I am Italian and was brought up on Ricotta and I haven't found a Store Brand that was worth eating yet.
I don't know what you have out your way but I would stick to the name brands...and don't forget you can do the ricotta, cottage cheese combination or just whip up the cottage cheese with the extracts etc..
Meg-You are probably right!! I'll try the name brand as soon as I use up the cheap stuff. (1 tub down, 1 to go!!) My DH is part Italian (and part Norwegian....Passionately Depressed as I usually describe him!! [And skinny too, the bum!!]) He is ADDICTED to Cannoli, and can eat quite a few in a sitting. I've been working on low carb Italian meals, and then just giving the rest of the family pasta to up THEIR carbs a bit.
Both of the following recipes are from "Weber's Big Book of Grilling" a fabulous cookbook for year round grillers. They are both borderline Phase 1 Recipes but low fat cheeses could easily be substituted
Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Serves 4
Stuffing:
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 jar (7oz) Artichoke Bottoms or Hearts.
2 teaspoons minced Garlic
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 ounces fresh Goat Cheese, Crumbled (or 3 wedges Laughing Cow Light or even light Cream Cheese?)
3 Tablespoons Minced Sun Dried Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
4 large boneless Chicken Breast Halves (about 8 ounces each)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
To Make Stuffing:
In a medium saute pan, combine olive oil, thyme and red pepper flakes. Set pan over medium high heat and warm the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse and coarsely chop the artichokes and add along with garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes stirring occassionally. Remove from heat. Add cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Mix to evenly distribute ingedredients and allow to cool.
Rinse Chicken Breasts under cold water and pat dry. Variation - Recipe calls for the breasts to be pounded flat, spread with stuffing and closed with toothpicks. Instead, I cut a little hole in the thick side of the breast and wiggle the knife inside to make a pocket. Then I end up with a little hole to stuff through and close with a toothpick. That gives much less chance of the stuffing oozing out.
Brush or spray both sides of stuffed breasts with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill over Direct Medium heat on barbeque until meat juices run clear and cheese is melted, 8 to 12 minutes, Remove from Grill, remove toothpicks and serve warm.
Another Stuffing Recipe - It is written for Veal Chops but I love it with chicken prepared for grilling like above.
Spinach Stuffing
1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 package, defrosted frozen chopped spinach, squeezed VERY dry
3 slices prosciutto (2 ounces) very finely choped
1/2 cup coursely grated Fontina Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
To make the stuffing: In a large saute pan over medium heat warm the olive oil and cook the onion until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 3 or 4 minutes. Add remaining stuffing ingredients and mix. Divide stuffing in 4 portions for stuffing veal chops or chicken breasts
Thanks to Nikkic who posted these 11/7/02 under Low carb Recipes (3FC):
#1
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar free ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp. splenda
1/2 cup water
1/2 to 1 tsp hot sauce, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and cook until just boiling. Then simmer for 5 minutes.
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#2
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, (or to taste!)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 15 oz. can tomato puree, sugar free
2 Tbsp. splenda
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook til soft. Add cayenne, ginger, mustard, salt and allspice. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
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#3
1 large onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. liquid smoke, hickory if possible
3/4 cup sugar free ketchup
3/4 cup water
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, heat, stirring frequently until thick, about 15 min.
I think I'd skip the sugar free ketchup and just use a sugar free tomato sauce or puree. This SHOULD be phase 1 legal as long as we stay within the tomato limits!!!
Den,
