Air Fryer Italian Style Roasted Potatoes

 These Italian-style potatoes are a perfect complement to any main dish. I'm calling these roasted potatoes, but they were really air fried in our Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer.

Air Fryer Italian Style Roasted Potatoes Reviewed

Fran picked up a nice rump roast last week and cooked it in our Instant pot. While it was cooking I remembered the days when my mother would cook a roast in the oven for hours with these delicious roasted potatoes. So, I thought why not try to duplicate these potatoes in the air fryer. 

Air Fried Italian Style Roasted Potatoes:

4 or 5 medium potatoes (washed and peeled)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. I washed and peeled the potatoes and cut them into quarters. 
2. Placed them in a one-gallon plastic freezer or storage bag.
3. Add the olive oil close the bag, shake and mix.
4. Open the bag and add the remaining seasoning, close and mix again.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees and set the time to 20 minutes.
6. After 10 minutes I turned them over.

Although I set the timer for 20 minutes, I checked them again at 15 minutes and they were done. It's always a good idea to check the food when you're making it for the first time. Different brands of air fryers may vary with temperature and time.

Needless to say, these potatoes were a perfect side dish for the rump roast. They were crispy on the outside, tender and soft on the inside, and full of flavor.

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Reviewing Popover Recipes - Easy and Delicious Baked Treats

Once I was served warm popovers at a brunch I was obsessed. I had to have more. I had to be able to bake my own. These small baked treats are great with soups, stews, quiches, roasts, and so much more. They are surprisingly easy to throw together and throw into the oven. And they only require 6 ingredients: flour, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and eggs. There is a good chance you've heard of popovers. But just in case you haven't I want to make sure to spread the word.

photo: Fox Run Popover Pan

Earlier this year I was invited to a neighbors home for brunch. She served quiche and popovers. I had no idea what popovers were and when she shared what was on the menu I had a brief thought of "did she say PopTarts?".  It turns out that she did not say PopTarts. She was serving the most delicious quiche with these funny-looking biscuits called popovers. 

It is easiest for me to say that popovers are biscuits. They can be served in place of biscuits with breakfasts, roasts, soups, and stews. But for some reason, I want to call them a pastry. I don't know if baking experts would call them a pastry. But they are crispy on the outside while light and flaky on the inside. In fact, if you bake them on the shorter end of the recommended time, they are a bit like custard on the inside. 

The 6 Popover Ingredients

Popover recipes are all over the internet. They are basically equal (or almost equal) amounts of flour and milk. Added to 3 - 4 eggs, 2-3 tablespoons of butter, and a pinch of salt. The recipe I use is:

• 1 c flour
• 1 c milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp butter

Beat the ingredients until smooth. The batter is similar to pancake batter. You may think you've made a mistake and added too many wet ingredients. You haven't.

Martha Stewart uses 1 1/2 cup flour and 1 1/2 cup milk in her recipe. She also gives step-by-step instructions. Her recipe is here if you'd like to use that recipe. 

Popover Tips for Better Results

The same neighbor who served the popovers at the brunch also gave me a popovers pan. Popovers can be made in muffin tins but they do much better in a specific popover pan.

Spray just a small bit of cooking spray in the bottoms of the cups. 

Fill the popover pan cups only 1/2 full. They will rise and pop over the tops of the pans. If you are prone to overfill things, place the popover pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spillage. 

Hot oven. Popovers like 400 degrees or more. Some recipes call for a hotter over to begin with and lowering the temperature part way through. I don't mess with that. I do 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove the popovers from the pan as soon as they come out of the oven. 

The recipe I use makes almost 12 popovers. I tend to fill my popover cups slightly more than half. If I only filled them halfway the recipe would make 12 popovers. I also found that it makes it much easier to fill the cups using a glass measuring cup with a spout.

On the popover episode on America's Test Kitchen, they recommend bread flour and warming the milk and butter for better results.  I agree. When I remember to use bread flour and warm both the butter and milk (with the eggs at room temperature) I do have slightly better results. However, the recipe is forgiving. My neighbor sometimes uses almond milk and uses all purpose flour. I prefer whole milk and bread flour. 

Popovers are an excellent part of your daily menu and a wonderful item to serve to guests.

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Reviewing Homemade Instant Oatmeal

 

I really like oatmeal for breakfast.  It is warm and filling and keeps you going till lunch or beyond.  Unfortunately, I rarely want to take the time to make it.  Boil the water, stir and stir, trying to figure out how much sweetner to put in, it is just a hassle for only one person. As a result, I used to buy instant oatmeal in the package; pricey but quick and easy was my reasoning until one day I took a look at the ingredients:

• Whole Grain Rolled Oats
• Sugar
• Natural and Artificial Flavor
• Salt
• Calcium Carbonate
• Guar Gum
• Carmel Color
• Niacinamide
• Reduced Iron
• Vitamin A
• Palmitate
• Pyridoxine
• Hydrochloride
• Riboflavin
• Thiamin Amononitrate
• Folic Acid

Hydrocloride?  Pyridoxine?  What is that?  Whatever it is I don't think it sounds very healthy.  I would prefer something that is a bit more good for you than store bought instant oats that are full of stuff I never heard of.  

So I decided to see if I could make my own instant oatmeal that would be convenient, quick and best of all not chocked full of additives and preservatives that are definitely not good for you!  I wanted to make a recipe that I could do in bulk and then split it up into individual servings, that was easy to store and would keep for at least a week.  

I sat down with a pencil and paper and did some thinking.  After coming up with a plan, I did some checking on the internet to see if the ingredients needed refrigeration and how long they would stay fresh.  When I had my formula (I actually did feel kind of like a mad scientist.....hehe) I made my first batch.

It took some experimentation but after a few tries, I finally came up with my favorite recipe for instant oatmeal:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (can use Splenda Brown Sugar)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Mix these together in a bowl

Put 3/4 a cup into a small zipper bag

How to Cook:

Pour the contents of the baggie into a bowl or mug

Add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of skim milk and stir

Cover with a paper towel 

Microwave for about 3 minutes

Stir and let sit for a couple minutes

To keep from getting bored, sometimes I put other things in my oatmeal to give it different flavors like:

• Pistachio nuts or any nuts you like, chopped
• Coconut
• Dried apricots, chopped
• Dates, chopped
• Dehydrated apples, chopped
• Mini Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chips

Sometimes I put fresh fruit in my oatmeal, if I have any in the fridge, like strawberries or blueberries.  I have also been known to put maple syrup or honey in it instead of brown sugar. There are so many things you could put in your oats, it would take years to find them all.  Actually, its kind of fun to come up with different flavor combinations.  I have run across a few that were surprisingly delicious like:

• chocolate chips and peanuts
• sliced fresh bananas and coconut
• dried cranberries and pecans
• diced dehydrated apples and chopped walnuts

These zipper bags do not need to be refrigerated and they last a long time without spoiling.  They also make great jar gifts for friends that have the bad habit of skipping breakfast!      My homemade oatmeal is much healthier and cheaper than what you buy in a store and frankly much more yummy!  Try making some and see for yourself.

__________________________

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/3180105556/sizes/z/

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Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed

Our son's favorite dinner is my baked lemon pepper chicken. I serve it over rice, which I make in my rice cooker while the lemon chicken is baking in the oven.

I normally make 6 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled.

Six serving may sound like a lot, but each serving is 1/2 of a chicken breast. Baking the chicken in smaller pieces allows the flavor to bake fully through the piece of chicken and makes it very tender.  The recipe, as shown below, is enough for 3 or 4 adults.

When my oven went out last year and I had to wait months for a replacement, I started baking this recipe in my Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven.  Since it has a convection bake option, the lemon chicken baked up beautifully in the small oven without heating up my kitchen. Now, I bake it in my countertop oven every time I make it, unless we are having company and I need more chicken.

Delicious Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Because the rice takes 45 minutes to cook in my rice cooker, I start the rice before I put my chicken in the oven. I make 2 cups of rice for this dinner.  

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In	Yields
15 min.	35 min.	50 min.	3- 4 servings

Ingredients 

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Cut in half to make 6 pieces)
  
• 2 Lemons - Thinly Sliced
  
• 8 Tablespoons Butter, plus more for coating the pan
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• Chopped Fresh Parsley (if desired)
  

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. (Convection 400°F)
2. Lightly coat baking dish with butter
3. Wash and pat dry chicken breast with paper towels – Cut in halves
4. Melt butter in the microwave. Add Lemon Pepper seasoning & salt to melted butter. Stir until combined
   
5. In a large bowl, roll each piece of chicken in the butter mixture and place it in the prepared baking dish. (brush any remaining butter on top of the chicken pieces once they have all been rolled in it)
   
6. Place 2 or 3 lemon slices on each piece of chicken
   
7. Bake for 35 minutes
   
8. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired
   

Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven ReviewedMcCormick Perfect Pinch Lemon Pepper SeasoningHamilton Beach Rice Cooker Reviewed

 

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Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed Written by:

© 2021 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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Reviewing Baking Irish Soda Bread With A Twist.

 

Soda bread is bread but made without yeast and there is no need to wait for it to rise or have resting periods. So it is a very quick and easy delicious bread to make. 

You can find the basic recipe in many places online but I wanted to tell you about the things I do to make it a little extra special.

I first made Irish Soda bread with my Mum and have continued t make it throughout my life. It is a bread I really like and it is easy and fun to make. 

What You Need To Bake Soda Bread

Weighing scales

A large mixing bowl

A normal eating knife

A teaspoon

A clean clear surface 

A measuring jug 

Basic Ingredients To Bake Soda Bread

Wholemeal strong flour 500g

2 teaspoons of sea salt or ordinary salt if you don't have sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

400ml of milk. Whole milk is recommended but I have found you can use whole milk or semi-skimmed and I also use Almond milk. 

1 lemon or about 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice if you don't have a lemon to squeeze

2 teaspoons of honey - I have found you can omit this if you don't like or cannot have honey.

 Baking Method

• Pre Heat oven to gas mark 6 or 200C/180C fan
• Mix together in a large bowl the flour, bicarb of soda and salt.
• This is also the time to add any other optional dry ingredients
• Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a jug then wait one minute and it turns into buttermilk. Add the honey at this stage if you wish.
• Pour the milk mixture into the bowl and stir gently ideally using a knife, not your hands, so the dry ingredients and the milk mixture come together in a sticky dough. 
• Handle the dough as little as possible. This bread is much better the less we handle it. 
• Take the dough which will feel quite sticky and place it onto a floured surface. I use the same wholemeal flour.  Quickly shape it into a round or oval shape covering all sides with the flour. 
• The dough should then be placed on a floured baking tray and make a cross on the top with the knife. Then put it straight into the pre heated oven. You do not need to allow any time for rising with this bread recipe, in fact the sooner you get it in the oven at this point the better. 
• It will need about 40 minutes in the oven. However, we have found in a fan oven it needs a little less. So I generally check it halfway through.
• After baking leave it to cool on a wire rack. Or eat it warm. 

Additional Ingredients To Make Soda Bread Special

I have experimented with quite a few ingredients and these are my favorites. All of these should be added to the dry flour mix before adding the milk.

If you add a lot more dry ingredients you will need to increase the amount of milk mix accordingly, so that it is not too dry. 

Rosemary- we have lots of rosemary in the garden so I just cut some fresh green tender growth beforehand and wash it then chop it very finely and add it to the mix. It smells amazing and is lovely in this recipe.

I am thinking you could add any herbs you like to this recipe. I have wondered what it would be like with lavender or chives. 

Cinnamon- We both love cinnamon and so add it to this recipe. It smells and tastes gorgeous and an added bonus is the whole house is beautifully scented of cinnamon! 

I would also like to try ginger when I am making more of a bread-cake mix. 

 

Oats. We just use normal breakfast porridge oats and add about a cupful to the recipe. If you do this you will find you need to increase the amount of milk accordingly or it will be too dry. 

Adding oats gives the bread more body and makes it more into a very tasty and filling healthy cake.  

Fruit. I have tried a lot of different fruits and I think the most successful are dried good quality raisins and cherries either fresh or frozen -ones defrosted beforehand. You could add whatever are your favorite fruits. 

If you are making more of a soda bread - cake you can also sprinkle with icing sugar or decorate the top to your individual taste after baking. This makes it unique and individual for occasions like Halloween or Christmas bread. 

Now you can add all these additional ingredients but it is probably best to exercise some restraint and add one or two extra and see how you like it. 

You can eat it with butter, margarine, cream or jam or it tastes just lovely on its own. We often have the simple bread recipe mix with no extra ingredients with a stew or with chilli. When we add the extra ingredients we like to eat it warm on its own. 

 

I prefer this soda bread mix warm but If it does cool completely and we want it warm we find it is perfectly fine to warm up again with 5 minutes in the oven without burning or losing its quality. 

I like making this bread as it is very quick, easy and satisfying to make. You can adapt the recipe to suit you, and it can be vegetarian and diabetic-friendly.

I am honestly not sure how long it should last as a loaf is always gone in a maximum of two days here! I imagine perhaps three or four days stored properly would be about right. 

This soda bread is wonderful as a supper snack, with the main meal and also, especially if you add oats as breakfast.

I like baking but I do not get much time these days so this quick recipe is great for me. I am sure the true chefs and avid bakers amongst you can make this even more delicious! 

The whole task takes about an hour and most of that is the oven doing the cooking so maybe 15-20 minutes or less of preparation time so is easy bread making.

We find it is especially lovely to eat home made soda bread warm on an autumn or winter's day and often it does not last long enough to completely cool on the rack!

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Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here's My Mom's Stuffing Recipe

For those who don't know, it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend.

Growing up, early October was always a time when we planned to be together as a family.

For me, heading to my mom and dad's house with the kids was a wonderful weekend: Time with my brothers and their families, as well as a great time with mom and dad.

Since mom and dad are both passed on now (I still can't believe I'm typing that!) I miss and treasure those memories to the core of my being.

I must say, I'm looking forward to dinner tomorrow with the kids. Unfortunately, it won't be with all the kids, as I have seven (4 sons, 2 stepsons, and a stepdaughter). I only use the word "Step" to respect their mom. My stepkids have been a part of my life for 40 years - I consider them my kids, but I hold back on that declaration out of respect for their mom. Being a mom myself, I understand that 'feeling.' - the feeling of being 'the mom.'

Anyway, I digress!

So in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my mother's turkey stuffing recipe. It has long since been my recipe; I just made it today for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

My Mother's Turkey Stuffing Recipe:

Ingredients for My Mom's Stuffing Recipe:

• Celery
• Onion
• Stuffing Bread OR
• Regular Bread Cut-Up with Spices
• Spices if adding on your own: Sage, Poultry Seasoning,
• Sausage (I use breakfast sausage)
• 3 Tablespoons of Rice (Basically a handful)

How to Prepare Mom's Stuffing:

1) In a bowl, add cut the bread up into chewable cubes (sometimes you can get stuffing bread already cut up)

2) If you don't have cut-up stuffing bread and need to make your own stuffing bread, here's what to do:

• In a large mixing bowl, cut bread (any bread that is your favorite, although heavier bread is better) into cubes
• Add Sage - be liberal with the Sage - I add about two or so tablespoons, depending on how big the turkey is and how much stuffing there is
• Add Poultry Seasoning - probably about 2 tablespoons

3) Fry the sausage separately - I buy breakfast sausage - and, after cooked, cut the breakfast sausage into bite-sized pieces

4) In a Frying Pan, in Butter:

• Fry one chopped onion
• Add one entire stock of celery (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

5) Add the celery/onion fried mixture and the cut-up sausages to the bread/sage/poultry seasoning bread mixture

6) Add the rice to the bread mixture

Mix it all together until it sticks together nicely. 

It should look 'wet' and be compacted together.

By the way, what's the secret ingredient to stuffing that makes it stuffing - it's the Sage! But that's been a flavor I've been used to my entire life when it comes to stuffing!

If you've never added Sage, give it a try - by the way, that's ground sage! You can find it in the spice aisle of your local grocer.

NOTE:

I prepare this the night before, put it in a ziplock bag, keep it in the fridge, then stuff the turkey in the morning <---- Mom taught me that trick too.

My number three son, Joshua, loves this recipe as much as I do, and that alone makes me so happy! Thank you, Joshie, for being a kindred stuffing lover!

Happy Thanksgiving to all - These times haven't been easy, so it's essential to live in the moment and enjoy spending time with the ones you love.

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Salt Potatoes a Tasty Side Dish

 These easy-to-make salt potatoes are a perfect side dish to compliment any meal, and your family and friends will love them.

Salt potatoes are a regional side dish that originated in Syracuse New York. The potatoes used for salt potatoes are, first harvested small young potatoes.

As the potatoes cook, the salt forms a crust on the outside, while the inside is soft and creamy. I garnished my salt potatoes with fresh parsley and chives and served them with melted butter to pour over the soft creamy inside.

I honestly have never heard of salt potatoes before. I was telling a friend that I was going to smoke a turkey breast over the weekend and he suggested making salt potatoes as the side dish.

We have lived in Western New York for 33 years and I have never seen these in the grocery store until now. Apparently, you can buy salt potatoes in a kit. So, look in your local grocery store to see if you can find Salt Potatoes in a kit.

If you can't find a kit, you can use young small white potatoes and one cup of salt to six cups of water.

How to make Salt Potatoes:

5 lbs. small white potatoes (Washed)

1 cup salt

6 cups water

1/2 cup melted butter

Fresh parsley (Chopped)

Fresh Chives (Chopped)

Directions:

1. Bring the water and salt to a boil until all of the salt has dissolved.
2. Add the potatoes and boil for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and tender.
3. Drain the water, pour over the melted butter and garnish with parsley and chives. Serve with more melted butter.

Needless to say that these salt potatoes were a big hit with the whole family. They made a perfect side dish for my Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast.

Here is the link to my:

Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast 

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Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies

 Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies are so easy to make, and make the perfect after-school or anytime snack for your family. My review will show you just how easy these are to make.

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies - Reviewed

The weather is starting to cool off, and that always puts me in the mood for apple pie. Instead of making a whole apple pie, I decided on making these easy hand pies in my air fryer.

I bought the 9-inch pie crust ready-made and a can of apple pie filling. If you would like to make your own pie crust and apple pie filling See my recipe here: Sam's Apple Pie.

Apple Hand Pie Ingredients:

• 2 pie crusts (9-inch)
• 1 can apple pie filling (I used a 21oz. can of Duncan Hines Comstock Apple Pie Filling) 
• 1 egg beaten
• Water to wet the edges
• White sugar to sprinkle over top

I cut out 5-inch circles from the pie crust. I didn't have a 5-inch cookie cutter so I used a small bowl that measured 5-inches across.

I got three circles out of each pie crust, and after rolling out the remaining dough I got three more for a total of 9 hand pies.

Place one tablespoon of pie filling in the middle of each cutout, wet the edge with water, fold over and crimp with a fork.

I brushed each hand pie with the beaten egg mixture and poked a fork through in three places to help release the steam. Then I sprinkled the tops of each with white sugar.

I started my Ninja Air Fryer and set it to Air Crisp. Set the temperature to 350 degrees and the time to 8 minutes. I could only fit four at a time in the basket of my air fryer, you don't want them to touch. Times and Temperatures may vary with different air fryers.

I set them on a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream, or as you see in the intro photo I served some with caramel sauce. 

My grandsons were visiting so needless to say that these didn't last very long. The best thing about these is that they are so easy to make with an air fryer.

Don't have an air fryer? No problem preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown.

The Ninja Foodi Grill is so much more than just an air fryer, read my review here:

The Ninja Foodi Grill.

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Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 4-qt. Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate Indoor Electric Grill (AG301), 10inch x 10inch, Black and Silver (Renewed)Buy Now

 

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Recipe for a Graham Cracker Crust Without a Food Processor

It has been brought to my attention that most cheesecake recipes online, and in many cookbooks, instruct readers to use a food processor to make the graham cracker crust.  Not everyone owns a food processor, therefore today I want to review and share how I crush graham crackers for my cheesecakes without a food processor.  I will also share my graham cracker crust recipe.

I don't own a food processor, but even if I did, I doubt I would get one out, mess it up, and then wash it simply to make a cheesecake graham cracker crust.  My way, the old fashion way, is so much easier!

You only need a gallon size Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. 

 

How to Crush Graham Crackers for a Graham Cracker Crust

It is very simple to crush graham crackers to make a pie or cheesecake crust.  

Simply place 15 graham cracker sheets* in the gallon size Ziploc bag, zip the bag closed leaving about a half inch open. The half inch opening keeps the bag from busting when crushing the graham crackers.  

Then, roll a rolling pin over the closed Ziploc bag to crush the graham crackers inside the bag.

When the graham crackers are fully crushed, pour them into a large mixing bowl, and throw away the Ziploc bag.

Now, isn't that much easier than washing the food processor bowl, lid & blade! 

 

     *Graham Cracker sheets consist of 4 or more small rectangle or square pieces joined by a scored line. The sheet is the full, unbroken graham cracker. 

Full Graham Cracker Sheet (Honey Maid brand shown)

Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

• 2 Cups Crushed Graham Crackers  (15 graham cracker sheets)
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Melted Butter  (11 Tablespoons) 

Combine all ingredient in a large bowl and mix well with a spatula or spoon. 

Press graham cracker crust in a glass pie plate or springform pan.

Fill with cheesecake or pie filling and bake according to specific recipe.

 

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Recipe for a Graham Cracker Crust Without a Food Processor Written by:

© 2022 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

A Review of Making Pickles Without Canning

 

If you have ever made pickles with a hot water bath canner, there is a good chance you ended up with rubbery, soggy pickles with no crunch.  I did!  I tried many different recipes and even tried adding an envelope of some stuff I bought that was supposed to keep your canned pickles crunchy. They were still awful.  I had pretty much given up and resigned myself to forever buying pickles from the grocery store which was a real shame since we grow our own wonderful cucumbers every summer.

One summer day about three years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone and lamenting about the sheer number of cucumbers I was getting from my garden when she asked me why I didn't make pickles.  I told her of my lack of success in pickle making and she told me about the cold pack pickles she makes every summer.  I was shocked!  I had never heard of making pickles cold, but I had to admit that it made sense, if you wanted them to stay crunchy.  I wrote down the recipe and immediately checked the cupboards to make sure I had all the ingredients, which I did!  

I could not believe how easy it was to make these pickles!  It did not take any special equipment, all I needed was a large bowl, a knife, a ladel and a jar.  It didn't even have to be a mason jar, any jar with a tight fiting lid would do.  I decided to use some large containers I had saved from some deli pickles I had bought for my husband.  That was another great thing about this recipe, you did not have to make 10 jars at a time and spend a whole day pickle making.  My friend's recipe made two jars at a time and took only a few minutes to make. I remember thinking to myself "this has got to be too good to be true!"

Here is what you need:

• 6 to 8 medium or 8 to 10 small cucumbers 
• 1 3/4 cups white vinegar 
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill weed or 3 to 4 tablespoons dried dill
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice 
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste  (optional)
• 4 sprigs fresh dill weed or 1 teaspoon of dried

I was lucky, I had all this stuff left over from my prior pickle mishaps and I grow fresh dill in my garden, so I didn't have to go to the store, but if you do, you can get all these ingredients at any large grocery store.  If you don't grow your own cucumbers, just buy some at a produce market.

Making them is really easy, here's how:

Wash and cut up your cucumbers.  You can cut them as rounds or as spears, the shape is up to you.  

Mix the water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, and red pepper flakes in an extra large bowl and stir till the sugar and salt dissolve.

Place the cucumbers in the bowl and stir gently.  Make sure all the cucumbers are fully immersed in the liquid.  Place the bowl on the counter and let it marinate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Take your freshly washed jars and put a sprig of fresh dill in each or a pinch of dried dill, if you don't have fresh.

Ladel the cucumbers and pickling liquid evenly into the two jars and screw the lids on tightly.  Shake each jar and then place them in the refrigerator.

In ten days you will have delicious dill pickles, cold and crunchy.  If you have any left over juice, you can put it in a jar and keep it in the refrigerator till you have some cucumbers to add to it!

All pictures by author You can also make these "pickles" with other vegetables.  I have made them with mild banana peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.  They all came out really tasty.  I love the flavor of pickled vegetables! The greatest thing about this recipe is that you can make and eat fresh pickles all summer long and into fall and it is quick and easy to do.  I just throw a batch together once a week, that way we never run out.  They keep in the refrigerator for about 2 months, but they never last that long in my house! Last winter, when our pickles ran out and we had none from the garden, my husband was complaining that we had no "good" pickles anymore.  The next time I went shopping I picked up some cucumbers at the grocery store and made some!  Needless to say, he was very happy and so was I!   If you are a pickle lover, give this recipe a try and I think you will be happy too.

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Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

Recently I decided to bake a batch of low carb blueberry scones using my favorite mix, the Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix I reviewed in December. It was nearly bedtime and I was tired and not paying close enough attention, and just after I incorporated the small cubes of butter into the Livlo Baking Mix with my pastry blender, I realized that I had added an entire stick of butter (1/2 cup) rather than the half stick (1/4 cup) that was called for. This low carb keto baking recipe is the result of that happy accident, after I turned this "lemon" situation into "lemonade."

Although I didn't have a second package of the blueberry scones mix in the pantry, I did find a bag of Livlo Biscuits Keto Baking Mix, which calls for the same added ingredients in the same quantities and the same baking instructions. By adding it to the bowl with the scones mix and butter cubes, then adding four eggs instead of two and stirring in a cup of fresh blueberries, I not only salvaged the situation but invented a new low carb, keto baking treat.

My husband devoured two as soon as they came out of the oven and dubbed this biscuits and blueberry scones hybrid "biscones." His tongue-in-cheek quip has become their official name in this household.

I promptly ordered more of both Livlo keto baking mixes so I could make another batch of blueberry "biscones" last night. Although the texture is different from either drop biscuits or blueberry scones made with wheat flour, these tender, tasty treats are delicious. 

Anyone who follows a low carb or keto diet will love the macros for these delightful baked goods. Each blueberry biscuit scone has just 184 calories, 2.6g of net carbs, 3.6g of fiber, 17g of fat and 5.6g of protein. 

This recipe makes 20 yummy blueberry "biscones," enough to share with others. They don't have to be watching their calories or carbs to enjoy them! 

Recommended Tools and Equipment for Making Low Carb, Keto-Friendly Blueberry "Biscones"

In addition to basic baking tools and equipment like baking sheets, cooling racks and a measuring cup, here are some of the other items you will need to make this recipe, including my personal product recommendations.

Silicone Baking Mats or Unbleached Baking Parchment Paper

You will need either silicone baking mats or unbleached parchment paper to line your baking sheets to keep the biscones from sticking. (I often use a silicone baking mat topped with a sheet of parchment to help keep my baking trays clean.) The Katbite Silicone Nonstick Baking Mat Set of 3 is inexpensive, works well and is a great value. In addition to two 11 5/8" x 16 1/2" mats for lining half sheet pans, it also comes with a bonus 11 1/2" x 8 1/2" mat for lining a quarter sheet pan, which I use in one of my toaster oven baking trays. As of this recipe's publication date, the price for all three mats is less than $15 on Amazon with free Prime delivery. 

I use unbleached baking parchment and love the convenience of flat, pre-cut sheets. Before I discovered them, I used to hate trying to wrestle with the stubborn, curling edges of the sheets torn from a roll! I can recommend the Baker's Signature Precut Non-Stick & Unbleached Parchment Paper Baking Sheets which come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Large Mixing Bowl

Since you will be making two batches of baking mix batter or dough in one bowl (one each of the Livlo keto blueberry scones mix and one of the Livlo keto biscuits mix) and adding an extra cup of fresh blueberries, you'll need to use a large mixing bowl. Whenever I'm mixing a batter or dough by hand, I prefer using the appropriate size bowl from my OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set, which includes 1.5-quart, 3-quart and 5-quart bowls, rather than the bowl from my KitchenAid electric stand mixer. The round interior bottoms of the OXO bowls make it easy to stir and scrape ingredients cleanly, and the non-skid exterior bottoms prevent the bowls from sliding even when they are tilted at an angle. For this recipe, the 5-quart bowl is the perfect size. 

Silicone Spoon Spatula (AKA "Spoonula")

One of my favorite silicone cooking and baking spatulas is the GIR Premium Silicone Ultimate Spoonula, Ultimate 11 inch, a combination silicone spatula and spoon with a deep, spoon-like "bowl" and a thin, flexible edge that scrapes up every last bit of dough or batter easily. I love my pretty teal GIR "spoonula," but it also comes in other colors and sizes.

Pastry Blender AKA Pastry Cutter

I started baking when I was a kid and was taught to make biscuits by "cutting in" the butter into the dry ingredients with two knives, using a scissor-like motion. It was only later in my years as a baking enthusiast that I discovered the joy of using a pastry blender, also called a pastry cutter. It makes quick work of cutting the chunks of very cold butter into small, "petite pea-sized" bits while coating them in the flour mixture and distributing them evenly throughout the dry ingredients. 

Two years ago, I bought a new pastry blender that works much, much better than any other I have used. The Spring Chef Dough Blender Large Pastry Cutter is a heavy-duty, professional grade pastry blender with sharp yet thick, sturdy blades and a comfortable, wide, soft-grip handle. It comes in a choice of 3" and 4" sizes (I bought the larger, 4" model) and a range of grip colors. I recommend it highly to anyone who makes biscuit dough, pie crusts, etc., by hand rather than in a food processor.

Spring-Action 4-Tablespoon Stainless Steel Scoop

I have a collection of trigger or spring-action stainless steel scoops that I use constantly for baking and cooking, for everything from portioning cookie dough and cupcake batter to making evenly sized meatballs. Most of mine are made by Norpro, which are excellent quality, very durable and easy and comfortable to use and measure accurately.

By trial and error, I found that my Norpro 56mm 4-Tablespoon Stainless Steel Scoop is the perfect size for dividing the blueberry biscuit scones batter evenly into 20 nicely shaped mounds. Being able to easily make all the biscones the same diameter, height and volumes helps ensure that they bake evenly at the same time. It's also helpful if you are tracking the calories, carbohydrates, and other nutrition metrics of the food you consume.

Low Carb Keto Blueberry Biscuit Scones Recipe (AKA "Biscones")

These 10 fragrant, freshly baked low carb, keto blueberry biscuit scones are just half the recipe's yield; the other 10 have been frozen to enjoy in the future.

These keto-friendly, low carb blueberry "biscones" are quick and easy to make, thanks to two delicious Livlo Keto Baking Mixes with clean, wholesome ingredients. Just add cold butter, eggs and fresh blueberries!

Servings

20

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very cold, cut into 1/4" cubes
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 package Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix
• 1 package Livlo Biscuits Keto Baking Mix
• 1 cup organic fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

Instructions

Setting out and preparing the ingredients makes everything go even quicker.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Line two full-size baking sheets (or four smaller baking trays, if baking in a countertop oven) with silicone nonstick baking mats or unbleached baking parchment sheets. Cut the butter into 1/4" cubes, beat the eggs lightly and rinse and dry the fresh blueberries.

My large, sturdy pastry blender makes cutting in the butter cubes a snap!

2. Empty both the bags of keto baking mix into a large mixing bowl. Stir the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients with a silicone spoon spatula (spoonula), then use a pastry blender to "cut in" the butter into smaller pieces and distribute them evenly throughout, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and the blades of the pastry blender as needed.

Stirring in the lightly beaten eggs creates a stiff batter or dough.

3. Stir in the beaten eggs with the silicone spoon spatula to form a thick batter or dough, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Adding fresh blueberries ensures that every bite is filled with juicy, flavorful berries!

4. Stir in the fresh blueberries until evenly distributed.

A 4-tablespoon scoop makes it easy to portion the dough into uniformly sized and shaped mounds.

5. Use the 4-tablespoon stainless steel scoop to portion the dough evenly into 20 mounds on the lined baking sheets or trays.

6. Bake until the tops of the blueberry biscones are golden, approximately 15 minutes. Do not overbake!

Make sure to let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring the biscones directly to the cooling rack.

7. Transfer the baking sheets to cooling racks and let the biscuit scones cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pans. (Lifting them off the baking sheet while still hot makes them prone to crumbling.)

Nutrition Facts

The following was calculated by entering the nutrition data for each of the ingredients into a "custom recipe" in the Carb Manager app. 

Amount Per Serving (1 blueberry "biscone" (1/20 recipe))

Calories	184
Total Fat	17g
Sat. Fat	0.5g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	5.1mg
Total Carbohydrate	9.2g
Dietary Fiber	3.6g
Total Sugars	1.5g
Added Sugars	0g
Sugar Alcohols (Erythritol)	3g
Protein	5.6g
Net Carbs 9.2g total carbs-3.6g dietary fiber-3g sugar alcohols = 2.6 net carbs	2.6g net carbs

Recipe Notes

These blueberry biscones are delicious as is, but even better if you split, butter and lightly toast them or drizzle them with a bit of glaze (the instructions for making a glaze are on the Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix package). 

They're great for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a low carb snack with a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of cold nut milk or other low-carb, plant-based milk.

Since this recipe makes 20 biscuit scones, I like to freeze some of them to enjoy at a later date.

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe by Margaret Schindel

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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