Baked Potato Soup (GF/CF)

Another Gluten Free/Corn Free yummy dinner to make for our family (one that makes you just feel all warm and fuzzy on a cool autumn day!) is Baked Potato Soup. It is not too hard to prepare

as the base is just a good potato soup. I peel and chop about 10 big potatoes (less if you have a small family) and boil them. Then strain and mash about 3/4 of the potatoes leaving some chunks for a heartier soup. I add chicken stock (read labels - not all are created alike and yes, some do have wheat and corn in them) I use Pacific Naturals Chicken stock or my own homemade, and my own goat milk (yes, you can use regular cow's milk or even rice or soy if you prefer.)

Then I prepare all the toppings: bacon, shredded cheese (a variety is nice too - cheddar, Pepper Jack and/or Bleu cheeses work) green onions, sauteed mushrooms, and more - let your tastebuds be your guide!Go ethnic!

Okay, I ladle up the soup and then let everyone top their own soups.

EAT HEARTY MATES!!!

Red or Green?????????

In NM the all important question is RED or GREEN? Here, they don't mean lights or just merely a color....it's all about the chile! So I was out harvesting from the garden the other day and found all these lovely green chile's and one gorgeous red.

Each type of chile is grown on the same plant - green is picked earlier and red later or allowed to ripen completely and dried. NOW, being from a family that is gluten AND corn allergic....mexican, or rather New Mexican food is a challenge - Chile Rellenos - yeah if you can make your own batter with GF flour. enchiladas? Not so much. Burritos - yep with a GF pancake instead of tortilla - it's just not the same. Oh, Tacos? NOPE. So some of us do not want to loose the flavor of the Southwest and we just need to be creative....So here is my self created layered GF/CF "chile relleno. Trust me - this is tasty and looses no southwest flavor - just the batter and corn.

First you start early in the morning and put on a fresh pot of beans. cook them until soft and salt them good.

Take your fresh picked green chiles and roast them until the skin blisters and pulls away from the meat of the chile.

Let them cool slightly and peel them, deseed them unless you want the heat and de -stem.

Cook up a good batch of ground beef with all your favorite SW flavors: I use salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, garlic and onions. Then, carmelize a good sized batch of Zucchini and onions (if you are not allergic to corn, add corn kernals!) and garlic.

Shred some pepper jack, Monterey jack or a mix of cheddar and these cheeses. (just plain cheddar is fine though)

Now layer! chiles, meat/beans/zucchini mix (calabacitas here) cheese, chile, meat/beans/zucchini and cheese. Then top with a fried egg and/or some sour cream. IF you really need your chile fix - some good salsa and some quacamole works too!

Then: