Gooey Ham and Cheese

My mother used to make this spread, and used it to fill finger rolls--little rolls like half-size hot dog buns, with some kind of seeds sprinkled on top. She called them Gooey Buns, and made them for teas, luncheons, showers, and by the dozens for church youth group activities. I have adapted them for the low carb life style.

1 can Spam, grated
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup or more salad olives with pimentos, grated
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
ground pepper to taste
1 stick butter
1 pkg. pork rinds, plain or flavored (I like the barbecue flavor)

Melt the butter and add the seasonings.
Grate the cheese, Spam, and olives, or use your food processor. The result should be rough, not a smooth paste, so don't overprocess.
Combine with the seasoned butter and mix well.
Cover a plate with a layer of pork rinds and then a layer of the mixture.
Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve hot.

Another way to use this mixture is in an omelet--yum!

If your kids are not low carbing, fill some hot dog buns with the mixture and bake in a hot oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Toasted Pecan Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

6 oz (1 1/2 cups) pecan halves, chopped
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
Fresh berries and pecans, optional
12 pkts Splends

Preheat oven to 400.
Butter 9" springform pan.
In medium bowl combine pecans, 6 packets AS and butter.
With hands, press pecan mixture into bottom and 1" up sides of pan.
Bake until golden, 10 minutes.
Let cool completely.
In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water; let stand 1 minute.
Stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved.
With mixture on high speed beat cream cheese and remaining AS until smooth.
Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in gelatin mixture and remaining cold water until smooth. Reserve 1 cup cream cheese mixture.
Pour remaining cream cheese mixture into crust.
Place reserved cream cheese mixture back in mixing bowl.
With mixer on low, gradually beat chocolate into cheese mixture.
Dollop chocolate mixture on top of cheesecake; swirl with knife.
Chill 3 hours.
Garnish with berries and pecans, if desired.
Makes 8 servings; 8 g. carbs per serving.

DESIGNER PROTEIN BARS

7 scoops Designer Protein (available from GNC), Chocolate flavor (2 1/3 cups) 122.5 P, 10.5 C
1/2 cup melted butter
4 oz cream cheese, 8P, 4C
1/2 cup walnuts, 10P, 5C

**My note: these are not very sweet, so add some Splenda or other sweetener to taste if you want them sweet.

Melt butter and cream cheese.
Mix in Designer Protein. This will be pretty stiff.
Stir in the walnuts.
Press in bread pan, refrigerate, cut into 8 servings, wrap individually and store in refrig.
(**helps to spray hands with Pam and I also spray the pan) I
have made some changes that you may or may not want to try: I use a 7 cup Rubbermaid 'save N serve' container, spray with pam, chill, cut into bars about 1 1/4" wide by 2 1/2 to 3" long and approx. 1/2" thick.
I get more than 8 and have not figured the carb count for each bar. They are plenty big and very filling. I also sometimes use 2 oz of sunflower seeds (6 carbs) instead of the walnuts.
I spray my container and hands with Pam to prevent possible sticking.
I chill, cut the bars, place on a tray and quick freeze, then return them to the original container and store in the freezer.
The bars thaw very fast when I'm ready to eat and actually are good partly frozen too.
I have experimented with plain Designer Protein Powder and added Maple and walnuts and they were very good. Carb count for the original recipe of 8 bars: total Protein 140.5, Protein per bar 17.5, Total carbs 19.5, carbs per bar 2.43. From Dottie.
P= protein; C=carb.

Desserts

Desserts are special treats for special occasions. They help us stay on track when we need a lift, but they are not the centerpiece of our way of eating.Most of these desserts contain some form of artificial sweetener. If you are sensitive to AS, please take this into consideration. AS has also been blamed by some people for causing stalls in weight loss.

Sugar Twin and Splenda are both heat-stable, as is Stevia; Equal is not. Those of you who live in Canada may find Sugar Twin made with cyclamates, in either white or brown sugar substitute; this product is not available currently in the United States.

If you choose to substitute a different AS for the one named in a recipe, your results may vary. You may need to adjust the proportions to achieve the desired sweetness. You may find that combining two different forms of AS will give a better flavor than simply increasing the amount used.

Cucumber Sour Cream Salad

3 cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup sour cream
9 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
pepper to taste

Place the cucumbers in a bowl.
Mix chives, sour cream, and pepper together and pour over cucumber slices.
DO NOT SALT!
Refrigerate several hours.
Just before serving, add salt to taste.
Pile cucumber mixture on torn lettuce leaves and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
Serves 6 @ approximately 2.6 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

Mixed Greens with Warm Bacon Dressing

My great-grandmother loved wilted lettuce with hot bacon grease poured over it. She said it was so good, she "could eat it with both hands." I think of her when I think of this recipe:

1 1/2 ounce sliced slab bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 leek (white part only) halved lengthwise, washed will and thinly sliced crosswise
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
5 cups torn assorted lettuce leaves (such as Boston, romaine, and red leaf, washed and spun dry)
1 medium yellow pepper sliced
1 medium red pepper sliced

Saute the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown.
Add the leeks to the skillet and saute, stirring, for about 4 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium low, add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Place the lettuce in a large bowl with sliced pepper. Pour the bacon dressing over them and toss gently.
Serve immediately.
Serves 2 total carbs 12.2 grams. Carbs per serving 6.1 grams

Home-made Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon of prepared mustard
1-2 tsp salt, sprinkle of black pepper
1 clove minced garlic (if I have time--if not, garlic powder, or use garlic vinegar)
1/4-1/2 tsp of dried tarragon (or other spice if you like)

Shake it vigorously in a small container and taste it--add anything you think it needs (you may want to experiment a little.)
When you get it the way you like it, re-shake and pour it over your salad.
Add bleu cheese crumbles if you really want decadence.
You can also add feta cheese, bacon, olives, avocado, egg slices, chicken cubes, or all of the above.
This dressing keeps in the fridge for a couple of week. The olive oil rises and solidifies in fridge, but is fine when it warms to room temp or when I nuke it a few seconds.
It takes 5 minutes to make, not counting the garlic mincing--though sometimes I cheat and use a garlic press. This also makes an excellent marinade for meats and portobello mushrooms. Patricia Yeargin