Category Archives: Recipes

Desserts, Product Review, Recipes

Product Review: DCC Double Chocolate Brownies & a Recipe

Photo: DCC Double Chocolate Brownie

Product Review: DCC Double Chocolate Brownies

Every now and then, when you go out to dinner at a place that offers gooey brownies topped with ice cream, you may be tempted to get one. Especially if you’re like me and you miss the chocolate deliciousness of a brownie. I actually have a pretty good brownie recipe, but the ease of having a mix that is so simple, you can put it together in five minutes is pretty alluring.

I recently bought a package of Dixie Carb Counters (DCC) Double Fudge Brownie mix to give it a try. First, it is a snap to get this ready to go in the oven. The easy to follow recipe walks you right through it. Before you begin, grease an 8″x8″ pan.

First problem, I can’t find my 8×8 pan, so I settle for my 6×6 pan. Okay, so my bars will be thicker than they would be in an 8×8, which means cook them a little longer. Also, I cut a piece of parchment paper to put on the bottom so they won’t stick. That takes a minute to do, so not an issue. Then spray the parchment with baking spray.

Next, melt one stick of unsalted butter and the contents of package 1, which is chocolate, together in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave. Works great. After one minute, I have melted chocolate and butter that I mix together.

Next add in 2 eggs, the flour and cocoa mixture in the second packet and mix well. Pour into your baking pan and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until they are done and spring back when you touch them. Cut into 16 pieces and you’re done.

Easy to make. But you don’t end up with the little beauty at the top of my page. Nope, that is my variation on this mix. While the mix will yield a 2×2″ brownie that is 52 calories and 2 net carbs, it isn’t iced and nutty like mine. To make my version, read on.

Caramel Pecan Brownie

Photo: Pan of Caramel Pecan Brownies

1 package of Dixie Diner Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
2 Eggs
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Pecans, chopped
9 Russell Stover Sugar-free Chocolate Carmels, cut in half

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan with baking spray or cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom and spray with baking spray.

In a medium microwavable bowl, add the butter and packet 1 from the mix (chocolate bar), then microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to mix together and make sure they are melted. (If not, put back in the micro for another 30 seconds.)

Add the baking mix in packet 2, vanilla extract, and the eggs. Mix together using a spoon or whisk until all the flour is incorporated. Add the pecans and stir to distribute.

Pour the batter into the pan and tap it down to make sure it is even. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the brownies look done but still soft when you touch them. Turn off the oven, then put the caramels on top of the brownies in rows of 3 across and 3 down. Leave the brownies in the oven another 5 minutes, then remove and spread the melted chocolate caramel over the top like an icing.

Remove and let cool so the caramel sets before cutting into 16 – 2 inch brownies.

Nutrition Information for 1 brownie (16 yield)
Calories: 84.3 Fat: 5.8 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 1.5 g

If you make them in a smaller pan, like a 6×6″ one, then cook them about 20 minutes before checking, then follow the rest of the instruction, but cut them into 8 slices rather than 16.

Nutrition Information for 1 brownie (8 yield)
Calories: 168.7 Fat: 11.5 g Net Carbs: 5.0 g Protein: 3 g

Based on my experience with the Brownie mix, I’d give it five cooking spoons of deliciousness.

Tip: If you refrigerate your brownies, take them out about an hour before you want to serve them to allow them to come to room temperature and for the caramel to soften before cutting.

Poultry, Recipes

Think Middle Eastern with Tahini Chicken

Photo: Tahini chicken dish with riced kohlrabi

A few months back, I bought a large jar of Tahini when I made my Beet Hummus with Tahini. Since I had it on hand, I decided I should try another tahini dish. This recipe is adapted from one on AllRecipes.com. It makes a very nice chicken dish, but I do find tahini a little on the bitter side. I added extra sugar-free honey to my version, and I added in onions, both of which help to curb that bitterness.

I served it with green beans, sliced beets, and a scoop of riced kohlrabi, which is a delicious rice alternative. We found a bag of Green Giant frozen kohlrabi at our Wal-Mart, but if you can get fresh kohlrabi, use a medium-sized vegetable then peel it, cut into large cubes, and pop it into a food processor for about 5 or 6 pulses to rice it.

Tahini Chicken

1 cube chicken bouillon or Better Than Bullion with 3/4 cup Water
or 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar-free Honey
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 small Onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Ginger Paste
2 teaspoons Butter, or as needed
2 to 3 large skinless, boneless Chicken Breast halves, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (optional)

Dissolve bullion in 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir to mix. Or use 3/4 cup of chicken broth.

Mix broth with tahini, soy sauce, sugar-free honey, and ginger paste in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken cubes. Stir until the chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.

Add tahini sauce to the chicken and stir to mix, then cook until the sauce is heated and the chicken is done.

Serve over riced Cauliflower or riced Kohlrabi. Makes 3 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 244.8 Fat: 4.0 g Net Carbs: 4.0 g Protein: 22.1 g

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Find comfort in an easy Cottage Pie

Photp: Turkey Cottage PIe

I am resisting turning on my heater, but the temperatures in Reno have been chilly this past week. Snow has fallen at the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and fall has definitely hinted at the winter to come. So the idea of comfort food is really appealing.

Casserole dishes are always great in the cooler months. One of my favorites is the old British staple, Shepard’s Pie and it’s non-lamb variations of Cottage Pies. What is really nice about this version is that you make it using frozen vegetables and pre-made frozen mashed cauliflower to substitute for the potatoes.

This recipe is an adapted recipe that came with my lovely new 7″ square deep dish copper skillet. I picked up my first copper pan a couple of years ago and soon loved the ease of the cooking with it on the stove and taking it to the oven without having to dirty another pan. Although I have my cast iron that also works, I prefer the lighter weight and easier to clean copper pans, so I used that with this dish. This is not an ad for the copper skillets, but they are pretty snazzy.

Photo: Cottage Pie in Copper Pan

Anyway, this can be made in any stove-to-oven pan or transferred into a regular casserole dish. See the note below the recipe for the details on that.

Turkey Cottage Pie

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 cup Mixed Vegetables, frozen (peas, carrots, green beans, & corn)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Better than Bullion Chicken
1/2 cup boiling Water
1 package Family Size Mashed Cauliflower
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar or Cheddar Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)

In a deep skillet that can go to the oven, add a dash of oil and heat over a medium-high burner. Add the onions and sauté a minute, then add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is lightly browned. Add garlic salt and pepper and stir to mix well. If you wish, add seasoning salt or any other meat seasoning you prefer for added flavor. Remove from heat.

Prepare the frozen mashed cauliflower in the microwave as directed. Let it sit until the cauliflower thickens so it will spread and stay on top of the casserole. While it is sitting, finish the filling.

Heat water to a boil and add chicken bullion. Stir until melted in, then add to the turkey mixture. Add in frozen vegetables and mix to distribute them. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the turkey mixture and sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cauliflower is lightly browned along the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 308.5 Fat: 16.7 g Net Carbs: 8.3 g Protein: 27.9 g

Note: If you don’t have a stove to oven pan, mix the meat, bullion, and vegetables in the skillet, then transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed cauliflower and cheese over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and bake as directed.

Desserts, Italian Inspired Recipes, Recipes

Creamy Italian-style Lemonade Ricotta Cheesecake

Photo: Ricotta Cheesecake

It’s Fall here in Reno, and it’s welcome as this is my favorite time of year. I love watching the trees turn, attempting to salvage any pears from my tree before the birds get them, and tasting all the wonderful flavors that come with the season. Pumpkin is back in all the restaurants, but there are other fantastic seasonal squashes coming up as well. I plan to be experimenting with more new recipes over the next few weeks, so look for that.

In the meantime, I spent most of September in Las Vegas house/dog sitting for my friends who jetted off to their home they are renovating in France. Sounds so posh, doesn’t it? The house in the country in France. I may even get over to see it when they are completely through with the massive renovation. Anyway, I didn’t do much creative cooking while I was there, keeping mostly to the basics and trying to get my body reset to a tight low carb diet.  However, I did experiment a little with this wonderful recipe for an Italian Ricotta Cream Cheesecake. It is adapted for a smaller cake and I use sugar-free lemonade mix in it to give it a very lemony flavor that is sensational. As a bonus, I created it in both a baked form, and as a quick microwave version that serves two. Both are delightful.

Italian-Style Lemonade Ricotta Cheesecake

Adjusted to low carb and adapted from the original recipe by Rene Averett. Find the original at All Recipes.

6 oz. Cream Cheese
1/3 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Sugar-free Lemonade mix
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
1/2 cup Heavy Cream or Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a 6″x6″ cake pan and spray with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and ricotta cheese until well mixed. Add the sugar, eggs, lemon mix, vanilla, flour, and butter. Mix until smooth and creamy. Stir in the heavy cream or sour cream last.

Pour the mixture in the cake pan and smooth.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave for another 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool before serving.

Place a plate over the top and flip the cheesecake onto the plate. Cut into six slices. Tastes delicious with a tablespoon of sugar-free strawberry jam on top or top with whipped cream.

Makes six servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 272.8 Fat: 26.8 g Net Carbs: 2.6 g Protein: 6.7 g

Photo: Microwave Ricotta Cheesecake

Microwave Lemonade Ricotta Cheesecake

2 oz. Cream Cheese
2 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1 Egg
3/4 teaspoon Sugar-free Lemonade mix
1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
1 tablespoon Butter, softened
2 tablespoon Heavy Cream or Sour Cream

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and ricotta cheese together, blending as much as possible. Stir in the sugar, egg, lemonade mix, vanilla, and butter. Mix well, then add the flour and cream. Stir until mixed in.

Spoon 1/2 of the batter into a microwave safe 1/2 cup ramekin, then spoon the rest into another one. Put one ramekin in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. Remove and stir the batter to smooth any lumps from it. Put back in the microwave and cook another 40 seconds. Check to make sure the cake is baked all the way through. If not cook, another 15 seconds.

Repeat baking with the second ramekin. Once cooked, cover both with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours. Serve in the ramekin.

Makes two servings:

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 276.4 Fat: 26.4 g Net Carbs: 2.8 g Protein: 8.1 g

I hope you try this and love it as much as I did. I took the photos in Las Vegas and had to adjust to available cooking pans, but I  hope to make it again soon and will get better photos then.

Desserts, Recipes

Strawberry Mock Trifle is cool and easy

Photo: Mock Strawberry Trifle

This little creation uses a vanilla magic muffin along with low carb yogurt, sliced strawberries and whipped topping to create a variation of trifle that is most satisfying. The muffin cooks in a minute, then you just assemble the rest, so it goes together quickly.

Strawberry Mock Trifle

For the muffin:
1 tablespoon Butter
1 oz. Cream Cheese
2 tablespoons Egg Whites
2 tablespoons Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Other ingredients:
2 oz. low carb Fruit Yogurt or Dairy mix such as CarbMasters fruit
1/2 cup sliced or chopped Strawberries with juice
1/4 cup Whipped Topping or
use 1/4 heavy cream and whip it with sugar substitute to taste
1 tablespoon Brandy (optional)

In a microwavable cup or bowl, add the butter and the cream cheese. Microwave for about 15 seconds to soften. Stir together with a spatula or small whisk. Add the egg whites, vanilla, and sugar substitute and mix until it looks creamy. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until it is all worked into a batter. Smooth down the sides and microwave for one minute.

Let cool for about 15 minutes.

Cut or tear the cake into pieces. Put into a larger bowl and sprinkkle brandy over the top if you are using it. Add 1/3 carton (2 oz.) of flavored yogurt of your choice. (I use strawberry or another complimentary fruit flavor.) Add strawberries and whipped topping and mix it altogether until fruit, cake and yogurst are evenly distributed.

Spoon into two one cup serving bowls and add a dollop of whipping cream on top. Add a mint leaf for garnish if you wish. Serve.

Makes two servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories:132.4 Fat:8.6 g Net Carbs:5.5 g Protein: 6.0 g