Success on day 1

WOOHOO! Made it through my first day of gluten-free-ness! I was a bit disappointed by the selection, or lack there-of, of gluten-free baked goods at the store yesterday...something will have to be done, but more on that later. I just finished a bowl of amazing potato soup and threw a loaf of bread (minus the oh-so-tasty wheat) in the oven. I have a delicious pear for dessert, Dog and Cat are lounging contentedly, and I made it through 24 hours with no wheat....overall a great day! Here's the recipe for the potato soup (from my mom, with a few modifications)...I don't measure anything for it, so I'll do my best to describe it by look...

Potato Soup (Gluten-free optional)

Dice up potatos into about 1/2 inch squares (personally, I love red potatos for this with the skin on, but peeled brown potatos work too). Put the potatos in a stock pot with enough water to cover them, plus a little, and a chicken bullion cube. Boil about 15 min, till they are soft enough to poke easily with a fork, but not so soft as to fall off of the fork.

Drain the water, leaving about 1/2 in. Put the potatos back in and add 2-4 tablespoons of butter, and let the butter melt. Meanwhile, Mix 1 cup of flour (regular or gluten-free) with a generous pinch of salt and pepper as well as some dried parsley and oregano...or fresh....or any other seasonings you want. Crack an egg into the bowl with the flour/seasonings and use a fork to mix it up, set aside.

Pour enough milk into the pan with the potatos to cover, then add about another cup...you can also add some half & half. Turn the heat to med-high and let the milk warm up. Meanwhile, dice up any bacon or ham (or whatever else you want in there....) and grate about 1 cup of cheese. Once the milk is hot slowly add the rivels (the flour/egg mixture) and stir to keep them from all sticking together. Add more milk if needed. Allow to cook for about 15 min. Add your ham/bacon/etc. Adding sour cream is fabulous too, I just never seem to have it on hand. Add the grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste, stir till the cheese is melted.

This goes great with cheesy rolls....haven't tried any gluten-free ones yet, but if this bread turns out I'll work on it. Enjoy!