LEMON COOKIES

Cookie Ingredients:
1 Box Lemon Cake Mix*
1 T Lemon Juice
1/3 C Oil
2 Eggs 

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cookie ingredients and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll into 1-inch balls and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-1/2 minutes (do not over bake). Allow cookies to cool.

Glaze Ingredients:
2 C Powdered Sugar
4 T Lemon Juice

Combine glaze ingredients. Place in plastic zip bag and seal. Cut a tiny bit off one corner and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Allow glaze to dry prior to placing in container.

*Note: Preferred size of cake mix is 18.5 oz. However, cake mixes have shrunk over the years, so I add 1/3 C self-rising flour to cookie mixture. 

My cooking buddy, Pat Findley, found this recipe that copies a famous cookie in the Knoxville area. I have literally made hundreds of dozens of this cookie and there are rarely leftovers! In Pat's own words...these are the "best ever!!!"

BBQ RUB

Ingredients:

1 T Brown Sugar

1 T Chili Powder

1 T Cumin

1 T Garlic Salt

2 T Kosher Salt

1 T Onion Powder

1 T Paprika

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp White Pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together and rub over pork butt, pork shoulder, ribs, etc. prior to placing in smoker. Unused portion can be saved in a jar in the pantry.

FAT BOMBS

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FAT BOMB 
Ingredients:
3/4 C Coconut Oil, melted
2/3 C Crunchy Peanut Butter
8 T Salted Butter, melted
1/3 C Splenda
2 T Unsweetened Cocoa

Recipe Notes: 
Fat bomb recipes found on various low-carb sites - combined to come up with this recipe. Fat bombs are a great sweet treat for low-carb lifestyle, especially when extra "good" fats are needed!

CRACK SLAW

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef, browned with salt and pepper and drained
2 T Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Green Onions, sliced
14 oz. Coleslaw Mix*
2 T Soy Sauce
1 tsp White Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sriracha Sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Splenda

Directions:
Heat sesame oil in pan and saute garlic, onions and slaw until cabbage cooked to desired tenderness (I like mine a little crunchy). Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha sauce, ginger and Splenda and mix well. Add ground beef to cabbage mixture. Mix well and serve. Serve with additional Sriracha if desired.

*I also add additional chopped carrots, chopped peppers (green or red) and chopped zucchini for extra crunch.

Recipe Notes:
This is a popular low-carb recipe on different low-carb sites which I have tweaked to my own taste. The name "crack" slaw comes from it being so addictive!

LOW-CARB LOADED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:
1 Head Cauliflower
4 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
4 T Butter
1/2 C Half & Half or Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Bacon Bits, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Cut cauliflower from stem and rough chop (pieces can be large). Cook in large pot of boiling water until soft. Drain and return to pot (I keep my pot on the stove eye that is turned off, but still gets the heat). Mash the cauliflower with a potato masher until fine. Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Option: You can place into a baking dish, add cheese and bake in a 350° oven until cheese is bubbly for a "twice baked" cauliflower dish.

Recipe Notes:
I have seen variations of this recipe on the internet and have tweaked to make my own. Every time I serve this dish, everyone is surprised to learn I used cauliflower instead of potatoes! Great low-carb dish!

LOW CARB PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients:

Crust 
1 Cup Crushed Pecans
4 T Butter, melted

Mix together and pour into pie plate. Put in freezer while making chocolate layer.

Chocolate Layer
2 T Butter
1 Sq. Unsweetened Chocolate
2 T Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 C Splenda

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave on low setting for approximately 2 minutes. Mix in cream and vanilla. Add Splenda. Pour over frozen pie crust and place back in freezer.

Peanut Butter Layer
5 T Simply Jif Peanut Butter (or store brand low carb peanut butter - I use Kroger brand)
4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 C Splenda

Mix together with blender and spread over chocolate layer. Place back in freezer.

Chocolate Whipped Topping
1 C Cool Whip
1 tsp Vanilla
1 T Cocoa

Mix together and spread on top of pie. Refrigerate.


Cut pie into 12ths for a net carb count of 5.3 carbs per serving.

Recipe Notes:
This pie was made by Kelley Myers and brought to an office luncheon and was a big hit to us LC'ers. The pie is very rich so 1/12 of a pie is more than you think. Very delicious!

CRYSTEL'S BLACK BEAN & CORN SALSA

Ingredients:
1 Can White Shoe Peg Corn
1 Can Black Beans
1 Bundle Green Onions, chopped (only chop the TOPS of onions to put in salsa)
1 Package Feta Cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Drain and rinse corn and beans. Combine with chopped onions.

Dressing Ingredients:
1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Olive Oil

Directions:
Stir together dressing ingredients and combine with above. Stir in Feta cheese. Marinate overnight for best flavor. Serve with Frita Scoops or Tortilla Scoops. 

Recipe Notes:
This recipe is an office favorite that Crystel Buchanan always made for various gatherings. Crystel passed away in April 2010 and is greatly missed. She was quite a character!