Just in time for Thanksgiving - Reposting from 2017: My sugar free, low carb pie crust

Reposting

I have to be honest, I've been so busy I had not even given any thought to the fact that Thanksgiving was right around the corner.  I didn't realize it until I returned home from being out of town this past weekend, and was scrolling through my Instagram stories.  Someone posted their Thanksgiving Dinner last weekend as they had scheduling issues with blended families.  I went... wait!  What?  Thanksgiving...? 

Then I looked at the calendar.  Oh my.  Thanksgiving IS right around the corner. 
From 2017:  My Sugar Free, Low Carb Pie Crust

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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!

(The food processor in the photo is a Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor.)

 Low Carb, Flour-Free Pie Crust

1 c Blanched Almond Flour (any 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.

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

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 your crust for whatever pie you wish.

From my Instagram Story: Tilapia Florentine

I've made this more than a few times in the past year, and I make it the same... and different... every time.  It's just a basic white sauce/alfredo sauce with spinach; poured over tilapia and baked in the oven.  

I thought I had posted this before, but a quick search doesn't reveal it, so maybe I haven't.  However, I do have photos in my files from 3 different times I've made it - so the post will have pictures from different days - which means different pans and even different kinds of tilapia.  Sometimes I use fresh tilapia, other times I've used Parmesan crusted tilapia from the frozen food section of Sam's Club.   

This last time, I had used frozen spinach straight from the freezer that I had simply thrown the entire plastic container of fresh spinach into the deep freeze when it was needing to be used up but I was going out of town.  I just tossed the container into the freezer, took out 2 handfuls to use today and was quite happy to see it worked perfectly!  I didn't know if it would have been too watery, as 'frozen' spinach containers are... nope!  So apparently if you have a large container of fresh spinach leaves, it works to just put the whole container in the deep freezer and pull it out later to use in cooked dishes. 

Note:  Use fresh or frozen tilapia, parmesan encrusted tilapia, catfish or any kind of white fish that you like!  Also feel free to use fresh or frozen spinach.  Also - the amounts are approximate as you are just making a simple sauce.  Use more or less garlic or onion depending on what you like.  If you don't want to use green onions, I suppose some onion powder would work just fine too.  Maybe a 1/2 teaspoon-ish?

Tilapia Florentine

2-3 T butter

1-3 green onions

1-2 t fresh minced garlic

2-3 oz. cream cheese

1 c heavy cream

salt and pepper

thyme

1/2 c Parmesan

1-2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves, or a small box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Tilapia - fresh, frozen or even Parmesan Crusted/Seasoned - 3-5 pieces

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the green onion and garlic.  Add the cream cheese and stir, press and heat until it's melting.  Add the cream cheese, season with salt and pepper and about a 1/2 teaspoon thyme.  Add the Parmesan, stir until smooth and add the spinach. 

Lay the fish in a greased baking dish or casserole dish.  Pour the sauce over and bake at 400-425 ish for about 20 minutes.  

 

Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Reposted

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My latest 'pumpkin' inspired recipe was deciding to add it to my homemade cinnamon rolls.  I made a large double batch so it made two (2) 9X13" pans.  This way I already have Christmas morning breakfast in the freezer and ready to simply take out on Christmas Eve and let them raise in the pan in the refrigerator for a delicious breakfast for our entire family that takes no time whatsoever!


Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 c water
1/2 c milk
1/4 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 1/3 c pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin)
1/2 c warm/barely hot tap water
2 pkg. yeast (or about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 eggs
7 c flour
2 t cinnamon
1 3/4 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
1 t powdered vanilla (optional if you have it)
1 1/2 sticks butter (about 3/4 c)

In a microwavable bowl, place the water, milk, butter, brown sugar, salt and vanilla.  Microwave for a minute or two until melted.  Add the pumpkin and stir or whisk smooth.  In a mixing bowl pour the warm tap water and add the yeast.  As soon as it's foamy, add the 2 eggs and the pumpkin mixture.  Mix just until blended.

Add about 5-6 cups of the flour and the 2 t cinnamon.  Using your bread dough hook, mixing and kneading.  (I often make my dough in the bread machine as well;  just use your 'dough' setting).  As soon as the flour is incorporated, add the last 1 1/2 cups (or so) until your dough is no longer sticky.  When it is forming a nice ball and isn't sticking, let it machine knead about 4-5 minutes more or take it out and knead it by hand.  Let it rise in the bowl under plastic wrap until doubled in size.  Punch down.  Divide in half.

Mix the last brown sugar, cinnamon, powdered vanilla (if you have it) and butter.  Mix with your fingers (or cut in with two forks) until crumbly.  

Roll out the half dough ball to a large rectangle.  When it's roughly about 12 inches by 16 inches, spread half the topping mixture over it.  Starting with the longer 16 inch side, roll it up and squeeze the end to form a log.  Use a sharp knife or utensil to cut equal slices.  You slice them as thin as 1 inch or as thick as 2-3 inches.  It depends on how thick you like them and how many you need to make!  I like them about 1 1/2" side and get about 12 of them this way.  Place in  a greased baking pan (anything around 9X13" size works fine).  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let them double in size.  Bake at 375 (ish) around 20 minutes.  They will be golden brown and bubbling.  Let the rolls cool for at least 7-10 minutes before adding icing if you wish to top them.  Can be served as they are or with an icing recipe or even store bought frosting.

Easy Icing:
Start with 1 to 1 1/2 c powdered sugar. Add 2 T soft butter and about 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Turn on the mixer and mix until completely smooth. If it's too thick add more cream (or milk) but only 1 teaspoon at a time as you don't want to add too much and have 'soup'. Frost the rolls and serve warm.

Fresh from the Oven - Homemade Oatmeal Cookies (that stay chewy!)

I made these for house guests that were staying with us and have regular white and brown sugar in them (not sugar free).

Although many of our regular low carb, sugar free or keto recipes work perfectly for everyone, there are those that don't.  I found that when I made these with the natural sweeteners instead of brown sugar and white sugar, they puffed up too much and they got hard, while made with brown sugar and white sugar, they stayed flat and chewy, which was more preferable. 

As a matter of fact, these are still chewy and perfect 3 days later... although they are almost gone now.  But don't over bake them!  The oatmeal and brown sugar keep them pretty chewy and perfect but if you over bake them to death, they'll be hard no matter how hard the oatmeal and brown sugar try to save you.  There is no coming back from an over baked cookie.  If your oven is preheated completely, then about 11 minutes is right.  But 10-12 is what to aim for and watch for.  All ovens and the cookie sheet you bake them on make a difference!

Homemade Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal - the quick cook style

Cream the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Shape into balls or use a scoop about 1 1/2 inch size and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Use an ungreased cookie sheet or bake on parchment.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before removing to a wire rack to cool completely (so they don't fall apart on you). 

Low Carb Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

I have my regular "go to" low carb, keto biscuit recipe that I've posted here on An American Housewife already, but this is a second one I use when I want to have a cheese-stuffed biscuit.  The other one is similar to the garlic cheese biscuits at Red Lobster, but this one adds another layer of cheesiness by having mozzarella cheese inside it as well. 

We are having biscuits tonight with dinner (beef stroganoff) so I have biscuits on the mind, but I realized upon coming to my site to grab my recipe, that I never got around to adding this one to the site yet... I still have it only on pen and paper like some barbarian! 

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

1/2 stick butter, melted
3 t fresh, minced garlic

1/2 c sour cream
4 eggs
2 t fresh, minced garlic
3 c almond flour
1 1/2 T coconut flour
2 t baking powder
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
3 or 4 mozzarella sticks (string cheese)
chopped, dried parsley

Mix the melted butter with the 3 t fresh garlic and set aside.
In a mixer bowl or food processor with an S blade, place the sour cream, eggs, 2 t garlic, almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and cheddar cheese.  Pulse or blend briefly until just mixed. 
Place a walnut sized scoop of batter into 12 greased muffin tins.  Cut up each mozzarella stick into 4 pieces and place a piece of cheese into each muffin tin of batter. Drizzle the biscuits with the melted butter and garlic mixture, top each with a dollop of the remaining batter.  If you have any butter/garlic mixture left, you can drizzle it on top and sprinkle with some dried parsley.  Bake at 325 for about 25-30 minutes.  They are done when they are golden brown and somewhat firm when touched.  Let them cool in the pan for at least 5-10 minutes before removing to serve.