Low(er) Carb Biscuits

Classic Biscuits with half the amount of wheat flour. 

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 1/4 cup ap flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup very cold butter cut into small cubes

1 egg

Milk to combine (1/2 cup?)

Preheat oven to 400. Cut butter into dry ingredients until like wet sand. Add egg and milk until it forms a loose dough. It should look thin enough that it wouldn't hold a drop biscuit shape. Stir in milk quickly. Do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy and loose. Let it sit while you prep a baking sheet with parchment. Now the dough will be the right texture for drop biscuits. Drop onto sheet. It should make around 15. Sprinkle with garlic powder or Italian seasoning if you'd like. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Biscuits are done when they are browned and springy when you push into the center. 

Chili Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter

Add all ingredients to a baking dish. Bake at 425 for about an hour checking after 45 minutes to see if liquid is absorbed. Serve as a side or add to burrito or chimichanga filling

Super Easy Homemade Mac & Cheese

3 cups milk
3 cups whole grain pasta
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
salt to taste

Bring milk and pasta to a simmer on medium/medium low heat. Stirring often, cook pasta in milk until al dente- about 10-15 minutes. Keep the heat low because you don't want to scorch the milk or cause it foam and boil over.

Remove from heat, stir in cheeses and yogurt. Return to warm burner to melt everything if necessary.

Serve immediately. Add something yummy like peas, diced chicken, peppers, etc. to give it a little something extra. (Pictured with red & green peppers)

Make it into Alfredo by omitting the cheddar and doubling the parmesan. Grind black pepper onto it before serving. I like adding steamed broccoli to it, too.

You can also turn it into this with a few extra ingredients.

Serves 3 generous dinner portions or 6 as a side dish.

Thanksgiving Dinner- Wheat & Corn Bread Stuffing

 1- 1 1/2 lb. loaf whole wheat bread, cut into 1" cubes
1- 1 lb. loaf corn bread, cut into 1" cubes
1 large onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped small
3 tbsp. butter
salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp parsley
1/2 cup chardonnay
7-10 cups stock

Cut bread the day before and leave out on the counter overnight to dry out.

The day of-
Add onion, celery, and butter to pan.  Season with salt & pepper. Saute until onion is translucent. Add herbs and wine. Reduce liquid by half.

Add bread and onion mixture to a large bowl. Add 6 cups stock. Fold mixture together.

Add mixture to 13x9 baking dish, pressing it in with the back of a spoon.

Let rest for 15 minutes. Check moisture level by feeling a bread cube. If it falls apart, it moist enough. If it's still a little hard in the middle, pour 1 cup stock over mixture in pan & check again after a few minutes. Repeat until mixture is very moist.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1hour-1 hour 15 minutes.

Thanksgiving Dinner- Green Beans in Mushroom Cream

A homemade & unprocessed version of green bean casserole. Much richer and simpler in flavor.

1 quart half & half
1 quart whole milk

12 oz. white button mushrooms, chopped fine
8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour

3 lbs frozen cut green beans (thawed) or 3 lbs fresh beans, cut into 1inch pieces and blanched
Salt & pepper to taste

1 large can fried onions (from the can- not worth the trouble of making these when they are just as effective when purchased from the grocery store)
1 small onion very finely chopped

Reduce half & half in milk by half in a large sauce pan.

In a pan with the olive oil, saute mushrooms until golden brown and reduced in volume.

Add mushrooms and beans to a large mixing bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste.

In the same pan used for mushrooms, add butter and flour to make a roux. Whisk to combine. Then whisk in half of the milk mixture. Thicken by bringing to a boil.

Add all of the milk mixtures into the mixing bowl. Fold ingredients together.

Place in a 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped onions and half of the fried onions. Use a spatula to "sink" the onions into the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Then add the rest of the fried onions on top and bake until they are golden brown.

When milk mixture has reduced, pour half

Thanksgiving Dinner- Orange Cranberry Sauce

Nice as an accompaniment to your dinner or as a spread on scones or toast.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange zest (optional)

Place in sauce pan on medium heat. Stir occasionally, scraping sides each time. Lower/raise heat if necessary to keep a constant low boil.

Cooks down in about an hour, to a very thick consistency.

Serve warm or cold.

*I use my bread machine on "jam" setting to make this.*

Thanksgiving Dinner- Fried Sweet Potatoes

Simple dish with lots of flavor. Inspired by the dinner being prepared here (at the Firestone Farm House in Greenfield Village).
makes 8-10 servings

6 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
salt

The day before, bake sweet potatoes in 400 degree oven for about an hour.  No need to prep them n any way. Just wash and set them on the top shelf of the cold oven. Turn temp to 400 degrees and check for doneness in one hour with a sharp knife. If the nice slides through, it's done! Still a little hard? Give it a little more time.

Cool and put in refrigerator overnight.

Day of, slice into 1/4-1/2" slices. (remove the skin if you want to)Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt.

Place 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium/high heat. Add potatoes when butter has melted. Let the potatoes brown & caramelize before flipping- a good 5 minutes. Flip potatoes and turn the heat down a bit to medium-medium/low. Once the other side is browned, turn off heat, place lid on potatoes until ready to serve. They will stay nice and warm for quite a while.

Broccoli Millet Casserole

6 cups cooked millet- I used Bob's Red Mill Millet & Chicken Stock
1lb bag frozen broccoli cuts
1 12oz. bag italian cut green beans
2 1/2 cups stock
4 tablespoons corn starch
2/3 cup milk powder
2/3 cup greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream or a combo of them.
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
seasonings to taste- salt, pepper, garlic, onion, Mrs. Dash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the stock, corn starch, milk powder, yogurt, cheese and seasonings in a bowl. Add millet and veggies. Stir to combine.

Pour into greased 13x9 pan. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the edges.

Serve as a side or main dish.

Barley Tomato Risotto

1 cup pearl barley

1 tbsp EVOO

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cups milk (I use unsweetened almond)

Put barley and oil in pot on medium and toast until deep caramel color. Add garlic and let that toast a bit. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook covered on medium/low, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for about  40 minutes. Then, switch to low for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn burner off, leave pot covered, and let sit until all moisture is absorbed. Serve slightly warm with Pea & Chive Pesto on top. 

Zucchini Cheese Biscuits

These biscuits are light and delicious!

Makes about 15

3/4 cup shredded zucchini, with excess moisture squeezed from it-(so start with about 1 cup, you'll end up with 3/4)
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup milk, I used almond milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese, any kind

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add zucchini, butter and yogurt to mixer bowl. Cream for about 20 seconds. Stop mixer and add the flour, salt, & baking powder. Combine until the mixture is coarsely combined-like wet sand. Add milk and cheese. Mix just until everything is combined.

Scoop out 2 tbsp. per biscuit onto a parchment lined  baking sheet or onto a stoneware pan. Sprinkle each biscuit with some garlic powder or minced garlic and more black pepper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown on the edges and springy to the touch.

Rice & Bean Bake

This makes a really flavorful rice & beans dish. I like it a lot better than making a batch on the stove top, and it's a bonus that you just dump it all in the pan and it comes out beautiful! Easy and delicious!

1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 1/3 cups cooked black beans (or 2 15oz. cans, drained)
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1/2 cup salsa
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 1/2 cups stock, heated to boiling in a saucepan
1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix rice, beans, tomatoes, salsa, onion, garlic, & pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add hot stock and stir. Add the shredded cheese.

Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for approximately 70 minutes or until rice is cooked through.

*sometimes I crank the temperature up to 400 to make things cook a little faster, and sometimes it takes up to 90 minutes…it just depends on the day.

Serve with salsa & sour cream.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

2 lbs dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
6 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pablano pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

Add everything to the crock pot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 12 hours or on high for 6, or until the beans are tender.

Remove about 1 cup of liquid from the crock. Use immersion blender to blend beans into smooth puree. Add liquid until you reach the desired consistency.

Let cool and divide into 1lb. portions. Label and freeze in containers or freezer bags. 1lb=1 can refried beans.

To use, thaw and add to recipes or place frozen beans in pot and warm slowly over low/medium heat.

Yields about 7lbs.

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

A leaner and quick-to-prep version of a classic comfort food.

1 lb whole wheat pasta, any small shape, I used spirals

1 can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups skim or plain soy milk

1 cup water

1 egg

2 egg whites (eggs are for binding the custard, you could probably use egg replacer)

3 cups shredded cheese, any flavors you like
1 tablespoon butter, for just a bit more flavor
1 lb broccoli pieces, I used frozen, but you could use fresh too
pepper to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Boil pasta for 5 minutes, drain. Spray a 5qt. or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Turn on high to warm it up while you mix. Whisk milk, water, & eggs in the cooker. Add butter, cheese, pepper, broccoli and stir to combine. Fold in par-cooked pasta. Smooth out the top & sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmesan.
Cook on high for 30 minutes.
Reduce to low and cook for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Keep warm for 30 minutes if you need to.
Serve hot. Store individual servings and freeze the leftovers for quick meals.

12 generous servings, approximately 350 calories per serving

Farmer's Savory Egg & Bread Pudding

I imagine this is something a farmer would have as part of their Sunday breakfast. We're having it for dinner, made with veggies and herbs from our little homestead farm. It's a little more "eggy" than a traditional bread pudding.



6 cups cubed bread, I use the "heels" I saved in the freezer until I had enough to make something with it
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4"
2 small eggplant, peeled & cubed
6 small tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

salt/pepper
8 eggs
3 cups milk

Arrange bread in 13x9x2" pan with all veggies. Sprinkle with herbs and cheese.

Wisk eggs, milk, salt, & pepper in separate bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Let mixture sit for 20 minutes before baking. Bake 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Location:Cogswell St,Romulus,United States

Green Bean & Cheesy Potato Casserole (Healthy Version)

I created this so we could have a taste of two of our favorite dishes (green bean casserole & cheesy potatoes) without the high fat & calorie guilt from eating them!

1lb bag frozen green bean pieces
1/2 bag frozen Southern Style Hashbrowns

1 1/2 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
1 1/2 cups low fat milk
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 tsp. seasoned salt
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add green beans and potatoes to a 9x9" baking dish (I use this).

In a cold saucepan, combine the stock and milk. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until smooth. Place saucepan on medium-high burner. Add seasonings. Bring to a boil, whisking until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir to combine.

Pour sauce over potatoes and beans in baking dish. Stir to incorporate the sauce.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until it's bubbly and golden brown.

Serve hot as a delicious comfort food side-dish.

Pilaf

This is our Armenian family recipe. We serve it at every family get-together. It's one of our very favorite things to eat!

1/2 stick butter or a little extra if you're feeling indulgent
1/2 large onion, chopped
To taste-Lawry's seasoned salt OR salt, garlic powder, onion powder, & a dash a paprika
Black pepper
1 cup FINE egg noodles or thin spaghetti broken into 1inch pieces.
6 cups chicken broth ir homemade chicken stock
3 cups converted long grain rice- must be converted, the grains of rice hold together better, this rice is not sticky when cooked. We use Uncle Ben's or Texas brand.

Melt butter in a pot on medium heat, add onions and seasoning, saute' until onions begin to be translucent. Enjoy the glorious smell of sweet onions and butter!

Add egg noodles and let them toast a bit in the butter.

Add broth, bring to a boil. Add rice and stir to combine the ingredients. Let it come back up to a simmer. Put a tight fitting lid on the pot. Decrease temperature to low.

Simmer for around 20-25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Do not life the lid during this time. The heat must stay inside of the pot!

It's difficult to overcook converted rice because it holds it shape so well. Check it after 20 minutes to see if the liquid is absorbed, add cooking time accordingly until there is not liquid left at the bottom of the pot.

The noodles and onions will rise to the surface during cooking. Stir to re-combine them into the rice. Serve as a side dish or as a bed for your favorite vegetable stew or shish kabob.

Vegetarian option- use great quality vegetable stock in place of broth.

Rice Fritters

This is adapted from a recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine. 


1 cup white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
2-4 tbsp. olive oil 
1/2 cup bread crumbs


Cook rice in stock until all liquid is absorbed- about 20 minutes. Put rice in mixing bowl to cool for a few minutes. Add egg, cheese, salt, & pepper. Stir to combine. 


Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1/2 of the bread crumbs on the sheet pan. Form 12 mounds of rice mixture on the pan (on top on the bread crumbs). Gently press the mounds into patty shapes (approx. 3" around). Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumbs on top of the patties. 


Preheat a skillet with 1/2 of the olive oil on med-high heat. Cook the patties in batches for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towel if necessary. 


Serve with sautéed spinach. I cooked the spinach in the same pan once all the fritters were done cooking. It only takes a minute to sauté the spinach. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to spice it up a bit.