Slow Cooker Poato Soup

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
I previously had another potato soup recipe on here, but took it down as this one trumps it by a long shot. It takes a bit of prep work, but once you throw it in the crock pot, you're free until dinner time. As usual, I changed the recipe to fit my needs and(I think) made it healthier. I use fresh potatoes and dice them up. The original recipe calls for frozen potatoes, so if you're in a crunch, those would work just fine as well :) Click on the photo to find the original link.





Ingredients:

• 6-7 large yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced to roughly 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions (or use fresh, if you like)
• 1 medium stalk celery, diced
• 1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp potato starch or flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 bag (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese (or some combination you like)
• 1/4 cup bacon pieces
• sliced green onions

1. In a 3-4 qt slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, celery, garlic powder, broth, and water.
2. Cover, cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 3-4 hrs.
3. In a small bowl, mix flour into cold milk. Stir into potato mixture and increase heat setting to high.
4. Cover and cook an additional 20-30 minutes, until the soup thickens. Stir in cheese until melted.
5. Add bacon and green onions as toppings.
6. Enjoy!!

Note: You can *always* substitute ingredients that you don't have on hand. In the past, I've used dried celery in place of fresh. Just get the ingredient in there somehow and it'll taste delish!

Favorite Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Nuggets. I used to be mildly addicted to them. I just really like chicken in general. And crunchy things. After numerous failed attempts at breading chicken pieces in different gluten free flours, I decided I was just too lazy for all this work. And they really didn't even taste very good. Until I found this recipe. It's very easy, quick, and BAKED instead of fried, so it's much healthier. The original recipe is from glutenfreely.com, but I've altered it slightly to accommodate my laziness when it comes to making food. Here it is:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces (I actually cut and freeze the chicken when I buy it, so I have pre-cut lb size packages of chicken ready to thaw and cook)
• 3 cups Corn Chex brand cereal (off brands still contain gluten)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 3 Tbsp melted butter or butter substitute
• 1 Tbsp milk or milk substitute

1. Heat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with baking spray.
2. Crush cereal in a gallon size ziploc bag by using a rolling pin. Turn bag over and re-crush until cereal is medium-finely crushed. 
3. Add spices to cereal in bag. Shake to combine. 
4. In small bowl, combine melted butter and milk. 
5. Dip chicken pieces into butter/milk mixture, then transfer chicken to the ziploc bag with the cereal and spices.
6. When all chicken is in the cereal bag, zip the bag up and shake until the chicken is coated. 
7. Transfer chicken to cookie sheet and spread out evenly.
8. Bake 8-9 minutes, turn chicken, then bake another 7-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
9. Enjoy!

Note: These chicken nuggets are AMAZING straight out of the oven, but do not taste well when re-heated in the microwave. Use the oven to re-heat them if you have leftovers. IF you have leftovers. Good luck with that ;) 

Cashew Chicken

I love Cashew Chicken. Where I live, it's a staple. Going gluten free was not easy. Traditional Cashew Chicken is rolled in flour, dipped in egg, rolled in flour again, and fried. Oh my goodness. Pure deliciousness. We tried breading the chicken in several different types of gluten free flours until I found this recipe. And I've never gone back. Family raves about this recipe, my son begs for it, it's just plain amazing. It's from bettycrocker.com, but I've tweaked the directions a bit to make it easier. Because easier is always better in my book :)

Main Ingredients: 

• 1 lb cooked, cut up boneless skinless chicken, about 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup cooked brown rice

Marinade:

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce, I use San-J reduced sodium, gluten free
• 2 tsp grated gingeroot
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure sesame oil

Sauce:

• 1 cup chicken broth, I use any off brand that says "Gluten Free" or Swanson
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch 

Other:

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup cashews
• sliced green onions(optional)
• Any green veggie you like (broccoli, snow peas, snap peas, etc)

Directions:
1. Cook rice as directed
2. Mix together marinade ingredients and add to chicken(either in a Ziploc baggie or a container). Place in fridge and allow in marinate for at least 15 minutes.
3. In a bowl, mix together the sauce(chicken broth and cornstarch). Use cold water only! Cornstarch will not dissolve in warm/hot water.
4. In a large skillet, heat oil and add chicken and marinade. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center.
5. Re stir sauce and add to skillet, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. Allow to simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
6. Top with cashews and green onions and serve veggies on the side or mix them in!
7. Enjoy!! 
 

Favorite Products: Udi's Gluten Free Three Cheese Pizza

Gluten free pizza that tastes like....pizza? What is this anyway?

So I've seen plenty of little overpriced gluten free pizzas at my local stores. And I've made my fair share of homemade gluten free pizzas. But to be honest, when we're having a family get together and everyone is eating Papa Murphy's, I WANT a pizza that tastes as good as theirs does. And until recently, I hadn't found it. One look at my little gluten free mess in front of me and I'd lose my appetite, instead, drooling and longing wistfully as everyone else's cheesy goodness.

Until Udi's got into the frozen pizza business. And everything changed. I snatched up a box the first time I saw in it my local natural foods store and made it the second I got home. And for the first time in 3 years,  I ate a pizza that tasted like a pizza. *tears up a little* This is a big deal, y'all. They have 2 other flavors out now, be sure to ask your local stores to start carrying them if they don't already!

Gluten Free Bisquick Coming Soon!!

  Well, Gluten Free Bisquick is almost here! I am super excited, as General Mills has come out with some really yummy gluten free foods so far, and I'm hoping this will be another one of them.

Check out their Gluten Free Bisquick site with recipes and information.

Also, check out General Mills' expanding list of gluten free products here. They seem to be adding new products regularly, so be sure to check it often!