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Beef, Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Pork, Poultry, Recipes, Seafood, Vegetarian

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About 11 years ago, I posted a recipe for a Chile Relleno casserole that I often make. It is so simple to make and tastes so good. I made a similar one a couple of days ago and I’d like to share this newer version with you.

Just as I posted the original version around the 4th of July, this post is in the same time frame. Why? Because it’s easy to make this dish earlier in the day when it’s still cool, then bake it after the temperature drops later in the evening. No one wants to spend a long time in a hot kitchen, and you can only eat so many salads as a main course.

This recipe is versatile. Where I usually serve this dish with a tomato sauce, you can switch the topping sauce using an avocado salsa (I use Herdez), a regular salsa, a green chile enchilada sauce, or just sour cream. Easy. You can make it meatless for Meet Free Monday or if you’re a vegetarian or you can add the meat of your choice if you want a heartier meal.

Rene’s Chile Relleno Casserole

Served with a tortilla and an orange coleslaw.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Poblano or Anaheim chiles Fresh or Canned
4 Eggs (one for each two chiles)
1 cup Mexican blend shredded Cheese (divided)
1 cup Ricotta Cheese or 8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
½ cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour (I use Carbquik or DCC All Purpose)

INSTRUCTIONS:

If preparing fresh chiles, blister them over an open flame on in the broiler until they are black on both sides. Place in a plastic bag to steam for about ten minutes. Run under cold water and slide the skin off the chiles. You can use a paring knife to scrape it if it doesn’t come off easily. Cut the tops off, then slice down one side to the bottom point. Clean the seeds and membranes out. These are what make the chile so hot, so if you want it really hot, leave some in. Dry the chiles with a paper towel and set aside.

If you’re using canned chiles, pat them dry with a paper towel and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese and seasonings. If you use cream cheese, beat it until creamy, then add the seasoning. Stir in ½ of the cheese. *

In another bowl, crack the eggs and add them to the bowl. Check for any shells. Beat with a fork or a whisk until they are blended and foamy. Add heavy cream and flour and whisk together.

Grease or spray an 8×8-inch casserole dish. Place each chile in the dish so you have four across two rows. Turn the chiles on the second row so they fit between the ones in the first row. Put about a tablespoon of filling into each chile and pull together. If you have extra filling, add a little to each.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup off cheese over the chiles, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. If you want it really cheesy, add more. The carbs are low in cheese, so it won’t add much more.

At this point, you can cover the dish with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. Take out about 30 minutes before baking.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about thirty minutes until the eggs are set and the cheese is lightly browned.

Let cool five minutes, then serve. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: Poblano Peppers (Anaheim are 2 carbs higher)

Calories:234  Fat:16 g   Fiber: 3.8   Protein: 12 Net Carbs: 6.3 g

* Meat add-ins: For a heartier meal, you can add any of these meats to the ricotta mixture and most are no carbs or less than 1 carb.

  • 1 cup shredded chicken or turkey
  • 1 cup ground beef, lightly cooked and drained
  • 1 cup shredded beef (a good use for leftover roast)
  • 1 cup of cocktail shrimp
  • 1 cup of shredded crab
  • 1 cup of shredded pork
  • 1 cup of ground sausage (partially cooked and drained)

1 cup of pork chorizo (partially cooked and drained)

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.

Content Copyright 2025 by Rene Averett

Main Dish, Pork, Poultry, Recipes

Comfort food for cold nights…

photo: ham and cabbage casserole

Here’s a comfort-food recipe to warm cold nights with a delicious and low carb meal. I adapted this and the alternate recipe below for  low carb/Keto meals. The original called for frozen hash browns, which I replaced with grated turnips. You could also use chopped cauliflower as a substitute.

Low carb flour and baking mix will work as a thickener, but it sometimes takes more cooking or a little more flour to get the sauce to thicken. If you don’t have a gluten allergy, you can replace a tablespoon of the low carb flour with gluten flour to get the elasticity needed to thicken the roux. You can also use a tablespoon of corn starch, but that will add a little to the carbs. Coconut flour and other nut flours don’t work since they don’t have gluten.

Ham and Cabbage Casserole

1 cup chopped or cubed Ham
3/4 cup shredded Turnips
2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted Butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped Onions
2-1/2 cups chopped Cabbage
½ cup shredded Carrots
1-1/2 tablespoons Low Carb all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Mustard
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1 cups Cream
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 slices Bacon Strips, cooked and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or use cooking spray on an 8×8-inch baking dish.

Prepare all vegetables and shredded cheese before starting to cook. It will make the timing so much easier.

Spread chopped ham evenly on the bottom of the baking dish.

Set shredded turnips onto a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter, add onions, and cook until they start to turn clear, about 3 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and continue to cook and stir until cabbage starts to wilts, about 4 minutes. Add shredded carrots and microwaved turnips and stir to mix well. Spread the mixture over the ham in the baking dish.

Use a paper towel to wipe out the skillet then melt the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine low-carb flour, salt, and white pepper. Add a little garlic powder if you like. Sprinkle flour and seasonings over the melted butter and stir until the flour and butter make a paste and the mixture is bubbly. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.

Gradually pour in cream and stir to break down any lumps. Stir in mustard. Still stirring, continue to cook, until the mixture thickens. If the mixture is too thick, stir in an additional 2 tablespoons cream. Remove from heat.

Add half of the grated Cheddar cheese and stir until it is melted, then add the remaining half and stir. Pour cheese sauce over the casserole and top with crumbled bacon.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the top is bubbly and brown. Let sit a few minutes to set, then serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Alternate recipe. This one is almost identical but doesn’t use a cream roux and cooks in a skillet. I didn’t include the bacon pieces in this one, but you can without adding any carbs.

Skillet Cabbage and Sausage with Cheese

photo: skillet sausage and cabbage

1 lb. Sausage Links, cut into 1/2 inch slices.
3/4 cup shredded Turnips
1 tablespoons unsalted Butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped Onions
2-1/2 cups chopped Cabbage
½ cup shredded Carrots
1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 cup grated Sharp Cheddar cheese

Prepare all vegetables and shredded cheese before starting to cook. It will make the timing so much easier.

Set shredded turnips onto a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter, add onions, and cook until they start to turn clear, about 3 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and continue to cook and stir until cabbage starts to wilt, about 4 minutes. Add shredded carrots and microwaved turnips and stir to mix well. Add the sausage and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Add shredded cheese and cook another 3 or 4 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve with a side salad and/or low carb toast or biscuit.

Nutrition - skillet sausage & cabbage

Beef, Main Dish, Recipes

Marvelous Moussaka

Photo - MoussakaFinishing off my Greek festival cooking, I made moussaka, a delicious eggplant, meat, tomato, and cream dish which is like a Greek version of lasagna. Traditionally made with ground lamb, you can also make it with beef or a combination. I used beef in mine. The casserole is topped with a creamy white sauce, a béchamel, and is baked with feta cheese.

I adapted the recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook to be a half-sized and lower carb’d casserole. Serve it with a low carb bread or low carb flatbread, like this one.

Here’s a couple of substitutions. If you don’t like feta cheese, use Parmesan or Romano. Not crazy about eggplant? User several large zucchini instead.

This photo shows the layers a little better. This is when it’s cold, but once it is heated, it tends to run together more.

Moussaka

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 tablespoon Butter
1 pound lean Ground Beef or Ground Lamb
Salt to taste
ground Black Pepper to taste
1 onions, chopped
1/2 clove Garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Italian Herbs
2 tablespoons dried Parsley
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato sauce
½ cup Red Wine
1 Egg, beaten
1-1/2 cups Cream & 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose low carb flour
salt to taste
ground White Pepper, to taste
1 cups freshly crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg

Preheat over to 350 degrees (F.)

Place the slices of eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle each lightly with salt. Let them rest 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Wipe each slice off with a paper towel.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high head. Fry the eggplant until lightly browned. Remove a paper-toweled covered plate to drain.

Using the same skillet, clean it of any remaining oil with a paper towel, then set it to medium high, melt the butter and add the ground beef or lamb, onions, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to your taste preference. When the meat is browned, sprinkle in cinnamon, nutmeg, Italian herbs, and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Let cool for about 20 minutes then stir in beaten egg.

In an 8×8-inch baking dish, arrange a layer of eggplant, using half of the eggplant. Cover the eggplant with all of the meat mixture, spreading it evenly, then crumble 1/3 cup of Feta cheese over the meat. Place the remaining eggplant slices over the top, and crumble another 1/3 cup of cheese on top. Let sit while you prepare the béchamel sauce.

Scald the cream and water in a saucepan and remove before it boils. Clean out the meat skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in low carb flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, stirring constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.

Pour the béchamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with nutmeg. Crumble the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Makes 4 to 6 servings

nutrition information

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Chicken Casserole with Biscuits #2

Very similar to chicken pot pie, but easy to put together for dinner. This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on whether you serve it with a salad or other side dish or not. I used the leftovers from my roast chicken, but you can pre-cook about 2 large chicken breasts or get pre-cooked chicken from the grocery. I substituted potatoes, peas, and carrots for low carb vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and kohlrabi. Celery is an optional ingredient. If I’d had some in the house, I would have used it. So it’s up to the cook.

I tried the biscuits included with the recipe, which are basic Bisquick biscuits with seasoning, but it either didn’t adapt well to Bakesquick or something was missing from the recipe. My gut feel was that the mix needed butter or shortening in it as my biscuits came out a tough. So, I am including  my tried-and-true low carb biscuits. If you have enough free carbs, you can use a can of biscuits instead (26 grams of carbs in one biscuit!).

Chicken Casserole with Biscuits

3 tablespoons Butter
1-1/2 teaspoons Garlic
1/3 cup Onions, chopped
1/3 cup Low Carb Flour or Thick It Up™
1-1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash™ Italian Seasoning Blend
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 cups Chicken, cooked light meat, chopped
1 cup Kohlrabi, cubed
1 cup Broccoli & Cauliflower Blend
1/2 cup Green Beans, cut into pieces
1/2 cup Celery, cleaned and diced
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

For Low Carb Biscuits
1-1/2 cups low carb Baking Mix or other Flour
3 tablespoons Butter or Shortening
1 tablespoon Cold Water + extra if needed
1 teaspoon Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a deep-sided skillet that can go into the oven, such as a copper or cast iron skillet, to save having to transfer the casserole to a baking dish. Otherwise, spray a 6×8-inch (medium) deep-dish casserole with cooking spray.

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in the pan. Add the garlic, celery, and onions and cook for about 2 minutes. Mix in the flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir the flour in well, then add the broth, stir, and bring to a boil. Continue to stir for 1 minute, then reduce heat. Stir in broccoli and cauliflower blend, kohlrabi, and green beans. Simmer 5 minutes, then add the chicken and mix well.

Prepare the biscuits. In a bowl, mix the baking mix or low carb flour, a little salt, and garlic powder together. If your using a flour, add in 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

Cut in the butter or shortening or mix it in with your clean hand. Add the water, 1/2 at a time and mix it into the dough until you have a dough that pulls together into a ball easily, but isn’t too sticky. If it needs more water, add a little at a time. Add in seasoning or 1/2 cup shredded cheese if you wish. Separate the dough into six pieces and shape into balls, then press flat to a biscuit size.

If you’re using an oven-worthy skillet, place the biscuits on top in about the center of each serving. If you’re using a casserole dish, transfer the skillet mixture to the baking dish and put the biscuits on top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until the biscuits are browned. Spoon chicken mixture over the biscuits to serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Image: Nutrition Information Chicken Casserole with Biscuits

 

Note: To see my original variation on this recipe, click here.  

You might also like my Chicken and Leek Pot Pie.

Beef, Main Dish, Recipes

Quick and Delish Steak and Cheese Bake

Steak cheese bake photo.

I love it when a recipe jumps out at me and screams, “I’m low carb!” This easy cheese baked steak, that I found at 12Tomatoes.com did just that. It’s so simple to make and so delicious to eat. I moved it right into my make-often file.

While it calls for steak tips, I couldn’t find any at my grocery store, but they did have a lovely package of round streak cut for carne asada, which is thinly sliced and much less expense than many cuts of meat.So I took this and sliced it into smaller strips and used that to make a tender, perfectly cooked dinner. This would be awesome served with thick plank celery root fries or turnip or butternut squash fries. I served with a cauliflower rice medley from Green Giant and some red beans. It would also be great as a steak sandwich.

Steak and Cheese Bake

1 pound Steak Tips or other steak choice
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup Fontina Cheese, grated
6 slices Bacon, optional
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced or chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F.) I used my stove to oven copper skillet for this, but you can transfer the steak mixture to a casserole dish.

Cook the bacon until it is almost done. It will cook more in the oven. If you didn’t cut it into small pieces before cooking, then let it cool and break it into pieces. If you cooked the bacon in a skillet, drain off most of the fat, but leave a little in the pan.

Add the steak tips or pieces and cook on high heat, turning until the steak is browned on all sides.Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce to medium heat,add the onions and cook until almost translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook another minute or two.

Turn heat off and add the steak and bacon to the skillet and mix it together. If you are moving it to a casserole, add the steak and bacon, then add the onions and garlic and mix it in the casserole pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, about 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and pepper into the mixture and stir.

Sprinkle both cheeses over the top evenly and sprinkle a little more of the Herbs de Provence on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and toasty and the steak is cooked to your preference. If you prefer it pinker, then go with less time.

Let sit about 5 minutes, then serve. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 310 Fat: 20.0 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 28.1 g