Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Wild Rice Soup….Mmmm…a taste of Minnesota right in a bowl. Ok maybe not, but it sure makes me think of northern Minnesota in the fall. A nice nutty and warm flavor to bring to the table. A sure crowd pleaser!

What you will need:

• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 cup gf all-purpose flour ( I use better batter)
• 3 (12 oz.) cans of Chicken broth (  I use Swanson’s)
• 4 Cups cooked wild rice (1 Cup uncooked) or for a quick soup you can use 2-3 cans of canoe brand wild rice)
• 1 Cup finely grated carrots
• 2 Cups finely cubed chicken breast ( you can use ham if you choose, but it will be more salty in flavor)
• 2 cans of chopped sliced mushrooms or sliced sautéed fresh mushrooms about 1/2 cup (optional)
• 3 tbsp chopped, slivered almonds (optional)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 (12 oz.) cans of fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp red table wine or dry cooking sherry (optional)

Directions:

1. Start by cooking the wild rice according to package instructions. If you opted for the quick route, you can omit this step and time by using 2-3 cans of wild rice ( I use canoe brand)
2. Cube chicken and cook until done; set aside
3. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pan and saute minced onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually the broth.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil
5. Boil one minute, then stir in rice, carrots, chicken or ham, almonds, mushrooms and 1 tsp salt.
6. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Blend in evaporated milk and red wine or dry cooking sherry. Heat to serving temperature.

Makes 14 (1 cup) servings

Happy Fall!

Enjoy~

Jamie

Gluten Free Honey Oat bread

Making bread takes patience and skill to say the least. Gluten free bread making is no different, but patience is an understatement. I have tried and tried to make a loaf of bread that well… looks like bread. Not a dense, wet, unrisen hockey puck. Before using expandex, my yeast bread baking was beginning to look like it was going to be coming to an end. I had wasted so much flour (and we all know how much gf flour is) so much yeast and not to mention TIME, which these days I don’t have much of. I feel this recipe is a winner, both with taste, crumb, rise and shelf life. I owe that all to the wonderful product called Expandex.

If you missed my post on this godsend, you can find it here.  The following recipe was modified and the original can be found here.

Without further adieau…I give you the only GF bread recipe that you will ever need!

What you will need:

• 1 1/4 cup Expandex
• 1/2 cup all-purpose gf flour (I use better batter)
• 1 cup oat flour ( I buy bob’s red mill Gf oats and grind them into flour)
• 3 Tbsp of Sorghum Flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
•  1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 6 tbsp egg whites
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup water (110° F: hot from the tap)

Directions:

1. Measure and blend all dry ingredients using a stand mixer with open blades (dough paddle, not dough hook).
2. Add in egg whites, vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar to dry ingredients at low-speed and blend gently
(dough will be crumbly).
3. Slowly add hot water until well blended at low-speed.
4. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes (dough will be the consistency of a thick cake batter).
5. Preheat oven to 375° F.
6. Spray bread pan with cooking spray (heavier on the bottom and lighter on the sides of pan).
7. Pour dough into pan (dough should fill about 1⁄2 of the pan) and cover with a damp cloth
(make sure cloth is not sticking to the top surface of the batter).
8. Set pan in a warm place (on top of oven) until bread has risen just under the lip of the loaf pan
(sometimes it will take about 30 to 60 minutes).
9. Score the top of the bread with 3 diagonal cuts before placing in oven.
10.Bake for 25–28 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
11.Let bread cool down for about 5 minutes and then remove from pan.
12.Allow the bread to completely cool (about 1 hour) on a cooling rack, before slicing.

Baking Tips: Do not slice bread while it’s still warm. Slicing bread while trying to cool down will cause your bread to lose its desired size, shape,
and crown. Bread can be stored in freezer for longer shelf life if desired, otherwise it can be refrigerated to maintain freshness. If making one
8 inch loaf of bread, excess batter may be used for making a couple of dinner rolls or 2–3 hamburger buns in mini springform pans.

Enjoy~

Jamie

PS: on a side note, if you want plain white bread, omit the sorghum and oat flour and just use all-purpose gf flour in their place.

Coconut Almond Nutella Cake

My first experience with Nutella was in Paris on a warm crepe. Times have changed from the traditional chocolatey hazelnut spread on bread to baking with it and turning the already irresistible spread into a work of art. So many wonderful things can be made with this delicious spread and I wanted to try a recipe that would both be sweet, nutty and just plain delicious. Well guess what…this bundt cake I made lasted two days in my home; that would be the day I made it and it was gone by the end of the next. Yes, it is that good. I have heard a few say, ” Wow, that is an interesting combination.” My response, ” Don’t knock it until you try it!” This is delicious from the first crumb to the last.

What you will need:

• 1 cup all-purpose gf Flour ( I use better batter)
• 1 Cup Sorghum Flour
• 1/2 cup expandex or cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 jar of nutella
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. mix all dry ingredients together and whisk to fully incorporate
2. add oil, eggs, extract and milk. (Nutella will be used last) Blend all ingredients until there is nothing left that is dry.
3. Lightly spray a bundt pan, or what ever style of pan you are wanting to use with cooking spray; pout batter into pan
4. Take a spoon and the jar of nutella spoon a large heaping spoonful and place at different spots on top of the batter. With a bread knife, carefully swirl the nutella into the batter, giving it a nice marbelized look. Add more nutella if you would like and repeat.
5. Bake in a heated 350° oven for 45-50 minutes
6. allow to completely cool before removing from the pan. Top with your favorite icing or glaze.

Enjoy~

Jamie

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

 

 

The crisp air will be beginning shortly if it hasn’t already in your neck of the woods. This time of year gets my mind whirling with the endless possibilities that will warm the bellies of my family. This dish is no exception, a great spin on the traditional chili and although it may sound a little interesting, you might even be able to get the pickiest eaters to try chili for a change. This recipe has been tested on some family members that despise pumpkin in any form and to their surprise they actually enjoyed loved it.  This chili is quick to make and the best part is you can place it in the slow cooker and leave it until it is time to be served. Talk about convenient…this works great for busy families like mine.

While I wish I could take the credit for creating such an amazing and tantalizing chili dish, I can not…but I did want to share with you some of my favorites here on the blog and that will consist of some recipes made by others. The actual recipe which has been modified can be found here.

What you will need:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken or beef broth ( I use Swanson’s, and depending on which meat you are using decide which broth is best)
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey ( you can use ground beef, turkey or chicken)
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder ( this is very mild, if you want a spicier variety I suggest bumping up the chili powder to your liking)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bay leaves (remove before eating)

Directions:

• In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow & green pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Enjoy~

Jamie