1. Magnificent mixed grill
Why salsa? I found out that my favorite stir fry sauce had 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon. In contrast, my favorite salsa has only one gram per tablespoon. By keeping the salsa on the side, I can control how many tablespoons I drizzle over the chicken on my plate.
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I'm blown away by this divided skillet from Master Pan!
Where has this brilliant pan been all my life? When I think of all the times I've washed three or four pans connected to one meal, I wonder how I survived the injustice of it all. But seriously, I live in a house where different diet objectives often conflict. If I'm in the mood for salmon and my husband wants hamburgers, it's no longer a big hassle to prepare both. There's more than enough to room to make two different types of meat with up to three side dishes. I sometimes feel like I'm at a restaurant sampling little items from his dinner and giving him little nuggets from mine. Sharing is caring!
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2. Kielbasa, sauerkraut, carrots and Brussels sprouts
Since the carrots take longer to cook than all other components of this dish, I start by boiling two cups of chopped carrots for about ten minutes. As the carrots simmer, I dump a package of frozen Brussels sprouts inside a microwave safe casserole dish and heat them for about six minutes. While the veggies cook, I cut a full package of Kiolbassa brand nitrate free sausage into slices. There's no need to oil the pan! Traditional Kielbasa produces more than enough grease to fry itself to a crisp. The next step is optional. I like to use a wad of paper towels to pat the sausage dry and wipe the extra grease out of the pan. For added flavor, many cooks prefer to saute the vegetables inside the kielbasa grease. Before adding my cooked veggies to the sausage, I dump a 32 ounce jar of traditionally fermented sauerkraut into the pan. I never drain my sauerkraut, as I enjoy simmering my veggies in the tart juices.
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A tip for preparing family sized portions of sauerkraut and sausage
When I need to double the recipe above, I turn to my electric skillet! It allows me too prepare more than twice as much food as I'd be able to cook with a simple frying pan. That translates to more leftovers and less time cooking for a few days! With a regular frying pan, I'd have to cook several batches to fill my food prep containers.
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3.) Salmon stuffed with chopped broccoli, cream cheese and water chestnuts
Step One: Start with a 10 ounce package of frozen broccoli florets. I chop my heated florets into tiny pieces, taking care not to include the stalks. Transfer your chopped broccoli to a mixing bowl. Step Two: Use a rubber spatula to combine the broccoli with a 12 ounce tub of soft cream cheese. Add a small can of diced water chestnuts, 3 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic and 4 heaping tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Step Three: Cut a long slit down the side of each piece of salmon, being careful not to let the knife poke through to the other side. Stuff each pocket with as much cream cheese mixture as the space will allow. There should be enough mixture to fill six to eight pieces of salmon. Step Four: Sprinkle each piece of salmon with Lawry's salt, parsley flakes and old bay seasoning. If you desire a little more heat, red pepper flakes are a wonderful addition. Step Five: Drop your salmon into a well oiled cast iron pan on medium heat. Fry your salmon long enough to achieve a golden crust (about three to four minutes on each side.) Step Six: Arrange heated veggies around your salmon pieces for garnish. I used broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and diced red peppers that were cooked beforehand. Step Seven: Drizzle a little melted butter over the salmon and transfer your cast iron pan to an oven preheated at 350 degrees. Bake for about four to five minutes.
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Why cast iron is so perfect for salmon
I don't use cast iron for everything, but there are times when I like to transfer certain dishes from the stove top to the oven effortlessly. Salmon doesn't always cook evenly on the stove top. It can still be a bit raw after the crust develops. Transferring the pan to the oven ensures that it will cook a bit longer without burning.
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4. Mini meatloaf bombs topped with A1 Steak Sauce
Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl, using gloved hands to mix components thoroughly. Press the mixture into your divided loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. I general fill two loaf pans at once. I use A1 steak sauce for my low carb batch and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce for my husband's batch. I like to brush the sauce onto the meat after it has been cooking for about 40 minutes.
Note: Five pounds of meat will fill up two loaf pans. If you only need to make one loaf pan, get a 2.5 pound package of ground beef and cut the remaining ingredients in half. |
My favorite things to make with a mini loaf pan
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5. Two easy secrets for extra tender steaks
The first secret to cooking perfectly tender steak is a cast iron skillet! Regular nonstick pans won't impart that extra crispy sear while retaining moisture deep within the meat. The second secret is using a meat mallet before the cooking starts (see below.) Step One: Use your fingers to evenly press your desired seasonings into both sides of your raw steak. Be generous! I use about a teaspoon of seasoning per side because a lot of those flakes will end up dissolving into the oiled pan. I enjoy using Montreal Steak Seasoning, but even a simple mix of salt and pepper can be delicious if that's all you have. Step Two: Add four tablespoons of oil to the pan. Make sure your oil is nice and hot before dropping the meat. If you don't hear a sizzle when the steak hits the pan, pull that baby out and wait for the pan to get hot. Don't flip your steak until it's nice and brown on the first side. You'll mess up the sear! By the time both sides are golden brown, your meat should be done at a medium level. In other words, it won't be "red," but it'll still be a pink and juicy on the inside. I don't recommend cooking steak beyond a medium level, as the meat can easily become tough and chewy.
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A meat mallet breaks down tough connective tissue
A cast iron skillet imparts a quick sear to hold in the juices
6.) Asparagus casserole with ham and cheese
Depending upon your level of ambition, this recipe can be made with real chopped ham or chopped lunch meat. Fresh or frozen asparagus will work just fine, but be sure the asparagus has been cooked to your desired level of tenderness before adding it to the casserole. Mix the first six ingredients together until well blended, cover with mozzarella cheese and bake until golden brown. It's hard to screw this up!
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This granite baking pan just blows me away!
I thought that all baking pans were the same until I discovered this five star gem! The heavier 0.8mm weight keeps the pan from bending and warping under high heat. The silver coated granite surface helps create an easy release baking experience. I spend a lot less time scrubbing and more time enjoying my food! As a result, my granite pan looks much less damaged than other metal baking pans in my collection.
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7. Pork chops baked in A1 Sauce
With three grams of carbs per tablespoon, A1 Steak Sauce is much lower in carbohydrates than BBQ sauce! I knew I had to make some changes when I learned that my favorite brand of BBQ sauce delivered a whopping 18 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon! Ounce per ounce, that's more sugar than a candy bar. I start this process by frying my chops in a covered skillet until they're golden brown on both sides. Next, I drop them in a casserole dish and cover them with A1 sauce. If I'm feeling ambitious, I might add mushrooms or grilled onions to the mix. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.. The A1 sauce ensures that the pork won't dry out in the oven.
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8. Tuna stuffed tomato platter
The trick here is to slice each tomato without cutting all the way down through the bottom. I usually do one vertical cut, one horizontal cut and two diagonal cuts. My tomato is stuffed with canned tuna mixed with Helmann's mayo and chopped onion. My garnish includes deli cheese slices, black olives, spinach leaves and crackers for my husband.
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9. Creamy spinach casserole with crab meat
This one is so easy! Just thaw a 12 ounce package of frozen spinach in the microwave. Mix six tablespoons of cream cheese into the hot spinach until it dissolves. Add a few dashes of garlic salt to taste. (Lawry's is a mild yet flavorful brand that won't overpower your food.) Add an 8 ounce can of diced water chestnuts and one small chopped onion. Finish with a typical sized package of imitation crab meat. Spoon the casserole mixture into a baking pan. Sprinkle a few handfuls of mozzarella cheese on top. Bake until golden brown!
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10. Tuscan chicken casserole
Note that the sun dried tomatoes can be omitted or reduced if you're concerned about the carbs.
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My favorite pans for elegant table settings
There are times when I just don't want to ruin my elegant table setting with a bunch of mismatched metal pans and stained casserole dishes. This large cast iron casserole dish is covered with beautiful porcelain enamel that doesn't stain when I make things like lasagna! I can't imagine hosting a holiday dinner without it.
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