Wordless Wednesday

Ultimate Atkins Birthday Cake

Meatcake.  It sounds dirty...but I promise it is not.

Birthdays are a big deal here at the Mountain View Mama household.  Anyone out there who knows us has heard of "Clay-fest", which of course has now expanded to include "K-fest", "Zoe-fest" and "Monster(I mean Sam)-fest".  Birthdays are a little bit like Hanukkah, with 5 days of celebration.  Little presents, parties, special activities and cake are spread out throughout the fest and it makes birthdays really special and really fun.

My husband is the originator of the fest, so you can imagine my predicament when he told me, "No cake this year.  I'm serious."

He started doing the Atkins diet right before Christmas and it works really well for him.  He didn't want to screw it up.  "Make me a bacon cake", he suggested.

A bacon cake.  No carbs.  No sugar.  My family does not make things easy.

As I wandered through the meat department of the local supermarket...inspiration struck.  A meatcake!

The Ingredients:

• Preformed Burger Patties (I got Angus beef, 90% lean)
• Bacon
• Bleu Cheese
• Frozen Cauliflower
• Butter
• Sour Cream
• Frozen Broccoli
• Cracked Black Pepper

We didn't use any sauce with it, but we thought it would be good with some A1 or au ju.

To start off, fry the bacon on a cast iron skillet.


Then pan fry 2 burger patties in the bacon grease.

While the meat is cooking, steam the cauliflower.  When the cauliflower is soft(ish), drain the water, add 2 tbsp butter, 'bout 1/4 c of sour cream and a hunk of blue cheese.  Mash it up with a potato masher then add cracked black pepper to taste.  Keep warm on low heat while everything else finishes cooking.

When the burgers are just about done, melt some blue cheese on top of one patty and top with bacon.

Cook the broccoli in the microwave as everything else finishes up.

To make the meatcake, spread a bed of the mashed cauliflower in the certer of a dinner plate.  Top with the stacked burger patty.  Frost with more mashed cauliflower.  Surround with broccoli.  Top with a candle and serve!

It may not be a traditional birthday cake, but the meatcake was really, really good!  I made a smaller one for myself with only one patty and it was tasty too! 

If your husband is on Atkins...or is just a regular old meat loving man...try out the Ultimate Atkins Meatcake.  He'll be a happy guy!

App of the Month: Presidents vs. Aliens

Presidential fever is rampant here in New Hampshire this week, with the primary only a few days away.  As I sit here in my living room heckling the debaters I thought I would spend my time a bit more productively and let you all know about a very presidential app that you can get.

Presidents vs. Aliens!

Reading skills are necessary for this one, so it's not for the little guys.  The big kids will love it, and the grown-ups will too.  Learn Presidential facts, nicknames, parties and more.  Collect Presidential flashcards and learn about them all.

You might still have no clue who to vote for, but you'll be an expert on those who have already been there.

Presidents vs. Aliens.  Have fun!

Wordless Wednesday