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Front cover of Easy Dirty Keto book by Emilie Bailey
Cookbook Review: Easy Dirty Keto

Easy Dirty Keto is the latest cookbook by Emilie Bailey. Today I’ll review it and tell you why it’s a good book to have in your collection, whether or not you eat keto.

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Hello, again, Dear Readers:

Apologies for my tardiness, it’s been a busy few weeks. We watched as Hurricane Ian went through Florida doing pretty much the same thing Hurricane Ida did in Louisiana last year. One of my project managers lives right in the strike zone, and she finally got power and Internet back a few days ago. Don’t we know about that! 

Others have checked in from the area on social media. Keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers, although I think the good Governor DeSantis has everything well in hand. We’ve been through it, and we know some folks who are still not back in their homes more than a year later. Everything moves VERY slowly here, but Florida’s working it.

We’ve had a few lovely cool fronts come through, and another brief one graces Texas and Louisiana tomorrow. There’s been scant rain for over a month. Autumn came early this year, and we’re thankful. I can open the windows some days and clear the air (especially after BF has been cooking.)

As promised, I’ve got a delicious new cookbook to tell you about, and five delicious recipes you can enjoy this week.

Get Ready For Dirty Keto

Are you looking for new and delicious keto recipes or just delicious food that’s easy to make? Well, aren’t we all? Today I’ll tell you all about the newest—and possibly final—book from The Texas Granola Girl, Emilie Bailey. This book covers both bases.

Front cover of Easy Dirty Keto book by Emilie Bailey

The book.

Let me say at the outset that I was fortunate to get a review copy of Easy Dirty Keto before its release on August 25th. Thank you, Emilie! (I feel special when that happens.) I’ve already left a five-star review on Amazon, because, well it deserves five stars, in my opinion. But that’s because the food is good.

Honestly, if the recipes weren’t any good, I wouldn’t be writing an entire blog post—it would be a short “news item” with my polite opinion. But this is Emilie, and the food is really, really, good—as usual.

Let’s get cooking.

What Is Dirty Keto?

No, it’s not something you get into trouble for, should be embarrassed about, or risk arrest. Nothing like that. It’s a form of keto that stays within the parameters but isn’t exact.

There are two types of keto:

  • Clean keto, where you eat “clean,” no processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and the like
  • Dirty keto, where the rules are a little looser, but still help you meet macros and stay in ketosis

Ingredients like these might be considered “dirty keto”:

Remember that this is non-dairy. Definitely dirty keto but I haven’t tried it myself.

 

Walmart’s own version and I haven’t tried this one either.

Or this one:

I haven’t tried this one yet, but will one day.

And if you wanted to classify my keto, it would be called “filthy dirty keto.” Because I can’t say I eat keto every day—especially when BF makes jambalaya or one of his other “specialties.”

The rule is to stay in ketosis. I can’t say I’ve ever checked that. Still, dirty keto isn’t as strict, and the variety of foods is wider because you can include some things that you wouldn’t under “clean keto.” You’ll see what I mean in the recipes.

Many people find clean keto to be difficult to sustain, or they just get bored with the same types of foods. With dirty keto, there’s a little more to enjoy that’s still “keto.” Emilie explains in the intro–she’s busy, like most people, and needed to loosen the rules a bit. One example is the sugar-free version of Cool Whip.

I’ve tried these five recipes myself and give my opinion on each. (Spoiler alert: they’re delicious!) I’ll be trying more of them in the future, and I may include them in a future blog post. So, here they are for your information and enjoyment.

Chorizo and Spaghetti Squash, Page 125

Let me say right up front that this is the recipe I really wanted to make first but had to wait until BF wasn’t home. I don’t want to listen to the retching.

It’s simple and straightforward. You might not believe it was really keto. The setup:

Ingredients

Just a few ingredients for this one.

 

First, start with the spaghetti squash:

Spaghetti squash with ends cut off an standing on end

This makes cutting easier.

Cut in half and scrape out the seeds:

Scraping seeds out of the spaghetti squash

Right into the trash, or elsewhere if you plan to save the seeds. One of these days I’ll do just that.

They should look like this:

Spaghetti Squash cut in half

Just like this.

Put them face down onto a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for ten minutes, until it’s fork-tender.

Spaghetti squash halves in microwave

Just like that.

When it’s done, it looks like this:

Bowl of cooked spaghetti squash

This is tasty all on its own

While that’s cooking, measure out your spices and things:

Measured ingredients in cups

Easy!

Then remove the chorizo from the casings and add it to the pan.

Chorizo in casing

Just like browning ground meat.

You won’t need oil, because the chorizo gives off plenty once it starts cooking. Remember, it’s a highly seasoned pork sausage.

Browning chorizo in a large stainless steel pan

Doesn’t take long.

Once the chorizo is cooked, add in the pico de gallo:

Adding salsa to the pan

It’s salsa, but I’ll explain in a minute.

Mix that around, then add the salt and the spaghetti squash:

Salt and spaghetti squash added into pan

Just like that

Toss that all around to distribute:

Tossing spaghetti squash into mixture

Just like that.

Then sprinkle the half-cup cheese on top:

Sprinkling cheese on top of pan

Just like that.

And dinner is ready!

It takes about 30 minutes or so, but it’s really fast and easy. If you want, you can cook the spaghetti squash ahead of time (keep reading), refrigerate it, and add it to the pan when the chorizo is cooked. If the spaghetti squash is cold, you may need a few more minutes to let it reheat in the pan before topping it with the cheese.

When I finished, I posted this picture on Instagram:

Chorizo spaghetti squash toss in a bowl with a Splayd

Dinner!

And I tagged Emilie. She saw it and responded that it was one of her favorite recipes from this book. Well, yeah! But really—chorizo. Do we need anything else?

What I Did Wrong

I bet you weren’t expecting to read that. Let me explain.

The recipe was made according to Emilie’s directions. But because we were on a rushed trip to Winn-Dixie, two things were different:

  • I bought salsa, not pico de gallo because that’s what I could find quickly
  • I also couldn’t find the queso fresco quickly so I relied on the Cotija cheese I had in the freezer

Guess what? Both were wrong for this recipe—but it was still delicious!

The salsa I bought:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the magic secret ingredient:

Ingredients of salsa including sugar

See it?

That’s right, sugar. They call it “cane sugar” so they can show that it’s “natural,” and not from high fructose corn syrup. It’s still sugar, though, and it matters if you’re a diabetic watching sugar or you’re just trying to cut down or eliminate your sugar consumption.

The Cotija cheese is tasty but has a stronger taste, similar to Manchego, but not as potent as Feta. Just not the same as Queso Fresco, which has a salty, mild taste. I love Queso Fresco, and BF won’t touch it, so it doesn’t last long when I buy some. Fortunately, the recipe only calls for a half-cup of cheese as a topping, so it doesn’t overwhelm. I was looking forward to the milder cheese taste.

A subsequent trip revealed that our local Winn-Dixie simply doesn’t carry Queso Fresco, but Walmart does, along with pico de gallo. Good thing, because there’s suddenly a lot more Spanish spoken in Walmart here than before. No kidding.

Because BF was gone on a recent weekend, I made it again with the “right” ingredients. (He still won’t touch it.) I made my own chorizo because I didn’t have any but did have ground pork in the freezer. Really good both ways, but I’ll stick with the recipe next time.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Chorizo & Spaghetti Squash Toss in Large pan on stove
Amy

Chorizo & Spaghetti Squash Toss

From Easy Dirty Keto by Emilie Bailey, Page 125 (c. 2022)
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, about 2½ to 3 pounds, or four cups cooked spaghetti squash
  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo, casings removed
  • 1 cup pico de gallo
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ cup Queso Fresco (fresh Mexican crumbling cheese)

Method
 

  1. Carefully cut the ends off the squash, then slice it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, then place the squash halves cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for ten minutes, or until the squash is soft and fork-tender.
  2. While the squash is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chorizo to the skillet. Break apart the chorizo with a spoon and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pico de gallo and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.
  3. When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the strands with a fork, and add them to the skillet. Season with the salt, and toss with the chorizo mixture until warmed through.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat, top the mixture with queso fresco, and serve.

I have updated the chorizo blog post with a printable recipe for that, too.

Notes About Spaghetti Squash

Emilie calls for microwaving the spaghetti squash here. And for this recipe, it works great. But there are other ways to cook this wonderful vegetable if you like it and want to make it for something else.

It’s low-carb and keto and tastes good when cooked correctly. It’s an ideal substitute for wheat-flour spaghetti, and tasty with any kind of spaghetti sauce. But of course, it’s called “squash,” and that puts BF right off eating any. His comment, “I’ll try anything you make” is rendered null and void when anything contains the word or ingredient “squash.”

My first encounter was some 20 years ago with one of Suzanne Somers’s many low-carb cookbooks. Her recipes called for the same prep: cut in half and remove the seeds. But then the recipe called for:

  • Rubbing both cut sides with olive oil
  • Putting them cut side down on a sheet pan
  • Roasting in a 350F oven for an hour

You must wait for the squash to cool before handling it. Or use a thick potholder to hold the halves and scrape out the stringy flesh into a bowl. I can roast a smaller one in the countertop oven easily.

I think the recipe I tried first called for a little salt and pepper with a pat of butter, which is probably my favorite way to eat this squash. If you’re not going to use it or eat it immediately, just put it into a dish and refrigerate it until you’re ready.

Slow Cooking Spaghetti Squash

Another way I found to cook spaghetti squash is in the slow cooker. No kidding, you can totally put your spaghetti squash into your slow cooker—whole—and let it cook on “low” while you’re at work or doing other things. You must poke it with a fork in a few places like a potato, but it cooks up nicely. It’s hot, of course, so be careful cutting it open and scraping out the seeds.

Why would you do that if this recipe calls for microwaving? It’s your choice, really. You can also use the countertop oven to cook one in advance if you wanted. But using the slow cooker also means it’s hands-off and ready when you are, although it does come out softer this way. Again, use immediately or refrigerate.

If you’re making this dish on a busy weeknight, the ready-to-use spaghetti squash can make it a little easier.

However you cook this, it’s delicious in a fantastic Tex-Mex sort of way.

Barbecue Glazed Chicken Tenders, Page 95

This is so easy and tasty with just a few ingredients. Here’s the recipe:

Barbecue Glazed Chicken Tenders

From Dirty Easy Keto, Emilie Bailey, Page 95
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup Sugar-free barbecue sauce
  • ¼ cup Sugar-free peach jam I couldn't find peach, but apricot worked well here.
  • tbsp Sugar-free barbecue rub or seasoning
  • 1 pound chicken tenders

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce, peach jam, and seasoning. Reserve three tablespoons of this mixture for later.
  3. Dip each chicken tender in the sauce mixture and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Place the tenders in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Base the tenders with the reserved sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.
  4. Serve as desired or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

The setup:

Ingredients for barbecue chicken tenders

Again, you don’t need much, and the salt was just sitting there for some reason.

See that sugar-free apricot jam over there? It’s supposed to be peach, but that’s all I could get in Winn-Dixie. It’s close, so I bought some, and it worked just fine. On sale, 2 for $6, with a jar of red raspberry. Because let’s face it, all you need is a spoon, and you have an instant keto dessert.

So. . . .

Preheat the oven to 400F, then line a sheet pan with parchment. I measured out the barbecue sauce in a measuring cup and then kept using it because it was just easier for mixing.

 

Mix the barbecue sauce, jam, and either some BBQ rub or other seasoning. I used a seasoned salt mix I like to make from another book.

One

Two

Mix well

Done!

And take out three tablespoons for later. I can’t find that picture, though. But it gets easier from here.

Barbecue sauce in measuring cup

And you have just enough.

Dip the chicken tenders into the remaining mixture, just like you were breading them:

chicken dipped in sauce

This worked for me really well.

Drop onto the baking sheet:

Then bake it at 400F for about twenty minutes.

Once done, brush with the reserved sauce and give it another five minutes or so.

So what should you serve this with?

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, Page 64

Make this while the chicken is in the oven. I started heating the oil first, took care of the chicken, then went on to make this one.

And if I’d read the directions ahead of time, I would have passed. Why? You’re FRYING them in hot oil on the stove. I’m not saying it’s not tasty—it is. However, I quit frying back in the ’80s, I think. Big mess, dangerous, and all that.

But. . .these little babies are SO GOOD!!!! So if you’re up to it, and you can do it safely, I highly suggest making this recipe—as is.

I can see Aunt Kathy in Texas reading this and saying to herself, “Frying? Yeah, right.” Well, here’s how it went.

The setup

Admittedly, I didn’t realize I’d need so much oil. And the big chili pot I was planning to use would have required several bottles of olive oil, so I used the smaller, 3-quart Dutch oven. Lucky me, I bought it years ago and I’m very happy I did because it’s super handy. I also didn’t have a lot of olive oil, so I used coconut oil with some olive oil, which worked just fine.

Before I started with the chicken, I put the oil in the pot and put the thermometer in with it:

This becomes bubbling hot oil, so be extra careful

You can’t see it in the picture because the inside is so faded, but 400 degrees is at the top.

I bought pre-washed Brussels sprouts, so that was a good thing:

No prep work here

I dropped them into the very hot oil slowly and carefully, half the bag at a time.

Don’t rush this!

And this happened:

They’re frying!

Use your “splatter screen,” not the pot lid, because condensation will drip water back into the hot oil and cause popping and splattering. No.

Saves a lot of mess too

Let them cook for 3 to 5 minutes, the book says. I think the second batch cooked a bit longer, maybe 6 minutes, and they came out a little better.

When you take them out of the oil, put them on a sheet pan lined with paper toweling:

Repeat with a second batch if you need to.

After the frying is completed, sprinkle on a bit of salt:

Not too much

Transfer to your serving dish and sprinkle on a quarter-cup of Parmesan cheese:

A bit more salt:

Then drizzle over the tablespoon of the balsamic reduction:

 

If the chicken isn’t ready, keep this dish warm until it is. But the chicken should be about ready by this time. I stuck the dish into the toaster oven to keep it warm until the chicken was done.

Perfect!

This is a seriously good keto dinner:

Dinner is served!

I admit I was just going to use my default keto recipe, cauliflower rice. And it wouldn’t be bad, either. But Emilie suggests this recipe as an accompaniment, so I made it. I’m glad I did, frying mess and all.

This balsamic reduction is a syrupy condiment based on balsamic vinegar.

Find it with the fancy vinegars

It’s not totally keto, but then, you don’t need much to add a really nice extra touch of sweetness to any dish.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Carmelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
Amy

Carmelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

From Easy Dirty Keto by Emilie Bailey, page 64 (c. 2022)
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • Olive oil, for frying I used olive and coconut because I was nearly out of olive
  • 1 pound prewashed fresh Brussels sprouts, cut in half, dry, and at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic glaze

Method
 

  1. Line a baking sheet with a layer of paper towels for draining. Into a Dutch oven, pour about 1½ inches of oil and heat the oil to 400°F over medium heat.
  2. Put half the Brussels sprouts and any leaves that have fallen off into the hot oil. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring them often until they are dark golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Immediately season with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  3. Bring the oil back up to temperature, add the remaining Brussels sprouts to the oil and repeat step 2.
  4. Place the crispy sprouts on a serving plate, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
  5. NOTE: Emilie says that to ensure that the sprouts come out crispy, and to reduce any splattering, make sure that they are dry and at room temperature prior to frying. Don't use frozen sprouts, since they have much more moisture. Use a screen to control the splattering but don't use a lid, which will make the splattering worse.

Guess what? I made this dinner again, this time for BF, along with the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Whip (keep reading) a couple of weeks ago. I managed to find sugar-free peach preserves, too. He was looking forward to trying this menu and really enjoyed his dinner with dessert. So we have one more “acceptable” keto dinner for BF, thanks to Emilie’s great recipes. We’ll definitely be having this again sometime.

Boogie Cheeseburger Skillet, Page 117

What led me to try this, knowing BF wouldn’t eat it? Well, there’s a lot he doesn’t eat, so there’s that. A couple of other things, too:

  • A lady I’ve known for a long time in nearby Albany calls everyone “Boogie” as a term of endearment. So naturally, the title caught my attention.
  • One recipe called for chipotle mayo, but I wondered where I would find it here. I mean, soy sauce is considered “international food” in our local stores. Walking through our newly renovated Winn-Dixie, I found not only the chipotle mayo, but it was also on sale, so I bought a bottle. It is SO GOOD! Then I went back and found the recipe in the digital book. Warning: it’s got a strong bite. So if peppery is not something you’d like, Emilie says to substitute regular mayo in the sauce and the milder Monterey Jack cheese for the topping.
  • And one recipe called for a poblano pepper, which happened to be growing outside in the paint bucket garden. It was the same recipe, so that was my chance to use it in a recipe before it went bad. I’ve got a couple more growing this late in the year, but I can get poblanos in both Winn-Dixie and Walmart, too.

Then it was a matter of getting a few more ingredients and cooking it.

The Setup

Yes, this is sugar-free ketchup by the same company that makes our favorite barbecue sauce.

Real sugar-free ketchup, and it’s good, too.

Start by preheating the oven to 400F, mix up your mayo, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, and set aside.

Just like that.

If you haven’t chopped anything yet, let me give you a tip: wear gloves for nearly any type of pepper but bells:

My prized poblano

You’ll seed it and cut it into two-inch strips:

 

That’s where the majority of the heat is, the seeds and ribs.

You’ll need a large, oven-safe skillet for this. A cast-iron skillet or stainless one like mine is perfect. Melt the butter, then add the chopped onion and Poblano pepper. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often until the onion is translucent and starts to carmelize.

Remove this from the pan and set it aside. Now start with the ground beef, along with the salt, pepper and garlic powder:

You’re halfway there!

Brown it up really nicely, and break it up into small pieces, which will take about ten minutes:

Then add the requisite cauliflower rice:

The magic ingredient–cauliflower rice! You knew this was coming, right?

Cook until the cauli-rice is no longer frozen, just a few minutes. Then add the onion and pepper back into the pan and stir:

Take the pan off the heat, and stir in about two-thirds of the mayo mixture we made first:

Sprinkle with the cheese:

Put the pan into the oven for five to seven minutes:

The pizza pan on the bottom rack is not needed for this recipe. It just stays in there for storage. There’s no place else to put it, so if we need the bottom rack, we just remove it and put it elsewhere until we’re done.

Done!

Drizzle the reserved sauce on top and dig in.

No, BF wouldn’t eat this either, he told me at the outset. I’ll make it again when he’s working late or I decide he can have his favorite frozen pizza for dinner.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Boogie cheeseburger skillet with Syllabub dessert
Amy

Boogie Cheeseburger Skillet

From Easy Dirty Keto by Emilie Bailey, page 117 (c. 2022). If you like fancy burgers, this one will hit the spot.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup chipotle mayonnaise, plus more for serving You can use plain mayo here if you can't find chipotle mayo or prefer less or no spice
  • 2 tbsp sugar-free ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • ½ onion, cut into ¼" wedges
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 12-ounce bag frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese If you'd like to cut down on the spiciness, use Monterrey Jack instead

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise,ketchup, and Worchestershire sauce and set aside.
  3. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, then add onion and pepper; cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and beginning to carmelize. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  4. Add the beef to the pan, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for about 10 minutes or until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add the frozen cauliflower rice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until there is no liquid left in the pan and the cauliflower rice is tender. Stir the pepper and onion into the beef mixture.
  5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in two-thirds of the mayonnaise mixutre. Top with the shredded cheese. Put the skillet into the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese melts. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and drizzle with the remaining sauce.

Mint-Chip Ice Cream Whip, Page 137

Let me just say that this is a total “cheat” of a recipe. It’s a prime example of “dirty keto,” since it’s not what you’d call “clean eating” under any circumstances. And I wouldn’t have considered it unless Emilie or another keto writer suggested it.

I’m talking about Cool Whip. It now comes in a version called Zero Sugar.

If you serve this dessert in fancy little dessert cups or glasses, I suggest calling it Syllabub.” Chances are no one will know what that means, and it will sound posh. Maybe even French posh.

I’m not a fan of frozen non-dairy dessert toppings, even if it’s sugar-free. But now and again, this might just be what you need to hit the spot. As Emilie describes, it’s not really ice cream, just a little ice-cream-esque dessert that comes together quickly.

The prep for this one calls for putting the Cool Whip into the fridge for four hours to thaw. Don’t let it sit out or microwave this stuff because it will separate. Why? It’s non-dairy, and this commercial from about ten years ago (“Oil? Or Cream?” ) explains the difference. Read more on Kraft’s website.

Oh, and one more thing: I couldn’t get the white chocolate sugar-free pudding here, so I used regular chocolate sugar-free pudding. This, too, worked fine. The setup:

Once your Zero Sugar Cool Whip is sufficiently thawed to a soft texture, dump it into a bowl:

Add in the rest of the ingredients:

I did measure this into a pinch bowl that’s off-camera. I was doing this by myself with my iPhone on a tripod taking my own pictures.

Chop the mint patties up fine:

Add them:

And discover that the bowl you picked up is too small, so you switch to a larger one because it all fits in the dishwasher:

Fold carefully to mix:

Add it back to the Cool Whip container and stash it in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Mint Chip Ice Cream Whip in Cool Whip Bowl

There you are! Your fancy and posh dessert–if nobody peeks in the freezer, of course.

When it’s stiffened up a bit, it’s ready to dish out and serve.

Don’t serve it from the Cool Whip container if you’re trying to be fancy and call it syllabub. However, if you collect this fine piece of culinary Americana, here’s another reason to add to your “collection.”

And if you’re a fan of regular Cool Whip, here’s a new dessert for you, whether you’re eating keto or not. I’m sure it would work well with the regular stuff, too. If you try it, leave a comment about it.

The first time I made it, I mentioned it to BF and offered him some. He declined. Amazing, because he’s a huge fan of the power of Listerine. But with the chicken and Brussels sprouts for dinner, he was open to trying some, and he really enjoyed a dish of this fast and non-fancy keto dessert.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Mint Chip Ice Cream Whip in Cool Whip Bowl
Amy

Mint Chip Ice-Cream Whip

From Easy Dirty Keto by Emilie Bailey, page 137 (c. 2022)
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 8-ounce Container sugar-free whipped topping, thawed Do this by leaving in the fridge for four hours--don't leave it out or microwave
  • 2 tblsp Sugar-free white chocolate pudding mix I used sugar free chocolate because I couldn't find white chocolate.
  • ½ tsp Peppermint Extract
  • 3 sugar-free peppermint patties, finely chopped

Method
 

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the whipped topping, (save the container), pudding mix, and peppermint extract and stir together well.
  2. Fold in the chopped peppermint patties and return the mixture to the whipped topping container.
  3. Put the container in the freezer for at least 2 to 3 hours for an ice cream-like consistency.

About Peppermint Extract

Be VERY careful not to add too much. Otherwise, the finished dish will taste like toothpaste. I speak from experience here. The mint can overpower everything else, so measure carefully, and not over the bowl. Now, do you see why I prep everything beforehand? You can’t add too much when it’s already measured into a small dish or pinch bowl.

Yes, I did that, but I didn’t stage the picture right. I was by myself, as usual, and I had to stand around the tripod.

Verdict: It’s A Great Book!

Easy Dirty Keto is a really nice cookbook to have in your collection. If you aren’t looking for dirty keto, I still recommend Emilie’s book. The recipes are easy, and most of the recipes don’t need a large number of ingredients. Plus, the food is so good that even non-keto folks can still enjoy them. Even BF!

When I had the opportunity to review Emilie’s first book, The Southern Keto Book, my first thought was something along the lines of, “Keto and Southern? Oh, come ON!” Of course, you know how that went, and now I’m a total fangirl.

Keto or not, I feel like these recipes are real comfort food. At least, that’s what I felt like when I made them and then enjoyed eating them. No kidding. Even though I grew up in New Orleans, the cuisine just isn’t appealing to me anymore, plus all the excess starch of rice and potatoes and the like. I liked Tex-Mex early on, and it’s what I’ve liked since the late ’80s. Nobody understands that here, but I’m sure Emilie does.

Delicious food is the best reason for buying any cookbook, isn’t it?

Is Easy Dirty Keto The End?

Emilie and her family are on a working game ranch in Texas. That’s probably the reason you can find several venison and wild game recipes on her website. While she’s enjoyed sharing her keto journey with readers, another book may be out of the question. We hope not, of course, but we’re thankful for the four she’s published. Read her blog, you’ll see that her blog and cookbooks are a “side hustle.” Like a lot of modern authors, she has a “day job” and writes on the side.

Should this be Emilie’s last book, I would just say thank you to Emilie for four great books with delicious food to enjoy for years to come. All four have become favorites with us, and even BF likes many of the dishes I’ve made. No more canned soup if he wants something better.

Emilie didn’t say anything about discontinuing her blog. Like me, Emilie doesn’t blog regularly. That’s OK—Emilie’s website is a huge collection of delicious keto recipes that aren’t in any books, to my knowledge. Those aforementioned venison recipes will be tried next time someone brings over deer or something. (It’s happened a few times, and deer roast is quite easy in the Instant Pot.) If you’re so inclined, sign up at her website (right-hand side, scroll down a little over halfway.)

Maybe one day we can make the trip to visit Emilie’s ranch in Texas. When we do, there will be a full blog post here with lots of pictures.

Enjoy!

 

Crab cakes with roasted potatoes and ketchup
Crab Cakes In The Air Fryer

Crab cakes in your air fryer? Yes—and they’re pretty good. Of all the versions of crab cakes you can find, this one is simple and easy to make. And if you want, it’s gluten-free, too. (Note: plenty of live affiliate links included today.)

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Hi Again, Dear Readers:

Here’s hoping you had a great Labor Day. I sewed for most of the day, but I’d imagine Miss Alice, who is a teacher in HISD, slept in. Can’t say that I blame any teacher for that.

With fall in our forward sights, I need to use the basil and make some pesto soon. This year’s basil didn’t take off like it normally does, so next year it’s back to buying new plants or starting seeds inside. I was kind of proud of saving and propagating two cuttings from last year’s crop, but it just didn’t work well.

I’ll use up the basil, more mint, and some leftover parsley from this weekend’s recipe to make one or two batches of pesto for the freezer.

Parsley for crab cakes on cutting board with knife

Most of this will be for pesto.

I only needed this much:

Measured parsley for crab cakes

That’s it.

Thankfully, I’ve got a big pesto stash in the freezer from the last two or three years to hold me over. I just need to stock up on frozen peas.

Hungry? Let’s get started.

Finding A New Recipe

OK, this is part procrastination, and part “you need to know about this.”

Friday afternoon, I found a new recipe for crab cakes on Instagram and I just had to make some for us. BF, as always, was skeptical. After all, he can always have a ham sandwich or bowl of cereal if he doesn’t like what I made. But not this time.

For this occasion, I pulled out our little air fryer from the back of the cabinet.

Farberware Air Fryer, 1.9 quarts, sitting on counter

It’s not much, but it works.

If you’ve not seen my previous blog post on the air fryer, you can read it here. At first, Neighbor E said he wasn’t getting an air fryer, but eventually, he decided to get one.

Air fryer from Neighbor E

Nice, isn’t it?

E’s air fryer is a 2.5 quart, while ours is 1.9 quart. Most are not terribly expensive, and many are under $100. There’s even a Pioneer Woman branded 6.3-quart model. You can find them as big as 8 quarts or even more. Some have two baskets, so you can air fry two things separately at once, like burgers and French fries.

I bought ours for $30 two years ago. It now costs $50 in the store at Walmart but shows up as $40 on their website. If I was going to spend $50 on an air fryer, I’d get a bigger one. We may buy a bigger model one day, but for now, I’ll use this little dinky one.

The Crab Cakes Recipe

This comes from a blog called DanniMade Kitchen, and you can read Danni’s bio here. The Dash Company featured it on their ByDash Instagram account to show off their air fryer. It’s a quick and simple recipe that’s tasty, and you can make it anytime.

To make it easy, I’m putting the recipe here so you can print it and take it to the grocery with you. Heck, I need to print one for myself so I can add it to my notebook of recipes I have on the bookshelf.

 

Crab cakes with roasted potatoes and ketchup
Amy

Air Fryer Crab Cakes

A quick and delicious recipe from DanniMadeKitchen.com
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces lump crabmeat you can also use canned crab meat
  • 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs gluten-free Panko also works well
  • 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1 to 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Hot sauce of choice I used Tabasco Chipotle for the flavor but not heat
  • 1 egg, beaten

Equipment

  • 1 air fryer Cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer; you may need to cook in batches

Method
 

  1. Mix all ingredients together until evenly combined. if the mixture is too wet, sprinkle more Panko breadcrumbs until they reach the desired texture and are easier to shape into patties.
  2. Form into six even balls, and lightly flatten balls to create patties,
  3. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place the patties in an even layer inside the fryer basket. Spray lightly with oil then cook for six to eight minutes at 400F.
  4. Serve patties hot, warm, or at room temperature with tartar sauce, ketchup, or condiment of your choice for dipping.

 

So here are the ingredients:

Ingredients for air fryer crab cakes

The setup. Don’t tell BF about the Greek yogurt!

I made one change, and that was to use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. I found them at Rouses, but I’ve bought them at our local Winn-Dixie before.

Longtime readers know I always like to measure everything out before I get started.

Measured ingredients for crab cakes

Ready to roll.

I do this even when I’m not taking pictures for a blog post because it just makes the process easier. Additionally, there’s no risk of “oops, I put too much salt” or something else in the mixing bowl, pot, etc. Then it’s one-two-three and you’re on your way.

Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa recommends cracking each egg into a separate bowl before you add it into your recipe. This is in case you get a bad egg, and you don’t ruin the entire recipe. I usually do that, too, although I’ve never found a bad egg.

Once you’ve got everything taken care of, it’s time to get started.

In the original recipe, Danni lists eight ounces of lump crab meat from Whole Foods. On Instagram, Dash lists “eight ounces of lump crab meat.” Of course, when Amy was buzzing through our Rouses on a busy Saturday after running errands, she read “eight ounces of canned crabmeat.” So that’s what I bought.

And it worked just fine.

Drain the Crabmeat

The cans are 6 oz, but once you drain the liquid off, it’s about 4½ ounces of crab meat. That’s why I bought 2, which comes to just over 8 oz.

Crabmeat in strainer for crab cakes

Danni says that if the mixture is just a little too wet, add a little more of the panko. I drained the crabmeat as best I could, pressing it with my hands to squeeze out more of the liquid.

Amy's hand pressling liquid out of crabmeat

Quick drain

I didn’t spend too much time on that task, so the resulting mixture was a bit damp. Decided to add one or two more tablespoons of the panko, and that was perfect. The mixture must stick together like ground beef, or it will fall apart in the air fryer basket.

Bottom line is that if you can get fresh crab meat, great, but if not, the canned is available. I also know from another book by keto author Jen Fisch that Trader Joe’s has affordable crab meat in their own freezer section.

Mix And Air Fry

Really, once you have all the ingredients measured and the parsley chopped, it comes together quickly.

Ingredients in mixing bowl

Just mix it and it’s ready.

Mix well, and pat down into the bowl:

Crab cake mixture in mixing bowl

Like this

Separate the mixture into 6 sections like you would ground beef:

Crab cake mixture in six sections

Like this.

 

And shape them into little patties.

Shaping balls into crab cake patties

Easy!

Crab cake patties

The cutting board makes it easy.

Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with oil.

Spraying air fryer basket for crab cakes

Just like you would with a frying pan, really

My air fryer’s instructions say to preheat it for five minutes before cooking. So if yours says that, do so now. Then spray the patties with oil.

Spraying crab cake patties with oil

Right before you cook them.

 

Add the crab cakes into the basket and cook at 400F degrees for about ten minutes. With my little air fryer, I had to do this in batches, but that’s OK. I put them into the countertop oven to keep them warm until dinnertime.

They really do come out nice and crispy and tasty.

Cooked Crab cakes

Tah-dah!

What to serve with it? Well, I made some Triston’s potatoes in the big oven:

Cut potatoes on a sheet pan in an oven

These went well with the crab cakes.

Of course, if you’re making a keto dinner, you’ll have something else.  The frequent rain means a not-so-hot summer, so it was OK to turn on the big oven. As always, they were delicious.

Crab cakes with roasted potatoes and ketchup

Dinner is served.

Danni suggests serving these with tartar sauce. BF didn’t want tartar sauce, so he didn’t buy a bottle. I just had some sugar-free ketchup with mine, and BF had his regular ketchup.

We both enjoyed dinner that night, with a thumbs-up to make them again sometime.

About The Oil

One of the more prominent features of air fryers is that they only need a small amount of cooking oil. But you still need some oil for most recipes. The difference is that compared to regular deep frying, you don’t need nearly the amount of oil that’s required to get the crispy texture.

Additionally, remember the quality of oil you use is also important. We use a lot of olive and coconut oils even when the recipe calls for vegetable oil. That’s because vegetable oil, which is toxic hydrogenated soybean oil, is banned at the Casa de Rurale.

You can use cooking spray, or get an oil sprayer, which sprays a fine mist of whatever oil you put in it.

Olive oil in a can and oil sprayer

Buy it or get a sprayer, your choice.

Olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil cooking sprays are available now, so it’s easy to use them. But oil sprayers easily and inexpensively do the same thing.

That white one in the picture is from the old Martha Stewart Everyday line at Kmart. I used to have two, but I think I threw one out. Only when I went to use the second one did I discover that you’re not supposed to fill it more than halfway full. You pump the cap a few times to build up the pressure and that’s what propels the oil through the sprayer nozzle. Works perfectly.

I recently washed it to get the old oil out and refilled it with fresh oil. I don’t know how long it’s been sitting since I moved here. Now that it’s clean and refilled, it still works perfectly.

But Amy, I Don’t Have An Air Fryer

Well, nobody said you had to use an air fryer. Like the Instant Pot, it’s 110v vs. 220v. It’s a neat little appliance that offers another way to cook meals. Some folks have reconfigured nearly all their cooking to the air fryer. They are devotees. An air fryer is not a bad thing, but not an absolute necessity.

I’m thinking about Aunt Ruth and Aunt Kathy dismissing the idea of getting an air fryer for this type of thing. Really, though, you don’t need one to enjoy these tasty crab cakes.

If you have a toaster/countertop oven or even a regular oven that has a convection setting, you already have an air fryer. But even if you don’t, there’s no reason why you can’t make them either in a 350F degree oven, or even in a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil.

Other Alternatives

Have a countertop grill like the Cuisinart Griddler? You can also fry them this way. There’s also the sauté function on your Instant Pot if you’re itching to use yours. If you’re lucky enough to have one with an air fryer lid, that would likely work too. I can’t see pressure cooking as a benefit to this recipe. But if you’re on a generator, as we were a year ago, the Instant Pot sauté function and the countertop grill are both good options for frying them.

You’ll still need to use a little oil. So don’t be afraid to use some however you cook them.

If you decide to make these crab cakes, I do hope you enjoy them as we did. It’s another recipe to add to our regular dinner rotation, long as we have some crabmeat and a few other ingredients available. There are two crabmeat recipes we like, so I guess I need to stock up on a few more cans. I don’t want to disappoint BF if he decides we should have crab cakes again.

Much as we both enjoyed them, BF says that they should be served alongside fried fish, as you would see in a restaurant. Maybe next time.

Incidentally, I told Neighbor E about this recipe on Saturday when I was making dinner. But because he no longer has a Facebook account, I had to send him two screenshots so he could see the recipe. He says he’ll try them one day this week.

Coming Soon

Labor Day is over, and so is “summer,” officially. All the fall décor is out at Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and every other retailer in the US. Next month is when retailers begin up-shifting for the holidays. They’ll shift into top gear the day after Thanksgiving when the fall frou-frou goes on sale for 50% or more off.

Here in the South, we know that cooler weather won’t be coming for a while. We’re still going to experience heat, humidity, and of course, mosquitoes for quite some time. But I’ll soon be sewing up fall things, including a sweater, this weekend because one day we’ll wake up and it’s chilly again.

I’m late on the Easy Dirty Keto book review, I know, but it’ll be worth the wait. It’s already a long blog post, and I just need to finish it up and load it and the pictures into the website. Plus, I have a couple more topics in the draft queue that I need to finish up soon.

Our sixth anniversary is on the 15th of this month, and I’m wondering what kind of nice dinner to make for BF that day. It’s not a “wedding anniversary,” but our date for getting together. I say we celebrate six years together no matter what. I’ll find something. I’ll blog it if I do anything spectacular.

As always, if there’s a topic you’d like me to research and write about, let me know.

Happy Dining!

 

Baked blackberry galette
Blackberry Cheesecake Galette

Are you a blackberry fan? I’ve got a great dessert recipe for your upcoming Labor Day outing, or just anytime you want something easy, sweet, and tasty.

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Hello again, Dear Readers:

How did it happen that it’s the end of August? Well, while were busy with other things, Father Time kept moving. Labor Day is Monday, and that kicks off the fall season in the US. Kids go back to school, fall fashions arrive, regular schedules resume, and the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) returns to Starbucks. Then social media memes about pumpkin spice everything arrive, as well as other products with the flavors and spices of pumpkin pie.

Cooler weather will be coming to the South sometime around late October to mid-November, whereas our neighbors above the Mason-Dixon Line will be reaching for their winter gear in the next few weeks. Until then we can still enjoy some summery things, like today’s featured recipe from The Pioneer Woman Magazine. I know, I’m late doing this one. I finally got around to not only buying the ingredients but also baking the thing. BF is happily licking his paws and enjoying it this week.

I’m also late writing this post because for the last two weeks we’ve experienced a serious “rainy season.” No kidding, long periods of heavy rain every day, which takes down the Internet for a while. The rain kept the temperature in the low 80s, so I did turn on the big oven once or twice.

Flooded land

See? The Brazos River returns, and this was a couple of hours after the rain ended.

Never fear—I’m told that there’s a new Internet company that’s installing fiber optic cables in the area, and they’re going to be installing them on our little country road soon. After five years of the Internet that’s knocked out every time clouds roll in, I’m hoping for better service. Maybe I can finally use my little MagicJack and the (now-discontinued) Plantronics phone instead of just the iPhone app.

Prime Time For Hurricanes

It’s been a year since our Hurricane Ida adventure started. We survived that, plus The Big Freeze in February, so maybe we’ll survive anything—we’ll see.

Others aren’t so fortunate and are still not back in their homes nearly a year later. Many don’t know when they’ll be going home again.

Hurricane season isn’t yet over, because it runs to November 1st. But this is the time of the year (August through late September) to keep an eye out for things happening in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the same season where other storms have happened:

  • Hurricanes Laura and Marco, 2020 (there were more, and the National Weather Service ran out of names)
  • Hurricanes Gert, Harvey, Maria, and Irma, 2017
  • The Big Flood in Southern Louisiana, 2016 (not a hurricane but a weather system just as destructive, even this far north of the coast)
  • Hurricane Ike, 2008 (Houston and Galveston were seriously impacted; I was in New Orleans with The E Man and his wife for nine days)
  • Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005 (I drove through the Rita evacuation to Austin, it took 11 hours)
  • Hurricane Ivan, 2004

Just to name a few. We’re ready, we think, especially with all the tea light candles I bought last year, but I also think we need to stock up on batteries soon. As one of my Boeing Brothers posted on Facebook over the weekend, there are things that happen, and you don’t think about those possibilities ahead of time. He shared it on the date they were devastated by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. He and his family had to quickly evacuate their home with what they could carry, including three cats and two dogs, one of which didn’t make it out.

If you’re thinking about hurricane preparation (better late than never), here are some checklists:

If it sounds like I’m becoming a “doomsday prepper,” then I’ll take it after two power-out periods last year. Better ready than being caught unaware, right? Ask anyone who went through Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

I’ve got a post coming up that can help with those possibilities, too.

Hatch Chiles

Recently I headed to our local Winn-Dixie for a few things and bought a couple of Hatch Chiles. I was so happy to see the display:

Hatch chile display in Winn Dixie

They’ve arrived!

However, I went back last Friday and planned to buy more, but they were gone. One of the very nice employees said that they were all spoiled and had to be thrown out. I said, “because nobody knows what they are and I’m the only one who bought them?” She nodded.

What do I need to do—start a PR campaign?

Albertson’s and Rouses will have some, and maybe the Winn-Dixie in Hammond, too. Walmart hasn’t carried them locally, but they do have Anaheim chili peppers from Mexico all year around.

Another Year Of Blackberries

As I’ve done for the last couple of years, I picked the wild (and free) blackberries that grow around here.

Even more berries growing on vines

I pick as many as I can reasonably reach.

I walk out with my colander, suited up with gloves, heavy jeans, and my knee-high black Muck Boots to pick them. (The vines have sharp thorns on them.) Once inside, I wash them gently, drain them, and put them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then I put the tray into the big freezer on top of everything and let them freeze. If you just toss them into a freezer bag, they’ll freeze into a huge block, and you can’t get them apart to eat or use.

When that’s done, I start adding them to a large Ziplock bag, marked with the date I started the bag, and of course, the contents. The berries are frozen until I am ready to use them. This year’s harvest was pretty good:

Bag of blackberry harvest 2022

Look at all those berries!

I guess I’d have more of them if I would quit eating them and hand-feeding a few to Buddy (aka “Broccoli Stirfry”) when we went outside.

What To Do With The Blackberries

I like the bragging rights that the blackberries are “organic,” because we just let them grow on their own, and they’re “locally grown,” because they’re right outside. They’re picked for our own consumption, and certainly not for sale.

BF never paid attention to them until I found out that blackberries were growing wild. Then I let him know not to mess with the vines until blackberry season ended. Mother Nature provides you with fresh, free fruit—why wouldn’t you pick and enjoy them? Respect the berries, pick them, and freeze them for later. They thaw nicely in the fridge for a day or so, or you can leave them out on the counter for a little while. Don’t leave them too long or they’ll get mushy.

You may remember in my review of Emilie Bailey’s The Southern Keto Book that I made Granny’s Blackberry Cobbler. I still make it occasionally, and both BF and I really enjoy it.

Slice of blackberry cobbler

It is as good as it looks.

But sometimes, BF doesn’t want the keto/gluten-free/sugar-free stuff. He wants “the real thing, with real flour and sugar.” Lucky for me, Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, came through with a recipe in the Summer 2022 edition of her magazine on page 80: the Blackberry Cheesecake Galette.

Warning: today’s recipe isn’t keto, low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, or in any way “diet” or “healthy.” Except for the use of the blackberry.

What’s A Galette?

Well, it’s like a pie but a bit simpler. Made free-form, it’s a French-style dessert that just has crust with an open top. You can see a short explanation on Delighted Cooking. If you want something more thorough, Wikipedia has a detailed explanation.

Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, has a recipe that’s similar, called Apple Crostata, which is also very good.

In Ree Drummond’s case, her galettes use an ingenious shortcut: store-bought pre-made pie crusts. So that’s what I did. BF is enjoying the second one piece by piece as he did with the first one.

The magazine has recipes for three different fruit galettes:

  • Blackberry Cheesecake, pages 80-81
  • Blueberry-Raspberry, page 82
  • Strawberry Basil, page 83

All three use the same basic crust iteration, and different fillings with fruit, sugar, and cornstarch. They also start out by using the bottom of a baking sheet, adding parchment paper, sticking the two crusts together, and rolling them to a 12-inch circumference.

Note that these recipes are not on her website, but there are five other fruit galette recipes there. On the affiliated Tasty Kitchen collaborator website, there are a total of 79 recipes for galettes, both sweet and savory, as well as 276 blackberry recipes.

I haven’t tried the other two galettes myself, but I think nearly any sweet (or even savory) filling you tossed together would work well in this crust. Make sure to leave a two-inch border when adding the filling to the crust so you can fold it up easily.

Making The Blackberry Cheesecake Galette

So, let me just say that it does take a bit of prep work to get this going, especially since I prefer to measure things ahead of time. But the smile on BF’s face makes it totally worth the trouble. He’ll keep me around for this one, even if I didn’t do it exactly correctly.

Here’s the printable recipe, re-typed from the magazine’s instructions.

Baked blackberry galette
Amy

Blackberry Cheesecake Galette

From the Summer 2022 edition of The Pioneer Woman Magazine, page 80-81
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling time 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 14-ounce package of refrigerated pie dough
  • 2 cups blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Method
 

  1. Place an oven rack in the bottom position and preheat to 400F. Flip over a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Unroll the pie dough on a work surface, then stack the two rounds, gently pressing to adhere. Roll out into a 12-inch round and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
  2. Combine the blackberries, cornstarch salt, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl and gently mix until the cornstarch has dissolved
  3. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, egg yolk, remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into another medium bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes
  4. Use a slotted spoon to remove six or seven blackberries into a separate bowl. Spoon the remaining blackberry mixture into the center of the pie dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Drizzle the cream cheese mixture on top, leaving the border uncovered. Gently fold in and pleat the dough edge, taking care not to rip it. Scatter the reserved blackberries on top of the filling. Brush the crust with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
  5. Bake the galette until the crust is a deep golden brown, the cheesecake is set and the blackberries are slightly bubbling through the cheesecake in spots, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the galette cool completely about 1 hour.

So, gather up your ingredients, including your blackberry bowl:

Ingredients for blackberry cheesecake galette

The setup

Preheat your oven to 400F, with the oven rack in the bottom position. Flip over a baking sheet and add a length of parchment paper on top, weighing it down so the paper doesn’t fly off.

Baking sheet and pie dough

Like this

Unroll your pie crusts and stack them on a work surface—a cutting board, or another flat thing.

Unrolling pie crusts

This isn’t how you’re supposed to do this, but it was at night.

Now the second:

Stacking two pie crusts

Just like that. . .I think.

Here’s where I went wrong: you’re supposed to use a rolling pin and roll them out to a 12-inch round and get them to stick together. But because “rolling pin” isn’t in the recipe directions, I didn’t think about using one. So I just kind of pressed them together by hand to make them stick:

Flattening the pie crusts

Like this

It worked OK. Next time. Now move that base onto your parchment paper, if you’re using a flat surface, and go fiddle with the blackberry mixture:

Ingredients for blackberry filling

The setup, part 2. The reason the coffee cup is upside down is to let me know that my coffee is all set up and ready to go, all I have to do is push the button in the morning.

Add the berries, cornstarch salt, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, lemon zest, and a tablespoon of our lemon juice into a bowl.

Adding cornstarch to blackberry mixture

Just like this.

Carefully mix them so you don’t mess up the berries (especially if you use thawed frozen ones as I did.)

Mixing blackberry mixture

Careful!

Mix until the cornstarch dissolves, set it aside, and move on to the cheesecake part.

Ingredients for the cheesecake topping mixture for blackberry cheesecake galette

The setup, part 3

Into another bowl, add the 3 ounces of cream cheese, a tablespoon of sour cream, vanilla, the egg yolk, the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and the rest of the lemon juice. Use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to blend that well, two to three minutes.

Mixing the cheesecake topping for the blackberry cheesecake galette

LIke this

Now you’re ready to bake.

Galette Assembly

First, remove a few berries from the other bowl and set them aside. These will make the top look pretty.

Removing a small amount of blackberries into a small white bowl

Mine aren’t quite as photogenic, but they sure are tasty.

Then add the rest to the flat piecrust, leaving a two-inch border for the up-folding.

Adding blackberry mixture to pie crust

Careful! Especially if your baking sheet isn’t flat.

Grab a roll of paper towels, because the blackberry liquid is now running all over the place. (Thank heavens it’s pink and not red. Next time I’m using the inside of the baking sheet or buying new ones.) No, I didn’t get a picture of that–I was busy trying to catch all that dark pink liquid rolling down the stove.

At this point I transferred the galette and the parchment paper to a flat baking sheet with an air cushion underneath that I’ve had for many years but ruined on the first use. Parchment paper makes everything all right.

Now carefully drizzle the cream cheese mixture over the berries, keeping it within the confines of the center and away from the two-inch border. Start folding the border inward, creating a nice looking. . .ok, whatever you can do with it, but don’t tear or rip the pie crust.

Folded piecrust on blackberry cheesecake galette

Post-cleanup. Obviously, I’m not a pastry chef.

If you haven’t done so already, beat the whole egg, and brush it on the crust you just folded up over the side:

Brushing egg white on galette

Carefully

And sprinkle some coarse sugar on top of the egg-washed crust area:

Sprinkling coarse sugar over crust

This is the coarse sugar, not the granulated we used in the fillings.

The coarse sugar gives the galette a nice, crunchy crust when it’s done. Into the oven for 30 to 35 minutes:

Galette baking in oven

He’ll be enjoying it soon as it cools.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, the cheesecake part is set, and the blackberries are bubbling up through the cheesecake part in spots. Alternately, you can just wait until it oozes all over your baking sheet and your oven like I did:

Baked blackberry galette

Right out of the oven!

I think I forgot to take more pictures at this point. BF was sniffing around during the commercials during that gory “true crime” show he was watching. But using a large spatula or two, transfer the galette to a baking rack and let it cool completely, which will take an hour or so. If you try to eat it right out of the oven, you know you’ll be paying for it with terrible mouth pain for days, right?

Oh, and you’ve got a bit of a mess to clean up. But it’s totally worth the trouble:

Big mess in the sink after finishing the galette

You know you always have this after making a delicious thing like this one.

Let  cool, then slice it into six or eight slices (or even twelve if you’re trying to serve more people.) I found that my large round pizza cutter made the job simple. Packed up pieces in individual containers for BF to take with his work meals and enjoy some then. He’s already let one coworker try a bite–thumbs up.

Whether you’re having a little get-together or going to a Labor Day celebration, the Blackberry Cheesecake Galette will be a favorite. Ask BF, and he’ll tell you.

Until Next Time

I’ve finally finished testing five recipes for Emilie Bailey’s newest (and possibly final) cookbook, Easy Dirty Keto. BF refused to try any of the recipes this time, including dessert. I’ve had no other willing taste-testers around. So you’ll have to go on my comments alone.

Miss Alice in Houston also has her own copy of the book but hasn’t yet tried anything. However, she’s anxious for her and her daughter N to have some new and easy recipes to enjoy, irrespective of keto. Since she’s a teacher, and N is a teenager, school started last week, and it’s now “crunch time” for them both. I asked her to let me know what they try and how they like the recipes. Maybe I can talk her into some pictures, too.

Once I finish writing and uploading all the pictures, you’ll be able to see what some of these new “dirty keto” recipes are like. Even if BF wouldn’t taste any. I’m sure I’ll eventually find something that will please his ornery, manly, and non-keto taste buds.

I’ll also tell you more about our newly renovated Winn-Dixie soon. It’s in the same building and has the same floor space but seems to have doubled in size. Our little store has a wider variety of things than before and may also mean less driving for me to find ingredients that were not previously available locally.

Until then, Happy Dining!

 

 

Teapot with tea in the cup
The Tea Blog, Part 3

In this final installment on tea, I show you a few more teas and the contents of the box LH sent from California.

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Hi, again, Dear Readers:

I promise this is the last blog post on tea, for now. If I find something new I’ll let you know. Besides, there are plenty of other subjects in the pipeline. Missed the previous posts? Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here.

Beverly’s Chanterelle Mushrooms

Our friend Beverly is currently enjoying a plethora of fresh chanterelle mushrooms, which she is fortunate enough to find on her property. There are occasional mushrooms growing here at the Casa de Rurale, but they don’t look like that. I’m afraid of finding the wrong kind of mushroom so I don’t even bother. Beverly says that they smell fruity, like apricots, so that’s a strong indicator.

She and her husband harvest them daily and dry them:

mushrooms drying on a wood block

Look at all the mushrooms!

Beverly will either use these delicious morsels immediately or dry them like this. Chanterelle mushrooms don’t last once they’re picked, so they need to be used that day or dried for longer-term storage. Dried chanterelle mushrooms are available in many grocery stores and online (and at Amazon, of course.) They’re not cheap, so you understand why Beverly is excited about being able to harvest them for free. Same reason I like the wild blackberries that arrive in late April and finish in late June.

Coming Soon: Easy Dirty Keto

I’m now in possession of a review copy of Emilie Bailey’s new Easy Dirty Keto cookbook, (thank you, Emilie!) and it’s looking pretty good so far.

Cover of Easy Dirty Keto Book

Woo hoo!

Spaghetti Squash with chorizo? Oh, YEAH!! (When BF is not home, of course.)

I’ll explain more in a future blog when I’ve had more time to review and of course, try a few recipes. The release date is scheduled for August 23rd, next week. The Kindle version is available now, and you can pre-order the paperback book.

Easy Dirty Keto Cookies and Desserts

Cookies!!!

BF will, of course, be pressed into service as a taste-tester, along with anyone else who shows up at the house when I’m making some of these. Hey–he liked the broccoli cheese soup from Emilie’s Vegetarian Keto book, so there just might be something he likes here, too.

Dirty Keto French Onion Soup

Another great soup recipe?

Most of the ingredients are technically “keto,” or “low carb,” but some are a bit less conventional. Many recipes use ingredients that are technically “low carb,” but not the usual “clean eating” type. Why didn’t anyone tell me that there is now a sugar-free version of Cool Whip?

Emilie made the announcement on Instagram a couple of weeks ago and in her email to her list. This book, she says, is likely to be her last–unfortunately.

Blog post coming. Back to the subject of tea.

Lipton Found

A couple of months ago, I went into the pantry and opened the jar of decaf tea bags that I kept on my desk at Boeing.

jar with variety of decaf tea bags

I kept these on my desk for the afternoons.

It just collected dust. The tea bags are wrapped. The jar has a tight-fitting lid, so the contents were fine.

And then I saw it: three Lipton decaffeinated tea bags, at least ten years old. I remember the original conversation with LH, so I posted this on Facebook and tagged her.

Compendium of tea pictures

The pictures from the original post

She commented, “Omg that Lipton needs to go!!! It wasn’t any good when it was fresh lol!!”

Honestly, I only posted the picture because I thought she’d get a kick out of it, and I was right. Those three tea bags did go out. After trying real British tea, you can’t go back to Lipton. it just doesn’t taste right anymore.

Sorry, Lipton.

The Gift Of Tea And Nibbles

LH said on the post, “send me your address and I’ll send you some good tea.” I did, and a few weeks later, a heavy box arrived. The mail lady, as usual, gave me a funny look.

Box of British tea and sweets

She sent a British grocery!

I wasn’t expecting all this! But LH was very kind and sent me all kinds of delicious British things, some of which I’d never seen before. Obviously, I am very appreciative. I’d like to send her something, but as of yet, I haven’t figured out exactly what.

Understand that LH lives in Southern California, where, like Houston, Dallas, and other big cities, you can buy things like that. (No, not New Orleans, and not Baton Rouge, either, except in Cost Plus World Market–sometimes.) There was the packet of Typhoo (I still can’t find the picture) and Yorkshire tea, LH’s favorite:

Box of Yorkshire tea on stove

A fine tea to have in the morning.

Plus, something I knew about from watching a great Britcom called The Thin Blue Line, but had never tried: Chocolate Hobnobs.

Box of Chocolate Hobnobs

If you’ve never had these before, they’re worth a splurge.

These cookies are the favorite of the show’s protagonist, played by Rowan Atkinson. Oh, my GAWD they are so good!

They are neither sugar-free, gluten-free, nor keto. Save these for an occasional treat, and don’t eat more than two at a time in a 24-hour period. Trust me on this–they are that good, and hard to resist.

There was the shortbread from Scotland which is divine:

Walker's Shortbread

BF loves these and was very appreciative.

We can also get the regular Hobnobs at Cost Plus World Market in Baton Rouge, along with BF’s favorite Jammy Dodgers. I don’t see the chocolate ones there. Yes, Amazon has them too–but if you order them in warm weather the chocolate may melt. I’ll look around next time I’m at Whole Foods or a bigger Rouses to see if maybe they carry them locally.

WF told me later that she likes the regular Hobnobs, but not the Chocolate Hobnobs. Of course, it’s funnier when you hear Rowan Atkinson talk about his Chocolate Hobnobs. They go well with tea or coffee, or in BF’s case, milk.

LH also included a couple of British candy bars, which, thankfully, didn’t melt because it was April and not that hot yet. Cadbury’s Flake is interesting.

Flake candy bar in wrapper

What’s this?

Cadbury Flake bar

It really does flake.

We realized on the second one that it’s crumbly:

Crumbled Flake bar

Eat this carefully.

The other one is also from Cadbury, but called Crunchie:

Cadbury Crunchie Wrapper

Don’t have a picture of the inside of this one, but it’s quite tasty.

The sweets didn’t last long enough for the blog post, although we didn’t have them all at once. We tried to wait. Everything was delicious and appreciated. We enjoyed these with respect.

Earl Grey/Lady Grey Tea

Earl Grey Tea is a specific blend of tea, not a brand. It’s a standard black tea blended with bergamot, a type of citrus fruit. The result is a sweeter type of tea than the usual black teas. This is not to be confused with what’s called “sweet tea” in the south, iced tea with plenty of sugar.

Box of Earl Grey Tea

One of the many Earl Grey brands available

The story goes that this blend of tea was created for Charles Grey, the Earl of Grey, who served as the British Prime Minister from 1830 through 1834. He introduced it to British society, and the tea became well known in the years since. He allegedly saved the life of a Chinese mandarin’s son, and the mandarin sent him a gift of Chinese tea. The Earl requested that a tea vendor re-create it (allegedly teamaker Richard Twinings, according to their website) complete with oil of bergamot, and it’s been Earl Grey Tea ever since.

But the Earl never set foot in China, so there’s that. And it may have been created to cover the taste of hard water in Northumberland.

Lady Grey was created as sort of a counterpoint to Earl Grey by Twinings in 1994, although many brands now have their own version.

Picture of box of Twinings Lady Grey TEa

The counterpoint to Earl Grey

It’s a nice tea that’s permeated with a fresher flavor and distinct orange taste that replaces the stronger bergamot flavor in the Earl Grey variety.

 

Ziplock bag of Lady Grey

So what if they were in a Ziplock bag?

LH didn’t have a box for the tea bags she sent. I just said, “thank you.”

Which One is Better?

If you try them side-by-side as LH suggested, you definitely taste the difference. It’s not that one is necessarily better than the other, although LH’s preference is for Lady Grey tea.

Two Teacups with tea

They’re both delicious!

Comes down to personal preference, as always. As it turned out, I had a box of decaffeinated Twining’s Earl Grey in the pantry from my desk at Boeing.

Four packets of Twinnings decaf Earl Grey Tea

It’s sealed in a plastic-type wrapper.

I have no idea how long I’ve had this tea, but I suspect it was bought between 2010 and 2012. The tea tastes just as good as it did when I first bought it. Twining’s, like a lot of tea manufacturers, puts their tea bags into sealed plastic packets, unlike the porous paper wrappers around Lipton Tea bags.

LH insisted I try them side-by-side, so that’s what I did. They’re both very good but have different and distinctive flavors. Pick the one you like best and enjoy it in your favorite cup.

Green Tea

Then there’s green tea, which is described as having a “vegetal taste.” The first time I tried it (years ago!) my first thought was that it tastes like someone mowed the lawn and brewed the clippings. I know, I know, it has its devotees, and it’s full of antioxidants and the like. It’s the same thing as black tea but not oxidized. Mostly it’s popular in China and Japan, and very caffeinated. If you like green tea, go for it.

But because LH sent me a little box, I decided to try green tea again:

If you sip it without anything in it, that “vegetal taste” comes right through.

Cup of green tea brewing

It’s green.

It’s not like chamomile.

packet of English Tea Store green tea

It’s green.

But if you add cream and a sweetener, it tastes like. . .tea. Your choice. I can’t say that it’s bad, of course, it’s just not as exciting as English Breakfast tea.

Tea Pots

After watching many episodes of multiple British TV series, I eventually bought a few teapots too. Why not? I have some from Cost Plus World Market, and one from IKEA, that I like for the colder months.

picture of IKEA Riklig teapot

A great teapot for any time. (Source: IKEA website)

They also make a smaller version of this teapot, which may be in my next order.

I also started making teapot cozies from a sewing book and I have them for all the teapots. They work well and look good, with obvious American touches like a southwestern print for one of them.

For my birthday last year, I ordered two boxes of Typhoo decaf from The English Tea Store. I also bought myself this little cutie:

Tea for one pot next to measuring ruler

It’s not terribly big. Nor does it hold much tea.

I just didn’t realize it was that small when I ordered.

See, I used to have a “tea for one” set that I bought somewhere in Houston. It held a fair amount with a nice-sized cup. I don’t remember where I got it, and I don’t have it anymore. Decided that I’d get another one because this is what I normally drink tea from these days:

Green tea in a cup with the Texas flag

I have two with a Texas design, bought from Shutterfly with images from Pinterest.

It’s what the British call a “beaker.” With the Texas flag on it, right? So, the little red tea-for-one set, well:

Teapot with tea in the cup

Well, it makes the tea very nicely. Just not very much tea.

Yes, it’s tiny. The price was right, and it’s cute. It will probably go into the china cabinet I’m planning to get from IKEA, one day.

When I sent a picture of it to our friend WF in Turkey she sent back a voice message on Facebook Messenger. Mostly, she was giggling. WF and her husband were very amused at my tiny little red tea-for-one set.

Finding British Tea In America

Well, online, of course, unless you’re lucky enough to live near a place that sells this sort of thing like LH. Two of my favorites are:

 

You can also just do a search to find tea sellers in the US, too. That’s how I found both of those. When Teadog was out of something, The English Tea Store had some.

Remember that import stores that carry multitudes of incredible things from around the globe were just a car ride in Houston. Phoenicia Foods is one of the biggest, and I bought so many things there in addition to tea. Those cookies from Poland were delicious. And they ship, too!

HEB and Central Market, of course, are also repositories of all manner of incredible foods, ingredients, and imported things in the larger stores. Unfortunately, they no longer ship–everything is curbside pickup or delivery if you’re lucky enough to be in the area.

Also, understand that “imported” to a Texan means “from outside of Texas.” 

There’s always Amazon, which is the source of all the affiliate links in the blog. Don’t forget that Amazon is also a great place to research just about anything you’re interested in, even if you don’t buy it there. Be forewarned that sometimes food things sit in an Amazon warehouse for quite a while.

Until Next Time

There’s one person I know who probably won’t try British tea (but maybe the Chocolate Hobnobs if he hasn’t already.) That would be Neighbor E in Houston, bless him, who is a fan of the chai latte, and he makes them at home. Anytime I see this, I think about you, Dude:

Tazo Chai Latte in a box

His drink of choice! (In our local Winn-Dixie.)

Admittedly, when we went to the opening of the big new HEB in Clear Lake, he was right next to me getting free coffee. That’s the only time I ever saw him drink any. Well, it was free, after all.

Tea is a huge world, much like coffee and wine. Finding a new favorite may be as simple as a visit to your local grocery store, or to an online vendor. You can drink a different tea every day and never try every tea available. Once you find one you like, bookmark it and try another one.

Enjoy!

 

 

The Tea Post, Part 2

Tea is wonderful, as discussed in Part 1 of this topic. But today I’ll tell you how I became a fan of British tea, and why it’s better. Better make a pot for this one.

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Hello, again, Dear Readers:

Another week, another “where did the time go” moment. Last week, BF dragged me out of bed early to run an errand in the Baton Rouge area. We were actually in Prairieville, so there was no visit to Trader Joe’s, Joann Fabrics, or Cost Plus World Market. He went to work at 2:00 pm, so we were under a time constraint. We also needed dog food so we didn’t risk becoming dog food.

While Houston–and most of Texas–is still roasting, we’ve been fortunate with plenty of intermittent rain that keeps the temperatures below 90F degrees. If I could “gift” rain to Texas, I would.

I decided to cut this second blog post of tea into two because it’s just that long. Part three is next. But I have some other news first.

RIP: The Boy

On a few occasions, I’ve mentioned a friend of ours I affectionately nicknamed “The Boy.”

Head shot of Triston Pennington

The Boy, aka Triston Pennington

I called him that because, well, we’re old enough to be his parents, but we didn’t mind. His real name is Triston Pennington. A nice guy, well-liked, and had a lot going on with a sense of humor that sneaks up on you. We enjoyed having him over, and he was a favorite dinner guest. He and BF were coworkers and were also occasionally working on something car-related outside of work.

BF and The Boy in a truck

They loved hanging out doing car-guy stuff.

Unfortunately, on Saturday night, it ended. Everyone is stunned. We got the call from their manager just after 3:00 am Sunday morning.

Triston was involved in an accident on the east side of town, and he didn’t make it. He was driving by himself at about 11:00 pm, and we know for certain is that he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. The Louisiana State Police’s investigation is ongoing. The funeral is Friday. Triston’s Dad is dealing with so much, and BF has offered to help. He’ll be picking up Triston’s vehicle this week from the impound yard once the LSP finishes its investigation.

Little Roasty Potatoes

On one occasion, BF notified me that Triston would be joining us for dinner while I was in Hammond. Think fast, Amy! I bought a bag of fingerling potatoes at Rouse’s to roast with whatever else I was making. All it took was a light drizzle of olive oil, a shake of salt, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning on a parchment-lined pan. Mix them to coat, then roast at 425F for an hour in the countertop oven.

The next day, BF came home and told me that Triston really enjoyed the “little roasty potatoes.” When he came back for dinner another time, I cut some larger potatoes down to bite size and did the same thing so he could enjoy them again. Maybe I should call them “Triston’s Potatoes.”

If you are so inclined, please say a prayer for his Dad and everyone who worked with him. We miss him already.

Hatch Chile Days Return

I got a text from Neighbor E this morning. He visited the lovely HEB on Clear Lake City Boulevard and saw the Hatch Chiles on display.

Boxes of Hatch Chiles in HEB

They’re here!!

HEB is supposed to have some Hatch Chile dark chocolate tomorrow. E will be all over that, as I would if I were there.

Rouse’s also has Hatch Chiles, but I haven’t made it to Hammond to get some. BF will definitely be unhappy when I do. They’re only available for a little while, so if you’re a fan, don’t wait to buy yours.

Neighbor E also had a visitor this morning:

Egret on stairway railing

Parked himself on the stair railing.

Egrets are one of the many birds native to the Gulf Coast, as are Great Blue Herons. They’re also weird birds. They just show up anywhere they like. Makes you wonder if they’re related to cats in some way.

Anyway. . .let’s talk tea.

Discovering British Tea

Let me just say that although I love coffee, I also love tea. But now, as I say, I’m picky. Years of watching Britcoms taught me how to make a proper cup of British tea. Except I don’t put lemon in mine.

Many years ago, I was at AWAI’s Copywriting Bootcamp in Delray Beach, FL, where I met many people that I still keep in touch with today. (Thank you, Facebook.) One of them is a British lady, LH, who married an American, and now lives in California.

We were talking one morning over breakfast with another AWAI member from Houston. I happened to mention that they had “real British tea” in the hotel rooms with the coffee supplies. LH replied that she normally just brings her own tea because it usually isn’t. (LH doesn’t like coffee.)

After breakfast, we took a walk down to the closest Publix in Delray Beach, to get some supplies for ourselves and our companion. When we passed that spot in Publix, LH pointed out, “this is real British tea.”

PG Tips

I saw PG Tips in HEB many times, but never paid attention or even bought a box. Turns out, real British tea was right there all along. I said, “Oh, I can buy that at H-E-B when I get home to Houston.”

Picture of Box of original PGTips tea

You may have seen this in your own grocery store. (Source: Amazon)

I did, and it’s delicious! I boiled the water, put the distinctive triangular tea bag in the cup, poured the hot water in, and walked away for a few minutes. Just like you would with Lipton, right? Well. . . .

This must be what Her Majesty’s Royal Air Force pilots drink before they hop into the cockpit of their planes. MAN, that tea is strong!

I worked on the third floor of the Bay Area Building. I felt like I could fly right off that back balcony, singing, I Believe I Can Fly. You get away with that ONE TIME.

I ended up giving the rest of the box to a lady upstairs in ISS who was not only British but drank PG Tips from the time she was small.

It even comes in an extra strong version. Yes, I’ve tried that one time–never again. Avoid anything that makes your teeth wiggle.

Fortunately, PG Tips does come in decaf,

Picture of box of PG Tips Decaf

All of the taste without the jolt.

This decaf tastes exactly like the regular version without staying awake for 36 hours. Maybe next order I’ll get a couple of extra boxes, it’s that good.

I’ve seen small boxes of regular PG Tips available in a few places here; Whole Foods is one. I got the extra strong from Vitacost once.  I keep the real thing around for emergencies where I need to be awake.

I’m out of decaf right now but will be ordering more soon since it’s not available locally. In fact, I only saw small boxes of decaf in The Fresh Market in Houston, once upon a time.

You Only Get The OOOOH! with Typhoo!

Typhoo is another brand of Britain’s finest tea that comes in a very good decaf version. I have some round bags of Typhoo decaf, but LH kindly sent me a packet of the real thing. More on that in the next post.

Picture of Typhoo Tea box

Another delicious tea (source: Amazon)

I can’t find the picture of this one, but the round tea bags come in foil sleeves to keep them fresh. And the decaf Typhoo is also flavorful.

Red tea for one set next to a box of Typhoo Decaf

With a beautiful red tea-for-one set.

Typhoo doesn’t have the heart-racing, mind-altering strength of PG Tips, but it’s still an excellent British tea. TV cooking show host Nigella Lawson made cute commercials for the brand a few years ago. On the company’s website, a quote from her mentions that she never leaves the country without a box of Typhoo in her suitcase. Understandable.

Typhoo Tea has graced Britain’s teapots since 1903. Both regular and decaf are available at Cost Plus World Market, Amazon, TeaDog, and The English Tea Store, as well as some grocery stores. I’ve bought it at the Cost Plus stores in Baton Rouge and New Orleans a few times. I bought it frequently in Houston at the Cost Plus on Bay Area Boulevard.

More Favorites

Our British expat friend WF reminds me that “British Tea” isn’t actually grown in Britain. India, Sri Lanka, and a few other places, yes, but not anywhere in the UK.

The “real British tea” that was in our hotel rooms at the Delray Beach Marriott so many years ago was this:

Box of Scottish Breakfast Tea

This distinguished tea is also delicious.

Scottish Breakfast Tea from Taylors of Harrogate, the company that also makes the delicious Yorkshire tea we also like. (Yorkshire happens to be LH’s favorite.)  After my return to Houston, I found more of this wonderful Scottish Breakfast tea in Central Market. I was so happy I bought a box.

But life went on and I never bought it again, until recently. Amazon carries this amazing tea, in 20 individually wrapped bags, boxes of 50 un-wrapped tea bags like the one in the picture, boxes of 100, and the loose leaf version. However, I can’t drink that every day, it’s too strong, and there’s no decaf.

I bought two 50-count boxes a few months ago from TeaDog.com (more on them in the next blog post.) The Post Office sent one of those great big vans to deliver the tiny little boxes in a small shipping box. I’m stocked for a while.

Scottish Breakfast Tea Is A Type

There are multiple brands of “Scottish Breakfast Tea.” Turns out it’s a blend that goes well with Scotland’s soft waters. It’s made from a blend of Indian Assam and African teas. Taylors of Harrogate just so happens to be the one I’m familiar with, but I’ll happily try another brand one day.

In addition to Yorkshire and Yorkshire Gold teas, the company also makes decaf. It’s equally good, just like the original. Yorkshire Gold tea is an orange pekoe. They even make a Yorkshire tea for hard water, which someone from Houston reviewed on Amazon.

Twinings

This brand of British tea has been around for more than 300 years and is enjoyed worldwide. It’s still run by the same family and has a royal crest. It’s considered the preeminent British tea. Readily available in grocery stores and online, the company produces hundreds of different teas. Many come in K-cups.

Picture of box of Twinings English Breakfast tea, 100 count box

You can find this everywhere.

As far as their English Breakfast Tea, it’s. . .OK, both regular and decaf. Their Irish Breakfast tea is about the same, OK, not great, regular and decaf.

Picture of Twinings Irish Breakfast tea

This one is pretty available, too.

It’s just plain tea. Compared to the other British teas, Twinings doesn’t have the thing that makes you go oooohhh.

Twinings also has Earl Grey, Lady Grey, and just about any other kind of tea blend you can think of. But no Scottish Breakfast. (More on the Grey teas in the next blog.)

The company has a USA site as well as a UK site. The UK site has more gifting and accessories than the US store has, including a nice range of tea ware. Well, maybe I can order this lovely set from that site.

Twinnings Tea For One

Wouldn’t this be nice?

If the currency exchange rate isn’t too bad one day.

Other Brands Of Tea

There are quite a few British teas available in the US, somewhere. Way too many Americans have tried British tea, either on a visit or some other way like me, and do not want the American cuppa anymore. British brands just seem to taste better, and are made for anyone who is serious about their tea.

Admittedly, I keep several brands around, and BF has no idea what they are.  He drinks milk, Coke, and water occasionally, and sometimes orders sweetened iced tea in a restaurant. He wouldn’t know what to do with a cup of hot tea, though I’ve offered him a taste many times. The tea in the pantry is, in his opinion, simply taking up space.

Ahmad’s Tea

I’ve bought their decaffeinated Afternoon Tea many times at Phoenicia Foods in Houston.

Box of Ahmad Evening Decaf Tea

Very tasty.

It’s also available online (Phoenicia ships!), as are their other teas, including English Breakfast. Nobody’s ever heard of it here that I’ve found. Ahmad’s is also good tea, regular or decaf, such as their Evening Tea, which I bought occasionally in Houston.

Fortunately, it’s readily available online, and not terribly expensive, either.

Builder’s Tea

There are several brands of tea that are called “builder’s tea”, but there is an actual brand called Builder’s Tea. The term is colloquial for very strong (and inexpensive) tea that builders enjoy.

Truly teas for the workers:

Side of box of Builder's Tea

They’re not kidding, are they?

Neither was the US, mate.

I have not personally tried this tea myself. But our friend Beverly recently tried some. She received a box of it in a gift basket some time ago. She posted: “I have a box of Builder’s I’m afraid to try. It has caution markings around the top for heaven’s sake.”

But recently, Beverly decided to make a pitcher of iced tea with Builder’s Tea. Beverly and her family live in rural Georgia, where they have roughly the same weather we have, and iced tea is normal during summer.

Until you make it with real British Builder’s Tea.

Beverly said that after drinking a glass, “I didn’t blink for four hours.”

Don’t say I didn’t warn you, OK?

Tazo’s Awake English Breakfast Tea

I mentioned this in the previous blog post.

PIcture of box of Tazo Tea

My “regular” afternoon tea.

Tazo is a readily available American brand. Their Awake stands up to the British teas, but not with nearly the punch of PG Tips.

It has just the right amount of heart racing I need in the afternoon. Not too strong, but a tasty tea that’s close to British. Thankfully, Winn-Dixie carries it locally.

Stash

Another American brand that LH introduced me to is Stash, which is a bit stronger than Tazo.

Equally good, and I do buy it occasionally when I find it. Both Stash and Tazo have a wide range of tea flavors, available in most grocery stores and online.

Newman’s Own and Store Brands

Newman’s Own also has an English Breakfast Tea, which, in my opinion, is decaf. It tastes all right, but it won’t give you a boost, a jolt, or even a nudge when you need it. It’s not bad, though.

And then just a few weeks ago, I discovered that Winn-Dixie now has its own brand of teas, including English Breakfast tea.

Box of English breakfast tea on shelf in store

Who knew?

We were in the Hammond store, and I found some, two boxes for $4, although it’s now $2.69. It’s a good tea, but it’s not nearly as tasty as, well, real English Breakfast Tea.

I don’t see this tea on their app or website anymore, so I wonder if it’s already been discontinued. Still, it’s not bad for $2.69.

Our local Winn-Dixie is being renovated, and it’s almost finished. I’ll have pictures of that in an upcoming blog. More room, more stuff, self-checkouts, and it’s fabulous. BF is not amused.

HEB has its own brand of English Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey, as well as many others. (There’s also a Central Market Organics brand.) HEB has more tea than they had when I shopped there regularly. I remember their store-brand tea being the same high quality as many others I’ve bought. But it’s been a while.

More Coming Soon

The third part of the tea post is next, complete with pictures, including the wonderful box of things LH kindly sent me from California.

I’m working on a couple of other food-related topics, and as promised, will show you the recipe for the blackberry galette. We’re due to make another one for BF soon.

Enjoy!

 

 

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