Salami and Provolone Layered Torte

SALAMI AND PROVOLONE LAYERED TORTE

I found this over at D-Solve and I think it sounds really nice and simple and quite tasty. If you go to D-Solve check out their recipes and download their free collection.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 good provolone cheese, sliced thin
1/2 cup Good Seasons dressing, garlic and herbs, mixed (see Note)
1/2 lb sopressata or Genoa salami, sliced thin
1/2 cup Pesto (or see Note)

DIRECTIONS:

Put a layer of provolone slices in a pie plate. Brush with dressing. Add a layer of salami, then a thin layer of pesto.

Continue layering in this way until you have used up ingredients. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate
several hours.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Note: You can substitute your favorite Italian dressing for the Good Seasons, and you can use a prepared pesto sauce. Just read the labels and make sure you adjust your carbohydrate and protein counts accordingly.

Per serving.
Carbohydrates: 5.16 g
Protein: 4.86 OZ

Italian Fried Spaghetti Squash

I’ve had this recipe hanging around for a bit and I keep forgetting to post it. I don’t know why because it sounds really good. I have put this recipe on my to do list for next week’s cooking. I remember having fried spaghetti as a kid so I can relate to what Lowcarbconfidential is talking about. Read this piece from the original post:

Italian Fried Spaghetti Squash

Fried spaghetti was the way my family reheated leftover spaghetti before microwaves. You would take a prepared plate of spaghetti (spaghetti, sauce, meatballs) and fry it in butter.

So here’s what I came up with:

• 1 cup spaghetti squash
• 1/4 cup pasta sauce (Contadina canned sauce is about the lowest carb you can find without breaking the bank
• 4 slices pepperoni, diced
• garlic powder
• 2 tblsp butter
• oregano
• parm cheese
• mozzarella cheese
• ricotta cheese

Put in a pan and fry up. Throw the parm & mozzarella cheese on toward the end. Cover with ricotta cheese prior to serving

Chicken Breasts with Cream Cheese Stuffing

Chicken Breasts With Cream Cheese Stuffing
by Alison J.

“I love cream cheese stuffing in a chicken breast. I decided to toy just a little to make something new tonight. It turned out really well. I think I would use more chili powder next time, but the amount here gives a nice mild chili flavour. ”

–Alison J.

INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken breasts, with skin and bone
4 tablespoons light chive & onion cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix cream cheese and chili powder.
3. Carefully separate skin from meat of each chicken breast. Use a knife if you need to, then your fingers, to create a pocket between the skin and meat. Try not to tear the skin.
4. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the pocket you’ve created. Apply a little pressure with your fingers on the outside of the skin to spread the cream cheese in an even layer.
5. Brush each chicken breast with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 45-60 min., or until chicken is cooked through. If the chicken is getting too browned on top, cover it with foil as it continues to cook.

Chocolate Meringue Kisses

Here’s a nice treat for yourself or your special valentine. I received this in email so I don’t know the origin of the recipe. If you do, please let me know.

Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Meringue Kisses

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup Splenda
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 225-degrees. Put baking parchment on a cookie sheet.

Beat egg whites until foamy.

Add vanilla extract a few drops at a time and cream of tartar.

Beat until meringue starts to look creamy and forms soft peaks.

Add in Splenda a little at a time.

Add in cocoa a little at a time.

Put meringue on parchment paper cookie sheet by spoonfuls. (You can use a pastry bag and pipe them into cones like Hershey kisses, or flower shapes.)

Bake at 225-degrees for one hour.

Turn off oven, open oven door a crack, and allow to cool five to ten minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool away from drafts.

Remove from parchment paper when cool.

Carb count for total recipe: 28.7g. Number of cookies varies depending on size.

Variation:
You could also do these with Davinci syrups and a little food coloring if desired. Then sprinkle a little granulated Splenda on the top for that sugar “sparkle.”

Note:
If you make smaller meringues, don’t bake them quite as long, or they will be over-dry and fracture easily.

Chocolate Coconut Snowballs

CHOCOLATE-COCONUT SNOWBALLS
by Kate W from Canada posted on Jimmy’s Blog

INGREDIENTS:

1-cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (good quality)
1/4 cup splenda granular
1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
4 teaspoons shredded, unsweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Place heavy cream, cocoa powder, splenda and coconut extract in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer set to highest setting beat cream until whipped firmly. Slowly fold in 1/4 cup of coconut. Place bowl in refrigerator and allow to set up for 10-minutes.

Then transfer into 4 shallow serving bowls using a large spoon, rounding each to look like a snowball or use an ice cream scooper. Once each bowl has its "snowball" in it, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of shredded, unsweetened coconut on top to make it look like a snowball. You can use more cocoa and Splenda if you prefer more intense chocolate flavor or sweeter end result.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:
Total Carbohydrate 9g
Fiber 4g
Net Carbs 5g

Tandoori Chicken - Low Fat Version

Tandoori Chicken (low fat version)

Photo by promfh

Ingredients

4 large Chicken Breasts - Skinless Boneless
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil for basting

– Marinade –

3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cloves garlic peeled
1 -inch fresh ginger - Peeled
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 tablespoon red food coloring (optional)
2 tablespoons yellow food coloring (optional)
Coarse salt to taste

Instructions

Cut each chicken breast in half to make 8 equal pieces. Prick the flesh of the chicken and make diagonal slashes, 1-inch apart using a paring knife. Set aside in a sealable plastic bag or shallow covered dish.

Mix all the ingredients of the marinade in an electric blender or a food processor and process until thoroughly pureed. Pour the marinade over chicken, toss and rub, to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken in a single layer over a rack positioned in sheet pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, Turning once and basting with marinade juices and oil, or until cooked.

Serve immediately garnished with lemon or lime wedges.

Adapted from a recipe in: “The Essentials Collection: Low Fat” by Parragon Publishing.

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

8 chicken tenders, strips patted dry (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional) or cumin (optional)
8 slices bacon
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided (SEE NOTE)

DIRECTIONS:

   1. Preheat broiler. Line broiler pan with foil; set aside.

   2. Sprinkle chicken strips with paprika. Wrap each chicken strip with 1 slice of bacon in spiral pattern; place on broiler pan.

   3. Broil chicken 4 minutes. Turn chicken over; broil 2 minutes more. Remove from oven; brush with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Broil 2 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn over chicken strips; baste with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Broil 2 minutes.

   4. Serve warm.

NOTE: Pre made BBQ sauce can be very carby and full of sugar. If you find one that works for you than by all means use it. However,  if you want to control the ingredients in your sauce check out this recipe for Bruce’s low carb BBQ sauce I’m sure his sauce will work just perfectly with this recipe.

Cajun Kicker Seasoning

I love mixing my own spices. To me it just seems better and you know what’s in there. Here’s a few spice mix recipes I’ve posted in the past:

Creole Seasoning
Pumpkin Spice Mix
No Salt Seasoning
Taco Seasoning

Here’s another one to join the collection. I found this over at tipnut.com. Sounds pretty good to me!

Cajun Kicker Seasoning

Ingredients:

4 TBS Paprika
3 TBS Basil (dried)
2 TBS Thyme (dried)
2 TBS Onion Flakes (minced)
2 TBS Garlic Powder
1 TBS Fennel Seeds (crushed)
1 TBS Parsley Flakes
1 TBS Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container or jar with tight fitting lid.

Use on fish, shrimp, chicken and whatever else you like!

Rice-less Jambalaya

This sounds really good, but maybe a bit too carby for some. The tomatoes should be used with caution. But, just a little bit might be OK. I also posted a recipe for Jambalaya using Cauliflower in the place of rice as alternative.  This recipe has less tomato. But, I’m sure both will taste just as yummy.

Rice-less Jambalaya
by: Amy

Ingredients

• 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup celery
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1 cup green bell pepper
• 8 oz. kielbasa or smoked sausage
• 1/2 lb. shrimp
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1tsp. parsley
• 1tsp. salt
• 1Tbsp. ground pepper
• Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Directions

All will be cooked in slow cooker/crock pot.

Toss in diced tomatoes (do not drain).

Turn crock pot on low.

Chop up onions, green pepper and celery and add them to crock pot.

If shrimp is bite size, add to pot, if larger, cut into bite size pieces before adding to pot.

Slice up kielbasa (half circles, 1/4 inch thick tend to be perfect size) and add to mixture.

Add garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper and finally Tabasco sauce. Any variety of Tabasco will do. We choose garlic Tabasco and since that has a milder spiciness, we use more than if we used the original Tabasco sauce.

It will look pretty dry at first. Do NOT add water.

The juices from the diced tomatoes will be just the right amount of liquid by time it is thoroughly cooked.

Cook on low for about 4 to 6 hours. If needed sooner, increase heat to high, but check on it frequently to prevent burning.

Carol’s Decadent Brownie Bites

Decadent Brownie Bites
Recipe By : Carol Williams
Serving Size : 48

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup ground almonds — sift 3 times
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups Splenda
1 cup unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate — cut into pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 extra large eggs — beaten
1 cup chopped pecans

Topping
5 ounces cream cheese — softened
2 tablespoons Splenda
1 tablespoon cream
1 cup whipped cream — see note**
Chocolate Topping — optional
Fresh raspberries — optional

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350*F Grease or spray a 9″x13″ cake pan.

Mix together the dry ingredients;set aside. In a microwave bowl, on high, melt the butter and the
chocolate.

Add the Splenda , the beaten eggs and vanilla;beat until well blended.

Stir in the dry mixture, mix well, then stir in the pecans.

Pour into the prepared pan, spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Check at 15 minutes.DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Cool on wire rack.

While brownies are cooling make the topping:

Cream together the cream cheese and Splenda.

Stir in the cream until well mixed. Fold in the whipped cream{**The recipe calls for 1 cup of all ready whipped cream}until well blended.

Chill until serving time.

When ready to serve put the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Cut the brownies into 48 squares.

Pipe rosettes on top of each square {or just spoon a dollop of the cream mixture on top of each}

If you can afford the carbs, drizzle a small amount of chocolate sauce on top of the rosette and scatter a few fresh raspberries on the plate.

NOTES:

48 Bite Size Brownies @ 2.5 minus 0.7 gr. fiber= 1.8 carbs each

**May be frozen with the rosette, but thaw in the fridge a few hours before
needed, maybe even overnight.

***Any flavoring could be added to the Topping.