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 Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Shrimp Cocktail These are super for appetizers at a dinner party and a tasty alternative to Buffalo Wings! Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Makes: 6 Servings 10 bacon slices 2 pounds peeled, deveined tail-on jumbo shrimp (called U-15 in chef-speak) 1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce (not Tabasco) 3/4 cup blue cheese dressing 4 ribs celery, cut into sticks 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges Equipment: 30 wooden toothpicks Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bacon on baking sheet and bake until half-cooked, about 6 minutes. Let cool and cut each slice into thirds. Reserve the baking sheet—don’t drain the fat. Stretch 1/3 of a bacon slice tightly around the center of each shrimp, and secure with a toothpick. Arrange the shrimp on the reserved baking sheet and bake until just cooked through and the bacon is crispy, about 6 minutes more. Immediately transfer the shrimp to a bowl and gently toss with the hot sauce. To serve, pour the blue cheese dressing in a bowl and place in the center of a serving platter, surrounded by the shrimp, celery sticks, and lemon wedges. Nutrition Information: Calories:314 Fat:17 grams Saturated Fat:4 grams Carbohydrates:3.2 grams Fiber:0.7 grams Cauliflower Cheese Casserole Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Makes: 6 Servings Kosher salt, as needed, plus 1/2 teaspoon 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets Vegetable oil spray 1 cup heavy cream 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, plus 1/2 cup for topping the casserole 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking dish Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt. Spray the baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat between several layers of paper towels to dry. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking dish and set aside. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, and whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic and whisk just until the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower, and stir to combine. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until browned and bubbly hot, about 15 minutes. Serve. Nutrition Information: Calories: 358 Fat:31 grams Saturated Fat:19 grams Carbohydrates:9.5 grams Fiber:3.5grams Crispy Pepperoni Chips These are a great substitute for chips and go great with spinach/artichoke dip. Hormel Pepperoni works best or try using salami slices. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 Servings 6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lay the pepperoni slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and soak up the excess grease by pressing paper towels against the pepperoni chips. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 2 to 4 minutes, until the pepperoni slices are very crispy. Serve as a snack anytime or use in place of crackers for dipping or for topping with your favorite cheese! They'll stay fresh and crispy for 1 to 2 days if you store them in an airtight container. Nutrition Information: Calories:211 Fat:19 grams Saturated Fat:7 grams Carbohydrates:1.2 grams Fiber:0 grams Grilled Basil-Marinated Chicken This recipe is incredibly good and the marinade makes the chicken savory without adding calories. For extra flavor let the chicken marinate over night. Just before serving chop a few plum tomatoes mixed with chopped basil and put a spoonful over the chicken with a little grated parmesan. Yummy! Prep Time: 16 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 Servings 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves, plus 4 sprigs for garnish 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 clove garlic, chopped 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds) Whisk together the oil, vinegar, basil, onion, salt, peppercorns, and garlic in a bowl. Transfer the marinade to a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag with the chicken and shake to combine. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours. When ready to cook, build a charcoal fire or preheat gas grill. Remove chicken from the marinade. Grill the chicken, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and garnish with the basil sprigs. Nutrition Information: Calories:282 Fat:6 grams Saturated Fat:1 gram Carbohydrates:.5 grams Fiber:0 grams Knife & Fork Chili Turkey Burgers Turkey is an especially lean meat, so you really have to add some moisture to it. This recipe does exactly that by adding veggies. Make sure you make a bunch of these so that you have yummy leftovers or enough to freeze for another meal. Once you've had these tender, juicy, delicious burgers you'll never miss buns again. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 5 Servings (2 burgers each) Burgers: 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon Quick and Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup, recipe follows 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Pinch cayenne pepper 1 large egg, beaten 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Garnish: 10 tablespoons mayonnaise 10 red leaf lettuce leaves 10 tomato slices 10 onion slices 10 pickle spears To Make The Burgers: Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, except the oil, in a bowl. Divide the meat mixture into 10 equal-sized patties. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the burgers, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side.(A instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest burger should read at least 165 degrees F.) Divide the burgers among plates--2 to a plate. Dollop each serving with mayonnaise and stack lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on top. Quick & Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup (Makes: 1 1/2 Cups) 8 ounces no-sugar-added tomato sauce 6 ounces no-sugar-added tomato paste 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda) Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Of Ketchup: Calories:10 Total Fat:0 grams Saturated Fat:0 grams Carbohydrates:2 grams Fiber:0.5 grams Nutrition Information: Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories:713 Fat:53 grams Saturated Fat:14 grams Carbohydrates:9 grams Fiber:2 grams Low Carb Beefed-Up Meatloaf This Low Carb recipe can't get any tastier. Whether you are a low carber or not give this one a try. You can also use this recipe to make meatballs for a summer BBQ. Just grill the meatballs and baste them at the end with the tomato sauce. If you find the Tomato sauce too sweet, just cut back on the Splenda. The recipe can also be made with ground turkey and if you don't want to use the tomato sauce topping just top the meatloaf with bacon strips to keep it moist. It's absolutely delicious and definitely a winner!! Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Makes: 8 Servings Tomato Topping Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste 1/4 cup sugar substitute (Recommended: Splenda) 2 teaspoons white vinegar or water Meatloaf Ingredients: 2 pounds ground chuck or meat loaf mix with ground pork 2 eggs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1/4 cup red onion, diced small 1/4 cup roasted or fresh red bell peppers, diced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 pound prosciutto, or any type of ham, thinly sliced 1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato topping ingredients. Set aside. Add a few drops of water to thin to a ketchup consistency. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, eggs, Parmesan, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings. Working on a waxed paper lined sheet pan or counter, form meatloaf mix into a 10 by 8-inch flat rectangle on the waxed paper. Place a layer of prosciutto slices on top, followed by a layer of provolone slices. Roll up the stuffed meatloaf mix like a burrito and seal the edges all around by pinching the meat. Place the roll, seam side down, into a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan. Spread a heavy coat of the tomato topping to completely cover the top of the meatloaf. Place in oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the temperature on a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Drain fat and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Nutrition Information: Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories:509 Fat:39 grams Saturated Fat:17 grams Carbohydrates:7 grams Fiber:1 gram Net Carbohydrates:6 grams Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes  Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 6 minutes Makes: 4 Servings 1 medium head cauliflower 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon salt) 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat. Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels. In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth. Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter. Hint: Try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh rosemary for a whole new taste. Nutrition Information: Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories: 153 Fat:12 grams Saturated Fat:7 grams Carbohydrates:8 grams Fiber:4 grams Net Carbohydrates: 4 grams Sausage & Herb Stuffing Stuffing is commonly made with bread or croutons, which makes it off limits to low-carbers. But it doesn't have to be made that way. There's nothing wrong and everything right with substituting chopped vegetables to make up the missing bulk. So don't get stuffed. Try this recipe instead of all that bread! Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Makes: 8 Servings 3/4 pound turkey sausage (you may use pork breakfast sausage) 1/4 cup finely chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped red onion 2 eggs 2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower 1/2 cup diced yellow squash 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Equipment: 8 by 8-inch square baking dish Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove sausage from casing and crumble it into a pan over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring, until browned. Drain fat if necessary. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Using a spoon, mix in the sausage mixture and all the remaining ingredients. Pour the stuffing into the baking dish and bake until hot and browned, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Nutrition Information: Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories: 120 Fat:2 grams Saturated Fat:2 grams Carbohydrates:3 grams Fiber:1 gram Smoked Salmon Pinwheels This fast, easy and delicious recipe is great to make ahead of time. You can make it early in the afternoon and keep the roll refrigerated until evening, then slice it before the party. It transports well, too! Prep Time: 5 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 Servings 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons diced red onion 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves 8 ounces sliced smoked salmon (Recommend: Nova) 2 tablespoons small capers, drained 1 seedless cucumber, with peel, sliced into rounds the size of crackers Combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, red onion, and basil in a bowl until completely blended. On a piece of waxed paper, arrange the smoked salmon slices in a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long, slightly overlapping each piece. (If the salmon slices are cut irregularly, simply piece them together like a puzzle.) Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on the salmon, sprinkle with the capers, and roll up like a jellyroll. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm, then cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place each pinwheel atop a cucumber round to serve. Nutrition Information: Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories: 292 Fat:24 grams Saturated Fat:14 grams Carbohydrates:5 grams Fiber:1 gram |
