Saturday, January 5, 2013

Turkey Tortilla Soup - slow cooker - gluten-free

I had some left over turkey from Christmas dinner that we put into the freezer, what a better use than to make a turkey tortilla soup?!  Yum!

Turkey Tortilla Soup


Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds shredded, cooked turkey
2 (15 oz) cans/jars crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can enchilada sauce
2 medium onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
4 cups chicken broth (or turkey stock)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 (about 12 oz, you can use more or less) package frozen corn

Tortilla chips (you can use tortilla strips from the store, or you can take corn tortillas and cut them into one inch strips and fry them in oil until crispy.  My family prefers the home-made from corn tortillas best.)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients, except the tortilla chips, into a 6 quart slow cooker.  Cover and set to low for 6 hours.

If you are making the home-made tortilla strips, then start making those about 30 minutes before serving.

You may also like to add shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

Yield about 12 servings (or so, depending on the size of your servings)

Enjoy!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Black Bean, Turkey, & Pumpkin Chili

This is a hearty winter day chili, sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Black Bean, Turkey and Pumpkin chili


Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey (or left over turkey, shredded or cubed)
1 medium onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper
3 cups chicken broth (or turkey stock)
2 cups dried black beans
1 (15 oz) can/jar of pumpkin puree
1 (14 1/2 oz) can/jar diced tomatoes, undrained
3 teaspoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 rounded teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions:

Soak black beans over night.  If not softened, do a quick stove top soaking (bring to boil and simmer) until beans are tender.  Drain and rinse beans, set aside. (You can be frying turkey meat while you wait for the beans if you want to.)

In a frying pan brown the ground turkey, add onion and bell pepper and cook another 5-10 minutes (until veggies are soft).  Place in 6 quart slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients (including the black beans that have been drained and rinsed), cover and set slow cooker to low for 6 hours.

Yield about 10 servings



Thursday, January 3, 2013

Chicken Noodle Soup - Gluten-free

This soup turned out so yummy, and will be a wonderful soup to have on had during cold and flu season.

Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, cubed
64 oz chicken broth (or stock)
1 can/jar (about 15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Place all items in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours.

2 cups cooked gluten free pasta (I use elbow noodles - because that is my kiddos favorite.  You could use fettachini noodles broken in half, penne pasta, or any other pasta you have on hand.   About 30 minutes before serving, put cooked pasta into slow cooker and turn slow cooker down to keep warm (or your lowest setting).

Super simple - just the way I like it!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Tasty Soup for a Winter day

This is a tasty soup that contains ingredients that can easily be obtained in winter.  It's quick and easy to throw together and cooks all day long in the slow cooker.

Warm Up Soup


Ingredients:

1 pound ground meat (I use turkey, pork, or beef, whatever is on sale)
3 medium onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz beef broth
30 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large carrots, chopped
4 large celery stalks, chopped
2 cups frozen cut green beans
4 small potatoes, chopped (i leave the peeling on, but you could peel it if you have pickier eaters)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried sweet basil
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt/Pepper to taste: optional

Another option is to cook about 2 cups of pasta and add that into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving.  My kids really like some gluten-free pasta added in, I usually use elbow noodles or penne pasta.


Instructions:

In a large skilled, brown ground meat over medium heat. Add in onions and garlic, cook about 3-5 minutes longer, until onions and garlic are tender and meat is no longer pink and well cooked.  Drain off fat.   Add meat mixture to 6 quart slow cooker.  Add all remaining ingredients and give it a good stirring, cover, set to high and cook for 8-9 hours.

Stir slow cooker contents before serving.  Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

White Bean & Chicken Chili - Gluten-free

This is a tasty chili that will warm you up on a cold day with out a lot of work, after all, it is a slow cooker meal - right?!  :)

White Bean and Chicken Chili


Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts (or 5-6 small ones)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
5 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
9-10 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups dried white beans (I used great northern beans), overnight soak in 10-12 cups water,  stove top cook until beans are tender if needed.
6 cups chicken broth

Toppings:  shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, (or my favorite) shredded Dubliner cheese, and/or sour cream.

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil (about a tablespoon), and saute chicken until no longer pink.  Add in minced onion, garlic and diced jalapeno.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Pour into 6 quart slow cooker.

Put 2 1/2 cups of the prepared beans into a medium bowl.  Add about 1 cup of the broth and mash beans.  Add to slow cooker.  Add all remaining ingredients (except toppings, of course) to the slow cooker, give it a stir and cover, set on low for 4 hours (or longer, after 4 hours you can set to keep warm and leave it the rest of the day if you want to).

Stir slow cooker contents before serving, add toppings of choice to each bowl of chili, and Enjoy!  


Monday, December 31, 2012

Mexican Chicken Soup - Gluten-free

This soup was so tasty!  It was warm and cozy on a cold chilly day.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Yield about 10-14 servings

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, cubed (or 5-6 small ones)
splash of olive oil for frying
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup GF Taco seasoning
1 (64 oz) V8 Juice
4 cups salsa
3 cups dry black beans (soak over night in about 10-12 cups water, then stove top cook if needed, until beans are tender)
1 (32 oz) package frozen corn

4-6 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Toppings - shredded cheddar cheese, or pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese and/or sour cream.

Instructions:

In a large skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium heat, saute chicken in oil until no longer pink.  Add water and taco seasoning; simmer, uncovered, until chicken is well coated and some of the water has evaporated.  Pour into slow cooker.

Add the V8 juice, salsa, black beans, and frozen corn into the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add in cilantro about 30 minutes before ready to serve.  Top with items of your choice and Enjoy!  :)


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Broccoli Cheese Chicken soup - Gluten-free

I know it's been awhile since I've posted recipes... well....  I've planned out about two weeks of soups for our family.  All slow cooker, and hopefully I'll get them all posted for you to try as well!



Broccoli Cheese Chicken Soup


First I started with a home made gluten-free cream of chicken soup.  To make this you will need:

1 large chicken breast (or 2 smaller ones)
4 chicken bullion cubes (make sure they are GF)
2 cups almond milk
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons Featherlight flour mix
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt (or a little less)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or omit if you do not use pepper)

Cube chicken breast and cook over medium heat until done (no longer pink and fully cooked).   Set aside.

Warm milk in microwave, do not scorch.  I usually put it in for one minute then take out and stir, then another minute, then take out and stir, then add in the chicken bullion cubes, back into the microwave for another minute and then stir.  Probably a total of five minutes stirring after each minute.  You want to make sure the bullion is dissolved.

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat.   While butter is melting, in a small bowl combine featherlight flour mix, garlic, salt and pepper.   After butter is completely melted, whisk in the flour mixture.  Whisk continually over medium heat until slightly browned.  Slowly add in milk mixture while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking to eliminate any lumps until sauce is thickened and boiling.  Add in the chicken and remove from heat.

Pour the cream of chicken soup into the slow cooker.

Next saute 1 chopped green bell pepper and 1 medium onion, chopped in about 3 tablespoons of butter until tender.  Add into slow cooker.

Next add in:

3 cups almond milk
1 1/2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 (32 oz) package of frozen chopped broccoli

Stir all ingredients, set slow cooker to low and cook for about 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Featherlight flour mix:

6 cups white rice flour
6 cups corn starch
6 cups tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato flour (NOT potato starch)