Travis' Homemade Cocktail Sauce (For Seafood) Regular & Low Carb Versions (Dairy Free) Family Recipe

This flavorful sauce is perfect for Shrimp or Crab 

Cocktails or as a dipping sauce/ condiment for

 Shrimp, Salmon Fritters, Fish & Chips and more.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup bottled chili sauce**see recipe for Low Carb version**

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh ground horseradish (in a jar)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 green onion, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion)

drops of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Add shrimp or crab to make a cocktail appetizer or serve as a dipping sauce for shrimp, other seafood and more. Makes about 1 cup of sauce. Store leftovers in a glass jar or bowl with a lid.

Nutritional info for 1/4 cup cocktail  sauce (made with Low Carb Chili sauce)
approximately:  27.4 calories ~ .2 grams fat ~ 4.1 grams net carbs ~ .9 grams protein

**Homemade Low Carb Chili Sauce (For Shrimp Cocktail, Seasoning & Sauces)
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar free ketchup
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dash pink Himalayan or sea salt

Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a microwavable bowl and stir to mix. Heat for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat until the mixture is warmed and well blended. Store in a glass jar or bowl with a lid. Makes 1 cup.
Alternate Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir and cook, over a low heat, until warm and well blended. Store in a glass jar or bowl with a lid. Makes 1 cup.

Nutritional info per 1/4 cup:
approximately 27.35 calories ~ .2 grams fat ~ 3.4 grams net carbs
~ 1 gram protein

Notes: Son Travis has always loved shrimp and all other seafood, so he was eager to learn how to make the cocktail sauce to dip shrimp into. He was in charge of making this delicious sauce at holiday gatherings.

Gran Marnier Sherbet (A Low-fat, Grown-Up Dessert)

A light & tasty sherbet that is not too rich or overly sweet.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, partially thawed
2 large ripe bananas, cut into chunks
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Gran Marnier Liqueur
1/3 cup superfine or granulated sugar

Method:
In a blender, whirl juice concentrate and bananas until smooth. Add yogurt, Gran Marnier and sugar and blend until well combined. Pour into an 8 inch square pan. Cover and freeze until firm. Break up frozen mixture into a large bowl. Beat with an electric and mixer until smooth. Serve or refreeze in a covered container. If the sherbet is solidly frozen, allow to stand at room temperature,about 10 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 quart. (4 cups)

Notes: 
If you do not have Gran Marnier liqueur available, you can substitute Chardonnay wine or apple juice. (If apple juice is used, do not add sugar to the sherbet.)
To make "superfine" sugar, whirl granulated sugar, in a food processor, until it is a finer consistency.

Homemade Salted Caramel Turtle Candies (With Easy Shortcut Option)

Best Ever Homemade Salted Caramel Turtles

Ingredients:
2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
additional butter
1 cup granulated sugar**
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed**
1/2 cup light corn syrup**
1/2 cup heavy cream**
1 cup milk**
1/4 cup butter**
1 teaspoon vanilla**
8 ounces dark or milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter flavored or plain shortening

**Shortcut: omit all of the starred ingredients and substitute with 25 individually wrapped Kraft caramels.

Method:
Preheat oven to 300*. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place pecan halves on foil. Cut butter into small pieces and dot on top of pecans. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Ready to go into the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir to turn the pecans. Return to oven and continue baking for another 7 to 10 minutes, being care to not over brown the nuts. Set aside to cool.

Toasted Salted Pecans

Line an 8 inch square pan with foil. Lightly grease foil with butter. In a 2 1/2 quart (large) saucepan combine sugars, corn syrup, cream, milk and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until ingredients are blended. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to firm ball stage (248*), about 35 minutes.

Cooking caramel.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool for at least 30 minutes.

Cooling caramel.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with butter. Lift foil, with caramel, out of pan. Cut into 25 pieces. Roll into balls and place on parchment 2 inches apart. To make turtle head and feet, press 5 pecan halves into each caramel ball, an equal distance around the edge, lengthwise, with half of each pecan overhanging edge. 

**Shortcut Method: Preheat oven to 300*. Unwrap 25 caramels and set aside. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil (shiny side up). Lightly grease with shortening or butter. Place 5 pecan halves on the sheet to make a head and four legs. Repeat until the sheet is filled. Place one caramel on top of each group of pecans. Bake just until the caramels are melted. (about 8 to 10 minutes) Proceed with chocolate topping.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double-boiler, over hot, not boiling water.  Spoon one tablespoon of melted chocolate over each caramel, covering surface, but leaving part of pecans showing. Refrigerate to allow the chocolate to harden slightly. Move to an airtight container, putting a layer of wax paper between each layer of turtles. Store in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

One finished tray of turtles.

Notes: My sister-in-law, Pam Henderson, and I made this recipe for the first time, in the early 1980's, in the kitchen of her Paradise, California Victorian Style home. (Any extra pecan halves can be used for a snack or to garnish a salad.)

Homemade Salted Almond Caramels

A jar of individually wrapped Salted Almond Caramels.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
additional butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:
Preheat oven to 300*.  Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place slivered almonds on foil. Cut butter into small pieces and dot on top of almonds. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Ready to go into the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir to turn the almonds. Return to oven and continue baking for another 5 to 7 minutes, being care to not over brown the nuts. Set aside to cool.

Toasted Almonds

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x3 inch loaf pan with butter. In a 2 quart (large) saucepan combine sugars, corn syrup, cream, milk and butter. Cook and stir, with a wooden spoon, over medium heat until the sugars dissolve. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to firm ball stage (248*) about 35 minutes.

Cooking caramel.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and almonds. Pour into prepared pan. Allow to cool.

Caramel cooling.

Cut into squares. Wrap each caramel in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 dozen.

Cut caramels.

Notes: I doubled the amount of almonds that I toasted, so that I could have a few extra to put on a salad. (Just increase the amount of butter and salt as well: 1 cup nuts + 1 tablespoon butter + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt)

Shoo Fly Pie

Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Shoo Fly Pie

Crust Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening)

3 - 4 tablespoons chilled water

Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water

whipped cream for garnish

Crust Method:
Preheat oven to 375*. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, or two knives, cut in butter and shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Next, use your fingers to continue mixing until the flour resembles cornmeal. 

Sprinkle one tablespoon of the water over a part of the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork.  Push to side of bowl. Repeat until all of the flour is moistened. Form the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with your hands. Roll dough from the center to the edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry around rolling pin. Unroll from pin over a 9 inch pie pan. Ease dough into the pie pan, while being careful not to stretch the pastry. Trim dough to a 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate, folding under extra pastry around the edge. Use fingers to pinch dough into a scalloped edge. 

Filling Method:
Sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour mixture. (I used white sugar.) Use two knives to cut butter into mixture, until it resembles course "meal". Use your fingers to blend mixture a bit more. Set aside. Mix molasses and baking soda in another bowl and immediately stir in boiling water. Stir in 1 1/3 cups of the crumb mixture. Pour into the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top of the filling to cover. 

Ready to  go into the oven, with crumbs sprinkled 

on top, evenly to edges of the crust.

Bake for 40 - 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. (To prevent the crust from becoming too dark, the pie can be covered lightly with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.) Cut into 8 slices. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Notes: This pie is sweet, so serve small slices. It has a coffeecake-like top and a jam/custard-like molasses bottom. Mostly it is served slightly warm with whipped cream, but I prefer my serving to be chilled. For the history and more details about this recipe, please see "The Origin and History of Shoo Fly Pie" at: carriekitchencreations@blogspot.com

The Origin and History of Shoo Fly Pie

Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Shoo Fly Pie

Shoo fly Pie is a crumb topped molasses pie that dates back to the American colonial era. It originated with the “Pennsylvania Dutch,” Mennonites and Amish, who settled in the Lancaster County area of Pennsylvania around 1730. These early settlers arrived to America by boat, bringing with them staples of their diet that could survive the long voyage. These staples included molasses, flour, sugar, lard and spices. Since they arrived in the new land during the late fall, they mostly “made do” with the supplies they brought, until they could reap a harvest from the next growing season. The resourcefulness of the women settlers to make something from their limited larders inspired the creation of Shoo Fly Pie.

All types of pies were and are a part of everyday meals for the

“Pennsylvania Dutch” and the most famous is the Shoo Fly Pie. Traditionally, this wasn’t a fancy or special occasion dessert, but something frugal for when supplies were scarce. The recipe can be found in Amish or other historical cookbooks with names like “Molasses Pie”, “Centennial Cake”, “Granger Pie” and “Shoo Fly Pie.” The name “Shoo Fly” is said to have come from the need to shoo away flies that are attracted to the sweet & sticky molasses in the cooling pies. The name has also been attributed to the 19^th century brand of “Shoo Fly Molasses.”

Today, even though traditional dishes are mostly served at home, on weekends and at church fundraisers, one can still find this popular pie in many of the restaurants and bakeries that are located in Amish country.  This super rich pie is  more like a crumb topped coffee cake with a gooey  jam-like molasses bottom. (There are two varieties "wet bottom" and "dry bottom".) The "wet bottom" style, with its cake-like top and stickier, gooier custard-like textured bottom, is the one most commonly found in bakeries and restaurants. 

The pie has a flavor similar to gingerbread and is typically served slightly warm and topped with whipped cream. (I prefer the pie chilled.) Some refer to this pie as a "breakfast cake" to be served early in the morning with hot coffee, but any time of day will do. There are many different recipes for Shoo Fly Pie, but most authors do agree upon the history of this dish. You can find a recipe for my favorite "wet bottom" version of this colonial favorite at: carriekitchencreations@blogspot.com.

A slice of Shoo Fly Pie topped with homemade whipped cream.

German Style Warm Potato Salad (No Mayonnaise)

Warm German Style Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes (about 6 cups peeled and sliced)

2 tablespoons butter

6 ounces Canadian Bacon or 1 1/2 cups chopped cubed ham

2/3 cup diced onion

2/3 cups diced peppers (red, yellow or orange)

1/2 cup diced celery

1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

1 1/2 cups sour cream or plain Greek style yogurt

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

paprika (optional)

Method:

Cook potatoes, covered, in enough boiling salted water to cover for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost tender. 

Drain hot water from potatoes. Place pan in sink and fill with cool tap water a couple of times, until the potatoes are warm, but cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes by scraping off skins with the edge of a knife. Cut potatoes into bite sized slices.

Melt butter in a large frying pan. Cook bacon, onion, peppers and celery, over medium-low heat, until tender.

Drain liquid from pan. Stir in yogurt, vinegar, salt and pepper. (If desired, add sliced olives, reserving a few for garnish.) Heat through, but Do Not Boil. Add potatoes and stir to combine. Garnish with paprika. Serve at once. Makes about 9 1/2 cups.

Notes: Even if you do not like traditional potato salad, you may like this version. My husband despises mayonnaise and won't eat cold potato salad, but he liked this recipe very much. Neither of us likes green bell peppers, so when I cook, I use mini red, yellow and orange peppers. 

Sunshine Salad

Light & Fresh Sunshine Salad 

Ingredients:

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (Knox or another brand)

1 3/4 cups orange juice

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple 

Method:

Put 1/2 cup of the orange juice in a 5 cup blender. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice in blender and let sit for 5 minutes. Bring remaining orange juice and honey to a boil in a saucepan. Add to blender and process at low speed until the gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and process at high speed until thoroughly blended. Add carrot slices. Chop by turning blender on and off at high speed a few times.

Pour blended mixture into an 8 inch square pan. Stir in pineapple and chill until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. Makes 9 servings.

Note: This is a refreshing salad that is simple to make....a nice vegetable and fruit side dish or snack.

Vegan Black Bean "Burgers" (Gluten Free)

 Flavorful Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can black beans 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 carrot,coarsely grated
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup quick oats
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
Vegan buns or whole grain bread
soy cheese or mozzarella, sliced thin (optional)
sliced tomatoes
Dijon mustard (optional)

Method:
Rinse black beans in a sieve and set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium/low heat. Add onions, garlic, pepper and salt. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add carrots cumin, coriander, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking just until the carrots are tender. Remove pan from heat.
In a bowl, mash the beans with a potato masher or fork. Add the vegetable mixture, oats and soy sauce to the beans. Stir with a fork until thoroughly mixed. Form into four 3/4 inch patties. Line a pan or plate with foil. Form mixture into four 3/4 inch thick patties and plce on lined pan. Place in freezer for just 30 minutes to set.

Ready to go into freezer.

Cook both sides of the veggie patties in a pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
Serve on a vegan bun with sliced tomatoes, cheese and mustard. Or, layer a slice of bread, cheese, tomato, bean patty, and another slice of bread. Cook in a frying pan, just like a grilled cheese sandwich. These burgers pair nicely with a salad, soup or potatoes.

 Grilled Patty Melt

Notes: I grilled the black bean patties and the sandwiches on a George Foreman Grill. They turned out perfect: moist, flavorful and nutritious!

Baked Potato Halves (Appetizer or Side Dish)

Oven Baked Potato Halves With Parmesan & Paprika

(Served with Greek yogurt sprinkled with paprika.)

Ingredients:

6 small potatoes, scrubbed and halved

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup fresh very finely grated Parmesan cheese 

1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Greek yogurt or sour cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 400*. Place butter in a 9x13 inch baking pan and heat in oven just until melted.

Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Remove from oven. Sprinkle cheese and spices over the melted butter. Place the halved potatoes cut side down on the seasoned butter.

Potato halves cut side down in seasoned butter.

Return to oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in pan. Serve with a side of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Notes: The potatoes were perfectly cooked and subtly seasoned. They work well as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Cousin Nicole's Chocolate Protein Pancakes

Homemade Chocolate Protein Pancake 
topped with granola, sliced bananas, 
whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 cup whole oats 
4 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
pinch of salt, optional
1/2 cup nuts or seeds, optional (I used toasted pecans)
1 cup mini dark chocolate chips 
2 eggs 
2 1/4 cups milk 
2 tablespoon oil  
Whipped Cream (optional)

Method:

Use a fork to combine flour, oats, protein powder, brown sugar and salt  in a bowl. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. 

Mix the eggs, milk and oil. Add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just until thoroughly combined. Cook on a griddle or frying pan, turning once. Makes 12 large or 24 small pancakes, 4-5 grams protein each. If desired, serve with whipped cream. (Recipe may be cut in half to make fewer pancakes.)

Notes: These pancakes are excellent! The flavor and texture are perfect, with no protein powder aftertaste. I recommend making a full recipe of the dry ingredients and storing half for the future or giving as a gift with instructions for the addition of the "liquid" ingredients. (Half would equal about 2 cups of dry ingredients.)

 Cousin Nicole sent a jar of pancake mix to her 

Grandma Peggy. What a healthy gift idea!

Super Simple No-Fail Chocolate Lava Cakes For Two

Individual Chocolate Lava Cake With Vanilla Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (plus extra to grease ramekins)

3 ounces dark chocolate

2 tablespoons baker's ultrafine sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon ultrafine sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

powdered sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 400*.  Place butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat. Melt until smooth, stirring often. Add sugar, egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Gently whisk in flour until thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and divide batter between two 4 inch ramekins. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges of the cake and carefully invert onto serving plates. Dust with powdered sugar. While the cakes are baking, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form as beaters are lifted from the bowl. Place a rounded scoop of whipped cream on the plate next to the cake. Serve.

Note: I had to visit 3 stores before I found baker's ultrafine sugar (by C & H). It was worth the effort, because the cakes were a success! If you cannot find C & H , or another brand, of Baker's sugar at your grocery store, you can make your own, by placing in a food processor for several minutes. It should be processed until it is finer and a little powdery, somewhat like very fine sand.
(My husband said I should mention that he liked the cake.)

The Origin & History Of Hummingbird Cake

 Hummingbird Cake

In 1968, the Jamaican tourist board sent out press kits to the USA to try and attract tourists to the island. Inside of the kits were a few local recipes, including one for the “Doctor Bird Cake”.  “Doctor Bird” is the nickname for  

the National Bird of Jamaica, a variety of hummingbird, called the Red-Billed Streamertail. Some say the nickname came from the bird's resemblance to the black tailed coats worn by Doctors in the 1800's. The cake may also get it's name because it is sweet enough to attract the stunning long tailed male hummingbirds.

It has been called the “Cake That Doesn’t Last” because of how quickly it disappears! Most food historians agree the first printed recipe for Hummingbird Cake was submitted to Southern Living magazine, in February 1978, by Mrs. L. H. Wiggin. That same year, the cake won the Favorite Cake Award at the Kentucky State Fair. Perhaps it has also been called “Granny Cake” because even before then, there are countless references to the cake in county fair reports and baking competitions across the southern states.  Over the next few years, similar recipes appeared in local newspapers and community cookbooks, across the South, using different names for this delicious pineapple-banana spice cake.

Hummingbird Cake has been a tradition in Southern Cuisine since the mid-20th century. In 1990, it was selected as Southern Living's favorite recipe and is said to be the most requested recipe in the magazine's history. The cake is similar in texture to carrot cake.  It typically consists two or three layers filled with pecans, chopped bananas, diced pineapple and topped with a cream cheese frosting.

Today, one can find numerous recipes for Hummingbird Cake that vary slightly from each other. Some include coconut and canned crushed pineapple, or the cream cheese frosting differs. My favorite version is made with fresh pineapple and toasted pecans. From Jamaica to Southern Cuisine and now out West, Hummingbird Cake is Delightful and here to stay! (You can find my favorite version of the Hummingbird Cake recipe on my blog at: carriekitchencreations@blogspot.com)