Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from the Blender

It is unseasonably warm here. I have a new blender. The two go together. How? Ice cream! Of course, you were thinking that. Look at that lovely bowl of pink goodness in the photo above. How wonderful that we were indulging in that here in February...and not shivering one bit.

The March Diner News is featuring appliance helpers in the kitchen. I will have two pages devoted to blender recipes. This one is so delicious, I can barely contain myself. The cream cheese makes it so creamy, yet the bit of lemon makes it just slightly tart. So GOOD! And it is quick and easy in the blender. No ice cream maker needed, and no waiting. Just a good soft serve ready when you are. Of course, you have frozen strawberries, right?

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from the Blender

1/2 cup cashew milk

3 oz cream cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar

3 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup ice cubes

Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Turn blender on, gradually turning up to high speed. Use the tamper to push down sides. When blender changes sounds, stop. Over processing will make a thinner ice cream. Serve immediately or freeze for a firm texture.

Serves 4:  116 calories    7.5  net g carb

I really should have garnished this ice cream for the photo. Granted, it is pretty enough to stand alone. Truth is, I ran to get photos before it melted. The flavor is so fantastic, it doesn't need a drizzle of chocolate or a sprinkle of coconut. Wonderful just as it is--unadorned beauty.

It has been a busy day. We set my oh so talented son. Pearson, up with a booth at the local antique and craft mall. He is offering his art for sale. I am so proud of his abilities! Just look at this sample. Some people thought it was my portrait. "I'm Sorry" to say that it is not me. I love it anyway. Very cool technique he uses. What a great guy he is.

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Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef

My favorite great aunt was from Mississippi. She was also a phenomenal cook...and she always smelled good. Funny the things you remember from your childhood. Her hugs were soft. She had a big fur coat. She made the world's best chocolate cake. And she loved me and my sis like we were her own grandkids. She never had children, so we were hers. Every little girl could do well with an extra pair of loving grandparents. That was my Aunt Gladis...and Uncle Worrall too.

Some have scoffed at this internet sensation of a recipe, declaring the ingredients to be somehow "unlikely southern." Granted not too many cooks from the old days of southern charms had pepperoncini peppers in their pantry. But, I have to say, despite what some seem to think, the South is still alive, and great southern cooks are able to innovate and take advantage of modern ingredients. I do get a little tired of the attitude that nothing matters in the U.S. but the coasts. But I will spare you all my soap box there. Afterall, some of you aren't even from North America, and here I am whining.

This is a tried and true recipe, popular for several years now. Even foodie snobs seem to like it. Thanks ladies, for a great recipe. If you want the history on the recipe, here it is from the NY Times. The original relies on packaged gravy and ranch dressing mixes. I opted for a less processed version and upped the peppers a bit too. I also left out the stick of butter: not because I hate fat, but because I am too cheap! I just couldn't figure out what it was going to do since I wasn't going to try to make a thick gravy. What I was going for was the flavor of the peppers with the beef.  I used sliced peppers rather than whole, so we could get the flavor in every bite with no effort on our part.  Maybe I shouldn't even call this the Mississippi Roast, having tinkered with the recipe so much.  I should call it my Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef. If you want it more like the original, add some thickener and butter.

My family really liked this roast, but then, we never met a slow cooker roast we didn't like. It made fantastic leftovers too. It is good at any temperature. I loved the bit of a vinegary bite as part of a salad later in the week. Decidedly, this will be made again and again. And even though she never made this one, I will always think of my dear Aunt.

I featured this recipe in last month's crockpot edition of the Diner News. If you love your crockpot as much as I do, be sure to subscribe for this and other fantastic recipes.

Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef

2 1/2 -3 lb beef roast

1/2 cup prepared beef stock, made double strength

1/2 tsp molasses

1 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 cup diced pepperoncini peppers

Place roast in the base of the slow cooker. Combine dill, garlic salt,  and onion powder. Sprinkle over the roast. Prepare a double strength beef stock. If using bouillon, just use half the amount of water. If using natural stock, reduce to half volume in a saucepan. Stir in molasses. Pour over the roast. Top with pepperoncini peppers. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Let meat rest for 20 minutes before shredding with two forks.   

Serves 8 : 299 calories  1 g carb

Just goes to show that lots of amazing things come from Mississippi.

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Strawberry Cake Bites for My Sweetheart

Today, being Valentine's Day, seems to be all about chocolate. Well, that and roses. Enough of that.
I did get some beautiful red roses for the holiday. My hubby was so anxious, he gave them to me yesterday. And a Teddy bear---and a card. Yes I am loved, and he has too much time on his hands these days. Not complaining.

With all those great gifts, I needed something better than average for him. My love usually shows itself in the gift of food. After all,  I would never be doing this blog and cookbook thing if it wasn't that I love my diabetic hubby! (and I plan to keep him around) I have made chocolates in the past, cakes and even breakfast in bed. Today I decided to try something different. Strawberry. You don't even need the expensive fresh berries for this recipe. I keep dried strawberries on hand. They are great in baked goods, on salads and just for a sweet snack. Just dehydrated berries, no sugar added. Love these because they are packed with strawberry flavor--I buy mine at Aldi.

This month, I am doing a Diner News theme on small kitchen appliances, so I decided to make this treat in my cake pop machine. They will do just as well as mini muffins, but the round shape is so cute and more fun to eat. These taste so amazing! Using my own Bake Mix from the June '15 Diner News, these are so light and truly taste like a delicate tea cake. It would be hard to know they are low carb. All the different ingredients in the bake mix work together to make magic. It really is worth making the bake mix for delicate cakes like these. No strong flavor of flax or coconut. Lighter on calories than nut flours. Moist and tender unlike many recipes featuring oat fiber and protein powder. This recipe used Mix #1 which is lighter colored with golden flax. Either will work. I love my baking mix! It made Valentine's Day a hit!

Strawberry Cake Bites

3/4 cup dried strawberries with no sugar added (divided use)
2 eggs 
1/4 cup water 
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tsp MCT or liquid coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
14 drops Capella Strawberries and Cream flavoring (optional)
6 tbsp Master Bake Mix #1 or #2
2 tbsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
2 tbsp ground dried strawberries
1 tsp baking powder

Topping option #1
1 oz cream cheese
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
1 tsp dried strawberry powder

Topping option #2
1 tbsp coconut oil (refined)
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
1 tsp dried strawberry powder

Garnish:
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
remaining dried berries


In a bullet blender, fit the grinder blade. Process 1/2 cup of the dried strawberries until they form a powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine eggs, water, coconut milk, oil, vanilla and strawberry flavoring if using. When well mixed, add baking mix, sweetener, 2 tbsp of powdered strawberries and baking powder. Stir until no lumps remain. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup of dried berries into pieces about the size of a pea. Add these to the batter.

Heat a cake pop appliance or heat an oven to 325. Oil the appliance or mini muffin tin. Bake the cake balls for 4 minutes per batch. Bake mini muffins for about 15 minutes.

Topping #1: This will taste more like a strawberry cheesecake. Combine softened cream cheese with sweetener and strawberry powder. Spread on the top half each ball of cake. 

Topping #2: This is a more intense strawberry flavor, but the glaze looks more red than pink. Melt coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the sweetener and dried berry powder. Dip each cake ball in the glaze.

Garnish:  Combine 2 tsp sweetener and the remaining strawberry powder. Sprinkle over the topping or dip the cake ball into the sweetener.

Approx. 16 cake pops or 12 mini muffins

Serves 4:  135 calories   4 net g carb cream cheese topping
                141 calories   3.5 net g coconut oil topping

I like the cheesecake topping the best, but the glazed are quicker to assemble. Your choice! If making muffins, you might choose to make half again as much topping, as the balls do not require as much frosting as a cupcake generally uses. In the photo above, the ball on the front left is the coconut oil glaze and the one on the right is the cream cheese topping.

If you want to buy a cake pop maker, head on over to my Amazon store and get one delivered to your door. I will have more recipes to try in the March Diner News. Chicken Parmesan Pops sound good? Thought so.

I forgot to mention that my darling hubby also bought me a cast iron Dutch oven. Beautiful red for Valentine's day and to match my old--and new kitchen. New kitchen?

My oldest son gifted me a partial set of new kitchen cabinets for Christmas, so we are about to undergo a bit of a kitchen reno. We are refinishing all the older cabinets that are staying, so wish me luck. Out with the 90s golden oak and in with a stained linen color.  I sure hope we don't mess it up. I wish we were making my tiny kitchen larger, but that just can't happen now. Hubby is still without a full time job, so we are pinching every penny. It should be fun, but it will be even harder to get new recipes tested. We will see what happens! I would love to feature some reader's favorites like I did when the tornado blew our roof off, so send some recipes in if you can. I am sure there are lots of great cooks out there.

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

Superbowl Snacks Round-Up

The Superbowl is this weekend! Got big plans for gameday? We do. It is always a big weekend, this so even better because my hubby and son's favorite team just happens to be  playing. Funny, though they are for the same team, I cannot let them watch the game together. Two very different personalities there. With a little distance between them, I am betting fun will be had by all.

Our church always does the weekend up right, featuring life lessons from the commercials. Check out a Life.Church for some fun and amazing insights. John and I are greeters, and are supposed to wear athletic jerseys to add to the atmosphere. I only wish I still fit into my college clothes. The baby years took care of that! 

Our Lifegroup is planning a big party, so I will be making goodies to share. The hosts are even making pulled pork that can be served without the bread for the diabetics in our group. Isn't that sweet of them? I haven't decided what to contribute yet. But looking around my blog, I have lots of choices. I thought I would share them with you in my own little round up. Try of few of these--even if you don't have a team in the big game. You will feel like a winner. Click on the recipe name to get the recipe.

Chili 'n'  Cheesebread in a Jar

Omelet Stuffed  Mini Bell Peppers

Mini Bacon Crusted Cheeseballs on a Stick

Zucchini Pizza Poppers

Smoked Cheese Spread

Jalapeno Popper Quiche Cups

Cauliflower Hummus 

Game Day Crunchers

Buffalo Chicken Quiche Cups

Sunny Sesame Seed Crackers

Maple's Meatballs Deluxe

Salami Cup Appetizers

Home Made White "Velveeta" Cheese

Chile Jack's Sausage Bites

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                                                                A Table for Two here. 

Mexicana Mama's Meatloaf and New Crockpot Recipes

I love my crockpots. Yes, that is plural. I love my multi-cooker too. A girl who has 4 slow cookers can never have too many crockpot recipes. They are wonderful time savers, energy savers, and money savers too. I often slow cook meats in large batches to use several different ways. But sometimes, it is great to have a complete meal or even a side dish in the slow cooker. This month, we gotcha covered.

I have some wonderful "filling" for soft tacos, salads and omelets. So versatile, and yet the flavor profiles you can make are endless. My Chicken Mole is incredible. I have enjoyed amazing salads with it, and my son loved it in quesadillas. But then, you will also want to try the new Tipsy Chicken Verde. Beer, salsa and cream cheese make so delicious. I admit to eating a bowlful alone, but it is meant to be on salad greens, in a low carb wrap or flavoring an omelet.

 I have terrific one pot meals too--like the totally tasty Stuffed Pepper Soup. That one uses Miracle Rice, but even my super picky hubby really liked it. Woohoo. Anytime I can serve soup as the main meal, I am happy. Plus, in my multi-cooker, I can use the browning function and skip browning the beef in a separate skillet. Fewer dishes to wash. Country Ribs are also excellent in the slow cooker. I still had some cranberries left from the holidays, so they combined with balsamic vinegar for a slightly sweet and tart main dish. Easy!

So that is a peak into what this month's Diner News features. Now onto the featured recipe to share here. I chose this meatloaf, because most don't think of making meatloaves in the crockpot. You so can! I have pressure cooked them too, but this was so easy. I prepped it the night before, then added it to the cooker in the morning before school. Because my multicooker can delay start time, I didn't have to overcook. I set it to start a couple of hours after I left. Can't tell you just how good the house smelled when I got home! I love my cooker because it keeps the dish warm after the programmed end time too. I love all these features.

The star in this dish is the fire roasted salsa style tomatoes. If you can't find those at Aldi, then you can substitute another brand or a can of Rotel style tomatoes. I am thinking they would make it a much spicer taste, but still good.

Mexicana Mama Meatloaf in the Crockpot

1 1/2 lb ground beef

14.5 oz can fire roasted salsa style tomatoes

1 egg

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Combine meat with 1 cup tomatoes, egg, coconut flour, chia, and spices. Form into a ball and place into an ovenproof bowl that will fit inside the slow cooker. Top with remaining tomatoes. Pour a  half cup of water in the base of the slow cooker and place the meatloaf inside. Cook on high heat for 3 - 4 hours. Use tongs to remove the loaf dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

If you own a multi-cooker, this can be pressure cooked also for 15 minutes on high pressure.

Serves 4:  460 calories   5 net g carb

 I think you might be able to cook directly in the base, but I chose to form my loaf inside a small casserole dish that fits inside my slow cooker. That way, it was easy to remove and still very pretty. Just a little water in the bottom, and the dish on the trivet. When it was done, I was able to tilt the dish a bit to pour off collected fat. It went into the water, making cleanup a breeze. 

This was so full of flavor! I made some sauteed zucchini on the side, but anything that goes with Tex-Mex would be amazing.

Now, for a sneak peak into the other recipes in the February Diner News. Get out that crockpot! Or as in my case, those crockpots. Now you see why I have 4!

German Caulimash

Cran-Apple Country Pork Ribs

Tipsy Chicken Verde

Crocked Burgers in Mushroom Gravy

Hungarian Caulimash

Lemon Kale and Chicken Soup

Chicken Mole

Spaghetti Squash in the Crockpot

Balsamic Brussels

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Grandma's Green Beans

Hobo Dinner in the Slow Cooker

Beer Braised Brats

Poppyseed Chicken

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Mississippi Roast

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Raclette Party!

Just before Christmas, we found out about this fun party grill at Aldi. Because my mom is terribly difficult to buy gifts for, we though this might be a great way to get all the family gathered around her table. It worked! My oldest son was in town today, so we had a raclette party.

A raclette is a table top grill made popular in Switzerland. The idea is to offer a selection of uncooked foods, then to grill while you visit with each other. Raclette grills have a non-stick and or stone grill top and individual pans for broiling underneath. Every person gets to make the things that appeal most to him, and the hostess gets to be in with the fun. We had a blast. This seems to have been a seasonal item at Aldi, but you can buy one of your own at my Amazon store. Check out this Hamilton Beach Raclette. This model does not have the stone surface. If that is important, try this Swissmar model.

To prepare, we simply cut several types of meat into thin strips. Some, I marinated, some dry rubbed and some we left plain. We also diced veggies. For the carbivores, we added the traditional boiled potatoes and some crusty rolls. The highlight is the cheese! Those little grill pans that go underneath hold a slice of cheese to get all bubbly and melted under the broiler element. Pour the melted cheese over your grilled meats and veggies. Wonderful! We also really enjoyed the broiled garlic cloves smashed into the meat.

I really wish I had more photos, but my camera shots all came out blurry today. My son Pearson took this one with his phone. It was a great way to feed my hungry boys! I will give you a run down of the low carb goodies that we served:

• thinly sliced steak
• sliced chicken marinated in light beer
• sliced chicken marinated in soy sauce
• sliced pork seasoned with Penzey's Bavarian spice blend (it tasted like sausage)
• sliced pork seasoned with Penzey's Northwoods blend (smokey)
• Gruyere cheese
• Havarti cheese
• Swiss cheese
• Pepper Jack cheese
• garlic cloves
• red and white onion slices
• red and yellow bell pepper strips
• grape tomatoes
• pineapple slices

I think next time, I will add sliced sausages, mushrooms, shrimp (but my boy is allergic, so never when he is near) zucchini or yellow squash, and maybe some pre-cooked diced rutabaga. There is a special cheese actually named raclette, but we couldn't find it in these parts. Our favorites were the Harvarti and Gruyere. If you have one, let me know what you use. If not, what would you love to grill with family and friends?

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

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.