Tag Archives: bacon

Italian Inspired Recipes, Main Dish, Pork, Poultry, Recipes

Easy and Quick Skillet Casserole for a Hot Night

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skillet casserole

In my part of the world, it is hotter than normal this summer and we’re getting enough thunder storms to add humidity. Typically, in dry climates, evaporative coolers work really well, but with humidity, they tend to not cool as effectively. So, when I went into the kitchen to fix dinner, I wanted something that didn’t need much cooking, could use the stove, and was ready fast.

This throw-it-together recipe ticks all those boxes. Often we buy roasted chicken from the grocery store, eat one meal off it, then strip the rest of the meat and freeze it in one-cup packets. I had a jar of Classico Alfredo sauce in the pantry, so I thought perfect match. Instead of pasta, I chose to use a spaghetti squash I’d purchased a couple of months ago. Eight minutes in the microwave, wrapped in plastic, and it was ready to go. I always have a bag of bacon pieces in my refrigerator ’cause I use them for lots of dishes. The real kicker was we had a small bag of spinach from a salad we didn’t eat and it had about 1 tablespoon of craisins in it. Granted, these weren’t the sugar-reduced, bur when I calculated the recipe for this post, I used the stats for the lower sugar ones.

This quick skillet-casserole dish turned out to be super-tasty and took less than 20 minutes to make once all the ingredients were prepped. For a side dish, I added Brussels sprouts, but any green vegetable would compliment it. I also added a small tomato spiced tortilla with butter to help get the sauce off the plate. I used 0 carb mini-tortillas that are available from Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Win-Co and several other grocery stores. Perfect for snacks! (Sometimes I sprinkle cheese on one, pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then fold over to make a mini-quesadilla snack.)

Serving of chicken and spaghetti dish

Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Skillet Casserole

1 cup Chicken, cooked and shredded
1 cup Alfredo Sauce
1 to 2 cups raw Spinach
1/4 cup Bacon pieces, cooked
2 cups Spaghetti Squash, cooked
1 tablespoon Craisins (optional)
1/4 cup Italian 4 Cheese mix

Prepare your ingredients before you start. Shred the cooked chicken, tears the spinach into smaller pieces, cook and crumbled the bacon (unless you use premade ones) and cook, cool, and separate your spaghetti squash, removing the seeds.

In a large skillet, add Alfredo sauce and chicken. Stir together and heat until sauce is slightly bubbly.

Add the spinach and bacon and stir the mixture again. When the spinach wilts, add the spaghetti squash and craisins (if using) and heat over low heat a few minutes.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and let it melt.

Serve with a vegetable, side salad, and/ or low carb slice of bread or tortilla.

Makes four servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 233 , Total Fat 11g , Cholesterol 83mg, Sodium 974mg, Potassium 340mg, Carbohydrates 11g, Fiber 2.2g, Sugars 4.2g, Protein 22g, Net Carbs 9g

Without the craisins, the calories are 224, and the net carbs are 7.2g

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Vegetarian

A Delicious & Trendy Breakfast

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Guacamole Toast

My gosh, May slipped right past without a post, although I got the Cinco de Mayo one up before the end of April! My life has been super busy, but I want to publish at least one new recipe this month. This one is simple but big on flavor and in demand right now.

Avocado toast is one of those quick breakfast items that people are finding popular in the past couple of years. You can even order it at IHOP and other restaurants. It’s simple to make at home, where you can use low carb bread and other ingredients to create a filling breakfast treat.

I use premade guacamole on my toast to add extra spice, but you can start with avocado slices. Avocados turn brown quickly once they’re cut open or the guac container is unsealed. A little lemon juice and plastic wrap can slow the process in any unused avocado.

Guacamole and cream cheese toast.

Guacamole Breakfast (or Snack) Toast

Ingredients:
1 slice Keto Wheat Bread (or Keto bread of choice)
2 tablespoons Philadelphia Jalapeno Cream Cheese Spread
2 tablespoons Guacamole or Mashed Avocado
1 or 2 slices of cooked Bacon, broken into 2 pieces

Instructions:
Toast the Keto bread. Spread the cream cheese over the top and smooth. Spread the mashed avocado for the next layer and top with the cooked bacon.

Makes one serving.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 199 , Total Fat 15 g , Cholesterol 30 mg, Sodium 332 mg, Potassium 210 mg, Carbohydrates 16 g, Fiber 12 g, Sugars 2 g, Protein 10 g, Net Carbs 4 g

Add-ins: You can easily add an egg to your toast and it won’t add another carbohydrate to it, but it will raise the calories to 342. You can also add a little cheese, either white cheddar or mozzarella and it won’t add carbs, but it will increase the calories. For a variation, replace the bacon with thin sliced ham. If you don’t want to put cream cheese on your toast, feel free to substitute mayonnaise. If you don’t like Jalapeno cream cheese, use plain cream cheese.

About Bread: Many tasty Keto breads are now available in your local markets. They are not created equal. Inked Timberwolf Keto bread is 1 net carb per slice, Hero bread is 0 net carbs, Sola bread is 1 net carb, Franz and Oro Wheat are 2 nc, Carbonaut is 2 net carbs, and Alvarado St. Wheat Sourdough is 4 nc, I will be doing a post soon comparing some of the low carb breads I’ve tried. I used Timberwolf for this recipe and also tried the sourdough with it. Both are very good.

If you try this recipe and/or come up with a different variation, please comment on it and tell me what you added or changed.

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Breakfast & Brunch, Product Review, Recipes

Spring into Easter with Waffles!

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Happy Spring, Everyone…

Well, it’s spring in the morning and winter in the afternoon several days a week now. But at least we’re getting hints!

I haven’t posted a recipe this month even though I had wanted to do a St. Patrick’s Day one and totally missed. This is my birthday month and, to be honest, I haven’t cooked much at home. Birthday celebrations in this house run the whole month and I have lots of favorite restaurants. Not really beneficial to my weight stabilization, but oh, so delicious! I’m ready to hunker down and get the excess weight I put on this month off again. So this is a special waffle recipe for your Easter morning brunch. It’s so good and checks in at about 5 net carbs.

I’m also going to review and recommend King Arthur flour company’s Keto Wheat Pancake Mix. I used it to make pancakes and to make waffles. Wonderful flavor, and they rise better than any combination I have made with the various low carb flour products in my house. I like it so much, I’ve subscribed to it on Amazon so I have a regular delivery. I love it when new products make being on a low carb diet easier.

I also used my DASH griddle for the pancakes and the waffle maker for the waffles. Since these produce larger pancakes than the 3″ ones suggested on the King Arthur instructions, I only got 4 pancakes from 1 cup of flour instead of 6, so keep that in mind.

So, here’s my recipe for your Easter Sunday (or any day you chose) brunch Pecan Waffle.

Look at the rise on this waffle! It’s almost an inch thick and so delicious!

Keto Pecan Waffle

Ingredients:

1 cup King Arthur Keto Wheat Pancake Mix
1/4 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Sugar-free Sweetener
2 tablespoon Oil (Canola, Coconut, etc.)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons Pecans, chopped
4 slices of bacon, broken into pieces
Cooking Oil Spray

Instructions:

Begin heating your waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, add pancake mix, almond flour, sweetener, almond milk, vanilla, and egg and stir well until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated. You may need to add water to get the mix to where it is thick, but loose enough to spread over your waffle iron easily when you spoon it in. It’s thicker than cake batter, but thinner than bread dough.
If you like a thinner waffle, you can thin it more with water.

Stir in the pecans until they are distributed through the batter.

Lightly spray the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. If you’re using a small waffle maker like the DASH one, you’ll need to spray before making each waffle. For a standard one that makes four sections, this recipe should make one large waffle. But if you have extra batter, spray whatever section you will be using to cook the rest.

Close the lid and cook as per the waffle maker’s instructions. For a DASH one, it is about two minutes. If you watch, you’ll see the steam coming out of the baker. When it quits steaming, it is about done. If the lid is reluctant to lift, give it a minute or so more. When the waffle is done, the lid will lift easily.

Put the waffle on your serving plate, then top with crumbled bacon and sugar-free Maple Syrup. Several are available in the grocery store. I used Mrs. Butterworth’s but other brands are equally as good.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 297, Total Fat 24 g , Cholesterol 103 mg, Sodium 213 mg, Potassium 215 mg, Carbohydrates 11 g, Fiber 5.4 g, Sugars 1.8 g, Protein 13 g, Net Carbs 5.6 g

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

All opinions I make on products are my own evaluations and I am not given a free product or paid by the company in any way. 

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Creamy Side Dish is a Winner!

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I think turnips are making a comeback. More and more, I’m seeing them used on cooking shows and in new and exciting ways. I started using them several years ago as a potato substitute, then as an alternate to rice. They are best when used fresh, but they do keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. If they have greens attached, remove them before you store them. They tend to get a fibrous layer the longer they sit. Peel the turnips and cut this layer off if you encounter it.

Parsnips are also being used more often. They are a little higher in carbs than turnips, but with the turnips, they are still much lower than an equal amount of potatoes.

This dish is my own recipe, and it is absolutely delicious. I made a much larger version to take to a potluck dinner, but it sat too long in the crockpot and the cream separated. So, if you think about doing that, cook it right before you go and just keep it warm in the pot until served. It still tasted good, but not as pretty. The little bit of sugar in it sweetens the turnips and masks any bitterness.

The recipe makes about three servings. You can easily double it to make six. To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth or just use water. The broth adds a little more flavor, but isn’t required. For the low carb flour, you can use Carbquik, DCC All Purpose Flour, or possibly coconut flour. I haven’t tried it with coconut flour, but since it absorbs liquid, you would only need 1/2 tablespoon to make the paste. If it is too thick, add a little water.

Turnips and Parsnips with Bacon and Cream Sauce

Rene’s recipe

1 7″ Parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 medium Turnip, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup Green Onions
1/4 cup Bacon pieces (about 2 slices)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoon Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
2 teaspoons Garlic and Herb Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

Cook 2 slices of bacon and break into pieces or use precooked bacon.

Put the parsnips and turnips in a pan of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes until they are fork tender. Or put them in a microwaveable bowl and cook for two minutes on high.

In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter and stir in low carb flour to form a paste. Add heavy cream and chicken broth and stir until it begins to thicken.  Add seasonings and sugar substitute, then add in parsnips and turnips. Cook for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add bacon pieces and stir a few minutes until heated. Then add green onions and Parmesan cheese. Cook another minute or two to melt the cheese.

Serves 3.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 234 , Total Fat 17g , Cholesterol 65mg, Sodium 776mg, Potassium 201mg, Carbohydrates 8.5g, Fiber 2.5g, Sugars 3.3g, Protein 13g, Net Carbs 6.0g

If you make this, please let me know how you liked it.

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Breakfast & Brunch, Pork, Recipes

Breakfast or Brunch Strata

 I love stratas. I made my first one when I was a teenager and still living in El Paso, Texas. They’re a delightful combination of bread, eggs, meat, veggies, and spices that are baked to make a casserole. They’re not just for breakfast. They can make a hearty dinner as well. Of course, the problem with a low carb or Keto lifestyle is the bread. But it’s not an issue anymore. Several companies are now making Keto bread. In Reno, I can buy Orowheat Keto and Sola Bread at my local Wal-Mart store. Recently, Safeway resumed selling Inked Timber Wolf and Winter White bread, so I am a happy camper.

Not all Keto breads are created equal. Timber Wolf and Winter White are the lowest carbs I’ve found that actually taste like full-flour bread. And they are 1 net carb a slice.  Naturally, I used this bread for my strata and it came out excellently. If you can’t find them locally, you can order online, but beware the expensive charges on Amazon. Go to the company’s website to see if you can order direct. Still not as low priced as buying them from the market, but much lower than the prices on Amazon and Wal-Mart pages.

Ham and Broccoli Strata

1/2 cup Broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
3 slices Keto bread (1 net carb per slice)
1 cup Pico de Gallo *
1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced
8 slices deli Honey Ham, shredded or diced ham
1/4 cup Bacon pieces
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack Cheese or your favorite cheese
4 Eggs
¼ cup heavy Whipping Cream
Salt and ground Black Pepper to taste

Alternative to Pico,  make your own: Put 1 medium tomato diced, 1/4 cup onion, diced, and 1 small green pepper (Jalapeno optional), cut into small pieces. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried Basil, 1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced, and 1/4 teaspoon Oregano. Stir together and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square casserole dish.

Steam the broccoli over hot water or for about 1 minute in the microwave.

In a large bowl, add steamed broccoli, bread cubes, tomato or Pico, ham, and pepper jack cheese together and mix together.

Use a separate bowl to beat eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together. Pour the egg mixture into the broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and spread the filling evenly.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the eggs are set in the middle. Let rest about 5 minutes before cutting.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: If you don’t have a bread with 1 net carb per slice, add 0.5 carbs to each serving for each additional carb in the slice of bread. I used Inked Timber Wolfe bread, which is 1 net carb per slice. Other low carb or Keto breads may be 2 or even 3 carbs per slice, so adjust accordingly.

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. They are a close calculation and may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.