Grandma's Squash Casserole

2 lb squash - cook tender, drain and put in dish

3/4 cup grated cheese

2 eggs, beaten

10 Ritz crackers - crushed

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup sweet milk (1 Tbs heavy cream, fill the rest of the 1/2 cup measure with whole milk)

1 tablespoon butter

mix and pour over squash

sprinkle cheese over top

Squash casserole was one of my dad's favorites while I was growing up. I just wish I knew which recipe my mom made. When I saw that yellow squash was on sale this week, I decided to give this recipe a try. I am very fortunate in that I have been able told on to my grandma's recipe boxes since she passed. I have a dream of digitizing the whole thing, but it's tough b/c she has many different variations of each recipe, so here's hoping that the above is what I remember.

Mashed Cauliflower

In the low-carb world, potatoes have a second cousin: the cauliflower. And I LOVE this recipe, though it doesn't keep quite as long as potatoes might :-)

Ingredients:

1-2 heads Cauliflower

1 T Steak Rub (we find ours at Winco)

2 Tbs Butter

1/4 C Heavy Cream

Steps

1. Chop cauliflower into florets
2. Steam cauliflower florets in microwave or on stove until soft when stabbed with a fork
3. Place into a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients
4. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are evenly incorporated

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a yummy low carb option, and we love it. I found it on Pinterest and it has become a staple in our repertoire. Of course, it always tastes better when my husband makes it. 

http://peaceloveandlowcarb.blogspot.com/2012/06/philly-cheesesteak-stuffed-peppers.html

Steamed Shrimp and Cocktail Sauce

Whenever I think of summer, I think of seafood. And as long as I don't think about peeling them, I love shrimp. The steamed shrimp recipe is a trusty recipe by Old Bay, and I couldn't get through the summer without it.

Old Bay Steamed Shrimp

From http://www.oldbay.com/Recipes/Shrimp/Appetizers/OLD-BAY-Steamed-Shrimp-with-Cocktail-Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cider vinegar or beer1/2 cup water2 tablespoons OLD BAY® Seasoning1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails on1 cup OLD BAY® Cocktail Sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, mix vinegar, water and OLD BAY. Bring to boil on medium heat. Gently stir in shrimp, then cover.

Steam 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Drain well.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until hungry guests arrive. Best served with punchy cocktail sauce and lively conversation.

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Ketchup

Horseradish (not prepared)

1. Mix ketchup with desired amount of Horseradish 

Steak Marinade

A few weeks ago I made this kebab recipe (with a slight oil variation):

http://www.food.com/recipe/sirloin-steak-kabobs-94818

It was so good, I'm planning on using the same marinade for steak this week. Yum!

Ingredients
1/4 C Wine Vinegar
1/2 C Olive Oil
1/4 C Ketchup
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 C Chopped Onion
2 Cloves Minced Garlic

1. Mix all ingredients in a gallon sized baggie
2. Insert steak and marinate overnight
3. Grill

Carolina BBQ (Pulled Pork)

One of the things I miss most from home is Eastern North Carolina Barbecue. There's nothing quite like it, and I'm always looking for the right sauce. Therefore, you can expect to find many renditions below. Last time I was in NC, I did find out form my favorite BBQ restaurant that they cook the meat with no sauce first, shred it, and then pour their delicious sauce over it. 

Sauce
Ingredients:
1 C White Vinegar
1 C Cider Vinegar
1 T Brown Sugar
2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Tobasco Sauce
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar, shake, and store for 2 days - 2 months prior to using. I usually make a few batches and leave them in the fridge until I am ready to use them.

Pulled Pork

1. Place a pork shoulder in a crock-pot, or other slow cooker, with fat-side up 
2. Lightly Salt
3. Pour in 1/4 cup water
4. Cook for 6-8 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low
5. Remove pork from slow cooker, discard juices, fat, bone, etc. and shred
6. Mix with sauce and serve on a plate or as a sandwich on a bun

Going Primal

Branden and I have decided to take the jump and "go Primal." That pretty much means that we've agreed to give up all processed carbs (I'm still working on the candy...). So, we've been re-vamping some of our favorite recipes, and it means that I'm putting a bit more thought into our meals now. This week we are having vegetable beef stew (recipe to follow), Chicken Tikka Masala, and Lemon Beef Brisket. Branden figured out that a dessert can be made following the guidelines, and we've also discovered that an old favorite (broccoli salad) is Primal too! I'm not sure if we'll stick to the Primal thing, but for now I'm willing to give it a shot.

Broccoli Salad