The Gluti Girls...

Minestrone Soup

The weather is getting colder and that means it's time for soup!  I think most of you know by now that on Sundays, I scrapbook with my mom and a couple of friends.  Most Sundays, the friends go home at dinner time, but once a month we have a pitch in.  The husbands come and eat with us too!  

Luckily, my mother and my friend Jennifer, is gluten free.  My other friend, Denise,  is very good about bringing something that is gluten free so the meal stays safe to eat.  We really have a lot of fun doing this and it's something I look forward to each month.  Luckily, I have a huge dining room table that can seat at least 10 without the extra leaf and more with it!  I love filling that table with people and feeding them.  

Coming up with a gluten free main dish to feed that many people can be tricky at times, but can be managed.  I love to make soup.  A couple weeks ago when we had this dinner, it was a little chilly out.  Right now the weather in Indianapolis is beautiful.  It's been in the low 70's.  I know winter is just waiting to rear it's ugly head.  So, this soup recipe will be perfect on those cold winter days.  

This recipe makes a ton of soup.  You can easily cut it in half for less people.  And, it gets better each day it's leftover!  

Minestrone Soup (print recipe)

2 pounds ground sirloin

6 carrots, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

1/2 cabbage, chopped

1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes 

2-15 oz. canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2-32 oz box beef stock plus 3 cups

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2 zucchini, shredded (I use a cheese grater)

2 cups uncooked gluten free elbow pasta

1. In your largest soup pot, brown ground beef and drain off the fat.  

2. Add the carrots, celery, and onions.  Cook until they are tender.  

3. Next, add the cabbage, tomatoes, beans, the two boxes of beef stock and spices.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer and cook for about and hour.

4. After and hour, add the zucchini and the pasta.  Cook until the pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.  This is where you might want to add the extra broth.  I like my soup with more broth, you might like yours with less.  It's up to you!  You can also add less pasta if you like it that way.  

This makes a huge pot of soup!  It will serve at least 16 people.  

 

Jennifer brought corn bread.  She has a secret gluten free cornbread recipe.  But, it's not dairy free.  So, just for me she made some dairy free corn muffins.  They were so yummy!  I can't share the recipe since she's taking it to the State Fair competition this summer.  I think she's going to give them a run for the money!  You can see Denise's veggie tray in the background.  That's a perfect thing to bring for a gluten free dinner!  

Fajita Corn Soup

Even in the summer, I still like to make soup!  Last Sunday, I grilled a flank steak and some fresh corn.  I still had some leftover and when I got in the fridge tonight, I though to myself, what the heck am I going to make with this?  

This is typical of my dinner prep.  Honestly, I do put together loose menus for the week, but I always end up changing it up.  But, these leftovers inspired my soup.  If you don't have leftover flank steak, regular steak would be great.  Or you can use cooked stew beef.  I also think it would be decent with ground beef, shrimp or chicken. If you have leftovers, this soup goes together very quickly! 

 

Fajita Corn Soup (print recipe)

5 servings

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeds removed from half

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 ears of cooked corn (or one can, drained)

1 or 2 cups cooked beef (leftover flank steak, stew beef)

1 can black beans, drained

2-14 oz. cans chopped tomatoes

1-6 oz. can tomato paste

4 or 5 cans water using tomato paste can

Juice from 1 lime

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

1. In a large pot, saute the onion, both kinds of peppers, and garlic in olive oil until tender.

2.  Cut the corn off of the cobs and add to the pepper onion mixture.

3.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer till heated through.  Serve with corn chips, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Cooks notes:  My husband says there is too much corn in this soup.  I'm sure you can make it with less if you are not a corn lover.  I like corn!  When adding the jalapeno peppers, the heat comes from the seeds.  How hot it is depends on how many seeds.  If you don't like things too spicy, remove all the seeds from the pepper.  I find it just right leaving half the seeds in.  

On another note, I'm trying to both green up my kitchen and make healthier choices in kitchen storage.  I've gotten rid of my paper towel holder.  I keep them stored in the cabinet to reduce usage.  I've put a basket out where the towel holder used to be and it's filled with cloth towels.  We've also gone to cloth napkins.  It's really been such and easy adjustment.  

I've been concerned for a while now about using so many plastics and things in my kitchen.  Last week, I moved all my plastic storage containers out of the kitchen.  We can use them elsewhere in the house for storage.  I replaced them with glass containers and storage dishes.  They make a lot of them now with plastic lids.  I like that because the food is not in contact with the plastic, but it's a handy way to keep them covered.  The greatest find of the week for me was a box of glass Ball Jars.  I bought the wide mouth type.  At our grocery store, you can buy plastic lids for them.  That way you can even freeze things in them as long as you leave enough room at the top.  I froze my cooked rice in them this week and to reheat it, all I had to do was take the plastic lid off and heat it in the microwave.  Love them!  

Here they are with my leftover soup.  

Finally, this little bug is growing.  

She really has been a good puppy.  I don't think that's going to last though.  We are moving into our terrible two stage.  How do I know this?  My tarragon is missing.  I have not founds it's lifeless body yet.  There is a hole in the earth where it used to live.  I also found a petunia body in the middle of the yard today.  And, I have a hosta with a trench dug all the way around it.  This all happened today.  Oh my.  

Chicken Artichoke Corn Chowder

It was a wet, rainy, yucky day here in Indianapolis.  Cold too.  I am sick of cold.  I would like to wear shorts and sandals!  Maybe sweat a little!  Well, maybe not that, but I am sick of wearing sweat shirts and long pants.  

It was the perfect day to make soup.  I knew I had some boned, cooked chicken in the freezer and a rutabaga in the veggie bin.  That was the start of my soup.  Sometimes I don't have a clue how I'm going to make it until I start!  

Yesterday, it was beautiful here.  I have a raised bed garden and it needed refilled this year.  Steve ordered some dirt and yesterday got it filled for me.  

I got all the garden planted last night.  I knew I had a new herb I found at the garden center the other day, and I couldn't wait to try it.  Lemon thyme.  Oh, it smells so incredibly good!  The plant was so tiny, I was afraid to pick very much off of it.  So I only had a tablespoon for the recipe.  The recipe probably could have used more.  I can't wait to use this on fish.  

After picking some of my fresh herbs and scouring the veggie bin and cupboard, this is what I came up with.  Enjoy!

Chicken Artichoke Corn Chowder (Print recipe)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 rutabaga, diced

3 carrots, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can 14 oz. whole artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 whole chicken, boned, chopped

1 quart plus 2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cup corn

1 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

4 cups 2% milk

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1. In a large soup pot, saute the rutabaga and carrots in the olive oil for about 10 minutes.  

2. Add the celery, onion, garlic and cook until all of the vegetables are almost tender.  

3.  Add the artichokes, chicken, chicken broth, corn, thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.  

4.  After 20 minutes, make sure the rutabaga is tender.  Then with a large measuring cup, put the rice flour in the bottom of it.  Slowly add just enough milk to make a thick paste.  Keep adding milk in small amounts, continuing to stir in the flour to keep the mixture smooth until you have reached the 4 cup mark.  Add this mixture to the soup.  Stir until the soup thickens and it's heated through.  

5.  Serve with some fresh parsley sprinkled on top.  

Cooks notes:  If you prefer, potatoes can be used instead of rutabagas.  You could certainly make this recipe dairy free by using almond, soy or hemp milk.

Dinner Party part 2

Do having dinner parties scare you?  They didn't use to me.  I used to have so many short cuts for having people over.  I knew where to buy really good bread that tasted home made.  I knew how to make really good desserts that involved gluten.  If I was having a lot of people over and didn't have a lot of time to cook, I could go to Sam's Club and buy so much pre-made, decent quality food.  

I can't do that now.  Now when I have friends over, it all has to be home made.  That means planning and time.  It also means simple.  I poured over my cookbooks for days.  I wanted to make everything I saw, but when it came down it, I knew I had to choose some simple things.  I decided that most of my time would go into my salad and soup.  Everything else needed to be easy.  This is the menu I choose......

For starters:

Goat Cheese with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Rosemary

Soup and Salad:

Fresh Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Shallot Cream Soup

Main Course:

Roasted Asparagus

Rosemary and Garlic Filet of Beef

The prep for this meal was really easy.  I made the bread the day before.  I could have easily prepared everything for the salad the day before but I didn't have the ingredients yet.  Same thing with the soup.  Actually, it was better the next day as leftovers!  When you are planning a party, think of foods that you can prep the day before to take some of the work load off of you the day of the party.  

Goat Cheese with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Rosemary (print recipe)

(From Southern Living Annual Recipes)

6 dried tomato halves

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 French gf baguette, thinly sliced

olive oil

1 (11 oz log shaped) package goat cheese 

1. Cover tomato with boiling water; let stand 5 minutes.  Drain and chop.  Combine with garlic, oil, and rosemary; cover and chill up to 4 hours.

2.  Brush baguette rounds with additional olive oil.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted.

3.  Just before serving, place goat cheese on a serving plate, and top with tomato mixture.  Serve with baguette rounds, and garnish if desired.  

Yields 8 servings

Cooks notes:  I grilled my baguettes!  Love this recipe!  

**********************************************

Fresh Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette (print recipe)

(From Pampered Chef Spin on Salads)

Beets

8 medium fresh beets, scrubbed and peeled

1 can (12 oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, divided

1 cup water

1 tsp. orange zest

Dressing and Salad

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp snipped fresh basil leaves

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp coarsely ground pepper

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large oranges, cut into segments

2 sweet onion slices, separated into rings

1 cup lightly packed frisee or endive

4 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

1. For beets, trim greens and root ends and peel. Cut into 1 inch wedges.  Place beets, 1 1/4 cup of the orange juice concentrate (reserve remaining for dressing), water and orange zest in saucepan and bring to boil.  Cover and reduce heat and simmer 35 to 40 minutes or until beets are tender.  Drain beets, cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use in salad.  

2.  For dressing, combine remaining 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Slowly add oil, whisking until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  

3. For salad, for each serving, arrange onion rings on serving plate; top with beets, orange segments, frisee and cheese.  Drizzle with dressing.  Sprinkle with black pepper.  

Yields 4 servings

Cooks notes:  I could not find frisee at the grocery so I used a bed of mixed baby greens and layered the other ingredients on top of that.  

*****************************************

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Shallot Cream Soup (print recipe)

(From The Bon Appetit Cookbook)

8 servings

16 large shallots, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 cup cream Sherry, divided

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried sage

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 cup beef broth

3 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Toss shallots with oil in bowl.  Arrange shallots on large rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly.  Bake until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. 

They will look like this.  Yum.  

 

2. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and sugar; cook until onions are deep golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 50 minutes.  

3.  Add whole shallots, 1/2 cup Sherry, and dried herbs to onions.  Cook until almost all liquid evaporate, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Add both broths and simmer 25 minutes.  Add cream and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes.  

4.  Add fresh thyme and parsley along with the remaining 1/4 cup of Sherry.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Cooks notes:  For me, this soup was a tad to sweet and very rich.  When I make it again, I will not add the sugar to the onions and might not use as much Sherry if any (I'm not sure I like Sherry!).  Also, I think it would be just as good with half and half or for those dairy free to use hemp milk in place of the cream.  

****************************************

I have no real recipe for the asparagus and filet or pictures!  I just took fresh asparagus, tossed it in some olive oil, salt and pepper, laid it in a roasting pan (one layer) and roasted it at about 400 degrees for about 15- 20 min.  You want the asparagus to still be a nice bright green.  Don't let them get soggy.  Not good!  

For the filets, I marinated them in olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary, crushed garlic and black pepper in a zip lock bag.  I didn't measure any of that.  Just guess!  I grilled the filets on my indoor grill while the asparagus was roasting in the oven.  

We ate the meal in courses.  I love doing it that way.  We snacked on goat cheese while I put the salad together.  The onions for the soup was finishing while we ate the salad.  We talked and laughed.  Then we had soup.  Talked and laughed, drank some wine, then I cooked the main course.  It's just so relaxing to have a meal this way!  How many meals do you make, where you work for hours, or days (Thanksgiving, Christmas), you put all the food out at once, and in 30 minutes it's all over!  I like taking time better.  

And the wine.....like I said in my last post, Steve and I are not knowledgeable about wine.  We just know we like wine!  Maybe you too are a little nervous about picking out the right wine for a meal.  Do what we did.  Ask around your town and find a liquor store where there is someone who does know what's good.  Ask for their recommendations.  Tell them what you are serving.  I did just that.  I knew I needed a white wine for the salad and soup and a red wine for the main course.  The man at our local store recommended a Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2007.  I'm not a big fan of white wine, but this was really good.  He did not steer us wrong.  Now I am a big fan of red wine.  He told us about one he had tasted the week before and he thought it was so good that he would put it up against any expensive bottle of wine.  It was Ghost Pines Merlot 2005.  I love, loved it.  I would serve this again to company.  

I almost forgot dessert!  This dessert is an easy one to make on the spot.  My mom used to make it when we were kids on Christmas eve after coming home from my Grandmother's house.  It's a throwback to the 1970's

Cherry's Jubilee (print recipe)

2 15 oz cans of Bing cherries

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup brandy

Heat the cherries in a skillet.  Add the sugar and cinnamon.  Mix the water and cornstarch in a small cup, then add to the cherry mixture.  Cook until thick and bubbly.  Add the brandy but do not mix in.  Light it with a match and watch it flame!  Then mix well.  Kids love this!  

Check back in a couple days.  I will have a recipe for some gfcf cookies and a story about Mia, the cookies, and the doggie er.  Yes, she's ok now.  

White Bean Chicken Chili

Hope you are all keeping warm!  It's been pretty darn cold here in Indianapolis.  I don't do cold.  I'm not really supposed to be living here.  I know I was meant for a warm climate, but here I am.  Stuck.  I haven't left the house all week.  I have lots of things to keep me busy, so why go out in the cold!  

I'm still working on the kitchen.  The house we live in was just a year and a half old when we moved in it.  We moved from an older home in a historic area.  It's been a little weird living in a newer home.  It's a cookie cutter house so there's nothing much to give it personality on it's own.  Our old home was unique and suited my decorating taste well.  I love traditional things like antiques, oriental rugs etc.  I've had a hard time figuring out what to do here.  In my last post, I had stripped wallpaper and painted.  Now I'm tiling the back splash.  I'm trying to figure out how to add some things to the home to give it the feel of an older more traditional home.  So far I'm loving the tile. 

There I was tiling away, when I realized it was 4:30 and I was getting hungry.  Again, I had to go for some soup.  So I came up with this recipe and quickly got it in the pot cooking while I finished the last couple tiles of the day.  

White Bean Chicken Chili (print recipe)

1 quart of Gluten free Chicken Stock (I use Kitchen Basics)

1 can of Amy's Tomato Bisque Soup

1 small can of chopped green chili's

1 pound ground chicken

3 large fat carrots 

2 stocks celery

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh

2-15 oz. canned of great northern beans

Chop the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Place in large soup pan with the chicken.  Cook until the chicken is done and the veggies are tender.  Add the cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, parsley, broth, tomato soup, chili's and the drained beans.  Let this simmer for about 30 min.  Enough time to make some gluten free corn muffins from a box mix.  How easy is that! 

Keep warm!