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1/25/17

21 Football Party Foods - Finger Foods and Appetizers and Sandwiches for your Football Get-togethers


This was supposed to be 15 recipes but... I lied.
It ended up being 21!
I've had this website going since 2006 so I've got a lot of football food recipes I've posted... and I tried to randomly grab 15 good ones but I saw 'one more' and 'oh yeah' so of course I added those.  And, ended up with 21 before I made myself stop.  You can find plenty more ideas using the search feature in the right side bar - but here are 21 recipes all previously published here on An American Housewife since 2006.



NACHO DIP


1 lb. ground beef, browned
1/2 pkg. taco mix
4 oz. cream cheese
1 c cheddar
4 oz. Velveeta
1 jar salsa
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 can rinsed and drained black beans


Cook in a small crock pot and serve with tortillas - the scoopable kind are perfect






HOT WINGS


2 lbs. chicken wings and drummies
1 - 8 oz. bottle italian dressing
3/4 c hot pepper sauce (Franks, Louisiana or as hot as you like!)
2 T butter, melted

Mix the dressing and hot sauce together and marinate the wings overnight if you have time; saving out 1/2 cup of the sauce beforehand for basting later. Grill or broil the wings covered about 15-20 minutes. Add the melted butter to the reserved sauce and baste the wings, grilling another 10 minutes until done. Baste them alot for the best flavor.


*Note* To make it easier for me tomorrow I'm actually cooking all my wings and drummies today in the crockpot. After a 6-8 hour cook time on low, I'll pop them into the fridge and finish them off under the broiler tomorrow. Quick and easy!





Here is a Bleu Cheese Dressing to dip your wings in...

BLEU CHEESE DIP


1/2 c mayonnaise
1 c sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T rice wine vinegar (or regular if you please)
1 T lemon juice
1/2 c bleu cheese crumbled

salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Mix and chill.





Are you serving a homemade onion blossom, or onion rings or onion petals? Dip them in this.... no, really. Make it and serve it... do not pass go do not collect $100. This is awesome french fries too!


Onion Blossom Sauce


1/2 c mayonnaise
2 t ketchup
2 T kraft horseradish sauce

heavy dash of paprika, salt, dried oregano, black pepper and cayenne pepper
Combine all this and chill at least 2 hours.




Mini Buffet Burgers (sliders)



2 lbs. ground beef
1 c soft bread crumbs
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1-2 T mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t garlic salt
1 t italian seasoning
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix
20 tiny buns or rolls (mini size from store or homemade)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, mayo, egg and seasoning. Mix well by hand. Press into a jelly roll style pan with a lip on the edge. Bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the cheese mixture. Bake 8-10 minutes longer. Remove, cut into about 20 squares and place inside the split rolls. Serve with condiments. Great for buffets and crowds and parties.




Stuffed Bread Bowl


Something important to point out is this recipe doesn't have exact amounts, and you need to add/delete what your family likes.


1 round loaf bread - homemade is best but grocery stores carry these all the time now
1 dry package Italian dressing mix*
1/2 c regular mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c black olives, chopped
1/2 c dill pickle relish (or chopped fine dill pickles)
lettuce
tomatoes
green peppers
onions
smoked ham
turkey
cotto salami
bologna
american cheese slices
provolone slices

Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together with 1/2 package of the dry Italian dressing, pickle relish and black olives.

Slice the top 1/3 of the bread bowl off. Remove the inside of the bread bowl leaving one inch of bread around the entire side and leaving at least 1/2 - 1 inch of bread on the bottom.

Save the inside of the bread for other uses such as stuffing, croutons or dice it up, toast it and serve it with a flavored oil for dipping. Whatever you do, just don't throw it away.

Now, spread the mayo mixture on the inside of the bread bowl and the lid of the bread bowl. Make sure all the insides are covered with a nice thick layer. Using the lettuce, line the bowl and lid completely with the lettuce leaves. After the lettuce is in place, layer the bread bowl with a layer of the deli meat - you choose which one you want to use. Continue to layer the meats and cheeses until you get to the top. I typically layer salami or bologna, then american, then turkey, then provolone then ham. Press each layer down compact into the bowl as you go.

Top your bowl with the green peppers, thin sliced onions, tomatoes, etc. (and anything else you may want to add.) You want to be sure your bowl is filled to the top and can even be up to 1 inch over the top. Now use the bread 'lid' to top it off.

Wrap the entire sandwich tightly (!) in saran wrap. The tighter the better. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours and up to about 12. (I've done it for up to 24.) This is BEST if made the DAY BEFORE YOU NEED IT. This mostly is because it helps 'set up' this way and won't fall apart when you slice it.

Unwrap and serve. You can slice it into triangles if you prefer, but we like to make one slice down the center to cut it in 'half' and then I make vertical slices on each half. This makes for easy slicing, serving and eating. You get about 12 servings.






Beer and Sausage Cheese Dip


1 round loaf of bread, hallowed out to 1 inch thick, reserve the insides
1/2 lb. ground pork sausage
6 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
6 T all-purpose flour
2 c milk
16 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c beer (non-alcoholic if you prefer)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground red pepper

The bread from the inside of the hallowed out bread bowl, cubed and toasted

Cook the pork sausage in a large saucepan over medium heat, smashing and stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and remove sausage from pan to a bowl.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic, and sauté until tender. Add flour, stir until smooth and cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until thick. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Remove from heat; stir in sausage, beer, chilies and salt and pepper. Transfer to the hallowed out bred bowl (or use a fondue pot or small crock pot or slow cooker on low or 'warm' setting.) Serve with the reserved bread cubes or crackers.






Play with this recipe!!!! Add and delete what you like - just start with some basics and build on it. You can't go wrong.
Basic Hormel Chili Bean Dip


3 cans Hormel Chili - with NO beans (hot or regular or mixture of both)
1 lb. Velveeta cheese (less or more is up to you)
1 block cream cheese
1 small jar salsa

This is the basic and tastes great. Place in a crock pot, heat on low for a couple hours and stir. Once the cheese melts you are good to go. Serve with tortilla chips.

Optional additions


Black Beans - rinsed and drained
Corn - drained
Green Olives - (I use about 1/3 c sliced)
Black Olives
Cheddar Cheese - grated
Jalapeno Peppers
Chili Peppers
Banana Peppers
Refried Beans




Salsa and Bean Dip



1 can black beans (drained)
1 can red (not kidney beans) beans (drained)
1 can white shoe-peg corn (drained)
4 green onions (chopped)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c salsa


Mix with a wooden spoon and serve with tortilla chips.




Easy Sausage and Cheese Dip


1 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. Velveeta processed cheese

Cook sausage and ground beef thoroughly, then drain. Slice or roughly chop the cheese and blend ingredients together and stir to mix in a crock pot. Heat until the cheese melts. Serve warm with corn chips, hearty tortillas, crackers or thin, toasted bread slices.





Black Bean and Corn Salsa Side Dish


Almost all ingredients are optional based on your preferences


2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can or 1 1/2 cups petite diced tomatoes
1 can yellow corn
1 can white corn
4-5 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 avocado, petite diced
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1-2 t minced fresh garlic
1 small can diced green chili
1 small jalapeno pepper, diced fine
1 bunch cilantro - chopped
Juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 t cumin powder
Salt to taste (start with a teaspoon and taste test)

Mix together in a bowl. Serve right away or chill 2 hours before serving. Serve as a side dish, with tortilla chips or with flour tortillas.




Jalapeno Cream Cheese Poppers



wonton skins
fresh jalapenos, seeded and sliced
8 oz. package cream cheese

Lay wonton skins on a clean, dry surface so that each skin is in the shape of a diamond. At the bottom corner of each skin place a teaspoon of cream cheese. Place 2-3 slices of jalapeno on each.

Fold the wontons like an envelope, first fold over the part with the jalapeno/cheese mixture, then the two sides and finally, the top. Seal with a finger dipped in water or egg white. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve.







Homemade Jalapeno Cheese Balls



Play with the ingredients in this recipe. Use different cheeses, leave out the jalapeno, add crumbled bacon, add extra jalapeno, some chipolte, use only cheese but mix in smoked provolone, smoked gouda and cheddar, add chopped shrimp, crab or lobster to make a seafood ball... the possibilities are endless!


1/2 stick (1/4 cup) real butter
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 c flour
1 c milk
1 c mozzarella, shredded
1/2 c cheddar, shredded
2 small jalapenos, chopped fine
1/2 c flour, extra for tossing with the cheese
oil for frying


Combine the shredded cheese and extra flour in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a saucepan, add green onions, cook briefly until soft and add the flour. Whisk until bubbling, stir in milk and heat until it thickens.

Combine the flour/milk mixture with the cheeses in a bowl. Stir until blended and let cool.

Flour your hands and form the mixture into small balls - we liked to use about 1 tablespoon of mixture but you can make them the size you want.

If made tiny you can make about 40 balls from this recipe. Larger, we got about 25 or so.

When all the balls are formed, heat your oil. Deep fry the cheese balls in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.






Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
 

20 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1-2 boxes cream cheese, softened
1-2 packages premium bacon, cut into halves

Make sure jalapenos are halved and seeded. May need to wear rubber gloves when doing this to prevent the oil soaking into your fingertips and burning your eyes or lips when you accidentally touch them later!

Stuff each half with cream cheese and wrap with a half piece of bacon. Cook in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees until bacon in done. I like to broil them under the broiler for about 3 minutes to crisp the bacon.






Cream Cheese Tortilla Spirals

10 large flour tortillas (try the flavored wraps! Green, orange, red... flavors and colors)
2 boxes of cream cheese
1 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pimentos, finely chopped
1 pkg ranch dressing

2 tablespoons green jalapenos, finely chopped

Soften cream cheese Mix in the powdered Ranch dressing Add the pimentos, black olives and the jalapenos.

Spread evenly over the flour tortillas using a rubber spatula. Roll tightly in plastic wrap and chill for about one hour. Slice into 1/2 inch slices to form pinwheels or spirals. Serve this particular mixture with salsa.

*** Play with your food! Using the above idea - mix and match;

ham
turkey
lettuce
onions
sprouts
green olives
anything else!

Roll tightly and slice as above - then serve.






Hot Wings

1 cup Frank's Red Hot Pepper Sauce
1/3 c canola oil
1 t granulated sugar
1 t garlic powder
1 t coarse, fresh ground black pepper (less if you are using store bought ground)
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk
2 t water
2 t cornstarch


Precook about 2-4 lbs. drumettes and chicken wing portions your favorite way. (In an oven, an electric skillet, by grilling or if you purchase pre-cooked, warm in the microwave.) In a saucepan over medium heat mix the sauce, oil, sugar, garlic, pepper, cayenne and worchestershire sauce. In another small bowl whisk together the egg yolk with the water and cornstarch. Slowly drizzle the yolk mixture in a tiny thin stream as you continually whisk the sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer about 5-10 minutes.

You can apply this to the chicken wings and continue baking to crisp or you can cook the wings completely and then brush or dip this sauce onto them. Serve with Ranch Dressing and celery sticks to help cool the mouths of your guests as they enjoy them.




TACO DIP

Any 7-10 ingredients, layers on a serving tray or my favorite version: in individual cups

1 can refried beans
1 can black beans, rinse and drain
1 package taco seasoning to sprinkle or mix with sour cream or use in 1 lb. cooked beef or chicken
1-2 cups sour cream
8-12 oz. guacamole
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 2 c lettuce, shredded or chopped fine
1/2 c green onions, sliced
3/4 c green or black olives
1/3 c jalapenos
1 c salsa

Layer everything on a serving platter or individual cups. Try to start with beans and/or meats on the bottom, followed by the sour cream and guacamole, continue with the lettuce, cheese and toppings. Chill. Serve with tortilla chips.





Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

24 - 48 mushrooms (depending on what size you want)
1 lb. Johnsonville's Sausage, mild Italian
1/2 c dry bread crumbs
8 oz. cream cheese
1 T fine chopped dried parsley
1 T lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/3 c grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove mushroom stems and discard. Use a small spoon to scoop out the gills from the mushrooms to give you more room for the filling. Brown the sausage in a pan until no longer pink. Add the bread crumbs, cream cheese, parsley, lemon juice and garlic. Stir to mix. Fill each mushroom cap with the mixture and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake approximately 15 minutes (longer if you choose really large mushrooms) until golden brown.






The Guacamole My Kids Argue 'Who Loves it More'

2-3 avocados (2 large, use 3 if they are on the smaller side)
1/2 onion, quartered
1/4 c diced chilies
1 heaping teaspoon minced jalapeno's
1 T cilantro or parsley (half that if you use dried)
1 T lime juice
1 large clove minced garlic (or use about 1 teaspoon pre-minced jarred style)
1/4 t salt
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and diced

Slice and remove the seed from the avocados. Scoop the flesh into a food processor bowl. Add the onion, chilies, jalapeno, cilantro, lime and garlic and salt. While on pulse a few times, just a few seconds each time. Don't over process, but be sure the onion is all incorporated. Stir in half the tomatoes, put into a serving dish, top with the remaining diced tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.



Gouda Stout Cheese Dip



1 (10 oz) ball of imported Gouda cheese
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 drops of hot pepper sauce
1 tsp whole-grain mustard
4 Tbsp dark beer or stout

With a sharp knife, cut the top to make a lid from the Gouda cheese ball, about 1 inch thick. Save the lid. Hollow out the cheese without cutting through the wall of the ball. The wall should be as thin as you can make it on all sides. Take the reserved Gouda cheese and grate it and set aside.

In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it reaches a golden brown color. This usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir often. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside to cool.

Combine the Gouda, Roquefort, and Cheddar cheeses in a food processor, along with the remaining butter, the onions and the Worcestershire, mustard, and hot pepper sauce. Process the mixture until smooth. Scrape the sides occasionally. Pour in the beer and continue to process until smooth and creamy.

Next, fill the hollowed out Gouda ball with the mixture. Place the lid on the ball of cheese and put the remaining dip into a bowl. Cover both with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.



Guacamole and Chicken Bacon Dip

Want the super-crazy-fast version?
Use store bought guacamole, mix it with some diced pre-cooked or pre-grilled chicken from the frozen food department and add some store bought, packaged real bacon pieces!


A 'middle of the road' easy version?
Maybe use store bought chicken, whip up your own favorite guacamole, and use packaged bacon.


Or switch those around if you already have some leftover baked or grilled chicken from the night before, just buy a container of guacamole and cook some bacon - let it cool a bit and crumble it on top.

This 'dip' or appetizer is amazing. The blend of chicken, guacamole and bacon is a favorite in our house and we have it in many different and various ways. This was actually my "dinner" the other night when no one else was home and I didn't have to cook for anyone but me!

If you need a recipe for the guacamole, it is listed above in this post

2-3 avocados (2 large, use 3 if they are on the smaller side)
1/2 onion, quartered
1/4 c diced chilies
1 heaping teaspoon minced jalapeno's
1 T cilantro or parsley (half that if you use dried)
1 T lime juice
1 large clove minced garlic (or use about 1 teaspoon pre-minced jarred style)
1/4 t salt
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and diced

Slice and remove the seed from the avocados. Scoop the flesh into a food processor bowl. Add the onion, chilies, jalapeno, cilantro, lime and garlic and salt. While on pulse a few times, just a few seconds each time. Don't over process, but be sure the onion is all incorporated. Stir in half the tomatoes, put into a serving dish, top with the remaining diced tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.






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1/23/17

Sugar Free and Lower Carb Pecan Pie



As a child I hated pecan pie because it 'looked yucky'.  When I was older and finally tried it, I couldn't believe what I had been missing all those years.  I love pecan pie!  But I hate the amount of sugar and corn syrup in it!  By using an almond crust pie crust and no sugar substitutions, I can make and enjoy this pie without the guilt or the upset, nauseated stomach I get from eating foods full of sugar.

Basically you are just making your favorite pecan filling out of sugar free alternatives.  The older versions I have use corn syrup and sugar... this is easy to substitute with sugar free versions of those ingredients.



Sugar Free and Lower Carb Pecan Pie

Crust

1 c Blanched Almond Flour
4 T Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten
2 t xanthan gum
2 T Nature's Best Isopure Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
1 t baking powder
dash of salt
4 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
2 T cold water

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.  Cut in the butter with your fingers and work it in until it's coarse.  Beat the egg yolks with cold water and blend it into the dry ingredients.  When it forms a ball, remove, place on plastic wrap, form a disk, wrap and chill.  Roll out the pie crust (between two pieces of parchment because it's sticky) and place in a large, deep dish pan pan.  Mine wouldn't transfer easily so I pieced it together in the pan and pressed it all into place.  Bake at 350 until golden brown and firm in the center.

Filling

3 large eggs
1/4 c brown sugar style sweetener (if you can find it - or just use all white granular sweetener)
3/4 c white granular sweetener or equivalent
1 c sugar free syrup like pancake/waffle syrup (homemade or store bought - recipes in right side bar 'search' feature. I've also used half sugar free 'honey' and half syrup.)
2 T butter
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 c pecans

Beat the eggs and sweetener.  Add everything else but the pecans.  When beaten well add about a cup of pecans and pour into your baked crust.  Top with another 1/2 - 1 cup pecans.  You can sprinkle them on or place them in a design.  Bake at 350 until dark golden brown and the edges are set and the center is mostly set - a little jiggly is ok.  This takes about 50 minutes.  I baked 45, turned the oven off, opened the door for a minute, closed it, and let it set in the turned off but still hot oven about 10 minutes more before taking out and cooling on the counter.  It will set up as it cools completely. 



I made a double crust recipe last week for a sugar free chocolate mousse pie - and froze the 2nd crust after baking.  I took it out of the deep freezer and it was ready to go for this pecan pie recipe.




I used a mixture of brown and white granular sweetener but if you don't have any brown style on hand you can use all white.  I like the flavor of a mixture personally.


Stirring in about a cup of the pecans


Quickly placing a bunch more pecans on top


Ready for the oven!!







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1/19/17

A Super Simple, Easy & Quick (last minute) Glitter Blue and Mint Birthday Cake







First make the cake. A couple days a head of time is great - as it gives you more time to divide up the task of baking and decorating - but it's also easier to decorate a frozen cake.

You can use whatever cake you wish obviously, and if you have a kick-butt white cake recipe you love, use it!  And if a boxed mix from the store is more you style - that's totally cook, but realize that those are not sturdy, and are quite 'squishy' soft and airy.  If you are just doing the cupcakes or doing a simple 9X13 sheet cake that's fine but if you are doing layers, you might want to try something more sturdy and easy to work with.  This is my favorite - and although we normally don't eat sugar and we do not use store bought cake mixes due to the preservatives and chemicals - this is one time I don't mind since I've not found a better homemade white cake I like JUST as much as this one. 


White Cake

2 boxes white cake mix
2 c flour
2 c white sugar
1 1/2 t salt
2 2/3 c water
1/4 c canola oil
2 t vanilla
2 t almond extract
16 oz. sour cream
8 large egg whites, room temperature

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat just to blend. Add the water, oil, vanilla, almond extract, sour cream and egg whites and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into 2-4 greased and floured pans (shape of your choice, 2 9X13 or 4 smaller round, etc.), filling each pan about half full. Bake at 325° F oven until cake tests done in the center. Cool, remove from pans and freeze for future use or use immediately. Decorate as you wish.


QUICK AND EASY....

I bought random items without a real plan in mind but made it up as I walked around the stores.

I bought real fabric ribbon.
2 styles - one ruffle mint and one glitter blue
hot glue sticks to glue the glitter ribbon down the center of the ruffled mint ribbon
Number candles "2" and "1"
Edible blue sugar crystals - the big size that look like sparkly big glitter
A couple sheets of glitter looking sparkly paper
Solid decorator scrapbook paper to coordinate
Wire - sturdy enough to stick into a cake (can use skinny bamboo sticks, long lolly pop sticks, etc.)
Pearlized chocolate candies
1 box white fondant



I grabbed a couple cookie cutters from the cupboard and drew around the inside for some random shapes on all the scrapbook papers and then cut them out.  I cut the wire pieces into all different random sizes and then washed them and let them dry.

I then hot glued a dab of glue on the back of the shapes while I hot glued the ribbons together.


The first layer of cake was iced and covered with edible blue sprinkles.  The second, smaller layer iced with a thin layer and covered in a thin layer of white fondant I had added a few drops of blue food color to 'tie dye' it.  This was trimmed and placed on top of the edible sugar glitter cake.  I attached the ribbon with icing and wrapped it around the cake and cut to size.  I added an icing layer around the bottom and placed the pearlized candies all the way around.

Topped with the "2" and "1" and then pressed the wires into the cake to finish.

I had a package of pearlized iridescent cupcake paper wrappers in the cupboard I had picked up on clearance a couple years ago and tucked away for 'some day' that matched perfectly!  So the cupcakes were popped into the wraps, a swirl of icing applied and a quick sprinkle of pearl chocolate candies and I was DONE!  The table cover and the glittery garland were just picked up at Walmart for about $1 each.







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No pasta, low carb lasagna - Easy and Delicious


Updated with more photos on this September, 2018 post:  No Pasta Lasagna

A really yummy low carb, noodle-free lasagna I made that I just kind of made - didn't write down but I DID take pictures.  Except I did not take a 'finished' product picture.  Because it looked and smelled so good and we were so hungry... we dug in right away and ate it before I even thought about photos. That's so me!  But I did snap one as I put it in the oven to bake that night... so there's that.

When not low carbing, a quick and easy basic 'no work' lasagna is: A Basic Lasagna

Using the photos as my guide I'll explain what I did and give approximate amounts - sorry, but I rarely measure anything.  Like many cooks with a few years under their aprons, I eye-ball everything and it works. 

_________________________________________________

No Pasta Lasagna

I used my own homemade spaghetti sauce that I make, food vacuum seal and freeze.  Use whichever sauce you prefer just make sure you are reading labels to make sure of the carb and sugar content.

For the no-pasta noodles:
2 eggs
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 t Italian Seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder

Place items in a food processor and blend smooth.  Spread smooth into a 9X13" pan you've lined with parchment.  Bake about 20-25 minutes.  Let cool or chill while you make the rest.


1 lb. ground beef (or mixture of beef/sausage if that's what you prefer. I used fresh ground steak)

Brown in a pan on the stove with:
1 t italian seasoning, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t dried oregano, 1 t onion powder

1 1/2 - 2 c spaghetti sauce of you choice (I make mine homemade) Check carb and sugar counts on yours

1 c ricotta cheese
1-2 t dried basil
1/3 c mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Turn the 9X13 pan of baked cheese mixture the long way in front of you and slice it into 3rds.  You now have 3 sheets that are the same size as a bread loaf pan. These are going to substitute the pasta.  Mix the basil into the ricotta cheese.  Sometimes if the ricotta is a brand that isn't very thick (brands differ) then I beat in 1 egg.  Up to you.  I use cottage cheese with an egg when I don't have ricotta on hand.  You can also use sour cream instead of cottage cheese or ricotta if that's all you have on hand.

In a loaf pan, layer your lasagna as you usually do.  A bit of sauce, a sheet of cheese-pasta, meat, the ricotta cheese mixture, sauce, cheese-pasta, meat, ricotta.  Layer at least 3 layers and you should be to the top of the loaf pan.  Sprinkle with parmesan or mozzarella (or even a mixture of cheddar jack if that's what you have in the house).  Bake about 25 minutes at 350 until golden brown, bubbly and hot all the way through.  Let set at least 10 minutes to set up - or if you dig into it right away (like we always do) expect it to look more like a casserole on your plate.  We enjoyed with a green salad and blue cheese dressing on the side.

















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1/17/17

Homemade sugar free, flour free, and low carb pie crust - for any kind of pie



With the few updates I've been doing on the site An American Housewife you would think I wasn't busy cooking or baking or something!
But of course I am.  I always am.

And sometimes I even remember to take pictures... as a matter of fact I have 8 files of photos of items made and ready to post.  But I usually don't have the time to sit here and type out the whole recipe and write about it!  Since no one is paying me to update my personal site... priorities, ya know!?  Ha ha.

So without further explanation for the slow posting so far in 2017....   a low carb, sugar free pie crust I've made a number of times before, but this time I tried to make it the way I make my tradition non-low carb versions; which is in my food processor.  And I doubled the recipe - which worked perfectly!  Score a win as I can use one and freeze one for future!





 Low Carb, Flour-Free Pie Crust

1 c Blanched Almond Flour (or other good quality, fine grain, blanched almond flour)
4 T Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten
2 t xanthan gum
2 T Nature's Best Isopure Unflavored Whey Protein Powder (I've never made this with any other brand so far)
1 t baking powder
dash of salt
4 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
2 T cold water

Combine the dry ingredients in a food process and pulse a few times to mix.  Add the butter pieces while pulsing a few seconds. Beat the egg yolks briefly with cold water and drizzle into the processor while it's running. As soon as it forms a ball, stop.  Remove, place on plastic wrap, form a disk, wrap and chill til needed. 

Roll out the pie crust between two pieces of parchment and place in a large, deep dish pan pan.  Either fill and bake or if using for a 'cold' pie, prick the bottom and bake at 350 until golden brown and firm in the center.  Use as you would any pie crust.

I doubled this and it turned out perfectly.  No issues.

______________________________

 As soon as it forms a ball, stop the machine.



A nice, blurry 'action' shot as I remembered the last second I should probably take a picture of it rolled out!



Sometimes it goes into the pan easily and other times it tears and I just piece it and press into place.




The photo at the top of this post is the baked, finished product with a simple sugar free chocolate mousse and sugar free chocolate chips sprinkled on top.  Use yours for whatever pie you wish.




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1/14/17

Cut Your Own and Save - Boneless Pork Roasts and Pork Chops (Buy whole at the club & cut!)




I've posted about this in the past, but it's something I do regularly and I thought it might be a good idea to mention it again not only as a reminder for my own adult kids but anyone stopping by my site as well.  If you haven't seen this topic before; I save oodles of money by cutting my own pork chops and pork roasts.

A boneless pork roast can cost between $13 - 25 depending on the size and where you live.  What if you could get two (2) pork roasts and between 12-15 boneless pork chops for the same price?  That's what I'm talking about.

Although the price of pork fluctuates, the price right now (January, 2017) is low again.  I found whole pork loins at my local Sam's Club for anywhere between $11-23.  (As a price comparison I later stopped by Publix and one small, tiny little, skinny marinated pork loin was $8.99.)  I picked up a pork loin at the membership club (chose a smaller one) for just under $12.  I cut 2 pork roasts and 12 pork chops from it.  For under $12.

I use a food vacuum sealer for my cuts but you could use heavy duty freezer Ziploc bags.

Step 1:  Go to the store and choose your cut.


Step 2.  Cut

They used to put this cutting guide on the package but about a year or so again they stopped (at least where I buy them at did!)  Luckily at some point over the past couple years I had cut this out and saved it - and for one of my previous posts I had taken a picture of it.

It shows you how to cut the ends off the pork loin to make two roasts;  1 boneless pork rib roast and 1 boneless pork sirloin roast.  Then the center is cut into pork loin chops - the size of which is up to you but typically is about an inch wide.  I always get between 12-17 chops depending on the size of the boneless pork loin I buy to start with.



Step 3.  Package

Again, I like to seal mine with my food vacuum sealer, but you can seal then in freezer zip-lock style bags.
You can season or marinate them before sealing!
I usually seal our pork chops without seasoning and the pork roasts with whatever I'm in the mood for that day.
Sometimes a bbq sauce, other times about 1/3 cup lemon juice and some garlic, lemon garlic or garlic pepper seasoning, etc.  If you don't know what kind of pork roast you will want in the future or you want to a Southern Pulled Pork, etc. then just seal it unseasoned.

Freeze.








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1/2/17

Is that a dessert wine? Cupcakes and Wine!




Honestly, I'm not sure where this came from originally... I found it long, long ago and kept it in my personal files.  It just so happens today is my daughter's birthday and we have cupcakes.  And wine.  And when I saw this old image in my personal saved files I just chuckled and thought;  Yeah, that's fitting!

For the record - we have a chardonnay and a rose' wine and the cupcakes are vanilla.  Apparently we've paired the wrong wines with the wrong cupcakes.  ;)
















 
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