Creating in the Kitchen

About a year ago I found out that I have Celiac Disease. What is that you ask? Well it's an auto-immune disease where you're body rejects the gluten protein or leavening agent in wheat. There is no cure for it other than to avoid food with wheat in it. I've been creating and trying recipes here and there for new options... and here are two good ones so far:

#1 I love breakfast food. So it was a huge bummer when I realized I could no longer have pancakes, or my favorite belgian waffles! I was expressing this disappointment to my mom so we made potato pancakes. They turned out awesome!

Recipe:

4 Large Potatoes

1 Yellow Onion

1 Egg beaten

1 tsp Salt

2-3 Tbsp Baking Soda

1-2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Pepper to taste

Vegetable oil for skillet

Finely grate potatoes and onion into a large bowl. Drain off any excess liquid. Mix in egg, salt, pepper, and Cinnamon. Add enough Baking Soda to make mixture thick, about 2 to 3 Tablespoons. Heat 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Drop 2 or 3 1/4 cup mounds into hot oil, and flatten to make 1/2 in. thick pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel lined plates to drain. If not serving immediately keep warm in a 200 degrees F oven until serving time. Repeat until mixture is used.

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You can make potato pancakes both shredded and from mashed potatoes. I've done both, and feel that the shredded style hold up the best.

#2 I love Mexican food! This winter I've been experimenting with a lot of soups. I think of a dish that I like and then think of a way to make that in soup form. That's how I created this Enchilada Soup:

I used:

1 yellow onion chopped

2 Cloves garlic

2 cans Black beans (drained and rinsed)

2 Cans diced tomatoes w/ green chilies

1 large can Enchilada Sauce (double check label for gluten additives)

2 cups cooked and shredded turkey (could use chicken)

2 cups frozen corn

2 cups chicken broth (check for gluten free)

1 cup Velveeta Cheese

Shredded Cheese for garnish

Crunched tortilla chips for garnish

In a big stock pot I sauteed the onion in a little bit of Olive Oil. Add the garlic and allow onion to get tender. Add all ingredients except for last 3. Cook on medium heat covered until bubbly. Put Velveeta in a microwave safe dish with a little bit of milk and heat in 30 sec. increments until melted. Add to soup. Dish up and serve with cheese and Chips on top!

Enjoy!