Granola Clusters (Low Carb)

I've not made too many granolas in my lifetime. Mostly because when I want granola I just buy it. But in an attempt to eat a little lower carb, I thought this recipe would be a good one to try.

Turns out it was a GREAT on to try. This recipe is so good. It's immediately going into the favorites!

This was an easy recipe to pull together. 

Two things I'd do differently next time I make it:

1. I'd use slightly less butter. 1/2 c was a bit too much butter taste and made it a little greasy

2. I'd keep out the coconut. I got the unsweetened coconut and while it's good, it didn't really add to the granola. 

WARNING: Put this away as soon as you can. The more you leave it out the more likely you are to eat it all while it's "cooling". 

Granola Clusters (Low Carb)

Recipe from All Day I Dream About Food

Serves 8

• 1 c pecan halves
• 1 c flaked coconut
• 1/2 c almonds
• 1/2 c pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/4 c Swerve Brown
• 1/4 c powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or maple extract

Preheat the oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the pecans (1 c), coconut (1 c), almonds (1/2 c), pumpkin seeds (1/2 c), and salt(1/2 tsp). Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A few larger pieces are okay.

In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the butter (1/2 c) and sweeteners (1/4 c brown and 1/2 c powdered). Whisk until the butter is melted and the sweeteners are mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract (1/2 tsp).

Stir in the nut mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Top with waxed paper or parchment and press down firmly and evenly to a uniform thickness.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely, then break into large chunks with your hands.

Store on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week.

Cube Steak with Onion Gravy

Every October my mom and I would make chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn for dinner. We made it when dad went hunting for a week. It was a tradition that I still do today with the Crab Ladies. 

In that "recipe", Mom used to brown the cube steaks and put them in the oven, covered, with water for about an hour. It never really made sense to me why. Until tonight. 

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuits

Clearly it was to make the cube steaks more tender. I don't know why I never made the connection until tonight. I mean just because a cube steak is tenderized, does not mean it's gonna be tender. And let me tell you, the one's I made tonight were not. My jaw got an extra work out. 

Overall, this was a simple and delicious recipe. When/if I make it again, I'd brown the cube steaks and put them in the oven with water for an hour or so. THEN make the onion gravy. 

I did not use "Kitchen Bouquet" because I don't think it adds any flavor and only adds color. No need. 

Cube Steak with Onion Gravy

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits

Serves 4

• 4 cube steaks (1 ½ pounds)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 T all purpose flour
• 3 T olive oil

FOR THE ONION GRAVY:

• 2 T butter
• 1 large yellow onion sliced into ½ inch slices
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T all purpose flour
• 3 c beef stock
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Kitchen Bouquet

Place your steaks on the counter and let them come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

In a small bowl mix all your spices together.

Sprinkle all sides with the spice mixture and 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour evenly.

Heat a skillet with olive oil on medium-high heat. Once the pan is really hot place the steaks in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Then remove them to a plate and set them aside.

In the same pan lower the heat to medium and add the butter and sliced onions and let cook about 15-20 or until desired softness.

Add in the diced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour in the beef stock and simmer just until thickened. Place steaks back into the gravy and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or white rice.

Low Carb Greek Yogurt Chicken

Let me first start by saying, I followed this recipe completely with zero deviations. And the end result? Not a fan. 

I'm really unsure what went wrong with this recipe, but the chicken was flavorless. I expected more out of the Greek yogurt and parmesan - I mean - who wouldn't? 

Bottom line, I won't be remaking this one, despite it sounding so good. 

Low Carb Greek Yogurt Chicken

Recipe from What's In the Pan

Serves 4

• oil spray
• 5 oz. plain Greek yogurt 
• 2 T mayonnaise
• ½ c grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1.5 lb. chicken tenders (whole) or chicken breasts (cut in quarters)
• Parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 12 inch oven proof pan or 9×9 baking dish with nonstick oil spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add chicken into the bowl with yogurt mixture and coat the mixture all over the chicken.

Move chicken to a baking dish (or oven proof pan). Chicken should be thinly coated with the yogurt mixture. Don't put too much or any additional mixture leftover.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Turn the oven to broil and place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Pink Sauce

What feels like a thousand years ago (really around 2000 ish) Sherrie and I lived together. She had some German sausage from Odessa in the freezer and she wanted to use it up. While she was cooking her dinner, I was making packaged Parma Rosa from Knorr. 

We had a "Your chocolate is in my peanut butter" moment where we put the German sausage into the Parma Rosa sauce and our favorite pasta dish was born. 

We made that meal so many times. It was cheap and easy and made leftovers for us. Back when I ate more leftovers. 

To this day, whenever I see a pink sauce - which is basically what Parma Rosa is - I have to put sausage in it. While I didn't have German sausage tonight, I did have a pack of Polish Sausage in the freezer. 

BAM! 

This was a good pink sauce. Flavorful and full of the flavor I want with a creamy tomato sauce.

Pink Sauce

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
• 1 ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
• ¼ cup parmesan
• Pasta of choice

Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Then add the diced onion and sauté until tender and translucent.

Next, add the tomatoes, water, paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Then reduce to heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta per the package directions to just al dente.

Stir in heavy cream and the fresh basil leaves and simmer for another five minutes. [ Jenn Pro tip: Heat your heavy cream before adding it. If you add it cold it may curdle with the tomato sauce.}

Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

Drain the pasta into a colander in the sink and then add it to the sauce and toss gently to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Serve immediately and garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil.

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Photo from The Food
Charlatan

It snowed here in Seattle. Not a lot, just a dusting, but enough to make me feel like I need comfort food. Stroganoff is perfect for this type of weather.

The was an amazing recipe. Using a chuck roast and a slow cooker really made this delicious. The addition of red wine - which I almost skipped - put it over the top in flavortown. Sherrie was over to scrapbook and we ate this for dinner. We were silent for the first couple of bites. It was THAT good. 

Here's what I did different:

1. Sherrie's GF so I didn't want to use pasta. Instead I put this over mashed potatoes. And Y'all this might be my new way to eat stroganoff. 
2. I shredded my beef and then put it back into the sauce. 
3. I added about 1/2 c sour cream to the stroganoff instead of a dollop on top like they suggest. It needs to be in the sauce for me. 

Make this meal. It's delicious. And I'm adding it to my 2025 Favorites. 

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, I used light olive oil
• generous salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, (half stick)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 to 2 cups sour cream, to add after cooking
• 12-16 ounces pappardelle pasta, plus water and salt
• fresh parsley, to garnish
• fresh chives, to garnish

Cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks and dry them all over with paper towels.

Salt and pepper the pieces. Be generous. I used at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.

Place about 1/3 of the pieces of beef into the pan, one by one. Leave at least an inch or two of space in between. Let the meat sear for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. When you see nice brown edges on both sides, transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Continue searing the rest of the beef in one or two more batches, depending on space. Remove all the meat to the slow cooker, but don’t clean out that pan. We need all those gorgeous brown bits.

Turn the heat off if you need to take a moment to chop your onion and slice your mushrooms if you haven’t already.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in the pan you seared the meat in. When it’s melted, add the chopped onion and quartered mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Sauté for 5-8 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft.

Add 1 tablespoon smashed and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste.

Add 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. Let the mixture come to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5-7 minutes until it has reduced a bit.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker , adding in every last drop. Stir it together with the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Add some pasta to a serving plate. Top with beef stroganoff. The chunks of beef may be big, but it’s so fork tender your guests can take care of it themselves at the table.

Add a big dollop of sour cream to each plate. Top with fresh parsley and fresh chives.