Sunday, May 31, 2015

Easy Gluten-Free Tomato Soup

Did you know that regular tomato soup has wheat flour in it? We keep the ends of gluten-free bread in a bag in the freezer, just for recipes like this.



Ingredients:

1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1-1/2 cup gluten-free broth or bullion
1 small carrot
1/2 onion
1 slice toast, chopped into cubes
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt


Directions:

1. Chop up the carrot & onion.
2. Dissolve 1-1/2 tsp. bouillon powder into 1-1/2 cup boiling water (if using bullion)
3. In medium saucepan, pour in the can of tomatoes. Using a potato masher or a pair of scissors, break the tomatoes into smaller pieces. You don't need to be too precise, because it's all going in the blender at the end.
4. Add the bullion or broth and the carrots, onions, spices, and toast.
5. Bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
6. Pour the whole thing into a food processor. You might want to use a ladle to start with, because getting splashed with boiling hot soup is no fun.
7. Blend for about 20-30 seconds until smooth.
8. Some people like pepper, sour cream, parsley, butter, or other toppings on top!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Ham+Cheese Soup

Since everyone in our family has been down with a cold, we decided a warm soup would be nice.  My mom found this recipe from the blog My Gluten-Free Kitchen, and it is a favorite.

Ingredients:

1¾ cups water
2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (cubes about ½" to ¾"), we like red potatoes but any works
½ cup sliced carrots 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ cup butter
¼ cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (cubed or shredded)
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
2 cups cubed ham (cooked)



Directions:

1.  In a large pot, bring water, potatoes, carrots, and garlic to a boil. Stir in salt, garlic salt, and pepper.
2.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add the ham cubes and frozen corn. Reduce heat to lowest setting.
3.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in the cornstarch.  Add the milk to the butter/cornstarch mixture and whisk together.
4.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Add cheddar cheese cubes or shreds and stir until melted.
5.  Pour creamy contents of medium saucepan into the large pot of ham and vegetables. Heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until read to serve. Taste a little to see if you would prefer additional seasonings.