Book Review: October in the Earth: A Novel by Olivia Hawker

Mrs. Wensley is a proper preacher's wife living in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1931. Life has always been hard in coal country but it became even more difficult after the Great Crash of 1929. Is it blasphemy that Adella questions her life in the largest home with 100 miles in any direction, her difficulty becoming pregnant after 8 years of marriage, and her role as the preacher's wife? Is it wrong that she disagrees with him in how to respond to the homeless folks passing through? 

While she ministered to the women of the county tirelessly and she felt as though she were failing. Something did not feel right to Adella. 

"That afternoon, I came up the last shaded rise of the old road with that loaf of bread tucked under my arm, and I rounded the bend, and there before me was home - the only place that had ever felt like home to me, even after I'd settled with my eminent husband in the finest house in the whole danged valley. My parents' place could scarcely be called a house at all." - October in the Earth

Adella was visiting her family's shack when her brother pulled up; pale and shaken. Miners were in the midst of strikes after the mining companies had slashed wages due to the economy. Violence was breaking out, men killed during a shooting related to a mining company. 

"A couple of fellas pulled up in a truck that was all painted with the sign of the Evarts company". "They jumped out of the cab" Benjamin went on, "hollering and wringing their hands about a full-on war."  - October in the Earth

Benjamin drove Adella back to her home so that she could share the news with her husband and they could minister to the local families involved. 

As the plans to help defuse the situation were made, Adella found herself questioning the responses. Internally questioning what should and shouldn't be done - what is a sin and what isn't. Adella finds her husband in the midst of what is clearly a sin and yet she cannot openly address it. She cannot bring herself to question things aloud. 

"It's the baby. My thoughts tripped over one another, tangling themselves. No baby. I haven't given him a family. No wonder he's losing interest." - October in the Earth

Adella visits the Granny Woman, as her mom has advised. The Granny Woman who can help women with their health problems. But it wasn't fertility help that Adella finds during that visit. She finds a woman willing to speak truth aloud. The shocking truth.

In her desperation, she prepares to flee. Adella follows the hobos that she has secretly fed - against her husband's wishes - during their trip through town looking for work. The proper preacher's wife dresses as a man, takes the few belongings she is able to carry, and hops a train away from it all.  The remainder of the story is a peek into the life of hobos on the rails. Riding from one town to the next, in a desperate search for work and food during the great depression. If the hobos are barely able to survive, will Adella be able to transform from a proper preachers wife living in plush comfort - thanks to the collection plate - to a lone woman traveling from town to town to find work? 

October in the Earth by Olivia Hawker

Unfortunately, I am not doing this story justice. I have clearly become an Olivia Hawker fan and find myself drawn into the stories of people living lives very different than mine. Olivia Hawker writes about believable characters with descriptions that immerse me into the story. 

I previously read and reviewed One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker. You can read my review here. 

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Homemade Bread Day Holiday Review

 

Homemade Bread Day is celebrated yearly on November 17.

Origin of Homemade Bread Day

It appears that this delicious day was begun by the National Homemade Bread committee based in Ann Arbor, MI. It has been observed annually since the 1980s and was founded as a way of bringing families together to bake. Sounds good to me, as I absolutely LOVE any kind of bread product ~ and homemade is the best. 

Many of the contributors here on Review This! agree that bread is a delicious delight and have reviewed their favorites. Check out a wide variety of bread products and recipes in this article. 

Specialty Breads

Raintree Annie brings us a recipe for Irish Soda Bread.

Sam Monaco reviews an Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread, quickly made from a mix.

Mary Beth Grander (MBG Photo) shares her favorite Banana Bread recipe.

And for a bread-related 'sweet treat', Sam Monaco gives us his fried dough recipe made in an Air Fryer.

Dieters Delight

Don't feel left out from enjoying bread products, Keto Fans. Margaret Schindel has reviewed some delicious breads that neatly meet your dietary requirements:

Here's her Keto bread mix review and her yeast bread recipe.

If 'muffins' are your bread of choice, Margaret shares her low-carb Cheddar corn dog muffins recipe for a delicious snack or meal. 

Needed and Necessary Bread Products for Your Homemade Bread Recipes

Dawn Rae reviewed a very helpful French Bread Pan

And for slicing that fresh-baked bread, here's Dawn's review of a very good bread knife.

Oh, and of course you need a pretty bread box to store your homemade breads.  Barbara (Brite-Ideas) reviews a super duper bread box that will be beautiful, as well as helpful, in your kitchen.

Extra Bread Hints

If you don't have time to prepare your yeast bread mix for baking, this frozen bread dough from your freezer will allow you to have fresh baked bread whenever you wish.

Summary

If you need more bread recipes, check out this bread cookbook found on Amazon. It should neatly solve all of your bread cravings! 

Bread Illustrated: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Bakery-Quality Results At Home

Available on Amazon

More Recipe Reviews can be found here: ReviewThisRecipes.com 

Thought for the Day: Bread is a lot like the Sun. It rises in the Yeast and sets in the Waist.

*Homemade Bread Day Holiday reviewed by Wednesday Elf

 

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Being Dead is No Excuse – A Cookbook Review

 

The official Southern ladies guide to hosting the perfect funeral. 

The Southern Cookbook to Die For

Being Dead is No Excuse is a cookbook compiled by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays filled with true Southern recipes for hosting an authentic Southern funeral.

Each chapter in the book includes those Southern-style recipes necessary if you plan to die tastefully (tongue-in-cheek pun here) any time soon. A definite 'must-have' cookbook throughout the Mississippi Delta where there is a strong sense of community, and being dead is no hindrance to belonging to it. 

At Southern funerals, everybody is obsessed with the notion that there won't be enough food and out-of-town guests will go away hungry (Sally Stephens is out of town, so who's going to bring stuffed eggs?). They don't want another death brought on by starvation!  At Delta funerals Campbell's cream-of-mushroom soup drenches fresh vegetables. If you wonder why this is so, you have to realize that it acts “As An Extender”. LOL.

The most humorous cookbook I have ever read, plus some fun recipes to try whether you are Southern or not. A Mississippi Delta funeral needs comfort foods, proper etiquette, and, of course, The Restorative Cocktail?  (What does one do when a family gets three sheets to the wind and eats the entire feast the night before a funeral?)

From the Southern-style Green-bean Casserole (like stuffed eggs and pimiento cheese, it's a standard at Delta Funerals – because we've been deprived of fat, salt, and sugar too long - think bacon drippings in the ingredients!) to Cheese Grits to Beef Tenderloin (or the alternative Pork Tenderloin), ham, and chicken, tons of Southern dishes make their way to the table. Don't forget the Homemade Vegetable Soup – a favorite comfort food served with corn bread. Or the Liketa Died Potatoes – a true Southern favorite (made with corn flakes, hash browns, cheddar cheese soup and sour cream). And, naturally, the funeral meal wouldn't be complete without Mary Mills Chocolate Sheet Cake. 

Summary

A girlfriend gifted me with this cookbook several years ago when I was living in the South, and just reading the chapters will have you laughing uproariously. And the recipes themselves are deliciously delightful. The perfect cookbook for a true Southern send-off! 

Being Dead is No Excuse Cookbook is available here on Amazon

*For more Cookbook Reviews, click here.

*Review of the cookbook Being Dead is No Excuse, written by Wednesday Elf

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How to Easily Cut a Cake into Layers Reviewed

My husband bakes a delicious lemon cake for my birthday each year.  Last year, he commented that he would like to put more frosting on the cake and we discussed cutting the cake into layers the next time he made one.  In preparation for the event, I purchased a set of Layer Cake Slicer & Leveler Clamp Guides for Cutting Cakes into Layers.  When he baked the cakes this year, we put the guides to the test.

We clamped a guide on each end of our Dexter-Russell 12" Scalloped Slicer Knife, placed the knife halfway up the cake layer and started cutting.  The guides worked great!

I have been cutting cakes into layers for years by simply using my long chef's knife.  I would be the first to admit that my cut may not always be level, but it allows me to add more frosting in the cake. 

In the future, I will be using the cake slicer guides.  They certainly make a very level cut through the cake.

 

Recommended Cake Layer Cutting Knife Guides

4Pack DIY Cake Leveler Slicer Cutter, 5 Different Thicknesses Layers Stratification Auxiliary Bread Toast Slice Kitchen Fixator Tool (Pink + Green)

I am amazed by how much difference these inexpensive knife guides make when cutting a cake into layers.  Without them, my cake layers have often been a little slanted.  That never really mattered to me, or at least I didn't think it mattered to me, because I was covering the cake with frosting.  After seeing how perfect my husband's cake layers looked, I will no longer be satisfied to have a slanting cake layer.

Because the kitchen counter is level, we placed a piece of wax paper on it, then set the cake on the wax paper.  We placed a piece of folded wax paper on the top of the cake so we could put a hand on the cake to hold it in place while cutting it.  Then, we clamped the guides on each end of the knife and started cutting.

Because the knife guides have 5 positions, you could cut at different levels, or perhaps cut a cake layer into several layers.  We simply wanted to cut ours in half. 

 

Wow!  It really is awesome to have this beautiful, level cake layer.

Read More Product Reviews On
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How to Easily Cut a Cake into Layers Reviewed by:

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Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders

 These extra-crispy chicken tenders are so crispy on the outside and so tender and juicy on the inside. These are the perfect lunch, dinner or snack your family will love. What a great after-school snack for the kids.

Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders - Reviewed

With the busy schedules of everybody in the family, we have at least one meal together every week. A couple of weeks ago Fran made these delicious chicken tenders for dinner along with a salad. Everybody loved these chicken tenders, they were gone in no time at all. 

These are so easy to make in the oven, deep fryer, or in your air fryer. We used our air fryer, it's the healthier choice, and it's much faster. We used our Ninja Foodi Grill which is a combination grill and air fryer.

Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders - Ingredients

1 or 2 pounds of chicken strips

1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs or 1 package extra crispy Shake N Bake

2 eggs beaten

Salt and Pepper to taste

Barbeque sauce or Ranch dressing for dipping

Beat the two eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip each chicken tender in the egg and then, coat the tenders with the bread crumbs. 

For the air fryer, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Set the temperature to 400 degrees. Place the chicken tenders in the air fry basket at least 2 inches apart. If you overcrowd the basket, they won't be crispy. Cook the chicken tenders for 5 to 6 minutes per side until they are golden brown.

For the oven, Place the coated chicken tenders on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. The tin foil will make it easy to clean up. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees. I use my Thermo-Pro TP-18 instant-read thermometer. It's a good idea to have an instant-read thermometer handy for all of your cooking needs. 

Another thing that makes these so easy is that, you can buy the chicken tenders packaged and ready to cook at your local grocery store.

These chicken tenders are the perfect weeknight meal for the whole family. We enjoyed every single one of them.

By the way, the photo could have been better but everyone was sitting around the table waiting for me to take the picture.

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Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe

I posted a photo of these quick & easy Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins on social media recently and many people commented asking me for the recipe. So, by popular demand, I'm sharing and reviewing my quick and easy recipe for these mouthwatering, keto-friendly, low carb Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins. 

My husband loved these so much he couldn't wait for me to make them again!

I wanted a quick and easy recipe for weeknights, so I used Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, which is excellent and has clean, wholesome, healthy ingredients.

However, you could easily make this recipe with your favorite low carb or conventional cornbread or corn muffin recipe instead of the prepared Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, if you prefer. You can also substitute another favorite shredded cheese for the cheddar. See Recipe Variations, below, for more information and variations.

Enjoy!

Recommended Tools and Equipment

I like to use reusable silicone baking cups AKA muffin tin liners lightly sprayed with avocado or olive oil for these cheddar corn dog muffins. Baked goods are released from these cups very easily, and they help keep leftover muffins or cupcakes fresher during storage. These silicone liners are also very easy to clean, especially if you spray them lightly with oil before adding the batter.

The silicone liners I use for this recipe (I have two types) are the GIR: Get It Right Premium Silicone Cupcake Liners Reusable Non-stick Baking Cups, which have a slightly larger capacity than my heavy-duty standard silicone baking cups and also have helpful tabs for lifting muffins or cupcakes in or out of the pan without accidentally touching or marring the tops. The set I have is in the Strawberry Swirl colorway (shades of red, pink, and pale gray), but they also come in a pretty Frosty Mint colorway (shades of dark and pale blue and green).

The handy tabs on the large GIR silicone baking cups make it easy to lift the filled liners in and out of the muffin pan.

I prefer to use these silicone baking cups as liners in a nonstick muffin pan, which helps distribute the heat evenly and helps keep the muffins shaped nicely, while the nonstick pan finish helps prevent any stray bits of batter or cheese from sticking. Chicago Metallic is an excellent brand; I have a couple of specialty (jumbo and mini) muffin pans from them and they're great. Since my standard nonstick cupcake pans are getting a bit long in the tooth, when it's time to replace them I'll be buying the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin Pan.

I use a three-tablespoon scoop to measure out the batter, using one rounded scoop of batter for each muffin cup. I have a set of Norpro stainless steel measuring scoops that I love and use all the time, and the 50MM (3 Tablespoons) Norpro Stainless Steel Scoop is perfect for this recipe.

I use Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix along with eggs, butter, apple cider vinegar, cornbread flavoring, cheddar cheese, hot dogs, and avocado oil spray in this recipe, but you can also substitute other ingredients (see Recipe Variations). 

Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Servings: 12 (one muffin per serving)

Ingredients

For the Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins:

• Avocado or olive oil spray (for greasing muffin pan liners)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled 
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 1 Tablespoon Amoretti Sweet Corn Extract or 20 drops of OOOFlavors Corn Bread Flavor Concentrate Unsweetened
• 1 package Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 hot dogs, fully cooked (I recommend Applegate Farms brand The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs)

For the optional dipping sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen regular or spicy unsweetened ketchup)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero No Added Sugar Raspberry Jam)
• 1 Tablespoon teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease 12 silicone muffin cup liners and place in a muffin tin.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vinegar, and cornbread flavoring or sweet corn extract. Stir in the Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix until well combined.
3. Reserve 4 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) of the grated cheese and mix the remaining cheese into the batter.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the greased muffin tin liners.
5. Slice each hot dog into four sections. Place one section on end in the center of each batter-filled muffin cup, then sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of the reserved shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Bake until lightly golden, approximately 18 minutes. Do not overbake or the muffins will be dry.
7. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the silicone muffin cup liners and serve, with or without optional dipping sauce.

Optional dipping sauce:

Mix the sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen), sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero) and Dijon mustard. Serve 1.25 teaspoons of dipping sauce with each cheddar corn dog muffin.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: one Cheddar Corn Dog Muffin (without optional dipping sauce)

Calories: 189

Fat: 16.3 g

    Sat. Fat: 5 g

    Cholesterol: 70.3 mg

Total Carbs: 6.3 g

    Net Carbs: 1.3 g

    Fiber: 5 g

    Sugars: 0 g

        Added Sugars: 0 g

    Sugar Alcohols: 0 g

Protein: 8.6 g

Recipe Variations

• If you want some hot dog in every bite, consider dicing the hot dogs and mixing them into the batter instead of inserting 1/4 hot dog into the center of each muffin.
• If you're not a fan of cheddar, consider substituting another cheese such as shredded Swiss, provolone, or gouda.
• If you want to make this low carb cheddar corn dog muffins recipe entirely from scratch instead of using a mix, try the Keto Corn Dog Bites recipe from All Day I Dream About Food but mix in the shredded cheddar before scooping the batter and add the shredded cheese topping before baking.
• Alternatively, you could substitute a conventional corn muffin mix or recipe for the corn dog batter if you aren't watching your carbs.

Cheddar corn dog muffins, fresh from the oven!

Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

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

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

Read More Recipe Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Food Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

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Oven Baked Zucchini Sticks

 These oven-baked zucchini sticks are a great way to use the abundance of your zucchini crop. They make a perfect appetizer for any meal, or just have them as a snack.

These zucchini sticks or fries are so crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Bobby and his girlfriend Abby made dinner the other night. They made these delicious zucchini sticks as an appetizer.

If you don't have a garden, just pick up a couple of medium-sized zucchini at the grocery store or your local farmers market. With a few more ingredients that most of us already have in the pantry, you'll be on your way to making this easy and tasty appetizer. 

First, peel and cut the zucchini in half. Then, slice them like french fries, about 3 to 4 inches long. This part was my job, Bobby and Abby did the rest.

They set up a dredging station with flour, a beaten egg, and seasoned bread crumbs. First, the flour, then dip them into the egg, and then the bread crumbs. 

Baked Zucchini Sticks Ingredients:

2 medium size zucchini peeled and cut

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg beaten

1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to your taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Peel and cut the zucchini into 3 to 4-inch pieces.
3. In a flat dish add the flour, salt, and pepper.
4. Beat the egg in a small bowl and mix with olive oil.
5. In a flat dish mix the breadcrumbs, paprika, and parmesan cheese.
6. Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Dip the cut zucchini into the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Place them at least 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown.

Serve right out of the oven with your favorite pizza sauce or ranch dressing for a tasty appetizer or snack.

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Meatloaf Recipe from a Meal Pioneer

 Review of a locally famous take-home meatloaf.

Earlier I reviewed the family owned Hen House Supermarkets located in the Kansas City area. They are part of the Balls Food Stores begun one hundred years ago (1923) by Sidney & Mollie Ball. These markets have been family owned all this time, first by Sidney & Mollie, then by their son, and now by their grandson.

Reading the story of Mollie Ball, I discovered that she was no doubt a pioneer in the field of take-home “Grab n' Go” meals. 

When World War II began, many mothers and wives began working in defense plants and found it difficult to find time to make dinner for their families. Mollie said “no problem, we'll make take-home dinners for you.” Her take-home meatloaf, in particular, became famous throughout the neighborhood. 

Today it is easy to find 'ready-made' or frozen meals at the supermarkets, ready to cook for a quick dinner. Not so in the 1940s, but Mollie made it happen. She was a true pioneer when it came to 'take-home' meals. Mollie Ball was known for her generosity and for caring about the larger community. 

Her original recipe for Mollie's Meat Loaf is shared below with permission from the Ball Food Stores.

Mollie's Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups bread crumbs

2 tbsp. Flour

1 ½ tsp. Salt

4 tbsp. onion, chopped fine

¼ tsp. Paprika

¼ tsp. Mustard

1/8 tsp. Sage

½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground veal

½ lb ground pork

1 egg

1 ½ cups milk

Instructions:

1. Mix together the bread crumbs, flour, salt, pepper, onion, paprika, mustard and sage.  Work this into the meat.
2. Add beaten egg to the milk and knead into the meat mixture gradually.
3. Mold into a loaf and place strips of bacon over top.

Cook at 375 degrees F for 2 hours

Makes 8 servings. 

Summary

The Hen House and other Balls Food Stores in Kansas City are well-known for their locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, bakery items and meats. Their website also has a selection of recipes for your cooking and eating pleasure. 

• Check out the dozens of wonderful recipes at the Hen House Recipes page. 
• For more Recipe Reviews here on ReviewThisReviews, click on ReviewThisRecipes.com

Happy Eating! 

*Mollie Ball's Meatloaf Recipe Review is written by Wednesday Elf

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How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Couldn't you go for a chilly, refreshing, nonalcoholic beverage to help keep you cool and hydrated during the dog days of summer (or any time)? This quick and easy Italian vanilla soda recipe reminds me of the lovely, lightly sparkling cold drinks we enjoyed many years ago during our honeymoon in Italy. It can be made with regular or sugar-free vanilla syrup and with or without a splash of heavy cream (Italian Vanilla Cream Soda) and takes less than a minute to prepare. The sugar-free version of this recipe is also low carb and keto friendly.

This post includes not only the Italian Vanilla Soda recipe, including the Italian Vanilla Cream Soda variation, but also a product review of the delicious ChocZero sugar-free vanilla syrup I prefer to use when preparing this delightful cold drink recipe.

This delicious Italian soda is light, refreshing, and can be made with regular or sugar-free vanilla syrup and with or without a splash of heavy cream.

Choosing Your Ingredients

Vanilla Syrup Options

You can make this delightful cold drink with a conventional commercial vanilla syrup, such as Torani Puremade Vanilla Syrup, DaVinci Gourmet Classic Vanilla Syrup or Monin Vanilla Premium Gourmet Syrup, if you aren't avoiding sugar.

Sugar-free vanilla flavoring syrups are also an option, and the one I prefer. While there are several widely available brands of sugar-free flavoring syrups on the market, most include questionable ingredients that can be detrimental to your health. For example, Jordan's Skinny Syrups vanilla syrup contains cellulose gum, sucralose and acesulfame potassium; Starbucks Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup contains maltodextrin, cellulose gum and sucralose; and Torani Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup contains acesulfame potassium and sucralose.

That's why I love using the new ChocZero Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup. See my product review just after the recipe to find out why it's far superior to the other options on the market.

Italian Sparkling Mineral Water

When my order of the new ChocZero sugar-free vanilla syrup arrived, the first thing I did was to add it to some club soda, since I had some in the fridge.

It was tasty, but definitely not similar to the lovely cold drinks we remembered from our trip to Italy. Also, my husband isn't crazy about most carbonated beverages (or, at least, about his body's reaction to them) and he had asked me to suggest non-carbonated, sugar-free cold drinks he could enjoy during the summer other than lemonade.

So, thinking about the Italian sodas we had enjoyed during our honeymoon, which were far less carbonated than conventional sodas, I decided to try to recreate one by mixing the ChocZero Vanilla Syrup into some chilled Italian sparkling mineral water. What a difference! My husband loved it and didn't have a bad reaction to it, as he does to conventional carbonated drinks. Success!

You can use any genuine Italian sparkling mineral water, such as S. Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water or Whole Foods Market Italian Sparkling Mineral Water for the authentic Italian flavor and carbonation level.

Optional Cream

I find this cold drink much more refreshing during the summer without the optional addition of a splash of heavy cream, but I enjoy the added richness of the cream during the colder months. Try this recipe both ways and see which way you prefer. With the addition of the cream, this drink is often called an Italian Vanilla Cream Soda.

Extra-Tall Pilsner Glasses for Serving

Libbey Giant Wheat Beer Glasses, 23-ounce, Set of 6

During the hot weather, it's important to stay hydrated. This Italian vanilla soda recipe is a delicious way to get in extra water! So, I like to make a large, 16-ounce serving and serve it in an extra-tall Pilsner glass.

I find that the curved shape and narrower bottom of these Pilsner glasses make it much easier to hold a very tall drink much more comfortably and securely versus tall, large-capacity cooler drinking glasses with straight sides.

Our glasses were purchased many years ago and are no longer available, but these attractive Libbey Giant Wheat Beer Glasses with a 23-ounce capacity are very similar to ours and have enough room to add ice to your beverage, if desired.

Vanilla Italian Soda Recipe

Prep Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 1 minute

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

16 ounces Italian sparkling mineral water, thoroughly chilled

3–4 tablespoons regular or sugar-free vanilla syrup for flavoring beverages, such as ChocZero Vanilla Syrup

3–4 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled (optional, for Vanilla Italian Cream Soda)

Instructions

1. To make Vanilla Italian Soda, pour the chilled Italian sparkling mineral water into an extra-tall Pilsner glass or cooler glass. Stir in the vanilla syrup to taste.
2. To make the Vanilla Italian Cream Soda variation, follow the instructions for Italian Vanilla Soda, then pour the heavy cream over the prepared soda. You can stir in the cream or just leave it at the top, whichever you prefer.

Enjoy!

ChocZero Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup Product Review

ChocZero Vanilla Flavoring Syrup is sugar-free, contains no sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, blends easily into cold or hot drinks, and tastes delicious!

ChocZero sugar-free vanilla syrup is made by one of my favorite brands of yummy keto-friendly, low carb products with no added sugars. Their vanilla syrup is sweetened with monk fruit, which doesnt spike blood sugar levels, instead of artificial sweeteners and contains 8 grams of functional fiber per two-tablespoon serving (great for gut health).

It also isn't thickened, so it mixes instantly and effortlessly into cold drinks as well as hot beverages. (It's a delicious addition to hot or iced coffee or hot cocoa.)

I love having a healthy alternative to the big-name sugar-free vanilla syrups with questionable ingredients!

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream) by Margaret Schindel

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