Caramel Mandarin Orange Cake

I found a new cookbook, The $7.00 a Meal Cookbook, on one of my thrift store jaunts last week. It appears to have never been opened. After quickly thumbing through it, there were several recipes that caught my eye. For 99 cents, I couldn't pass it up.

The book lists tips and suggestions to go along with the recipes. It also shows the calorie count (but unfortunately not the carb count) for each recipe.

I decided to try any easy dessert recipe for my family. All of the family love mandarin oranges so I figured that everyone would like this cake. Even though I did not try this cake, it looks and smells delicious. I could've eaten the caramel icing with a spoon - I resisted the temptation to do so ...my willpower was working OT that day.

(Just overlook that large holes in the cake. I talk about my mistake later on in the recipe.)

Caramel Mandarin Orange Cake

2 (9 oz) boxes yellow cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 C. vegetable oil
1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, undrained
1/2 C. coconut
1 1/4 C. brown sugar
2 TBSP honey
5 TBSP butter
6 TBSP milk
2 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350* Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with spray containing flour and set aside. ( I didn't have a 9 x 13 pan available since I was using it to bake a chicken in at the time. I used 2 - 8 x 8 glass pans instead. The next time I will make it only one layer so that the whole cake soaks up the caramel topping.) 

In a large bowl, combine cake, eggs oil and undrained oranges.

 Beat on low speed until combined, then beat at medium speed for 2 -3 minutes. Fold in coconut. Pour into pan.

Bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and top springs back when lightly touched. (Keep an eye on it so that it doesn't overbake. It took my cakes about 30 minutes to bake.) Place on wire rack to cool.

While cake is cooling, make caramel topping. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, butter & milk. Boil for 3 minutes.

Using chopsticks poke about 20 holes in the warm cake. (Very important to use chopsticks and not the end of a wooden spoon like I did or you will end up with big holes in it like my cake.)

Add vanilla to caramel topping and slowly pour over cake, spreading evenly if needed. (I cooked this topping for 7 more minutes but it still wasn't "spreadable". I took it off of the heat and sat the pot in cold water, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes. It thickened right up to a silky consistency of caramel sauce.)

Total cost: $4. 17

The verdict: My son loved it, although he said that it was really sweet. My husband thought that it would be better if it wasn't so sweet. I would definitely use the caramel topping on other cakes - it would be great on an apple cake, apple sweet rolls or even apple pie. 

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This is a simple meal that's quick and easy to put together. Great for using leftover or rotisserie chicken.

My family really liked this casserole. I served it with Spanish rice as a side but next time I might add the rice inside the tortillas. Be careful when choosing the enchilada sauce...not all are labeled "hot" but they might end up being spicy like the one I bought. Read those ingredients!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

8 lg. flour tortillas
2 C. cooked chicken, shredded
8 oz. bag of "mexi" cheese
1 lg. can of enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350*

Pour 3/4 C. enchilada sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish. 
Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the 8 tortillas.

Top with shredded cheese - eyeball enough to cover the chicken.

Roll up filled tortillas and lay seam side down into the baking dish.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the tortillas.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling.

I apologize for the not-so- pretty pictures but everyone was starving and ready to eat! lol!

Low Carb Zucchini Pancakes

I love zucchini! This recipe is sort of a play on hashbrowns. These little pancakes are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Low Carb Zucchini Pancakes
makes 5 silver dollar - sized pancakes

1 baby zucchini - shredded with skins on
1 small egg
1/2 tsp of seasonings of choice - I used Montreal Steak Seasoning (make
sure there is no sugar in it) & red pepper flakes

Shred zucchini and place between two layers of paper towels to blot out the water from it.
Beat egg
Stir zucchini and seasonings into egg. Mix well.
Drop by tablespoonful into a large frying pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Cook over medium high heat until the egg has firmed up on the bottom and is light brown.
Flip over and continue cooking until light brown.
Serve immediately. These do not hold up well over time.
Top with salsa and/or sour cream, if desired.

I'll let you in on a little secret...

See those pickle spears peeking out in the top picture? This is one of my very favorite low carb snacks.

Roast Beef & Cream Cheese Wrapped Dill Spears

2 piece of roast beef - sliced thin
1 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 whole dill pickle, cut into 4 spears

Spread cream cheese over both slices of roast beef.
Cut each slice of roast beef in half, making 4 slices of meat.
Place a pickle spear on each piece of meat.
Roll up, wrapping the roast beef and cream cheese around the spear.

Low Carb Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

My low carb version of  Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu does not contain any type of breading and there's no sauce. It uses baked chicken, deli ham and Swiss cheese so there no long cooking times.

While I love the original version of this dish, this is definitely right up there with it!

Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu
makes 1-2 servings

2 slices deli ham, sliced thin
2 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 C. shredded cooked chicken

Lay ham flat.
Place the swiss cheese on top of the ham
Stack the chicken pieces on one end of the ham.

Roll up jelly roll style.
Secure the bundles with toothpicks.
Place bundles in pie pan.
Bake at 350* for 15 - 20 minutes, until cheese is melted
and the meat is warm.
You can also take a shortcut and microwave the bundles
until warm.
Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping.

Menu Plan Monday (on Tuesday)

I'm running behind...as usual.

Here are my meal plans for the week. Once again, if things get busy, the meals might get switched around. I will post the new recipes that I try.

My Low Carb Menu

Monday - chef salad

Tuesday - inside out chicken cordon bleu bundles

Wednesday - grilled pork tenderloin, steamed cabbage

Thursday - roast beef w/ peppers and onions

Friday - pizza burger w/ sauteed zucchini

Saturday - taco salad


Family Menu

Monday - pizza

Tuesday - chicken enchilada casserole

Wednesday - grilled pork tenderloin, fried noodles

Friday - spaghetti pizza

Saturday - pork stir fry, rice & homemade egg rolls

Come back throughout the week to check out some new desserts that I'm trying out on my family.  Check out Orgjunkie.com for more great menus on Menu Plan Monday!