dreaded birthday that qualifies one for free senior coffee. Just a little stress! Things are looking up, though.

My sweet JP is on the mend. No more treatments until after New Year. My pup is doing better too. Trying to get the newsletter out and get into the holiday spirit. The Amaretto flavor in these cookies helps. They are almondy and sweet and simply GOOD. The crescent shape is traditional for an almond cookie. I went the extra step by adding Amaretto flavoring by Capella to really amplify that flavor. So delicious and therapeutic as well. No alcohol content necessary.

Amaretto Snowfall Cookies

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup erythritol/stevia blend

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 1/2 tbsp butter, melted

¾ tsp vanilla extract

30 drops Amaretto flavored Capella drops or ¼ tsp almond extract

1/8 tsp stevia extract

2 tbsp dried coconut milk powder or powdered erythritol /stevia blend

1 tsp powdered erythritol / stevia blend

Combine almond flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in egg, butter, vanilla extract , Amaretto flavoring and stevia extract until dough comes together. Use a small cookie scoop to measure out a ball of dough. Roll into a log and turn ends into a crescent shape. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Combine coconut milk powder and powdered sweetener into a mesh strainer or salt shaker and dust the top of each cookie.  36 cookies. 

A serving of 3:  127 calories 2 net g carb

 These are perfect cookies for a holiday cookie tray. I took a batch to school and the girls really loved the flavor. Very hard to tell they are sugarfree!

The snowfall is especially pretty. You can use powdered erythritol, but I really like the combination of dried coconut milk powder with a little sweetener. The consistency really does look like snow and it stays without disappearing into the cookie. It doesn;t really taste like coconut at all, so go ahead. I haven't tried it yet, but I hear you can make your own dried coffee creamer with this stuff. I rodered that and my Capella flavorings from Netrition.

Take a look at some of the goodies in this Christmas issue of the Diner News. Order here.

Snowflake Salad

Irish Cream Holiday Nog

White Christmas Stew

Pomegranate Pistachio Goat Cheese Log

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dessert Cups

Smoked Mozzarella Hot Dip

Christmas Tree Appetizer

Pecan Pie Bars

3 King's Cauliflower

Mini Irish Cream Desserts

Smoky Creamed Kale

Maple Dijon Christmas Ham

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page:               https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

 Order any of our great cookbooks at  http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Thanksgiving Bundle--Get Your Holiday Planned!

Let's face it. Thanksgiving takes some planning. Especially if you don't eat all the sugar filled treats, bread based stuffings and mounds of mashed potatoes. Every year, I go to great lengths to make wonderful sides that real celebration foods themselves. Something more special than the day to day fare.

I also create healthy desserts that will make sure my hubby does not feel deprived when the others pass the pumpkin pie. I make things that even the carbivores among the family will enjoy. No diet food corner of the table. Healthy low carb foods are good for everyone.

I have also, over the years, included several ways of approaching the traditional bird. This year I divided camps between the dark meat lovers, with an Herb Brined Turkey Leg recipe, and the devotees of white meat, with a cranberry glazed Breast of Turkey. So many choices over the years, with both roasted and crockpot recipes. Last year I made my slow cooker Herbed Turkey Breast 4 times for different events. Everyone loves it.

So my dear one and I have bundled all the Thanksgiving editions of the Diner News, so you can have all my favorite ideas for Thanksgiving celebrations. This is truly my favorite issue of the year(s).

For just $6 you can download all the Diner News November issues from 2009-2016. Wow, I have been doing this a long time!   I promise you, we eat good on Thanksgiving. It is a tough decision on which recipes to make! Although not all my older recipes have calorie and carb info, they are all low carb and it is easy to run exact counts on My Fitness Pal.

To purchase, just look for the image above on the Diner News website, and follow the link!

http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page:               https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

 Order any of our great cookbooks at  http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Cranberry Breast of Turkey and the November Thanksgiving Diner News Special Edition

Thanksgiving has been happening at my house for a couple of weeks now. That's life with a blog and newsletter--always a little ahead. So today, while everyone else was planning a costume for some Halloween fun, I was slaving away in the kitchen. In fact that is where I have been all weekend. (except for several grocery stores and church) It doesn't matter that it is in the mid 80s here and my kitchen is hot. I am now happy dancing that I got it all done. My mom did come over to help. What a saint she is! (And she doesn't even like squash and cranberries. I adore them both, so I am now wondering if I am adopted.) Plus, when my wonderful son came over for dinner, he had a Thanksgiving feast awaiting! It pays to look at the bright side, yes?

This is what I fed my boys for dinner. Mama had tasted every dish and declared she was full.  I got it all together while my son answered the door for trick-or-treaters. We had a weird night blending holidays! Most importantly, he liked the meal. I can't heal him, but I can feed him, right? This fabulous Cranberry Roasted Breast of Turkey, and about 7 or 8 of the dishes you will see listed below were all on our table tonight. If you want all of those recipes, you will just have to order the Diner News!

The roasted turkey is sweet and savory all at the same time. Mellow herbs and the tart surprise of cranberry now and then. I love the flavor combo. I buy the frozen breast of turkey from Aldi. I have made at least a dozen of these and they have been excellent every time. No bones. Tender and juicy both in a crockpot, my older recipe, and roasted, like I did today.

Cranberry Roasted Turkey Breast

1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup erythritol / stevia blend

1/2 tsp orange extract

1 thawed breast of Turkey, boneless

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp poultry seasoning (3 if turkey has strings holding it together)

1 rib celery

1/2 cup chicken broth

In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, water, sweetener and orange extract. Cook, stirring until berries burst. Mash the berries and cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Place thawed breast into a casserole dish. Rub softened butter all over the breast. Sprinkle the seasonings on all surfaces. Cut the celery into three sticks. Place them under the turkey breast to lift it off the baking surface.

Spoon half of the cranberry mixture onto the breast of turkey. Place into a heated 375 degree oven. Pour the broth into the dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove turkey and spoon the remaining cranberry sauce over the top. Cover with a tent of foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 175 degrees.       

                                                                                                   Serves 6:  269 calories  4 net g carb

Because the Kirkwood breast of turkey has string binding it, I use additional spices. I also saved some cranberry sauce to baste after removing the string.

I have one last day of my fall break from school. Now that this Diner News has been put to bed, I will enjoy it best as I can. No doubt, I now need to jump into Christmas preparations. Don't forget that I asked you to help out by sending your favorite Christmas recipes. With my precious boy having surgery to remove his cancer, I will be a little busy and stressed. Maybe a lot stressed? Trying to keep the faith.

Now time to put me to bed too. Here are some of the gorgeous recipes in this month's expanded edition of the Diner News. The hubby and I are also putting together a bundle of all my November issues of the News. These are among my favorites. So many incredible side dishes. Be watching for the chance to pick that up...so maybe I do still ave a little work to do on the last day of my fall break.

Bourbon Kabocha Whip

Sweet Bacon Hot Slaw

Grandma's Holiday Frosted Cranberry Jello Salad

Sage Stuffing

Cranberry Butternut Bowl 

Cranberry Bacon Jam

Mini No Bake Pumpkin Chiffon Cup

Bourbon Braised Green Beans

Cranberry Curd Dessert Minis

Waffle Grilled Squash

Cranberry, Walnut and White Cheddar Cheeseball

Herb Brined and Roasted Turkey Legs

Heritage Pie

Autumn Jewel Salad

Garlic and Parmesan  Delicata

Harvest Salad

Pumpkin Vinaigrette

 Surely after feasting your eyes on these, you want to order the Diner News, right? It is good to enjoy all these wonderful foods!  Just head over to the website and order with Paypal.

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page:               https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

 Order any of our great cookbooks at  http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.