Home Made White "Velveeta" Cheese

It's funny sometimes how we Americans eat. My sweet Mama picked up a little cookbook on one of her travels--those quaint little cookbooks compiled by some church group or civic organization, you know. Probably tons of copyright infringements, but who really cares? You find them in touristy gift shops, and craft fairs and such. Maybe a group sold them as a fundraiser. My mom and I have found some real treasures in that kind of cookbook. This one in particular was an extended family cookbook. It was a collection of a great grandmother's recipes, which were exponentially added to by various cousins and daughters-in-law. Good, homey recipes that I tend to love. The funny thing about this book, was that almost every recipe seemed to use Velveeta. This family loved their processed cheese! Yes, it even appeared in the dessert section. Velveeta fudge, no less.

Now, I have to admit to eating my share of Rotel Dip in my lifetime.  More than a few spoonfuls of Velveeta and macaroni have passed these lips. Not so much since we have been low carbing. Not that it is a terrible carb bargain. But not all so great in healthy ingredients either. I have fallen in love with a cheese spread made from cheese and eggs that I found as a very old recipe. I decided this might be worth a try as well.  This white cheese food is quite similar to the name brand. It is meltable, soft and squishy. No artificial colors here, though. No milk sugars either. In fact, I made mine with cashew milk. This was a recipe featured in the Feb. 2015 Diner News, all about cheese.

DIY Velveeta

2 tbsp water

2 1/2 tsp grass fed gelatin

3/4 cup cashew milk

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp sea salt

Place water in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat cashew milk until it just comes to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until it melts in.  Add cheese and salt to the pot. Using an immersion blender to create a smooth texture.

Lina a mini loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the cheese mixture into the loaf pan and cool. Chill at least 4 hours. Once chilled, invert the loaf onto a plate and slice. This cheese will keep at least 2 weeks wrapped. It will melt easily for all those recipes calling for original Velveeta.

12 servings:  69 calories 1 carb

8 servings:   104 calories  1 carb

So now that you have it, just what to do? Of course, think of all the things you would use the name brand processed cheese for. It melts great over broccoli or cauliflower. It can be spread into a celery stick. It makes great omelets and quesadillas. Great just for snacking too. 

You can change out the cheese used too. Colby would be good, I think. Have some fun with this one!

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.

Broccoli Bites

I was grabbing a recipe today from Low Carbing Among Friends Volume 2. Sometimes we food bloggers get so wrapped up in trying to think up new recipes, we forget about some of our favorites from years past. This is one of those. I love my cake pop appliance. This is one recipe I need to make again. Broccoli Bites are so fun to make and eat. This machine does not have to make cake, I promise!

Even though this fun treat was good enough to put in the book, it was among the recipes I published in the Diner News rather than here on the blog. Afterall, if we share everything we make on our blogs, would you still buy our books? I dunno. But, because I just put these on my menu for the week, I decided to share this fun one with all of you...especially those I have convinced to buy a cake pop machine. But don't worry, you can make them as mini muffins too. Just not quite as fun. If you happen to be looking for creative lunch box items, give these a try. I love having something fun in my lunchbox.

Broccoli Bites

1 cup broccoli, chopped 

¹/₃  cup Parmesan cheese 

¹/₄ cup water 

2 eggs

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp olive oil 

¹/₂ tsp baking powder 

¹/₄ tsp salt 

¹/₂ cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

4 oz Cheddar cheese cubes (1 per bite) 

In food processor, chop broccoli. Remove from food processor and measure 1 cup  broccoli. Add Parmesan cheese, water, eggs, coconut flour, olive oil, baking powder and salt. Process until mixture is blended. Stir in shredded cheese and chopped broccoli by hand.

Place a scant tbsp of batter in the cavity of a cake pop machine or mini muffin tin. Press a cheese cube into the batter. Add additional batter over the top of the cheese cube, making sure to seal the cube entirely with the batter. Bake until golden on the outside. Cake pops bake in about 7 to 8 minutes. Mini muffin bites bake in a 350°F  oven for about 15 minutes.

Helpful Hint: I cut up Cheddar snack sticks for the centers. String cheese would also work well.

Makes about 22 pops. 2 per serving:  70 calories     1 net g carb

These Broccoli Bites are listed in the cookbook as appetizers, but they are great as a side dish, picnic food or lunchbox treat. What a fun way to eat your veggies.

Speaking of lunchbox fun, I am really happy to have a teaching assignment starting after Labor Day. I love teenagers...especially the ones who need a little extra understanding. I am only promised 9 weeks at part time at this alternative school, but I hope things will go well and I can continue. After closing my own school, I was in such a funk. I think this will be a good thing. With teaching part time and blogging, recipe developing and working with the diabetics group, I think I will have full time hours again! Giving up control has always been tough for me. I am trying desperately to go where God leads. So far, he seems to be sending opportunities to do a lot of good for a lot of different people. That makes me happier.

Get more great  low carb recipes at Low Carbing Among Friends.

 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.  

Chayote Cinnamon "Apple" Sauce and the 2013 Diner News Bundle

     I guess I am finished buying those little lunch box applesauce packages now that I have an empty nest. Still seems weird. I don't eat applesauce, though I do like it. Last fall, I made this tasty treat that tastes a lot like the sweet cinnamon laced sauce my boys always liked. The trick is to use the awkwardly ugly but lovable Chayote squash in place of apples. It has so little flavor--it really takes on the sweetener and the cinnamon.

This is one of those recipes featured in a 2013 Diner News--last October's issue on all things squash to be precise. I always include recipes there that are not featured on this blog or in the LCAF cookbooks. THAT is why you should subscribe. We have been running a little behind, and just recently got the 2013 issues bundled for sale on our website. You should go order that if you don't have the 2013 issues. The 2013 issues feature:

January - Deli Favorites

February - Spices Make the Meal

March - Triple Play Meals (3 meals from one protein)

April - Slow Cooking

May - Muffin Cup Meals and Treats

June - Great Grill Prep

July - Blender Fun

August - Summer Salad Time

September - The Lunch Crunch

October-- Harvest Squash

November - Thanksgiving 

December - Holiday Favorites

Order the 2013 Bundle for just $6 at   http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

Remember, this is one way I am able to keep the doors open to the school I run. My proceeds are going directly to summer rent. Each Diner News averages 8 pages of recipes and tips to make the low carb life a great one. This is really a deal.

   

Chayote Cinnamon Applesauce

2 chayote squash

1 quart water

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp EZ Sweetz Stevia with Monkfruit or sweetener equal to 1/4 cup sugar

Dice unpeeled squash. Cover with water in a medium saucepan and simmer 45 minutes until very tender. Let cool. Drain squash and place into a blender. Add cinnamon and sweetener. Puree or mash for a chunkier version. Great as a lunch box snack or even as a topping for pancakes and waffles.

Serves 4:   19 calories  3 net carbs

Hint: If you don’t mind aspartame, a little sugarfree apple cider drink mix will create a stronger apple flavor, but this is good as is.

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

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

Layered Taco Salad with Crockpot Taco Beef and Other Big News!

It is summer, and I am busy on an exciting new project. I have a few weeks off from school. A few life changes too. With my empty nest unfolding, everything seems so different. In accordance, my traditional Diner system is undergoing some changes too. No boys to feed anymore. Prep days just don't have to be as involved. I am reorganizing my system to fit the needs of singles and couples rather than families.

As I am working things out, I am putting together a new Diner e-book on this smaller scale. Hopefully, I will get that formatted very soon and put it up for sale. I have needed another source of revenue to keep the rent paid for my school, and I am hoping this will do the trick. We are aiming to have it available for a download like the original book and Kindle as well. All that is keeping me busy! So much for summer break--but then, I have never been the type that is able to relax without a project of some sort.

So you don't forget me, I am adding a couple of recipes from the May issue of the Diner News. I love this shortcut of making Mexican Crockpot Beef. It is the easiest way to have this delicious taco meat filling for all sorts of meals. Tacos, casseroles, omelets and scrambles, quick chili and my absolute fav--Layered Taco Salad. This version makes individual salads in personal trifle bowls. You can make a bigger bowl if you have a bigger family. The Crockpot Taco Beef makes three pounds worth. For a big family, eat it all at once. For a smaller family, the planned leftovers are fabulous to freeze. I love having a package of this in the freezer. The meat is extra moist and tender too. You can add in half turkey too if you prefer.

Crockpot Taco Beef

3 lb ground beef

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

Place beef in the base of a crockpot. Break it up with a spoon. Add water and cook on low for 5 hours. Drain fat and water from the meat. Stir in spices and return to the crock for another hour. (If you are in a hurry, you may skip the additional hour of cooking)

Serves 12: 303 cal  24 fat   .5 carb  20 protein

a simple Taco Salad or go for the layered version

Layered Individual Taco Salad

Layer in order:

Shredded lettuce mixed with fresh cilantro

Diced tomatoes

Shredded cheese

Better Than Frijoles

Sliced jalapeno

Sour cream

Crockpot Taco Beef …       plus garnishes

Also consider adding red onion ,  black olives and avocado chunks

 Carbs will vary with the mixture of veggies you choose. This recipe can be a party favorite if you make the layered salads in smaller solo plastic cups.

There you have it. A little bit from the Mexican themed May Diner News. Every issue has recipes and tips that I don't share here on the blog, so order if you want it all! More exciting news--the hubby is finally getting the 2013 Diner News Bundle ready to order! So if  you would like to get a full year of the Diner News at once, just order here. A year is just $6--current subscription or a bundle of years past. And as usual, all my profits go to keep my school running. Be watching for the news about the new e-book too. So much to do!

If you would like to order a year of the Diner News, just head on over to our website.  It is a new theme every month. June is dedicated to picnic foods and has some great ideas.

http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

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

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

Hazelnut Cheesecake Dessert--Comfort When You Need Some Love?

I have to be honest. I have needed some comfort food lately. My life has been in a tailspin like never before, and I have just not been able to bring myself to blog. I am barely even cooking. I will spare you the details, but we can just leave it with my latest insights: relationships are hard, even with the best of intentions. Families are complicated, especially sharing a business. And when you really try to do something significant to change lives, you will have opposition.

So continuing with my honesty, I have really slipped up the last few weeks. My old comfort foods, barbecue potato chips and french fries found there way into my mouth. It is what it is. With my stomach in knots and my life in turmoil, even with healthy food within reach (that is what planning gets you--no excuses) I chose the treats. Somehow I needed to be bad. Someone might know the psychological reasoning for this behavior; as I am sure there is one. I just wanted to fess up in case you go there too sometimes.

The thing is, guilt later just adds to the problem.  Feeling like a failure in every part of my life, one evening, I made this treat. It fits in my eating plan, so no guilt.  It was yummy and my boy at home really liked it too. The thing is, neither the bad-for-me-food nor the healthier substitute really brought me comfort. A lot of us have used food for reward, for comfort, for protection. It is not that great a friend though, because it still doesn't feel like love. Only hugs from those who love you and the touch of God's unconditional love can do that. So that is my lesson for this time in my life.

Here is my recipe. Even easy enough to make while heartbroken. Sorry for the not so great photo--it was getting dark and I just didn't have any creative juices going. I am back on track from my crisis potato chips, btw. They just didn't help.

Hazelnut Cheesecake Dessert

8 oz neufchatel or cream cheese

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup hazelnut sugarfree syrup

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp powdered Swerve

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Pour into 4 dessert glasses and chill.

With neufchatel cheese, each serving has:   74 calories     2 carbs      6 g fat   5 g protein

So lets keep this true confessions theme going. I thought Pearson had finished this dessert off the night I made it. As I headed into turn the lights off in the kitchen and head to bed, I saw there was still a serving left. Still in the bowl of the food processor. With the kind of attitude that comes only with true weariness, I just dumped it back into my dirty punch cup and placed it in the fridge. Under the mushroom leftovers. It sat there three days without so much as a piece of plastic wrap to cover it. Yup. Before writing this post, I went to find it. Still there. Oh my, this is still so good! Despite all my gloominess about food not fixing your problems, please do try this. If you are already in a good mood, then it will bring a smile to your face!

Now on with my story, because this much could involve you just a little. As most of you know, cooking and blogging are not my calling. I teach. I seek out kids who are crashing in the traditional classroom. In my program, it is not all about grades and arbitrary standards of success. Instead of experiencing a hundred little failures a day, they get to learn in an atmosphere where they can learn but not fail. We focus on the ways they learn best. This requires a lot of one on one instruction and will only work in a small school setting. Think one of a kind artisanship instead of mass production. That's is what my school is about. This past week, I have been facing closure. Financially we are not making it. Most of our teens need scholarships. We never turn a student away. This week, I lost both of my young directors, one of whom is my son. One leaves on good terms and the other, not so much. Without a volunteer staff, I have no idea how to carry on. But several of my incredible teens have begged me not to give up. See my gift from one of my students?

To pull together a restart, I need to find more volunteers. I cannot run a full summer program without more adults. At this point, I don't have enough money to get the summer rent paid. Every penny I earn through my cookbook sales goes to our school. Not just a percentage. All of it helps provide for these kids. So, If you want to help us out, buy some books and you will be a winner too. Either my e-book or any of the Low Carbing Among Friends cookbooks if you order through my page. http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

If you would like to know more about our educational model, check out our webpage. www.elementeducation.org 

We take donations via paypal, so if you have all our books, any donation would mean a lot to our teens...and me. And maybe once the financial crisis is over, I will find more time for blogging and recipes.

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

Proceeds from my book sales go entirely to support my educational program. Your purchase makes a difference to the teens I teach.

Chicken Parisienne and the Dating Game

This is an old recipe for me. It was one of the first recipes I ever tried to duplicate from just a taste. When I was in college in Norman, I occasionally got treated to an upscale restaurant named LaFayette's. Usually it was when my parents came to town on big footballs weekends. Dating on the college scene was generally the local pizza parlor, not fine dining. At one dorm party, I was a the bachelorette in a real life version of the "Dating Game." Our prize date was a trip to this restaurant, where I tasted this dish and loved it. Much more love than for my date, sorry to say. Actually, I chose a friend for the date. Having recognized his voice, I decided he was less of a gamble than the other two unknowns. I don't remember much about the date other than this dish, but years later, something grand did come from it--a nice low carb staple recipe for my family.

This is honestly just chicken, grilled on a contact grill or skillet, coated with a creamy garlic wine sauce. Now that my boys are out of the I hate mushroom stage, I am able to add in some extra flavor and texture. If you have the Diner e-book, mushrooms are not listed, but go ahead and add up to 4 ounces if you like.

Since I originally created this recipe, it seems harder and harder to find 4-6 ounce chicken breasts. For that reason, you may want to switch the original recipe to 1 1/2 lb of chicken breast meat. My son in the industry says size specifications for restaurants and prepared food companies means most of the smaller breasts go to their commercial clients. Kinda makes sense why we get the huge ones. When I made this for just John and me last night, the breasts were so large, one was more than enough for both of us. To make it faster, I sliced the chicken before cooking. You can still cook the chicken breasts whole if you like. The presentation is a bit prettier. Sliced is nice too though because the flavorful sauce coats the pieces all over.

Today I am offering up the recipe just for 2. The full family or guest version is available in the 24/7 Low Carb Diner e-book.

Date Night Chicken Parisienne

8-10 oz boneless chicken breast or 2 boneless breast halves
2 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms (optional)
2 oz cream cheese
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tbsp cooking sherry or dry white wine
1/2 tsp minced garlic 
pinch salt

Preheat and oil  a contact grill or skillet. Grill chicken until cooked through. If using mushrooms, add them in the last 2 minutes of cooking.  In a small saucepan, heat cream cheese, cream, sherry and garlic over low heat, stirring constantly. When the sauce is melted and well combined add salt to taste. Plate the chicken and spoon the sauce over the breast. Alternately, slice the chicken and add slices to the pan to coat with sauce.

Serves 2 at   351 calories   19 g fat   37 g protein   2.7 carbs
with mushrooms:  add 7 calories and slightly under 1 carb


How simple is that? Lafayette's is long since closed. I haven't heard anything from my "date" Robert for years. This dish, though, takes me right back to my freshman year. That is quite a journey.

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

Order our books at: 

http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Love the recipes I share on this blog? My ebook helps you plan and prep to stay healthy 24/7.   http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com

Pizza Crust a la Peggy a la Jen

There must be a bazillion low carb pizza crusts out there. Some better than others, some easier than others. Today I just had to have pizza. I have a church leadership training session tonight, and they are catering in pizzas. Me in a small room, trapped with closed doors and an over abundance of pizza? Not a good combination. So after my big kids headed back to Arkansas today, I ran into the kitchen and whipped up this recipe from Low Carbing Among Friends Vo. 2. (Page 92)

The original version is via Peggy Hardaway at Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes. (it is the second one down) Peggy has lots of great low carb and keto recipes! Check it out. It is wonderful that she shared her talents with us. Jennifer Eloff, our team leader at Low Carbing Among Friends, made this tasty version and modified it to use her Gluten Free Bake Mix. It doesn't take long to whip up a batch of her mix if you don't have some made already. That is something we should always keep on hand. (Jennifer is an amazing baker. I have never had any of her recipes turn out anything but delicious) Her bake mix calls for oat flour. Rather than order that, I grind my own in my bullet blender since I use so little. Go visit Jennifer's blog to find all her wonderful recipes.

This pizza crust surprised me. At first, I thought I had really goofed it up because the dough seemed too wet. I carried on and followed instructions to place some plastic wrap on top of the dough to roll it to fit the pan. Jennifer suggests a small rolling pin or can of veggies, but I just used my fingers and it was much easier than I anticipated. I baked it as suggested--10 minutes on the middle rack and 10 minutes on the lower rack. It smelled great. When I went back at the timer, I was so upset. What I saw inside looked like a burned mess. I took it out immediately and checked the bottom. It seemed really brown but had not stuck as some crusts do. I tasted the edge and it did not taste burnt at all. Hmm. I went ahead and whipped up a tomato sauce and topped my pizza with cheese and pepperoni. I popped it back in just long enough to melt the cheese. My version was great. Really flavorful crust. It passed the hold-it-in-your-hand test. We will see how it does traveling later tonight. That said, I had better go pack it up. I have to be there in an hour!

My problem will be not eating the whole thing by myself. Jennifer has it listed at 10 or 12 servings. Umm, I think more like 4, and that is being good. It is under 3 carbs a slice, so I can do that!

If you want the recipe, head over to Jen's blog, or better yet, go buy our books: copy today. http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

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

Newsy News

I have been doing this a long time. I do remember sitting in the parking lot at the medical center after my hubby got his diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. I knew things were gonna change. Boy, did they! I altered my cooking, but kept my plan. Prepping food on the weekends really makes a world of difference. It has kept my guy off medication and healthier than he was that fateful day.

When I compiled my system, it was mostly just for me. Then I decided to format it to share. Before long, I was inspired to sell it online.That decision went pretty well. I never planned to be a culinary celebrity, but a little extra spending money is a good thing. I started doing newsletters and a blog to categorize what I was adding to my system. Along the way, a few of you have asked about back issues of the Diner News.

I never had a way to get those downloadable until  now. My techie guy has bundled 12 issues for each year. These, you can now download at the 24/7 Low Carb Diner web site. I didn't go all the way back, since the early issues are not as long. I have bundled 2010, 2011 and this year, 2012. It is still just 50 cents an issue, delivered as a PDF download.  You can buy one, two or all three years in one purchase. Just add them to the cart. At least I hope it works, we haven't sold any yet!

Each month has a theme, filled with recipes and tips that match. The download front page serves as a table of contents where you can click and go right to the month of your choice, Easy Peasy.  You don't have to print them out, just save them and use those recipes whenever you want. Or print them out and store them in a notebook like I do. There are just a few repeats from what is on the blog, but mostly new recipes and information. 6-8 pages each, all in various forms of my retro diner theme.

Check it out now! http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

Among Friends Thursday-Maria's "Bread" Pudding

Who woulda thunk? Low Carb Bread Pudding made without bread. Even without a low carb bread. No need to buy the pricy bread or take the extra step of making a low carb bread substitute. Maria is the queen of substitutions. This one was a secret ingredient. Eggplant. I promise that woman knows a million recipes for eggplant--none of which seem like an eggplant. She can turn the humble veggie into most anything!

My family does not like bread pudding. I happen to like bread pudding...some better than others. In the world of bread pudding, this one ranks somewhere in the middle. It is not a super decadent, high calorie, rich comfort food. But then, that is not what Maria was going for. She purposely substituted to make a lower calorie, healthier dessert. She wins big there. It is definitely better than some bread puddings I have tasted in my life--even those actually made with bread! Almond milk replaces heavy cream, erythritol and stevia serve to sweeten, and of course, eggplant cubes stand in for bread. How does she do that? Maria's recipe is on page 150 of Low Carbing Among Friends I. You can still order that, and order the next volume as well. Just click the link on the right. I don't have a copy yet, but soon I will be testing recipes from the new book too. So much good food.

I do miss the crunchier edges you get when a bread crust sticks out of the custard. This did not have that. The custard itself is remarkably like the original high carb version. Maria says her taste testers could not identify it as eggplant, so there you go. (In case you can't get over such an odd substitution.) It is worth a try. I used coconut oil because I was out of butter. I would definitely go with the butter next time.

I am eating mine plain. A scoop of ice cream would take it up a level! (Maybe even a gourmet sauce) I should get myself in gear and make some. I haven't done that all summer. My bad. I think I just may try that this evening. Then maybe I can get my bread pudding haters to at least try this one tonight. If not, it will be breakfast for the next few days.

With a very short break from the heat, I dared to turn on my oven this morning. Although I did regret it by 11 am, I managed to get a new egg recipe done. Just think pesto and sun dried tomatoes. Those went to work with hubby, but I will feature the recipe soon.

Among Friends Thursday--Maria's Yakisoba Chicken

So with all the fuss, I missed a deadline or two for my cookbook review recipes. Today I got back on track, plus I have some super exciting news for you. But first things first. Yakisoba Maria style. I have never tried this before. Generally we stay away from soba noodles. In this recipe, Maria replaces those with shreds of cabbage. Seeing that hubby and I love cabbage, that was a good idea for us.

When Pearson came in, he said the kitchen smelled like Chinese food. I said that I was pretty sure this was Japanese. Turns out we were both right. The Japanese borrowed the Chinese Chow Mein and reinvented the dish with their own twist. Guess I am not the only one who does that!

My guys liked this dish, although I did sub some actual noodles for the boy who is an avowed cabbage hater. The main parts of the dinner were the same, though, so that wasn't too much trouble.

What I loved most was the addition of the peanuts. I love peanuts tossed into Kung Pao chicken, and this was similar, just no sweetness. The meal went together really quickly. The only change I found I needed to make was to add more coconut oil to my skillet after browning the chicken. There just wasn't enough left to stir fry the cabbage. Very good. Thanks, Maria. The recipe is on page 110 of volume 1 of Low Carbing Among Friends.

Now to the good news--that involves Maria too. Our new cookbook, Low Carbing Among Friends is nearly ready! We authors get to spread the news to our followers of some special savings on preferred customer advance orders. Just visit this page and choose the book binding you prefer and place your order. Our U.S. friends are scheduled to get their books by the end of August. By pre-ordering using Paypal from the publisher, you can save on on the new book and save on on shipping and handling too--you can even order multiples of books and save even more on shipping. Also you can order the newer coil binding so the books stay open on the counter while you cook. Our first book is great, and the second has added some amazing new cooks, and promises to be wonderful as well. I can honestly say I don't cook from any other low carb cookbooks. If I am not creating my own recipes, I go to my Low Carbing Friends.It is that good!

Among Friends Thursday--My Hickory Sauce

Sometimes life is just too much to be a good blogger. This is pretty much one of those seasons.

In the midst of launching a new business, with building out delays on our location, I got the phone call. Of course, everyone dreads the call advising you that a loved one is gravely ill. But sometimes, they do come. Although my father and I have had a troubled relationship over the years, emotional ties remain. I willl spare you the details, but life is bound to have a little more turmoil for me the next few weeks. My father lives about a hundred miles away, so everything is complicated.

I realize that I am not alone in having a complicated life. The posts may be fewer, as they have been, but I am not giving up. This is tonight's dinner. I didn't try out any of my co-author's recipes, as I often do. Instead, stress is best dealt with by serving the meals I can assemble without a thought. Two of my man pleasing favorites. Like the plate says, no meal is an accident. We do still have to think about what we feed ourselves, especially under stress. This meal is Hickory Sauce from page 255 of Low Carbing Among Friends and Nana's Coleslaw with a Kick from page 225. No brainers. The  hickory sauce in the photo is stirred into some Freezer Favorite roasted pork I packaged up about  6 weeks ago. See how freezer prep can save your life? Today, I tried a new flavor of my favorite brand of liquid smoke. The Wright's Applewood flavor is very good too. I think I still prefer the Hickory, though. With pre-packaged coleslaw mix in the fridge, this easy meal did not add to my stress levels at all. With the holiday plans, news of my dad, my obligations to back-breaking work at our educational program, and a radio show to put together, I am betting my stress levels would measure off the charts. Funny how even when that happens, families still need to eat. We have eaten out more than I would prefer, but sometimes, the world is just too much. I am betting we have all been there from time to time, as no one is perfect. If I didn't have these freezer meals, my kitchen would be totally overwhelming right now.  I covet your prayers and thank you for the support and love I feel from so many of my blog friends.  ~  Lisa

Among Friends Thursday- My Finger Food Tuna Snacks

So here's the scoop. Sorry I have posted two of my own recipes from the book this month. I do try to get the recipes from the other authors more, since A. most all my photos are already archived here, and B. it might help you to know my personal review. Obviously I like everything I post a recipe for. You might not believe how many attempts never get this far! But this recipe really is great summer food, and fits perfectly into my crazy hectic life right now! And since I accidentally left my camera in my oldest son's car, it is residing in Arkansas for another week. Oops. This is an older photo, but I haven't changed a thing. I did break that plate....sad, being the plate collector that I am.

We are in the midst of a heat wave. I hate to cook in the heat. I mean really, triple digits for more than a week, and it is not even July yet? Paleeease! So this is my answer for a meal to take with me to work on the building. Rich, cool, yummy and easy to eat. That fits the bill. No cooking. Tuna, cream cheese, Cheddar and almonds.  These little balls of deliciousness are listed in the appetizer section of the Low Carbing Among Friends cookbook, but I eat them most often as the protein in my lunch. So good! You can even make a big batch and freeze some. They thaw out by lunchtime and make the easiest lunch packing ever. Look for the recipe on page 219. GREAT for when your life is crazy busy like mine has been the last few weeks.

The new book will be coming out soon. You will want to buy that one too.  I haven't seen it either, but I know you will want it! Plus lots more photos on the website. Check this link to see photos of recipes in the new book.

Among Friends Thursday--Kent's Chicken Sweet and Sour Stir Fry

Busy times. I mean BIZ ee! Every night I come home covered in paint and smelling like bleach. We are cleaning up and doing the build out for the new educational program we are starting. With little in the way of start up funding, we are doing most everything ourselves. This week's project was to clean, sand and repaint metal kitchen cabinets from, we think, the 1940s era. The old house was built in '39. Can you imagine the amount of "character" it has? Personally, I love it, but it does have its share of old house problems. Cleaning up a place that once held 24 females released from prison is a chore. You would think someone in that group would have been a clean freak. Umm. No. It takes some elbow grease to go from halfway house to an educational institution. Yeah, that sounds stuck up. Let's call it a learning place for a bunch of teens.

But you didn't visit my blog today to hear about that! We do still eat around here. Fortunately for us, I do have a lot of chicken in my freezer stash. This was made with chicken strips, similar to my cubes, so I saved the step of cutting and stir frying the chicken. We love Chinese food. Well, all but my youngest boy. Since he is off on his honeymoon, we can eat it more now! Though I miss him a lot, I decided to try Kent's sweet and sour. That is middle son, Pearson's favorite. If you like sour, you will like it. If you generally go for cashew chicken, this may have too much of a vinegar bite for you. You could easily replace half the vinegar with water. We liked it though. I did add just a little extra soy sauce, well Tamari to be exact. I did that because I added the whole bag of frozen broccoli since I did not have cauliflower tonight. In addition, I also added 4 ribs of celery rather than 2 since I was finishing up a rather limp bunch.  Knowing I had a few more veggies than Kent called for,  I added a bit of extra to the sauce. Don't know why I have such a hard time sticking to recipes.

Stir Fry meals are so great. They are fast and delicious. Who really needs the rice anyway? The flavor is there. The recipe is in Low Carbing Among Friends, page 301. There. Another unabashed promotion of my cookbook. This is a project I am very honored to be included in. There really are great recipes from some very talented and creative people in there. Better by far than any single author book. Last night, someone left a mean spirited comment about my promotion of the book. How called for was that? I give away tons of recipes for free. I try new things to share whenever I have the time. Tonight, it would have been much easier not to photograph our dinner and not to write a blog post. I do it because I love helping others who are in the same situation we are in. None of us are getting rich from the books by any means. The recipes that were good enough to be included in the cookbooks are pulled from the blogs. That just makes sense. We leave our favorites or our most popular, and refer you to the cookbook for the others. It just personally hurts when some people think they are entitled to all my work for free without giving a thought to the labor that goes in. Gee. On the other hand, I know there are lots of you who are wonderful and appreciative, and let me know it with the sweetest email. You make all the difference!

Among Friends Thursday--Carolyn's Lemon Tarragon Chicken Noodle Soup

Carolyn and I think alike when it comes to chicken soup.  Chicken and tarragon are a favorite pairing for me. I also really like chicken and celery soup. Remember this? Carolyn added some shirataki noodles too. I had never tried them in soup, but they are pretty good. Just be sure to rinse them, then cut them with kitchen shears while still in a bowl. That keeps you from having unruly noodles jumping off your spoon and spilling the hot broth on your lap. I used the plain variety of noodles and omitted the carrots so my recipe has even fewer carbs per serving than Carolyn's. Maybe not as pretty, but I don't generally keep carrots on hand.

I didn't have any pre-cooked chicken cubes on hand today, so I boiled the chicken in the broth. Either way works fine, depending on what you have. I love recipes like that.

This soup is light and lemony--perfect for early summer. I had to use dried tarragon because mine in my pot never came back. Sad--almost as sad as the fact that I discovered yesterday that some critter ate my lettuce right out of the elevated container. There one day,  gone down to the stalk the next. Aargh. If we had to survive on what I  managed to gather from the garden, we would surely starve.

Ready to give this recipe a go? It is on page 161 of Low Carbing Among Friends.

Among Friends Thursday--Kent's Chicken Kabobs

If you are one of the Diner News fans, you know this month's issue is devoted to food on sticks. Everything is better eaten off a stick! This is another fun meal--not from the Diner News, but from the Low Carbing Among Friends Cookbook. Kent's recipe is quick to put together and the marinade tastes great. Just the right Asian flair, but not enough to send my Chinese food haters running. He adds bacon, but I didn't have any on hand, so I left it out. Same with the onion. My mom brought over the first bell pepper of the season and I wanted it to be the star. I am sure Kent's original version is amazing, because my simpler style is very, very good too. I did drizzle a little more Tamari sauce over my kabobs. I love the flavor and I know it is gluten free.

Kabobs are especially tasty when the meat has marinated. In fact, for smaller families, it is even smart to prep them as Freezer Favorites. I like to slice a big package of chicken breast all at once. Well, I can't say I like it because I actually have this whole texture thing with handling raw meat. But I do it, and once I get past the aversion, I prefer to do quite a bit at a time. It sure saves on clean up and sterilizing after handling raw poultry. To make Freezer Favorites, cut the chicken into kabob sized chunks. Place enough chicken for one person or enough for a family meal into freezer bags. Make up a batch of marinade, then divide it among the bags. Squish them around a bit. Freeze them flat, not in a blob. This is important for the next step. For single servings, I use sandwich bags, then place all the sandwich bags into a sturdier freezer bag. Then I can pull out enough for one or all of us. The George grill does a fine job for a quick meal for one. Just a zap the chicken in the microwave to thaw it a tad. If you froze it in a flat layer, this is no problem at all. If not, then you will have a blob of partially cooked, partially hard frozen chicken. Not good.  Thread the chunks on the skewer, add some vegetable buddies and grill!

Want Kent's recipe? It is on page 302 of Low Carbing Among Friends I. Order the book  if you don't already have it. Next time, I will add the bacon too.

Among Friends Thursday- Maria's Crusty Bread

This recipe is the one I promised yesterday that I would tell you more about. Maria's recipe in Among Friends is actually "Grilled Brie and Tomato on Crusty Bread." I didn't make the brie and tomatoes although they do sound amazing. I wanted the crusty little appetizer sized toasts for the Feta and Banana Pepper Spread I made yesterday. Something similar to French bread.  Just look at that photo and you can see how light it is. This bread, made light with egg whites, is very airy, not at all dense. It toasts beautifully and gets really crisped. Perfect for flavorful toppings. That makes a great appetizer for low carbers. Think cheese, bruschetta, deli meats and pesto, etc. This would not be my first choice for sandwiches, but for crisps--dead on!  It is a lot like making a Revolution Roll or Oopsie, but with Maria's signature touch of protein. The holes are not actually yeast action, but where I failed to get my cream cheese completely mixed in. I am always so careful not to deflate the whites, I sometimes still have a little glob of cheese that stays behind. I like it that way, so that is fine. It makes it seem even more like French bread.

 I have a chimichurri sauce I am making next, and I think it would make another winner combined with this crusty bread. I'll get to that recipe later--the store was out of parsley.

I had some bread leftover, so tonight I sliced it and toasted slices again. For this meal, I smothered them with Beef Stroganoff. Delish. It reminded me of the toast with brown gravy we used to eat at a diner next to my Grandpa's store. Definitely nothing like Maria's recipe, but good none the less. I still do want to try the brie and tomatoes. I adore tomatoes grilled or broiled with olive oil. If you want to try any variation, the recipe is on page 130 of Low Carbing Among Friends I. (That is more important to note now since Jennifer is busy editing the next volume! I will be a featured cook in that one, then will take a break for volume 3. There are so many talented low carb cooks out there!) If you haven't ordered it, hurry up and click on that link to the right. You will want to give yourself time to make so many of the recipes before the next book comes out.