Keto Bread (Keto Stuffing and Keto French Toast)

 

A few months ago I set out to make an entire Thanksgiving meal that was keto friendly (Be sure to check back for that post). 

One of my favorite dishes to come out of that was this keto stuffing. It is delicious and you'd never know it wasn't "regular" stuffing. You only use half the loaf of bread you make which means you can make a delicious, keto friendly French toast with the other half! You can't lose!

I'm going to post 3 recipes in this post: the first is for the bread, the second will be for the stuffing, and the third will be for the French toast. Be sure to pin or save this recipe for your next holiday dinner! It's a keeper. :) 

FYI - I find the bread eaten on it's own does taste a little eggy BUT in the stuffing and as French toast it is not eggy at all. 

Keto Bread

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

5 Tbsp butter, melted

1 1/2 cup almond flour

3 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Line an 8 X 4 loaf pan with parchment paper. 

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Beat yolks, butter, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat in 1/3 of the egg whites. Dough will be lumpy and thick. Fold in remaining egg whites - do not overmix!

Spread into the prepared loaf pan. 

Bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes. Toothpick inserted near center should come out clean. 

Let cool about 10 minutes and then remove to wire rack.

Let cool completely before slicing into 20 slices. If you look closely at the above photo you can see I marked off where to cut the slices to make them even. Not necessary but I find it makes cutting the bread easier. 

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts per slice are: 98 calories, 8.5 fat, 1.9 carb, 0.9 fiber, and 3.7 protein. That means 1 net carb per slice. (Loaf should be cut into 20 slices.) 

Freezes well. 

Keto Stuffing

Ingredients

10 slices "Keto Bread Recipe" above

2 Tbsp parsley

1 Tbsp rosemary

1 Tbsp thyme

1/4 cup onion, diced

5 green onions, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

8 oz sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 cup broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 eggs

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 200. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Cut the keto bread into cubes.

Place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with the parsley, rosemary, and thyme. 

 Bake at 200 for an hour. Give it a stir at the half way mark to ensure even cooking. Bread should be browned and toasty. 

Remove from oven and set aside. 

Turn heat in oven up to 350. 

In a large bowl place the onion, green onions, celery, garlic, and sausage. Stir in the toasted bread.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the broth, whipped cream, and eggs. 

Pour this over the bread mixture and stir very gently. (I use my hands)

Spread in a 10 inch oven safe dish sprayed with cooking spray. 

Bake at 350 for about an hour, stirring at the half way mark. 

Serve hot. 

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts per serving are (recipe makes 9 servings): 200 calories, 18 fat, 2.8 carbs, 0.8 fiber, 4 protein. That's 2 net carbs per serving. 

Leftovers reheat well in the microwave. 

Keto French Toast

Ingredients

2 Tbsp whipping cream

1 egg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp butter

3 slices "Keto Bread Recipe" above

For Serving

whipped cream

keto friendly syrup

dash cinnamon

Directions

In a small container whisk together the cream, egg, and cinnamon. 

Heat a non stick frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter in the pan. 

Gently dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture and flip to coat well. 

Place in the pan and repeat with remaining bread. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes then gently flip over and cook another minute or two. Toast should be golden brown. 

Serve hot with a little keto syrup, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

So good and so filling!

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts are (recipe makes 1 serving):

400 calories, 37 fat, 7 carbs, 3 fiber, 12 protein. That's 4 net carbs!

As I mentioned above - eating the bread on it's own I find it a little eggy tasting. But turn it into stuffing or French toast and it is just like "regular" bread. I'm going to be experimenting to see what else I can make with it! It's a pretty versatile recipe. :) 

Mom's Macaroni Salad (AKA: Best Macaroni Salad Ever)

I know you saw the title of this recipe and came here to see what makes it the best macaroni salad ever. 

You're skeptical, I get it. 

Thing is.... it's ridiculously simple and delicious and has absolutely nothing but the basics in it but it's magic and will have you hooked in 1 bite. Maybe 2 bites...

There are no measurements, you've got to make it like mom does... with your heart. 

Ha. Sappy. But accurate. 

Eyeball it. You got this. 

Mom's Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

elbow macaroni

green peas

radishes

pickles

green pepper

onion

aged cheddar cheese

mayo or miracle whip

salt & pepper 

Directions

Boil macaroni as per package directions until soft. (Mom likes hers a little more well done than al dente so do it up right!) At the end of cooking, throw in a handful of frozen green peas and let cook for a minute. Drain and let cool to room temp. 

Cut up a few radishes into slices. About 2 - 4, just enough to add some color to the pasta.

Cut up one or 2 pickles into tiny cubes. 

Cut up about 1/4 of a green pepper into tiny cubes.

Finely dice about 1/4 of an onion.

Cube up aged cheddar cheese into tiny cubes. (Do NOT shred it, that is not mom's way. Cube it.)

Give it a good stir. Can you see little bits of all the different color ingredients?

If yes, you're good to go. If no, add a bit more of whatever ingredient isn't showing up enough. When you think it looks good, stir in the mayo.

Make it good and creamy. Stir it well then let it sit for 5 minutes so the pasta can soak up some of the mayo. Creamy enough? Ok. Still seem dry? Add in more mayo a spoonful at a time. 

Chill until ready to eat. Definitely give it at least an hour or two in the fridge. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper!

Word of advice - if you want to make this ahead of time: mix in the ingredients but DO NOT mix in the mayo. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Mix in mayo about half an hour before serving and place back in fridge until ready to use.

One of the best things about this salad is you can make a little bit or a huge amount. 

For those of you insisting on measurements. *Sigh* I get it. I'll do my best to guesstimate here, but you really do have to go by how it looks. 

For about 4 cups cooked macaroni I'd say 1/3 cup peas, 3 radishes, 2 baby pickles, 1/4 of a green pepper, 1/3 cup onion, 1/2 cup cheese, and 1 cup mayo. Totally guesstimating here guys.... use your mom-senses to make sure it feels right. 

You should be able to see all the ingredients every time you give it a stir. And if you're unsure about the mayo, start low and add slow. You can't take it out after if you've added too much. 

Let us know if you give it a try! We're pretty sure you'll fall in love with it! 

Turkey Dinner Meatballs

Sue developed this recipe last year for the Little Potato Company recipe contest. It didn't win but sure was a hit at our house! 

It's basically all the best things about a full on turkey dinner in one bite. Turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and even hints of green bean casserole! 

You're super curious now, right? 

You totally should be. 

Sue's meatballs are perfect for game night, after school snack time, ladies night, potlucks... I think you see the pattern here... basically ANY time. They also freeze and reheat well, FYI. 

Turkey Dinner Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1 box Stove Top stuffing

1 can French's Fried Onions

1 bag Little Potato Company potatoes

1 cup prepared Turkey gravy

mozzarella or cheddar cheese slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. 

Combine the ground turkey, egg, Stove Top stuffing, and half the fried onions. If the mixture is too dry, add a few spoonfuls of water. 

Take one of the small potatoes and press a small amount of the meat mixture around it to cover it completely. Pat firmly while rolling in your hand. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining meat and potatoes. Cook at 350 until meat is done and potatoes are fork tender, about 40 or so minutes. Before removing from the oven - top some of the meatballs with cheddar and mozza slices and keep in the oven until cheese is melted. Immediately after removing from oven; sprinkle the cheese with the remaining French's Fried Onions. (To make them look a little different Sue did some with mozza, some with cheddar, and some without any cheese.) Place the meatballs on a serving tray with the hot turkey gravy for dipping. 

You guys.....

These are sooooo tasty! 

You can easily reheat these in the microwave (or oven) and they are just as delicious!

A whole turkey dinner in one bite!! I say the Little Potato Company missed a real winner here.... Sue comes up with some pretty good ideas sometimes! (I'll be sharing my potato recipe shortly. I made the Top 5 in the Little Potato Company competition in 2018 but unfortunately didn't win first! Be sure to check back for my recipe!) 

5 Flavor Cake

Sometimes you just want to have options. 

This cake is perfect for those days when you just can't decide what kind of deliciousness you need. We went with maple bacon, lemon pie, turtle, cherry cheesecake, and cookies and cream... but there are still a million more options you could choose from. You start with a basic vanilla cake and go from there! I made several cakes at one time for Thanksgiving because I knew several friends would go crazy for them! 

Ok, yes. This cake is a bit more expensive and a little more work than a plain ol' one flavor cake but it just looks sooooo cool and tastes ridiculously good. Holiday dinners are the perfect showcase for this beautiful looking dessert. 

Need something a little fancier to impress your guests? You're in the right place.

5 Flavor Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 box vanilla cake mix

ingredients to make cake from box

1 box vanilla instant pudding

2 tsp vanilla

Base Frosting

2 cups whipping cream

1 box vanilla instant pudding

Fillings

Base Frosting for all 5 flavors - 2 cups whipping cream, 1 box vanilla instant pudding

Maple Bacon - 1/4 maple syrup, 4 pieces cooked bacon (crumbled)

Lemon Pie - 2 graham crackers, 1 slice lemon, 1/2 cup lemon curd

Turtle - 1/4 cup caramel sauce, 1 Tbsp mini chocolate chips, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 whole turtle candies

Cherry Cheesecake - 1/4 cup cream cheese (softened), 1/2 cup cherry pie filling

Cookies and Cream - 4 or 5 Oreo cookies

Directions

Prepare vanilla cake according to package directions, adding in the instant pudding and vanilla. Bake in a 9 X 13 pan according to package directions. Let cake cool completely. 

Take a large piping tip (or just use a sharp knife) and scoop out  5 lines of 4 circles - this is where you will put the fillings. Keep the round piece of cake from each hole. 

Fill one line of 4 with bacon bits and maple syrup, one line with lemon curd and bits of broken graham cracker, one line with caramel sauce, mini chocolate chips, and chopped pecans, one line with a bit of cream cheese and cherry pie filling, and one line with crushed Oreos and a bit of whipped cream. 

Place the little round piece of cake you kept back on top of each filled hole. (NOTE - VERY IMPORTANT - remember in which order your filled the cake!! Make a note of it if you need to. Once it is frosted you won't be able to tell which filling is in which hole!)

Prepare Base Frosting - Beat together the whipping cream and vanilla instant pudding until thickened enough to spread. Spread over top and sides of cake. 

Using a chopstick (or other long utensil), press a line into the frosting dividing the lines of the fillings. You can then start topping your cake. 

Grate one of the oreo cookies over the line which holds the cookies and cream flavor. Drizzle a little cherry pie filling over the cherry cheesecake area. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the turtle area. Drizzle lemon curd over the lemon pie area. And, lastly, sprinkle a little crumbled bacon over the maple bacon area.

See photo line up below for step - by - step instructions. 

To finish topping your flavors: 

Prepare the Base Frosting For All 5 Flavors - Beat together the whipping cream and vanilla instant pudding until thickened enough to spread. Take out 1/5 of the frosting and mix in enough maple syrup to flavor the cream. This will go on top of the maple bacon layer. Pipe 4 swirls, equally spaced apart, on the maple bacon layer, and then sprinkle with more crumbled bacon. Place a larger piece of bacon on top of the swirl.

Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag. Pipe swirls equal spaces apart on the remaining flavors. 

Top the Lemon Pie area with some crumbled graham cracker and a small piece of sliced lemon.

Place half a turtle chocolate candy on top of the turtle area swirl.

For the cherry cheesecake - place a whole cherry from the pie filling on top of each swirl.

And, lastly, for the cookies and cream area, press a half of an Oreo onto each swirl.

See... a bit more work but not that much.

I made one of the cakes with an apple pie layer instead of a maple bacon as the person I was making it for didn't want bacon.

The apple pie filling was a chopped apple cooked with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon until soft. Then topped with bit of cinnamon, a piece of pie crust, and a bit more apple filling. 

Here is a photo of the other cakes I did. Another step-by-step!

I mention that it is important to remember which flavor is on which end of the cake because I frosted these three and then couldn't remember which end was up. I ended up having to dig out a hole on each cake so I could see what was in there. 

20 good sized pieces of delicious cake for dessert. There are so many flavor combinations you could do! 

Please note - my amounts for the filling ingredients are rough measurements. You may need a pinch less or more to fill the holes depending on how deep you carve them out. 

Triple Butterscotch Cupcakes

These pretty little things were part of our Thanksgiving dessert options.

Can I let you in on a little secret?

We totally cheated with these.

Totally.

But no one knew. *insert evil laughter here*

We don't often cheat with by starting with a box mix but sometimes it just saves some time. (Especially when we went a little bonkers with our Thanksgiving desserts and made a billion things - check them out HERE.)

Don't want to use a box mix - make your favorite from scratch cake instead. We won't judge. 

Triple Butterscotch Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box butterscotch instant pudding mix

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

Filling

4 Tbsp butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbsp Butterscotch Ripple liqueur 

Frosting

4 cups whipping cream

2 boxes butterscotch instant pudding mix

Decorations (optional)

mini chocolate pieces

Directions

Cake - Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin trays with paper liners. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix and pudding mix. Whisk in the buttermilk, oil, and eggs until well combined. Scoop evenly into the prepared tins.

Bake at 350 until cupcakes are golden brown and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 20 - 25 minutes.

Remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare filling - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter and dark brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquidy. Pour in cream and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir boiling mixture for 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in Butterscotch Ripple liqueur. Let cool to room temp. 

Prepare frosting - Pour the whipping cream into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the butterscotch pudding mix. Beat until stiff - 1 to 2 minutes. 

Assemble cupcakes:

Cut a cone shape wedge of cake out of the center of each cupcake (see photo below). Keep the top circle part of the cone but discard the rest (or, you know, eat it....)

Fill the hole in the cupcake with a generous spoonful of the butterscotch filling.

Place the little circle back on top of the cupcake.

Pipe (or spread with a knife) a generous amount of frosting on top.

If desired, top with a mini chocolate bar piece.

Alternatively, you could also drizzle a bit of the leftover butterscotch filling over the top. 

Chill until ready to serve. 

A few notes - Don't have Butterscotch Ripple Liqueur?? Use any similar flavor - I have made it with Pumpkin Spice Whiskey and Salted Caramel Liqueur and it is also delicious.

The amount of frosting is a lot. If you are not going to be piping tasty swirly piles on top and simply spreading with a knife - then you probably only have to make half the frosting. (But, seriously, the frosting is amazing... pile it on!)

Everyone loved the little surprise of gooey butterscotch in the center. I mean... what's not to love??

 

 

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