Low Carb Cooking 101
By Di Bauer, CarbSmart Editor
Posted 2/2/2002
There's nothing worse than going to a party and finding out that there's nothing low carb that you can eat. And a Super Bowl party is even worse than a holiday party, because the people at a Super Bowl party naturally assume that you are actually going to be entertained by the football game. (My apologies to those of your who are genuinely interested in Sunday's outcome; I just don't happen to be one of you. By the way, who's playing?)
So, as always, we need to be prepared. If we're the ones hosting the party, we need to think of ourselves and not just our guests. If we're going to a party, we need to bring things for ourselves - and plenty of them, because football games do not take place in real time; a "football minute" is the same as 5 or more minutes of real time. Sometimes a "football minute" is even longer, or maybe it just seems that way.
Party Strategies
A Super Bowl party is a testosterone-laden event, so focus on hearty foods and lots of meat. Prepare several kinds, if you can. Real men and women eat meat at Super Bowl parties. I don't think it's even legal to bring anything with tofu in it.
Forget the chicken wings; they're woosie. Make chicken legs! You get more meat for your time, effort, and money that way. (If anybody questions your nontraditional choice, tell them that you did bring chicken drummettes; they're just from really big chickens.)
If you are going to a party where you know dips will be served - but with taco chips or some other type of high carbohydrate nonsense - simply bring your own low carb crackers, tortillas, or vegetables for dipping. (Chili con queso dip is wonderful on sliced cucumbers!)
It doesn't hurt to toss a few bottles of water or diet soda in the car just in case your host runs low or doesn't believe in diet drinks.
Here's some suggestions for the party:
- Sesame Drumsticks
- Rumaki
- Merry Meatballs
- Mexican Chicken Pizza Casserole
- Testosterone Chili Dip
- Rueben Dip For A Crockpot
- Real! Rye Crackers
- Real! Pumpernickel Crackers
- Cucumber Bullseyes
- Rod's Favorite Spread
- Deviled Eggs
Here's the recipes:
Sesame Drumsticks
This is adapted from a recipe for wings that I found on the Internet.
- 2 pounds chicken legs
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup cooking sherry
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- salt (to taste)
- fresh ground pepper (to taste)
In a blender or food processor combine olive and sesame oils, sherry, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Mix in sesame seeds.
Wash the chicken legs and pat them dry. With a sharp fork or a knife, pierce the legs all over so that the marinade can penetrate through the skin to the meat.
Salt the chicken legs lightly. Place the legs in a shallow baking dish and cover them with the marinade. Turn the legs to coat them thoroughly. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Turn the legs occasionally so that all sides are thoroughly saturated with the marinade.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil.
Take the chicken legs out of the marinade. Hold them over the baking dish for a moment to let the excess marinade drip off. Reserve the marinade.
Bake the chicken legs for 50 minutes at 350 degrees, turning them over once so that both sides get crispy and the juices run clear.
While the chicken legs are baking, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and boil it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent it from scorching. Set aside.
Take the chicken legs out of the oven and reset the oven to broil. Baste the legs with the reserved and boiled marinade, and broil them for 1 to 3 minutes, or until they get nicely browned.
Turn the legs, baste them with the reserved marinade, and put them back in the broiler again for 1 to 3 minutes, or until they are nicely browned on the second side.
Remove the legs from the broiler and arrange them on a serving platter to serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for serving later.
Rumaki
- 1-pint container chicken livers
- 1 pound bacon (or maybe a little more)
- Brown Sugar Twin
Cut the chicken livers in half if they are large. Wrap each chicken liver in a whole slice of bacon and place them seam-side down on a broiler pan.
Bake at 350 degrees until bacon is done, about 45 minutes to an hour, turning the rumaki several times so that bacon browns on all sides.
Remove the rumaki from oven and immediately roll each one in Brown Sugar Twin.
Serve warm. (And watch the faces of unsuspecting people who don't like chicken livers. It's worth the price of admission.)
Reheats well in the oven. (Reheating in the microwave makes the rumaki tough.)
***Note: I actually like these cold, too, so I always plan for leftovers. But then again, some of my tastes are pretty weird.
Merry Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup crushed pork rinds or other binder
- 1/8 cup cream
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/6 teaspoon pepper
- 1 12-ounce jar salsa
- 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix all ingredients except salsa and green onions together. Shape into 30 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased 13x9x2-inch cookie sheet.
Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until the juices run clear and the meatballs are no longer pink in the center.
Place salsa and meatballs an a 2-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Dover and simmer about 15 minutes or until salsa and meatballs are hot. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve hot.
Makes 30 appetizers.
**Note: Recipe can be doubled. For serving, I suggest that you transfer the heated meatballs to a preheated crockpot to keep them warm on the buffet.
Mexican Chicken Pizza
All the measurements for this recipe are approximate. You can adjust the mounts of the ingredients to your own personal taste or to what you have on hand. (Relax. This isn't rocket science, and none of this is that important anyway.)
- 8 to 10 WASA Fiber Rye or Bran-A-Crisp Crackers
- 2 cups salsa
- 3 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or a combination of shredded mozzarella and Monterey jack cheeses)
- canned green chilies (optional)
- diced green onions (optional)
- chopped and seeded fresh tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes, drained (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with the crackers. the WASA Fiber Rye or Bran-A-Crisp crackers. Spread the salsa over the crackers. Top the salsa with the cooked diced or shredded chicken, then sprinkle the shredded Mexican blend cheese over the chicken. Distribute the canned green chilies, the diced green onions, and the chopped tomatoes over the cheese, if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is hot.
Slice into serving-sized pieces before serving. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream if you choose to.
Testosterone Chili Dip
I got this recipe from my friend, Ray Whitson. When my son takes this to a party, the casserole always comes back empty and licked clean.
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 10-ounce cans Dixie Chili (or any canned coney-type chili without beans)
- 3 to 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Moosh (this term is so culinarily technical!) the cream cheese into the bottom of a medium-sized casserole or baking dish. (I used one of those oblong Corningware casseroles, which is about 12 X 8 inches.)
Dump the two cans of chili on top of the cream cheese and spread the chili around so that it is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the chili.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the entire casserole is hot.
Serve with low carb crackers, tortilla chips, or pepperoni crisps. Slices of cucumbers or radishes are also good "dippers."
*** Note: Women beware. Consumption of this dish may cause you to grow hair on your chest.
Rueben Dip For A Crockpot
- 4 4-ounce packages corned beef
- 2 cups sauerkraut, drained
- 1 16-ounce package shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 small bottle 1000 Island salad dressing
Place all ingredients in the crockpot in the order in which they are listed. Heat on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to blend, until everything is hot and the cheese is completely melted.
Serve with WASA Fiber Rye crackers or Real! Rye or Pumpernickel Crackers for the low carbers and slices of cocktail rye bread for the non-low carbers.
*** Note: I prefer the fresh sauerkraut that I find in the meat department of the grocery store, but canned will do if that's what you like or happen to have on hand.
***Note: If you find sauerkraut to strong for you taste, rinsing it under cold water will make it milder.
Real! Rye Crackers
- 1 7.7 ounce canister Keto Rye Quick Bread Mix
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 4 tablespoons butter -- melted,
- additional softened butter for greasing loaf pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with additional softened butter. Set aside.
Mix the warm water and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Add the entire contents of the Keto Rye Bread Mix. Mix thoroughly and quickly with a fork, but do not overbeat. (See directions on the Keto Rye Quick Bread Mix canister.) Pour mixture into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is a nice, golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Remove the loaf from the refrigerator and the plastic wrap and slice as thinly as possible. (I was able to slice the loaf into 30 very thin slices.) Cut each thin bread slice in half, and place the half-slices on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 200-degree oven for one hour. Turn slices, and continue baking for 1 hour more, or until the crackers and completely dried.
Test the crackers for doneness by pressing into one with your thumbnail. There should be no "give" or softness. They should be brittle.
Cool the crackers on a wire rack. When Completely cool, place the crackers in a Zip Lock bag for storage. These keep quite well.
Yield: 60 crackers with approximately 1 carb per cracker.
Real! Pumpernickel Crackers
- 1 7.7 ounce canister Keto Pumpernickel Quick Bread Mix
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- additional softened butter for greasing loaf pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with additional softened butter. Set aside.
Mix the warm water and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Add the entire contents of the Keto Pumpernickel Quick Bread Mix. Mix thoroughly and quickly with a fork, but do not overbeat. (See directions on the Keto Pumpernickel Bread Mix canister.) Pour mixture into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is a nice, golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Remove the loaf from the refrigerator and the plastic wrap and slice as thinly as possible. (I was able to slice the loaf into 30 very thin slices.) Cut each thin bread slice in half, and place the half-slices on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 200-degree oven for one hour. Turn slices, and continue baking for 1 hour more, or until the crackers and completely dried.
Test the crackers for doneness by pressing into one with your thumbnail. There should be no "give" or softness. They should be brittle.
Cool the crackers on a wire rack. When Completely cool, place the crackers in a Zip Lock bag for storage. These keep quite well.
Yield: 60 crackers with approximately 1 carb per cracker.
Cucumber Bullseyes
Yeah, I know I gave this recipe to you before, but I love these things!
- large, straight cucumbers
- favorite cheese ball, softened (I like Rod's Favorite Spread best. See the recipe below.)
Slice the ends off the cucumbers. With a vegetable peeler, take off alternating strips of the cucumber skin. Then, with an apple corer, core the seeds from the center of the cucumbers, leaving as much of the flesh as possible. (If the cucumbers are very long, it is best to cut them into 6-inch sections to do this.)
Push the cheese ball mixture down into the cored sections of the cucumbers. Be sure that it is firmly packed in with no gaps. Wrap each section in plastic wrap and chill.
Before serving, slice the stuffed cucumbers into 1/4-inch slices.
Rod's Favorite Spread
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 2 4-ounce packages chipped beef, shredded
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped (green parts only)
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
Use an electric mixer to blend all the ingredients together. Place the spread in a decorative bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until time to serve. Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
Deviled Eggs
Some people like some dry mustard or pickle relish in their deviled eggs, but I don't. If you like them, add them.
- 1 dozen eggs
- mayonnaise (to taste)
- salt (just a little - to taste)
- black pepper (a lot!)
- paprika (optional - for garnish)
Eggs for deviled eggs are best if they're not extremely fresh. Buy the eggs a few days to a week before you want to make the deviled eggs.
Place the eggs in a large pan or Dutch oven. Cover them with cold water, making sure that the water comes up an inch or two above the eggs. Discard any eggs that float to the surface!
Place the pan or Dutch oven on the stove and turn the burner to high. As soon as the water reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium and set the kitchen timer for 10 minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the heat. With kitchen tongs, take the eggs out of the water and place them in a colander.
Wait until the eggs are just cool enough to handle and shell the eggs under running water to remove any bits of shell. Place the shelled eggs back into the colander to cool and dry.
*** Note: At this point you can put the eggs in a Zip Lock bag in the refrigerator, or you can halve them, devil the yolks, and refrigerate the whites and the deviled yolks separately until you want to put everything together. They're much easier to store this way than they are once they're filled. You can even take them separately to the party and fill the whites there.
Slice the whites in half and remove the yolks to a bowl. (It's easiest if you use a spoon to pry the yolks out of the whites.) Put the yolks in a bowl and add several tablespoons of the mayonnaise, the salt, and the black pepper. Use a hand mixer to whip the ingredients together.
Once the ingredients are thoroughly blended, continue to add mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time until the yolk mixture is the consistency that you prefer.
Spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg white halves and sprinkle them with paprika if you choose. Cover and refrigerate the deviled eggs until it's time to serve them.
***Note: Edible glitter is sugar and carbohydrate free, and if you want to drive everyone nuts, you can sprinkle edible glitter in the team colors on the eggs instead of paprika. You can find edible glitter in cake decorating stores or in places like Michael's Crafts. Anyplace that carries Wilton cake decorating products will have it.
***Variation: Mixing a 6-ounce can of drained tuna or salmon in with the yolks is quite good. With the fish, some people might like to add a little dried dill weed.
|
