Low-Carb Mozzarella Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tblsp butter or olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 onion, diced
6 Tblsp minced garlic (adjust to taste)

2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 cans crushed tomatoes

1/2 small can tomato paste

2 Tblsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preparation:

1. Use a meat tenderizer or needler to flatten chicken breasts. Cut in half, if needed, based on size of breasts.

2. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts.  

3. Saute chicken breasts in skillet until completely cooked through. Set aside.

4. In same skillet, saute onion until clear, then add garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Stir until combined. Bring to a simmer so that sauce thickens some.

6. If smooth sauce is desired, pulse ingredients in food processor or blender.

7. Spread a little of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish. Arrange chicken breasts in the dish on top of sauce.

8. Top chicken with remaining sauce, then sprinkle with cheese.

9. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn to broil to brown cheese, if desired.

10. Serve with noodles or thinly sliced and sauted yellow squash.

Low Carb Green Chile and Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
6 Tblsp minced garlic
1 brick of cream cheese
2 Tblsp taco seasoning
1 large bottle green chile salsa verde
4 chicken breasts (cooked, grilled or smoked), cut into thin, bite-sized slices
1 27-oz can whole green chiles
4 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

Preparation:
1. Saute onions in olive oil until tender.

2. Add garlic to onions and saute for 5 minutes.

3. Lower heat and add cream cheese, taco seasoning and half of salsa to onion and garlic mixture. Cook until cream cheese is melted and mixture is combined, stirring frequently.

4. Gently stir chicken into cream cheese sauce until thoroughly combined.

5. Spread half of the remaining salsa on the bottom of a square casserole dish.

6. Drain the chiles, then slice them open so they lie flat. Pat dry and remove any seeds. Place the chiles, one layer thick, on the bottom of the casserole dish.

7. Top chiles with half of the chicken mixture.

8. Top chicken mixture with half of the cheese.

9. Drizzle half of the remaining salsa over the cheese.

10. Repeat with another layer of chiles, chicken mixture, cheese and salsa.

11. Cover very loosely with foil, leaving sides open.

12. Place casserole dish on a baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven until bubbly and cheese is melted. Remove foil and bake for five more minutes to toast top of cheese.

Steph's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
Cake:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups peeled, grated carrots (can use bagged shredded carrots)
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup very well mashed canned carrots, drained (roughly 1 can)
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Icing:
3 packages cream cheese, at room temperature
16 Tblsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
4 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tblsp lemon juice

Preparation:
Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined and there are no lumps of brown sugar.

5. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and gently stir until mostly combined.

6. Add both types of carrots, pineapple, and pecans, and fold together until thoroughly combined.

7. Pour into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with clean, 22 to 28 minutes.

Frosting:
1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.

3. Add the lemon juice and beat to combine.

4. Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat on low speed until combined, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Perfect White Frosting

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cold
5 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

Preparation:
1. Cut butter into pieces.

2. Using the paddle attachment, whip butter for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat until butter looks light in color.

3. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, and mix on low speed until incorporated into butter.

4. Add 2 tsp vanilla extract, and mix to combine.

5. Add additional 2 cups powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.

6. Add last 1 cup powdered sugar, along with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on low until ingredients start to mix together.

7. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat for another 3-5 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting.

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup + 2 Tblsp bleached cake flour
12 cold egg whites (2 cups) from 12 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
1 oz/2 Tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 small lemon
1/4 tsp kosher salt (for table salt, use 1/2 tsp)

Preparation:
1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F.

2. Sift cake flour and set aside.

3. Combine egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low to loosen, about 1 minute.

4. Increase mixer speed to medium-low (4 on a KitchenAid) and whip 3 minutes; the whites will be dense and dark.

5. With the mixer still running, add lemon juice and salt. Immediately increase to medium (6 on a KitchenAid) and whip 3 minutes more; the meringue will be thin but foamy.

6. Increase to medium-high (8 on a KitchenAid) and continue whipping until the meringue is glossy white and thick enough that you can see the pattern left by the wire whisk. This can take between 2 and 4 minutes, depending on the freshness of the whites and the horsepower of your mixer. When meringue is ready, it should be soft enough to run off the wires when the whisk attachment is removed, but thick enough to mound up on itself like soft-serve in the bowl.

7. Sprinkle cake flour on top, and stir with a flexible spatula to roughly combine. Switch to a folding motion, scraping from the bottom up and folding through the center, until no pockets of flour remain.

8. Scrape the batter into a 10-inch aluminum tube pan (do not butter or grease pan); if you notice any small pockets of unincorporated flour, simply pause to mix them in.

9. Bake until the cake is puffed, golden blond, and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 206°F.

10. Invert pan onto its stilts and cool upside down until absolutely no trace of warmth remains, at least 2 hours.

11. Slide an offset spatula around the sides of cake to loosen, remove the insert, and slide spatula under the bottom as well. Flip onto a serving plate, pulling gently on the sides of the cake to release it from the center tube.

Sour Cream Tzatziki

Ingredients:
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cucumber, grated or processed in a food processor
2 tablespoons dillweed (or to taste)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt, to taste

Preparation:
1. Grate or process the cucumber. Put it on a paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes to remove some of the moisture. You can wring it out and blot it to get it as "dry" as possible.

2. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk.

3. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

ALTERNATE RECIPE: Strain 3 cups of Greek yogurt or sour cream overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer. "Wring" to remove as much water as possible. Use in place of the 2 cups of sour cream for a thicker, creamier spread.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread (from Jiffy Mix)

INGREDIENTS:
2 c. canned cream-style corn
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 c. dairy sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz.) can jalapenos or green chilies, seeded and chopped
2 pkgs. Jiffy corn bread mix
4 eggs, beaten
1 c. chopped onion

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Grease a 13x9x2 inch pan. (Ideally, use a cast iron skillet.)

3. Combine corn, corn bread mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, cheese, onion and jalapenos. Stir well.

4. Pour into pan. (If using a cast iron skillet, be sure to heat the skillet and put some vegetable oil in it before pouring the batter into the pan.)

5. Bake about 1 hour at 350°F degrees.

Recipe can easily be halved. Melted butter can also be poured over the cornbread as soon as it comes out of the oven. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke small holes in the top crust before pouring the butter over for best results.